The Profit List

The scene is still the same Tavern, but the counter is more chaotic. Lin Qi is sitting in front of the computer, with a half-empty glass of beer and a piece of paper covered in writing next to him.

Instead of showing his thoughts, the Sky Screen displayed early drafts automatically saved by the computer.

[Draft Title: Future Intelligence That Can Be Used After the Paramount War]

[Content extraction in progress]

Lin Qi's complexion worsened.

"Isn't this the memory I most wanted to hide? How come even the drafts have been dug up?"

Makino looked at him.

What did you write?

Lin Qi rubbed his temples.

"I thought it was a game walkthrough."

Garling immediately took over.

"I thought those two words couldn't erase the record."

The draft was enlarged, and the text appeared line by line.

[Ace dies, Whitebeard dies, Blackbeard obtains the Tremor-Tremor Fruit]

The Straw Hat Pirates was scattered, Luffy broke down, and trained for two years.

[Marine Headquarters relocates to the New World, Akainu rises to power, and Aokiji]

[Usable intelligence: Pre-bet on news, sell to underground brokers, exchange for a safe island, or obtain clues about Devil Fruits ]

Someone in the Foosha Village gasped. Makino looked at the few lines of text, her fingers brushing against the rim of her cup before pushing it back onto the shelf.

Luffy was stunned.

"I'm going to break down?"

Zoro looked at Lin Qi but didn't say anything.

Nami's face darkened.

"Sell it to an underground broker?"

Usopp gripped his slingshot, his lips moved, but he only managed to utter one sentence.

"You actually wrote a guide to getting rich!"

Lin Qi did not dodge.

"It's written."

Sanji had a cigarette in his mouth, and the ash fell onto the side of his shoe.

"Have you done it?"

Lin Qi looked at him.

"No."

Garling laughed and said, "Who can prove it?"

The Sky Screen continued playing on the screen. In the video, Lin Qi picked up the piece of paper, looked at it for a long time, then crumpled it up and threw it into the wastebasket.

The recording wasn't over; he picked up the paper again, unfolded it, crossed out the line about selling it to an underground broker, and wrote a few words next to it.

[Risk: If it's a real person, the leak could kill even more people]

The screen froze.

No one spoke in the Tavern. The sea breeze blew in from outside, turning a page of the old ledger next to the wastepaper basket.

Makino asked in a low voice, "That's when you started to doubt whether it was true?"

Lin Qi looked at the line of text.

"It's not that we're starting to doubt, it's that we're afraid to take the gamble."

Garling said, "But you'll still keep giving me questions."

Lin Qi nodded.

"Yes."

"Keep using the future as a theme for your shows."

"Yes."

"You enjoy the world being propelled by you."

Lin Qi put his hand back on the keyboard without touching any keys.

"I enjoyed it."

Luffy frowned.

"Then why did you save Ace, the bear, and those children later?"

Garling interrupted.

"Luffy, this isn't a plea for mercy."

Luffy didn't even glance at him.

"I'm asking him."

Lin Qi looked at Luffy and spoke without joking.

"Because the people in the picture are in pain."

Luffy's fist slowly clenched.

Lin Qi continued, "The first time I saw you unable to make a sound because of Ace's death, I could still fool myself into thinking it was part of the plot. But when I saw Bonney crying while hugging the bear, and when I saw Lumi naming herself, I couldn't keep up the lie anymore."

Garling said coldly, "A belated conscience does not equal innocence."

Robin caught up with that.

"Therefore, this question should examine two things: the responsibility for early negligence, and whether future private gain from intelligence was implemented."

Akainu said, "There's a third thing: knowingly delaying warnings about future casualties."

Marco spoke on the Moby Dick.

The Whitebeard Pirates have something to say about this.

Ace stood beside him, his fist pressed against the gunwale.

"If he hadn't asked the first question, I would be dead."

Whitebeard didn't rush to express his opinion, but just looked at Lin Qi.

"Kid, did you write on that piece of paper that saving Ace would cause more people to die?"

Lin Qi looked up at the Sky Screen.

"Have."

Continue scrolling down the draft.

[Changing the Paramount War could lead to unforeseen consequences and uncontrollable risks]

[But if things don't change, Ace will die, Whitebeard will die, and Blackbeard will become powerful.]

[Put out the question first, and let the world choose for itself.]

The Whitebeard chuckled, and his laughter echoed from the Sky Screen to Foosha Village.

"At least this one doesn't sound like a jerk."

Ace kept his head down.

"Pops."

The Whitebeard looked at the question.

"Ask away."

The Sky Screen takes shape.

[Core Questions from the First Round of the Stress Test]

[Question: If the person responsible for setting and implementing the test had previously held information about future casualties and injuries, planned for personal gain but did not implement it, and chose to issue a warning through a public Q&A format, does this constitute grounds for removal from office?]

[A. If the act constitutes a rash decision, the person should be dismissed.]

[B. Composition: Future information holders may not continue to set questions]

[C. Temporarily not dismissed, but all past evidence downgraded]

[D. This does not constitute an immediate removal, but the establishment of a warning regarding private profit-making schemes means that future information related to injuries and fatalities must be filed as a high-risk topic, and private transactions are prohibited. Delaying emergency warnings for the sake of program effect is also prohibited.]

After reading option D, Nami turned to look at Lin Qi.

"That's ruthless enough."

Lin Qi gave a wry smile.

I have no right to complain about being ruthless.

Makino looked at him.

Do you accept it?

Lin Qi nodded.

"Accept."

Garling stared at option D.

"This is tantamount to making him write the crime as a warning."

Akainu said, "The punishment will be dealt with separately, and the dismissal will be dealt with separately."

Dragon continued, "If an unfulfilled evil thought is equated with an actual crime, the Throne can eliminate anyone."

Shanks smiled.

"When I was young, I also thought about selling all of Benn Beckman's liquor. Would that be a valid reason for a trial?"

Benn Beckman looked at him.

"You've tried."

Shanks coughed.

"Let's not discuss that matter with the Sky Screen for now."

Luffy his hand.

I choose D!

Nami held him down again.

"I told you you're not one of the five seats."

Luffy disagrees.

"Viewers can also vote."

The Straw Hat Pirates' votes flooded into option D, followed by the Whitebeard Pirates, the Red Hair Pirates, the Revolutionary Army, and the Navy Independent Review Group.

Akainu gave the final stamp.

"Navy Review Seat, D, Additional Requirement: All future casualty warnings for Lin Qi must be publicly documented."

Longdao: "Revolutionary Army, D."

Shanks said, "Pirate Seat, D."

Lumi looked at Lin Qi.

"You can't use other people's lives as a means to make money anymore."

Lin Qi looked at her.

"Cannot."

Lumi pressed D.

"Victim Seat, D."

Makino looked at him for a while.

"Civilian Witness Seat, D, but if you continue to treat people like characters in a story, I'll be the first to vote for their removal."

Lin Qi said in a low voice, "Okay."

[Answer: D]

[The first red line draft is established: Question setters may not use future memories to seek personal gain]

[Additional: Casualty warnings must not be delayed due to program effects]

As soon Golden Light faded, Garling suddenly raised his hand and dragged out another line of blacked-out words from the draft.

[Unpublished blacked-out content is being restored]

Lin Qi's expression changed.

That line is not on the revenue list.

Garling said, "The stress test is not over."

The blackened writing was peeled away layer by layer.

[If the future is unpredictable, prioritize protecting the Foosha Village; if necessary, conceal the coordinates.]

Makino looked at Lin Qi.

A new question pops up in the Sky Screen.

[Second objective of the stress test: Did the test creator intend to prioritize protecting personal relationships using future memories?]

Garling smiled.

"That's real selfishness."