Frost Island, Heaven Captial.
Inside Valthior's private study.
Valthior looked rather gentle at the moment. A pair of plain glasses rested on his face, softening some of his sharpness and making him seem less domineering.
He sat behind his desk, reading a book.
A light knock soon came from the door. After Valthior answered, Lincoln respectfully opened the door and said, "Young Master, Stussy has arrived."
"Let her in," Valthior said, closing the book in his hand.
Lincoln quickly stepped aside from the doorway and gestured for her to enter.
Then Stussy walked into the study with a soft smile on her face.
She wore a pale pink dress, a pure white shawl over her shoulders, a women's handbag hanging from the crook of her arm, blue high heels on her feet, and a small hat that covered most of her short light-blond hair. Her figure was graceful and slender.
"Senior Intelligence Agent of CP0, Stussy, greets Saint Valthior," Stussy said as she lowered herself, seemingly preparing to kneel.
It had to be said that Stussy was extremely beautiful. Her voice also carried a seductive charm. Every movement she made seemed as if it had been carefully trained to appeal to men, making her very alluring.
However, Valthior had always had a heart of stone and kept women at a distance.
A faint appreciation of beauty flashed through his eyes. Then he watched Stussy kneel before the desk and asked, "What is your relationship with Buckingham?"
Stussy, kneeling in front of the desk, showed no panic at all. She answered very calmly, "This subordinate is the first clone created by the MADS research organization through cloning technology. The genetic sample came from former Rocks Pirates member and former MADS researcher Buckingham Stussy. In other words, I am her clone."
"I see. No wonder you look so similar to her," Valthior nodded.
Since she was this honest, it seemed the World Government was very clear about Stussy's origins.
That made sense.
After all, Buckingham was no unknown small fry. She had been one of the main members of the Rocks Pirates, Whitebeard's rumored lover, and had personally been present at the God Valley battle in the West Blue.
Stussy looked exactly like Buckingham had when she was young. Since the World Government had absorbed her as a CP0 intelligence agent, how could they possibly fail to notice something was strange about her?
Especially when even the name was the same.
She was also called Stussy.
"Then how did you join the World Government?" Valthior asked.
"A few years ago, the World Government believed the MADS research organization was too dangerous and decided to absorb several of its main researchers, led by Dr. Vegapunk, into the Marines. This subordinate was also taken to Mary Geoise at that time alongside Dr. Vegapunk. Because I am a clone, from the moment I was given life, I already possessed many combat and infiltration skills. My physical abilities are also extremely powerful. In only three days, I fully mastered the basics of the Six Powers. Because of that, CP took notice of me and selected me for evaluation within CP0. After several missions, I was transferred into the Pleasure District organization and became the new Queen of the Pleasure District," Stussy briefly explained her situation.
"Is that so?" Valthior nodded again.
After pondering for a moment, Valthior asked with great curiosity, "Did the MADS research organization create only you as a clone?"
"No. In the year 1487 of the Sea Circle Calendar, my original body, Buckingham Stussy, once used Dr. Vegapunk's cloning technology and combined it with the genetic template of Whitebeard, Edward Newgate, to create an inferior Whitebeard clone. She called him Edward Weevil, codename Whitebeard Jr…" At this point, a trace of confusion appeared in Stussy's eyes. "Originally, only Dr. Vegapunk and I knew about this matter. But for some reason, Pirate King Roger seems to have heard something. In the book Whitebeard's Rumored Lover, published not long ago, related facts were adapted into the story, yet it accurately mentioned the names 'Weevil' and 'Whitebeard Jr.'"
This time, Valthior was truly stunned.
After the MADS research organization was forcibly absorbed by the World Government, Buckingham had disappeared somewhere on the sea.
At the same time, to this day, he had never heard the name Edward Weevil.
In other words, Buckingham had vanished, and Weevil had never shown himself on the sea.
Valthior had always thought that this Whitebeard Jr. was a character who would only appear more than twenty years later, after the Seven Warlords of the Sea system changed.
He had assumed Buckingham spent all those years figuring out the cloning technology before finally cloning Whitebeard Jr.
It was even possible she had dug up Whitebeard's grave for that.
According to Stussy, however, Whitebeard Jr. had already been created by Buckingham as early as 1487—three years after God Valley.
Then why had Weevil never made a name for himself on the sea?
And where had Buckingham gotten Whitebeard's genetic sample?
Ah… did she really sleep with Whitebeard?
Very soon, Valthior came back to his senses and roughly understood why Whitebeard Jr. had not caused any trouble on the sea so far.
The reason was probably very simple.
Whitebeard was still alive.
As long as Whitebeard was not dead, how much courage would Buckingham need to drag Weevil out onto the sea?
If Whitebeard found out that he suddenly had an inferior clone, and that Buckingham was even claiming the clone was his son—could he possibly endure such humiliation and slander?
"This is truly unexpected…" Valthior sighed. Only then did he finally say, "Stand. There is no need to kneel."
"Thank you very much." Only then did Stussy gracefully rise and stand before Valthior's desk.
She understood proper manners very well. Her eyes did not dare look directly at Valthior's face. Instead, she very naturally kept her gaze on Valthior's chest, showing that she was familiar with the etiquette of meeting a Celestial Dragon.
And CP0 served the Celestial Dragons in Mary Geoise to begin with, so this was not strange.
"You came here this time because you wish to establish a Pleasure District base on Onigashima, correct?" Valthior went straight to the point.
Stussy gently shook her head and said, "In reply to Saint Valthior, this subordinate wishes to move the Pleasure District headquarters to Onigashima."
"Oh?" Valthior was slightly surprised this time. Then he asked, "Why? Is Gambolin Island not good enough?"
Gambolin Island was the gambling island of the New World, as well as the largest entertainment island in the New World.
Before Tesoro created Gran Tesoro and began sailing it around the seas, Gambolin Island could be considered a smaller version of that golden city.
It attracted wealthy people, high-ranking officials, and nobles from all over the world, drowning them in luxury and pleasure.
The Pleasure District's headquarters was also located on Gambolin Island.
The name "Pleasure District" sounded somewhat proper, but what did it actually do?
To put it plainly, it was a red-light district.
For such a business to take root on Gambolin Island was perfectly reasonable.
It had been that way for hundreds of years.
And because many important people gathered there, the Pleasure District was able to gather an enormous amount of intelligence.
"Gambolin Island is very good, but it is not safe. In recent years, it has also been constantly challenged by rising forces. I do not think highly of Gambolin Island's future. On the other hand, Onigashima is near Frost Island, extremely close to the Valthior Pirates' headquarters. The Valthior Pirates have also declared protection over Onigashima's underworld. As a Pirate Emperor, I believe that in the New World, no one would dare challenge your authority right in front of you. So Onigashima is a very safe place. At the same time, I also hope to use the power of the Pleasure District to help you further transform Onigashima, turning it into a den of luxury no less profitable than Gambolin Island and providing you with abundant funds," Stussy said calmly and clearly.
"Transform Onigashima into a den of luxury no worse than Gambolin Island?" Valthior slowly leaned back in his chair and began thinking.
Building a large entertainment city was indeed a good project that could bring in money every day.
Valthior had indeed considered something like this, but his thoughts had been limited to finding Tesoro to handle it.
At this stage, Tesoro was probably still working somewhere. Maybe on Sabaody Archipelago, maybe somewhere else.
In any case, Valthior had secretly sent people to search for him, but there had been no progress.
Yet now, Stussy had suddenly volunteered and wanted to help him do it. This somewhat surprised Valthior.
"That is correct. In fact, for many years, the World Government has always wanted to fully control Gambolin Island and place its enormous funds firmly in its own hands. However, the underworld's forces are chaotic and tangled. Various so-called emperors are also fighting over Gambolin Island's resources and authority, so success has never been achieved. That is why this subordinate thought—instead of continuing to struggle with those people there, it would be better to create something better from scratch…" Stussy said.
Valthior did not know that in the original story, Tesoro had also initially wanted to try his luck on Gambolin Island.
After struggling there for a long time, he discovered that the relationships and interests there were far too complicated and chaotic. For hundreds of years, many powers had entangled themselves there, mixing together until no one could clearly separate them. It was absolutely not something a newcomer like him could handle.
So Tesoro eventually had the same idea as Stussy did now.
He abandoned that mess and started over elsewhere.
In the end, using the power of the Donquixote family, his own business genius, and the terrifying economic potential of the Gold-Gold Fruit, he built the world's one-of-a-kind Gran Tesoro in just a few short years and quickly overwhelmed Gambolin Island.
"You say the World Government wants to control this business. Yet you also say Onigashima can be transformed into such a place to provide funds for me. Do you not think that is a little contradictory?" Valthior thought for a moment, then smiled at Stussy.
This time, Stussy finally raised her eyes and looked directly into Valthior's.
Her tone was calm, but very firm.
"What difference is there between it being in your hands and being in the World Government's hands?"
"Ahahahahaha! Good. You are right. I greatly appreciate loyal people like you who are willing to serve the World Government and solve its troubles!" Valthior laughed loudly.
He, Valthior, was one of the highest-ranking figures of the World Government and a member of the ruling class.
Why could he not represent the World Government?
It was true that the money in his hands would be used to develop his power and strengthen the Valthior Pirates.
But the Valthior Pirates were acting under official orders to conquer the New World.
Who would dare say they did not represent the World Government?
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