# Chapter 18: Pirates
Dense footsteps came from outside as a large group of guards rushed toward the office.
Due to the large number of people, the guards crowded together at the office entrance.
"Listen up, everyone. This is our new boss, Lord Bai Ye."
Hank stood beside Su Xiao, expressing his stance.
The surrounding guards looked somewhat confused, but after Su Xiao raised the appointment letter in his hand, they all understood what was happening.
"Hello, boss."
"Lord Bai Ye, I'm Kaba."
"Boss, from now on, we brothers will follow your orders."
Flattery came continuously. Su Xiao merely nodded in acknowledgment, his gaze fixed on Oka's two trusted subordinates.
"These two have colluded with pirates, intending to disrupt the order of the royal capital..."
Before Su Xiao could finish speaking, Oka's two trusted subordinates actually drew their weapons and aimed at him.
"Brothers, don't listen to him. Lord Oka is our real boss."
Su Xiao was stunned for a moment, looking at the two men with some surprise. Were these guys brainless?
Actually, it wasn't that they were brainless, but Su Xiao's current identity and his previous words had made them feel a chill of fear.
Su Xiao had just said that he would make sure the two of them stayed here forever.
"Attack! These two have colluded with pirates. Now that they're exposed, they actually dare to openly resist."
Hank was very quick-witted, immediately recognizing the situation.
"Truly~, fools."
Su Xiao sat behind the desk without moving. There was no need for him to act now.
A large group of guards swarmed forward. At that moment, Oka's two trusted subordinates were completely despairing.
"Wait, we just wanted to..."
Before they could explain, the large group of guards had already hacked at them with their blades.
The sounds of weapons clashing, gunshots, and flesh being torn apart came one after another.
Thirty seconds later, two mutilated corpses lay in the office. Every guard in the room was stained with blood.
The smell of blood spread through the air.
This seemed absurd, but it wasn't.
The rules of the pirate world were exactly this kind of naked cruelty. The strong controlled everything, and the weak could only wait for death.
In this blood-soaked office, the royal palace messenger swallowed hard. Su Xiao's ruthlessness made the messenger feel a chill. Any thoughts he had of seeking benefits had vanished like smoke.
"Clean this up. You may all leave."
Before long, only three people remained in the office: Su Xiao, Hank, and the messenger.
Hank didn't leave but stood straight beside Su Xiao.
Su Xiao glanced at Hank once and then ignored him. He was too unfamiliar with the guard headquarters, so he needed an old hand like Hank.
A sufficiently clever and ambitious assistant—he needed one very much.
"Lord Bai Ye, please have your subordinate step aside. I have important matters to convey."
"No need. He is my 'trusted subordinate.'"
Hearing Su Xiao's words, a smile appeared on Hank's face.
"Very well then. Here's the matter. You should have heard about tomorrow night's 'operation,' right?"
The operation the messenger referred to was the burning of the Waste Terminal.
"I've heard something about it."
"Good. Then I'll speak directly. The higher-ups' intention is this: there are currently three factions suitable for this task. We've made preliminary contact with all three. Now, you need to meet with these three factions and choose one to carry out tomorrow night's 'operation.'"
"Hmm?" Su Xiao looked at the messenger, a strange light in his eyes.
"I get to decide who does it?"
"Yes, you decide. After all, we've only heard about these pirates. We need actual contact before making a decision."
Receiving this clear answer, Su Xiao was overjoyed. He had definitely made the right choice. His current identity was playing a crucial role.
"Understood. I'll go meet with those three factions shortly."
The messenger smiled at Su Xiao and turned to leave.
"Oh, one more thing. Although there are three factions, only one can be chosen to carry out tomorrow's plan. The specific information is all in the documents."
The messenger left under Hank's escort. Su Xiao picked up the documents on the desk.
Inside was a detailed plan for burning the Waste Terminal. The general idea was:
Choose a pirate crew, then provide that crew with explosives, using the explosives to ignite the Waste Terminal.
There were three pirate crews to choose from.
The first was a local force of the Goa Kingdom, the Bursam Pirates. In the original story, this was the crew that fought against young Luffy, Ace, and others.
The second was a pirate crew that had recently sailed into nearby waters, the Krieg Pirates.
Seeing this crew's information, Su Xiao was somewhat surprised. This was also a pirate crew he was familiar with.
The Krieg Pirates were a relatively famous pirate crew in the East Blue. In the original story's Baratie arc, the Krieg Pirates were annihilated by Mihawk, then fled to the Baratie, fought with the Straw Hat Pirates, and were ultimately defeated.
Although it was now ten years before the story began, the Krieg Pirates were not weak. The entire fleet had about six hundred members.
As for the third pirate crew, called the Skeleton Pirates, their strength was mediocre. Su Xiao directly ruled them out.
Based on information from the original story, the Bursam Pirates' strength was average. They were defeated by young Luffy, Ace, and a group of mountain bandits, which showed their capability.
As for the Krieg Pirates, Su Xiao had high hopes for them, so he wanted to meet this crew first.
"Hank, contact the Krieg Pirates."
Hank gave an awkward smile.
"Well, sir..."
Hank's attitude made Su Xiao understand.
"I'm leaving it to you. I need to see them today."
Clearly, Hank could contact the Krieg Pirates. As for what kind of relationship they had, Su Xiao had no interest in knowing.
Government officials colluding with pirates was a common phenomenon in the pirate world. There were many possible interests between the two.
Hank didn't disappoint Su Xiao. Within just two hours, he had arranged a meeting place with the Krieg Pirates.
The location was, of course, within the royal capital. No one would trust a pirate crew.
---
In the civilian district, inside a dirty alley, several men wearing loose black clothes and hoods stood within the alley, warily scanning their surroundings.
"Captain Krieg, this is the place. That old warehouse ahead is the agreed meeting point."
A thin pirate with a sailor's knife hanging from his waist stood cautiously behind a tall man.
The man was also wearing loose black clothes and a hood, but through the gaps in his clothes, one could vaguely see that he was wearing a suit of golden armor.
"Mm. Wait for me here. Gin, you come with me."
Krieg's voice was deep, and the sound of his armor clanking could be heard as he walked.
"Yes, Captain."
Gin was dressed the same way, with weapons hidden in his sleeves.
"Captain, I've heard that the newly appointed guard commander is very ruthless. We should be cautious."
Krieg turned his head to look at Gin.
"Hmm? Do you think I can't handle a guard commander? If it weren't for the convenience that noble status brings, I wouldn't be doing business for the Goa Kingdom."
Arrogance and conceit were common flaws among most pirates.
Gin was silent. The two of them walked toward the warehouse.