Expose the Secret

"What should we do next?"

Olvia saw how troubled Palo looked and spoke up to smooth things over.

Moyun did not continue pressing him.

He knew about Kaido's "SMILE" plan. These townspeople were probably just the results of failed products.

The squads' withdrawal was likely proof that Kaido had given up on this aspect.

"Do you know where the factory in this town is?"

Palo nodded. He had already mapped out the entire island.

The factory was built high atop the island's mountain. Without some special ability, there was no way to get up there.

It had taken him quite a bit of effort to climb up back then.

"So how are we supposed to get up there? Oh, right, Palo, are you a Devil Fruit user?"

"I'm not. I don't like Devil Fruits. They can grant abilities, but their weakness is simply too obvious."

Palo smiled sarcastically.

Sailing across the sea, yet having the sea itself as your weakness.

Wasn't that ridiculous?

He had seen quite a few Devil Fruits before, but he had never eaten one.

Instead, he had chosen to improve his boxing skills.

"Then how did you get up there? I've never been up myself, but that mountain doesn't look short. Could there be some kind of ladder or something?"

Moyun rubbed his chin. This man really is mysterious.

Still, that was perfectly normal. Ten minutes ago, they had been strangers.

"I climbed up."

Moyun: "???"

Wait a second. Did I hear him wrong? He really climbed up?

He climbed all the way up that towering mountain?

Luffy had climbed Drum Island before, but Luffy was the protagonist, and he had a rubber Devil Fruit to boot.

"What's wrong? Is there a problem?"

Palo saw Moyun staring at him and awkwardly scratched his buzz cut.

But when Moyun saw the powerful muscles on Palo's arms, he suddenly understood.

"When we go up later, I can carry you two on my back, though it might be a little strenuous."

Palo looked Moyun up and down, then glanced at Olvia.

Neither of them looked particularly heavy. It should be fine.

Over the past year, he had also been working hard to improve his strength.

Moyun waved his hand. Climbing a mountain sounded like such a hassle. He could teleport, after all.

"You don't need to carry us. We have an easier way to get up there. Let's head over first."

Palo nodded without asking any questions.

He pulled off his apron and walked out from the back.

At two meters tall, he gave off quite a bit of pressure. Even Moyun could not help taking a second look.

He had not seemed so imposing earlier, but being this close to him was a different matter.

The man had shed his disguise, and a thick smell of blood clung to him.

Of course, it was not from slaughtering pigs. It was the scent of someone who had walked out of a mountain of corpses.

"I'll take you there, but you'd better disguise yourselves too. I'm worried there may be informants here."

"Probably not necessary. I caused quite a commotion on the street earlier."

Moyun stretched deeply and yawned.

"What! How could you be so careless?"

Palo frowned and looked at Moyun with clear disapproval.

Moyun shrugged. What could he do?

They had only just arrived in this place, and everyone here was acting so strangely.

Besides, who could have known that merely giving someone a light tug would cause such a huge commotion?

"Looks like we need to hurry."

"Why are you so cautious? You've mentioned informants several times already. Have you actually seen one?"

Moyun was curious. Even if Palo was cautious, surely there was no need to take it this far.

To his surprise, Palo actually nodded.

It had happened the last time that squad had appeared, during what should have been their final patrol.

He had seen the red-haired woman signal someone in the crowd with her eyes.

Palo was not even sure whether she had really signaled someone or whether her eye had simply twitched.

Still, there was no harm in being careful.

"So that's why you've always been so cautious?"

Moyun almost felt his own eye twitch. This man really is meticulous to an absurd degree.

Still, being meticulous was a good thing. Hopefully, Palo would get a chance to show off his abilities. Having him as a crewmate would not be bad.

At the same time, on a certain island, a woman wearing a black camisole received a phone call.

"What!"

The woman shot to her feet, knocking over the beer on the table. She had no time to care about that.

"How could anyone have gone to that island?"

"This is absolutely true. It's a silver-haired boy and a tall woman. They went into a butcher shop and still haven't come out."

A man hiding in a corner spoke quietly into the Den Den Mushi.

A sharp glint flashed through the woman's eyes.

That should have been impossible. No one had entered that island in all these years.

Perhaps the explosion during the experiment had altered the island's magnetic field. In all these years, not a single pirate entering the Grand Line had reached the island.

They had thought they no longer needed to keep watch there.

So they had left. After all, even the scientists had departed, which meant the factory was no longer of any use.

"Keep an eye on them! Don't let a single one of them leave!"

They absolutely could not let those outsiders see the secrets inside the factory.

After shouting, the woman hung up immediately.

"What's wrong, Chigu? Why are you so angry?"

A tall, fat man chuckled and raised the wine glass in his hand toward Chigu.

"Who the hell can still drink? New people have invaded Brandy Island! We need to get there right now!"

"What! When did this happen?"

"Just now!"

Chigu spoke in a low voice.

Fortunately, they had kept an informant there out of caution. Otherwise, this matter would definitely have exposed them.

They did not even dare imagine what would happen if the cadres learned about this.

The others also stopped what they were doing.

Looks like they would have to go back. They wanted to see who had been bold enough to do this.

Didn't they know whose territory this was?

"We're leaving now. Kill every last one of them!"