Arriving at the bar's entrance, Andy glanced towards the forest.
The trees in the forest were incredibly tall and thick; even those at the edge had trunks nearly ten meters in diameter, not to mention those deep within the forest.
No wonder this island's shipbuilding industry was once so developed; for shipbuilding companies, this island was simply a massive treasure trove.
As the two entered the bar, the lively atmosphere instantly quieted down.
Information generally spreads more easily in places like bars, and it was impossible for the people drinking here not to recognize Andy; his bounty poster was still hanging on the bar wall.
Andy looked towards the bar counter, feeling a bit disappointed for a moment; why was the Bar Owner of this bar yet another bearded uncle?
He walked straight to the bar counter and sat down.
Kalifa did not sit at the bar counter; she walked to the table closest to it and sat down, and the people around Kalifa immediately moved away.
The bloody punishment on the street earlier was still vivid in their minds; this woman, with her excellent figure and outstanding looks, was a ruthless individual!
"Red... Red Hawk Sir, and that person over there... What would you like to drink?" the Bar Owner asked with a trembling voice.
Under the bar counter, his legs were constantly shaking, terrified that this ruthless person in front of him would just chop him down with a single stroke if he said something wrong.
"Hmm... Bring me 50 servings of your best meat dishes here. For drinks, one pot of your special liquor. Kalifa, what do you want to eat?" Andy ordered his meal, then turned to look at Kalifa.
Kalifa gently pushed up her glasses and said with a calm expression, "Beef dish, three servings are enough. For drinks, Andy, I want to drink your fruit wine."
"Uh... Why is it beef dish again... Never mind. You heard her, right? Go prepare it." Andy retracted his gaze and looked at the Bar Owner again.
"Okay, Red Hawk Sir, it will be ready soon," the Bar Owner responded hurriedly.
Then he quickly scurried into the back kitchen, personally supervising the chef, making sure he put 200% effort into this cooking session.
Otherwise, he was truly afraid that Red Hawk Sir would be displeased and, in a fit of rage, overturn his bar.
At first, the Bar Owner was still trembling with fear.
But then he thought, Red Hawk Sir doesn't seem as terrifying as the newspapers say; he's quite easy to talk to...
After the Bar Owner delivered all the dishes Andy and Kalifa ordered, once Andy had eaten and drunk his fill, he started chatting with the Bar Owner.
Kalifa was still using a knife and fork to cut the beef, eating it piece by piece with an elegant demeanor, and she seemed to really like Andy's fruit wines.
"Bar Owner, tell me, why did this place, which was clearly once a big city with a very developed shipbuilding industry, end up like this?" Andy asked while drinking with the Bar Owner.
"It's like this," the Bar Owner began, opening up.
"Just two years after Pirate King Roger was executed, a large pirate crew came to explore our Chronos Forest.
At that time, they entered the center of the forest, a place even we locals dared not venture into; that was the Forbidden Area of the entire Chronos Forest."
At this point, the Bar Owner paused, a hint of fear appearing on his face.
The other local customers in the bar also showed the same look of horror, as if that memory was an inescapable nightmare.
"Forbidden Area? Continue..." Andy's eyes lit up, immediately becoming interested.
Then the Bar Owner continued:
"Legend has it that at the center of the Forbidden Area, there is an ancient temple.
Inside the temple, a huge statue with a beast head and human body is enshrined; the statue has wings on its back, is surrounded by flames, and is accompanied by lightning beneath its feet.
However, these are all just legends; none of us have ever dared to go inside, so naturally, we haven't seen that temple with our own eyes.
Thirty years ago, the shipwrights from the shipbuilding company were determined to enter the center of the forest to find a precious type of wood for keels.
Many people advised them not to go, saying that entering would trigger a terrible curse, but they didn't listen at all and resolutely entered the center of the forest.
However..."
At this point, the Bar Owner's expression became even more terrified, as if he had seen something horrifying.
"However what? Hurry up and tell me." Andy urged immediately; he was already very interested in this temple.
The Bar Owner picked up his wine cup, took a big gulp of wine, and after calming himself, continued:
"However, as soon as they entered the outer edge of the Forbidden Area, several people spontaneously combusted into flames out of nowhere.
This scene terrified the others who went with them; they immediately fled, but...
In the end, they still didn't escape; as soon as they returned to the city, that strange flame instantly ignited on their bodies.
These workers, burned by the strange flames, kept shouting things like it wasn't him who did it, or he didn't kill anyone.
It seemed to be about their past misdeeds.
All the shipwrights and lumberjacks who entered the edge of the Forbidden Area were eventually burned to death by that strange flame, and their deaths were extremely gruesome.
By the year 1500 of the Sea Calendar, that pirate crew arrived here, and after hearing this legend, they also disregarded warnings and entered the Forbidden Area.
Their ultimate fate was that not a single person came out; they should have all died in the Forbidden Area..."
The Bar Owner said with a heavy tone.
Listening to what the Bar Owner said, a hint of worry appeared on Kalifa's delicate face.
If what the Bar Owner said was true, then Lucci and Kaku, and the others, weren't they in danger?
"How truly miraculous..." After the Bar Owner finished speaking, Andy was already eager to try it himself.
However, he was still very confused.
He continued to ask, "What does all this have to do with the decline of this city? You can't just say there's no wood because you can't enter the Forbidden Area, can you?"
"Of course not," the Bar Owner continued, "The story of that pirate crew spread, and eventually, a few guys wearing strange masks came to the island.
No one knew who they were, but these few individuals were extremely powerful.
They ordered the shipbuilding companies on the island not to venture into the depths of the forest, only allowing them to cut wood from the forest's edge. Of course, the shipbuilding companies didn't agree to such an unreasonable demand.
In the end, those men wearing masks killed everyone from the shipbuilding companies who disagreed.
From that time on, our once glorious major city, which was primarily based on shipbuilding, began to decline.
At the time, we didn't know why these masked guys did this, but later, after they didn't allow anyone to approach the Forbidden Area, we understood.
They... came for the legend of the temple within the Forbidden Area, and they are still inside!"
After speaking, the Bar Owner's trembling hands raised the wine cup, drinking to calm his nerves.
Masks, powerful strength—Andy immediately thought of a type of person.
That was CP0!
Thinking of this, he looked at Kalifa, but an expression of surprise also appeared on Kalifa's face.
Clearly, she also thought of the identity of the masked people...
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