CHAPTER 258 INTELLIGENCE APPARATUS
Brett understood perfectly that even within a single race, unity wasn't guaranteed. Conflict and struggle were universal ailments affecting all societies. He couldn't unite every fish-man on Fish-Man Island behind him. Some would oppose him. Some would become his enemies.
In the original timeline, after the Sun Pirates disbanded, several members became human traffickers, selling their own people to humans for profit. They had once been part of the most glorious pirate crew in the world, followers of Tiger fighting for liberation itself.
Even identical circumstances produced people of vastly different character. Brett had grasped this truth long ago.
Yet when betrayal appeared among his own people, when someone stabbed him in the back, his mood still sank.
Rationally, he understood this wasn't catastrophic. But emotionally, he still struggled to accept it.
"Kill them!" Arlong's eyes narrowed, his voice cold as he made the suggestion. "Then announce it across the island so everyone knows what happens to traitors to their own people!"
The dream of an unprecedented fish-man empire that Brett had promised him wasn't far away now. Arlong absolutely wouldn't tolerate anyone sabotaging it.
"Send them to the mines instead," Brett said after consideration.
"Brett! You—!" Arlong slammed the table in fury, then caught himself and lowered his voice, though his anger still simmered beneath. "Why show such mercy? Those traitors don't deserve forgiveness! They're not worthy of it!"
Arlong was genuinely confused by Brett's decision. "If we don't create sufficient deterrent now, incidents like this will keep happening!"
"No, this isn't mercy. Since they love money and love taking risks for unearned wealth, let them labor their entire lives but receive nothing in return," Brett shook his head. "Besides, publicizing this will only increase panic on the island and breed suspicion among our people. It serves no purpose. And," he continued, "mere threats aren't enough."
"When profit is sufficient, greedy people will always ignore every risk."
Arlong ground his teeth. Though frustrated, he knew Brett spoke truth. As someone who'd once lived for wealth and remained quite greedy, he understood precisely how critical money was to certain individuals.
"So what should we do?" Arlong asked quietly. "We can't simply do nothing."
"As long as Fish-Man Island remains open to outsiders, government infiltration will never stop," Brett said seriously. "Beyond calling our people to resist corruption, we need to establish counter-infiltration organizations."
Arlong's eyes brightened. "Exactly! We should have done this long ago! How can government bastards run rampant on our territory?!"
"Brett, what should we do?"
"I'm entrusting this to you, Arlong," Brett said, meeting his gaze directly.
Everything has its purpose. Now was Arlong's moment.
"To me?" Arlong seemed genuinely honored.
"You're the most suitable person for this," Brett explained. "I'm authorizing you to select elite personnel from the immigration bureau to form the initial organizational framework. Then develop grassroots members across Fish-Man Island."
"Grassroots members?"
"People most socially active, best informed, and most deeply connected to various social circles," Brett clarified.
"Now I understand!" Arlong said excitedly. "We need to weave a net across Fish-Man Island and trap every mosquito that lands on it!"
"Precisely," Brett agreed.
While engaging in intelligence warfare with the World Government globally was impossible—eight hundred years of accumulated power wasn't something Fish-Man Island could currently challenge—this was different.
This was Fish-Man Island.
As Arlong said, this was fish-man and mermaid territory. Government agents had no business operating here freely.
While Fish-Man Island couldn't rival the government worldwide, at least on their own homeland, their base of operations, they could hold their ground.
"Leave it to me!" Arlong thumped his chest confidently. He enjoyed this kind of strategic maneuvering with humans. As Fish-Man Island's former notorious gangster, he excelled at dealing with all social strata.
"Begin organizing personnel, Arlong," Brett said. "I'll request funding from Neptune."
Fish-Man Island had no shortage of money currently.
"Understood," Arlong nodded. "I won't disappoint you."
He stood to leave immediately, preparing to begin operations. But something occurred to him. He turned back and asked seriously, "Brett, what should we call this organization?"
A good name for the organization would set a promising tone.
Brett didn't hesitate. "Call it the Web."
Wasn't that what Arlong had described? Weaving a net across Fish-Man Island, capturing every infiltrator like insects.
"The Web?" Arlong nodded approvingly. "Good name. This spider begins its work now!"
Arlong departed quickly, his excitement and energy evident.
Yet Brett remained seated, thinking. Establishing a counter-intelligence organization alone wasn't sufficient. They needed to raise their people's vigilance against espionage. While directly announcing that traitors existed wasn't ideal, nothing prevented instilling heightened awareness into their society.
Brett considered this carefully. The contradictions between Fish-Man Island and the government had now completely escalated. War could come at any moment. Before formal conflict began, they needed to stabilize the home front.
Brett went directly to Ryugu Palace and explained his concept to Neptune.
Neptune fell silent. He understood that this new organization called the Web wasn't merely targeting government agents. Fish-Man Island residents with government connections were also targets.
Neptune didn't want to see conflict between his own people. Internal tensions were something he desperately hoped to prevent.
Yet ultimately, he still nodded.
"Very well. Don't worry about funding! Don't concern yourself, Brett. Ryugu Palace will never hold you back!"
"Thank you," Brett smiled and nodded.
The enemy was indeed formidable. But fortunately, he had the most steadfast and reliable allies at his side.
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