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CHAPTER 33

Kreegan was sitting in the crow's nest and looking around with the spyglass, but they weren't able to find the hideout island, and their supplies were running low. Lex shouted at Kreegan, a bit annoyed,

"You said you knew where their hideout is!"

"No, I said I know the general shape of the island, and I don't know where exactly it is. There are still 20 more islands we didn't check yet."

"If I have to eat hard tack even for one more day, I will bite your arm off! We only have hard tack left, and I missed real food."

Kreegan took a deep breath and was tired of traveling from island to island for two months too. He looked at the map in his hand, and after calculating their location, the closest settlement was Baratie.

"Would you like to go to the floating restaurant Baratie?"

...

We entered the Baratie and ordered some things. At that moment, a 12-year-old child we a cigarette in his mouth came out of the kitchen. Kreegan never understood Sanji's obsession with smoking. How is it possible one man here didn't tell Sanji that smoking doesn't make someone man; their actions do. Only children without proper role models think smoking makes them look mature. Sanji came up to us with plates in his hand and put the plates down, and said,

"Enjoy your meal."

Kreegan took a bite from the food, and it was the best food he had ever eaten. He turned to Sanji and said,

"Could I thank the chef personally for this wonderful dish?"

He puffed his cigarette and said,

"I will ask."

Lex was devouring his food while tears of happiness flowed from the corners of his eyes.

"Lex, is it good?"

He acted like it wasn't anything special and said

"Don't call me Lex; It is passable."

Kreegan chuckled,

"You almost ate the plate with the meal, and you cleaned off the plate so well that I can see my own reflection. They don't need to wash this plate; you've already cleaned it perfectly."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Lex said, embarrassingly throwing the fork and knife in his hand into the plate.

"What, you want to go at it here!"

At that moment, the kitchen door opened, and Zeff entered. Zeff staggered on his wooden leg, with an orange 4 above his head. Seeing this, Kreegan was truly taken aback. Yes, Red Leg Zeff was famous before, but he didn't think he was this powerful, and he was level 4 after losing his leg. How powerful he was before losing his leg. He slowly came near our table and stood next to us. His stoic face was a bit frightening. Kreegan got up and bowed to him.

"Thank you for this wonderful meal."

"It is all good if you enjoyed it."

He turned and was getting ready to leave at that moment, Kreegan said in a low voice only they could hear.

"Could I take some of your time, Red Leg Zeff?"

As soon as he said that, Zeff looked at Kreegan with eyes full of anger.

"Please don't get me wrong; I am not here for you or anyone of your crew. I want to ask you some questions in a quieter and more private place. Meanwhile, Lex was finally able to lift his head from his second plate and said,

"I knew you didn't come here to eat! Are they getting extorted?"

"That is my guess too. There is no way for Baratie to be intact inside Don Krieg's domain without some kind of deal."

Zeff said,

"Come with me."

...

He sits down on a chair and looks at Kreegan with a blade-like eye. Kreegan felt as if someone was cutting him.

"What do you want?"

"Just information about Krieg Pirates."

"Maybe I work with them; how do you know? You're a little overconfident, and you've come all the way to this warehouse without any fear."

"Even in your active days, you wouldn't associate yourself with a low life like Don Krieg. I would have still hunted you down, but still, you were only fighting against Marines and raiding nobles' tax ships."

"Hooo, brat, you are really arrogant."

All of a sudden, sweat started to flow down our backs as if the temperature inside had increased by 10 degrees.

"Let's not bluff each other. You won't hurt us the same reason I would not come after you. You are not a pirate or a bandit. You started a new life; you managed to get out of that life."

Zeff said, somewhat angrily,

"The people you killed might be able to turn their life around after paying their debt to society, don't you think?"

"That happens so rarely; it might be possible. But I'd always rather throw that whole basket in the trash than try to look for a good apple in a basket full of rotten apples. For every one person like you. There are ten like Don Krieg. Let's just get to the point, shall we?"

"What do you want?"

"I want to know your deal with Don Krieg."

"You just said I would never deal with people like him. Why are you saying I have a deal with him now?"

"Didn't I just say we should bullshit each other too? You wouldn't deal with him if it only affected you, but if it does affect others..."

Lex stepped in and said,

"Are you saying he has hostages?"

"Something similar. You must have guessed Chef Zeff here is more powerful than us."

"Yes, gathered as much."

"But he is not powerful enough to defend this one restaurant against 50 ships and Don Krieg's treachery. If it was before he lost his leg, he might be able to, but not right now."

Lex took another scoop of ice cream from his bowl and said,

"Only logical conclusion is they are paying protection fee."

Zeff asked, somewhat out of patience.

"What is your point? You are digging awfully close to home for someone who is not after me."

"Because I want to man at the other end, not you. You must have guessed it by now. Let us just stay here until their collector comes."

Kreegan thought Don Krieg would never trust his average crewmen with his money, so he would send one from his most trusted men. Baratie was a place that was pressing money. Then some might ask why Zeff is not rich. The reason is the same reason why Kreegan is not trying to hunt him. He is donating all of his gains.

While touring the surrounding islands, Kreegan had spoken to the locals and tried to gather information about the Krieg but had learned nothing. The information he was able to obtain showed that the Baratie supported orphanages on several of the islands.

Zeff took two server outfits from the rack and threw them at Kreegan and Lex.

"If you are staying, you can’t freeload, and you have to work for your food."