Turning Him Against Orochi, a Bargain Either Way

Hachinosu, Intelligence Room. Autumn, 1473 in the Sea Circle Calendar.

Ginny slammed a stack of photos on Lin Yuan's desk, highlighting key points on each photo in red pen, just like a police investigation.

"Fukurokuju, male, forty-two years old. Leader of the Oniwabanshu. He leaves home at seven every morning, first to report to Orochi's Castle, then to inspect the Training Grounds, and eats lunch at a noodle shop in the Flower Capital —the same one he's been eating at for three years without changing."

Ginny pulled out a photo of a middle-aged man sitting in the corner of a noodle shop, a bowl of noodles in front of him, looking like he'd just eaten shit.

"I return to the Oniwabanshu's quarters in the afternoon to handle official business. I occasionally go to the tavern in the evening, but most of the time I'm alone, like a lonely old man."

Ginny pulled out another photo, this time of a fourteen-year-old girl in a school uniform, who was quite pretty.

"His daughter's name is Fukuro Chiyo, she is fourteen years old and attends Girls' School in the Flower Capital. Orochi sent two people to 'protect' her—actually, to monitor her. Chiyo knows that her father is being held hostage, but she doesn't hate him. The two meet once a month at a teahouse near the school gate, sit for half an hour, and don't say a word."

Lin Yuan picked up the photo and looked at it. Fukurokuju Shou had the typical face of a middle-aged office worker—sharp features, sharp eyes, but an undeniable weariness between his brows, as if he hadn't slept for three days straight.

"The Orochi used his daughter as a hostage, and he didn't resist?"

"He resisted." Ginny turned to another page of the document, her tone like reading a financial report. "Two years ago, Orochi ordered him to assassinate one of Kozuki Oden in Kuri. He didn't go, saying he wasn't an assassin. Orochi took his daughter from school that very day and locked her up for a day. When he released her the next day, Chiyo had bruises on her wrists."

Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes.

It's not about feeling sorry for someone; it's about settling scores—this level of hatred is enough to make someone turn against you.

"From then on, Fukurokuju listened to Orochi in everything." Ginny closed the file, "But he's holding back. He's waiting for his chance."

"Opportunities aren't waited for, they're created." Lin Yuan put the photo back on the table, turned and shouted towards the door, "Moria! Inazuma!"

Moria peeked out from the corner, still holding his own shadow in his arms.

Inazuma followed behind, his fingers wrapped in bandages, having spent the entire afternoon cutting steel plates; his nails were almost worn down.

"Captain Lin Yuan, what is it?" Moria's voice trembled slightly. Every time Lin Yuan called him by his full name, it was never a good thing. The last time he was called by his full name was when he was sent to fight the Iron Hook Pirates, and he almost made Moria cry.

"You two, go to Wano Country. Target: Fukurokuju."

Moria's face turned pale. Not the kind of paleness of "being a little nervous," but the kind of paleness of "I'm going to die."

"Wa... Wano Country? Now? Just the two of us?"

Lin Yuan leaned back in his chair, legs crossed. "Once we arrive in Wano Country, don't show yourself. Ginny will guide us remotely. When Fukurokuju is alone, use Inazuma to cut through his wall, and Moria will control him with his shadow. Don't kill him, don't hurt him, bring him to me."

"Bring him to Hachinosu?" Moria swallowed hard.

"Yes. I'll open the door for you." Lin Yuan looked into Moria's eyes, the same look a homeroom teacher gives a struggling student. "Can you do that?"

Moria opened his mouth, wanting to say "no," but seeing Lin Yuan's expression, he swallowed his words. He took a deep breath, gripped the scissors tightly, and his knuckles turned white.

"... able."

Inazuma laughed beside him, as if he were watching a spectacle.

Your face turned pale just now.

"Shut up."

"As white as paper."

I said shut up!

Wano Country, the Flower Capital. Night.

Moria and Inazuma emerged from a dimly lit door and landed in a dark alley. The alley was narrow, with high wooden walls on both sides, and a dense network of power lines and clotheslines overhead, with underwear and socks fluttering in the wind like Totto Land flags.

The air was filled with the aroma of soy sauce and grilled skewers, and the sounds of noise and women's laughter drifted from a distant pub.

"Ginny, we've arrived," Moria whispered into the Den Den Mushi.

"I see it." Ginny's voice came through the Den Den Mushi, clear as if right next to your ear, with a leisurely air of "I'm eating oranges and watching a show." "You're currently in the East District of the Flower Capital, about 800 meters from Fukurokuju's place. Go north, turn left at the third intersection, and walk another 200 meters. There's a gray two-story wooden building. That's his house."

Is he home?

"He's here. Just got back. He's drinking tea alone in the living room, like a retired old man. His daughter's at school, not home." Ginny paused. "There are no guards around. Orochi trusts him a lot, or rather, feels there's no need to monitor him—because he has his daughter in his hands."

Moria and Inazuma exchanged a glance and silently walked north.

The Flower Capital is bustling at night. The streets are filled with people, the cries of vendors, the laughter of children, and the sounds of the shamisen, all blending together like a New Year's celebration.

Moria hunched his shoulders, pulling his hood down low, like a ghost that couldn't bear the light. He walked without making a sound, his shadow spreading silently beneath his feet like a carpet.

Inazuma walked beside him, her steps light and quick, twirling a pair of scissors in her hand like an acrobat, or like a tourist strolling through the streets.

"Aren't you nervous?" Moria asked softly.

"What's the rush?" Inazuma asked without turning around. "It's not like this is the first time we've done something like this. The Enies Lobby incident was much more dangerous."

"That time it was with Lin Yuan. This time it's just the two of us!"

"Isn't that perfect? Even without him, the credit would go to both of us. When Ginny does the bookkeeping, we'll split it 50/50."

Moria opened his mouth, then closed it again. He thought Inazuma made sense, but he was still nervous. He couldn't help it; he was naturally timid. If he hadn't followed Lin Yuan, he'd probably still be squatting in some corner playing with his shadow.

Fukurokuju's residence was an inconspicuous two-story wooden building with gray walls and black tiles. A paper lantern hung at the door, casting a dim yellow light, making it look like a scene from a ghost movie.

There was a persimmon tree in the courtyard, and under the tree was a stone table and two stone stools. The stone table was covered with a layer of dust, and it was obvious that no one had sat on it for a long time—the standard setup for a single old man.

Moria and Inazuma scaled the wall and landed silently in the courtyard. Moria's shadow spread silently across the ground, like a black carpet covering the entire yard. He would know immediately if anyone approached, even a Nezumi.

Inazuma walked to the door and lightly ran his finger across the lock. No sound, no spark—the lock cylinder had been cut, and the door slid open silently.

The two went inside and closed the door behind them.

The first floor is the living room, not large, but very clean. There is a low table on the tatami mat, with a pot of tea and a cup on it. Fukurokuju sits at the table, his back to the door, holding a teacup in his hand.

"Mr. Fukurokuju, and Longevity," Inazuma spoke.

Fukurokuju Shou paused for a moment. He didn't turn around, nor did he panic; he simply put down his teacup slowly, like a character in a movie.

"Who are you? How did you get in?"

"He's come in." Inazuma walked over and sat down opposite him, crossing his legs as if he were in his own home. Moria stood by the door, his shadow covering the entire wall, even the paintings on the wall were in the shadow.

Fukurokuju raised his head, looking at Inazuma's young face, then at the scissors in Moria's hand. His gaze was calm, as if he were looking at two ignorant children.

"Were you sent by Orochi to test me? Or are you Oden's men?"

"None of those." Inazuma pulled a photograph from her pocket and placed it on the table. The photograph showed Fukurokuju's daughter, Chiyo, wearing a school uniform, standing at the school gate, holding a book, and smiling like a flower.

Fukurokuju's expression finally changed. His pupils contracted, and his hand unconsciously tightened its grip on the teacup, his knuckles turning white.

What do you want to do?

"It's not about what we want to do, it's about what you want to do." Inazuma leaned back in his chair, speaking as if it were a casual conversation. "Kurozumi Orochi used your daughter as a hostage, forcing you to work for him. You appear loyal on the surface, but you actually hate him to the core. Every night you drink alone, cursing him, 'Sooner or later...' I don't need to say the rest, right?"

Fukurokuju fell silent. He stared at the photo for a long time, then looked up.

Who exactly are you?

"Hachinosu, Captain Lin Yuan's men," Inazuma said. "Captain Lin Yuan wants to see you."

Fukurokuju's eyes narrowed. "Lin Yuan... that Spatial Ability User? He's going to attack Wano Country?"

"Right."

Why would he think I would help him?

"Because he can help you rescue your daughter. Because he can kill Kurozumi Orochi." Inazuma's voice was calm, like reciting a textbook, "Because you don't want to be a dog anymore."

The living room was silent for a few seconds.

Fukurokuju picked up his teacup and took a sip. His hand was trembling, but his expression remained calm, as if he had facial paralysis.

How can I trust you?

"You don't need to believe me," Moria said, his voice booming from the shadows, carrying its own reverberation. "You only need to choose. Either continue being Orochi's dog, waiting for your daughter to grow up, get married, and continue being watched by Orochi's people. Or come with us and take a gamble."

Fukurokuju looked at Moria and remained silent for a long time.

"If I choose you, what will happen to my daughter?"

"We'll rescue her tonight," Ginny's voice came through the Den Den Mushi, crisp and decisive. "Chiyo's in her dorm right now, all alone in her room. Two people are watching her, smoking cheap cigarettes at the school gate—they're suffocating. We can get around them."

Fukurokuju was taken aback. "You even know this?"

"I know more than you." Ginny's tone carried an air of "I'm awesome" confidence. "Your daughter likes to draw, and lately she's been drawing a cat. She has a diary under her pillow, in which she writes, 'When will Daddy come to pick me up?' The handwriting isn't great, but the sentiment is genuine."

Fukurokuju's eyes reddened. He put down his teacup, stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to the two of them.

I'll go with him.

Flower Capital, Girls' School. Night.

The school isn't big, just two buildings and a row of dormitories. The wall isn't high; climbing over it is a piece of cake.

Inazuma ripped open the side door of the dormitory building; the lock fell to the ground without a sound. Moria used his shadow to trap the two guards at the door—not by knocking them unconscious, but by freezing their shadows in place, rendering them as if glued to the ground.

The two guards looked around in terror, their mouths gagged by shadows, unable to make a sound except for muffled "uh-uh-uh" noises, like kidnapped hostages.

Chiyo sat on the edge of the bed, holding a sketchbook, drawing a cat. The cat was drawn quite realistically, except that its eyes were drawn crooked, one big and one small.

The door opened.

Chiyo looked up and saw a tall, thin young man standing in the doorway, his fingers wrapped in bandages, twirling scissors in his hand. Behind him stood an even thinner young man, also holding scissors, his face pale, as if he had just crawled out of a coffin.

"Miss Chiyo, your father sent us to pick you up."

Chiyo paused for a moment, then smiled. It wasn't a polite smile, but a smile of "I've finally waited for this day." She closed the sketchbook, put it in her bag, stood up, and walked to the door.

"Is Dad... alright?"

"Great. I'll see him soon."

Hachinosu, Intelligence Room.

A door opened in the air. Fukurokuju stepped out, followed by Chiyo. Moria and Inazuma trailed behind, looking like two schoolchildren who had just finished their homework, their faces beaming with "Praise me, praise me!"

Ginny sat at the table, holding an account book, looking the Fukurokuju, and Shou family up and down. Her gaze was like that of an HR interviewer, scrutinizing them from head to toe.

"Sit down. Tea or water?"

"... Tea."

Ginny brewed tea and pushed it in front of Fukurokuju. Chiyo sat next to her father, clutching his sleeve tightly, her eyes curiously taking in everything around her—it was the first time she had ever seen so many strange-looking people. There was a burly man carrying Iron Club, a brute rubbing his fists, a bird-like figure with flames shooting from his back, a tall, thin man playing with shadows, and a guy in a white coat with hair as messy as a bird's nest peeking in from the doorway.

Caesar peeked in through the doorway, only to be glared at and driven back by Ginny.

Lin Yuan walked in from outside, carrying a glass of water. He sat down opposite Fukurokuju and glanced at him.

"Fortune, Prosperity, Fukurokuju."

Captain Lin Yuan.

The two stared at each other for three seconds. Lin Yuan spoke first, his tone as if he were discussing business.

How much do you know about Kurozumi Orochi's defense?

"Understood." Fukurokuju's voice was steady, befitting a seasoned ninja. "I know everything about the Oniwabanshu's defenses, Orochi's guard rotations, and the Flower Capital's sentries."

"Tell us that your daughter is safe on Hachinosu. After we defeat Orochi, you can either stay in Wano Country or go out to sea."

Fukurokuju remained silent for a moment. "I will not go to sea. Wano Country is my home."

"What ever."

Fukurokuju pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and spread it on the table. It was a defense map of the Flower Capital, marking Orochi's troop deployment, sentry positions, and even secret passages. It was drawn in more detail than Ginny's intelligence map; no wonder he was an insider.

"Orochi has a permanent force of about three thousand men in the Flower Capital, including five hundred elite troops. The Oniwabanshu three hundred and are under my command." Fukurokuju paused. "But Orochi doesn't trust me. He's planted twelve of his own men within the Oniwabanshu, who report directly to him. Unless these twelve are eliminated, the Oniwabanshu cannot collectively defect."

Lin Yuan glanced at the defense map. "Where's the list of the twelve people?"

Fukurokuju took a slip of paper out of his pocket and handed it over. Lin Yuan glanced at it and handed it to Ginny.

Ginny took the note, made a circle with her fingers, and her eyes gleamed with a purple light. After a moment, she lowered her hand.

"They're all acquaintances. Some of them were on the previous spy list."

"Can you handle it?" Lin Yuan asked.

"Yes." Ginny put away the purple light, her tone like a project manager scheduling a meeting. "Give me three days, and I can figure out their entire activity pattern. What time they get up, what time they eat, what time they go to the bathroom—I'll find out everything for you."

Lin Yuan nodded and looked at Fukurokuju.

"You'll stay on Hachinosu for now. Lead the way when we make our move."

Fukurokuju picked up his teacup, took a sip, then put it down and looked at Lin Yuan.

"I have one condition."

"Explain."

"Orochi, let me kill it with my own hands."

Lin Yuan glanced at him. Fukurokuju's eyes were calm, but his hand holding the teacup was trembling slightly.

"OK."

Late at night.

Fukurokuju and Chiyo were seated in a guest room on the second floor of the Castle. Chiyo lay on the bed and quickly fell asleep, still clutching the sketchbook in her hand. Fukurokuju sat by the window, gazing at the sea under the moonlight, without saying a word.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Lin Yuan walked in, carrying two glasses of water. He handed one to Fukurokuju, and sat down opposite him with the other glass in his hand.

Can't sleep?

"I'm not used to it." Fukurokuju looked at the sea. "Wano Country doesn't have a sea this big."

"You'll get used to it."

Fukurokuju was silent for a moment. "Captain Lin Yuan, why are you helping me?"

"I'm not helping you. I'm using you." Lin Yuan took a sip of water. "I need you to lead the way, and you need me to save your daughter. A fair trade."

Fukurokuju stared at him for a few seconds, then smiled—not a loud laugh, but the kind of smile that comes from finally letting go of something, like someone who has been constipated for three days and has finally relieved themselves.

"You're so direct."

"It's better to be direct. It saves us from guessing."

Lin Yuan stood up, walked to the door, and stopped.

"Your daughter is a good artist. That cat is really well drawn, except the eyes are crooked."

He walked out of the room and closed the door.

Fukurokuju paused for a moment, then looked down at his sleeping daughter. She was still holding the sketchbook in her hand, turned to the page with the cat. The cat's eyes were indeed drawn crookedly, one big and one small.

His eyes reddened.

Chiyo... Daddy's here.

Outside the window, moonlight spills onto the sea.

In the distance, Kaido's snoring continued, sounding like thunder.

"This guy snores in his sleep, can't a person get any sleep..." Ginny's voice came from the end of the corridor, followed by a loud slam of a door.

(End of Chapter 74)