The people they wanted to see had disembarked. Law and Ging didn't continue to focus on them, instead slowly making their way through the crowd to look for Sheila, who had blended into the masses.
Currently, Law didn't want to see Machi and the others, so he had to avoid even the slightest possibility.
He planned to meet Sheila, then leave this place with Ging, traverse inland to a coast far enough away, and then summon the turtle to carry them directly to the Dark Continent.
That was the tentative plan, as he leaned towards the decision to have Machi and the others stay on the imagined continent.
Since Sheila, unlike Ging, couldn't be sensed by God Hand, finding her wasn't a simple matter.
Law and Ging started searching from the general area where Sheila had blended into the crowd. But the people on-site were moving, not stationary, and they couldn't openly use En.
So, finding Sheila under these circumstances was akin to searching for a needle in a haystack.
By the time all passengers had disembarked from the B·W, and even the sound from the helicopter's loudspeakers reached the area, Law and Ging still hadn't found Sheila.
"As of now, all passengers have completed disembarkation."
"Next, our beloved King Nasubi will arrange related matters."
"Before that, please remain quiet and do not move around arbitrarily!"
The helicopter circled above the crowd, repeating the same announcement several times to ensure everyone could hear.
The effect was relatively apparent… the noisy chatter gradually subsided, and those who couldn't resist moving around also consciously stopped, obediently staying in place.
This requirement directly prevented Law and Ging from continuing to move through the crowd. Helpless, they could only stand quietly like the masses.
The location was a vast open plain. When choosing the site, the captain not only considered the number of passengers but also the forest and water sources, ultimately selecting this spot.
Having nearly two hundred thousand people stand on this plain was more than sufficient.
Inland, there was a relatively ordinary forest. Observing from a high point, it didn't cover a large area, and several water sources were nearby.
Half an hour earlier, troops had entered the forest to cut down trees, then built a high platform on the open ground in front of the crowd.
To be precise, it seemed like a stage.
Presumably, it would be where Nasubi would give his speech later.
Law slightly raised his head, shifting his gaze from the high platform to the nearby area.
There, tents had already been set up, arranged in an orderly pattern.
The person in charge of setting up the camp must have had considerable skill in arranging troops and formations, managing to arrange the tents in a visually pleasing manner.
From where Law stood, he could barely see that Beyond's team occupied a certain tent area. Besides that, there were many people wearing luxurious attire.
"Ging, given our current situation, finding Sheila won't be that easy."
Law silently withdrew his gaze, turning his head to look at Ging standing beside him.
"Yeah," Ging nodded.
Law said, "So, I'm transferring the decision-making authority to you. You decide whether to continue delaying."
Ging frowned slightly, immediately considering the pros and cons.
He knew Law wanted him to judge whether Sheila was worth the delay.
It was imaginable that once Kakin began coordinating the on-site personnel, their status as passengers would restrict some freedoms. Under those circumstances, finding Sheila would be even harder.
If he decided not to meet Sheila, then he and Law could leave this place directly, reunite with the main team, and head straight to the Dark Continent.
Ging thought for about five minutes.
Seeing Ging hadn't reached a conclusion after thinking for so long, a glimmer flashed in Law's eyes… he roughly understood Ging's choice.
A moment later, Ging looked at Law and said seriously, "I believe Sheila possesses the ability and knowledge to handle various harsh, unknown environments. Most importantly, she's like-minded with us."
"Hearing you praise her like that, I'm a bit curious to see how she's changed over the years," Law began to wonder about Sheila's current abilities, then added, "So your decision is to stay."
"Yes. If you didn't know Sheila, I wouldn't suggest you meet her, nor would I be this persistent," Ging said.
"What a coincidence…" Law said meaningfully.
Ging alluded, "If Machi were like-minded with us, would you still refuse to let them follow to the Dark Continent?"
"No," Law answered honestly.
Hearing this, Ging smiled. This was why he was so persistent about Sheila, and why after mentioning Sheila, he only suggested Law meet her, rather than trying to recruit her into the team.
Some things were far less important than the words 'like-minded'.
The reason Law didn't want Machi and the others to follow to the Dark Continent wasn't just because the Dark Continent was dangerous… there was a more important reason.
That was, Machi and the others weren't qualified explorers.
Not just in terms of ability, more importantly, Machi lacked an exploratory mindset towards the Dark Continent. Simply put, Machi wasn't interested in the Dark Continent.
Her reason for wanting to go to the Dark Continent was simply as she said: "Where you are, I will be."
As for Uvogin and Nobunaga's motivations, they were even simpler: purely to join the excitement.
So, how could Law let Machi follow to the Dark Continent?
Another example: why did Law exceptionally allow Buhara to follow to the Dark Continent?
Because Buhara was like-minded with them.
"Kuro."
Law raised his right hand.
Kuro emerged from the tattoo in a smoke-like form, gently attaching to Law's shoulder.
Without looking aside, Law said, "Go notify Biscuit. Tell them Ging and I might be delayed here for some time."
"Received."
The smoke-formed Kuro sank to the ground, transforming into strands of smoke, heading towards Biscuit's location.
That night, bonfires were lit across the open ground. Viewed from above, it resembled a unique star chart.
After Law and Ging decided to stay and find Sheila, Nasubi ascended the high platform, initially outlining the subsequent construction plans. All sorts of complicated matters were arranged in an orderly manner.
Then, before nightfall, a large area of the nearby forest was cleared, as if half of a human's hair was shaved off.
The processed timber was piled in designated areas. When tomorrow's sunrise came, this timber might be turned into houses in the shortest time possible.
The efficiency was so astonishing thanks to the over a hundred thousand passengers on-site.
Law and Ging sat before a bonfire, each holding a can to eat.
"The Nen Beast behind Nasubi is not simple. It might be related to the Aura I mentioned earlier," Ging crushed the empty can he finished eating and placed it by his feet.
"It looks uncomfortable," Law thought of the Nen Beast he saw during the day, then added, "It seems to have a strong desire for control."
"A common flaw among those in high positions," Ging hit the nail on the head.