Pirates: Your emperor has returned!

On the other side, Crocodile ended his killing spree and threw a Crystal Demon he had been holding next to Rowan.

Then, the sand in his right hand transformed into a sharp blade, which he swung down fiercely toward the chest of the crystal ghost!

Swish!

The crystal on the Crystal Ghost's chest was cut off, and a skull tattoo was faintly visible on the remaining skin.

That was proof of his status as a pirate.

"This is the symbol of the Water Bear Pirates."

Crocodile explained.

Rowan, however, did not react to this. "The Water Bear Pirates? They don't seem to be a well-known force."

"Hehehe, so there are things you don't know. Well, after all, they're just some insignificant pieces of trash."

Crocodile took a puff of his cigar.

"Then let's put it another way—"

He pointed to the person on the ground and explained:

"This guy is part of a small pirate crew affiliated with the Donquixote Family."

Purple Pen Literature

[Chapter 97. The Uneasy Flame]

"The Don Quixote family?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Wen raised an eyebrow, but he didn't seem too surprised.

This is one of many possibilities.

After all, the Four Seas Alliance's excuse for going to the North Sea was "platinum lead disease," and Doflamingo himself should know very well that the only platinum lead disease patient still alive in the world is Law, who is with his brother Rosinante!

The simultaneous appearance of the words "platinum lead disease" and "North Sea" was bound to attract Doflamingo's attention.

Especially at this crucial juncture, when the fruits of surgery are about to be traded.

To ensure he gets the results of the surgery, this man who wants to turn the world upside down is very likely to take action.

……

The Donquixote Family – the forces of Donquixote Doflamingo, also known as the Heavenly Demon.

Rowan naturally also had information about them in his mind.

Based on the timeline, Donquixote Doflamingo should not have become a Shichibukai yet and is currently based somewhere in the North Blue.

Before Rosinante left the Don Quixote family, the Don Quixote family was being relentlessly pursued by Vice Admiral Tsuru due to undercover intelligence.

Only after Rosinante left, and Granny Crane was unable to immediately track the Don Quixote family's movements, did they have a chance to catch their breath.

This is why Doflamingo began to suspect his own brother, Rosinante.

……

Let's go back to the present.

The pirates who appeared in the Kingdom of Aden belonged to the Donquixote Family.

This shouldn't be a coincidence.

In other words, the Crystal Demon Virus plague that is currently occurring in the Kingdom of Aden is very likely related to the Don Quixote family!

"How to do?"

Crocodile asked casually, then answered himself, "I think we should ask that flamingo bastard's older brother."

That is, Rossindi.

Crocodile had already been in contact with Doflamingo long before he became a Shichibukai.

Or more accurately, it was Doflamingo who approached Crocodile and invited him to join his Don Quixote Family.

Without any hesitation, Crocodile refused and even fought with Doflamingo.

He wasn't the kind of person who would willingly submit to others; Whitebeard wouldn't do it, and Doflamingo certainly wouldn't either.

A global alliance?

It's just a cooperative relationship.

What Crocodile finds most infuriating right now is that he seems to have been outmaneuvered by that flamingo bastard.

"I heard from those villagers that the Crystal Ghost virus outbreak has been going on for about a month?"

Crocodile easily dispatched the pirate, then, after a moment's thought, said to Rowan:

"So, shortly after you announced your operation, that flamingo bastard started making his move."

"only……"

Why did he do that?

Crocodile asked about Doflamingo's "purpose" in doing so, not why Doflamingo was able to successfully predict the movements of the Four Seas Alliance.

After all, the transaction for the Operation Fruit took place on Minion Island, so it's not difficult to deduce that the Four Seas Alliance would use the Kingdom of Aden and its surrounding areas as its base.

The key question is, what is Doflamingo's purpose?

Crocodile didn't ask Rowan's opinion; he just casually asked during the analysis.

Soon, Crocodile had a general idea in his mind.

"He wants to keep us occupied with things here!"

Yes.

The Four Seas Alliance publicly stated that its purpose in coming to Beihai was to provide medical support to the area where platinum lead poisoning had broken out.

For the ocean outside, platinum lead poisoning is undoubtedly a deadly infectious disease.

As for the differences between platinum lead poisoning and crystal ghost virus, those foolish civilians at sea could never know.

Now that a "terrible infectious disease" has broken out in the Kingdom of Aden, the Four Seas Alliance, under the guise of providing medical support, cannot stand idly by.

No matter how it's managed, it will ultimately require a lot of time and energy, thus hindering the Four Seas Alliance's plan to compete for the fruits of the surgery.

Crocodile flicked his cigarette ash and said with a sinister smile, "If you ask me, this country is beyond saving. We might as well abandon them and find another base."

The ocean is vast, and there are many small countries like the Kingdom of Aden.

But Rowan shook his head and slowly said, "Do you remember how we dealt with the pirates who were disrupting the Four Seas Alliance's fixed shipping lanes?"

"Of course, they want the name 'Four Seas Alliance' to be synonymous with the navy in their minds."

Crocodile casually asked, "Why are you suddenly asking this?"

Suddenly, Crocodile realized he had asked a stupid question in the heat of the moment.

But Rowan still replied, "Because right now, someone has crossed the line..."

……

A sudden sound interrupted Rowan and Crocodile's conversation.

"Bulu Bulu Bulu... Bulu Bulu Bulu..."

Throughout the Kingdom of Aden, the sound of broadcasts being connected could be heard.

Rowan and Crocodile looked around and spotted a loudspeaker not far away.

Those were standard-issue megaphones, similar to nationwide broadcasts, distributed throughout the Kingdom of Aden to facilitate the dissemination of information to its many citizens.

"Click!"

The Den Den Mushi connected, and a shrill, ear-piercing laugh came from the other end.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

Then, the person who had laughed seemed to realize that it was inappropriate, so he immediately cleared his throat and said in a deep voice:

"Ahem, this is the world government's greatest scientist, who is now broadcasting an urgent message to all patients in the Kingdom of Aden!"

Upon hearing this, Crocodile frowned, wondering what this so-called "world government scientist" was all about, and he didn't even know who the person was.

But Rowan knew very well the owner of that laughter—

Caesar Clown, a Logia-type Gas-Gas Fruit user and a fan of large-scale biological weapons.

He's actually in the Kingdom of Aden?

In an instant, many of the questions that had been lingering in Rowan's mind were answered.

Meanwhile, Caesar's broadcasts continued.

"The World Government has learned of your difficulties and has dispatched a reliable scientist—that is, me—to support you!"

"I, a genius, have developed a vaccine for this plague!"

"I intended to distribute the antidote to you immediately, but I never expected that the vaccine would be stolen!"

Upon hearing this, Rowan turned around and gestured for Crocodile to return to the camp.

Crocodile did not understand what he meant.

Caesar continued over the radio, "The people who stole the vaccines are those guys on the docks who call themselves the Four Seas Alliance!"

"Please be patient, everyone. The World Government will definitely help you get back that life-saving vaccine!"

"Click!"

After he finished speaking, the broadcast was turned off.

Crocodile frowned and said in a deep voice, "Is that guy framing us?"

Crocodile felt something was off when he said this, and he was also extremely annoyed. After all, he was the one who framed others, and when had he ever been treated like this?

Crocodile could foresee that, in this way, a large part of the Aden Kingdom would not be able to "wait patiently" and would instead risk besieging the Four Seas Alliance's dock camp in order to survive!

At that time, the Four Seas Alliance will face not only the pirates under the Donquixote Family, but the entire Kingdom of Aden!

only……

"Isn't this explanation a bit too outrageous?"