Plan Before Acting

"Are we just leaving like this?" Li Ziming looked at the masked man—or rather, Bruno—in confusion.

"Whether we leave or not seems to have nothing to do with you. Remember your status. You are merely my prisoner," Bruno said coldly.

"Fair enough." Li Ziming shrugged and casually pulled out a deck of cards. "Robin, Franky, let's play Landlord."

"Landlord?" Franky asked curiously. "What's that?"

"A game. Come on, I'll teach you." Li Ziming immediately began explaining the rules of Landlord.

"This game is pretty fun!" Franky said happily. "But there should be some kind of punishment for losing, right?"

"What kind of perverted nonsense are you thinking about?" Li Ziming irritably kicked Franky. "Robin is a lady. We should show some gentlemanly manners around ladies!"

"You really do have good taste!" Franky acted as though he had not heard a word. "I'm a super pervert, after all!"

Bruno watched Li Ziming and Franky with a twitching eye. Neither of them had even the slightest awareness of being prisoners. Still, as long as they did not make trouble by trying to escape, Bruno could not be bothered to manage them.

"That's enough!" Bruno had no interest in interfering, but Robin could not stand it anymore. "We're heading to Enies Lobby!"

"So what?" Li Ziming replied with a smile. "Enies Lobby does not mean death. Besides, if this really is the end of my journey, then it only means I was not capable enough."

"Exactly." Franky nodded. "I still haven't beaten Spandam into a pulp. I don't want to die like this, and besides, I'm super strong!"

"No, we're definitely going to die." Robin smiled bitterly. "You don't understand."

"I don't understand?" Franky's voice was filled with resentment. "How could I not understand the methods of those World Government bastards? If it were not for those filthy people, how could Mr. Tom have died? I'll settle things with Spandam myself!"

"That's just how governments are. They clearly crave power that does not belong to them, yet when they encounter someone who possesses power beyond their control, their first thought is not to control it, but to destroy it." Li Ziming shrugged helplessly. "Filthy politics."

Bruno shook his head, unwilling to pay any more attention to the three of them. As an enforcer of the World Government, he worried that if he kept listening, he would not be able to stop himself from taking care of them.

"Well, well, the annoying guy is gone." Li Ziming's mocking voice made Bruno clench his fists, but he did not attack. He simply left calmly.

"Brother, can you tell us what your plan is?" Franky looked at Li Ziming seriously. "If we really reach Enies Lobby like this, our chances of survival will be slim."

"Have faith in our companions." Li Ziming smiled. "The strongest people on Enies Lobby are only CP9. Everyone else is basically ordinary soldiers. Enies Lobby is important because the Gates of Justice connect it to Marine Headquarters and Impel Down. Those two places truly are packed with powerful people, so whatever we want to do this time can only be done on Enies Lobby—and it is also the best place to do it."

"Brother, your plan sounds huge." Listening to Li Ziming, Franky felt that he intended to do something extraordinarily major to Enies Lobby.

"What are you trying to do? Knowing information about the Ancient Weapons is already a serious crime! Do you want to keep making one mistake after another?" Robin said angrily.

"A mistake?" Li Ziming froze, then looked at Robin with amusement. "Robin, you think that is a mistake? It is only a mistake because those World Government bastards say it is. And unfortunately, what I care least about is other people's opinions. Life is short. If you worried about what others thought at every turn, wouldn't life be exhausting? I only hope my life will not be filled with regrets. As for what others think, what the hell does it have to do with me?"

"Hahaha, well said!" Franky laughed loudly as he looked at Li Ziming. "Brother, I'm liking you more and more!"

"You're not bad either." Li Ziming looked at Franky with equal satisfaction. He had initially thought Franky was just a pervert, but it turned out his personality was not bad either. "Still, this plan may be a little serious. It would be bad if it were exposed, so forgive me for not being able to tell you directly."

"No problem. Then let's talk about the ship you asked me to build! I've already prepared the Treasure Tree Adam. I plan to give this ship two propulsion systems. One will be the usual system using waves and wind, while the other will use those electrical devices you gave me." Franky proudly explained his setup. "That way, your ship can sail even in the Calm Belt, and it will greatly improve its survivability against storms and rough seas."

"Very nice." Li Ziming was quite satisfied as he listened to Franky's design. "But what about the Ship Spirit?"

"As for the Ship Spirit, Iceburg and I discussed it. We plan to dismantle the Going Merry and see whether we can build a miniature Going Merry." Franky thought for a moment. "Then we'll make that miniature Going Merry part of the new ship. It's the best solution Iceburg and I could think of."

"Couldn't we dismantle the Going Merry and use those materials to build the new ship?" Li Ziming suggested.

"That would be difficult." Franky shook his head. "That method could indeed make a new ship. I've made things out of junk before, but the quality of something built that way cannot be guaranteed. It could fall apart any day. Besides, some of your ship's materials have already deteriorated badly. That would only increase the burden on the new ship."

"True." Li Ziming nodded helplessly. "I'm really looking forward to continuing our adventures aboard the new ship."

"We..." Robin looked somewhat sorrowful.

"If you're looking forward to it, then don't go running off on your own!" Sanji's displeased voice came from nearby.

"So you followed us after all." Li Ziming looked at Sanji as though everything had gone exactly as he expected.

"Please, you left me a letter. If I still couldn't figure out your plan, I'd be too stupid—even more stupid than Luffy." Sanji said helplessly. "But are you sure you want to do this?" Sanji was still shaken. On the night before they arrived at Water 7, Li Ziming had come to find him. Sanji had thought Li Ziming was going to hand Robin over to him, but instead, Li Ziming had merely given him a letter and told him to open it at the critical moment. He had not expected the letter to contain such an enormous plan. Even he had been startled by it.

"What exactly are you trying to do?" Robin grew angry. "I don't want to go back to..."

"Relax, relax. Leave what comes next to me." Li Ziming said with satisfaction. "Since you're already here, Sanji, Nami must have opened my letter too."

"You left a letter for everyone?" Sanji looked at Li Ziming curiously, unable to understand how he had predicted the current situation.

"Of course. As someone who plans before acting, I'm used to planning everything in advance." Li Ziming shrugged. "This time, let's make a real mess of things."

At the same time, every member of the Straw Hat Pirates had opened the letter Li Ziming had left for them. When they hurried outside and saw that everyone else was holding a letter too, they all understood that Li Ziming had planned everything out already and was merely waiting for them to take the stage.