In the past, if pirates tried to force their way in, there would be no room for negotiation; they would simply be sunk on the spot.
Those passing through Fishman Island were pirates and Underworld people; normal affiliated nations would never take this route. Even if it meant paying a higher price to cross the Red Line, the safety would still be far greater than this.
And when dealing with pirates, there were ways to communicate with pirates.
Having once stayed on Fullalead Island, Nereus knew exactly how to communicate with them.
If weakness and pleading could bring peace, Fishman Island would have long since entered an era of peace and prosperity.
Now was a special moment, so they did not sink them outright. What Nereus needed now was for more pirates to stay alive and carry the news back, accelerating its spread.
"C-Captain… how about we… turn back…"
In the eerie silence, a pirate cautiously voiced the suggestion to return.
At this moment, his lips had turned purple, his legs were trembling, and his stammering voice made his fear obvious.
Although the bubble membrane was transparent, it still separated the pirate ship into an isolated space within the deep sea. In the silent depths, such an enclosed environment naturally brought invisible pressure.
Originally, the bubble's properties allowed those on board to better observe their surroundings, but this kind of "fully transparent panoramic" view had now become a source of fear.
Massive Sea Beasts circled the ship, and the pirates could clearly see the patterns on their bodies.
The weapons in the hands of the Neptune Army glowed faintly, and the terrifying masks they wore seemed to confirm their identity as ghosts of the deep sea.
In terms of size, numbers, and environment, pirates from the surface held no advantage here. Both sides knew very well that if a fight broke out, the protective bubble membrane would shatter instantly.
In the deep sea, they would become lambs to slaughter in an instant.
"Y-you all want to turn back?"
The ship's captain swallowed hard. Once dictatorial and overbearing, he now had none of the spirited confidence he had on the surface. Only by truly descending into the deep sea and facing this fear could one understand the pressure it brought.
"Y-yes, Captain. Those guys number at least ten thousand. On average, each of us would have to fight over three hundred of them. How could we possibly win…"
"Let's head back first. Maybe tomorrow passage will be allowed?"
"Alright, I respect your opinions. We're turning back!"
Even though he himself was terrified, he still chose to preserve his last shred of dignity, only issuing the order to retreat under these circumstances.
This wasn't limited to the first half of the Grand Line. On the New World side, things were the same. The difference was that Barbell and Nanamo, along with a small elite force, were in charge there.
On the first day the sea ban was issued, scattered ships were forced to turn back; they simply lacked the courage to challenge them in the deep sea.
On the second day, Morgans' newspaper followed closely behind, spreading across the world. Other news agencies that had seen the broadcast also began reprinting the story.
Naturally, Hardinge himself saw this news.
"Officer Hardinge! Ryugu Kingdom has issued a bounty targeting you, they're offering 100 million Berries for your head…"
At this time, they had just left the Red Line. After switching ships, they were now sailing in the waters of the New World, and the news had been delivered by a News Coo.
"Hm? A bounty on me?"
Hardinge, who had been eating, wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth and took the newspaper with a look of disdain. After reading Morgans' report, he burst out laughing.
"Hahaha, have these guys soaked their brains in water too long? Do they really think anyone would risk their life for them? Ignore it, keep sailing as usual.
Because of this guy, the kingdom is short on resources. Bringing back some high-quality goods this time is what really matters."
Hardinge casually tossed the newspaper aside, not taking it seriously at all. However, he failed to notice that the News Coo just now had revealed a human-like smile, its gaze fixed on him the entire time.
After that, the News Coo did not continue searching for customers to sell newspapers to. Instead, it quickly returned to the nearest outpost and brought the information back.
"President! A News Coo in sector D-176 has discovered Hardinge's whereabouts!"
Before long, a reporter at headquarters received the message and reported it to Morgans, who was calmly sipping tea nearby.
"Very good. Notify the News Coos in that area to keep a close watch on him. Let this matter ferment a bit more, then publish that guy's whereabouts in the paper. When the time comes, our newspapers will definitely sell like crazy."
Hearing this, Morgans' expression turned smug, as if everything was proceeding exactly according to his plan.
News Coos were spread all across the seas. Under normal circumstances, they were just diligent delivery birds, but their intelligence was far from low. If Morgans wished, these News Coos could become his eyes and ears.
Relying solely on fabrications and newspaper sales was not enough to secure a foothold in the Underworld. This intelligence network spanning the entire sea was another reason Morgans could establish himself there.
"President, why not just sell this information directly to that person?"
The reporter beside him looked puzzled. Even if Morgans couldn't deal with Hardinge himself, selling the intelligence directly should still bring considerable profit.
"No, no, you're underestimating this 'Undying King.' It's not that he lacks the ability to hunt down his target.
The reason King Nereus is doing this is simply to announce to the entire world what kind of price must be paid for laying hands on his people.
Many people might ignore this for now. After all, what does it have to do with them? But considering Fishman Island's location…
After some time passes, the pirates on the Grand Line won't be able to sit still. They'll either try to force their way through Fishman Island, or find the person he's looking for. Which do you think is easier?"
Morgans grinned at his subordinate. Then, after a moment's thought, he realized the man was too young to understand what a peak powerhouse of an era truly represented.
"Forget it, you don't need to understand all that.
In any case, Hardinge's location is a treasure. As long as we keep tabs on him, even if the newspaper over the next few days contains nothing but a single line about him, people will still buy it."
Just as Morgans had said, at first, not many people paid attention to this declaration from Fishman Island.
Over the past three years or so, human trafficking on Fishman Island had nearly vanished. Anyone who attempted such acts never lived to see the sun on the surface again.
People assumed that this time would be no different, that it would soon fade into obscurity.
But as time passed, those on the Grand Line gradually realized that this matter was becoming closely tied to everyone…
TN: A maphack is a type of cheat used in video games, particularly in real-time strategy (RTS) and Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games, that allows a player to see areas of the game map that are supposed to be hidden by the "fog of war".
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