Mera Mera no Mi Exudation

After a nap, I practiced swordsmanship for a while, and then helped brainstorm the company's corporate culture.

Generally, a single sentence is used to summarize the company's personality or ideals. For example, Anta's "Never Stop," Li Ning's "Anything is Possible," and ERKE's "Be the First" are famous.

Huawei's "Building a Fully Connected, Intelligent World," Apple's "Revolution," Tencent's "User-Centric, Technology for Good."

Of course, the current Morning Star doesn't even qualify to carry their shoes, so Sun Kangle's submitted corporate vision isn't extravagant.

Quality first, integrity management.

Zhou Qi naturally had no objections. As long as it didn't attract widespread attention and criticism, he wouldn't object.

Next was the LOGO. Morning Star is an ancient name for Venus. At first glance, it looks like the sun, but using Venus directly as the LOGO isn't appropriate. Sun Kangle submitted a golden sphere with several golden gradient areas divided by straight lines.

Well, it's quite tacky, to be honest. So Zhou Qi nodded in agreement.

He had no choice but to agree. If it wasn't made quickly, the product couldn't be manufactured, and the production line had been idle for several days.

Finally, it was five in the afternoon, and the container arrived at the warehouse. The delivery person also took photos, both inside and outside.

Zhou Qi had them open the container door before leaving. After the warehouse doors closed, Zhou Qi used a Space Gate to enter the container directly, arriving at this hazardous chemical warehouse.

The entire warehouse was empty, with nothing inside. It was impossible to tell why it was called a hazardous chemical warehouse.

Inside, all the cameras had been removed according to Zhou Qi's request. Zhou Qi wasn't at ease, so he spent a long time scanning with a camera detector he bought online. Only when he was sure there were no cameras left did he finally relax.

First, he opened a door, and it slowly rose around the container. On the other side of the door was the Loguetown Marine Base.

This way, the container could be handled gently and land softly, preventing it from being damaged.

Then he opened the door to Smoker's office. As expected, he was already waiting there.

"The fruits are bought. What's the plan?" Smoker asked.

"If they're bought, then pack them. I've already brought the boxes, they're on your roof!" Zhou Qi pointed upwards. "Where are the fruits?"

"Next door!"

There were many empty rooms in the Marine Base, so finding a place to store the fruits wasn't difficult.

"Find a carpenter and build a frame!" After looking at the fruits, Zhou Qi commanded again. "Carve out a space in the middle of this box that can fit one person. Fruits should be packed on all sides of him!"

"No problem, no need to look outside, the Marines have one!" Smoker said.

Indeed, the entire wooden frame was completed in less than half an hour.

It was a three-dimensional cross-shaped wooden frame, with fruits that could be placed above, below, left, and right. The opening in the middle could fit a person. It wasn't technically challenging, but Zhou Qi still took a photo.

If today's experiment succeeds, this thing will be indispensable in the future. They could find professional furniture factories on Earth to order a batch.

The wooden frame was placed inside, and then Zhou Qi opened the Space Gate again, placing the fruits one by one.

Smoker watched enviously from the side. It was too convenient!

Compared to Zhou Qi's ability, his own smoke seemed useless, and he wasn't even good at fighting!

"That!" Smoker suddenly spoke.

"What is it?" Zhou Qi asked.

"If the Marines need it, can you use this gate to help us transport some things?" Smoker asked. "Of course, I won't let you work for free, we'll definitely pay!"

"No problem!" Zhou Qi nodded. "But you can't transport pirates, I'm afraid of offending people!"

"Uh..." Smoker was speechless. Escorting dangerous pirates was definitely one of the needs, and you just blocked the path.

But thinking about it, he was just a weak merchant, so it was normal to be afraid of pirates.

Thinking this way, Smoker suddenly felt that Zhou Qi really needed a bodyguard, and his resentment towards Zhou Qi for tricking Tashigi away earlier lessened.

"Alright!" Smoker nodded.

"Okay, done!" On the other side, the fruits were all loaded. This was the efficiency of the Space Gate. Things that would take many people a long time to do were completed in minutes with the Space Gate, like rain.

"Next, you're up!" A Space Gate unfolded below the warehouse and slowly rose. The lower half of the entire container slowly disappeared before their eyes as if by magic.

Until later, when the Space Gate closed, the entire container disappeared.

Tashigi had been guarding the red-haired man for five hours. When she left, she was alone, but when they arrived, Zhou Qi noticed another person beside her.

Koshiro.

Tashigi practiced swordsmanship nearby, and Koshiro guided her.

"Captain, Qi-kun!" Tashigi quickly greeted them upon seeing their return.

"Mm, from now on, you should call me Captain Zhou Qi!" Zhou Qi said seriously.

"You joined the Marines?" Koshiro was a bit surprised. Based on your ideology, you shouldn't get along with the Marines!

"Uh, it's just a nominal position to make doing business easier, the kind where I just collect a salary and don't do any work!" Zhou Qi explained.

"I see!" Koshiro nodded, his eyes still calm, and his expression revealed nothing.

Zhou Qi praised him inwardly. Such mental fortitude, worthy of being in the Revolutionary Army.

"You must be the Sword Saint that Zhou Qi mentioned?" Smoker hurried forward after seeing them finish their conversation. "Thank you for taking care of Tashigi all these years!"

"Not at all, she worked hard herself! My help was insignificant!" Koshiro smiled.

"You've already helped a lot. After all, no one at our base is skilled in swordsmanship; she's been practicing diligently on her own. We were even worried she might go down the wrong path!" Smoker said. "Speaking of which, sir, with your immense strength, have you ever considered joining the Marines and contributing to this sea?"

Koshiro shook his head. "No, I'm just a recluse from the countryside, accustomed to a leisurely life..."

"I see!" Smoker nodded, then felt a bit regretful.

There was only one Sword Saint in the entire Marine force. If they could recruit another one, the Marines' strength would surely increase.

It was a shame the man wasn't willing to join.

"By the way, what are you guys up to?" Koshiro pointed at the shipping container on the beach. He had asked Tashigi earlier, but she hadn't said anything.

He wasn't one to pry into others' secrets, but this island was a contact point for their Revolutionary Army, so he had to understand what was going on.

Smoker looked at Zhou Qi, who then spoke, "I was wondering if, after Devil Fruit users die, their abilities could be replicated. So, I made this box to try it out!"

"Huh?" Smoker's eyes widened. You're just telling him this?

Aren't you being too trusting?

He didn't know that Zhou Qi had other plans, like the Thunder-Thunder Fruit needing to fall into the hands of the Revolutionary Army.

Koshiro would find out sooner or later, so it was better to tell him now.

This was the difference in information. Smoker didn't know that Zhou Qi knew Koshiro's identity and thought he was just naive and inexperienced.

Koshiro also didn't know that Zhou Qi knew his identity. He just felt that this disciple, whom he had only known for a few days, trusted him so much, and he was deeply moved.

As for Tashigi, she didn't know Koshiro's true identity, but she knew Zhou Qi's background and goals.

If such a thing could truly be achieved, then his ideals might not be impossible to realize!

Thinking of this, Tashigi's trust in Zhou Qi increased again.

If Zhou Qi had a system, he would probably hear Tashigi's loyalty +10, +10 notification sounds right now.

"Can something like this really be done?" Koshiro asked curiously, while also pondering what it would mean for the Revolutionary Army if this were true.

"I don't know, that's what we're testing!" Zhou Qi said, then with a sweep of his hand, he sent the half-dead red-haired man lying on the ground into the shipping container.

Zhou Qi opened another door, and on the other side was the red-haired man, trapped in a cramped space.

"Teacher, please do me a favor and inflict a wound on this red-haired man that will kill him in about ten minutes."

"Can't you just shoot him directly?" Smoker asked.

"What if his Devil Fruit ability escapes through the door the moment he dies?" Zhou Qi asked. "It's better to be safe than sorry!"

"Our experimental environment isn't precise to begin with, so we have to do our best in the aspects we can control!"

"Is that so!" Smoker nodded, having learned something.

The two looked at Koshiro. Koshiro naturally wouldn't refuse to help, as he was very curious.

Besides, this red-haired man was a heinous criminal, so he had no psychological burden in acting.

With a raise of his hand and a sword strike, the three didn't even see the sword's shadow before a bloody hole appeared on the red-haired man, bleeding profusely.

"That's good. He can last at least another fifteen minutes!" Koshiro said.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qi immediately closed the door, then opened a space gate connecting the beach to the sea.

The shipping container directly fell onto the sea and floated on the surface.

"What the hell!" Zhou Qi was speechless. The box was empty and waterproof, and the fruit's density wasn't high. Together, they weren't sinking!

"Is that it?" Smoker asked.

"It's far from over. Hurry up and push it into... forget it, I'll do it myself..." Zhou Qi remembered that Devil Fruit users couldn't touch water.

He looked back and found a beach with jagged rocks. Then, a space gate opened, and several large rocks fell onto the shipping container.

The shipping container was directly crushed, and ten seconds later, it completely sank to the bottom of the water.

The four of them sat by the sea, staring at the shipping container in the water, their eyes fixed, not blinking.

Time ticked by, and ten minutes quickly passed.

However, no one spoke.

Another ten minutes.

Ten minutes.

Until the sun set and the sky darkened.

"It should be enough by now!" Tashigi whispered. "Even if he didn't die from blood loss, he should have suffocated!"

"Uh..." The remaining three exchanged glances.

"It should be fine!" Koshiro was confident in his sword, but at this point, he couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

The inheritance of Devil Fruits!

If they could really achieve this, their Revolutionary Army could pass down strong individuals from generation to generation, and more and more of them.

Based on the principle that strengthening oneself is weakening the opponent, sooner or later, the Revolutionary Army's strength would surpass that of the World Government...

"Then, shall we retrieve it?" Zhou Qi asked.

"Get up!" Smoker's voice was a little hoarse. What would it mean if this really happened?

He didn't know. He was even struggling with whether he should report this matter.

After all, if this was true, then Devil Fruit Users on the seas would become highly sought after and then be relentlessly pursued by all factions.

Including himself.

He was highly valued in the Marines, but that was because he was a Logia Type Devil Fruit User.

But once Devil Fruits could be extracted, why would they value Smoker anymore?

As a high-ranking Marine, it wouldn't be excessive for me to look after a junior member of the family.

For the future of the family, Smoker, a small sacrifice from you to contribute your Logia Fruit, would be fine, right?

Just thinking about that dark future sent a chill down Smoker's spine.

At one point, he even thought it would be best if this experiment failed, and even considered whether he should get rid of Zhou Qi, keeping this secret forever a secret.

Fortunately, he was, after all, a man of justice.

He could only watch helplessly as the box was retrieved.

The gate opened, and countless fruits rolled out.

The four immediately rushed forward to search.

Before long, Tashigi's excited voice rang out, "I found it!"