One Piece, I'm just an adventurer.

However, Crocodile, still lying on the ground, showed no appreciation for his men's rare loyalty. His face was ashen, his eyes icy, and he shouted in a cold, ruthless tone, "You bunch of idiots, get out of here! This is none of your business!"

"What an arrogant and conceited guy!" Looking at Crocodile's indifferent and disdainful expression, Lin Yi couldn't help but curl his lips and mutter a complaint under his breath.

Crocodile is a very contradictory person. He rose to fame at a young age, becoming one of the first Shichibukai thanks to his immense strength and ruthless methods. However, perhaps it was this early glory that went to his head, making him increasingly arrogant, conceited, and disdainful of others.

On one occasion, he foolishly went and challenged the Whitebeard Pirates, who were at their peak at the time, without any sense of his own limitations.

That fierce battle was a nightmare; Crocodile was utterly humiliated and suffered a horrific defeat. Even more unexpectedly, the usually domineering Whitebeard acknowledged his abilities and invited him to join his crew as his adopted son.

For the proud and arrogant Crocodile, such a "gift" was undoubtedly a great humiliation, filling him with resentment and bitterness. (This is my own writing; feel free to comment and criticize, but please don't give it a bad review, it's very hurtful.)

However, despite harboring resentment over that crushing defeat, Crocodile was acutely aware that achieving revenge with his current strength was practically a pipe dream. Therefore, this cunning individual began meticulously planning another conspiracy—the creation of the enigmatic Baroque Works. On the surface, this organization appeared to be merely a gathering place for bounty hunters, but its true purpose was to secretly search for the legendary ancient weapon—Pluto, the god of the underworld.

Crocodile has always firmly believed that as long as he can find this incredibly powerful artifact, his revenge against Whitebeard will be just around the corner.

As for the people at Baroque Works, he always considered them merely tools to be used and manipulated. Little did he know that human emotions are complex, changeable, and difficult to control; even the most ruthless person can be influenced by others over time.

"Don't worry, I never intended to take his life." Seeing the hesitation on Sarah's and the others' faces, Lin Yi explained frankly.

Hearing this, Sara and the others breathed a sigh of relief and slowly made way for him. Lin Yi walked steadily to Crocodile, whose face was ashen and whose expression was blank, as if he had lost all hope of living. Seeing this, Lin Yi couldn't help but frown slightly and said with a hint of contempt, "What? Just one battle, and it's completely shattered your confidence? If so, then you truly disappoint me!"

Lin Yi's disdainful words ignited Crocodile's anger. However, his anger lasted only a moment before he deflated like a punctured balloon and fell silent once more.

Seeing that Crocodile remained silent, Lin Yi's smile widened, revealing undisguised contempt: "Looks like I was right! You're supposed to be the infamous 'Sand Crocodile,' but where has all that ferocity and ruthlessness gone?"

Faced with Lin Yi's repeated taunts and ridicule, Crocodile finally raised his head, his gaze fixed on Lin Yi, a barely perceptible glint of ferocity flashing deep within his eyes. He gritted his teeth and forced out a sentence: "Hmph, I never imagined that the renowned Void Venerable would stoop to such a humiliating and opportunistic act against a defeated man!"

Lin Yi gently shook his head, a calm smile on his face. His voice, as calm as a lake, slowly rang out: "Not at all. You don't yet have the power to humiliate me."

Upon hearing this, Crocodile felt an indescribable sense of humiliation surge into his heart. It was as if time had reversed, and he was once again transported back to the scene when he was defeated by that powerful man, the unforgettable shame piercing his heart once more.

Humiliation burned like a raging fire, instantly igniting the long-suppressed rage and madness deep within Crocodile's heart. His once handsome face was now twisted and ferocious with anger and resentment. He opened his mouth and let out a chilling, maniacal laugh: "Goohahaha! Lin Yi, the victor is king, the loser is villain. Today you may indeed look down on me and laugh at me from your superior position as the victor. But how could you know that the defeat I suffer today might not be your tragic end tomorrow?"

Faced with Crocodile's almost hysterical roar, Lin Yi merely smiled, his laughter filled with confidence and disdain. Looking at the nearly insane Crocodile before him, he calmly said, "Crocodile, putting aside my own character, consider my companions. If they unfortunately suffer a defeat in a battle, they would never be as dejected and self-destructive as you are. On the contrary, they would only believe that their efforts were far from sufficient, and then frantically train to improve themselves. But look at you, Crocodile. After one defeat, you became depressed and stagnant. In all this time, your strength has not only failed to improve, but has even regressed. Now, I finally understand the reason—you have long since lost the indomitable, never-say-die spirit that a true strongman should possess!"

Lin Yi's words struck Crocodile like a thunderbolt, leaving him stunned. Yes, ever since his defeat by Whitebeard, he seemed to have lost all sense of progress in his strength. It turned out that he had lost the heart of a strongman.

Once he realized what was happening, Crocodile shook off his dejected state, and his aura suddenly became sharp.

Crocodile looked directly at Lin Yi, a hint of respect in his eyes. "You're right, I have indeed lost my way for a long time. But I don't need your lecture."

Lin Yi crossed his arms and laughed, "I'm not here to teach you a lesson, but to recruit you."

A hush fell over the room, and Sara and the others stared wide-eyed. Crocodile frowned. "Recruit me? What makes you think I'd agree?"

Lin Yi took a step forward. "Because you crave power, you yearn to take revenge on Whitebeard once again. Follow me, and I can make you stronger, which is far more useful than your desperate search for ancient weapons."

"How did you know I was looking for ancient weapons?" Crocodile asked in surprise. He had never told anyone this, not even his own men knew that he was looking for historical inscriptions in the Kingdom of Alabasta.

"Heh, that's none of your business. Just answer me whether you agree or not," Lin Yi said calmly. He wasn't going to tell Crocodile that he knew it from watching anime.

Crocodile pondered for a moment, "Why did you recruit me? What use am I to you?"

Lin Yi smiled and replied, "I value your strategies and abilities. I need you to gather intelligence for me."

Crocodile scoffed and said, "Aren't you afraid I'll betray you someday?"

Lin Yi shook his head. "Don't worry. I believe that once you witness my strength and determination, you will have no second thoughts."

Crocodile stared at Lin Yi for a long time, and finally slowly extended his hand, "Okay, I'll work with you."

Lin Yi grasped his hand, helped him up from the ground, and said gently, "Haha, welcome to join us."

Seeing Lin Yi's attitude change drastically, Crocodile's lips twitched. His first boss was actually a dog-faced person.

At this point, Sarah and her friends were in a bit of a predicament. How did their boss become someone else's employee after just one fight? What were they, the employees among employees, supposed to do?

As if he could read their minds at a glance, Lin Yi turned to Crocodile with a smile and slowly said, "Old Crocodile, you'll still have to stay in the Alabasta Kingdom and continue running your Baroque Works. However, the future direction will need some adjustments. What I mean is, from now on, you'll be doing everything you can to help me gather intelligence on the World Government. Also, finding out the whereabouts of the Poneglyphs is another key point you need to focus on!"

Upon hearing this, Crocodile nodded without hesitation, indicating that he understood Lin Yi's intention. Then, after a moment's thought, he said, "Um... regarding this Poneglyph, I do know that there is one stored in the Kingdom of Alabasta. As far as I know, the inscription records important information related to the legendary ancient weapon—Pluto. Unfortunately, I've spent a great deal of effort searching for it, but I've never been able to find its exact location."

Lin Yi smiled confidently and replied softly, "Haha, I know this news. In fact, the historical text that carries the key information is hidden in the burial hall of the royal tomb in the west of the Alabasta Palace."

"So that's how it is! No wonder I couldn't find it no matter how hard I looked. It was hidden in that burial hall." Crocodile slapped his forehead as if suddenly realizing something, his face showing a look of deep frustration. Clearly, he had never imagined that the Poneglyph he had been searching for so long would be placed in such an inconspicuous place.

"Alright, Old Sha, we're heading to the capital of the Alabasta Kingdom. Are you coming with us or with your men?" Lin Yi asked.

Crocodile thought for a moment and said, "I'd better not join you. I need to make some adjustments to the work at Baroque Works."

"What, aren't you going to look for Hades anymore?" Lin Yi teased with a smile.

"No, I know which path I should take from now on. Hades Balto is no longer of any use to me," Crocodile said with a firm look in his eyes.

Seeing that Crocodile's expression didn't seem fake, Lin Yi was very pleased. It seemed that Crocodile had completely changed.

Lin Yi took out a Den Den Mushi with a special spatial mark and a tag from his storage space and handed them to Crocodile, saying, "Old Crocodile, take these. I've left a spatial mark on this Den Den Mushi. You can use it to contact us, or you can activate the spatial mark to open a portal to our ship. As for this tag, it's standard equipment for our team. It's a storage device with ten cubic meters of space. You can use it after you've bound it to you."

Holding these two precious items, Crocodile was still somewhat moved.

“I will do the task you have given me,” Crocodile said.

"Haha, I trust you to handle things." Lin Yi said with a bright smile, satisfied. He patted Da Pan on the shoulder, then turned and waved goodbye to Crocodile and the others.

Immediately afterwards, Lin Yi led Da Pan and the other companions on a journey to the capital of the Kingdom of Alabasta with firm steps.

Although they didn't have convenient means of transportation like camels or fast ducks at the time, fortunately, the poisonous spider Sara generously gifted Lin Yi a somewhat crude compass. This unassuming compass, however, guided them to their destination—Arubana, the capital of the Alabasta Kingdom.

However, to reach Arubana, they first had to pass through a trading town called Yoba. This town, located in the desert, was a young city built on an oasis, and since Crocodile had not yet plotted to seize the country, it was still a thriving place.

Chapter 34 Weiwei and Kou Sha

Although Crocodile had not yet used the abhorrent "dancing powder" to cause the Kingdom of Alabasta to suffer a three-year drought, drought and sandstorms were the norm for this desert nation.

As they walked along the long, sandy road leading to the town of Yoba, Kerry skillfully used the magical power of the Bubble-Bubble Fruit to create one crystal-clear bubble after another, enveloping Lin Yi and the others like a sturdy shield. In this way, the extremely harsh desert climate had no effect on Lin Yi and his companions.

"Brother, how much longer do we have to walk before we reach our destination?" Da Pan muttered listlessly, his head drooping.

Although the transparent bubbles successfully blocked out most of the unpleasant sensations, the scorching sun high overhead and the dust storms that filled the sky inevitably stirred up an indescribable sense of unease and restlessness in people's hearts.

"Da Pan, you know my personality. These kinds of things are never within my consideration!" Lin Yi, who was lying leisurely on the soft cloud that Felina had carefully crafted, responded to Da Pan's question with a listless and dejected look.

Keep in mind that they had been trekking through this vast and perilous desert for two whole days.

Just then, Philina, who had been leading the way, suddenly shouted excitedly, "Look, everyone! The town of Yoba is just ahead!" Her clear and melodious voice was like a ray of dawn piercing the darkness, instantly dispelling the fatigue and gloom that had lingered in everyone's hearts for days.

"Wuhu, great!" Da Pan rushed towards the town ahead as if he had been fully revived.

The others looked at each other and followed with smiles.

Soon, Lin Yi and his group arrived at the largest trading city in the Kingdom of Alabasta.

Stepping onto the outskirts of the city felt like instantly entering two completely different worlds. Rows of lush, neatly arranged greenery formed an impenetrable green barrier, abruptly isolating the vast, desolate desert beyond. In that instant, the world seemed to be divided in two, creating a stark contrast.

Perhaps due to the approaching evening, the city gate was bustling with activity. Merchants from all directions had gathered there, each carrying their own bags and goods, anxiously awaiting entry. The soldiers guarding the gate worked efficiently and methodically, carefully inspecting each merchant's belongings and charging a fee based on their value. Once payment was completed, the soldiers allowed the merchants to enter the city smoothly. The entire process proceeded without any instances of soldiers deliberately making things difficult for the merchants.

Lin Yi and his companions naturally wouldn't rely on their superior strength to cut in line and force their way into Yoba City. Instead, they conscientiously moved to the end of the queue and waited patiently.

However, when they finally arrived near the city gate, the towering, burly Da Pan, who resembled a small mountain, along with the fish-men Dota and Simon, inevitably caused quite a commotion. Dota and Simon, in particular, became the focus of everyone's attention.

Due to the unique climate of the Alabasta Kingdom, the probability of encountering fish-men here is extremely low. Therefore, people are filled with curiosity about these two fish-men who have suddenly appeared before them.

Although being stared at like a rare animal by so many people was unpleasant, thankfully, the onlookers only observed from a distance and none dared to approach and disturb Lin Yi and his group. After all, just looking at Da Pan's enormous size and the imposing aura he exuded was enough to intimidate anyone and deter them from easily provoking him.

Before long, after a brief interrogation by the soldiers, they passed through the checkpoint smoothly and entered the city. Surprisingly, the soldiers made no attempt to collect any fees, which delighted Lin Yi and his companions. It wasn't until later that they learned that in the city of Yoba, people could freely enter and leave without paying taxes, but those carrying goods into or out of the city were required to pay taxes according to regulations.

Upon learning this, Lin Yi and his group couldn't help but feel a sense of goodwill towards the administrators of Yoba City. After all, such policies showed that the administrators were not the kind of people who were greedy and insatiable. On the contrary, this relatively lenient and reasonable tax system would undoubtedly help promote the city's commercial prosperity and the flow of people.

When they finally stepped into the city, the bustling scene before them far exceeded their expectations. Shops lined both sides of the wide streets, row upon row, displaying a dazzling array of strange and wonderful goods. Among them, a magical crystal ball radiating an eerie light particularly caught their eye. It was said that whoever possessed it could accurately predict the weather for the next few days—truly amazing! In addition, there were many exquisite handicrafts meticulously crafted from the hard shells of sandworms, their craftsmanship so exquisite that it was breathtaking and worthy of admiration.

Lin Yi and his companions strolled slowly along the main street, surrounded by the lively sounds of vendors hawking their wares. Suddenly, a small, thin figure slammed into Lin Yi's arms like a cannonball. Due to the force of the impact, the boy was thrown backward, about to fall heavily to the ground. Fortunately, Lin Yi reacted quickly, swiftly reaching out and grabbing the boy, successfully preventing a potential accident.

The little boy had just regained his balance and was about to apologize to the other person.

However, just then, a clear, melodious yet angry female voice suddenly came from behind him. The voice struck like a bolt from the blue, making the little boy tremble and a strong urge to run away surge within him.

"Kousha, you bastard! You stole my strawberry pie! Grandma Mei gave it to me especially!" As the voice grew closer, a little girl with a ponytail, blue hair, and rosy cheeks came running angrily towards them, shouting as she ran.

Seeing that escape was hopeless, Kosa had no choice but to stand there, his face flushed. He scratched his head awkwardly, and said in a low voice with a hint of guilt and apology, "I...I'm so sorry, Vivi. I was just so hungry that I couldn't resist eating your strawberry pie. Don't worry, I'll make it up to you. Please, please forgive me this time." As he spoke, Kosa's tone became increasingly pitiful, and he pleaded with Vivi for forgiveness with a heart full of bitterness.

Seeing Kou Sha's disheveled appearance, Vivi first put her hands on her hips, gave a heavy snort, and then said, "Alright, I'll forgive you for now since you've sincerely admitted your mistake. But you must remember, strawberries are only occasionally transported by merchants from the south, and the quantity is very limited. So you must keep a close eye on those merchants for me. If you find them selling strawberries, you must buy them immediately to make strawberry pie for me, or I won't let you off easily!"

Hearing that Vivi had finally agreed not to pursue the matter any further, Kou Sha breathed a sigh of relief and patted his chest to assure her, "No problem, Vivi, I will definitely handle this matter well! As soon as those southern merchants arrive, I promise to rush over and buy up the strawberries, and then deliver them to you as quickly as possible so you can make a delicious strawberry pie."

The deal between the two children was finally struck, and only then did Vivi notice Lin Yi and the others standing not far behind Kosa. She couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed, her cheeks slightly flushed, and she said softly, "Hello, my name is Vivi. Are you tourists from outside?" The "outside" Vivi referred to specifically meant the region outside the Kingdom of Alabasta.

Lin Yi and his companions clearly understood what Weiwei meant. Lin Yi smiled and replied in a friendly tone, "That's right, lovely little girl. We are traveling adventurers from all over the world. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Upon hearing this, Kou Sha and Vivi's eyes lit up instantly, revealing expressions of immense admiration. Vivi, in particular, looked at Lin Yi with anticipation and eagerly asked, "Wow, really? You must have experienced countless thrilling adventures along the way! Can you tell us about them?"

Looking at the two curious children in front of him, Lin Yi laughed heartily and replied, "Haha, of course, no problem! But right now we have more important things to do. We need to find a suitable place to stay first, otherwise we'll be homeless tonight."

“You can come to my house. My house is spacious, and you can stay without any problem,” Weiwei said, acting as if she were very wealthy.

Seeing Weiwei speak so readily, Lin Yi had no objections whatsoever. After all, Weiwei was the daughter of the King of Alabasta, and her residence in Yoba must be grand in scale, most likely the most comfortable and pleasant place in the city. Faced with such an invitation, Lin Yi couldn't find any reason to refuse.

Seeing that Lin Yi readily agreed, Weiwei couldn't help but smile. She immediately reached out and grabbed Kou Sha, leading the way with great enthusiasm.

Seeing this, Kou Sha quickly leaned close to Vivi's ear and whispered, "Vivi, you're bringing several people you just met home. Won't Uncle Jaka object?"

Upon hearing this, Weiwei glared at Kou Sha fiercely, then softly replied, "Kou Sha, do you remember that news from not long ago? That big brother was none other than the world-renowned and illustrious Venerable Kong Zun—Lin Yi! If they stayed at my house, we might even have a chance to become his disciples. If we could really be accepted as disciples by someone as powerful as him, we would surely grow into extraordinary experts in the future. Then, we could venture out into the world together, hehe."

Upon hearing this, Kou Sha's face immediately lit up with anticipation and longing. He happily asked, "Really? Vivi, can I become a strong person too?"

"Stop with that worthless smile and just listen to me," Vivi said, rolling her eyes at Kou Sha.

The conversation between the two children, which they thought was being very quiet, could not escape the notice of Lin Yi and his companions, who were powerful individuals.

Lin Yi touched his nose and laughed at his partner, "Looks like we've been exposed."

"Haha, isn't she a very interesting little girl?" Philina laughed, looking at the lively little girl in front of her.

"Captain, will you take them on as apprentices?" Chiyo asked with great interest.

"Being my apprentice isn't easy," Lin Yi said with a smile. To date, he has only taken on one and a half apprentices: one is Kuina, and the other is Zoro.

Soon, the group arrived at Vivi's residence in Yoba City. It was a somewhat luxurious modern manor. From the outside, the garden was covered with lush green vegetation, a testament to the manor's extravagance in a desert kingdom.

Sure enough, as the king's daughter, how could Vivi's residence be anything less than luxurious? Lin Yi secretly applauded his decision.

Before Vivi even reached the manor gate, two men dressed as guards hurried over. One of them said to Vivi anxiously, "Miss, you're finally back! Lord Jaka found out you sneaked out, and he's furious right now. You should go back quickly."

Upon hearing this, Weiwei said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I made you get scolded because of this."

"It's good that Miss is alright, otherwise we would be guilty of a thousand deaths." The guard said hurriedly.

Weiwei nodded to the two of them and then led Lin Yi and his group into the manor.

"Are you all useless? You can't even keep an eye on one person. What use are you? If anything happens to Miss, you'll all pay with your lives. Now hurry up and go find her!" Before the group even reached the middle house, they heard a deafening roar coming from inside.