Marine Branch G-2.
The warship entered the port and slowly docked at one of the berths. Finally, the anchor was dropped and the ropes were secured, completely stabilizing the vessel.
Immediately, the Marines and doctors who had been waiting for a long time on the pier rushed aboard, carrying off the wounded soldiers and the innocent civilians who had been captured by the pirates.
The innocent people captured by the Mas Pirates had been kept in the dark hold of the ship and had only been allowed to get some fresh air and bathe once. Their bodies had already been worn down by prolonged hunger, dehydration, and malnutrition, making them extremely weak.
Because of this, Cross had contacted Branch G-2 in advance of his return, which was why a large number of Marines and doctors were waiting on the pier.
"Go with the doctor. I'll come to the hospital to see you," Cross said softly, patting Shimotsuki Hirakawa on the head.
"A samurai's head isn't for other people to touch!" Hirakawa angrily swatted away the hand on his head. He then looked at Cross with a hesitant expression but still obediently let a nurse take his hand and left the port with the others.
At this moment, Kibin walked up behind Cross, looked at Hirakawa's receding back, and asked, "Cross, are you planning on adopting him?"
Cross turned his head and looked at Kibin, shaking his head. "I'm still a child myself, so how could I adopt one? Taking care of Bastet is already a handful. If I were to add another mischievous brat, I'd just be asking for trouble!"
"Uh..." Kibin looked at Cross, who was standing close by, and was speechless for a moment. A "child" who is almost two and a half meters tall, who ties pirates to the stern and throws them into the sea to feed to the fish... what a "child's method."
"Alright, I'll leave the rest to you. I'm going to see Vice Admiral Borsalino," Cross waved his hand, ignoring Kibin's speechless expression, and walked straight out of the port and into the base.
At this time, Borsalino in his office was crossing his legs, leisurely drinking tea, and reading the newspaper. He occasionally made smacking sounds with his mouth, and it was unclear whether the tea was delicious or he had read something interesting in the newspaper.
Knock, knock, knock.
A knock on the door made Borsalino look up. Then, Cross pushed the door open and walked into the office unceremoniously, holding the black cat in his arms. Marduk and Surtur also squeezed into the office, scrambling to get in.
"Oh, you're back, Cross," Borsalino said slowly with a pout, not getting up or straightening his posture.
"I found out a few things before I killed 'Kangaroo' Manol Mas," Cross said, not caring about the lack of ceremony. He walked to the desk and met Borsalino's gaze calmly. "Many people in Branch 139 have been colluding with pirates, including Captain Kuhl. I want the Vice Admiral to report this to Marineford and have them send people to arrest them. If you need evidence, the pirates we've captured and the civilians we rescued can all testify!"
Upon hearing Cross's words, Borsalino's brows furrowed slightly. He put down his newspaper and sat up. " Captain Kuhl of Branch 139, huh... I remember him. He used to be a courageous man. I can't believe he's now colluding with pirates!"
"This is a pain, ne~ Colluding with pirates is a serious crime. Since we know about it, we can't just ignore it. I'll report this to Marineford," Borsalino said with a displeased and annoyed expression, agreeing to handle the matter.
As the base commander of Branch G-2, Borsalino could deploy all the Marine branches and warships along the route, but he did not have the authority to dismiss or prosecute officers from other branches. So, when he encountered such a matter, he had to report it to Marine Headquarters and let the top brass handle it.
Cross nodded, his serious expression relaxing a bit. "In that case, I won't bother you anymore. I'm going to get some rest."
"Don't be in such a hurry~ sit down and have a cup of tea," Borsalino waved his hand and stood up with a smile. He took the teapot from behind the desk, walked over, and poured a cup of hot tea into a clean, light-green ceramic mug on the coffee table.
Cross didn't refuse. He sat down on the sofa, held the mug, and took a small sip of the hot tea.
Then, Borsalino took his own cup and newspaper and sat on the sofa opposite Cross. "If I'm not mistaken, those people we rescued are still in the hospital for examination and treatment. Even if we need to take a formal statement, we'll have to wait. There's no need to rush."
"I'm not in a hurry, I'm just a little angry," Cross said.
Borsalino looked at the displeased Cross with a teasing smile. He tossed the newspaper onto the coffee table and said, "The human heart is the hardest thing to predict, ne~. Not even gods can fully understand it. There's no need to be angry over a corrupted person. Take a look at this newspaper."
"What's happened now?" Cross frowned and picked up the newspaper from the coffee table.
"A newly crowned empress of the Amazon Lily Kingdom has led a pirate crew called the Kuja Pirates out of the Calm Belt on a spectacular expedition, destroying the entire military forces of several countries and plundering a large amount of gold, silver, and daily necessities!" Borsalino said.
"Boa Hancock..." Cross looked a little dazed, staring at the photo on the front page of the newspaper without blinking.
The photo showed a woman with a proud expression and an exquisite appearance. She had long, black hair in a Hime-cut style, with a pair of snake-shaped gold earrings. Her forehead was slightly wide and smooth, her deep blue eyes were long and delicate, and her almond-shaped eyes revealed a hint of indifference. Her nose bridge was high, her nose was small, and her lips were soft and wrinkle-free. She was wearing a white cheongsam-style dress with a red Kuja symbol on it, perfectly showing off her curvaceous and stunning figure.
"You're stunned, aren't you? I never expected her to be such a beautiful woman. She's more beautiful than any woman I've ever seen, ne~," Borsalino teased.
Cross ignored Borsalino's teasing. After carefully reading the content of the newspaper, he softly read, "'Pirate Empress' Boa Hancock, the current empress of the Amazon Lily Kingdom and captain of the Kuja Pirates, bounty of 80,000,000 Berries!"
"That's right. With just one expedition, Marineford gave her such a high bounty. She's truly an amazing woman!" Borsalino said with a sigh. "Oh, and I also heard that the World Government intends to recruit her and invite her to become a member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
Hearing this, Cross fell silent for a few seconds before speaking. "If I'm not mistaken, Amazon Lily is the legendary 'Island of Women,' right? So the Kuja Pirates are composed of a group of powerful female warriors. If she accepts the World Government's invitation, it would greatly enhance the strength of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
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