Chapter 408

"Prophet? Who is it? Since this information leaked from within Hearts… it seems he's currently imprisoned by them." Sima Di asked.

"We don't know who this mysterious prophet is… but when it comes to this matter, we find it very strange."

"How so?"

"Bruce Mr. was originally sent with me to infiltrate the Navy. I was discovered by CP9 as an ordinary person with notable combat talent and trained accordingly, while Bruce Mr. later infiltrated a Navy base as a clerk, waiting for an opportunity to gather intelligence…"

"A clerk ended up becoming one of Hearts?"

"The key point is here. On the third day after Bruce Mr. infiltrated the Navy, he was secretly arrested on charges of stealing classified documents… but in reality, Bruce Mr. hadn't done anything yet. On the very day he was to be secretly executed, a ghost broke into the Navy base and rescued Bruce Mr."

"That ghost… was one of Hearts?"

"Our methods aren't sufficient to generate a communication signal covering the entire Grand Line, but small cameras—Gurna's skill could still produce them… Bruce Mr. once took a simple photo of him. Perhaps you recognize him." As he spoke, Zi Zi Busheng moved his mouse and pulled up a somewhat blurry photo.

But the blurriness wasn't enough to prevent Sima Di from recognizing the person in the photo.

"Ninth-generation Hearts, Wine-Red Gentleman Lu Hai. He was also my sponsor." Sima Di said without hesitation, "Why did he save Bruce Mr.? And… what exactly happened with the Navy?"

"If even a small Fish-Man Island has a Xia Li, how could the Navy, which governs and manages the entire Grand Line, lack any depth?"

Zi Zi Busheng pulled up another photo—this one was far clearer than the one of Lu Hai.

"The Navy's exclusive prophet, possessor of a power beyond Observation Haki—Mechar."

The photo showed an elderly man.

He had a pair of enviable wine-red wavy long hair and deep, captivating emerald eyes, but his face bore deep nasolabial folds and several crow's feet around his eyes, appearing to be around forty years old, dressed in a white ceremonial robe, his expression solemn and stern. The scene of the photo appeared to be one of his public speeches… or rather, brainwashing sessions.

Sima Di thought that if this man smiled, he would be the perfect candidate in Sima Di's mind to portray Esmeralda.

"So this Mechar prophesied that Bruce would steal some important document?"

"Correct. But we don't know which document. Then…" Zi Zi Busheng pulled up Lu Hai's photo and placed it side by side with Mechar's, "This ninth-generation Hearts, under unknown orders, rescued Bruce and sent him to Lu Kasi's side as a bizarre cargo escort."

"As far as I know, Lu Hai never liked Hearts' methods. After becoming Hearts, he held only three Death Games, then committed suicide right before my eyes, leaving the mess to me."

"So we can deduce three pieces of information… though these may have omissions—please, Red Heart, fill in the gaps." Zi Zi Busheng adjusted his collar and sat up straight.

Sima Di had seen this version of Zi Zi Busheng through surveillance cameras—when he looked like this, it meant Zi Zi Busheng's reasoning mode had TURNED ON.

"Your Watson is ready, Mr. Holmes. Begin your deduction." Sima Di smiled.

Zi Zi Busheng cleared his throat and said, "First, there is a Heart who possesses a Devil Fruit ability to resurrect souls, and this person is very likely a living Heart or their Saint Messenger… you know what a Saint Messenger is, like your little follower."

Mentioning this little follower, Sima Di's face darkened.

"I know. They're all the same trash as Hearts, and potential successors to the new generation of Hearts."

"So you really dislike that fop…" Zi Zi Busheng said, "Then we can rule out the ninth-generation Wine-Red Gentleman."

"Correction! This person is not the third-generation Lu Kasi that Sanzo saw, nor the seventh-generation Orta and his assistant Machinaga, whom I've already killed. The eighth-generation Evelyn is still alive, so she has a certain possibility."

"You killed the seventh-generation?" Zi Zi Busheng's tone rose in surprise.

"Technically, only Machinaga. Orta at the time was probably just a soul implanted into a Czech doll… and now it seems Machinaga may still be alive as a soul. But… I don't believe the Devil Fruit user has sufficient power to control the souls of past Hearts."

"I fully agree." Zi Zi Busheng slightly organized this information and entered it into his computer, "Please don't mind—this information must be compiled into a report for my superior… though his assistant is the one who actually reads it."

"Even the Revolutionary Army cares about reports? I thought they'd be more free…"

"No rules, no order. The Navy became this corrupt precisely because they applied rules only to outsiders while ignoring them themselves. Those ridiculous Celestial Dragons pretend to be aliens every day—wait till we give them an actual UFO and they'll be thrilled… enough of that. Let's move to point two. Second, there is another prophet within Hearts, of power comparable to Mechar's—possibly a Devil Fruit ability, or possibly a power beyond Observation Haki. But this prophet is hostile to Hearts, and I believe his current situation matches your suspicion—he's likely imprisoned somewhere by the Hearts organization."

"No… no additions." Sima Di hesitated slightly, then said.

In truth, Sima Di already had a guess—but it was too immature, and voicing it would only cause unnecessary worry.

Zi Zi Busheng didn't notice Sima Di's unease—he was fully immersed in his own reasoning.

"Third, the ninth-generation Wine-Red Gentleman is very likely the same kind of being as you, and he followed the mysterious prophet's orders. That's why he saved Bruce and placed him under the third-generation Killer King as a cargo escort—to prepare for Bruce's future theft of the document."

"Lu Hai is called the Wine-Red Gentleman for a reason. The first eight generations were all vicious criminals; Lu Hai was far better in comparison. Though his methods were extreme and I don't personally endorse them, his intentions were good. He saved as many people trapped in despair as he killed."

"I've followed those incidents too. The Wine-Red Gentleman resembles a dark version of Sanji. He respects and sympathizes with people—he saved many who suffered under domestic violence and had no way out, including numerous same-sex wives. And I agree with you… his methods of saving people were too extreme."

"According to your deduction… I think our dark version of Sanji has been punished by the Hearts organization. We don't know the nature of the punishment, but we can confirm two things." Sima Di held up two fingers.

Zi Zi Busheng nodded and continued Sima Di's thought, "First, it's not fatal. Hearts is desperately short on personnel—they won't let go of any usable resource. Second, the punishment must be unbearable."

"Hmm… yes…" Sima Di's gaze held concern.

He had said before that the other eight were all vicious criminals, and their methods of torture were endlessly inventive.

"By the way, do you want a copy of this prophecy too?" Zi Zi Busheng asked.

"Is it okay if I keep a copy?"

"Of course—it's exactly what we want. We wish the entire world could see this prophecy against Hearts. If even one person understands it, we've won." As he spoke, Zi Zi Busheng manually copied a copy for Sima Di.

"That's true… then what's next? What are your plans?"

"This USB drive contains not only these indecipherable languages but also a string of numbers, correct? Those are the keys to unlock the Second Basement Level of the Justice Tower."

"Second Basement Level? Deeper than the place Luffy went?"

"Luffy and the others went to the First Basement Level of the Justice Tower—the underwater passage leading to Zhiqiao. But the Justice Tower also has a Second Basement Level… Red Heart, I think you know what I'm referring to—Inmor."

"It converts human emotions into special energy. Its efficiency is higher than any known energy source. And besides serving as ordinary power, it has other uses."

"What are those uses?"

Sima Di thought for a moment, then shook his head.

Zi Zi Busheng sighed, "I suppose you wouldn't know—because those uses likely can't be realized even in that world."

"For example?"

"Artificial Devil Fruits—the raw material for SMILE."

"What! SMILE! This is the raw material for SMILE!"

Sima Di was stunned and leapt to his feet.

"Oh my ancestors… keep your voice down! They're fighting, but they're not deaf!" Zi Zi Busheng quickly covered Sima Di's mouth.

"Mmm… mmm…" Sima Di's eyes signaled he could remove his hand—he'd lower his voice.

"Though I plan to join the Revolutionary Army after the Justice incident, some things still can't let CP9 know… this Justice Island was long used as a transit point for Inmor, until just days ago, when they decided to abandon it and temporarily store the Inmor in Seven Water City. If I can make it in time, I might help destroy some of the cargo."

"As for that shipment... I think it's unnecessary. Because I've already sent that place, including the other three cargo escorts, to heaven. Consider it revenge for Master Bruce." Sima Di took a test tube from his inner pocket, containing a pink liquid. "This is the last vial of that shipment. I kept it, feeling that one day it might come in handy. I suppose you Revolutionaries won't mind me keeping one private sample, right?"

"H-type Enmore, derived from Happiness..." Zi Zi Busheng recognized the type of Enmore, a faint smile on his face. "What's there to mind? As long as you don't return to the Spades, that's the greatest help to us. Besides, you're now on the same side as me... Also, thank you for avenging Mr. Bruce."

"No need to thank me. Besides, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have ended up in this situation." Sima Di's face wore an expression of guilt.

"Don't think that way. At the very least, I have no complaints about this place; in fact, I'm quite excited. How many people dream of coming to the world of pirates? Besides, meeting that guy Gulnar and becoming close friends was no small joy." Zi Zi Busheng said, "Now, let's go check out that Second Basement Level. There should still be quite a few stocks that haven't been shipped to Spades Island."

Zi Zi Busheng handed the written prophecy to Sima Di, who carefully stored the paper prophecy and the H-type Enmore close to his body.

"So our current goal is to destroy all the potions..."

"There might even be unexpected gains."

Zi Zi Busheng put away the USB drive and then put on his knuckle dusters.

Boom—

Zi Zi Busheng punched it solidly, completely destroying the homemade laptop.

Zi Zi Busheng glanced over and saw the word "heartache" written on Sima Di's face.

"It's just for insurance. Although this thing isn't easy to make, it's not difficult either. Don't underestimate that kid Gulnar."

"Awooo—!"

As Zi Zi Busheng and Sima Di reached the Second Basement Level, they heard such a howl.

Immediately following was a violent shake.

"Looks like Chopper 070 has gone berserk..." Zi Zi Busheng looked up, watching the debris shaken down.

Sima Di didn't answer; his gaze was somewhat dim.

Zi Zi Busheng saw Sima Di like this and patted his shoulder.

"This isn't like the arrogant Red Heart from back then... Don't worry. This is a necessary path for Chopper's growth. If you go to help him, you'll only make Chopper's time remain forever on Sakura Island."

"Hmm... I understand..." Sima Di forced a smile.

When exactly did I change from a simple bystander into the person I am now...

Who knows...

The two walked to the heavily locked door.

The material the door was made of was very similar to the external equipment used to transport Enmores; it wasn't something that could be opened just like that. Even a Superhuman with over five hundred Ryouki would be useless. Unless the opponent intended to break the load-bearing wall of this entire level and perish together with whatever was inside.

Zi Zi Busheng entered the password, unlocking the first security gate, then took out an ID card he had obtained long ago and passed through the second security gate.