Chapter 401: Ordering Ship and the Diligent Minister of Finance

Olivia naturally gave repeated assurances, showing no hesitation when it came to spending money.

The workers not only enjoyed high base wages and generous benefits but also received overtime pay at ten times their regular salary. If Olivia hadn't enforced a strict rule limiting each worker to 12-hour shifts, the worker from Wano Country would have willingly stayed on the construction site 24 hours a day, working themselves to death.

Seeing that Olivia understood the situation, Luffy didn't press further.

"Leave the factory matters to my subordinates for now. I have something more urgent to discuss."

Hearing this, Olivia fell silent, listening attentively as Luffy continued.

"I've decided to expand our military and strengthen the Marine forces in the near future. Not only will I increase the army to 10,000 soldiers, but I also plan for the Company to recruit a 2,000-man private guard.

On one hand, as the Company grows, it's inevitable that it will encounter various challenges. When that time comes, the company will need a powerful force to deter troublemakers and resist external threats.

On the other hand, while the Marines help distribute our goods worldwide, having our own transport channels is essential. At the very least, in the New World, I want you to establish a complete transportation system."

Olivia diligently took notes as he spoke.

Though Luffy made it sound simple, she knew this meant complex issues with personnel and equipment in the future. The ships required to open new transport routes alone made Olivia feel uneasy.

In the world of pirates, shipbuilding costs were exorbitant. For instance, a medium-sized Marine warship cost over 100 million Berries. Large and super-large ships, not to mention flying warships, had even more outrageous price tags—far beyond Olivia's financial reach.

To assemble a transport fleet capable of covering the New World, an initial investment of tens of billions of Berries was unavoidable. And the 2,000 armed guards Luffy mentioned? That was just the beginning. Considering the chaos in the New World, they'd need not only guards on board but also security forces stationed at branch offices and shops on the islands.

Before the recruitment plan even began, Olivia was already dreading the continuous financial strain it would bring.

Of course, she wasn't the only one with a headache.

Even though Luffy spoke confidently about expanding the army by 10,000 soldiers, the practical execution was another matter. He wasn't interested in playing games with mediocre ships on the seas. He wanted to do things properly and decisively, so he decided to call on an old acquaintance—Iceburg.

Luffy planned to have Iceburg design small- and medium-sized flying ship, with specifications slightly lower than the Stormbreaker, to equip his troops.

He found the contact number Iceburg had left him and dialed, explaining his request.

Faced with Luffy's proposal, Iceburg readily patted his chest and promised to handle it personally. A domineering client like Luffy wasn't someone Iceburg could let slip away. He immediately decided to work overtime to produce the design drafts for two spacecraft.

Of course, it was impossible to draft detailed designs in such a short time. After telling Iceburg not to overwork himself and to take care of his health, Luffy hung up the phone.

Lying back on the sofa, Luffy stared at the ceiling, his mind racing with plans for military expansion.

Suddenly energized, he jumped up. It was time to find someone to assist with his grand ambitions.

When it came to military expansion, Luffy's first stop wasn't Ain and Hina, who managed military affairs, nor was it Kujaku and Kalifa, who oversaw civilian welfare. Instead, he headed straight to the Finance Department.

Exiting his private living quarters, Luffy made his way to the fourth floor and arrived at the Finance Office.

Knock, knock, knock~

Without waiting for a response, Luffy gently pushed open the door and stepped inside.

There, he saw Nami, diligently working at her computer, meticulously calculating the recent income and expenses line by line.

Luffy immediately adopted a concerned expression.

"Nami, you just got back from sailing. Don't work yourself so hard. Put this aside for now and give your body some rest."

He walked up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders and starting to massage them gently.

Nami frowned immediately, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"What do you want? You're here for money again, aren't you?

I'm warning you—after you gave away 500 million Berries to curry favor with headquarters, there's no money left in the Finance Department! Not even a single Berry!"

Nami wasn't stingy by nature, nor did she intend to withhold funds from him. But the fact that Luffy had casually handed over 500 million Berries in one go had thrown the G66 branch's financial situation into disarray. Especially since Nami had meticulously planned every single expense down to the last Berry.

His reckless generosity had only added to her workload, burdening her with problems that shouldn't have existed in the first place.

Luffy chuckled awkwardly, trying to coax her with a soft voice.

"Come on, it's just 500 million. We'll earn it back in no time.

Besides, I only need the money for serious matters—I'd never spend it recklessly."

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