The Ship Their Parents Left Behind

"That ship cannot go in."

The old doctor gripped the armrest of the wheelchair.

"There are cryogenic agents in the ship's hold; a leak could freeze the mine tunnels."

Luo stood at the submarine entrance, holding Lami in his arms.

"There are still things left by my parents inside."

"You can take the items out."

Where are they?

No life signs.

Vegapunk amplified the detection results.

There were only three bodies on the ship.

Lami stirred in Luo's arms.

"Several?"

Three.

"Dad, Mom, Dr. Wolf?"

Luo looked at the screen.

"Three people were detected."

"Then we should go in."

Chopper said, "You can't take her into the water right now."

"I'll go."

Drake stood by the entrance.

I hugged her.

Lami looked at the bandage on Drake's shoulder.

You're injured.

"I can still walk."

"Dr. Chopper said no."

Drake remained silent.

Chopper pulled a wheelchair restraint strap from the first-aid kit.

"Don't let anyone hug her, she should sit here."

Luo put Lami in the wheelchair and secured her feet.

The girl kept gripping his clothes.

Are you going too?

"Go."

They said one person couldn't board the ship alone.

I'm not alone.

Lami glanced at Chopper and Bepo.

"They're going too?"

Chopper stays here.

Chopper immediately said, "I can come along."

You need to keep an eye on her.

I will bring Medical Kit.

You need to keep an eye on her.

Chopper gritted his teeth and shoved the Medical Kit into Bepo.

"Then when you get back, let me check first."

"Good."

Don't be reckless.

"Know."

You've said "I know" many times today.

Luo pushed the wheelchair into the submarine.

The interior of the bear's submarine was small, with a few old lights hanging on the walls. No crew members were visible, and only an isolation door opened automatically.

The sound of a bear came from ahead.

"I've left a dry passage for you."

Luo asked, "Aren't you coming down?"

I can't leave the submarine for too long.

"Why?"

"Someone is tracking my abilities."

"Who?"

"World Government."

Aokiji stood outside the entrance.

"Are they tracking you too?"

"They're tracking everyone I've ever saved."

Aokiji looked at Luo.

"Go quickly and come back soon."

Aren't you leaving?

"The Medical Department staff are still here."

They won't let you go.

"I know."

Luo didn't ask any more questions.

The submarine submerged, and the seawater gradually covered the mine entrance.

The wheelchair was secured inside the cabin. Lami gripped the armrests, his gaze fixed on Luo.

"Elder brother."

"Um."

You've grown taller.

You haven't changed.

"I'll grow taller too."

"Meeting."

"You answered too quickly."

"Then I'll go slower."

Lami thought for a moment.

You must say, "Yes."

Luo placed his hand on her head.

"Meeting."

The submarine passed through the old mine tunnels and arrived beneath the White Swallow.

The clinic boat was anchored to the rock strata by four iron pillars, and its hull was covered with white sediment.

The hatch was unlocked.

The sign on the door had been crossed out in half.

[Last patient, please do not board the ship alone]

A new line of text appeared next to it.

[Bring your brother along]

Lami pursed his lips after seeing this.

Did your mother write it?

"Have no idea."

"Her handwriting resembles her."

Luo squatted down and ran his finger over the writing.

The cut was very shallow, indicating that the person writing it must have had little strength in their hand.

Miiru's voice came through the communicator.

"That's your mother's handwriting."

Are you sure?

"When she writes dates on her medical records, she drags the last stroke to the right."

Luo looked at the last stroke on the door.

She used to stay here.

"It should be."

What does "should" mean?

"Your parents went on the ship, but I haven't seen them leave."

Luo pushed open the hatch.

A medicinal smell wafted from the cabin, mixed with the smell of damp wood.

Lami whispered, "It's cold here."

Chopper's voice came through the communicator.

Push her back.

"It just smells like medicine."

"No, the cryogenic agent may have leaked."

I'll be careful.

"You don't understand medicine."

"Then tell me how to get there."

Chopper gave the directions.

"The first room on the right is the medicine cabinet. Don't touch the silver jars. There's white powder on the floor; walk around it."

Luo pushed the wheelchair inside.

Drake followed behind, carrying a flashlight.

Both sides of the ship's cabin were lined with hospital wards.

Each door has the patient's name written on it.

Some names have an X drawn after them.

Some doors only have bed numbers left on them.

The door to ward number seventeen was open.

It was completely empty.

There was a wooden box in the corner.

Luo went in to check.

There was no medicine in the box, only an old sewing kit and a letter.

The envelope was addressed to Lami.

"Give me."

Luo handed over the letter.

Lami took the letter, pausing for a moment when his fingers touched the seal.

"Can I see?"

"This is yours."

"Help me disassemble it."

Luo used the tip of his Kikoku knife to cut open the seal.

The letter was unfolded, and the writing on it was messy, with the ink breaking several times in the middle.

[Lami, if you wake up and see this letter, it means your brother has found you.]

Don't ask us why we haven't come back.

He will ask about everything and take you back.

If he refuses to go back, tell him that the tree in front of the clinic still owes him a swing.

Lami read the first few lines and started laughing.

At the end of the laugh, she raised her hand and wiped the corner of her eye.

There are no trees in front of my house.

"It was cut down later."

"Why?"

"Shipbuilding."

"You chopped it?"

I want to build a swing.

Can you do it?

"Won't."

"Then why are you cutting down trees?"

I was young then.

You won't either now.

I will learn.

Lami folded the letter carefully.

What happens next?

Luo accepted the letter.

If you find the White Swallow, go to the captain's cabin first.

There is a nautical chart there.

Do not follow the flight paths provided by the government.

The real path lies beneath the sea.

[Miiru knows how to sail a boat]

[If Miiru isn't here, burn the ship.]

[Do not let anyone take the ship back to Enies Lobby]

Luo raised his head.

A soft sound came from deep within the ship's cabin.

Someone knocked on the wall.

Drake raised his weapon.

"Not one of yours?"

Luo turned to look at Miiru.

There was no response from the communicator.

"Miiru?"

There was still no sound.

Vegapunk discovered that the submarine's external communications had been cut off.

"Someone is interfering."

Lami pointed to his feet.

"It's not a wall."

Luo unfolded the ROOM, and the wheelchair switched positions with the ground.

A narrow passage was exposed beneath the ship's deck.

There were three iron boxes in the passageway.

Each tin box had a name tag attached to it.

Doctor Trafalgar.

Doctor Trafalgar's wife.

Wolf.

Luo squatted down and opened the first metal box.

Inside was a clinic stamp stained with blood.

The second metal box contained a burnt scarf.

The third metal box contained a Den Den Mushi).

The Den Den Mushi suddenly opened its eyes.

Wolf's voice came through.

"If someone opens the metal box, it means we are already dead."

Lami gripped the letter tightly.

Luo placed the Den Den Mushi) closer.

"Continue."

Lami has been sent away; the other children are still underground.

We will go back.

"If they don't come back, let whoever finds this ship know that the children didn't die from disease."

The sound from the Den Den Mushi stopped for a long time.

They died in the lockdown.

A third voice came.

He is Luo's father.

We can't save everyone.

His voice sounded tired.

"But the one who survives should not atone for the sins of the dead."

Luo looked down at the metal box.

The father added, "Luo, if you hear this when you grow up, don't go looking for everyone who killed us."

Lami looked at Luo.

The Den Den Mushi continued playing.

"Take your sister home first."

"My home is gone."

"Then let's build a new one."

Recording has ended.

The only sound in the cabin was the metallic clanging of wheelchairs.

Lami reached out his hand to Luo.

"Elder brother."

Luo held her hand.

"I am here."

We want to go home.

"Um."

"Shall we go back to the clinic first?"

"Go back to the ship first."

Is there bread on the ship?

"No."

"Then you must learn."

"Go back and study."

Drake walked to the entrance of the passage.

"Someone's here."

The sound of propellers could be heard from the sea.

Vegapunk restored a segment of external footage.

Three black submarines surrounded the White Swallow.

The markings on the hull have been worn away.

The bear's voice came back on.

"They've found this place."

Luo asked, "Medical Department?"

There's one more person.

"Who?"

Doflamingo.

On the screen, a thin line cuts through the seawater and gets tangled around the bow of the White Swallow.

The other end of the line was connected to the submarine at the very front.

Doflamingo said, "Law, you've found the ship your parents left behind."

Luo pushed Lami back to the door of the ship's medical room.

What do you want?

"That ship."

"Why?"

"There's something on the ship that proves your parents didn't die in Flevance."

Lami asked, "Where are they?"

Doflamingo did not answer.

Luo said, "You know the answer."

"I know where they went before they died."

"Explain."

"Give me the Den Den Mushi."

You go first.

They went to a place.

"Where?"

Doflamingo laughed.

"God Valley."