They seemed miserable, but in fact it wasn't that bad. Life wasn't comfortable, but at least they didn't have to worry about survival.
There were far more pirates worse off than them, just ask Alvida's subordinates; they truly lived more miserably than a bunch of simps.
Being a pirate wasn't some glamorous profession. A group of people struggling to survive wouldn't necessarily live better even if forced to change their way of life.
The moment you pick up a blade and become a pirate, you also go from being under the Marines' protection to being hunted by them.
Even trash like Morgan would suppress pirates entering his jurisdiction.
The East Blue had over a hundred branch bases, and not all of their commanding officers were scum like Captain Nezumi.
…
"Sigh… Even though we're poor, life still has to go on."
Alan sighed, then asked: "Which islands nearby can be used to restock supplies?"
"The nearest would be Sime Town. Black-market dealers are operating there, but we're already out of money, and also..."
Sham shrugged awkwardly and said, "The Gecko Islands have two Marine branches. One of them is on the island next to Sime Town. Wouldn't that be a bit..."
Alan knew what he meant and waved his hand.
"No need. I have some money. We'll head out before noon tomorrow to purchase supplies, and then we'll go to Baratie."
"Baratie? Are we going there to eat, boss?"
Triggered by the keyword, Buchi's eyes lit up.
Sham, on the other hand, was surprised.
He thought Alan was going to lead them to plunder a town; he never expected him to spend money to feed them.
Based on his understanding, this was downright absurd.
To this, Alan had no real alternative. Starting a business was like this.
"Of course, we're going to the restaurant to eat. And while we're at it, we'll see if we can recruit some chefs with decent skills."
Alan grinned as he answered Buchi.
This made Buchi grin as well.
Next, Alan rummaged through a few boxes. They contained gunpowder, cannonballs, spare sails, rigging, and other ship supplies.
Finally, in a corner, he found a locked wooden chest sealed with wax.
Before he could ask, Sham stepped forward and said, "This belongs to Captain Kuro. Inside are the clothes and weapons he used in the past."
Boom!
Without further explanation, Sham suddenly slashed the lid open with one claw, then brushed away the wooden fragments and stepped back to stand behind Alan.
Alan walked forward for a look. On the right side of the chest was a black captain's coat, with a captain's hat placed on top, and folded clothes beneath it.
On the left side were two pairs of cat claws, their blades bearing obvious signs of use; it seemed these were pairs Kuro had discarded.
Aside from that, there were a few pieces of gold and jewelry, not many. Judging by the amount, they were probably accessories Kuro used to wear.
Alan picked up the gold and jewelry, then said to Sham and Buchi, "These two pairs of cat claws can still be used after sharpening. If you want them, take them. As for the rest, throw them into the sea."
Sham and Buchi exchanged a look, then happily stepped forward and each picked up a pair of cat claws.
The quality of these weapons was much better than the ones they currently used.
They were a bit long, but for someone who already used claw-type gloves, they would adapt quickly.
As for the fact that Kuro had used them… they were already this poor, what was there to be picky about!
After finishing the inventory of the warehouse, Alan brought Sham and Buchi back to the meeting room for a meal while learning more about the Black Cat Pirates' past from their words.
This also included Kuro's plan.
As cadres on the ship, Sham and Buchi knew a bit about it, though not comprehensively.
The other pirates only knew they would be raiding Syrup Village in a few days.
As for Kuro's intention to kill them all after the plan's completion, perhaps not even Jango knew, let alone Sham and Buchi.
But Alan pointed it out directly.
"Do you think that after Kuro robbed that rich man's fortune, he would come back and continue being a pirate?"
After asking this, Alan went silent, cutting the meat on his plate with his dinner knife.
Sham and Buchi stopped moving and stared blankly at each other.
A few seconds later, Sham turned to Alan and said hesitantly: "He probably wouldn't... Captain Kuro... He said he was tired of being a pirate."
"Mm-hmm, Jango also said that Kuro wanted to hide his identity and live a peaceful life."
Buchi nodded in agreement.
Alan stabbed a piece of meat, put it into his mouth, raised his head, and asked while chewing: "Then what about you? Would you continue being a pirate under Kuro?"
"Letting a bunch of pirates who know his true identity wander around freely, he doesn't sound like the kind of person who would allow that, does he?"
After swallowing his food, Alan picked up a bottle of wine and poured himself a cup. After downing the full cup in one go, he resumed cutting the meat, leaving Sham and Buchi staring at each other in confusion.
…
The two brothers were not stupid, especially Sham, who was particularly sharp.
Some things are unclear when you're in the middle of them, but once you step back, everything becomes perfectly clear.
Facing the question casually raised by Alan, Sham fell into thought, and soon his expression darkened.
Indeed, if Captain Kuro wanted to hide his identity, would he really allow a group of pirates who knew his true identity to roam the seas freely?
Probably... No, Kuro definitely wouldn't allow such a thing to happen.
Based on his understanding of Kuro's style and methods, the simplest way to eliminate future trouble would be to silence them directly.
If that were truly the case… thinking of this possibility, Sham unconsciously clenched his fists tightly. Beyond feeling disappointed, he felt more unwillingness and anger.
No wonder, as the plan's date approached, they still didn't know how to handle the plan's aftermath.
This could only mean one thing… They were also on Kuro's hit list!