Your Turn to Answer

We refuse to answer.

The older agent sheathed his short blade, his other hand slowly reaching for the second smoke grenade at his waist. He stared at the computer behind Lin Qi, his tone finally shedding its bureaucratic veneer. "You're not qualified to censor CP."

Lin Qi pulled the computer closer to himself, knocking over scattered wine glasses on the counter with his elbow, spilling wine down the wooden planks onto the floor. "Of course I didn't, Sky Screen has it, and World Watches has it too."

Another agent glanced at the navy personnel at the alley entrance and whispered, "Captain, if we delay any longer, the East Blue Branch will block the road."

The older agent didn't turn back. "Then let's not delay."

He threw the smoke bomb in his hand to the ground. As soon as the dark gray mist dissipated, the Golden Light from the Sky Screen illuminated a circle of words on the outer layer of the smoke.

[Evidence Contamination Smoke Screen]

[Ingredients include memory interference agents]

Makino immediately covered her mouth and nose, and the Village Chief was helped back by two villagers.

Major East Blue shouted, "Gas protective cloth! Protect the villagers! Don't let the smoke into the houses!"

The projection of Garp blocked the doorway, his figure flickering in and out of focus amidst the smoke. He turned back and yelled at Lin Qi, "Kid, hurry up and ask your questions, or this old man's shadow will dissipate."

Lin Qi coughed as he typed. "Even if you're rushing someone to their death, you shouldn't be doing it like this."

The title on the Sky Screen didn't disappear; instead, it forcibly pulled out the names of the two CP Agents.

[On-site Executor must answer]

[Refusal to answer will be considered a refusal to undergo public review]

The older agent looked up at the Sky Screen, his eyes finally revealing barely concealed anxiety. "Choose B."

The other agent was stunned. "Captain?"

"Choose B," he repeated, emphasizing the word, "Simply report to the Holy Land."

Instead of making a judgment immediately, the Sky Screen pulled out the remaining command records from their Den Den Mushi pockets.

[Clearing squad authorization records in progress]

[Command 1: Confirm the suspected question setter]

[Command 2: Capture or Eliminate]

[Command 3: Extract Target Memory]

[Order 4: Remove witnesses if necessary]

The entrance to Foosha Village fell completely silent. The naval lieutenant commander's hand remained gripping his gun, but his voice was much louder than before. "You came to the East Blue with orders to exterminate the villagers?"

The agent didn't answer him, only focusing on the judgment.

[Answer: D]

[The on-site Cipher Pol Erasure Squad must disarm and hand over the authorization record for the Silencing Chain.]

[Choosing B is incorrect]

[Punishment: Hidden Weapons Revealed]

Golden Light swept over the two men, revealing a short blade, a syringe, a smoke screen, a fine-wire gun hidden in the sole of their boot, and a poisoned needle hidden inside their cuffs, all of which were pointed out from beneath their clothing.

Lin Qi looked at the string of marks, touched an empty wine bottle in his hand, and couldn't help but say, "Your clothes can hold more than my wine cabinet."

The special agent captain turned around and glared at him, but his feet were already surrounded by a naval lieutenant commander and his men.

"Disarm," the major said. "This is an order from headquarters, and also a decision made by Sky Screen."

The special agent captain suddenly laughed. "Headquarters orders can protect Foosha Village, but not the sea."

The scene on the Sky Screen immediately shifted to the sea outside Foosha Village, where several flagless speedboats were emerging from behind the reefs. The black cloth on the bow of the boats was lifted to reveal the muzzles of small cannons, with the old seals of the Holy Land floating on the cannons.

A villager gasped in surprise, Makino turned to look at the sea, her face turning pale instantly.

Lin Qi stared at the screen. "Is this what it means to clear all possible coordinates?"

Garling, sitting on the Chief Adjudication Platform, looked at the footage from the open sea, his tone as cold and hard as a judge's bench. "The area suspected of being where the question setter is hiding is permitted to be cleaned up."

Shanks raised his sword to strike the edge of the Sky Screen, but Benn Beckman grabbed him. "Boss, he's waiting for you to reconnect. Don't let him lock your coordinates."

Shanks's old wrinkles on the back of his hand had cracked, and blood was dripping down the hilt of his sword. "Then let someone else do it."

On the Red-Hair ship, Yasopp shouldered his rifle, aiming at the speedboat's position in the outer sea through the Sky Screen, but his brow furrowed. "You can't hit a physical target through the Sky Screen."

Vegapunk shouted from Future Island, "Kizaru, can you throw yourself into the East Blue?"

Kizaru looked at his hands. "Too far. The Sky Screen can transmit images; don't clear a path for me."

A dragon's voice came through the Revolutionary Army's channel. "East Blue near-shore contact point, intercept the speedboat."

A hurried reply came through the Den Den Mushi: "Boss, we're still some sea travel distance from Foosha Village."

Garp had already turned around in Marineford. "The ship!"

Akainu, observing the speedboats in the Sky Screen, immediately gave the order, "East Blue Branch, intercept with artillery fire, prioritize targeting the ships, and do not allow the fire to reach the village entrance."

Major East Blue shouted at the naval officers at the alley entrance, "Coastal artillery team, to the dock, quick!"

Lin Qi watched as the cannons on the open sea turned towards the village, and the joke on his face finally disappeared.

He raised his hand and typed on the keyboard, and a new permission popped up on the screen.

[Protected Witness Temporary Countermeasures]

[Areas available for civilian asylum application]

[Cost: Increased signal exposure for question setters]

Lin Qi stared at the words "price" on the screen. Outside, Makino was still organizing the villagers to retreat to the underground wine cellar. The Village Chief was being supported by someone, but he was still shouting for the children to go first.

The projected image of Garp had faded, and the real Garp was on the other side of the Sky Screen, his fists clenching so hard they cracked.

Luffy stared at the cannon barrel at the exit of Sabaody, his face darkening. "I'm going."

Robin blocked his way. "If you try to force your way into the East Blue using the Index, the Chief Adjudication Platform will arrest you."

Luffy didn't avoid her; he only looked towards Foosha Village. "What should we do?"

Nami gritted her teeth, crumpling the sea chart in her hand. "Let everyone choose a protector first. Sky Screen will hold the opening ceremony, and Lin Qi will definitely set the questions."

Usopp looked at the speedboats in the scene, then suddenly looked up. "Wait, there are reefs near Foosha Village. If the speedboats want to fire, they have to go into shallow water; there are old buoys there."

Luffy turned his head. "Usopp?"

Usopp pointed to the Sky Screen. "I heard you say when I was a kid that even fishing boats from the nearshore areas get into trouble with those rocks at the village entrance. Miss Makino should know about them!"

Nami immediately shouted, "Miss Makino, have the villagers go to the dock and pull up the old buoy line to block the speedboat's path!"

The sound was transmitted synchronously from the sky Sky Screen of Foosha Village. Makino heard Nami's voice and looked up towards the dock. "The old buoy line is still in the warehouse."

The Village Chief slapped his cane. "Pull her out, quick!"

Lin Qi watched as the villagers ran towards the dock and immediately presented the problem statement.

[Regional Civilian Shelter Question]

[Question: Can the Throne bombard Foosha Village and surrounding waters simply because the question setter is suspected of being involved?]

[A. Yes, eliminating potential hazards should be the priority]

[B. Yes, compensation will be provided afterward]

[C. No, an investigation must be conducted after civilians are evacuated]

[D. No, and shelling civilian areas constitutes a crime punishable by the Throne Cleansing]

Luffy the first to press "D!"

Akainu quickly stamped the document. "D, East Blue Branch, record all ships that fired."

Longdao: "D, the Revolutionary Army views interception as civilian protection."

Shanks looked at Garling. "D. Figarland Garling, are you going to include Foosha Village in your incriminating evidence as well?"

Garling watched the vote count surge but didn't change his order. "Fire."

The gun barrels of the fast ship at sea lit up, and as the first shell left the barrel, the Sky Screen was set to fall.

[Answer: D]

[Sheltering civilian areas constitutes a clearing crime]

[Regional Shelter Program Launched]

Golden Light descended from the sky above the Foosha Village. The first cannonball struck the light barrier, changed direction mid-air, and crashed into the reef in the open sea. Waves surged up, causing the leading speedboat to veer off course.

At the dock, villagers worked together to drag the old buoy line into the sea. The wooden stakes and iron chains were straightened by the seawater, and several speedboats were forced to change course.

The artillery fire from the East Blue Branch followed immediately, and the major yelled into the Den Den Mushi at the alley entrance, "Attack the bow! Don't sink it! Leave survivors!"

Seeing the setback at sea, the special agent captain turned to rush towards Lin Qi, but the naval lieutenant lunged at him, and the two of them knocked over a table by the Tavern door.

Lin Qi backed away with his laptop, bumping his lower back against the liquor cabinet. Several bottles wobbled, and one fell to the ground at his feet.

Makino burst through the door, grabbed a shard of a broken bottle from the floor, and held it in front of Lin Qi. "Don't touch him."

Lin Qi paused for a moment. "Miss Makino, this isn't suitable for you."

Makino didn't turn around. "Then you'd better not let anyone chase you into the store."

The special agent captain kicked the major away, then thrust a needle hidden in his palm at Lin Qi again.

Just as the needle was about to touch Makino's shoulder, another warning light suddenly appeared in the Sky Screen.

[Protected Civilian Witness silenced at close range]

[Should the minimum privilege level of the question setter be disclosed in exchange for mandatory isolation?]

Lin Qi stared at the line of text, his fingers tightening around the edge of the computer screen.

Publicly disclose the identity with the lowest possible privileges.

In other words, he admits that he is connected to the Sky Screen.

The cannon fire outside hadn't stopped, the villagers were still pulling the buoy, Luffy was calling his name from the other side of the Sky Screen, Garp was urging the ship on, and Akainu had already pushed the Marines to the opposite side of the Holy Land.

Lin Qi turned the computer around and typed "confirm".

[Successful Confirmation]

[Minimum Authentication Status Revealed]

Golden Light from the Sky Screen fell upon Lin Qi's head.

[Lin Qi]

[Current holder of question-setting authority in the God's Live-Streaming Q&A System]

The whole world fell silent.

The agent captain's needle stopped in mid-air, Luffy opened his mouth but couldn't say a word, Shanks' sword slowly lowered, and Akainu's confirmation stamp stopped above the document.

Lin Qi looked at the name on the Sky Screen, smiled wryly, and closed the computer halfway.

"Oh no, they've really been exposed."