Pirates: Your emperor has returned!

Hiluluk laughed even harder, then turned and shouted to the residents of the Drum Kingdom, "Hey, don't worry, it's easy to travel together if there's a fixed route. We'll be right back!"

Upon hearing this, the residents of the Drum Kingdom became excited.

"Don't come back, you quack!"

"Dr. Kureha, come back soon!"

"You quack doctor, don't harm people in other countries!"

"..."

Hiluluk laughed as he looked at the people, suddenly oblivious to the words of disgust they expressed.

He believed that sooner or later, he would find that "miracle".

Hiluluk pulled down his hat brim and was the first to board the large ship, followed closely by the people of the Drum Kingdom.

Vivi, Crocodile, and a portion of the Alabasta King's army also boarded the ship.

Another part of the Alabasta King's army remained in the Drum Kingdom. Among them were many engineering talents who would help the local residents expand and maintain the original docks.

Rowan also boarded the large ship and gave the order to set sail.

Dalton stood on the dock and waved goodbye to the people on the large ship.

The first shipping route of the Four Seas Alliance was thus established!

……

Half a day later.

The ships of the Four Seas Alliance sail on the sea.

Crocodile sat on a crate under the mast, enjoying the sea breeze and smoking a cigar.

After settling Vivi in, Rowan also went up onto the deck.

"...Is this feasible?"

Crocodile suddenly asked a question that seemed to have no beginning or end.

Rowan laughed and asked, "What's feasible?"

"The establishment of this fixed route, and the protective measures you have planned."

Crocodile flicked his cigarette ash and explained, "Merchant ships on fixed routes—they're like a tempting piece of meat that pirates would go crazy for. It's impossible for them not to be tempted."

He looked out at the sea and gestured, "Although you have set up garrisons at every point along the route, this is, after all, the sea. We cannot guarantee safety at every moment. The pirates will always find a loophole to exploit."

"The World Government, a behemoth, might be wary of you, but those small groups of pirates won't."

Crocodile chuckled darkly, "What if one day, the people on the ship are enjoying the sea breeze and smoking, and suddenly they get robbed by pirates? What will you do then?"

Rowan replied, "I'll have Bell, Jaka, or Hoka go on a few more trips with the ship later."

"The strong can protect for a time, but not forever."

Crocodile retorted, "We don't have that many skilled warriors to send to protect every single ship."

Rowan shook his head. "We don't need to protect you much. A few times will be enough."

He pointed to the flag of the Four Seas Alliance flying on the ship and said:

"It is enough as long as the flag of the Four Seas Alliance is remembered by the pirates."

"Hmm?" Crocodile raised an eyebrow. "What are you going to do?"

Rowan countered with, "Why don't pirates rob the World Government's ships?"

Crocodile couldn't help but laugh. "They're not stupid. Robbing the World Government's ship? Are they asking for death..."

At this point, Crocodile suddenly realized something; he seemed to know what Rowan was about to do.

Just then, the lookout's whistle blew from the lookout tower.

"A pirate ship has appeared at six o'clock!"

Looking over, everyone indeed saw a medium-sized sailing ship. No one recognized the black flag on it; it was probably some insignificant, ordinary pirate crew.

The pirates on deck were cheering, seemingly excited about discovering a merchant ship they had never seen before.

Rowan patted Crocodile on the shoulder.

"Go easy on me."

Crocodile stood up and exhaled a puff of smoke. "How light?"

Luo Wen thought for a moment, "Keep 10%?"

Crocodile frowned slightly, feeling a little annoyed, and casually said, "I'll do my best."

He understood what Rowan wanted to test in order to maintain the long-term safety of the route.

The method is very simple:

Just like the World Government's position in people's hearts, Rowan wants all the pirates in this sea to remember the flag of the Four Seas Alliance.

Remember this fact: "Any attempt to attack the Four Seas Alliance will lead to an extremely tragic end!"

……

The pirate captain excitedly brought the ship closer, beckoning his men to throw grappling hooks, intending to pull over a ship that looked very valuable.

He picked up the Den Den Mushi (a type of electric telephone) and was about to make a call when suddenly a small black dot appeared in front of him.

Upon closer inspection, the pirate captain realized it was a grain of sand.

"Ok?"

"What's the matter?"

……

Three minutes later.

The four surviving pirates rowed the lifeboat and desperately escaped.

It was at that moment that the name "Four Seas Alliance" and the flag that represented the Four Seas Alliance began to spread across this sea!

Crocodile returned to the ship, raised his hand, and unleashed a sandstorm that wrecked the pirate ship.

But the pirate ship did not remain silent; instead, it continued to sway precariously as it drifted into the distance.

Rowan nodded slightly to Crocodile, "Thank you for your hard work, little crocodile."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm just really annoyed!"

Crocodile frowned, then suddenly smiled darkly, "But if you really want to thank me, answer me a question?"

Rowan nodded. "Ask."

"Medicine can be applied to daily life, but it is also an essential part of war."

Crocodile's interest was piqued. "I don't think you've invited a large group of medical elites here simply to build a medical research institute in Alabasta. So what's your next step?"

"So that's what you were curious about."

Rowan made no attempt to hide anything, pointing directly to the sky and smiling:

"Next, let's go to space."

[48. Chapter Forty-Eight: Three-Dimensional Battle Line]

"Heaven?"

Upon hearing this answer, Crocodile frowned, somewhat puzzled.

He participated in some of the Four Seas Alliance meetings as an observer, so he had some understanding of the general course of action, which is why he was even more confused.

Rowan once said that in the early stages of establishing the Four Seas Alliance, it was necessary to break the world government's monopoly on the "non-military" level as soon as possible, establish fixed shipping routes, and make connections between different places closer.

That was the purpose of this trip to Drum Island.

The group successfully built a "bridge" between Alabasta and Drum Island.

The establishment of this fixed route transformed what was once an extremely perilous voyage into a direct highway.

During the voyage, if extreme weather is encountered, troops stationed in various locations will provide support as quickly as possible.

As for those pirates, according to Rowan's plan, it's likely that soon no one will dare to easily attack a ship flying the Four Seas Alliance flag.

Countless medical experts will travel between Alabasta and Drum Island via this safe and fixed route, bringing with them their valuable knowledge.

By leveraging their respective countries' strengths, these scholars will sooner or later be able to propel the medical fields of both countries to new heights!

Medical research talent plays a vital role for a country, not only in improving people's livelihoods but also as an indispensable and valuable resource during times of war.

At the same time, even if the world government knew all this, it would be powerless to change this fact.

Ordinary medical research is not the same as studying real history, and the World Government cannot recreate the scene on the archaeological island of Ohara.

Rowan had a firm grasp on the World Government's strategy, leaving them with absolutely no "legitimate reason"!

If we continue along this line of thought, Crocodile can suggest many essential fixed routes that should be established.

For example, Water Seven, known as the "world's shipyard," is home to the majority of the navy's warships, which are built by shipwrights from that island.

Even if the World Government would not allow Water Seven to build warships for Alabasta, Alabasta's craftsmen could learn the shipbuilding techniques there by traveling along the sea routes.

Like medicine, these technologies can be used for people's livelihoods, and can also play "other" roles in critical moments.

For example, there's Fishman Island, located 10,000 meters below the Sabaody Archipelago, in the deep sea.

The conflict between fish-men and humans has a long history, making it impossible for ordinary human kingdoms to establish a sea route to Fish-Man Island.

But Rowan was different.

Not long ago, he took in a group of murloc refugees—or more accurately, murloc slaves—on behalf of Alabasta, and even helped them establish their own village.

This is unimaginable for the merfolk!

This alone qualified Rowan to make contact with Fishman Island.

The alliance with Fishman Island will bring the Four Seas Alliance something different from medicine or shipbuilding technology; it will bring a more pure form of naval combat power!

How many people in this world could rival the fish-men in the ocean?

……