"Taro, you know everything, so you can't be unaware of exactly who I'm collaborating with."
"Have you considered the consequences of provoking that person?"
On the battlefield, Katakuri, the only one who might have helped him, showed no intention of taking action, making Mingo feel even more oppressed.
He hoped that by bringing up Kaido, it would make Taro a bit more wary.
Taro curled his lip and pointed behind him with total indifference, his tone full of mockery.
"I certainly know who you're collaborating with. As for the consequences you mentioned—this thing, doesn't it look familiar to you?"
Looking at that ivory, Mingo's gaze froze, his features twisting so much that his glasses almost shattered, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins.
Then, he suddenly turned and looked toward the coast.
The shattered remains of a pirate ship, a fallen pirate flag, and a Mammoth Figurehead split in two.
Mingo's face trembled violently, his breath hitching, and his knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists.
After a long time, he regained his composure and said in a heavy voice:
"I agree to those conditions of yours!"
Taro showed a smile and nodded slightly.
"As expected of the clever man I acknowledge, Doflamingo! Your choice is very wise!"
A trace of blood seeped from the corner of Mingo's mouth, and his chest heaved violently. Only after a good while did he let out a wicked grin.
"Fuffuffuffu, Taro, I also hope you continue to be this clever!"
Taro was indifferent to this kind of "trash talk" meant to save face.
"Don't worry, as you wish!"
Having dealt with Taro's threat, Mingo looked back at Redfield.
Taro, however, was secretly wary of Katakuri; Katakuri's reaction was truly inscrutable to him.
Sensing Taro's gaze, Katakuri took one more look at Redfield before withdrawing his eyes.
He looked at Taro and was just about to speak when his brow furrowed.
Almost at the same time, Taro felt a shock in his heart.
Redfield, with astonishing speed, turned into a blood-red afterimage and charged at Taro.
The speed was so fast that the afterimage was almost a continuous streak of red light.
[Illegal Consciousness Intrusion detected, resisted!]
Internal Energy instantly gathered at the top of his head, the bluish-white Internal Energy churning out ripples.
"Hum~"
With a muffled sound, the hand Redfield had placed on Taro's head was repelled.
In the next second, the blood-red afterimage instantly retracted, and Redfield returned to his previous position.
It was as if nothing had happened!
However, the System prompt in his mind clearly told Taro that Redfield had indeed just tried to read his memories!
Taro frowned and looked over.
"Cough, cough."
Redfield coughed up two mouthfuls of blood, his brow tightly furrowed.
The action just now had further damaged his already frail body.
Leaning on his Bat Umbrella Sword, he licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, a trace of confusion appearing on his face.
"Taro, was it? You know everything? Then, where exactly is the fruit I want?"
Redfield had just heard Mingo say that Taro "knew everything," which made him feel as if he had grasped a final lifeline.
He had risked his last bit of Blood Qi Power to try and read Taro's memories.
With the System prompt saying "resisted" and Redfield asking this, it meant he indeed hadn't read his memories, making Taro feel much more at ease.
The fact that the Sherman had been ruined during training wasn't exposed!
Taro shook his head. "As for where that fruit you're looking for is, I truly don't know!"
Redfield appeared very disappointed; he sensed that Taro was telling the truth.
Yet it was precisely because it was the truth that he was even more disappointed.
"Blegh~"
He suddenly coughed up another mouthful of blood, his body hunching even further.
"Boss..."
Seeing this, the little raccoon Pato immediately burst into tears and ran to Redfield's side, hugging his leg.
The blood dripping from Redfield's mouth fell onto the little raccoon's face, and Pato's tears became even more uncontrollable.
After panting for a while, Redfield looked at Taro again.
"Your memories are very strange, Taro!"
Taro's expression froze slightly.
Stop joking, old gentleman, how could you possibly have read my memories?
However, Redfield's next words left Taro dumbfounded.
"Who is this powerhouse 'Senior Year Homeroom Teacher', and what kind of secret treasure is the 'Huanggang Secret Papers' that makes you so deeply wary of them from the bottom of your heart, avoiding them like the plague?"
Redfield spoke softly.
Taro's strength was not weak, so anything that could make Taro wary had to be extraordinary, which made him very curious.
Hearing this, Katakuri and Mingo also looked toward Taro in unison.
After being dumbstruck, Taro's expression changed drastically.
"System, what's going on? Why does he know these things?"
[The Host's memories prior to obtaining this System are considered independent intellectual property and are not protected by this System.]
The System's answer made Taro almost want to vomit blood.
I didn't see "intellectual property" being protected that well in my past life; are you serious about being this rigorous, System?
Trash System, trash!
"Does that mean all my secrets are exposed?"
[Memories that have a connection with the current world do not belong to independent intellectual property and are protected by this System.]
"In other words, he only obtained some insignificant memories?"
[Yes.]
Taro was much more relieved now, letting out a sigh of relief as his expression improved significantly.
His identity as a transmigrator hadn't been revealed yet!
Taro's tone was very steady. "Why do you ask about those? They have nothing to do with what you want!"
Old gentleman, even if you got those memories, you can't possibly draw up a set of 'Five Years of Gaokao, Three Years of Mock Exams' papers and throw them at me, can you?
Katakuri and Mingo both took in every change in Taro's expression, feeling slightly moved in their hearts.
Mingo, in particular, felt that he seemed to have found the key to controlling Taro's Achilles' heel.
This might be the key to dealing with Taro in the future!
Redfield had been paying close attention to Taro, and he had perceived Taro's reactions perfectly.
Surprise, panic, steadiness, and then some mischievous mockery—these were all Taro's genuine emotions.
Crucially, what Taro said at the end was also true; those things really had nothing to do with that fruit.
Having failed to get information on the fruit and instead gaining some nonsensical memories, Redfield felt disappointed, and his gaze became strange.
"Taro, you really are a weirdo!"
Hearing this evaluation, Taro was even more speechless.
There were always all sorts of "talented individuals" in this world who could sense his abnormality.
Other transmigrators, no matter what they did, wouldn't arouse suspicion.
But when it came to him, just a little bit of activity made him feel like his identity as a transmigrator was about to be exposed.
Is it really because the System is too trashy?
The shame of transmigrators—it seems there's no escaping that title!
"Hehe..."
After an awkward laugh, Taro's tone was very casual.
"I'm actually just an ordinary person, and the things I do are all quite common!"
Taro's words made the few people present feel sick to their stomachs.
The scene instantly became even more awkward!
"Purupurupuru... purupurupuru..."
Amidst the whistling gale, the faint sound of a den den mushi rang out. Mingo's expression changed as he pulled out a den den mushi.
"Young Lord, Marine warships are approaching!"
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