Pirates: Your emperor has returned!

While pondering, Rowan had already uttered that sentence:

"I am the one who plays the game."

Upon hearing this, Garp could clearly see that Tsuru's expression changed, and his five fingers unconsciously clenched tightly.

The moment Ryan Rowan makes the slightest move, his iron fist will strike the man's head first!

Karp has that confidence.

But then he noticed that Crane gently waved her finger, indicating that Garp didn't need to be so nervous.

Garp was somewhat puzzled, but he relaxed, after all, he still had absolute faith in Tsuru's judgment.

……

This game of chess lasted a very long time.

About an hour and a half later, Granny Crane placed her last chess piece and smiled, "It's over."

Rowan nodded. "Yes, I won."

Granny Crane squinted and said, "Your Majesty, you have lost."

"Ok?"

Luo Wen was taken aback and looked back at the chessboard.

He counted the number of pieces again and then confirmed, "Ms. He, I have won. I have half a piece more."

But Granny Crane reached out and drew a circle in one corner of the chessboard.

"In fact, the rules of the Alabasta flag have undergone slight changes over the past eight hundred years."

She pointed to two of the pieces and laughed, "According to the current rules, I have won by half a point here."

Rowan was stunned, and Icarus, who was not far away, was even more shaken.

What Granny Crane said was true; the rules of the Alabasta Flag had indeed been changed in some ways, but those were all minor, insignificant details.

The idea of ​​being able to overturn the outcome of an entire game based on such a tiny detail is simply unheard of!

Moreover, the chief of staff of the Navy Headquarters seemed to have a hidden meaning in his words.

"Every era has different rules, and when the rules change, the outcome will also change."

Granny He slowly tidied the chessboard, looked up at Luo Wen, and said slowly, "Aren't you right? His Majesty the Emperor from eight hundred years ago."

Rowan stroked his chin, smacked his lips, and then shook his head, saying:

"I think this rule... is bad."

Luo Wen looked up at Granny He and smiled as he uttered two words:

"It needs to be changed."

Upon hearing this, Granny He's eyes flickered, and she understood.

Rowan then stood up, stretched his wrists, and said with a smile, "You must be tired from your journey. Why don't you have some dinner and rest for a bit?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I am also a little hungry."

Grandma Crane put the chess pieces back in their places and left the study with Rowan.

……

Inside the restaurant.

Everyone gathered together for dinner.

Ikaram had to admit that he had never felt so uncomfortable because the dinner was far too "normal".

Judging from the people who attended the dinner, this "normality" is actually the biggest "abnormality"!

Luo Wen and Granny He were like old friends who hadn't seen each other for many years, chatting and laughing, from literary masters from eight hundred years ago to the technological development of today.

Not far away, Garp was chatting with Cobra, mostly about what happened at the World Conference, while marveling at the food in Alabasta.

Vivi sat to the side, observing them.

As for Crocodile, he didn't want to participate in the dinner, but Rowan forcibly dragged him over, saying that it would be more lively if everyone ate together.

lively?

Ah!

Crocodile ate his steak, inwardly sneering.

He knew very well that this "excitement" in Alabasta had only just begun!

……

as predicted.

After dinner.

Garp suddenly stood up, patted his stomach, and laughed at Cobra, "Hahaha, I've eaten a bit too much, I'm going to take a walk!"

Cobra was somewhat puzzled, but still asked, "Shall we go together?"

"No, no, I prefer to take walks alone."

Karp waved his hand repeatedly, turned around and left the restaurant.

Then, Rowan also stood up and smiled, "I'm going to get some evening breeze. You two continue chatting."

Weiwei reached out her hand and said, "Ancestor, I want to go too!"

"Let Icarus take you there. I want to go alone this time."

For once, Rowan refused Vivi's request.

Upon hearing this, Cobra's eyes flickered, as if he had also sensed something.

Crocodile's inward sneer intensified.

The real "big excitement" is finally about to begin!

Upon learning that the leaders of the Navy who had arrived in Alabasta were Tsuru and Garp, Crocodile immediately sensed something amiss:

If it's just about making initial contact, the Navy could have sent only Tsuru; Garp would have been completely unnecessary.

Accompanying protection? That's rather impractical!

That crane was no weak advisor who needed protection.

Ordinary pirates can't do anything to her, and even those with real influence don't dare to touch her!

So, since the Navy has already arranged for Tsuru to contact Rowan, why send another one, "Iron Fist"?

The answer is obvious.

Crocodile turned around and saw that Granny Crane had also left, using the excuse of going for a walk.

His eyes flickered, his mind in turmoil.

He then lit a cigar for himself, unable to contain his curiosity, and became the fourth person to leave the table, following Karp, Rowan, and Crane.

Seeing this, Cobra was basically certain of his earlier guess.

His gaze drifted out the window, a hint of worry in his eyes.

Sigh, can't this matter be easily let go after all?

……

Albana, the desert outside the city.

night.

This place is already quite a distance from the city center.

Looking into the distance, all that can be seen is a tiny patch of light over Albana, surrounded by desert.

Two figures walked side by side, leaving four rows of footprints on the sand, which were then erased by the evening breeze.

It's Rowan and Karp.

They walked silently, without saying a word.

Suddenly, Garp turned his head, seemingly only then noticing Rowan's presence, and grinned:

"Oh, what a coincidence, you're out for a walk too?"

Rowan smiled and nodded.

"Yes, what a coincidence."

[Chapter 22: Both Courtesy and Military Strategy]

Any experienced traveler knows that the desert at night is completely different from the desert during the day.

After nightfall, the temperature in the desert drops rapidly below zero.

For ordinary people, such a temperature difference can be fatal if they are not properly prepared.

But now, two men, dressed in thin, ordinary clothes, are strolling through the desert at night.

They walked slowly, crossing one sand dune after another.

The cold night wind blew against them, but neither of them showed any discomfort.

A man, dressed in a light golden suit of armor with dark purple ribbons, holding a scepter.

The other man had a thick beard, wore a naval uniform, and had a cloak representing the navy's justice draped over his back.

Rowan and Karp are taking a walk.

They had been traveling together since they left the palace, but what was puzzling was that they hadn't exchanged a single word the entire way.

It wasn't until they were far away from Albana that Karp initiated the conversation.

"What a coincidence, you're taking a walk too?"

"What a coincidence."

Rowan smiled and nodded, then asked a rather puzzling question:

"Stay here, or keep walking?"