Intelligence Gifted by an Enemy

Guanhao Floating Archipelago.

Adams was methodically directing the mud soldiers to sort and neatly stack the spoils of war.

Whoosh.

Amid the bustle, Lucci appeared like a ghost and reported intelligence that greatly surprised Adams:

"Latest intelligence. The Colombo Family has learned Nico Robin's whereabouts and is gathering men to capture her. The location is Lipari Island."

The air seemed to freeze for a moment. The faint, indifferent smile on Adams's face vanished, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly:

"Colombo? Since when did their intelligence network become so capable?"

As far as he knew, among the five great families of the West Blue, the Colombo Family was not known for its intelligence-gathering abilities.

"The intelligence did not come from Colombo itself."

Lucci answered his question.

"The Camorra Family voluntarily informed them. Camorra hopes to use the Colombo Family as a stepping stone to establish contact with the World Government."

Adams's expression turned subtle. The target he had searched for so long without any news had actually been found first by his own enemy. For a moment, he did not know how to feel about it.

He fell silent for a full two seconds before laughing soundlessly to himself, a hint of emotion rising within him.

Camorra... they truly deserved their reputation as the force that had unified every red-light district and black-market entertainment business in the West Blue.

Those glittering dens of vice really were rivers through which intelligence flowed. Their ability to investigate every corner was indeed something else.

He took a deep breath of the crisp high-altitude air, suppressed his chaotic thoughts, and his gaze sharpened once more:

"I understand. Go back and continue the preparations. Once I return from Lipari, proceed as planned. Begin immediately."

"Yes."

Lucci showed no unnecessary reaction. He nodded, and in the next instant, his figure vanished as though he had melted into the air.

Adams stood silently in place, his eyes deep and unreadable. After a moment, he turned toward the darkest corner behind him and spoke:

"When he learned about Robin's whereabouts, did he show any abnormalities?"

The shadows rippled like water, and Stussy stepped out gracefully. She leisurely toyed with a lock of hair, her voice sweet but calm:

"From what I observed at close range, no."

Adams looked at her and pressed on. "Then do you think... he is truly loyal to me?"

Lucci's near-twisted, fanatical loyalty to the World Government in the original story was simply too deeply ingrained in Adams's mind for him not to be cautious.

Stussy's smile faded as she considered it seriously.

"At least from what I can see, he has no ulterior motives for now..."

She paused, then added meaningfully,

"Of course, it is also possible that his acting is simply so good that even I was deceived."

Adams irritably raised a hand and rubbed his hair, letting out a sigh.

"If only I had mind-reading abilities. Then I would not have to go through all this trouble, guessing all day long."

As he said that, he seemed to suddenly remember something and turned his gaze toward Stussy:

"By the way, during Cipher Pol reserve training, did they not teach you any systematic methods for awakening Haki, especially Observation Haki?"

He recalled that the Observation Haki of certain top-tier powerhouses had indeed developed terrifying traits, allowing them to read thoughts and even foresee the future.

If he happened to awaken such an ability, not only would Lucci's loyalty cease to be a problem, but the thoughts of every subordinate under his command would be laid bare in the future.

Stussy shook her head helplessly.

Her tone carried a slightly coquettish complaint. "Dear Lord Adams, when you took me away, I had not even graduated from the training camp yet.

Advanced combat techniques like that would only be taught little by little after formally joining CP9 and passing its brutal assessments. I am still far from that point."

"I see... then there is nothing to be done. We can only keep things as they are for now."

Adams helplessly accepted this fact, then his expression turned serious as he ordered:

"You should make preparations as well. I intend to have you lead a team to wipe out the Camorra Family. At the same time, you will take over and consolidate the West Blue red-light district network controlled by the Camorra Family.

This incident made me realize that those places truly are excellent breeding grounds for gathering intelligence."

He paused, then added in a gentler tone:

"Oh, and do not forget to prepare a quiet, comfortable room for Robin."

Stussy smiled radiantly, her eyes gleaming with shrewdness and eager anticipation:

"Mm-hm, got it~ Just go without worry. Go quickly and come back soon, okay? ♥"

Her tone was light, as though she were a wife seeing her husband off and reminding him to return safely.

Adams nodded. After pulling up a nautical chart of Lipari and glancing at it, he rose into the air and departed.

Lipari Island. Dusk.

The setting sun poured its last lingering warmth over the ordinary island, dyeing its dirt-and-stone streets a warm orange-red.

It should have been a peaceful time for people to finish work, return home, and rest, yet an eerie panic hung over the streets.

Three hundred men dressed in brightly colored clown outfits, their makeup exaggerated and bizarre, were scattered through every street and alley. They shoved pedestrians aside, brutally kicked open the doors of homes, and repeated the same question to every frightened islander:

"Hey! Have you seen this person?"

What they waved in their hands was Robin's wanted poster, showing her young face beneath an enormous bounty.

Behind a narrow, dark corner, a small figure pressed tightly against the cold wall, scarcely daring to breathe. Robin listened to the noisy interrogations outside and the terrified denials of the residents, her body trembling slightly.

She cautiously looked around. When two clown lackeys turned to berate an elderly man, she darted like a startled wildcat into the deeper reaches of a narrower, darker alley, vanishing behind trash bins and hanging laundry.

Not long after Robin left, several lackeys who had received a clue hurried to the fountain plaza at the center of town. They babbled their report to a minor leader wearing more elaborate clothes and sporting an even more conspicuous red nose:

"Boss, we confirmed it. The grocery store owner said a little girl matching this description bought food a few hours ago. She really is here."

A savage, triumphant smile appeared on the minor leader's face as he waved a large hand:

"Good! Spread out! Conduct a full sweep! Do not overlook a single house, cellar, or dog hole!"

"Yes!" The three hundred clowns answered in a disorderly, excited chorus, surging toward every corner of the town like a spreading plague.

TO BE CONTINUED