While the six members of the Supply Department were gazing in awe at the giant fountain, Bill noticed something unusual off to the side.
"Look over there!" he said, pointing at something that seemed impossible.
"Cool..." Even Sasha was impressed by the sight of an old iron train crossing the water.
"What do you think makes it work, Bill?" Fia asked in amazement.
Studying the train even more than the city with its giant fountain, Bill thoughtfully replied, "There must be tracks supported by something... maybe pontoons? Or it's an illusion, and the train travels on very flat land that we can't see from this distance."
This spectacle awakened the engineering side of his brain, and he began generating ideas he had never considered before.
As their two ships slowly approached the port, they stopped their admiring gazes and focused on safely docking the vessel.
In most ports around the world, Sailors' ships have priority, and Water 7 was no exception. As soon as the "Border Breaker" came to a stop and lowered the gangway, port officials warmly greeted them and asked if they had any specific business.
Bill was the first to disembark, and with the kindest smile, he replied, "Nothing official, we just captured some pirates and are looking for a place to sell their ship before dealing with the criminals themselves."
Having mentioned this, Bill noticed the port administrators begin to eye the pirate brig and continued, "This is our first visit to your city, and I would appreciate it if you could direct my people to a shipyard that handles such matters."
The administrators looked away from the ship, seemingly not finding it interesting enough to make an offer themselves, and pointed Bill toward the city's most renowned shipyard. They said it was the most likely buyer but warned the young Sailor that the price would be lower than usual.
A small detail, but Bill appreciated when one of the administrators told him that he believed the ship was worth about 5 million Beli.
Thanking them, Bill said goodbye to the two men and returned to his team. After drawing lots, it was decided that Sasha would stay on board to guard the ship and the prisoners.
Despite their difficult financial situation, Bill paid everyone's wages, and as he went to negotiate with the shipyard, the others set out to buy necessary supplies.
Rans went with Miyagi, while Ricky paired up with Fia, and everyone agreed to meet on the ship for dinner.
Wishing them luck, Bill set off alone.
He walked briskly but chose the long path up the ramps, captivated by the Bulls hauling boats and other unique buildings.
Passing by a peculiar building called "Bar Blueno," he was tempted to go in for a drink but decided against spending money.
Though Bill had paid the crew's salaries, he hadn't received his share yet and was still wearing his Marine Recruit uniform under his Cloak of Justice.
Ascending the ramps, he noticed the increasing currents and was amazed by the city's design. It wasn't just beautiful; Bill was also curious about how it was engineered.
"How often does erosion shift these foundations?" was one of the many questions he asked himself as he looked around.
Still, he didn't linger long and soon found himself standing before the Galle-La Company headquarters.
Pausing at the entrance to the enormous shipyard, Bill was impressed.
He thought that this shipyard was comparable to the ones he had seen in Vallipo, and considering that Vallipo practically controlled several forest islands entirely and had the financial backing of the Sailors, it made this shipyard even more impressive.
As Bill approached the entrance, he heard a commotion and stepped aside when a blue-haired man flew out of the doors, shouting "Ice head!" and "Bakaberg!"
Ignoring the Sailor, the tall man with skinny legs left the shipyard.
To Bill, it seemed like a personal matter, and even though he was a Sailor, he didn't interfere in such affairs, so he simply entered through the door where he discovered a spacious area and a blonde woman at the reception desk.
Approaching the desk, Bill noticed the woman glance at his captain's badge and, adjusting her glasses, politely said, "How may I help you?"
Nodding, Bill smiled and said he hoped so, then pulled out a couple of sheets of paper and continued, "My team captured a pirate ship, and we want to sell it. I was told your shipyard could appraise such vessels, and I've brought all the details."
With those words, he handed the report prepared by Rans to the blonde receptionist. Skimming through it, the woman again looked at Bill and his captain's badge, then calmly said, "We offer fair prices, but one of our shipbuilders will need to assess the ship."
During the conversation, the woman took a form from behind the desk and concluded, "We will need your name, the name of the previous owner, and the time of acquisition."
After Bill provided the necessary information, the receptionist called for a man named Kaku, and while they waited, she had many questions.