CP9's Backup Plan

Huoyu Island, town center.

A simple high platform had been erected, and seven members of the Giant race lay prone upon it, bound by shackles, unable to move.

The time was nearing noon.

More and more townsfolk gathered here, pointing at the giants awaiting punishment above. Many faces were twisted with hatred and anger.

The Giant Warrior Pirates were no saints.

Every island near Elbaf had been plundered by them!

A public execution of the Giant race was truly a sight the islanders relished.

In a hidden chamber, three CP9 members, now in plain clothes, were growing anxious.

Where the hell had that Yamauba woman gone?!

They waited for her, but she never came.

As the execution time drew closer, Peslo gritted his teeth and growled, "Prepare the backup plan, damn it!"

The female CP9 said, "I knew that Yamauba couldn't be relied on. If we use the backup plan, that Warden of Impel Down, Figo, will be trouble. Marine Headquarters will probably find out."

"It doesn't matter. They'll find out sooner or later anyway."

Peslo took a deep breath. "And if we move quickly, if that Warden isn't nearby, he might not even react in time!"

"You... you're not planning to leave him on the island, are you?" the other CP9 asked in surprise.

"Yeah, we'll just notify him afterward."

Peslo nodded. "Move out!"

His figure vanished from the spot, speeding back toward the warship. The other two turned their gazes toward the distant execution platform.

On the warship, Figo sat opposite Sister Galmero, who was locked in a cell. He looked at the unconscious nun, a bit troubled.

Not troubled because he had inadvertently sabotaged CP9's operation—after all, it was this nun who had attacked him first, who had started trouble with him.

He was in the right, so what was there to fear?!

Besides, cooperating with a human trafficker was no good thing anyway. Sabotaging it was fine.

What troubled him was what to do about the Giant execution. Regardless of whether the World Government's cooperation with a human trafficker tainted justice or not, at least from this operation, it seemed the World Government had no real intention of publicly executing these seven giants.

Perhaps they feared further angering the Giant race, who had already disbanded the Giant Warrior Pirates. Or perhaps they wanted to harness the power of the Giant race—Giant Marines.

But now that the nun who was supposed to stop the execution had been captured by Figo, wouldn't the execution proceed without interruption?

And the consequences would partly fall on Figo—that was the troublesome part.

Either way, there was no way he was letting go of the captured trafficker. He glanced at the sky. About half an hour remained until the execution began.

Figo opened the Prison Archives. Sure enough, Giant Kevin's status had changed from 'In Custody' to 'Under Execution.' If the execution ended, his status would change to 'Deceased.'

Then the corresponding page in the Prison Archives would turn gray—this was experience Figo had gained from eight years guarding Impel Down.

"I'd better go take a look," Figo thought.

But just then, the page for Kevin suddenly changed color. Not gray, but an unprecedented, glaring red!

Figo froze, then looked at his information.

Status change: Escaping!

Figo instantly understood. CP9 hadn't seen the nun, so they had a backup plan after all?

Two minutes earlier, on the execution platform.

Xiao, the chief executor, looked down at the sea of people gathering below the platform, their shouts of "Kill them!" rising and falling. He was a bit nervous.

Only he, as the commander-in-chief, knew this execution was no simple matter. The three CP9 intelligence agents would definitely make a move.

But he didn't know the specifics.

How would they act?

Would the execution be completed?

As he grew anxious, his vision suddenly blurred.

A female CP9 appeared before him in an instant, swinging a fist at him while giving him a meaningful look. On the other side, several dull thuds rang out—his Marine subordinates were easily knocked flying by another CP9 member!

So straightforward and brutal?!

Xiao was shocked, but he had grown somewhat over the years. He reacted instantly, putting up a token resistance before letting the female CP9 knock him down.

In just five or six seconds, the two CP9 agents had successfully 'taken out' all the Marines on the platform.

The crowd that had been shouting for the giants' execution a moment ago now gasped in shock. When the male CP9 threw a knife down, they scattered in panic.

"A prison break?!"

"Why are they saving those giants?"

"Run! There's a murder!"

The town center erupted into chaos!

Two CP9 agents swiftly unlocked the restraints binding the seven giants. "Move it!"

The sudden turn of events caught the seven dejected, tortured giants off guard. Staring at the unfamiliar faces, they asked in confusion, "Who are you?"

"No time to explain!"

"Just follow us!" The two pretended to fish the keys to the giants' chains from Xiao's arms, unlocking their shackles.

Regardless, having been saved at the brink of execution, the seven giants instinctively trusted the two CP9 agents and followed them down from the platform.

Though weak, their long strides carried them quickly as they followed, driving the townsfolk aside and rushing out of the small town.

Only then did they think to ask, "This, this direction... where are you heading?"

"The Navy will react soon! We have to leave Huoyu Island first!" said the female CP9. "We need to seize that warship!"

"Seize a warship? No way!" The giants stopped in their tracks. One tall giant with a bushy beard said, "That warship has Warden Figo of Impel Down on it. That guy..."

"We know! It's fine, he's not on the ship right now. One of our companions has already gone to take it. Don't worry!"

The seven giants exchanged glances but ultimately chose to trust their 'saviors' and ran toward the warship!

This was CP9's backup plan.

No middleman like the Nun.

They'd earn the Giant race's goodwill themselves!

They'd figure out the rest later.

Peslo, who had gone ahead, was indeed there to seize the ship. But just as he boarded from a corner, before he could knock out a single Marine, his expression shifted sharply.

"Figo?! Why are you on the ship!"

"Ah, I ran into a small issue and came back. And you?" Figo smiled, asking Peslo back as if nothing was wrong.

Peslo was speechless.

Frustration, irritation, speechlessness—complex emotions flickered across his face. He even considered trying to knock Figo out, but in the end, reason won out. He could only tell Figo the 'truth': "The World Government never intended to actually execute the Giant race.

We were supposed to cooperate with a Nun, who would stage a rescue of the Giant Pirates to earn the Giants' goodwill, acting as a liaison between us and the Giant race to recruit Giant Marines.

But that Nun never showed up for some reason, so we had to change plans on the fly. Luckily, the Giants haven't seen our faces. Those two are disguised as passersby who 'rescued' them, and I came to seize the ship to 'save' the Giants.

Warden Figo, I hope you'll cooperate with the World Government's operation. Disembark now and take a long vacation on the island. I'll knock out the Marines on board and continue our plan. Once things settle down, a ship will come to pick you up."

Figo, however, looked 'shocked'!

"You mean a Nun? A pretty one with golden curly hair?"

Peslo blinked: "Huh?"

Figo frowned and pressed: "It really is her! What kind of partner did you pick? That woman's a bandit—she attacked me for no reason!"

Peslo: "...And then?"

Figo pointed toward the brig.

"She's locked up in there."

Peslo was shattered: I'll f***ing kill you!

Ah, the contract's taking forever. I mailed it Monday, and it still hasn't arrived by Saturday. Crying.