The climate of the island where Carnival City is located is very normal, with clear weather and gentle winds, neither cold nor hot; however, in terms of products, it wasn't great before the sea train tracks were connected—just a normal island.
After the tracks were connected, industry developed here, turning it into a renowned city for entertainment.
After going halfway around the island, a giant Ferris wheel first caught Sage's eye. Even during the daytime, you can see some rather large entertainment facilities in the city.
The entertainment industry doesn't just refer to the customs industry...
The detailed information provided by Carnival City shows that it includes various industries such as children's amusement, performing arts, singing and dancing, and amusement games.
It's a very bustling city, with multiple ports and lots of ships anchored.
Whether it's merchant ships transporting goods or cruise ships solely carrying tourists, you can see batch after batch.
There were even a few warships docked at the port.
"The most worthy place to rob."
Sage licked his lips and grinned, "Take half a day to relax, gather intelligence, then we'll start robbing, old Haw..."
Hawkins drew a few tarot cards, pointed to a place on the island, and said, "Stopping there, the chance of being discovered is 10%, it's a good hiding spot."
The location he pointed out was shielded by a forest, conveniently obstructing Carnival City's view.
With the Death Star docking at the shore, the gangplank lowered, and Sage was the first to step down. The black base red-tipped furry cloak behind him swayed with his movements, leaving just two hundred people to guard the ship while he led a thousand people towards the city ahead.
In just twenty minutes, their footsteps left the soil and reached the stone-paved street.
Surrounding them were dazzling shops, occasionally seeing circus groups performing acrobatics passing by, catching Renedia and Las's eyes wide open.
One was ten, the other eight, naturally very interested in children's amusement.
"Sage, I want to go there!"
Renedia grabbed Sage's cape and pointed at the gigantic Ferris wheel, shouting.
"Then take a group over, and scout out where's worth robbing as well."
Sage waved his hand, "Scatter around, do what you want."
Renedia cheered, leading Las and a dozen other Demon Race members who were interested in the amusement park away.
And the pirates also dispersed, forming groups of two or three, heading off to have fun.
They all had money on them, naturally needing to spend it.
Buying new clothes or finding a place to drink, or going somewhere to have fun, it's all their freedom.
Though entertainment is developed, the commerce here isn't weak, and there's quite a lot available; you can find things of interest here.
Lily likes perfume; while scouting information, she was also checking if there was any nice-smelling perfume.
Marika, besides being interested in ingredients, also loves some chef knives, leading a group to buy chef knives.
As for Sage...
Not seeking the best, just the most expensive!
"Hey, where are you going?"
Sage saw Hawkins was about to leave and stopped him.
"I'm going to look at some ornaments needed for decoration as well as bathing accessories," Hawkins said indifferently.
Hawkins, aside from liking decorative arts, also enjoyed bathing very much; his own room had the most luxurious bathroom.
"You, a big guy, actually like bathing; you're rather an oddity among pirates."
Sage laughed heartily, "Buy those things later, come, your captain will take you to have fun! Bathing, let someone else bathe you; that's the most fun!"
At that moment, only a few men were left by his side.
Hawkins, Gin, Pearl, Mute, and Bellamy.
Hawkins frowned, "I only like bathing alone, besides... it's daytime now, still morning, isn't it too early?"
He certainly understood Sage's meaning but wasn't very interested in this; he preferred quietly doing divination when idle.
"What's wrong with the morning? Who has the leisure to wait until night, look over there."
Sage pointed at a row of tall buildings ahead, "The lights in that place are colorful, it's bright outside, inside it's neon colorful, no day or night separation, let's go have fun!"
Saying that, he walked forward by himself with big steps, and Hawkins pursed his lips, having no choice but to follow.
This group, although only a few, clearly wasn't to be trifled with. Bellamy had a cocky face, occasionally licking his lips, full of malice.
Mute, with his enormous three-meter tall body and a solemn face, made people afraid to look directly.
Gin's face was sly and sinister, his eyes like a ghost, emanating fierceness, making people afraid to approach.
Hawkins was melancholic, but his black vertical eyebrows lent him a bit of ominousness.
Leading the group, Sage was even more arrogant, wearing gold and silver jewelry that made him look like a wealthy country bumpkin, with a bunch of henchmen behind him causing the pedestrians ahead to actively avoid them.
As for Pearl...
That silly face needs no further discussion; nobody paid attention to it anyway.
Just among the actively avoiding pedestrians and travelers, a small figure suddenly darted out, carrying a bunch of balloons, shouting, "Buy a balloon!"
It was a ponytailed child, about seven or eight years old, with big eyes, standing at the side of Sage's path, thrusting the string in their hands forward, "Very pretty balloons, buy one, sir!"
"Tsk..."
Pearl clicked his tongue, stepped forward to drive the girl away, but at that moment, someone moved even faster, hugging the girl, bowing to Sage, "Very sorry, gentlemen, kids don't know better, I'll take her away immediately."
It was a middle-aged man who ran over from the nearby balloon stand, trying to drag the girl back.
"Dad, they're also customers, they might buy," the girl kept shouting.
"Shut up, come back with me!" the man shouted, but his grip on the girl's hand wasn't strong.
This was a very frail man, his face bore a sallow complexion only malnutrition could cause, lacking the strength to even grip someone.
"Hold on."
Sage suddenly spoke, startling the middle-aged man. He quickly shielded the little girl behind him, showing a hint of vigilance, and forced a smile: "Customer, what can I do for you?"
This group looked like trouble, and he didn't want any of it.
"Just buying a balloon."
Sage pulled out a gold coin from his cloak, flicking it in the air where it was instinctively caught by the middle-aged man.
"That one, the carp streamer-like balloon, give it to me."
He pointed at one of the balloons the little girl was holding and said.
The little girl's eyes lit up as she ran out from behind the man and handed the carp streamer-like balloon to Sage, "Thank you, customer, here's your balloon!"
Sage waved his hand, letting Pearl take it. He glanced at the middle-aged man staring blankly at the gold coin, then at the little girl, and smiled: "Not bad, helping your family out at such a young age, you're quite the girl."
"Of course!"
The little girl proudly lifted her head, "My dad watches the stall, I sell along the street. I've already sold 20 balloons today, and my target is 100!"
"Oh? Why work so hard?" Sage laughed.
"Of course, to repay our loan. We still have 32 years to go. Grandpa, grandma, dad and mom are all working hard, and I will too."
The little girl spoke with a hint of longing, "One day we'll pay it off, and then I'll buy the stall, so we won't have to pay rent."
"Hehehe... good luck."
Sage patted the little girl's head and moved on.
"C-customer... the gold coin is too valuable, let me exchange it for you!" The middle-aged man finally reacted and tried to catch up.
But as he took a step, Gin reached out to stop him, saying, "It's a reward for you."
With that, he ignored the man and followed Sage.
Hawkins joined Sage's side, musing, "Pure kindness? Or gathering intel?"
"Both."
Sage chuckled: "When one gets rich, it's normal to show some kindness occasionally, and in terms of intel, it worked out. Two birds with one stone. But did you notice?"
Hawkins nodded and looked towards the street ahead.
On either side of the street, besides the shops, there were also people setting up street stalls selling trinkets. Compared to those tourists, these street vendors appeared as frail as if they had never had a full meal, not much different from the middle-aged man.
On the street, performers exerting themselves to receive cheers from the tourists had expressions that revealed numbness beneath their nearly frozen smiles.
Apart from that, even those running shops appeared weary.
"Puppets." Hawkins succinctly said.
"Hahahaha, how perceptive."
Sage laughed: "More or less like that. Housing isn't cheap here, plus there's the involvement of mortgages and rent. The people of Carnival City are all working for others, so those who gained wealth..."
His eyes gradually revealed greed, "They're richer than I thought!"
Every place has its struggling ones, that's an unchanging truth. Naturally, there will also be nobles and wealthy merchants who control the majority of a place's wealth.
Sage intended to rob this group.
Otherwise, who would he rob?
The balloon vendor?
That one gold coin was worth several days of selling balloons for him.
What could a struggler offer to rob?
They passed through several streets, reaching the colorful high-rise building Sage had pointed out earlier, even radiant in daylight. The street was filled with colorful signs.
Beneath the signs, women in various outfits, be it glamorous or innocent, stood attracting customers.
"Customer, would you like to have a couple of drinks here?" A woman brightened upon seeing Sage and his group, captivated by the jewelry he wore, and approached, "Our tavern is fantastic, it will make you feel sleek and glowing all over!"
This kind of place...
It's obviously for drinking.
What else could it be?
Subtle, understand subtly!
"Where's sleek? There are no good women, you liars!"
Just after the woman spoke, a chubby man walked out angrily, "Charging 200,000 Bellamy for a bottle of Domperi, while other places charge only 100,000. It's downright extortion, even blacker than I am!"
The voice was very familiar...
Sage turned his head and was taken aback.
The chubby man who just walked out also saw Sage with the woman clinging to him and halted his steps.
He blinked as if having seen an illusion from drinking too much, rubbed his eyes, looked again, and cold sweat started to break out on his forehead.
The greedy and wild face beneath the white hair, he couldn't mistake it!
The one who added a rich chapter to his life, unforgettable to this day...
Now, with a burgeoning reputation on the sea, a Great Pirate known across the ocean as a natural disaster!
"Norton Sage!"
Upon hearing, Sage bared his teeth, "Link! Long time no see! So you've come to the Grand Line too..."