"Everyone is here!" Rocks' voice was like rolling thunder, suppressing the noise at the scene. His crimson gaze swept over every great executive present.
"Maron is dead! And Shakky was kidnapped right under our noses! This is a slap in the face to me, Rocks!"
He slammed his hand onto the armrest of his throne, and the hard stone instantly cracked with spiderweb-like lines. "Speak up, all of you! Any clues?! Who did this?!"
Shiki spoke first, his tone filled with malice. "Gahahahaha! Who else could it be? It must be those insidious bastards from the Marine! Or the running dogs of the World Government! They don't dare to fight us head-on, so they resort to these low-down tactics!"
Newgate set down his wine jug and said in a deep voice, "Gurararara... The Marine is a possibility, but to kidnap Shakky silently on Hachinosu Island in such a short time, and to dispose of Maron and his crew... The other party must be very familiar with the island's defenses and our patterns of operation."
Shikaku interjected at the right moment, his tone carrying a sense of analysis. "It might not necessarily be an external force. Perhaps... it's some 'internal' rats who are dissatisfied with our Rocks Pirates, or who want to use this to stir up trouble?"
His words were pointed, instantly making the atmosphere in the room even more subtle.
That there were traitors within the Rocks Pirates was something everyone was basically aware of, but stating it so bluntly was undoubtedly a challenge to Rocks' authority.
"A traitor!" The horned apprentice Kaido waved his Mace and shouted loudly, "Who do you think it is! Say it, and won't we know after beating them up!"
The hot-headed Kaido added stubbornly, completely failing to notice the subtle expressions of the great executives around him.
Captain John sighed, looking heartbroken. "Regardless of who it is, Miss Shakky's safety is the priority. We must find her as soon as possible! We need to send more men and expand the search range!"
Everyone chimed in one after another. The scene seemed intense, but it always revolved around external forces or vague guesses, unable to produce any substantial clues.
Charlotte Linlin watched this chaotic discussion with cold eyes. Even without divination, she knew that the person capable of kidnapping Shakky on Hachinosu Island could only be one of their own!
(To have the strength and opportunity to kidnap Shakky in the core area of Hachinosu Island, to avoid most eyes and ears, and to wipe out the Maron Pirate Crew before they could even send out a warning... such people can be counted on one hand.)
Her gaze slowly swept across the faces of Rocks, Shiki, Newgate, Shikaku, John, and the others.
Rocks' anger did not seem fake; it was the fury of someone whose authority had been challenged. Moreover, Rocks had indeed rarely been fawning over Shakky recently, so it was unlikely.
Shiki's agitation was more about feeling embarrassed and the trouble of the situation. Newgate's concern was purer; he seemed more focused on Shakky's safety itself.
Shikaku... something seemed hidden deep in his eyes, but his surface analysis sounded reasonable. John...
However, just by observing and using vague divination, she could not be certain who it was.
Divination was not omnipotent, especially when involving powerhouses of the same level or when interfered with by some kind of power; the revelations obtained were often fragmented.
As for using her Observation Haki to sense emotions? Charlotte Linlin shook her head inwardly.
Not to mention that everyone present was a Haki expert who could more or less resist or interfere with emotional probing, even if she could sense them, emotions like anger, worry, and greed were too common here and now to serve as conclusive evidence.
While Charlotte Linlin was observing everyone, someone was also observing Charlotte Linlin, or rather, observing the sword at Charlotte Linlin's waist. This was John.
On the surface, he was still "heartbroken" over Shakky's disappearance, but when his lowered eyes occasionally lifted, his gaze would rest on the gorgeously crafted nodachi at Charlotte Linlin's waist. Hidden within that gaze was a trace of imperceptible eagerness and calculation.
(Someone actually took on this mission! Damn it, doesn't he like Shakky? Although Shakky's disappearance is a pity... but I didn't expect you, Charlotte Linlin, to actually come back because of this... And looking at the situation, you'll definitely stay on Hachinosu Island for a while this time, right.)
John's thoughts raced, (This is a... rare opportunity. If I take that sword quietly now, everyone will think it was done by the thief who kidnapped Shakky.)
The meeting continued amidst fruitless arguments and suspicions. The shadow of the kidnapper loomed over everyone's heart, and cracks of distrust spread silently.
Watching this scene, Charlotte Linlin knew that until that traitor was found, Hachinosu Island would likely know no peace.
The reason Shakky was called the treasure of Hachinosu Island was not only because of her peerless beauty, but also because her bar preserved a pure land for this pirate paradise.
The rule "No fighting in Shakky's bar" was a bottom line that all pirates on the island silently observed.
And her disappearance, to the pirates on Hachinosu Island, was like a group of addicts losing their only dose. Without this buffer zone, Hachinosu Island would only fall into even crazier chaos.
The final result of the discussion was also left unsettled.
Both Charlotte Linlin and Rocks knew that there were plenty of undercover agents from various forces on Hachinosu Island, but those capable of killing Maron and kidnapping Shakky without alerting others, while not many, were still a few on Hachinosu Island.
...
At night, the stars were sparse, and the bright moon hung high.
A figure silently arrived outside Charlotte Linlin's residence.
As a pirate with her own territory outside Hachinosu Island, Charlotte Linlin had completely abandoned her previous stronghold on the island.
The territory she had occupied near Newgate had long been carved up by other pirates. Now, her only property on Hachinosu Island was this luxurious manor belonging to a great executive of Rocks.
This time returning to Hachinosu Island, Charlotte Linlin only brought Gloriosa, leaving all her other subordinates in Inazuma. The moment she learned of Shakky's disappearance, she flew back to Hachinosu Island with Gloriosa.
The manor was silent. In the master bedroom, Charlotte Linlin lay on the bed in an ungraceful posture, with the petite figure of Gloriosa curled up on her abdomen, forming a tranquil picture.
Just then, some items in the room began to float strangely, drifting silently out through the skylight one by one.
In the shadows of the manor, Captain John was anxiously sifting through the items floating in front of him.
"Not this! Not this! Still not this!" He swatted away item after item, beads of sweat seeping from his forehead.
"This shouldn't be? Under the effect of my Magnet-Magnet Fruit ability, no matter how big the sword is, it should have been sucked out, right? Why is it not here!"
"Tell me, is there a possibility," a cold, clear female voice came from above, "that the sword has a consciousness of its own?"
John stiffened, and cold sweat instantly slid down his temple. Only then did he realize that he had been completely enveloped by a larger shadow.
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