Chapter 288

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"Boss, bring thirty more servings of everything on the menu!"

In the restaurant, Abel was eating as if no one else was around.

However, his deliberately rugged appearance did not have any effect. Dressed in an evening gown, Stussy sat across from him, smiling and watching him as if he were the most charming person in her eyes.

Yet, both Abel and Stussy knew well that it was impossible.

It was all an act, only a fool would believe it!

Abel had a change of heart at that moment. Regardless of what the other's intentions were, he decided just to be himself and not play along.

Isn't it just about wandering around and eating?

Then, just keep eating, without giving any chance for conversation.

Thus, one was voraciously eating, while the other watched quietly.

Until the owner, wiping the sweat from his forehead, came out to apologize, saying that all the ingredients in the restaurant had been used up.

Abel then took a napkin, wiped his mouth, and got up to leave.

Stussy, with elegance, paid the bill and then tenaciously followed him.

Neither of them took the initiative to speak; they did not even think of speaking.

But eating together, shopping, buying stuff, watching shows - they did it all.

Such a mode of dating was something Abel had never seen in his two lifetimes.

Finally, he glanced at the sky, deciding it was time to leave!

He had already thought of countless excuses in his head, but Stussy just nodded lightly, letting him go.

Really just letting him go???

At that moment, Abel was stunned, feeling a gap like punching into cotton, which was very depressing and uncomfortable.

"What exactly is this woman trying to do?"

Although he could not figure it out, he still quickly made his escape as if granted amnesty.

He was afraid that she might suddenly pull a steel wool from her bag -

That's not who he is!

Seeing Abel running away as if fleeing a disaster, Stussy, standing there with her red lips slightly upturned and eyes shining as if everything was under control.

Meanwhile, when Abel returned to the Flamingo, not only had the battle ended, but even the cleanup was almost done.

Boxes of treasure were being moved onto the ship.

People were also collecting bodies, setting aside those with bounties to exchange for money later.

Being one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea had its benefits, as they could boldly exploit the Navy and the World Government.

The rest were naturally thrown into the sea to feed the fishes.

The ships could also be sold for money, of course, nothing was to be wasted.

Luckily, Doflamingo brought a lot of people this time, or it would have been impossible to manage.

Just seeing the joyous expressions on everyone's faces, Abel knew that the recent windfall was significant!

"Yo, it's over so quickly? Weren't you on a leave?"

Baby 5 said with a teasing smile to Abel.

"I don't like older women."

Abel said helplessly.

Although he did not know how old Stussy was, she was definitely not young.

Thinking of scoring with a younger guy?

Dream on!

"That's because you're too young. With women, the longer the time, the more flavor they accumulate, G~~~"

Lao G also joined in.

"Ew, I am not as good as you guys say~"

Jora passed by with a shy face.

Abel suddenly became expressionless; such a bizarre family should really be done for.

"These guys seem pretty wealthy, huh? How much did we earn?"

He changed the subject, not wanting to talk about Stussy anymore. However, he didn't realize that by following the other's pace, shopping and dining together, he had already fallen into an invisible vortex.

All of us are executives, and there's no need for secrecy. Senor, smoking a cigarette, did a quick mental calculation, "With the treasure we found, plus seventy percent of the bounty and these ships, after spending 20 billion Berries, we've managed to recover nearly ten billion. Therefore, the young master is in a particularly good mood right now."

Most of the time, pirates are generally very poor.

But there are exceptions.

Such as those who gradually accumulate a fortune through plundering.

Or those who find a treasure left behind by predecessors and make a fortune overnight!

The former often meet their match, and the latter requires a lot of luck.

Doflamingo was evidently quite lucky. These guys wouldn't have eagerly attended the auction if they didn't have money.

In the end, he benefitted from the entire ordeal.

Upon hearing this, Abel felt like he had missed out on hundreds of billions.

He had to confront Doflamingo, arguing that nabbing such big fish, how could Doflamingo still dare to skimp on his share of the Treasure Tree Adam?

Doflamingo, annoyed by him, decisively sent him away.

Getting more of the Treasure Tree Adam was impossible; at most, he wouldn't deduct from the boy's operational funds anymore.

The funds previously given wouldn't be taken back either.

Upon leaving, Abel still appeared dissatisfied, but in reality, he was overjoyed.

Without spending a single Berry, he scored a good amount of the Treasure Tree Adam. What was there to be dissatisfied about?

It was simply thrilling!

Doflamingo didn't lose out either. Essentially, he acquired the Treasure Tree Adam and a Snow-Snow Fruit for just a few hundred million Berries.

The one-sided battle that had taken place also deterred the small-time crooks, with no one daring to bite back.

After returning to the family's base, Doflamingo held a family meeting.

After Abel expressed temporary disinterest in the Snow-Snow Fruit, Doflamingo decided to seal away this Devil Fruit.

The next item discussed was the addition of official members to the family.

According to Doflamingo's requirements, strength was secondary; loyalty was paramount.

If one couldn't accept the Donquixote family's way of doing things, even if they were powerful, they were not needed.

After all, bluntly speaking, even an ordinary person could become powerful by consuming a Logia-type Devil Fruit.

Doflamingo painstakingly collected Devil Fruits primarily to cultivate 'family members.'

Therefore, the new recruits must value loyalty above potential and strength.

This was completely different from his initial recruitment criteria.

At the beginning, when the Donquixote family was first established, emphasis was more on strength.

But now, the family has fully spread its wings.

Of course, Doflamingo had already emphasized several times the principle of "quality over quantity."

Every executive had the privilege to recommend candidates, but the final decision rested in his own hands.

Concerning this matter, everyone didn't pay much attention.

Abel was no exception.

Then, Doflamingo finally got to the main point.

"Currently, our Donquixote family has already secured a position in the first half of the Grand Line, and many smuggling channels have been expanded."

"The next step is to advance into the New World. The situation in the New World is far more complex, hence there's a need for early planning."

"I have my eyes on a country, very suitable to become our family's new base in the New World."