Finally, after Luo Chen and Nami finished purchasing supplies in Syrup Village, they returned to Orange Town.

This was Buggy's former stronghold.

He led Luo Chen into a shop, informing him that all the treasure was hidden underground.

Luo Chen manipulated the trees, lifting the ground to reveal three wooden chests.

Upon opening them, they were filled with Berries, gold bars, gems, and various other treasures.

“System, recharge,” Luo Chen murmured to himself.

Buggy had bought his life with money, so all these treasures were now his.

As for the recharge amount, the system would convert all the treasures into an equivalent value of Berries according to the pirate market price.

“Fifteen million Berries have been recharged, exchanging for one thousand five hundred cultivation points.”

“Cultivation points balance: 4600.”

Luo Chen looked at Buggy with displeasure.

“Fifteen million? Is that all?”

Buggy opened his mouth, but in the end could only give an awkward laugh: “Money isn't that easy to earn; the civilians on these islands are poorer than the last.”

He said worriedly, “This really is all my wealth. You said you would let me go.”

Luo Chen nodded, “That is natural.”

Buggy breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that powerful individuals, even pirates, generally upheld their word.

The stronger they were, the more so.

Luo Chen manipulated the trees to roll up the three chests of treasure and brought them outside the shop.

He waved his hand, dispelling the cage that held Buggy.

“You may leave.”

Upon hearing this, Buggy's clown-like face broke into a joyful smile.

He said gratefully, “Thank you, you're truly a good person.”

He raised his hands, which were cuffed with Seastone, and asked, “Could you help me unlock these?”

Luo Chen smiled.

Just then, a man walked out from an alley next to the shop.

The man was wearing jeans and a denim jacket, topped with a cowboy hat. He appeared middle-aged, with a scruffy beard that made him look weathered.

A revolver was holstered at his waist as he approached Buggy.

“Come with me,” the middle-aged cowboy said, making Buggy pause. He subconsciously asked, “Where to?”

“The Marines base. You're worth fifteen million Berries, after all.” The middle-aged cowboy grabbed Buggy and began walking into the distance.

Buggy suddenly understood, abruptly turning to look at Luo Chen and cursing:

“Bastard! You never intended to let me go! You're a deceitful scoundrel!”

“Luo Chen, you are utterly shameless!”

Clearly, the middle-aged cowboy and Luo Chen had colluded.

Otherwise, their cooperation wouldn't have been so seamless.

Luo Chen shook his head, ignoring them, and took Nami and Nojiko towards the shore.

The middle-aged cowboy was a Wood Release Clone he had created when no one was paying attention.

It possessed half of his original body's strength.

Luo Chen had given this Wood Release Clone a name.

McRee.

He would send McRee to the Marines base to claim Buggy's bounty.

Firstly, his main body wouldn't be in danger.

Secondly, the Wood Release Clone could remotely control the system's recharge function.

“It's a pity that Marines branch bases don't usually keep large sums of money. Otherwise, robbing the Mariness would be a quick way to get rich.”

As a former Lieutenant Commander of Branch 16, Luo Chen knew that these Marines bases needed to apply for temporary funds and wait for Berries to be transported from Marine Headquarters when someone captured a pirate to claim a bounty.

“McRee will claim the bounty and then recharge.”

“Meanwhile, I'll continue sailing. Two birds with one stone.”

Luo Chen and Nami returned to the port, boarded their ship, and set sail.

Tashigi lay slumped in the wooden cage, her face ashen.

After Buggy's precedent, she was certain that Luo Chen would never let her go.

“It's all my fault for being too weak and dragging down Captain Smoker,” Tashigi chastised herself.

Seeing Luo Chen approach, she suppressed her fear and angrily shouted:

“Luo Chen, all the Mariness in the East Blue are looking for you! You can't escape!”

“Captain Smoker will definitely arrest you!”

“Just kill me! Your despicable trick can only be used once!”

Tashigi looked brave and ready to die, offering her neck for the blade.

Luo Chen couldn't be bothered. This woman had a strong sense of justice, but she didn't seem very bright.

He lifted Tashigi's wooden cage and threw it forcefully into the distance.

The wooden cage arced through the air like a black line, soaring towards the distant sea.

Tashigi's terrified screams echoed across the sky.

A moment later, Luo Chen gazed into the distance. The wooden cage slowly floated and swayed on the sea.

He could vaguely see Tashigi clinging to the edge of the cage, her mouth wide open, “dumping trash” into the ocean.

“She's even throwing up from that.”

Luo Chen couldn't help but laugh aloud.

Nami rolled her eyes beside him. “You still have time for mischief? Didn't you hear her say that all the Mariness in the East Blue are looking for you?”

Luo Chen laughed, “Of all the Mariness in the East Blue, only Smoker is a threat.”

“As long as Marine Headquarters warships don't arrive, there's nothing to worry about.”

Upon hearing this, Nami's pretty face showed worry. “That Marines named Smoker is very strong. A Logia Devil Fruit is too invincible.”

Luo Chen nodded, “For now, there really isn't a good way to deal with Smoker.”

He glanced at Tashigi on the distant sea and sighed, “Next time, Smoker won't bring dead weight.”

Soru's rapid movement had caught Smoker off guard.

Even the speed of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit couldn't compare to Soru over short distances.

That's why he was able to capture Tashigi as a hostage.

Next time, Smoker would likely keep Tashigi or his subordinates at a distance, not giving Luo Chen a chance to take hostages.

Nami's delicate brows furrowed in worry. “Then what do we do? Once Smoker gets entangled with us, we won't be able to escape.”

Luo Chen patted her shoulder. “For now, we just avoid him. I'll also figure out a way to deal with his elementalization.”

To counter a Logia's elementalization, one either uses Conqueror's Haki, as powerful as Red-haired of the Four Emperors, or Armament Haki.

To defeat Smoker, Luo Chen needed to accumulate five hundred million Berries to learn Armament Haki.

Even an introductory level would be sufficient.

In terms of speed and strength, Smoker was no match for him.

Although Nami was still worried, she couldn't help with combat.

She couldn't think of any way to deal with Smoker.

She asked, “Where are we going next? Are we still looking for pirates?”

Luo Chen fell into deep thought.

After capturing Buggy, he realized that these pirates might be much poorer than he had imagined.

Buggy, with a bounty of fifteen million, only had fifteen million in total treasure.

To earn five hundred million Berries, he would need to deal with more than ten Buggys.

The East Blue might not have that many major pirates.

And there wasn't enough time.

The longer they delayed, the closer the enemies from Marine Headquarters would get.

Five hundred million Berries, or even several hundred million Berries, wouldn't be enough for Luo Chen to gain the strength to escape the crisis.

“I must make a big score,” Luo Chen concluded inwardly.

“At least a billion Berries would allow my strength to significantly improve again.”

“There aren't many villains with such wealth in the East Blue.”

He frowned in thought for a long time, and an idea gradually emerged.

“Let's go to the sea restaurant, Baratie, first,” Luo Chen said.

Nami was startled. “What for?”

Luo Chen stroked his chin and said, “To find someone. I need to confirm something.”

Nami's expression grew serious. “Luo Chen, you're currently being hunted by all the Mariness in the East Blue.

The sea restaurant Baratie is very famous, and many Mariness go there to enjoy the food. It's very dangerous.”

Luo Chen reassured her, “I know, but we must go.”

Hearing this, Nami sighed silently and said nothing more.

She couldn't understand many of Luo Chen's thoughts.

He also seemed to have many secrets she didn't know.

But since Luo Chen didn't say anything, Nami couldn't ask, and could only obey the order to go to the sea restaurant Baratie.