News from Morioh

I haven't fully figured it out yet, and a week's vacation isn't enough.

I'll ask for three more days; updates will definitely resume on the 10th.

This chapter is something I forced out (filler) to avoid readers losing their investment due to 7 consecutive days without updating (sorry) (/ω)

One week later.

April 4, 1999, morning.

The organization's new headquarters in Rome is a beautiful European-style mansion.

In the past, the Passion Organization didn't even have a boss who dared to show his face, let alone a proper organizational headquarters.

But things are different now. A new era, a new atmosphere. The first thing Giorno Giovanna did upon taking office was to completely overturn Diavolo's previous policies of secret police control and white terror, making the organization's administrative management completely open and transparent.

Diavolo in the past was used to hiding his true intentions and acting furtively, even when he was cleaning up his own house, he would do so secretly.

Li Qing and Giorno are different.

They never resort to such underhanded methods as assassination.

They kill openly.

Unfortunately, Giorno and Bucciarati's new policy of banning "trade in local specialties" had already provoked a fierce backlash from many vested interests as soon as it was proposed, even before it had been officially implemented.

Now, even the lessons learned from the Assassination Team's defeat were no longer enough to deter those ambitious individuals.

Therefore, this so-called "organization headquarters" is actually a stage that Li Qing and others have set up openly for these ambitious people.

For the past week, they've been dutifully guarding this arena, investigating Diavolo's whereabouts both openly and secretly, while waiting for those traitors who are extremely dissatisfied with the new leadership and policies to come and die—yes, they are indeed courting death.

Because when those traitors arrive, full of excitement, they will find that the situation is completely different from the intelligence they had beforehand:

First of all, Li Qing's strength is two levels higher than described in the intelligence.

This massive and fatal intelligence error led to the tragic deaths of several challengers who relied too heavily on intelligence, all at the hands of Li Qing.

Secondly, these traitors were completely unaware of Jotaro and Star Platinum's existence.

There's this man whose face screams "Invincible" guarding this place.

Many of the tough young men who came to challenge the boss couldn't even get up the stairs of the mansion, and they didn't even know what methods their enemies used. They were inexplicably beaten and seriously injured as if they had encountered a ghost.

And so, because everyone who came to challenge this organization's headquarters never returned, and because the new boss Giorno Giovanna's name is abbreviated as GIOGIO in Italian...

Therefore, within the organization, among those members who had been silently observing the recent changes, the mansion chosen by Li Qing and others as their headquarters had been nicknamed "Gio Demon Mansion".

"It's been three days in a row."

"No traitors have come to give us experience points for three consecutive days."

Slumped on the sofa, Li Qing sighed listlessly:

"It seems you've firmly secured your position as 'boss,' Giorno."

"Probably."

"There have been enough lessons from the past."

"As long as the rest of the people aren't stupid, they'll settle down and acknowledge us as their boss."

Giorno said calmly

His posture remained consistently elegant, a stark contrast to Li Qing was sprawled on the sofa like a slime.

"However, this stability is certainly only temporary."

"Once our policy of banning 'specialty trade' is officially implemented, more conflicts will definitely arise within the organization... or even a split."

Reform is never easy, especially when Giorno is trying to take away such a large piece of the pie.

Mafia members don't work for Passion Organization out of any sense of brotherhood or loyalty; all they want is profit, a chance to get a slice of the pie.

Diavolo had at least fed the organization's top brass with the profits from the specialty trade, but Giorno wanted to take away such a large piece of the pie without offering any new pie to share.

Without a source of income, even a large amount of savings will eventually be depleted, and the members of the organization will definitely feel dissatisfied when their income decreases sharply.

Thinking about this, Giorno couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

Unlike Li Qing, who had no interest in worldly affairs and only wanted to "save all living beings," he truly dedicated his life to the Passion Organization.

Managing such a large underground violent gang was a challenge that would give this precocious first-year junior high school student a real headache.

"It's okay, it all comes down to money."

"As long as we can make enough money to feed everyone, that's fine."

Li Qing, however, offered a solution in his nonchalant tone.

"Make money?"

"The holes we need to fill are not just a little bit."

"Is there any business more profitable than selling local specialties?"

Giorno asked, quite puzzled.

Yes, don't forget—

"I am, after all, an 'economist' who can predict the economic trend over the next twenty years."

Li Qing gave a mysterious reminder, and Giorno suddenly remembered that Li Qing seemed to have some strange ability to predict the future of the world.

This inexplicable ability once saved everyone's lives during their escape.

Now, Li Qing said confidently:

"Leaving aside investments that take several years to show results, I remember... cough cough, I predicted..."

"The US Stock Market's Internet Economic Bubble will probably peak next March."

"With such ample liquidity and a wealth of professional financial talent, we can seize the opportunity to go long or short, repeatedly fleecing two waves of capitalist leeks."

"You know, harvesting leeks is much more profitable than selling local specialties."

Li Qing stated his grand plan for making money with conviction.

Giorno was almost as clueless about investing as Li Qing, a guy who only knew through hearsay, listened very attentively.

"If this can be achieved, the organization's future development issues will be resolved."

"The policy of banning the trade of specialty products should be able to be implemented smoothly at that time."

Giorno's expression finally began to relax.

He has almost changed the country.

For the first time ever, the dream is to be fully realized.

Thinking of this, Giorno's usually resolute face showed a rare hint of a smile.

But he was precocious and seemed to be a guy whose mind was always busy.

Having found a way to resolve the internal conflicts within the organization, Giorno then began to worry about the unresolved external conflict:

"So, the most important issue now is Diavolo."

"The technology team has investigated almost the entire Italy this week, but they still haven't been able to find any trace of this guy."

"According to the science team, either Diavolo is hiding in some remote, impoverished area and has completely ceased his activities, or he has already fled abroad."

The Passion Organization's control over Italy is almost absolute; Polnareff was trapped there for so many years without finding a chance to leave.

But Diavolo is different; he founded the Passion Organization.

No one understands the Passion Organization better than him.

Therefore, the technology team believes that if it were Diavolo, it would be entirely possible for him to escape abroad without the organization's notice.

Upon hearing this news, Li Qing, who had maintained a calm expression, also appeared less relaxed:

The Earth is so big, who knows where Diavolo might escape to?

Diavolo's abilities are incredibly effective when used for assassinations and sneak attacks.

Having such a dreadful threat lurking in the shadows is as terrifying as seeing a cockroach disappear under your bed at home.

Where do you think he'll run to?

Li Qing had no idea what to do and could only ask Giorno for his opinion.

I think

Giorno seemed to have a genuine suspicion.

But before he could voice his suspicions, Jotaro hurriedly pushed open the door and entered:

"No need to guess anymore."

"I may already know Diavolo's whereabouts."

He stated it so bluntly.

Where?

Both Li Qing and Giorno seemed somewhat surprised.

"Morioh."

"This is where I came from."

Jotaro said with a solemn expression.

"Who leaked this information?" Giorno cautiously pressed. "Is this information credible? How did the source confirm that Diavolo is in Morioh?"

"It was the Josuke Higashikata me."

"Uncle."

Jotaro hesitated for a moment before managing to squeeze out the appropriate title:

He said he had just saved a Stand User whose enemy had displayed what appeared to be an ability to 'erase time'.

"In other words, Diavolo is very likely in Morioh right now."

"Why?" Li Qing asked, puzzled. "What would he be doing traveling halfway around the world to Morioh? Moving house?"

"This is probably because there are arrows in Morioh."

"Moreover, I accidentally let that slip to him over the phone once."

As he spoke, Jotaro frowned deeply:

"There is more than one arrow in the world; other arrows may also have the effect of enhancing the Stand."

"Diavolo probably wants to use this to make a comeback."

"I see!"

With that, everything became clear.

Li Qing immediately said without hesitation:

"Since the organization has stabilized for the time being, let's just head straight to Morioh now."

"Okay." Jotaro was even more efficient than Li Qing: "I've already asked the conglomerate to prepare the plane tickets. Everyone can leave at any time."

Almost without hesitation, the two finalized their travel plans that spanned half the globe.

"Etc."

Giorno, however, noticed something that everyone had temporarily overlooked:

"Who is that Stand User that your uncle saved?"

"Why would he fight Diavolo for no reason—if that really is Diavolo?"

"This"

Jotaro thought for a moment:

"According to Jōsuke, that guy is just an ordinary citizen."

"It seems that he hadn't seen many other Stand User before, and didn't even have a clear concept of Stands."

"As for why he got involved with Diavolo, I heard it was just an accident?"

"Ordinary citizens?"

"Or is he a complete novice?"

Upon hearing this, Li Qing couldn't help but marvel:

"For a rookie Stand User to survive Diavolo, this guy really has potential."

"What's his name? I'd like to meet him."

"Um"

Jotaro carefully recalled this name that he hadn't really paid much attention to:

"That guy seems to be calling..."

"Yoshikage Kira?"