Chapter 307: Playing with Birds
"Kong?" Shane was taken aback. "The Commander-in-Chief? 'Steel Bone' Kong?"
"Yes, that Kong, my lord," Victor nodded. "According to our intel, Sakazuki had volunteered, but the World Government felt that the Marines currently need a veteran powerhouse with enough seniority to command the situation. As a former Fleet Admiral and the current Commander-in-Chief, Kong was undoubtedly the most suitable candidate."
That does make sense. From the World Government's perspective, it was a sound decision. Kong surpassed Akainu in both seniority and prestige. And compared to the hot-headed Akainu, who had repeatedly defied the Five Elders, Kong's loyalty was impeccable. To rise from Fleet Admiral to Commander-in-Chief, with command over all the World Government's military forces, and to have resided in the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, for so many years… Kong undoubtedly had the deep trust of the Celestial Dragons.
"Another good dog," Shane sneered. This old fossil's hands were even dirtier than Sengoku's. The God Valley Incident had been orchestrated by Kong, who was the Fleet Admiral at the time, and he had specifically sent an unsuspecting Garp to the rescue. And before God Valley, the Celestial Dragons had maintained their "three years, one nation" frequency. That meant that during his tenure as Fleet Admiral, Kong had participated in far more of the hunting game escorts, and had far more innocent blood on his hands, than Sengoku!
"But…" a thought suddenly occurred to Shane. "That Akainu, can he accept this arrangement? With his personality, isn't he likely to go on a rampage?"
"You're right," Victor shrugged. "According to the grapevine, Akainu did indeed fly into a rage, even rushing to Mary Geoise and cursing out the Five Elders to their faces. What happened in the closed-door meeting that followed, we don't know. We only know that Akainu returned to Marineford empty-handed and furious, and was forced to accept the result."
"BWAHAHAHAHA!" Jack couldn't help but laugh with schadenfreude. "What a clown! Serves him right! Did that red dog really think that a cripple with only half a face and one arm could become the Fleet Admiral? He may have no shame, but the World Government does!" The simplest puns were often the best. The other officers couldn't help but chuckle.
"What about Aokiji's vacant position?" Kuina was more interested in this. "Does the new intel mention who the three Admirals are now? Did Pink Rabbit get promoted?" The spirited female swordswoman she had fought off the coast of Dressrosa had left a deep impression on her. Though their duel had been a draw, her opponent had been in complete control, effortlessly suppressing her. If she had the chance to fight her again… she would definitely wash away that shame and defeat her fair and square!
"No. We haven't heard any news of Vice Admiral Gion leaving the Marines, but it seems she was also hit hard by the news and has been lying low. She hasn't been seen in public for a while. As for the three Admirals, Akainu and Kizaru's positions are unchanged, and Aokiji's position has been filled by that Aramaki, with the codename 'Greenbull'."
"Aramaki?" Fujitora nodded. "I've fought him. His strength is slightly below Akainu and Kizaru's, but given the current shortage of manpower in the Marines, he is indeed qualified to be an Admiral." At this, Fujitora's expression grew a little strange. He suddenly remembered that when Greenbull was surrounded by him and the captain, he had fled in a panic and had his arm cut off by the captain. And with Akainu, and Kizaru… Fujitora was a little dazed. Of the three current Admirals, is there not a single one with all their limbs intact?
Two days later, the flagship finally arrived at Maple Island. The island was made up of a dozen or so towns and was quite prosperous, situated between Whole Cake and the Galaxy Sea, serving as a transit point. It had originally survived in the chaotic New World by offering a special kind of sugar as tribute to the Big Mom Pirates. After the Curtain Call took over Whole Cake, it had naturally pledged its allegiance to Shane.
The abandoned old castle in the center of the island had now been converted into the headquarters of the World Economic Journal. This was why Shane had stopped here.
"My lord, Morgans is waiting for you in the old castle," Victor said. "That guy has been clamoring to see you since the day before yesterday. He says he has important information to report in person, and he keeps complaining that he suffered heavy losses helping us expose the truth and hasn't received any compensation…"
"Heh, that guy," Shane chuckled, looking at the old castle. "Alright, I'll go see him and find out what he has to say."
The group disembarked and walked towards the old castle. The islanders bowed respectfully as Shane passed, their eyes filled with reverence. For these islanders, joining the Curtain Call had initially been a matter of expediency. But to their surprise, in just a few short months, the island had undergone a dramatic transformation. The once-pirate-infested seas were now orderly under the protection of the Curtain Call's patrol teams, and merchant ships came and went in a steady stream. Not only had security improved, but the economy had also seen significant growth. And the tax rate was the lowest in history. Poorer families were not only exempt from taxes but also received support from the Infrastructure Corps.
"Lord Shane!" A little girl with pigtails suddenly darted out from the crowd and shyly offered him a stick of candied fruit. "Mama said this is made with the best sugar and the best fruit of the year! She hopes you'll accept it and have a taste!"
Shane knelt down, took the candied fruit, and smiled as he ruffled the little girl's hair. "Alright, thank your mother for me." The little girl nodded vigorously, her heart pounding with excitement, and ran off, the other children looking on with envy.
"It seems our comrades in the corps are doing a good job here. This territory has only been with us for a couple of months, and the people are already so welcoming," Kuina said with a smile.
"In a world this rotten, it's hard not to be welcomed if you do even a little bit of good," Shane said, shaking his head, unconcerned. He glanced in the distance and saw the little girl, like Chopper, peeking out from behind a wall. He smiled and bit into the candied fruit. Hmm, sweet. Orange flavor. It reminds me of the jam factory back home.
As he ate, Shane's gaze swept over the new shops and renovated houses, the smiling faces of the people… The smile on his own face widened, and he ate with more gusto. He had a duty to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. That was what he had striven for as a boy in the tangerine grove, protecting only his own family. But now, as one of the strongest in the world, his power echoing across the four seas, he could protect more and more people. Looking at it from the perspective of a lord, it was hard not to feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
Soon, they arrived at the old castle. The once-dilapidated building was now renovated, with a large sign for the World Economic Journal hanging above the entrance. Several reporter-like figures were bustling in and out.
"Lord Shane!" an urgent voice called from above. They looked up to see Morgans on a second-floor balcony, flapping his wings. "You're finally here! Please, come in! I have something important to report!"
Shane nodded and led his officers into the old castle. The interior was a hive of activity, filled with the sounds of Den Den Mushi, fax machines, and printers.
"I'll go see this bird. You all wait for me on the first floor."
"Yes, Boss!"
Shane went upstairs alone and entered Morgans's office. The moment he stepped in, Morgans slammed the door shut, bowed, and said with a woeful expression, "It's so good to see you again, my good lord! You have time to eat candied fruit, but do you have any idea how hard these past few days have been for me?!"
"Just to help you expose the truth, six of my branches were shut down! I lost over a billion Berries worth of equipment! And if I hadn't warned my reporters and editors in time, they'd all be in Impel Down by now!" Morgans grew more and more aggrieved, even taking out a handkerchief to wipe his eyes. "And now, CP0 agents are hunting me all over the world! I've never seen them this determined! If I hadn't moved my base here in advance, my head would probably be hanging on the gates of Mary Geoise right now!"
"Alright, enough with the drama," Shane said, tossing the finished skewer into the trash can. He sat down on the sofa and smiled. "Your acting is good, but I know who you are, Morgans. Those branches you mentioned, if all the people managed to escape, they were probably just empty shells you had planned to abandon anyway. As for you, if you were really afraid of being hunted by the World Government, would you have chosen to cooperate with me?"
Morgans's eye twitched. That's because you're even more terrifying! Even now, he had goosebumps just thinking about it. A week ago, he had been sleeping in when he received a call from Shane, who casually said he wanted to meet and publish a "little news story." But what happened? It wasn't a little news story! It was a bombshell that could turn the world upside down!
Morgans had been so shocked his eyes nearly popped out of his head, and then he had drooled with anticipation. He had wrestled with the decision for a long time, nearly tearing his feathers out, but in the end, he had refused the meeting. Yes, exposing this story would make him a legend, one of the greatest journalists in history! And just thinking about the sales, the world's reaction, the look of fury on the Five Elders' faces… it was almost orgasmic.
But—his life was more important! The taboo of the Celestial Dragons was not to be touched! He had been in hot water after the Sabaody incident, but at least he hadn't been directly involved, and he could wait for the anger to die down. But this time, if he really reported on the hunting game, it would be an all-out war with the World Government. He would be vaporized sooner or later!
However… after he refused Shane and hung up to go back to sleep, he woke up to find Shane sitting at his bedside, just like now, his legs crossed, a faint smile on his face. Morgans nearly had a heart attack. Shane had just calmly pulled out a stack of photos and a Video Den Den Mushi and waved them in his face. "Since you didn't want to see me, I had to pay you a visit."
"So, are you interested in talking about a collaboration now?"
What could Morgans say? He could only wipe the cold sweat from his brow and force a smile that was uglier than crying. "Of course I'm interested! You're too kind, Lord Shane! For a small matter like this, you could have just sent a subordinate! There was no need for you to come in person…" I'll just play along for now, and the moment he leaves, I'm out of here!
And that night, he was caught at his new temporary headquarters. Shane didn't punish him for his duplicity. After a brief chat, he let him go. The next day, Morgans was hiding in a secret underground base in the North Blue. He had just breathed a sigh of relief when he looked up to see Shane sitting in his office chair, leisurely examining his collection of cigars. The third day, he escaped to the Calm Belt in a submarine. The moment he surfaced, he saw Shane squatting on the head of a Sea King, smiling and waving at him.
Morgans was on the verge of tears. His psychological defenses had completely crumbled. He had finally accepted one thing—though he didn't know how he did it, this man could lock onto his location and could catch up to him no matter where he ran! His proud escape skills, which had fooled even CP0 agents multiple times, were useless! The Five Elders couldn't find him, but this man could! So what could he do? Surrender! For a Yonko of his stature to play hide-and-seek with him for so many days was already a huge show of respect. If he didn't wise up, the next time they met, it wouldn't be a smiling greeting, but a sword slash!
So Morgans had completely given up, obediently following Shane back to the New World and beginning to prepare for the news release. Since this was his only path, he might as well go all out and make this bombshell explode as spectacularly as possible! He worked through the night, mobilizing all his hidden channels, even activating sleeper agents within the World Government to cover his tracks. In the end, he had ensured that the new newspaper was distributed throughout the world without any interference! The effect was phenomenal, far exceeding his expectations!
…
Now, looking at Shane's faint smile, Morgans quickly poured him a cup of tea. "Hehe, you've seen through me, my lord. How could I dare to play tricks on you? It's just that this incident was too big. The World Government hates my guts, and I'm a coward by nature. Even in your territory, I still can't sleep well at night…"
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