allendalepharm 20. Winning or Losing
20. Winning or Losing
"Hehehe!"
Ah Long's laughter exploded in the courtyard, like a blunt instrument striking a stone slab.
"You're saying there are a hundred million Berries in here? Nami, I think you're just bragging." Arlong deliberately dragged out the last syllable, his mouth splayed upwards, revealing his jagged, white teeth.
Upon hearing this, Nami's chest heaved violently, and something cold crept up her spine, but an even hotter rage burned within her chest.
"You can count them if you don't believe me!"
Nami practically squeezed those words out through gritted teeth.
How many years has it been? She had imagined this scene countless times, imagining herself finally able to stand tall in front of Aaron, throw out enough Berries, and regain the village's freedom.
Now that she was actually standing here, she felt that the stone slabs under her feet were colder than she had imagined!
"good!"
Ah Long stopped laughing. "Then I'll count them!"
Arlong tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over the fish-man executives in the courtyard before finally settling on the kissing fish-man, Chuu.
"Chirp! Come and take inventory!"
Chu crossed her arms and slowly walked forward. As she passed Nami, she deliberately bumped into her with her shoulder.
Although it wasn't heavy, it was enough to make the petite Nami stumble half a step.
Nami bit her lower lip, remaining silent, and stared intently at Chu's retreating figure.
Chirp squatted down in front of the treasure chest.
The courtyard fell silent, and even the distant sobbing of the waves could be clearly heard. All the fishmen's eyes were focused on the open treasure chest, where the mountain of treasure gleamed alluringly in the setting sun.
Chiu stretched out her stubby fingers and began to count the items one by one. Bundles of banknotes were picked up and put down, goldware was weighed, and jewelry was handled, making a crisp clinking sound.
Time passed second by second, and Nami's heartbeat rose and fell with Chu's movements.
Finally, Chirp stopped what it was doing, looked up, and had a strange expression on its face—a mixture of surprise, greed, and a hint of guilt.
"How about it? Hehe," Ah Long narrowed his eyes, his voice carrying a hint of suggestion, "Is it enough? Think it over before you speak."
Chu first glanced at Nami, then turned to look at Arlong on the high platform.
Nami's heart sank.
"Chirp! Not enough, Arlong! Only... only 95 million Berries! We're still far from enough!"
Chiu stood up, glancing guiltily to the side, and exaggeratedly fanned herself with her hand, as if it were incredibly hot in the courtyard.
"How is that possible! I've counted several times!" Nami was furious. She rushed forward and grabbed Chiu's shoulder tightly.
"You're lying! You didn't count properly! Every single piece of jewelry is priceless! And those antiques—"
"Ultimately, it's because you didn't convert all of it into Berries."
Another voice broke in, calm and indifferent, like a bucket of ice water poured over Nami's head.
She turned her head and saw the Soft-boned Fishman Crooby standing to the side with his arms crossed, his face expressionless.
"Those broken bottles look like they're worthless."
Croobby looked down at the treasure chest, his gaze sweeping over the exquisite vases, the jewel-encrusted jewelry boxes, and the intricately carved goldware, before curling his lip in disapproval.
"It might not even be 95 million; you just think it's valuable."
Nami's breath hitched for a moment, then she turned around abruptly, lunged at the treasure chest, and picked up a blue-and-white porcelain vase from among the pile of treasures.
The bottle's body is as smooth as cream, and its glaze is as warm and lustrous as jade. The lotus scroll pattern on it is so exquisite that it seems to sway in the wind.
"This antique alone is worth eight million Berries! Eight million! This is from the Duke's collection!"
This is a priceless treasure that Nami selected from the treasures that the Duke gave to Norton.
"How can you prove it?" Ah Long refused to admit it.
Nami turned around stiffly. Arlong had already stepped down from the platform and was standing less than a meter behind her.
"How can you prove that this broken bottle is worth eight million? Hmm?" Ah Long leaned down and whispered in Nami's ear.
The warm breath brushed against Nami's earlobe, making her hair stand on end instantly.
Immediately afterwards, Arlong straightened up, spread his arms, looked around at the fishmen, and his voice suddenly rose:
"Look at this, everyone! This piece of junk bottle, and she says it's worth eight million Berries? Who would believe that?"
The fishmen laughed in unison.
"Exactly! It looks almost like my bedpan!"
Humans just love to brag!
"Hahaha!"
...
The laughter pierced Nami's skin like needles, and her hands holding the porcelain bottle began to tremble!
It's not because of the weight, but because something deeper is collapsing.
Looking at Arlong's mocking face, at Chu's guilty and evasive eyes, at Korobi's indifferent expression, and at the fishmen around him laughing wildly.
Nami suddenly realized that everything was clear. Like the thick fog dissipating, revealing the jagged rocks beneath.
"I understand..." She suddenly looked up, glaring fiercely at Ah Long, "You were just playing me!"
Such a valuable antique, its worth is obvious at a glance, but Ah Long went against his conscience and said it was just a broken bottle!
Even if she exchanges the antiques for cash, Ah Long will probably find all sorts of excuses to renege on the deal, right?
Nami suddenly believed Norton; he hadn't lied to her!
Ah Long had no intention of keeping his promise!
"When did I cheat?!" Ah Long's smile froze for a moment, then he suddenly reached out and covered Nami's mouth with his huge hand!
Rough scales rubbed against her cheeks, and immense force squeezed her jawbone, almost crushing it. The feeling of oxygen deprivation instantly rushed to her brain, her vision began to darken, and her ears began to ring.
"You say it? Hmm?"
Ah Long approached Nami, his eyes flashing with a murderous glint.
Nami struggled desperately, flailing her arms in vain and kicking her feet on the stone slabs.
But the power of the fishmen was far beyond her ability to contend with.
My consciousness began to blur, my lungs burned, and only Ah Long's cold eyes flickered in my vision, like a predator in the deep sea.
Just when Nami thought she was about to suffocate, Arlong suddenly let go. Nami staggered backward, gasping for breath, her vision blurring.
"Hahaha!"
Ah Long burst into laughter, as if his outburst of rage had never happened.
"Keep trying, Nami! Take your money back! Save it all up! Come back to me when you've saved a hundred million!"
The fishmen burst into laughter again.
Nami stood there, panting, her gaze sweeping over Arlong's twisted smile, then over the mocking looks around her, and finally over the treasure chest filled with the riches she had fought so hard for.
She suddenly calmed down, bent down, and began to put the treasure back into the box piece by piece. Until the lid was closed and the lock was fastened, the metal made a crisp "click" sound.
Nami straightened up and hoisted the heavy treasure chest back onto her shoulder.
"You'll regret this, Arlong," Nami whispered.
Upon hearing Nami's words, Arlong was stunned for a moment, then burst into loud laughter.
"Hahaha! Did you guys hear that? Nami said I'll regret it!!"
The other fishmen laughed again.
Nami, however, did not show any further excitement. She quietly turned around, her back to Arlong and all the fishmen, and strode out of the gates of Arlong Park.
The fishmen's laughter gradually subsided after Nami left.
Watching Nami's departing figure, Croobby walked to Arlong's side, his brows slightly furrowed.
"Ah Long, are we just going to let her go like that? That 100 million Berries..."
"I know." The smile on Ah Long's face had disappeared.
"Contact Captain Rat and have the Navy take Nami's money. We can't afford to have too much of a falling out with Nami; she still has some use."
Croobi nodded. "What about Nami...?"
Ah Long sneered, "When she realizes she has nothing left, she'll naturally come back obediently. That's how humans are... they have to be shattered by reality a few times before they learn to kneel!"
......
Nami didn't go far; she followed the familiar path back to the orange grove.
Before the sun completely sank below the horizon, its last rays bathed the groves of orange trees in a warm orange hue, their branches laden with fruit, filling the air with the unique sweet aroma of citrus.
Nami walked to the place where the treasure chest was buried.
The pit was still there, and the soil beside it was fresh and damp. She squatted down and began to push the scattered soil back into the pit with her hands.
Her fingernails were filled with dirt, and the base of her palms ached from the sharp stones, but Nami didn't stop.
When the last handful of soil covered the ground, she knelt under the tree, her hands on the ground, her head bowed, her breathing trembling.
Nami had unknowingly bitten her lower lip until it bled, but she still forced herself not to make a sound.
He let his shoulders shrug until the tears that finally welled up in his eyes dripped into the soil.
Images flashed through my mind.
The cold sweat on his palms when he first stole a wallet; the starlight outside the window while drawing a nautical chart on a strange ship; the tension of secretly burying treasure in the night every time he returned to the village; Bellemere's last smile before he was shot...
And Ah Long's face just now, with its undisguised contempt.
She raised her hand and rubbed her eyes hard with the back of her hand. Her skin turned red from the friction, but the tears stopped.
A small house deep in the orange grove. The lights are on, and the shadow of Nokiko moving about is reflected on the window paper.
"Nokiko..."
Nami stood up after a long time, then brushed the dirt off her hands, tidied her messy hair and clothes, picked up the treasure chest, took one last look at the hut and the orange grove that was gradually blurring in the twilight, and turned to walk towards the coast.
Dark as ink.
Nami carried the treasure chest back to the bay where the White Pearl was docked and went into the cabin.
The people on deck cast curious glances at Nami's return, but no one asked any questions.
The door to the captain's cabin was ajar, and warm yellow light spilled out.
Nami paused for a moment at the door, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open to enter.
Norton stood in front of the chart, lost in thought, with Sanosuke standing close by in the corner, while Fu Ning flipped through a thick book. Zoro, clutching his three swords, huddled on the sofa, seemingly drunk.
Nami walked to the center of the room and placed the heavy treasure chest on the floor with a thud.
The dull thud of the metal box bottom striking the wooden floor was particularly clear in the quiet room.
"I lost."
She didn't look at anyone, just kept her head down, her short orange hair covering most of her face, her lips tightly pressed together, and her shoulders trembling slightly.
But then, Nami suddenly raised her head, her eyes bloodshot, and stared intently at Norton.
"This entire hundred million Berries is yours, Norton! Just do me a favor!"
She took a step forward and placed her hands on the edge of the table.
"I will avenge Bellemere! I will make Aaron pay back everything he owes me!"
Tears finally welled up in Nami's eyes, but they were not tears of sadness, but molten iron forged from anger and hatred!
Norton turned his head, revealing a smug smile.
"I'll take this hundred million Berries."
"Welcome back, our navigator."
Ah Long Paradise.
The campfire in the courtyard had not yet completely died down, and the fishmen were gathered in twos and threes, still smelling of alcohol and the smug satisfaction of mocking Nami.
Ah Long sat in his high seat, toying with an empty wine glass, a cruel smile playing on his lips.
Nearby, Croobby was reporting on the progress of contacting Colonel Rat.
"...That idiot colonel has already agreed to take men to 'search' the place where Nami hides her money tomorrow," Croobbi said.
"Hahaha! Great!"
Ah Long laughed, "Let humans deal with humans, we just need to wait to collect the money, and... wait for our lost surveyors to come back crying and begging me."
He could almost see Nami's despairing face, and his mood grew even more delighted.
However, the smile on his lips had not yet fully unfolded—
"Boom!"
A deafening roar suddenly erupted, as if a thunderbolt had struck the center of the courtyard!
The heavy iron gate, along with part of its frame, was twisted and deformed as if struck by a giant sea monster, detached from its hinges, and collapsed inward with a crash!
The heavy door panel crashed to the ground, kicking up clouds of dust and shaking the entire courtyard.
The campfire shook violently, and the fishmen jumped up in surprise, scattering wine glasses and dishes all over the ground.
As the smoke and dust dissipated, the cold moonlight poured in through the open door, outlining a tall and imposing figure.
His short silver hair gleamed coldly in the moonlight, and on his sculpted, handsome face, a wildly arrogant smile spread across his lips.
Norton, hands in his pockets, maintained his side-kick stance, slowly retracted his leg, stepped through the twisted iron gate, and entered Aaron's Paradise.
Zoro, holding three swords, and Sanosuke, with his cold gaze, stood like guardians on either side of Norton!
Behind the three, twelve members of the Redbeard Pirates, armed with weapons, surrounded an orange-haired girl with a cold expression.
"Nami?" Arlong looked surprised and glanced at Norton and the others, as if he understood something.
"Where did you bring your reinforcements from? You don't think you can defeat me with just these few people, do you?"
"Do you really think Ah Long Paradise is a place where any cat or dog can run wild?"
"They actually brought a man from outside to cause trouble!!"
Arlong grinned, spread his arms wide, displaying his numerous fish-man subordinates in the courtyard, and looked at Nami with disdain.
"You saw what happened to those reckless sailors last time. Looks like you've forgotten the lesson; I need to teach you a lesson again!"
"Why waste words with them! If they dare to barge in, tear them to pieces!"
Chiu couldn't hold back any longer, her cheeks puffed out, and a high-pressure water jet shot towards Norton, who was in the lead, like a sharp arrow.
However, before the water arrow arrived, a green blade of light struck first!
Zoro's figure flashed by like a ghost, the cold light of the Wado Ichimonji flashing as it was drawn.
The water arrow was split in two, turning into weak little water droplets that splashed down.
Zoro stood in front of Norton, his three swords already drawn.
"Your opponent is me, Ugly Fish." Zoro said, his voice muffled but full of excitement, as he bit down on Wado Ichimonji.
At the same time, the cartilaginous fishman Croobby on the other side also silently slid forward.
Fishman Karate's starting stance carries a sharp gust of wind, aimed directly at Sanosuke.
Without even lifting his eyelids, Sanosuke swayed his body and caused Croobi's sure-fire attack to miss!
Korobi's alarm bells rang, and he turned around abruptly, only to see the sharp blade of the kunai already pressed silently against his neck like a venomous snake!
Sanosuke's cold voice rang in his ear: "Don't move."
In an instant, one of Ah Long's trusted cadres was stopped and the other was subdued!
"My lords!" Norton chuckled.
"Whoa!!" shouted the 12 pirates behind him, brandishing their swords.
"superior!"
"yes!!"
Twelve pirates roared and charged into the fish-men, brandishing their swords!
As former subordinates of Redbeard, these pirates were not weak, and for a time they fought to a standstill with the numerically superior fishmen!
The sounds of clashing metal, roars, and screams instantly filled the entire Alon Amusement Park.
Ah Long's expression finally changed. For the first time, a crack appeared in his playful and mocking expression, and it slowly darkened, becoming solemn and ferocious.
His serrated teeth clenched tightly, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic battlefield and locking onto the silver-haired man who, since entering the room, had only kicked the door open and hadn't done anything else, merely watching everything with a playful smile.