Hualala!
On the waterways along both sides of the street.
Water beasts carried sailboats rapidly past. The splashing waves surged up, droplets of water scattering into midair like glittering, translucent gemstones. They fell from above, hit the ground, and burst apart.
People came and went, lively and bustling.
The streets of Water 7 were exceptionally noisy!
As a famous sea city across the Grand Line, Water 7 naturally attracted many visitors from all sides.
Tap tap tap!
The footsteps of people walking on the streets were extremely loud and piercing.
Voices of conversation spread in every direction, all kinds of laughter and cheerful sounds filling the streets and alleys.
"My time in Water 7 is, at most, not even an hour."
"Just arrived in Water 7 for less than an hour, and someone's already watching me?"
"This is really rare!"
Raifeng's eyes flickered as he began thinking.
Who had their eyes on him?
This was a thought-provoking question.
First.
The first target to consider was Galley-La Company.
After all, Raifeng had just caused trouble at Galley-La Company. It would be normal for Galley-La to become alert and send people to investigate.
But after thinking, Raifeng quickly rejected that possibility.
Galley-La Company didn't have the guts!
Knowing he was a Marine—even if he made a scene at Dock No. 1, so what?
Galley-La Company couldn't possibly send people to tail him!
That would clearly be asking for trouble!
The people of Galley-La Company absolutely wouldn't be that stupid.
Besides.
Raifeng's Haoshoku Haki alone was enough to create an extremely strong deterrent for Galley-La.
In that situation, if the people of Galley-La had any brains at all, they would never choose to provoke a person like Raifeng—someone with a terrifying background and extremely strong power.
As Water 7's largest shipbuilding company, Galley-La Company absolutely wouldn't do something so stupid as to invite disaster.
Therefore.
The possibility that the people following him came from Galley-La Company could be temporarily ruled out.
"Iceburg, the director of Galley-La Company, is not a stupid man."
"As the mayor of Water 7, his methods and abilities are by no means ordinary."
"If I were him, I would never take the initiative to provoke an unknown figure with a mysterious origin and terrifying strength."
Raifeng eliminated the first guess.
Then—
Aside from Galley-La Company, who else had he offended?
The Straw Hat Pirates?
Indeed!
This battle, Raifeng had truly offended the Straw Hat Pirates hard, and had plunged the whole crew into despair.
If it were another pirate crew, Raifeng still couldn't be sure, but if it was the Straw Hat Pirates, he could basically reject this guess directly.
The Straw Hat Pirates wouldn't do something so sneaky.
Following someone?
Doesn't exist!
If it were the Straw Hat Pirates, they would absolutely come find Raifeng openly and directly.
Also.
Raifeng had already laid it all out with the Straw Hat Pirates. They had no reason to send people to tail him.
Combining all that.
There was also one last, more important point.
That was—
The fear and deterrence Raifeng had brought to the Straw Hat Pirates had definitely already seeped into their bones.
In a short time, the Straw Hat Pirates would rather stay far away from Raifeng, so how could they possibly take the initiative to send people to tail him, taking such a huge risk to offend someone of Raifeng's level.
"Excluding those two."
"Then there's only the last possibility left."
Raifeng's smile looked somewhat playful.
If he were alone, Raifeng might have thought maybe he was new here and got targeted by some local thugs in Water 7.
But don't forget.
Raifeng wasn't walking alone on these bustling streets.
Behind him, Koby and Helmeppo had been following all along.
And what were Koby and Helmeppo wearing?
Marine uniforms!
Even if Water 7's local hoodlums had enormous courage, they absolutely wouldn't dare to set crooked ideas on people wearing Marine uniforms.
Local thugs anywhere were no exception!
So.
This possibility could basically be ruled out by Raifeng directly, no need to think too much.
Choosing to provoke the Marines?
Apart from a few extremely twisted personalities, normal people basically wouldn't do that.
And those extreme types were extremely rare—one or two out of ten million.
Raifeng didn't believe his luck would be that bad, that he would just happen to run into such rare people.
"Less than an hour since arriving in Water 7."
"The forces I've encountered—besides Galley-La Company and the Straw Hat Pirates."
"In fact, I also came into contact with a third force!"
"And I even had a small conflict with that third force."
"Although the conflict wasn't that big, we did meet for real."
After excluding Galley-La Company and the Straw Hat Pirates.
"This last guess has the highest possibility!"
And—
Raifeng's walking pace became slower and slower.
Who was this third force?
Without a doubt!
That was—
The CP organization!
"Could it be them?"
Raifeng began pondering inwardly.
The possibility was extremely high!
Galley-La Company didn't have the guts to tail him, and the Straw Hat Pirates were the same.
But if it was the CP organization, that was another matter.
Of course.
As for conflict—
Raifeng didn't have a direct conflict of interest with the CP organization, nor any—
This made Raifeng unable to understand.
Why would CP send people to follow him?
"Trying to retaliate against me?"
Raifeng's eyelid twitched, and he thought of what happened earlier—how he instantly defeated Kaku at first contact.
But he ultimately didn't truly finish him!
Though it had to be said, at that time, he really did want to kill Kaku!
If Kaku made a move, Raifeng wouldn't have minded erasing him!
But Kaku was smart. He didn't act rashly. Instead, he directly admitted defeat.
"The CP organization is a spy and agent organization. Their main job is infiltrating various forces and groups, secretly executing all kinds of missions, and they don't appear on the surface."
"Of course they wouldn't retaliate against me for one person."
"Not to mention I didn't kill Kaku. Even if I really did, based on my understanding of the CP organization as a group, they probably wouldn't avenge Kaku."
"Then the question is."
"If it's CP, why are they watching me? And why are they carrying out a series of tailing activities against me?"
Raifeng thought seriously.
But no matter what, he couldn't figure it out.
Why would CP target him?
He couldn't come up with an accurate guess, nor analyze a correct direction.
"So…"
"Is the CP organization declaring war on me?"
"Declaring war for no reason?"
Raifeng thought strangely.
Although he still wasn't a正式 Marine, at least he was already tied to the Marines.
But even so, CP still dared to send people so blatantly to follow him.
Wasn't this the rhythm of declaring war?
"Mr. Raifeng, what's wrong with you?"
Koby noticed something off and couldn't help asking softly.
"It's nothing. I suddenly remembered something important."
"You two, go back to the warship first. I'll handle something by myself."
Raifeng's mind moved, and he directly dismissed Koby and Helmeppo.
With these two around, many things couldn't be carried out smoothly!
Besides.
If CP truly intended to declare war on him—
Then Koby and Helmeppo's presence would definitely become a burden and a drag, making it hard for Raifeng to fully act.
If he sent them away, Raifeng wouldn't need to worry about so much.
If it was only Water 7's CP organization, Raifeng naturally wouldn't feel fear or timidity at all.
On the contrary.
He was looking forward to it!
He wanted to see what level Water 7's CP organization had.
He hoped the CP member tailing him wouldn't be too weak.
Otherwise, it would be boring.
"Mr. Raifeng, you…"
Koby was caught off guard.
"Don't ask too much. Even if you ask, I won't tell you."
Raifeng said with a smiling tone.
"Koby, let's go."
"Mr. Raifeng, what's wrong with you?"
Koby noticed something off and couldn't help asking softly.
"It's nothing. I suddenly remembered something important."
"You two, go back to the warship first. I'll handle something by myself."
Raifeng's mind moved, and he directly dismissed Koby and Helmeppo.
With these two around, many things couldn't be carried out smoothly!
Besides.
If CP truly intended to declare war on him—
Then Koby and Helmeppo's presence would definitely become a burden and a drag, making it hard for Raifeng to fully act.
If he sent them away, Raifeng wouldn't need to worry about so much.
If it was only Water 7's CP organization, Raifeng naturally wouldn't feel fear or timidity at all.
On the contrary.
He was looking forward to it!
He wanted to see what level Water 7's CP organization had.
He hoped the CP member tailing him wouldn't be too weak.
Otherwise, it would be boring.
"Mr. Raifeng, you…"
Koby was caught off guard.
"Don't ask too much. Even if you ask, I won't tell you."
Raifeng said with a smiling tone.
"Koby, let's go."
Helmeppo tugged Koby at the side.
"Mr. Raifeng, then we're leaving."
Koby hesitated a moment, then turned and left with Helmeppo.
The two walked farther and farther away. Their backs gradually disappeared from Raifeng's sight.
Only after they were completely gone.
Did Raifeng withdraw his gaze. The emotions on his face looked very rich.
"Finally sent those two guys away…"
"Next, let me see which CP member it is, that's been following behind me like a little tail."
At this moment, Raifeng could basically confirm.
The ones tailing him were CP people!
But who exactly?
That, Raifeng still couldn't predict.
There were too many CP people skilled at tracking, and he couldn't accurately judge who was hiding behind him.
However.
Next, who exactly the other party was would soon be revealed!
"Looks like I need to find a quiet place."
"Otherwise, they probably won't show themselves so easily."
Raifeng swept his eyes around the surroundings.
Not long after.
He found an alley that was relatively spacious, yet very deserted.
Taking a step forward, Raifeng's pace was steady as he walked step by step into this slightly dim and spacious alley where basically no one could be seen moving about.
The alley was dim, but very wide!
The distance between the two walls was about no less than six meters.
Occasionally, he could hear—
Water leaking from rusty pipes embedded in both walls. The water slowly overflowed, gathered on the outside of the pipe, and finally dropped from above, striking the floor tiles beneath his feet.
Drip.
Drip.
In the cold and spacious alley, the ground was somewhat muddy, covered with water stains, puddles piling up one after another, scattered in different corners.
The air was also filled with dampness.
No blazing sunlight reached here, unable to evaporate the long-accumulated puddles.
The water had been collecting for a long time, and it even gave off a faint stench.
"Truly an excellent place…"
Raifeng reached the deeper part of the alley and slowly stopped.
Turning around.
His smile looked meaningful as he stared into the dim corner behind him and spoke slowly:
"Still not coming out?"
"Or do I really have to personally invite you out?"
In this empty and spacious environment.
Raifeng's voice drifted far away, leaving traces of echo lingering and circling.
Only after a few seconds did the sound completely fade.
In an instant.
As if to confirm Raifeng's guess—
Tap tap tap!
Footsteps suddenly sounded.
In the silent and deserted environment, the footsteps were exceptionally piercing.
Then.
Under Raifeng's gaze.
A tall, thin figure wearing a black suit stepped out little by little from the dim corner of the alley.
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