One Piece meme: Starting with eight extraordinary skills

After a two-week voyage, the steel behemoth finally arrived in the Western Blue from the Grand Line. Its speed was several times faster than that of ordinary behemoths. If it were on Vice Admiral Tsuru's warship back then, it would have taken at least one or two months to reach its destination smoothly.

Yang Ming was born in the East China Sea and had been to the North China Sea and the South China Sea before. This was his first time visiting the West China Sea.

Sitting aboard a giant steel ship, gazing at the endless ocean in all directions, it is actually quite difficult to discern what makes the Western Sea different from other sea areas.

Interestingly, in the original story, when Smoker was a colonel and was sent to the East Blue, he was able to have a base in Loguetown. However, Yang Ming, as the governor of the West Blue, was in charge of all affairs in the West Blue, but Marshal Sengoku deliberately did not arrange a base for him. The reasons behind this are quite extraordinary.

When most people see the arrangements for the Warring States Marshals, they only know that Yang Ming was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and obtained the position of Governor-General of the Western Sea. In two words, awesome!

However, those in the know understand perfectly well that for a large organization like the Navy Headquarters, every document, every word and sentence, is not arbitrary or merely for padding the word count.

Before coming to the West Sea, Yang Ming had discussed with his strategist Jonathan, combining information from within the navy, and came to some conclusions.

Firstly, the situation in the Western Sea is in a state of disarray, and the local naval branch is practically non-existent, completely powerless to suppress the pirates there. Therefore, whether or not to set up a garrison is meaningless, as the local naval branch soldiers cannot provide Yang Ming with any assistance.

Secondly, the rise of powerful figures in various parts of the West Blue is not only due to Shiki the Golden Lion's secret planning and schemes, but also because the West Blue has the fewest member states among the World Government's member states. The kingdoms here have strong military forces and do not take the Navy seriously at all.

Thirdly, the number of pirates in the West Sea is the highest in the four seas. The pirates are extremely rampant, and the Navy branch has suffered heavy casualties. Now it is on the verge of collapse. Fleet Admiral Sengoku sent Yang Ming to the West Sea to put out the fire.

In light of this, Yang Ming set the Flower Kingdom as his first destination on his trip to the Western Sea.

Although the Flower Country is a member state of the World Government, it is a notorious scoundrel. It is called a kingdom in the halls of power, but it is called a pirate in the kitchen. Moreover, it does not rely on the protection of the Navy and has cultivated its own world-famous army called the Hachipo Navy. In reality, it is eight armies, divided into First Treasure, Second Treasure, Third Treasure, Fourth Treasure, Fifth Treasure, Sixth Treasure, Seventh Treasure, and Eighth Treasure.

Each of the eight treasure naval forces has more than a thousand men, and the strongest, the Yibao Navy, has more than ten thousand men, making them the undisputed local power.

Yang Ming never bullies the weak; he's always been stubborn. Since he's already here, he's naturally going to test his skills against the Flower Kingdom and see who's better.

The giant steel ship came from afar, and the people of the Flower Kingdom weren't deaf; they could hear the steam whistle from a distance.

Before the steel warships could get close, a fleet of five medium-sized ships sped towards them, its decks filled with naval personnel.

On the deck of one of the medium-sized ships, two burly men were staring intently at the opposite side.

One of them was a burly man with a strong build and a wheat-colored complexion. Beneath his messy, dark brown short hair were a pair of bright, piercing eyes. He had thick lips pressed tightly together below his bulbous nose. He was shirtless, wearing only a dark green cloak with a wavy neckerchief, striped harem pants, brown boots, and a red belt around his waist.

He has a tattoo of the number 13 on his left abdomen, symbolizing the mark of the 13th generation leader, who is none other than Lao Cai, the pillar of the Green Pepper family.

Old Cai frowned, silently gripping the Guan Dao in his hand.

"Why would the navy come here?"

"Brother, who cares about all that?" Abu, who was also a burly man beside Lao Cai, looked unconvinced. He wielded two battle axes with great force, and the skull tattoo on his left arm was vividly displayed. "We just need to follow our usual practice and sink them, right?"

"No."

Old Cai immediately stopped Abu, then pointed ahead and said:

"That's the navy's newest steel warship. Ordinary shells have no effect on it. Because it can't be mass-produced, the navy that can operate this kind of warship must be no ordinary people. We must treat it well."

Abu shrugged and had no choice but to give up.

As the steel warship drew near, Lao Cai and Abu finally saw clearly who was standing on the deck.

His black hair was neatly combed, his bangs flowed freely, and his dark eyes seemed to be able to see into people's hearts. He stood tall and straight at the bow of the ship, and the navy cloak draped over his shoulders rustled in the wind.

That year, Yang Ming had his hands in his pockets and didn't know what an opponent was.

Yang Ming exchanged a glance with Lao Cai and Abu, and chuckled softly:

"I've always heard that the Flower Country is warm and hospitable, but I never expected that the famous Eight Treasures Navy would personally come out to greet us without my prior notice. I am truly sorry for my disrespect."

Yang Ming said "I'm sorry" but didn't move an inch. He stood there calmly, leaving Lao Cai and Abu standing there, making them feel even more embarrassed.

They're not exactly hospitable, they've always been the ones doing forced buying and selling, okay?

Realizing that the visitor was up to no good, Lao Cai and Abu felt a sudden pang of unease.

Chapter 175 I'll count to five, and you all better disappear by then, or else...

A gentle sea breeze caresses the face, bringing the refreshing feeling of early autumn.

Old Cai and Abu, with a hint of wariness, accompanied Yang Ming as they guided him on a tour of the Flower Kingdom.

The Flower Country is one of the most powerful countries in the West Sea. Although it is a member state of the World Government, it refuses to have a navy stationed there for protection and has raised its own funds to create the renowned Eight Treasures Navy. This gives a glimpse into the fierce and valiant nature of its people.

Walking on the bustling street, Yang Ming had a momentary sense of disorientation, as if he had returned to ancient China. All he could see were ancient wooden and stone buildings, pavilions, towers, corridors, halls, and studios. All the buildings were quite elaborate and were distributed in an orderly manner all around.

Cicadas chirped in the forest, and rows of ginkgo trees lined both sides of the road. It was the peak season for flower viewing, and their green leaves had all turned into bright yellow leaves, rustling in the bleak autumn wind. Occasionally, a few leaves would fall, and the whole scene was full of dynamic beauty.

Every brick and tile, every blade of grass and every tree, green tiles and flying eaves, carved beams and painted rafters.

Walking through the land of flowers, one always feels a sense of déjà vu, as if the style of this country is completely different from other countries, and it feels like this country does not belong to this time and space at all.

only……

"Old Cai, who is this boy?"

A woman with a robust build, more like a man than a woman, stood next to Lao Cai. The bright red cheongsam that was originally beautiful was now worn by Holisa, revealing arms thicker than an adult man's and prominent leg muscles. It was an eyesore and caused severe visual pollution to others.

Holisa is the daughter of Erbao's naval leader and also Lao Cai's fiancée.

While talking to Lao Cai, Holly looked Yang Ming up and down with an aggressive gaze. Her burning gaze seemed to be able to melt steel, making Yang Ming feel very uncomfortable.

I don't know what's wrong with the people of the Flower Country; it's practically impossible to find anyone with decent looks or a decent figure.

"Holisa, don't be rude!"

Old Cai's face darkened, fearing that Hollysa might offend Yang Ming, this ruthless star, and he immediately reprimanded her:

"This is Brigadier General Yang Ming, who is also the Governor of the West Sea. He has come to the Flower Kingdom to inspect public opinion."

When Lao Cai publicly reprimanded her, Holisa was somewhat displeased. However, after hearing Lao Cai's explanation, Holisa became relieved that she hadn't acted too rudely, otherwise her father would have been preparing to collect her corpse.

A person's name, the shadow of a tree.

Yang Ming's public execution of Drought Jack left a deep impression on the world's powerful figures, making them realize that he was a ruthless man. They warned that no one should be fooled by his young age, as they risked being bullied and ending up like Drought Jack if they provoked him.

The Eight Treasures Navy has been passed down for many years, mostly through intermarriage within the family, possessing a long-standing family tradition. Holisa, naturally understanding who could and could not be offended, immediately forced a smile and said:

"So you are the renowned Brigadier General Yang Ming. Please forgive me for my rudeness earlier."

Holly's facial expression was stiff, and her smile looked worse than a cry, which made Yang Ming feel awkward. He quickly and politely brushed it off and let the matter drop.

As the group walked and talked, Yang Ming learned about the local customs and traditions, while Lao Cai and Holisa kept subtly probing him, trying to find out the true purpose of his trip and whether the Governor of the Western Sea would pose a threat to the Flower Kingdom.

Unfortunately, Yang Ming was very tight-lipped. At crucial moments, he would always say something trivial to change the subject, making him as slippery as an eel, which greatly discouraged the two of them.

Before coming to the Flower Country, Yang Ming had always wondered where the Flower Country, as one of the member states of the World Government, would have extra funds to build the Eight Treasures Navy, since it had to pay a large amount of Heavenly Gold every year.

If one relies solely on plundering passing merchant ships and pirate ships, it's a one-off business that can generate profits in the short term but cannot be sustained in the long run.

They're not stupid. If they knew the Flower Country was dangerous, they would naturally choose to take a longer route instead of coming here to throw money away.

It wasn't until he inspected the Flower Kingdom and saw the casinos, opium dens, and brothels everywhere that Yang Ming finally understood where the money came from.

The Flower Kingdom has transformed the entire country into the entertainment center of the West Sea. As long as you have money, you can buy happiness here, whether it's physical or mental.

Perhaps it is because the people of the Flower Kingdom engage in related professions that their appearance and physique appear so awkward and unattractive.

Of course, this is just Yang Ming's speculation.

Yang Ming originally planned to tour the Flower Kingdom before heading straight to the heart of the matter to meet the eight Liang Dongs of the Eight Treasures Navy.

As Yang Ming passed by the entrance of a casino, he subconsciously glanced at the scene inside out of the corner of his eye, and was struck dumb, abruptly stopping in his tracks.

Inside the smoky casino, some people were playing cards, some were rolling dice, and others were placing bets frantically.

Greed was evident on the faces of the gamblers. Their eyes were fixed on the chips and the gambling table, as if they were the ones who would win the next moment. Without hesitation, they pushed the money they had saved by scrimping and saving onto the table, hoping to enjoy the thrill of gambling.

Among the crowd, only one person stood out from the rest, refusing to join them in their corrupt practices. His face remained expressionless, and he made no loud noises, simply placing his chips silently on the table.

This man was tall with short black hair and a thick beard. He had an X-shaped scar on the left side of his forehead that extended to his eyes, which were always closed. He held a cane-like knife in his hand, which looked like a blind person's cane but actually concealed a sharp blade inside. It could be used to scout ahead or to decapitate people in battle.

The loose, light purple kimono was obviously cheap; the hem was faded from washing. A dark purple sash was casually tied around the waist, along with a money pouch.

But now his purse seemed to be running out of money. When he rummaged through it for a while with his thick hand and only managed to pull out a thousand Berries, he seemed a little hesitant, unsure whether he should continue betting.

Just as Fujitora was hesitating, he suddenly heard a boy's hearty laughter:

How can you hesitate at the gambling table?

"I'll call the bet for you."

After saying that, Yang Ming casually threw 20,000 Berries onto the gambling table.

The young man's navy uniform, which stood out so much from the crowd, was bound to attract attention and arouse suspicion. If it weren't for the presence of Lao Cai and Holly, both Liang Dong's, accompanying Yang Ming, the casino manager might have mistaken him for a navy officer deliberately causing trouble and might have already sent people to drive him away.

Fujitora raised his right hand, which was covered in white gauntlets, loosened the purple scarf wrapped around his neck, revealing a solemn middle-aged face. At the same time, he opened his eyes, revealing the whites of his eyes that had long since lost their sight, and stared at the boy beside him.

As the saying goes, what is lost on one front is gained on another.

Despite losing his sight at a young age, which made Fujitora Issho a blind man who experienced the vicissitudes of life, it also forged his extraordinary Observation Haki, allowing him to sense changes in the emotions of others, as well as a certain unique temperament.

Fujitora sensed a highly contradictory quality in Yang Ming.

One side is as warm as the sun, the other as cold as an abyss.

If someone possesses only the former qualities, they are undoubtedly a righteous person with a heart set on the light.

If someone possesses only the latter quality, they are bound to be a ruthless and cunning individual.

But at this moment, these two extremely contradictory temperaments naturally blended together in the boy in front of him, forming a kind of balance. This greatly surprised Fujitora, who was also secretly wondering who Yang Ming really was.

"Young man, this is a gambling den. Minors are not allowed to enter."

Yang Ming had initially thought Fujitora would politely decline, but he hadn't expected him to say something like that.

For a moment, Yang Ming was at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Old Cai glanced at Yang Ming on the left, then at Teng Hu on the right, and smiled, his brows furrowed.

Old Cai had been designated as the 13th generation Liang Dong by the young teachers since childhood, not only because he was the eldest son, but also because he possessed a sharp mind. At this moment, a mental storm was raging in his head as he thought to himself:

"What is so special about this middle-aged man that made Brigadier General Yang Ming come all the way over to try and get close to him?"

"I don't understand! I just don't understand!"

Old Cai was on the first level, while Yang Ming was in the atmosphere. Of course, he couldn't tell from Fujitora's ordinary appearance that he was a civilian master with the combat power of a general.

As the saying goes, "You can search high and low without finding it, but then it comes to you effortlessly."

When Yang Ming was first promoted to captain and gained command of the army, he sent people to search for Fujitora Issho's whereabouts, but there was no news. He never expected to have such an unexpected gain during his trip to the Flower Country.

Facing a master like Fujitora Issho, Yang Ming naturally wouldn't leave just because of a few words from him, and calmly said:

"The games at this gambling den are pretty boring. How about you and I make a bet?"