August of the year 1515 of the Haiyuan calendar.
Office of the Base Director of the 24th Naval Branch.
The office was filled with smoke. Byron was chewing a cigar and holding the latest newspaper in his hand.
After reading it several times, Byron sighed, put the unburned cigar aside, and shouted to the messenger outside the door:
"Someone, call that boy Annan over!"
Ten minutes later, the messenger brought Annan into the office, then left and closed the door.
"Colonel Byron."
Annan saluted Byron and sat at his desk.
"Okay, I won't say any polite words. What I want to say next is related to you."
Byron pushed the newspaper on his desk in front of Annan.
"Is it related to me?"
Annan was stunned when he heard this and flipped through the newspaper.
"The Hammer Pirates attacked Maple Leaf Town's annual summer celebration, killing all the navy stationed there, and announced in a high-profile manner at the celebration that all members were about to leave the South China Sea and head for the Grand Line."
"The Hammer Pirates are a relatively rare iron-walled pirate group in the South China Sea, with only six members. In the six years since their debut, they have caused countless tragedies in the South China Sea..."
Before he finished reading the report, Annan felt a surge of anger in his heart, and in his mind he could not help but picture the deck stained red with blood and the blood-curdling screams.
"Annan!"
Byron saw that Annan's face turned gloomy and ferocious, so he reminded him.
Annan took several deep breaths to suppress his emotions.
Six years ago, the Hammer Pirates robbed the merchant ship he was on, and the only known survivor is Annan himself.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Colonel Byron."
Annan pointed at the newspaper and said.
"The way to the Grand Line is through the Upside Down Mountain. As long as we set up an ambush there, we can catch them all!"
"I'm sorry, Annan, I can't agree to what you said."
Byron shook his head and said to Annan.
"Why?" Annan's eyes widened.
"There are only six of them. Isn't it easy to destroy them? Colonel Byron, you are expanding the army without telling the higher-ups, isn't it also to destroy the pirates?" Annan said.
Byron stared at the anxious Annan in front of him. He joined the navy seven years ago and is now eighteen years old. He has grown from a little kid to a big man.
"It's not that we won't go, it's that we simply can't afford the consequences of going to war with them."
Byron took out a stack of reward warrants from the drawer and handed them to Annan.
This is the latest reward order faxed this morning. Take a look for yourself.
Annan took the reward order, and the first one he saw made his pupils shrink.
"Hammer" Adam! Bounty of 140 million Baileys! Life or death!
"One hundred million beli?" Annan continued to scroll down.
"Ghost Scheme" Landry Hagers! Bounty of 100 million Baileys! No matter life or death!
"Prince" Gibson Pandey! Bounty of 90 million Baileys! Life or death!
"Devil Chef" Pat Ramsey! Bounty of 80 million Baileys! Life or death!
"Tool Man" Tash Ovi! Bounty of 80 million! No matter life or death!
"Strange Sword" Moss! Bounty of 80 million! No matter life or death!
"How did they get such a high bounty in the South China Sea?" Annan raised his head and asked in confusion.
Byron relit the cigar, blew out a smoke ring, and said softly:
"They have successively destroyed... four kingdoms in the past few years."
"But they are all non-World Government member countries."
Byron changed the topic, "The world government is just waiting and watching, and the navy is beyond its reach."
"So we just let them get away with it?" Annan asked, "We are the navy, so we just let them do nothing?"
"All the naval branches in the South China Sea are paying close attention to their movements, but these people are very smart and stay within the boundaries of the participating countries and the jurisdiction of the navy and never do any piracy to expose themselves. Even if they are discovered by the navy, they will be the first to do so.
Escape for a while without conflict with the navy."
"The bounty was greatly increased this time because the kingdom they destroyed recently was preparing to join the World Government, so it was investigated by the World Government and the bounty was re-issued."
"Just like the bounty amount on the bounty order, this pirate group has exceeded the affordability of the South China Sea."
Byron said lightly.
"Letting them go to the Grand Line is the best solution. When the time comes, our own navy will deal with them."
"It turns out it's not the navy that judges it."
Annan placed the reward order on his desk.
"The world government will definitely exaggerate their strength in order to save face, so these people are not as powerful as the reward order says. Give me a warship, and I will take the people there myself."
"Annan!"
Byron shouted loudly:
"The navy of the South China Sea branch goes after a pirate group with a combined bounty of 400 million beli? A fantasy!!"
"You are just a second lieutenant and are not qualified to command a warship. Even if I give you privileges, who will you take with you? Your subordinates?"
"Why are your subordinates fighting for their lives with tens of thousands of Baileys a month with you!?"
"I asked you to come here just to give you a vaccination. Revenge is fine, but you must know how much you weigh, and don't end up involving yourself in it!"
"It doesn't matter." Annan shrugged, "It's my vacation time anyway, I can go wherever I like."
…………………………
"Is this why Colonel Byron called you over?"
On the school grounds, Esdeath sat cross-legged on Annan's back with a lollipop in her mouth, her body rising and falling.
"Yes - of -"
Annan clenched his hands on the ground and did push-ups.
"What he said makes sense. Don't get yourself involved in the end." Esdeath said lightly.
"Huh? You don't believe me either?" Annan asked.
"Of course, it won't work if you go alone. But if I help you, you will be fine." Esdeath said confidently.
"Colonel Byron specifically ordered the navy at the dock not to let us go to sea, but the headquarters has to send people over to guide the work at this time, so Colonel Byron has been reorganizing the troops recently."
"Except for a few necessary duty points, there are no people on the dock today. If you really want to take revenge, you can only set out today."
"Then let's do it today." Annan said, "I'm going to prepare some supplies and weapons. We'll meet at the dock."
"Wait, I have to remind you before we leave." Esdeath stood up, looked at Annan, and said solemnly:
"Are you really mentally prepared for this revenge?"