Seeing this, Randy couldn't hide his excitement, his eyes practically glowing.
"Here's 200,000 belly as a reward. Paint well, and I'll give you another 300,000 once the sails are done."
"Hehehe, thank you, captain! I won't let you down."
Randy nodded enthusiastically, fumbling to take the money Alan tossed him.
"Alright, I won't keep you from work. I'll go check out somewhere else."
Alan waved and turned to leave.
Randy bowed excitedly: "Captain, please take care!"
After Alan walked away, Randy stood up while clutching the money in his hand, overjoyed.
He had once been a rural artist living in a small village, until war destroyed his hometown, leaving him no choice but to become a pirate on Krieg's ship.
His only skill, painting, had been of little use on the ship. Being thin and weak, he could only do odd jobs to earn a meal.
Yet today, his long-neglected skill got him recruited into the zero squad, and painting a single flag earned him 200,000 belly.
"Captain is really generous..."
Randy couldn't help but smile, with some paint smudged on his face.
At that moment, a burly man with a rough beard peeked from the side, eyes fixed on the money in Randy's hands.
"Yo, Randy, you're really lucky, huh? After all this time, I didn't know you had this skill."
"Si... Sid...!"
Randy panicked and stepped back while clutching the money to his chest.
"Wh-what do you want?!"
"Hahaha, don't worry, I just want to borrow some money. Watching others gamble makes me itchy."
Sid grinned with greedy eyes while stepping closer.
"Don't worry, I'll pay you back when I win. Not a single belly will be owed, hehehe."
Bang!
Sid grabbed Randy by the neck and pressed him against the wall while reaching for the money in Randy's hands.
Unbeknownst to him, two pairs of eyes were excitedly watching from behind.
"Just in time, the boss made a few new rules. How about using him to make an example, Buchi?"
"Hahaha, I think that's a great idea, Sham."
Sham and Buchi laughed maliciously.
...
Later, everyone on the ship was gathered and crowded onto the central deck.
In the middle, a rough-bearded man was kneeling, tied up tightly.
"Same thing again, huh?"
"Squad captain Gin punished him before; I didn't expect him to haven't learned anything."
"He's in the shipwright squad, probably thought that with the captain absent, no one would bother him. What a fool."
The surrounding pirates whispered and commented.
On the second-floor balcony, Gin's eyes were cold.
Alan glanced at him and asked, "Sounds like this isn't his first offense. If he slips again under your watch, how would you punish him?"
"First offense, break both of his hands, second offense…"
Gin's face darkened, hesitating, then changed his words: "Depends on the situation. Maybe break both hands and feet."
"Not killing him directly?"
Alan's tone was cold.
Gin was shocked and immediately dropped to his knees, bowing: "Captain! This time it wasn't serious, just theft... There's no need to—"
"Enough."
Alan cut him off: "He's already been taught a lesson. Committing a second offense against comrades is unforgivable. More punishment will just build resentment and turn him into a toxin on the ship."
"Tie him to the stern and drag him for an hour. Survival depends on fate. If he lives, he can step off at the next island."
Alan's voice was cold as he announced below: "From now on, anyone maliciously attacking a comrade will face the same punishment."
"Additionally, personal disputes may be submitted to the squad captain for mediation or resolved publicly under their supervision. Private fights on the ship are forbidden. Violators face the same punishment."
"Understood?"
"Yes, captain!!"
The pirates below shouted in unison.
Alan looked back at Gin: "You handle it or Sham and Buchi?"
"Please let me handle it."
"Mm."
Alan nodded, then waved at Sham and Buchi: "Go to the fifth squad and bring a few shipwrights to the captain's room. I want to see how to remodel it."
"Hehehe, got it, captain."
Sham and Buchi smiled sheepishly.
...
After Alan and the others left, the pirates dispersed. Only Gin and Sanji remained on the balcony.
"Rules protect the majority. Compromising on some things only leads to greater losses. I hope you can understand."
Sanji exhaled a smoke ring, patted Gin on the shoulder, and quietly turned to leave.
Attacking a comrade out of malice was, in his eyes, equally unforgivable.
Alan's punishment was harsh, but the rules are meant to protect ordinary crew members.
In a world of survival of the fittest, only the top of the pyramid profits. Without rules, except for the squad captains, all other pirates would be exploited.
Sanji had no comment on this. Perhaps he wouldn't have been so extreme, but he couldn't say Alan was wrong.
Finally, Gin sighed deeply, composed his expression, and jumped down, then grabbed Sid by the hair.
"No! Squad captain! I was wrong! I know I was wrong, squad captain Gin!"
Amid Sid's wailing and pleading, Gin remained expressionless, dragging the struggling man to the stern.
"Whether you live or die depends on your fate. Down you go."
He tossed Sid mercilessly into the water.
"Stop, cap..."
Swoosh!!
Before the words finished, Sid splashed into the sea, tied with a long rope fastened to the stern, dragged as the ship sailed.
Gin checked his pocket watch, then silently closed it.
With only his legs free, dragged through the sea for an hour, even skilled swimmers had slim chances of survival.
Gin didn't leave, sitting at the stern, back against the railing, closing his eyes, indifferent to the pleas and eventually curses and screams below.
After an hour, he finally stood, pulling in the rope.
The figure tied to it was gone, leaving only torn marks at the end. The body had likely already been eaten by a shark.
Gin collected the rope; his mood was heavy as he left.
...
Back on deck, seeing the empty rope, the crew guessed Sid's fate.
Although he didn't deserve sympathy, this moment gave the crew a new understanding of Alan.
This generous, polite captain, who joked openly with them, could also kill with just a word.
Whispers spread quickly: "Ruthless... We need to be careful from now on."
"Not too bad, the captain's rules aren't many."
"No attacking comrades, no private fights, no killing innocents, follow these three and you'll be fine."
"But what counts as not killing innocents? Can't defend myself if a civilian points a weapon at me?"
"Idiot, if they're pointing weapons at you, they're not innocent."
"True, hahaha."