Afternoon.
Yun Lie bid farewell to Nojiko, leaving Little Kong at home to keep her company, then he and A Jian rented a fishing boat and set out to sea.
Fishermen frequently go fishing and are very familiar with the nearby waters. Under the guidance of two fishermen, they did not encounter bad weather and arrived at the Naval Base before dusk on the second day.
Marine Branch 16.
The Naval Base, commanded by Captain Nezumi, was like a large, square fortress, situated on a flat stretch of coastline.
The base's outer wall was made of dusty stone bricks, more than two people high, and the wall still bore some crater-like marks from cannonball impacts.
The main gate consisted of two heavy iron doors, emblazoned with the Marine's iconic seagull emblem—a white seagull clutching a golden scale—but due to years of exposure to wind and sun, the colors had become somewhat faded.
Inside the base, several two-story barracks stood side by side, with red brick walls painted white and dark tiled roofs. The largest barracks served as the command center, with a wooden sign hanging at its entrance that read "Marine Branch 16."
A pier was also built by the sea, where several small patrol boats were docked, their hulls painted in blue and white stripes.
However, because Captain Nezumi was greedy, these boats were not well maintained; their planks were full of patches, and the canvas on their masts was tattered, making them look far from imposing.
The bow of the fishing boat struck a wooden pile on the pier, emitting a dull thud. The salty sea breeze billowed A Jian's and Yun Lie's clothes. The two exchanged a look, then, carrying the bleeding burlap sack, strode towards the Marine Branch.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
The on-duty Marine soldier saw the two approaching, immediately raised his gun, pointing it at them, his eyes vigilant.
Yun Lie took a step forward, the blood-stained sack heavy in his hand. His crimson eyes fixed on the soldier, his tone icy: "I am a pirate hunter. Inside this are pirate heads. I'm here to collect bounties."
A strong scent of blood mixed with the murderous aura emanating from him washed over the soldier, whose face instantly turned pale. He stumbled back two steps, his back hitting the wall hard.
Most of the soldiers under Captain Nezumi were bullies who preyed on the weak, and the fiercer one appeared, the less they dared to make any moves.
Sure enough, the soldier saw Yun Lie's blood-red eyes and murderous demeanor and was instantly intimidated. He said with a trembling voice, "W-wait a moment, I'll go report!"
The soldier scrambled and ran into the base.
A Jian looked at Yun Lie with some disbelief but did not ask anything further, standing together in place and waiting.
Not long after, a flurry of footsteps was heard. A Marine officer with a pointed nose and monkey-like face, resembling a rat, emerged from the Naval Base with dozens of soldiers.
Captain Nezumi's face was plastered with a false smile, and his tone seemed polite: "May I inquire, sir, which pirate's bounty you wish to exchange?"
"Arlong Pirates," Yun Lie said coldly, then flung the sack onto the ground.
A grayish-blue head of a great white shark Fishman rolled out, its empty eye sockets staring directly at everyone, and dark red blood scabs still clinging to its sharp teeth.
"Ar…Arlong!" Captain Nezumi's body trembled violently, his face instantly turning deathly pale.
Just a short while ago, he had been sharing spoils with Arlong in the tavern, but now he could only stare at the other's head, trying to maintain composure.
After counting, a soldier leaned into Captain Nezumi's ear and whispered, "Report, Captain, it is indeed the Arlong Pirates, not one missing."
"It is indeed the Arlong Pirates. Please wait a moment longer, both of you. I will immediately instruct someone to fetch the money."
Captain Nezumi quickly regained his composure, his tone tinged with flattery.
He knew in his heart that anyone capable of wiping out the Arlong Pirates was certainly not someone his disorganized rabble could handle.
Yun Lie nodded slightly: "Good, we'll wait here."
Soon, Captain Nezumi reappeared with his soldiers, several people behind him carrying a heavy box.
"The entire Arlong Pirates' bounty totals fifty-one million five hundred thousand beli. Would you like to count it?"
Captain Nezumi's tone held a hint of respect, but his eyes were secretly sizing up Yun Lie.
Arlong: Great White Shark Fishman, Captain of the Arlong Pirates, bounty 20,000,000 beli.
Kuroobi: Stingray Fishman, Arlong Pirates executive, bounty 9,000,000 beli.
Chu: Kissing Fishman, Arlong Pirates executive, bounty 5,500,000 beli.
Hachi: Octopus Fishman, Arlong Pirates executive, bounty 8,000,000 beli.
.....
Yun Lie glanced disdainfully at the box, his tone flat: "No need to count."
The next second, he effortlessly lifted the box with one arm, as if the heavy box were merely light straw.
The metal buckles groaned under the immense pressure, but Yun Lie's expression remained unchanged.
He turned and strode away with A Jian, leaving behind a group of dumbfounded Marine soldiers and a grim-faced Captain Nezumi.
It wasn't until the two figures completely disappeared around the corner that Captain Nezumi let out a long breath, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, as if his entire body had suddenly relaxed.
He looked in the direction they had left, his eyes filled with both relief and unwillingness.
.....
On the other side.
On the fishing boat, Yun Lie slammed the box heavily onto the deck, then collapsed beside it: "Phew! Putting on a show is really tiring!"
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, his back soaked with cold sweat.
"Yun Lie, I didn't expect you to be so clever. That Captain Nezumi was so scared he didn't dare to make a move."
A Jian gave a thumbs-up, praising him.
As a village patrolman, he was all too familiar with Captain Nezumi and his group of overbearing Marine soldiers. Normally, he wouldn't even dare to look them in the eye, fearing he might offend them.
"Just a little bit of cleverness, hehe."
Yun Lie scratched his head, a bit embarrassed.
But he knew in his heart that the successful collection of the bounty this time was entirely due to bluster.
Fortunately, he intimidated Captain Nezumi; otherwise, if a real fight had broken out, the Marine Base might have been annihilated with his full power, but he would also have been in a terrible state, and A Jian, a slightly stronger ordinary person, would certainly not have survived.
The previous annihilation of the Arlong Pirates largely relied on his sneak attacks and the elusive ability of the Space Fruit. As for combat experience, it was largely exaggerated.
Moreover, the strongest assets of the Naval Base were not Captain Nezumi and his soldiers, but the guns and cannons in their hands. His physique was not yet so abnormal that he could be impervious to blades and bullets.