Lily picked up the bottle and poured him another glass, saying, "With the Cross Guild at the forefront, we can also develop steadily."
"Partly, yes."
Sage laughed, "The sea is never short of ambitious people. Rather than having our people go out and clear the Pirates that don't submit to us, it's better to let the Cross Guild handle some of it. Besides, their transportation business is very useful to us. I have to admit, Old Sand's network is much broader than mine."
Lily pursed her lips and said, "Sage, if we were cooperating properly, perhaps it would be better."
Sage rolled his eyes, "You can just say I have a bad reputation."
Lily didn't speak, but her eyes were full of agreement.
As for Sage's reputation, how to put it, outside his own territory, globally, it's a notorious infamy.
From East Sea Windmill Village to New World Beehive Island, his misdeeds are well-known.
The crimes that ordinary people know of are plundering towns, slaughtering citizens, murdering kings, and annihilating nations.
Unordinary people, like those in the Underworld, know even more.
He took out Feld and Piekro, forcibly seized part of their business, extorted 100 billion Belly each from Umit and Jibson, forced Germa 66 to work for him, engaged in indiscriminate buying and selling from countries, granted loans that left important citizens destitute, with his debt-collecting minions everywhere.
The key is they can't stop them.
Because it's about making money.
Most of the Underworld is engaged in illegal business; everyone is in it for the money, and no one goes against money.
Even if Umit and Jibson were extorted, they pinched their noses and continued doing business.
A good reputation?
That has nothing to do with Sage.
Of course, Sage hadn't planned to rely on the Underworld; last time, he took a significant hit from Dofla. Although he made up for it by using Dressrosa as a transit point, getting hit is one thing he won't let happen again.
He's here to control industries, not to share them. If he were all about sharing power, with his methods, he would have become the sole emperor of the Underworld long ago.
This has led to most of his business being domestically-focused. While there are many who want the surplus production, transportation can't keep up, and many are unwilling to collaborate with him, instead finding intermediaries through the Underworld.
Sage sold 20% of the weapons worldwide, but overall distribution doesn't really reflect that.
This 20% was once statistically analyzed by Lily.
'Stealth Master' Jibson and 'Marine King' Umit hold about 5% of the market share, selling through their channels and logistics.
Crocodile is even more formidable, securing 7% through his own connections, with the remaining 8% being sourced from O'hara.
Some people want to buy from him, but due to transportation issues and geographic location limits, they can't, and Sage's logistics is a significant weakness as well.
"Is the logistics in West Sea and North Sea falling behind? Let the Cross Guild people take on this part of the business and continue to expand our enterprise," Sage said.
Long before he planned to host the World's Greatest Martial Arts Tournament, this problem had surfaced. The Vinsmoke Family of North Sea and Capone Bege from West Sea were doing very well. The former relying on their influence in North Sea, the latter leaning on the Mafia, forcing those countries to play free trade.
What's free trade then?
That's where my trade with you is very free, but your trade can only be with me.
Many countries, unable to withstand their threats, opened their doors to trade. It's not exactly cutting off all dealings with other countries, but the main business must flow towards Sage.
Of course, it's also manipulative; when it reaches the threshold of Sage's territory's capacity, this kind of thing needs to be paused.
Population, transportation, everything is encompassed.
And population...
"How many people do we have now?" Sage asked.
Hearing this, Lily straightened her expression and said, "Wano Country has a population of over 800,000, though due to years of famine, many were lost. Twenty years ago, their population should have surpassed a million. The territory we took from Kaido, besides Wano Country's main island, includes 21 other islands absorbing the people. Our total population surpasses 4.4 million, with a total military force exceeding 70,000."
Specifically, the total population is 4,436,584 persons, and the total military force is 75,154 persons.
By absorbing over 20,000 from the Beast Pirates, their military force increased rapidly, but she knew Sage didn't care about specific numbers, a rough estimate was sufficient.
"We have enough people, regarding the transportation issue, let's see how much the Cross Guild can take on; if it's enough, continue production; if not... then we'll have to find a way," Sage said.
Although his military can also undertake transportation, after all, they are Pirates; recklessly venturing into the Four Seas, the Navy only needs permission to battle a Yonko, never to battle a Yonko's subordinates.
Flying the Pirate Flag at the World Government's headquarters would be a sheer waste.
Without flying the Pirate Flag...
You expect the subordinates to not fly the Pirate Flag?
Sage couldn't bear such disgrace now, and the subordinates would not agree.
"Understood."
Lily said, "Additionally, there's some news, Cobra is dead."
Sage was momentarily stunned, "Who?"
"The King of Alabasta, Cobra."
Lily continued, "Our men brought newspapers reporting what happened at the World Government, it's said that the Revolutionary Army infiltrated Mary Geoise. During the World Conference, the Revolutionary Army's second-in-command, Sabo, ambushed and killed Cobra; World Economic News published it, Morgans wouldn't fabricate such news."
The news birds wouldn't deliver newspapers outside the World Government's domain, but their information channels are wide and they don't need such things. Besides, the subordinates also have ways to get newspapers within the World Government's domain, with a double verification, the incident's authenticity can be confirmed.
"Our information indicates that Bartholomew Kuma, enslaved at Mary Geoise, was also rescued by the Revolutionary Army. This guy is not only a Seven Warlords of the Sea but also part of the Revolutionary Army."
Lily paused and said, "I believe the Revolutionary Army might stand openly, waging war against the World Government. Sage, this is our opportunity; the World Government is too distracted to focus on us."
"Hehehehe, what chaos this world is in."
Sage chuckled lowly, took a sip of wine, stood up, and gazed out the window, overlooking the bustling O'hara Royal City, he said: "It's just the right time for business."
He initially prepared for a head-on confrontation with the World Government.
After all, overtly unifying the first half of the New World, considering the nature of those people, there's no way they'd let such a significant Pirate remain unchecked; they would have to intervene.
A full-scale war might not happen, but skirmishes would surely occur, and they would increase.
But now, it seems, they don't have the energy for that.
Moreover, business opportunities are likely to improve greatly!
"Call Dorag to ask what he thinks, if they're really going to war, we can sell more weapons. The same goes for the World Government's side, if there's going to be war, weapons are indispensable, battleships are indispensable, and so are supplies!"
"Next will be our expansion period; having seized so much territory and with all the manpower, it's just the right time to fully digest it. The upcoming big plan is to digest, and at the same time, develop infrastructure; I want my territory..."
His mouth gradually twisted into a grim grin: "To become jewels across the sea, providing for me as the greatest landlord! The more prosperous it is, the more I enjoy!"
Lily instinctively looked at the pirate flag emblem hung on the high wall behind Sage's throne, the skull with fiery eyes covered the starry sky.
Territories like stars, prosperity like brilliance, all radiant under Sage's emblem...
"Yes!"
Lily's eyes were firm, "I will give my utmost!"
To give her all, to create that world under Sage's rule, where no one is oppressed!