Chapter 24 The Unseen Dragon Kingdom: Intrigue and Showdown
"Dragon Country doesn't let just anyone land there!"
"A bunch of people didn't listen to us and landed there anyway, and they never came back!"
"Really? Is it that scary?"
"Dragon Kingdom ain't no joke. Remember what happened to Krieg? You think you and your measly five million bounty can do what a whole fleet couldn't?"
...
People are flocking to a small island near the Dragon Kingdom.
In just two days, the number of people on the island has increased by more than ten times.
People are curious about this rich and unheard-of kingdom, but their real purpose is different.
"Smoker-san, what should we do now? The Dragon Country is not a member of the World Government, so we can't just go in. If we do, it'll be an invasion."
Tashigi pushed up her glasses and asked.
"Yeah, that's normal. Everyone's been eyeing that rich-ass kingdom. Who wouldn't be jealous? If they let everyone in, that'd be weird."
"So, what's our mission?"
"Start by asking around on the surrounding islands. Gather as much info about Dragon Country as you can"
"Smoker-san...I actually already asked around, but..."
"Just tell me what you found. Why are you hesitating?"
"Well, the answers I got were pretty crazy, so..."
"Explain."
"Yeah, yeah..."
Tashigi, who was slightly injured, quickly told what she had found out.
"The nearby islands don't know much about Dragon Kingdom. No one goes there because it's a dangerous sea area. People who have gone there have disappeared, so no one wants to get involved."
Tashigi told Smoker what she had found out. Smoker was skeptical at first, but he understood why Tashigi hesitated to tell him. It was too incredible to believe.
"This is crazy! A country that doesn't trade with anyone? No ship traffic? No human interaction? How is that possible? Even if a person existed, there would be traces left behind. A country with a population of nearly one million? This is too weird!"
"I know, right? We can't find anything." Tashigi nodded. "There are a few possibilities. One possibility is that the citizens of the Dragon Country have always existed, but they've been hiding their identities. They're so loyal to the Dragon Country that they've never revealed its existence, even when faced with unexpected circumstances."
"Another possibility is that the Dragon Country has control of all the intelligence systems in our sea area. They don't want us to know anything about them, so they've been blocking our intel. If that's the case, their intelligence system is way more powerful than we thought."
Smoker was getting more and more worried.
This was too unbelievable!
The only organization he could think of that could do something like this was CP0, the highest intelligence department of the World Government.
And even they might not be as airtight as Dragon Country.
"Crocodile, a Seven Warlords of the Sea, is here!"
"The remnants of the world's worst pirate group, the Beasts Pirates, are also here!"
"Fire Mountain Vice Admiral from Marine Headquarters is also here!"
"They are all here for Dragon Kingdom!"
Smoker listened to the commotion outside with a worried expression.
He wanted to catch pirates, but the Seven Warlords of the Sea is considered "one of their own" by the Marines.
He also can't deal with a top cadre in Four Emperors without the consent of the Five Elders or the sword bearer in the Marine.
The latter is more likely to do it because if things go wrong, the Five Elders won't admit they are Marines.
"Are you scared? Or are you not scared at all? You don't care about anyone, you don't show any mercy, hehe..."
Crocodile arrived at the high island and looked towards Dragon Country.
"Did you find anything useful?"
"It's weird, there's nothing useful."
"Let's wait until night, and then go meet the Dragon King in person!"
It's too easy to be seen during the day. Crocodile and Jhin don't like to show themselves.
Jhin is interested in seastone industries, but he doesn't want to be exposed if the king is ignorant and uses unsightly means.
It's harder to be seen at night, so many boats set sail in darkness.
...
"Master Gao Yang, here is all the information we have on Dragon Country from the intelligence departments on the nearby islands!"
"Some notable people who have been spotted near Dragon Country include Seven Warlords of the Sea Crocodile, Three Plagues of the Four Emperors, and suspected CP0 members!"
Nico Robin, dressed in a professional secretary outfit with black stockings and intellectual glasses, reported the information one by one.
She is the Minister of Intelligence.
"They came too quickly. It's hard for Kingdom to stay hidden from the world. If they think we're weak, let's show them our strength. Revealing our strength appropriately can save us a lot of trouble."
Gao Yang was wearing pajamas and relaxing on the throne, not surprised at all.
"Okay."
"Are all the teams in place?"
"Yes, they are all in place."
"Who is in charge of this operation?"
"Mr. Smile."
"It looks like there won't be any major problems. Let's go watch the show."
"Okay, Master Gao Yang!"
"We've known each other for several years, so you don't have to be so formal. Just call me Gao Yang like Xiaobai and the others."
"Okay, Master Gao Yang." Robin pushed her glasses up and replied seriously.
"Whatever you like."
"Um."
They went to the balcony of the palace and looked out over Dragon Country. Robin made Gao Yang a cup of coffee.