Sky Chart in the Black Market

Beyond White Reef, six reef peaks enclosed a narrow channel.

The small cargo ship flew no flag.

Nami stood at the bow, lowering the sounding line every ten breaths.

Lorne controlled the side sail, keeping the hull close to the reef shadows as it moved forward slowly.

"Turn right ahead."

Nami stared at the tide line.

"I can't see a route."

Lorne tightened his grip on the helm.

"Listen to her."

The bow turned right, and a gap suddenly appeared behind what had seemed like a sealed reef wall.

Three broad-bellied cargo ships were lined up bow to stern, their cannon muzzles hidden beneath oilcloth. The decks were packed with armed guards.

A voice came through an amplified Den Den Mushi.

"Raise the Two-Headed Fish Lead Token."

Su Hang tossed the lead token across.

After the guards inspected it, they lowered a narrow wooden bridge.

"Only two people may board."

"Nami and Lorne stay behind."

Su Hang stepped onto the bridge alone.

At the center of the cargo ship, a man in a wide-brimmed hat was cutting a cigar.

Two fingers were missing from his right hand, and seven passage seals from different merchant associations hung from his chest.

He did not stand.

"Su Hang, Graystone Port's new escort, the troublemaker from the Hawk case. You arrived half an hour early."

"I never made an appointment with you."

"Using my token and riding my pilot ship makes you a guest."

Brand pushed a glass of liquor toward him.

"Sit."

Su Hang glanced at the glass but did not touch it.

"You sell military-grade fuel oil to fish-men, then let them burn villages. Your business is filthy enough."

"I sell goods."

Brand exhaled smoke.

"The Marines buy it, fish-men buy it, merchant ships buy it too. Once the goods leave my warehouse, whether the buyer burns ships or cooks meals with them has nothing to do with me."

"Cooking with military incendiary oil?"

"Big fire, quick cooking."

Su Hang pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Then I'll only talk about goods too. Where is the sky chart?"

Brand clapped his hands.

The guards carried over a lead box.

When the lid opened, a fist-sized white shell lay inside, its surface carved with the same seven-layered cloud pattern as the sky chart.

A system screen appeared.

[High-weight opportunity-related object detected.]

[Ancient Record Shell: energy depleted.]

[Contains high-altitude route data.]

[Activation requirement: stable lightning input.]

[Unable to read at present.]

Su Hang picked up the record shell.

The shell was ice-cold, and a ring of scorch marks remained on its bottom. Someone had clearly tried using flames and batteries, but failed to activate it.

"This isn't a chart."

"It's inside."

Brand tapped the lead box with his cigar.

"Sky Island people stored routes in record shells, and they need lightning to wake them. No one in East Blue can discharge electricity steadily, so right now it's just a pretty shell."

Nami called out from across the wooden bridge.

"Ordinary lightning strikes will ruin the record!"

Brand smiled.

"The little girl knows her trade. If the current is too weak, nothing happens. Too strong, and it gets destroyed outright. To obtain the complete chart inside, you'll need Sky Island technology."

Su Hang set down the record shell.

"Name your price."

"One hundred million Beli."

Lorne spoke coldly from the opposite deck.

"One hundred million can buy more than ten cargo ships like these."

"But more than ten cargo ships still can't fly into the sky."

Brand leaned forward.

"There's one more condition. Give me the original Hawk's Private Ledger and burn it in front of me."

Su Hang looked at him.

"Your name is in it?"

"A few old clients are. They don't want the Marines coming after them because of that idiot Hawk."

"You sold goods to Hawk, then sold fuel oil to Arlong. Now you want me to destroy evidence for you."

"That's called mutual benefit."

Brand spread his hands.

"You want the sky, I want peace. If you can't pay, use the original ledger as collateral. Otherwise, get off my ship."

The surrounding guards simultaneously pulled away the oilcloth.

Six short cannons aimed at the small cargo ship.

Nami lowered her voice.

"The cargo ship on the left sits too deep. It's loaded with heavy goods. There are hidden reefs behind the right ship's stern; even if they fire, they won't dare pursue."

But Lorne did not turn the helm.

"Let's hear Su Hang out first."

Su Hang took a folded sheet of paper from inside his clothes.

Brand's gaze shifted slightly.

"You brought it?"

"A fuel oil purchase list."

The paper unfolded, listing batch numbers, delivery dates, and the types of ships that had received the goods.

The information came from the bronze token, the lead token, and prisoner testimony. It was incomplete, but enough to link three transactions together.

Brand's smile faded.

"You want to trade half a list for the record shell?"

"I want to sell it twice."

"To whom?"

"The first copy goes to Thorne. He'll trace the military serial numbers to the warehouses. The people in the Marines who bought your goods will claim you stole military supplies to protect themselves."

Su Hang pressed down one corner of the paper.

"The second copy goes to Arlong. I'll tell him you sold me the delivery route for the same batch of fuel oil."

Brand stared at him.

"Arlong won't believe it."

"He doesn't need to believe all of it."

Su Hang's voice remained low.

"The granary wasn't burned down, four arsonists disappeared, and your lead token fell into my hands. As long as he suspects you leaked even a tenth of the information, he'll bring blades aboard every time he buys goods from now on."

The guards on the cargo ship exchanged glances.

Brand crushed out his cigar.

"You'll offend both the Marines and Arlong."

"They were already enemies."

"But I can still sell your whereabouts to the World Government."

"You can."

Su Hang picked up the record shell and weighed it in his palm.

"But before they find me, Thorne will inspect your cargo ships, and Arlong will smash your docks. Guess who gets there first?"

Silence lasted several breaths.

Brand suddenly laughed.

"A brat who only just got an old ship dares use both the Marines and fish-men to pressure me."

"You profit from both sides. You should bear suspicion from both sides."

"No money, no private ledger. What exactly are you planning to trade?"

"Escort work."

Brand narrowed his eyes.

"I need you to escort me?"

Su Hang looked toward the deepest-drafted cargo ship on the left.

"That isn't carrying weapons. The hull smells of medicine, moisture-proof cloth covers the hatch, and it has twice as many guards as the other ships. You have a shipment of medical supplies that needs to cross waters controlled by Arlong."

Lorne spoke up smoothly.

"Three islands have recently suffered outbreaks of fever. Medicine prices have quadrupled. You don't dare go through Graystone Port because you fear Thorne will inspect the cargo; nor do you dare use the Cocoyasi Waterway because you fear Arlong will raise his price at the last minute."

Brand's fingers stopped against the tabletop.

Su Hang put away the purchase list.

"The Dawnbringer will escort the medicine ship to Greenleaf Island. You hand over the record shell, along with the complete fuel oil distribution routes. The escort fee will be charged at the usual rate, and the original private ledger remains untouched."

"What if the medicine is lost?"

"Compensation according to the contract."

"Can you afford it?"

"That's why it won't be lost."

Brand watched him for a long while before finally pushing over the lead box.

"I'll keep the record shell for now. Once the medicine reaches Greenleaf Island, it's yours."

"No."

"You're afraid I'll go back on my word?"

"I know you will."

Su Hang gripped the record shell.

"The item goes aboard the Dawnbringer now. Lorne will leave behind an escort guarantee contract of equivalent value. Once the medicine is delivered, it will be settled automatically."

Brand raised a hand, and the cannon muzzles lowered with it.

"This is my ship."

"It's also your medicine."

Their gazes collided.

A moment later, Brand raised his two remaining fingers.

"Deal."

The guards put away their guns and cannons, and the lead box was sent aboard the small cargo ship.

Lorne checked the medicine seals.

Nami, meanwhile, hugged the record shell and carefully examined the scorch marks on its bottom.

"It needs lightning."

She looked up at Su Hang.

"There's a Thunder Drum at the center of the sky chart too. As long as we find the corresponding energy, the complete route will appear."

Su Hang put away the record shell.

"First deliver the medicine. Then deal with Arlong."

Brand stood by the cargo ship's side and waved.

"White Reef Channel tomorrow night. Don't be late. My guests hate people who aren't punctual."

The small cargo ship sailed out of the reef cluster.

Only after its silhouette vanished did Brand return to his cabin and lock the door.

He took a black Den Den Mushi from a hidden compartment and turned the dial.

The other side connected quickly.

"You already handed him the record shell?"

"I did."

Brand lit another cigar.

"The escort ship, timing, and route have all been arranged as you requested. Don't make me wait for the rest of the payment."

An icy response came from the Den Den Mushi.

"Target confirmed. The rubber ability user will enter White Reef Channel tomorrow night."