One Piece: Impel Down's Guard - Chapter 17
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“What? The marines were killed!”
In the stern cabin of the warship, Peslow reacted in shock, looking at his two companions. After a brief moment of confusion, they shook their heads repeatedly.
“No, it wasn’t us!”
“How could we have done that?”
“Who else could it be if not you!” Shaw glared at the female CP9 member, “After you knocked me out, I lay there the whole time. No one else came near before the residents arrived!”
The two CP9 members were filled with both anger and confusion. Peslow, remaining more composed, looked at Figo leaning against the doorway and said, “Warden Figo, I apologize for my earlier disrespect. But you should be able to see that we didn’t do it.”
Figo, of course, knew it wasn’t them. There was no need, and their crime indexes didn’t match.
Was there a third party involved?
But some aspects didn’t quite add up.
If someone could bypass Shaw and silently kill the marines, they certainly could have killed Shaw too.
“Shaw, calm down.” Unable to figure it out, Figo tried to soothe Shaw before turning to Peslow. “Right now, you indeed have significant suspicion. To deepen your connection with the giants, you might have done something like this.”
“You…” The young tiger glared.
Peslow, irritated but seeming to think of something, glanced at Figo’s chest and said, “What will it take for you to believe us?”
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask.” Figo seized the opportunity. “All seven giants were previously held in Impel Down. I’ve seen their files. The last captured giant, named Kevin, was once a brave giant warrior who defended his village from pirate invasions multiple times. His transition to becoming a pirate is somewhat unclear. I want to know if CP9 played a hidden role in recruiting giants, including the other six.”
“We don’t have that capability,” Peslow interrupted. “Warden Figo, you’re probably referring to the death of Giant Kevin’s daughter. We did investigate it and used it as leverage to recruit him. I even brought some documents with me. The one who truly killed his daughter should be the Mind Controller, Gildachack.”
“Mind Controller?”
As expected, Peslow knew the truth and even had evidence, so the event clue pointed to him when Figo needed to investigate.
This “Mind Controller” certainly didn’t mean someone who worries too much but rather someone who manipulates minds.
Shaw, having stayed in Impel Down, showed signs of fear. But Figo, who had no clue about this “Mind Controller,” remained puzzled.
Peslow struggled to retrieve some wrinkled papers from his pocket, handing them to Figo. The first thing Figo noticed was a wanted poster.
The poster depicted a cloaked middle-aged man with prominent cheekbones and a sinister smile, almost resembling an alien.
Gildachack, the Mind Controller.
Bounty: 470 million Berries!
In an era where the highest bounties were capped at 1 billion and most notorious pirates had bounties of one or two hundred million, a bounty of 470 million placed him among the top fifty!
Figo flipped through the papers, finding a ten-year-old news article. The article highlighted a heroic marine couple, featuring an image of the pair impaled together by an iron spear, embracing each other in death.
“This incident occurred at G21 Base. A lieutenant commander there defended the island against pirates, was severely injured, and impaled by a spear from behind. Before he died, his wife ran from afar and willingly impaled herself on the spear, dying in his arms.”
If only listening, it sounded like a touching story. But Peslow added, “Look at the next photo, taken by a reporter from another angle.”
Figo turned to the next photo.
It showed the same scene and couple but from a different angle, capturing the wife’s face.
Instead of looking serene and content, her expression was one of struggle, horror, and fear!
She hadn’t willingly died.
“That was the first time we discovered traces of Gildachack. He is a String-String Fruit user who loves to manipulate people and create misunderstandings, tragedies, stories, and coincidences, deriving pleasure from controlling minds!”
“String-String Fruit?” Figo murmured.
“He’s orchestrated at least a hundred such tragedies. The death of Giant Kevin’s daughter bears his significant marks. He’s also a dark world kingpin, even covertly instigating coups in small countries, a pure villain who cares not for personal gain but the thrill of manipulating minds!”
Upon hearing this, the event regarding Giant Kevin changed. The half requiring investigation disappeared, transforming into… capturing or killing Gildachack!
Concentrating, Figo sensed a directional arrow pointing the way and quickly retracted it.
He glanced at the unconscious nun and said, “Alright, Giant Kevin’s case is settled for now. I’ll head to the town’s execution site to investigate the marines’ deaths.
“Shaw, stay calm. This matter likely isn’t their doing. While I’m gone, keep an eye on these four and don’t let your subordinates get close, knowing their identities.”
After Figo left, the three CP9 members sighed in relief but felt stifled. Their attitude towards Shaw, who still eyed them distrustfully, was much less friendly.
“A marine lieutenant commander scared out of his wits, not thoroughly checking the marines’ cause of death before running back?”
“No independent judgment, directly blaming us for killing your subordinates?”
“Fool!”
Shaw seethed, thinking back to seven years ago when Kinche called him a fool, prompting him to transfer out of Impel Down. Now, despite having transferred, they were repeating it! Did transferring out mean nothing?
He wanted to unsheathe his sword and cut these three CP9 members, and then… he actually drew his sword.
Both Shaw and the three CP9 members were stunned, with the young tiger sneering, “Got guts now? Go ahead, kill me!”
And trembling, Shaw raised his sword above his head, seemingly ready to strike.
“Something’s wrong.” Peslow, sensing Shaw’s unnatural movements, shouted, “Shaw, what’s happening to you?”
Shaw trembled, unable to respond.
“Enough playing,” came a clear female voice as the previously unconscious nun opened her eyes. “The feeling of weakness from Seastone cuffs is no fun.”
She struggled to sit up, spitting blood, and said, “The World Government is indeed unreliable. Lord Gildachack, finish this quickly while the troublesome guy isn’t here.”
Lord Gildachack? Peslow was shaken.
“Hee-hee-hee-hee…” A strange laugh echoed, and a cloaked figure appeared silently at the cabin door.
His right hand extended, fingers curled, as if controlling a marionette.
Sunlight illuminated his face.
The three CP9 members turned pale.
Speaking of the devil!
“Mind Controller… Gildachack?”
“Why? Why are you here?”
“That nun, an infamous trafficker, should be far beneath you. Why did you save her?”
“Fools,” the nun said coldly. “Can’t you tell by now? The plan to deceive the giants was Lord Gildachack’s idea. Without him, how could I dare to cooperate with you?”
Gildachack’s idea?
Deceiving the giants to gain their trust, establishing the orphanage, secretly selling orphans to the World Government… Now it made sense.
Peslow, understanding everything, closed his eyes in despair. “Damn you, Mind Controller. The World Government won’t let you go.”
“Hee-hee-hee-hee… The World Government has never stopped hunting me. Though the plan failed,” Gildachack laughed hoarsely, “your actions were indeed spectacular. No wonder the World Government excels at manipulating minds.”
“Now, as a reward, I’ll grant you a quick death!” He swung his right hand down.
Shaw’s sword slashed towards Peslow!
“Peslow!” The young tiger and female CP9 screamed in terror.
Just as the sword was about to strike Peslow’s head, Shaw suddenly regained control, the blade stopping just above Peslow’s head.
He sighed in relief, collapsing to the ground, drenched in sweat.
Peslow, astonished, saw a familiar tall figure looming behind Gildachack, casting him in shadow.
“Warden Figo…”
“Hee-hee-hee-hee…” Gildachack laughed again. “How strange. You’ve disrupted CP9’s mission. They surely hold a grudge and might report you harshly to the World Government. You must have realized this. If I were you, I would have waited another minute, letting me kill them. Wouldn’t that be perfect?”
“You killed the marines, leaving only Shaw to report back, creating the perfect alibi for me?” Figo asked.
“Hee-hee-hee-hee… Isn’t it interesting?” Gildachack retorted.
“Utterly boring.”
Figo drew his sword and slashed!
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