"What royalty is there anymore."
Link shook his head, "Now it's the Minister of Environment who's in power, which is actually good for us. The royal family's prestige in Alabasta is not low, after all, they've ruled for so many years. With the royal family around, we don't need to worry about the nobility, but our plans aren't that smooth either."
"This current situation is favorable; the Minister of Environment can't suppress the nobility, and it's perfect timing for us to bring livelihood to their common people. They won't care what kind of factories we set up, but the condition is, they want to use us against the nobility."
"They won't care about anything?" Gin asked.
"It depends on how we handle it." Link said with a smile, "Master Gin, are you interested?"
"No..."
Gin thought for a while, "My heart isn't that hard."
He is very composed, the most steady among the Seven Stars, but he's also grateful and places great importance on loyalty and righteousness. Such people, sometimes, find it hard to take action.
But he knows the rules outside faced by O'hara.
If it really comes to slaughter... nothing will be left.
"Send a report back, let them up there decide what to do." Gin closed his eyes, "Report everything truthfully."
"Master Gin, doing this, for your future..."
"Future or no future is irrelevant, I am under Master Sage, everything is based on his will. No matter where I end up in the future, I serve Master Sage!"
...
Not long after, Lily held a freshly printed paper telegram and found Sage.
Some things cannot be spoken aloud. If it's just through a radio snail, it has to be accompanied by an anti-eavesdropping one. But anti-eavesdropping and eavesdropping snails depend on whose quality is superior, it's a risk game.
Moreover, both are very rare and cannot be equipped by everyone.
With Vegapunk's help, Sage invented a method, using a rhythm-filled cipher mode with a fax snail for paper transmission, decode it upon receipt to form a complete sentence.
Depending on the importance of the matter, decide whether to use a radio snail for communication or directly send someone over.
The current matter isn't that important, so they simply made a call to inquire, then compiled the information and handed it to Lily, who then found Sage.
At this moment, Lily was at the northwest cliff in O'hara, watching Sage fishing beneath the bright sun, holding a ridiculously long fishing rod with a line longer than the height of the cliff. She first tugged at her mouth corner before saying:
"Sage..."
"Shh!"
Just as Lily began to speak, Sage immediately turned back and gestured for silence, then pointed at the fishing rod in his hand, having a demeanor suggesting he's up to something important.
Even when sparring with the Two Four Emperors, Lily had never seen Sage this serious.
She silently sighed, "Sage, this place is high enough, never mind talking, even firing a cannon won't cause any reaction in the sea below."
"What do you know! This is ritualistic! Fishing requires a devout heart, to enjoy the process of fishing, to calm the mind through constant practice, enjoying that moment of final harvest, that is true transcendence."
Sage solemnly said, "The harder the location, the stronger the transcendence once harvested! It's also a form of calming cultivation!"
Lily pursed her lips, remaining silent.
To fish on a cliff several hundred meters high, only someone like Sage could pull it off.
The reason is very simple; he can't catch fish closer. Aside from inviting his 'good buddy' Buggy, he wouldn't see a single fish.
But Buggy, unless necessary, usually doesn't come to O'hara and even now shows signs of avoiding Sage. Without considering that Buggy himself is still a symbol of the Cross Guild, Sage would've personally gone over.
After trying all the surrounding sea areas on the island, Sage discovered a new method.
Isn't he unlucky?
Then just keep your distance, stand higher, use an extremely long line to cast down, let the fish not see him, nor the rod. This method of high-altitude fishing, maybe he can catch them.
"Sage, it's already this high, fish won't notice you. While calming your mind, listen to the report from Alabasta." Lily advised.
"Alabasta?"
Sage paused, sitting on a small mazar, pulled out a cigar from his pocket, lit it, and exhaled smoke with one hand on the rod and the other on the cigar, "What's there to say about that place, didn't we already hear it before?"
The raw materials collected from Alabasta are high-end, suitable for creating the new Peacekeeper, even for the upcoming budget version to be sold, requiring high-end materials.
The glass made from silicon not up to that purity is popular not only in O'hara but other places as well. According to estimates, glass of this quality could take the world by storm.
Besides that, the high-quality fruits grown in the desert are a great choice whether for winemaking or consumption.
This place sells to within O'hara, and naturally, the final price is considerably higher than that of domestic-produced fruits.
Although not an export then resell internally, in essence, it's similar; produced outside, brought inside, and the sea passage results in a price surge several times.
Yet it's not a question of money, it's the resources money can drive. A vast land with few people, lifting everyone's domestic demand is an issue in itself. At this stage, Sage won't and can't finance the people under him anymore; only money generating money works.
The profits from Alabasta-produced goods are reinvested in O'hara—building bridges, roads, factories, resource development, even constructing Sea Trains in stable maritime zones—which requires resources? Which requires funds?
What?
Even if at low prices, giving away for free and hiring people would save money...
But then there's no economic value!
Free is always the most expensive, no matter from which angle, always has been!
Applicable to individuals, not to 'I am the Nation' Sage?
Alabasta's low prices are inevitable; the outside raw materials' prices are sure to be low. He can't currently lead global prosperity, nor does the world entirely belong to him.
But once in O'hara, it should be what it is, reinvested funds could perpetuate a cycle, not only having everything but quickly integrating those newly governed people into O'hara's rhythm.
Link and Gin have done exceptionally well in this aspect, it's Sage's least concern; quite a few people from Alabasta have come over during this period.
"Noble issue..."
Lily briefly explained the matter, revealing a hint of killing intent, "Our assessment and Link's assessment are similar, if it continues, it would lead to widespread slaughter, affecting both nobles and civilians, but that would impact our recruitment plans."
"Your opinion?" Sage exhaled smoke.
"Do it now."
Lily said, "Though it might attract more attention from the World Government, compared to future plans, it's best to eliminate them now. But Gin is not quite suitable; his heart isn't hard enough, competent as a subordinate, but not as a qualified weapon."
"Hmm..."
Sage nodded, suddenly smiling, "Let Shiryu have a go, he's about to suffer from holding back, constantly polishing his blade, can't endure much longer. Send him out, tell him... the blood of the noble will bring more stimulation and a sense of achievement."
"Understood, I think so too."
Lily smiled, "That blade needs to be put to use, Alabasta and surrounding islands can all be sorted, to avoid similar issues. I'll have Van Augur accompany him, faster execution, minimizing the World Government's attention on us."
"That kind of thing doesn't matter..."
Sage waved a hand, sneered, "It's not like we're directly clashing with them; as the agreement states, unblock the passage, don't obstruct my business, they've already obstructed it, my countermeasures are perfectly reasonable. Moreover, they might even see it as a good thing, they too want to make money."
"Understood."
Lily nodded, preparing to leave, pondered for a moment, and then said: "Sage, I don't see fish in the sea below."
"Maybe they're taking a nap, once they wake, they'll come up and bite my bait!" Sage's words were filled with determination.
Watching Lily leave, Sage turned back, looking at the extremely long line, full of contemplation, then looked up, "Should it be even higher... would the effect be better?"
If this several hundred meters height isn't enough, perhaps go up to Pluton's top, casting from there, surely he can catch something.