One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 195: The Shipping King's Request

"Hmph! If I hadn't come, I wouldn't have known how well you sleep! You're still in bed even when the sun is shining on your backside!"

Charlotte snorted coldly as he glared at Caesar.

This kid was nothing but lazy. He had excellent physical potential, yet he wasted it sleeping all day. He was truly like rotten wood that couldn't be carved.

But no matter how angry Charlotte was, Caesar was still his son.

If jade is not polished, it cannot become a useful object. If he wasn't disciplined now, he would never learn.

Thud!

The iron fist of love struck Caesar's forehead.

In an instant, a large bump appeared on his head.

"Get up and run around the camp!" Charlotte commanded, his voice firm.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Caesar scrambled to his feet and dashed toward the camp perimeter.

To him, running was far better than facing Charlotte's fist again.

Seeing his son's miserable state, Charlotte's mood improved.

Throughout the camp, people watched as a small figure, barely 1.3 meters tall, ran laps while crying.

Those familiar with the situation chuckled.

"Caesar brat! Got scolded by your old man again?"

A group of burly men laughed as they watched him.

"Stupid dad!"

Caesar's face turned red as he waved his fists in frustration, cursing his father in his heart.

If Charlotte knew what his son was thinking, he would have definitely given him another two punches to remind him what fatherly love truly was.

After dealing with Caesar, Charlotte made his way to Barrett's training area.

There, Barrett was still relentlessly training, his body drenched in sweat.

Charlotte watched for a while, satisfied with his dedication, then left.

"Boss!"

As soon as Charlotte arrived at the administrative quarters, Ivan came to greet him.

The ledger in his hand was a clear sign that he was working on the finances.

"How's this month's revenue?" Charlotte asked.

A year ago, he had fully entered the arms business, leveraging his connections in the underworld—starting with the Loan Shark King—to find buyers for his firearms.

In just one year, Rockefeller 1486 had become famous.

Charlotte had shamelessly stamped his own name onto his signature weapon, replacing its original name.

As for Caesar Courant, Charlotte didn't bother giving him any credit.

During this time, Charlotte made an important discovery:

Guns themselves weren't the most profitable part of the arms business—ammunition was.

The real money was in continuous sales, not one-time purchases.

"Boss! This month, our external trade made 300 million Berries in profit, and it's still growing. Our guns are in high demand among the kingdoms of the New World. Many are replacing their old weaponry with ours. If production could keep up, our revenue would easily double!"

Ivan's excitement was clear as he explained.

"Three hundred million?"

Charlotte frowned.

That wasn't as much as he expected.

"Boss! Three hundred million is already a lot. Guns are a one-time purchase, but ammunition is where we make real money. However, raw materials and manufacturing costs are high. We also import materials from outside the island, and that's where the Shipping King's help has been invaluable."

Ivan explained further.

"The Shipping King?"

Charlotte raised an eyebrow.

He had left most business affairs to Ivan, so he wasn't fully aware of this.

Since when had they become involved with the Shipping King?

"Boss, the Shipping King has wanted to meet you for a long time, but due to various circumstances, the meeting kept getting delayed. Recently, he freed up time and wants to establish closer ties with you."

Ivan observed Charlotte's expression carefully as he spoke.

Hearing this, Charlotte fell silent, thinking about the Shipping King's motives.

As someone who had been in the underworld for years, Charlotte knew there was no such thing as a free lunch.

Ivan, having worked with Charlotte for ten years, immediately understood his captain's concerns.

"Boss, you know that Charlotte Linlin in Totland holds annual tea parties for underworld figures, right?"

Ivan asked suddenly.

"What does that have to do with Charlotte Linlin?"

Charlotte was well aware that Big Mom maintained close relationships with the underworld's emperors. Each year, these figures attended her tea parties and presented her with lavish gifts.

"Boss, the underworld isn't as united as it seems. These so-called emperors are constantly at odds.

Not all of them have a good relationship. There are always power struggles behind the scenes.

I suspect the Shipping King wants to work with you to counterbalance pressure from other underworld figures."

Ivan explained.

Charlotte thought for a moment.

It made sense.

Over the past year, he had been deeply involved in the underworld and learned plenty about its inner conflicts.

"If that's the case… fine. I've got time. Tell him to come to me. Since Kami Island is an important trade hub for him, we're already old acquaintances."

Charlotte nodded.

He wasn't against mutually beneficial partnerships.

Before going to sea, Charlotte had already indirectly dealt with the Shipping King. Back then, the man had tried to use him for his own benefit.

But Charlotte never minded being used, as long as he gained something in return.

When Charlotte took over Kami Island, Mayor Chamberlain had resigned voluntarily and returned to work for the Shipping King.

That saved Charlotte some trouble.

"Alright! I'll relay your message, Boss!"

Ivan nodded, then continued reporting other financial matters.

Charlotte wasn't the type to be a hands-off leader.

He made sure to personally review the numbers every month.

Even though he trusted Ivan, Charlotte still monitored him carefully for any signs of dishonesty.

No matter how long someone had worked for him, Charlotte would never completely trust anyone.

A healthy dose of suspicion was necessary to prevent betrayal.

"By the way, Boss! Over the past year, a group of pirates have been causing trouble in the central New World.

They've raided multiple kingdoms and even stolen our shipments!"

Ivan suddenly remembered something important.

"Oh? Who's bold enough to steal from me?"

Charlotte frowned, setting down his teacup.

"It's the World Pirates—led by Bondi World, the World Destroyer.

They were previously hunted by Golden Lion Shiki, but after escaping, they've started raiding the area."

Ivan explained.

Hearing this, Charlotte's expression darkened.

"The World Pirates?"

He picked up an old newspaper that Ivan handed him.

Charlotte's gaze sharpened.

"So, Bondi World is trying to recover by robbing my cargo?"

Charlotte muttered.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes.

He hadn't interfered before because he figured Shiki would handle it.

But if his goods were being stolen…

Then Bondi World had just signed his own death warrant.

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