The climate of Alabasta was as extreme as any desert region.
The daytime heat was unbearable, yet once night fell, the temperature dropped sharply.
Marcus had already led a team of capable men to comb through the harbor district and the surrounding area several times after receiving news of Wena's escape.
They had searched for hours.
At first, they were able to track him through scattered drops of blood.
But after following the trail through a narrow back alley, the clues abruptly vanished.
It was as if Wena had simply evaporated into thin air.
They began questioning nearby residents.
A few dockworkers claimed they had briefly seen a blood-soaked man running toward the northern commercial district.
"The commercial district?"
A trace of confusion flashed in Marcus's eyes.
"That place is crowded and full of patrol guards. A heavily injured pirate would still dare go there?"
"Maybe…" one of the crew muttered.
"Maybe he wanted to disappear into the crowd to shake off pursuers."
"Or maybe… he has accomplices waiting there."
"Accomplices? Where would he get accomplices in Alabasta…"
Just as the search effort reached a dead end, a sailor who had been sent to investigate the opposite side of the harbor came running back, gasping for breath.
"Brother Marcus! Major discovery!"
"At the remote docks on the northeast corner of the harbor—two ships are moored there!"
"The figureheads… they're dog heads! The pirate flag has been lowered, but the design is exactly the same as the crew we robbed earlier! They're ships from the Dog Pirates!"
"The Dog Pirates actually came to Alabasta too?"
Marcus's expression sharpened.
"Let's go take a look immediately. Stay hidden."
Meanwhile, Kahelo and several of the most sharp-witted crew members had already changed into Alabasta-style white robes purchased from the market.
Their faces and hair were mostly concealed beneath wrapped headscarves.
After gathering information from various sources and making careful observations, they confirmed where Leon was being held.
On the eastern side of Rapeseed Port stood a square building made of heavy sandstone.
It was the harbor prison.
According to bits of information they gathered, anyone who caused trouble, fought, or was arrested within the port district would first be detained there for interrogation.
But this time, because the incident involved pirates and injured several innocent civilians, the matter had escalated.
Rumor had it the case was already being reported to the king in the capital Alubarna.
"Remember our mission," Kahelo said quietly.
"Observation only. No contact."
"Map the building layout, all entrances and exits, visible and hidden sentries, patrol routes, and shift rotations."
"Then determine the most likely area where Leon is being held."
"If there's any risk of exposure or anything unexpected happens, withdraw immediately using the planned route and regroup at the ship."
"Understood?"
Everyone nodded silently.
They then split up, using the shadows cast by nearby buildings and stacked cargo to approach the sandstone prison from different angles.
Only when the faintest light of dawn appeared on the horizon did Marcus and Kahelo's teams return one after another.
Inside the captain's cabin, lamps burned brightly.
Sammy and the officers stood around a table covered with a map of Rapeseed Port.
Kahelo removed his disguise robe.
"Captain, the prison's defenses are looser than we expected."
"I even managed to sneak inside briefly to observe."
He pointed at a hand-drawn sketch.
"The first and second floors are mostly offices and guard rest areas."
"The cell block is in the basement. There's an iron gate at the entrance, always guarded by at least two sentries."
"I couldn't find a chance to slip in and examine the interior structure."
"Outer patrols rotate roughly every fifteen minutes."
"With the speed and strength of our officers, we have a strong chance of extracting Leon without alerting the port garrison."
Sammy studied the sketch carefully and nodded.
Then he looked toward Marcus.
Marcus spoke immediately.
"We didn't find Wena's hiding place."
"But we found the two Dog Pirates ships."
"They're docked in the harbor. Their flags are lowered, but the figureheads are unmistakable."
"There are still some crew members aboard, but security is extremely lax."
"They look relaxed—either they think they're safe in a royal harbor, or their main force isn't there."
"We didn't see Wena directly."
"But the men we left watching noticed sailors from those ships buying large quantities of bandages, disinfectant, and painkillers from harbor pharmacies."
"A lot of it."
"We don't know if it's for them… or for Wena."
Marcus paused.
"Considering Wena escaped and we couldn't find him anywhere…"
"My judgment is that he most likely secretly returned to his ship."
Sammy listened carefully.
His eyes moved back and forth across the map while his fingers tapped the table rhythmically.
"Isaac."
"How's Alberto?"
"And did Hans manage to buy the Log Pose for the next island?"
Isaac answered.
"Alberto is still unconscious, but the doctors on rotation say his vital signs have stabilized and are gradually improving."
"He's temporarily out of the most critical stage."
"As for Hans—he went to the market with the supply team this afternoon."
"He bought everything."
"Also, he heard rumors in the market."
"They say the violent pirate who caused trouble at the harbor yesterday injured many civilians and is now under heavy guard."
"The case has reportedly reached the king."
"That should be Leon."
Sammy nodded.
Everything was within his expectations.
"Once Leon's pirate identity was exposed, the nature of the incident completely changed."
"What was originally a port brawl has now become pirates invading a royal harbor and injuring civilians."
"The Alabasta royal family will never ignore something like this."
"They must maintain authority and stability."
"That means we don't have much time left."
He raised his head and looked at all the officers.
"Our priority is capturing Wena first, then breaking Leon out of prison."
"Isaac, send word and recall every crew member still on shore immediately."
"This situation could escalate quickly."
"We may not be able to remain here long."
"We must be ready to sail at a moment's notice."
He continued issuing orders.
"Tell everyone the operation will happen tonight."
"All shore leave is canceled."
"Everyone checks their weapons, restocks ammunition."
"Eat, no alcohol, then rest and stand by."
"As for the capture and prison break…"
Sammy paused and glanced at the faintly brightening sky outside the window.
"This time we won't bring the whole crew."
"The target is too big. It'll alert the enemy."
"Just me and the officers."
"A fast strike."
"Tonight."
"We finish both matters in one go."
"Yes, Captain!"
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