Meeting Whitebeard Again

After Morgans published his report, Hachinosu became even more famous.

The title "Spatial Ability User" caused a stir throughout the Underworld. Some said Lin Yuan was Rocks's illegitimate son, some said he was an assassin secretly trained by the Navy, and others said he had traveled back from the future.

"An illegitimate son?" Lin Yuan looked at the newspaper and smiled. "They've got quite the imagination."

"Oh, lololololo..." Kaido gnawed on some meat. "If you're Rocks's illegitimate son, then I'm his father."

"Quick to claim the upper hand, aren't you?"

"Why pass up the chance?"

Ginny was keeping the accounts nearby and didn't even look up.

"Can you two be quiet? I'm doing the accounts."

"What accounts?" Kaido leaned over.

"The profit from the last batch of weapons. They sold for 1.7 billion, minus costs..."

"What costs?" Moria asked.

"The money we spent on intelligence, equipment, and the meat you all eat."

Kaido froze for a moment.

"Meat counts as a cost too?"

"If it isn't a cost, what is it? You think it falls from the sky?"

Kaido fell silent.

Lin Yuan couldn't help laughing.

"Ginny, the books have been a lot clearer since you came."

"No kidding. Just look at the mess you used to keep."

A few days later, Lin Yuan decided to go out for a while.

"Where to?" Kaido asked.

"The New World. Just looking around," Lin Yuan said. "Staying on the island all the time is stifling."

"Who's coming?"

"I'm going alone. You stay on the island and train."

"Oh, lololololo..." Kaido laughed. "Fine. Don't die."

"I won't."

Lin Yuan raised his hand, opened a door, and walked through.

An unnamed island in the New World.

Lin Yuan stepped out of the door and landed on the beach. There was no one on the island, only a few seabirds sunning themselves on the rocks.

He hadn't come looking for anything. He was just wandering around.

Spatial Perception spread out, finding no living people within a kilometer. But farther away—about three kilometers out—there was a ship.

It was a big ship, with a whale-shaped bow.

Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes.

"Newgate."

The Moby Dick rested on the sea, its sails lowered, as if waiting for someone.

Lin Yuan stepped onto a Micro Door and walked to the bow.

Newgate was sitting on the deck, drinking. He was a little taller than the last time they'd met, and a faint stubble had begun to appear on his chin. He still held that enormous naginata in his hand.

"Lin Yuan." Newgate showed no surprise when he saw him step out of the door. "How did you know where I was?"

"Spatial Perception. There's no ship within a few kilometers that I can't see."

"Gurararara..." Newgate laughed. "That ability of yours sure is useful. Come, sit down and have a drink."

Lin Yuan landed opposite him.

"I don't drink."

"Then what are you here for?"

"I was passing by. Thought I'd take a look."

Newgate took a large swig and wiped the corner of his mouth.

"I heard you pulled off a big job recently. Robbed a World Government transport ship?"

"Yeah."

"That's bold."

"Not bad."

Newgate stared at him for a few seconds.

"That intelligence network of yours—is it a partnership with Morgans?"

Lin Yuan didn't deny it.

"You even knew that?"

"There's nothing that happens on the seas that I don't know about." Newgate put down his cup. "I've worked with that Morgans kid a few times myself."

"You buy intelligence from him?"

"Occasionally," Newgate said. "But I don't like him. He's too shrewd, always counting the cost of everything."

Lin Yuan smiled.

"He's a businessman. What kind of businessman doesn't count the cost?"

"Gurararara... You've got a point."

The two fell silent for a while.

Newgate suddenly asked, "Lin Yuan, what are you planning to do in the future?"

"Build a force. One that can stand against the World Government."

"With just the few of you?"

"There are only a few of us now. There'll be more later."

Newgate looked out at the sea and fell silent for a few seconds.

"Did you know Rocks has been looking for someone lately?"

"Who?"

"A guy named John. I hear he's a pretty good captain."

"You know him?"

"No. But anyone Rocks has his eye on shouldn't be bad."

Lin Yuan thought for a moment.

"What exactly is Rocks trying to do?"

Newgate turned to look at him.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Tell me."

"He wants to overthrow the World Government." Newgate spoke calmly, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary. "But he isn't doing it to make the world better. He wants to be king himself."

Lin Yuan said nothing.

"Do you think he can pull it off?" he asked.

"No," Newgate said. "But he'll cause a huge uproar."

"What about you? Why are you following him?"

Newgate was silent for a while.

"Gurararara... For family."

"Family?"

"Yeah. He's got a lot of people with him. Maybe one day I'll find people willing to follow me."

Lin Yuan stared at him for a few seconds.

"You're planning to leave Rocks?"

"Not now." Newgate took a swig of wine. "But someday."

As evening drew near, Lin Yuan stood up.

"I'm leaving."

"Won't you have a drink before you go?"

"No."

"Gurararara... Fine. Next time we meet, I'll treat you to some meat."

"Sure."

Lin Yuan raised his hand and opened a door.

Newgate looked at the door and suddenly said, "Lin Yuan."

"Hm?"

"Watch out for Rocks. He's got his eye on you."

Lin Yuan nodded.

"I know."

He stepped through the door, and it slowly closed behind him.

Newgate sat on the deck, gazing in the direction where the door had vanished, silent for a long time.

Marco walked over.

"Pops, can that Lin Yuan really be trusted?"

"Trust?" Newgate laughed. "Gurararara... What trust is there on the seas? Being useful is enough."

Marco said nothing, just looked out at the sea.

In the distance, the setting sun dyed the entire sea gold.

By the time Lin Yuan returned to Hachinosu, it was already dark.

Ginny was sitting in the hall organizing the account books. She didn't even look up when she saw Lin Yuan return.

"Where did you go?"

"The New World. Had a look around."

"Who did you see?"

"Newgate."

Ginny's hand paused.

"Whitebeard?"

"Yeah."

"Are you close with him?"

"Not really. But we get along."

Ginny looked up at him.

"You're really strange. The Navy knows you, people in the Rocks Pirates know you, and people in the Underworld know you too. How exactly did you manage that?"

"I get around." Lin Yuan smiled. "Get around enough, and you meet people."

"Oh, lololololo..." Kaido walked over. "Lin Yuan, when are we going out to rob another ship?"

"When Morgans sends us intelligence."

"Call me when it comes."

"Sure."

Kaido walked away, satisfied.

Lin Yuan walked over to the window and looked out at the sea.

Newgate had said Rocks had his eye on him.

He wasn't afraid. But he needed to prepare.

Ginny's voice came from behind him.

"Lin Yuan, come look at this entry. See if I got it right."

Lin Yuan turned and walked over.

"Which one?"

"The last batch of weapons. They sold for 1.7 billion. Minus 50 million for intelligence, 20 million for equipment, and 10 million for meat... that leaves 1.62 billion."

"You included the cost of the meat?"

"I did."

Lin Yuan couldn't help laughing.

"All right. You got it right."

Ginny closed the account book and looked up at him.

"Lin Yuan."

"Hm?"

"When are you going to save Kuma?"

Lin Yuan was silent for a while.

"When he's captured."

(End of chapter 22)