No Private Deals

"Public."

Makino pushed the black envelope to the center of the Sky Screen; the Throne Mark on the edge of the envelope was still glowing, and the next line of text was exposed to the world.

[Civilian Witness Seat Trade Conditions: Relinquish Lin Qi's executive power, Throne guarantees Foosha Village will not be wiped out again]

The villagers outside the Tavern were in an uproar.

"They were about to shell us!"

"Now you're offering guarantees?"

"Can this guarantee be written on toilet paper?"

Makino didn't turn around; she just kept looking at the Chief Adjudication Platform.

"Garling, you're using Foosha Village as a bargaining chip. Did you even ask Foosha Village?"

Garling said coldly, "This is a stress test."

"Then let's get a clear answer."

Makino held the envelope down.

"The Civilian Witness Seats refuse to be traded privately and demand that all transaction terms be made public."

The Sky Screen unfolded in response, revealing the remaining four seals.

[Navy Seat Trade Conditions: Hand over Lin Qi Terminal, Throne recognizes Akainu as Fleet Admiral, and suspends Ohara's accountability]

Akainu's face darkened, and the officers in the office didn't dare to speak.

The crane looked at him.

"That's vicious."

Akainu threw the letter directly into the public area.

"The Navy Seat refused, Ohara pursued accountability, rejecting the postponement of the Throne."

Aokiji glanced up from another part of the scene.

I've remembered that sentence.

Akainu looked up at the Sky Screen.

"Remember."

The second letter unfolds.

[Revolutionary Army Seat Trade Terms: Relinquish Lin Qi's authority, release some captured Revolutionary Army from the Throne, and recognize autonomy in three liberated areas]

The flames on Sabo's hands almost burned his cuffs, but he managed to extinguish them himself.

"Leader."

After reading the letter, Long remained expressionless, only circling the three place names.

It knows we care about these people.

Emporio Ivankov gritted his teeth beside him.

That's why it's disgusting.

The dragon threw the letter into the open area.

"Revolutionary Army Seats refuse private deals; those arrested must not be used as bargaining chips for the right of investigation."

The third letter landed on the Red Hair Pirates.

[Conditions for the Pirate Seat Trade: Shanks leaves the Witness Seat, the Throne rescinds the Figarland kill order, and a portion of the God Valley Archives is returned.]

Shanks looked at the letter, his fingers tracing the hilt of his sword.

Benn Beckman spoke.

"Boss, the file might be real."

"I know."

"Then don't look at it for too long."

Shanks chuckled.

"I looked at it for a while because I wanted to remember what it used to entice me."

He also dropped the letter into the public area.

"The Red Hair Pirates refuse. I won't trade my background for someone else's right to investigate."

The fourth letter landed in front of Lumi.

[Victim Seat Deal: Hand over Lin Qi's executive power, acknowledge Throne 'Lumi name, and release two undisclosed frozen children]

When Lumi saw it, the Name Card in her hand almost slipped from her grasp.

Bonney's expression changed.

"Is it hiding a child?"

Mia immediately looked up at the Sky Screen.

"Request verification: Do the two undisclosed children in refrigerated conditions actually exist?"

Garling chuckled, "Transaction envelopes cannot be used in reverse."

Lumi looked up, her eyes red-rimmed, but she didn't cry.

"You traded your child for a ticket?"

Garling said, "You can save them."

Lumi bit her lip.

Bonney crouched down beside her, her voice softening.

"Lumi, you don't have to carry this alone."

Lumi pressed the Name Card to her chest.

"If I agree, Uncle Lin Qi will be arrested, right?"

Lin Qi opened his mouth.

"Lumi, this is not something you should be taking responsibility for."

Lumi didn't look at him.

"What will happen to the two children if I don't agree?"

The bear opened its mouth, and its voice traveled through the Sky Screen to everyone's ears.

"Victims should not be made to bear the blame for kidnappers."

Robin immediately took over.

"Is the application for an urgent question—that the Throne exchanged the right to review cases for undisclosed victims—constitutes a new form of tampering with evidence and coercion?"

Garling raised his hand as if to press the question down.

Lin Qi's input box lit up briefly, then was locked again by the Common Rules.

Makino looked at the other four seats.

"This question doesn't need Lin Qi."

Akainu said, "A joint statement from the Navy Seats."

Long Dao: "A joint statement from the Revolutionary Army."

Shanks said, "A joint effort by the Pirate Seats."

Lumi sniffed and pushed the envelope into the public area.

"The Victim Seat also signed a petition: I refuse to make a deal, but I want to save them."

Golden Light converged in the Sky Screen.

[Joint Emergency Question from Five Seats]

[Question: Is it valid for the Throne to demand the exchange of review powers between the witnesses and the hostages on the condition of releasing the hidden victims?]

[A. Valid; the transaction is established if it is voluntary]

[B. Valid; the Victim Seat can relinquish power to save lives]

[C. Partially valid, transaction details confidential]

[D. Invalid, constitutes coercion, kidnapping, and censorship, and the victim should be immediately added to the Protection List for not being publicly disclosed.]

Garling's expression finally changed.

This is not within the scope of stress testing.

Makino said coldly, "You wrote the child in yourself."

Akainu's stamp.

"Navy Seat, D, and requesting tracing the origin of the envelope."

Longdao: "Revolutionary Army, D, publicly verify the list of all those arrested."

Shanks said, "The Pirate Seat, D, and God Valley Archives do not offer tickets."

Lumi pressed D.

"Victim Seat, D, I don't want a deal, I want the list."

Makino pressed D.

"Civilian Witness Seat, D."

[Answer: D]

[The five private deals are invalid]

[The second red line is established: the five seats are prohibited from being traded privately for the right to review votes; all contact and transactions must be publicly recorded; and victims must not be used to exchange votes.]

[The Throne Envelope has been detected to contain fragments of real coordinates]

Garling immediately raised his hand, intending to cut the envelope.

Kizaru's beam pressed against the edge of the Chief Adjudication Platform on the outer ring of the Holy Land.

"You can't take this back."

Sabo's flames burned past the black markings.

"Leave your coordinates."

The Sky Screen extracted two blurry coordinates from Lumi's letter.

[Location of child in refrigeration not yet disclosed, under investigation]

[Location 1: Backup Medical Vehicle on the Lower Level of the Outer Ring of the Holy Land]

[Location 2: Chief Adjudication Platform Foundation Maintenance Cabin]

Bonney stood up.

"Below the Chief Adjudication Platform?"

Garling pressed his hand against the crown, and for the first time, he didn't laugh.

The dragon gave the order.

"Sabo, take the bear to the maintenance bay."

Akainu spoke at the same time.

"Kizaru, stop the Chief Adjudication Platform from moving."

Shanks draws his sword.

"Garling, you'd better not move."

Garling looked at the five seats, a murderous intent rising in his eyes.

"The stress test isn't over yet."

The third item appeared in red text on the Sky Screen.

[Third Red Line: The Throne must not bypass questioning to eliminate witnesses]

[A cleaning procedure has been detected in the maintenance compartment below the Chief Adjudication Platform.]

Lumi's face turned pale.

"It's going to kill the child."

Lin Qi stared at the screen, and the input box lit up again.

"I'll set this question."