Chapter 117: The Web of Conspiracy
Ian's harsh words were a necessary shock. After arriving in the New World, the entire team needed to wake up and reassess the difficulty of their mission. Sooner or later, they would have to act separately and cooperate with others. It was better to be scolded by Ian upon entering the New World than to be taught a bloody lesson by the enemy later.
"I'm so sorry, Lieutenant General Ian! I was just scared!" Skylark stood up, clenched her fists, and bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle. "This kind of thing... will never happen again!"
"And me! I was the first to follow you, Lieutenant General Ian, yet I'm still so cowardly," Nami added, her voice filled with shame. "I'm ashamed. This is the New World. I will work hard to become stronger!"
Nami and Skylark apologized in unison for their weakness and fear.
"I'm sorry, Lieutenant General Ian..."
"I'm sorry too..."
"..."
One by one, everyone voiced their understanding of Ian's message. Speed hadn't done anything wrong, but as the atmosphere grew tense, she simply apologized as well.
"Hey, everyone!" Doll's voice cut through, loud and stubborn. "What are you all apologizing for? I'm the one who really needs to apologize! I clearly said this island was a test for my internship... I'm sorry, Lieutenant General Ian!! From now on, no matter what enemies we encounter, I will defeat them all and show you!"
After saying this, she even bowed deeply, her head nearly touching the dragon's scales.
Ian: "..."
Did she have to be so dramatic?
Still, he had heard what he wanted to hear.
"Alright, that's enough apologizing," Ian declared, closing the topic. "It seems our actions have been noticed by the people on the island. Everyone, sit down. I'll tell you something interesting."
As he spoke, he pulled a black Den Den Mushi from his pocket.
A black Den Den Mushi! A smaller species that liked to exchange messages with its own kind. It could copy sound wave signals, making it perfect for eavesdropping. It could even store and replay the intercepted content for a period. One of Ian's "twenty-two conditions" for accepting the mission from the Five Elders had been to be supplied with several sets of the most advanced Den Den Mushi.
"An eavesdropping Den Den Mushi?" Skylark asked, curious. "Lieutenant General Ian, so you were sure there were people on the island?"
"There's more than just a few people; there's an entire research institute here!" Ian revealed with a smug smile. "Scientists, intermediaries from the underworld, cadres of the Warlords... What you're about to hear is actual evidence of their crimes. Hahaha, let's listen together!"
His cadres: "!!!"
They were stunned. An uninhabited island that had been erased from maps... was actually involved in such a vast network of connections!
Ian secretly congratulated himself; choosing Punk Hazard as his first target was indeed the right move. The secrets held here influenced many major powers in the New World.
"Little Ian, I have a question," Peacock interjected. "If the other party is who you say they are, can a black Den Den Mushi really eavesdrop? The more cunning the opponent, the more precautions they take. They're likely using white Den Den Mushi."
White Den Den Mushi! They were quite rare and not something ordinary people could obtain. They could release interfering radio waves and attach themselves to the nearest communicating Den Den Mushi, preventing others from eavesdropping. For important figures like scientists, underworld brokers, and Warlords, using white Den Den Mushi was standard practice. Obtaining criminal evidence with just a black Den Den Mushi would be extremely difficult.
"It seems you learned a lot at Headquarters, Peacock," Ian acknowledged. "You're right. The rats hiding on this island have indeed taken anti-eavesdropping measures. But just because ordinary people can't do anything about it doesn't mean I can't!"
As he spoke, he gently pinched the black Den Den Mushi. Using his superhuman hearing, he captured the sound wave signals and transmitted them directly to the black Den Den Mushi through physical contact. Under the astonished gazes of his crew, the black Den Den Mushi began to speak...
...
Punk Hazard, Laboratory #3.
Inside a confidential lab equipped with both regular and white Den Den Mushi, a strange, wheezing laughter echoed.
"Shurororororo...! Joker, fate, this is great fate!" a voice cackled. "The man you've been wanting to kill is right here on Punk Hazard! If he discovers the secrets of this research institute, our business with the Emperors will be ruined. Although it's a bit early to use 'Slime,' isn't this the perfect opportunity to eliminate your enemy? The island's secrets cannot be exposed. The only option is to eliminate him, don't you agree? Shurororo... what terrible luck... the 'Sea King,' Jock Ian!"
The speaker was a man with long, dark hair, his body enveloped in a lavender gas. His limbs were long and slender, and he wore gloves marked with the letters "CC."
Caesar Clown!
User of the Gas-Gas Fruit, a Logia-type Devil Fruit!
A mad scientist with a bounty of 300,000,000 Berries!
He was the mastermind behind the Punk Hazard explosion nearly two years prior. Caesar had once been a member of the illegal research team MADS, alongside Vegapunk, Vinsmoke Judge, Queen, and others. He and Vegapunk had been recruited by the World Government together. However, Caesar was obsessed with researching weapons of mass destruction, and in that field, he had indeed reached an authoritative level.
A year after the Punk Hazard incident, he secretly returned to the island. He contained the poison gas and pinned all the blame for the explosion on Vegapunk. He gained the trust of the survivors and forced them into servitude as free labor. This was the foundation of his current business relationships with Joker (Doflamingo), the Beasts Pirates, and the Big Mom Pirates.
"Hey, hey, are you planning another island-wide gas massacre?" Doflamingo's voice came through the Den Den Mushi, tinged with excitement. "Caesar, you really are a madman. But if you can help me get rid of Jock Ian, just name your price. I'll provide any support you need."
No matter how powerful a person was, their body had its limits. Facing a large-scale poison gas attack that covered the entire island would be a challenge for anyone to survive.
"What I want, of course, is the most authoritative fame and fortune!" Caesar declared. "Joker, if we can take down the Marine Headquarters' rising star, the so-called 'Sea King,' this time... those guys in the underworld will witness the true power of SMILE with their own eyes!"
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