One Piece Gunslinger

“What if I say no?” Bucky frowned, a bad feeling rising in his heart. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Two years ago, Li Ang gave him a big gift, and now he might have to pay back hundreds of times more.

“Captain Bucky,” Mochi swallowed hard, “now you’re the only one on the entire island who hasn’t joined the Revolutionary Army.”

Hearing Mochi, a veteran cadre, say this, Buggy was deeply shocked. He hadn't expected that even his most loyal followers of over ten years had all defected to the Revolutionary Army. And everyone knew what was going on, except for him. Even this island was actually Revolutionary Army territory; he had only used it temporarily.

So what can we do now? Captain Bucky is gone, but there are other captains. We have no choice but to compromise.

However, the revolutionaries also said that as long as Bucky fights for the revolutionary cause, he will remain Captain Bucky and his position will remain unchanged. He will still be in charge of Bucky Express.

"Okay, so what should we do now?" Bucky was quite easygoing; it didn't matter who he followed, it just meant that after joining the Revolutionary Army, there were some things he couldn't do, and he had to tone down his personality a bit. But compared to wealth, power, and his life, none of that mattered.

Kabaji had been waiting for this, and immediately pulled a letter from his pocket. Bucky quickly opened it and saw the opening line: "To my old friend, Captain Bucky." Clearly, this was a letter from Leon, written before Leon's arrest, or even earlier.

The above explains what Pakistan should do during the Marineford War; follow the procedures outlined above.

"Impressive. I, Bucky, am completely convinced of my defeat at the hands of you, Leon." Bucky sighed silently to himself after reading the letter.

Although the letter only specified what Bucky was to do and how to cooperate with the Revolutionary Army, the clever Bucky was able to deduce the overall outline of Leon's plan from his own actions.

"This was all planned from thousands of miles away, days ago. Such terrifying wisdom and audacity are comparable to the old captain back then… no, even more formidable! The World Government? The Navy? They thought this was an opportunity, but little did they know they'd already fallen into a trap. They were talking about how the Revolutionary Army was going to set a trap for the World Government; it turns out this trap was already set long ago!"

After reading the letter and making some inferences, Buggy's initial resistance dissipated, and he willingly joined the Revolutionary Army. Buggy's former captain was none other than the Pirate King Roger, and now even Roger was less important to him than Leon.

The last of the Seven Warlords of the Sea was Empress Hancock, residing on Amazon Lily in the Calm Belt.

Her job was rather unique, or rather, the most unusual. Everyone else had things to do, but she just needed to avoid causing trouble.

Before the battle, Li Ang calculated that if Hancock found out he had been captured and was to be executed, things would get out of hand. With her personality and her tendency to get emotional, she wouldn't follow the script anymore. She might even ruin the entire plan, making all the preparations pointless.

At the same time, Marineford would be in real danger on the day of the final battle, so for Hancock's safety, it would be best if she didn't come.

So Leon didn't tell Hancock anything about the final battle at all. He only mentioned it briefly when he left Amazon Lily for the last time, saying that he'd be busy on his way back. But once that work was done, they could practically be together forever. Leon had already planned to retire; once he finished this last thing, he'd go home and get married.

Li Ang has set a serious precedent here. Similarly, he hasn't told Hancock the whole truth.

To ensure things went smoothly, Leon secretly instructed his mother-in-law to keep a close watch on Hancock and prevent her from causing any trouble. Most importantly, she was to keep her secret about herself.

She even stayed by the Den Den Mushi (a type of electric scooter) used by the World Government for communication, so that whenever the World Government called, she would answer the phone in advance and agree readily, without telling Hancock.

Even Vice Admiral Mole, whom the Navy sent to greet Hancock, was intercepted by the Revolutionary Army halfway there. This Vice Admiral Mole was also unfortunate; he was beaten up before the final battle and was driven back. If it weren't for the superior performance and speed of his ships, he might have been completely wiped out.

Li Ang's protective measures were truly thorough, preventing the Navy from contacting Hancock and isolating all information; he was as secure as a dead dog.

Chapter 374 Another One Wakes Up

In the past two days, both the World Government and the Revolutionary Army have begun preparations.

There's been almost no major news in the outside world these past two days; things have been relatively calm. The only thing that could be considered news is probably the ten supernovas. But even if people heard that ten supernovas were causing trouble in the Sabaody Archipelago, they were already indifferent. They calmly said "oh," and then continued to focus their attention on the World Government and the Revolutionary Army.

At this tense moment, even the Four Emperors fell silent. Many were waiting for the outcome of the battle between the two armies, wondering if the world order would change after the war, and how to gain new benefits.

The term "Revolutionary Army" has once again been thrust into the spotlight, with many now realizing that the Revolutionary Army now possesses the strength to challenge the World Government, and has even surpassed the Four Emperors to become the world's second-largest organization, second only to the World Government.

The Revolutionary Army was enjoying great success, and some even suspected that if Chief of Staff Leon hadn't been captured, the Revolutionary Army might have surpassed the World Government in a few years.

"Once you've mastered my operations, all that's left is to go for it," said Li Ang, a German-style player.

However, Li Ang himself could only idly wait for time to pass. He had done all he could, and the rest was up to others to play out the script. Moreover, he didn't have the glamour of the revolutionary army outside; his life was quite miserable.

The wounds he sustained during his battle with Blackbeard haven't healed yet. After being sent to the World Government, he was even less likely to receive good treatment; they subjected him to further manipulation, exacerbating his injuries. To extract any information from him, they used every kind of torture imaginable—the tiger bench, pepper spray—tormenting him without killing him.

So, how should I put it, if Hancock found out about these things, she'd turn the world upside down.

However, even at this point, Li Ang would not back down. He was as if he were possessed by countless revolutionary martyrs, and no matter what kind of cruel torture was used, he would not budge.

The World Government eventually lost interest and stopped caring so much. As long as the plan succeeded in the end, the Revolutionary Army would disappear without a trace, so there was no need to dwell on these things.

The day before the execution, a navy man with a cigar in his mouth and a jacket casually draped over his shoulders approached Li Ang.

"Hey, you're still dressed so casually." Before the person could speak, Li Ang spoke first, his tone clearly that of a familiar friend.

The man who arrived was Smoker. Now, with all sorts of "merits" he had accumulated, he was no longer just a colonel, but had been promoted to a vice admiral.

Smoker looked at Li Ang, whose hands and feet were shackled with sea stone shackles and whose body was bound with iron chains to prevent him from moving around, and sighed, "Li Ang, I really didn't expect that you were actually a member of the rebels."

Seeing Smoker's helpless expression, Li Ang instantly understood that the World Government had investigated his visit to Loguetown years ago and discovered that he had indeed been there. After all, there were quite a few eyewitnesses from that time, so finding out wasn't difficult. Furthermore, Li Ang had a brief connection with Smoker, and they had sent him here to extract information.

However, now that the World Government has discovered that I once visited Loguetown, they may also be paying attention to Cocoyasi Village, and even Drum Country and Alabasta. It's likely that the real boss behind the Grandet Foundation is no longer a secret.

However, Li Ang didn't care about any of this. Now that these answers had been revealed, it meant that the matter had been settled, or that it was time to expose it. So it didn't matter if the World Government knew about it.

However, Leon remained unfazed by Smoker's attempts to elicit information, saying, "Heh, it seems the World Government sent you as a lobbyist. If that's the case, it's incredibly foolish of them to send a complete brute like you who has absolutely no conversational skills."

Li Ang's words were a sarcastic jab at both of them, not only mocking Smoker's inability to do it, but also ridiculing the person who came up with the idea as a fool.

As expected, Smoker lacked any outstanding mental fortitude and couldn't suppress his emotions. After being exposed by Li Ang, he looked somewhat embarrassed, directly confirming Li Ang's guess.

Li Ang further speculated, "Are you still carrying a Den Den Mushi? So that our conversation can be heard by those people far away?"

Li Ang's guess was correct; Smoker was indeed carrying a small Den Den Mushi (snail phone) for eavesdropping. Seeing that Li Ang had exposed him again, Smoker simply went all in and pulled out the Den Den Mushi, revealing his true intentions. After all, he had just happened to have contact with Li Ang before, which was why he'd gotten this job. This messed-up job was truly thankless and exhausting.

"Yeah, yeah, can't you give me some face? You guessed it but you still had to point it out." Smoker plopped down on the cell door and said with dissatisfaction.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Den Den Mushi, a dozen or so people were gathered, all high-ranking Navy officers and members of the World Government. The atmosphere became somewhat awkward after hearing Leon's taunts and Smoker's lightning-fast admission of defeat.

Only Garp, the carefree one, laughed out loud twice and took a couple of bites of senbei.

Just like Garp's feelings when he sent Ace to the execution platform in the original work, he felt the same way now. After all, this time he was dealing with his own son.

Therefore, although everyone was dissatisfied with Garp's reaction, they did not say anything because of Garp's status as a naval hero and his relationship with Dragon.

Back in the cell, after Leon easily saw through the purpose of their mission, Smoker also felt that the mission had failed completely and that it was impossible to get any useful information out of Leon.

So he stopped caring about the mission and started chatting with Leon about things from back then. He talked about things he was curious about and wanted to know. Of course, Smoker turned off the Den Den Mushi (snail phone).

"You know what? After listening to you, I went to Cocoyasi Village and found that the Rat Colonel was plotting with a group of Marines to completely control this area of ​​the sea. He didn't even bother to collude with other pirate crews; he planned to do it himself. The Marines have really fallen to such a low level."

"Oh? That's a bit unexpected, but it doesn't make much difference. In the end, you still managed to solve it, didn't you?" Li Ang said, seemingly surprised, but his calm expression betrayed nothing.

“Okay, actually, that’s nothing compared to something else.” Smoker also let out a long sigh. “You know what? When I infiltrated the village, I found that the villagers were actually plotting how to kill Colonel Rat. That’s what shocked me the most. The difference in strength between the two sides is so great. The Navy could wipe out the entire Cocoyasi Village with just a flick of their finger.”

If they succeeded, the scandal would be covered up, the Rat Colonel would become a martyr, and they would become the victims. But they were still fearless in opposing the Rat Colonel, which was tantamount to opposing the Navy.

Afterwards, I went back and quietly asked them if they didn't know this would have even more serious consequences. They replied that they would rather die with dignity than live in humiliation. Furthermore, their actions couldn't be said to be meaningless; Cocoyasi Village perished, but the other nineteen islands controlled by Colonel Rat were saved. Besides, this would also eliminate their long-time oppressor, and even after they went to hell, they could continue to work together to make him suffer.

I still vividly remember their resolute expressions. I don't know what kind of spirit could make them so determined and optimistic. Can you answer this question for me?

Upon hearing this, Li Ang smiled and shook his head: "I cannot answer this question for you, because you already have the answer in your heart. Moreover, you are incredibly firm in your belief in that answer. If my answer differs from yours, you will still believe it. But if my answer is the same as yours, then it's as if I haven't answered at all."

Why be fixated on a specific answer? Since you have a flash of inspiration, let it shine.

A thousand people will have a thousand different interpretations. Since you're still so bothered by this, I'll assume your perspective is the positive one. Therefore, my answer is simply: You're right.

Now that you've seen it, heard it, and felt it, go ahead and do it, or you'll regret it for the rest of your life.

Finally, I'll leave you with this: If the sky oppresses me, I'll cleave it open; if the earth binds me, I'll shatter it.

Leon had already realized when Smoker voiced his doubts that this was a sign of awakening. Just like the dragon had, he had transformed from someone who slept on the ground into someone who was awake.

He recognized the corruption and injustice of this world. However, this did not lead him to despair, because he also saw the beauty in it, and the few remaining glimmers of light in the world.

Now, Li Ang is telling him that after discovering the fire, he should pass it on, because one day the flames will burn everything away and the world will live forever in the fire.

After listening, Smoker stood up, said nothing more, and turned to leave the peculiar dungeon. The Marines guarding Leon in the dungeon made no comment, since only Smoker himself could understand Leon's cryptic explanation.

Watching Smoker's departing figure, Li Ang knew that the seed he had planted years ago had sprouted. In this final battle, Smoker might even play a significant role in accelerating the demise of the World Government.

"Then tomorrow will be the moment of decisive battle," Li Ang thought silently as he lay on the ground.

"The sunset of the world government has arrived!"

Chapter 375 Precious Treasures

"This is the battlefield."

Li Ang was escorted and knelt before the high execution platform, gazing at the distant horizon where heaven and earth met, and sighed softly.

“Yes, this battlefield was carefully prepared for the revolutionary army.” The burly old man sitting next to Li Ang also sighed. “Although we had thought about it for a long time, this day has still come.”

"Hey, old man Garp, is it appropriate for you to say 'Revolutionary Army' like that?" Li Ang still had the leisure to tease him, squinting as he chatted with Garp. Since Li Ang and Dragon were like brothers, Garp was naturally his senior.

This time, Garp personally volunteered to guard Li Ang as the last line of defense, to prevent anyone from suddenly appearing and kidnapping him. With such a naval hero in charge, everyone felt very reassured.

However, if Li Ang wanted to leave, he wouldn't need anyone to abduct him; he could break free on his own.

This is also why Leon kept giving Teach the wrong information, which in turn led Teach to give the World Government the wrong information. They thought that as long as Leon was handcuffed with Seastone, he wouldn't be able to cause any trouble, but in fact, Leon was not a Devil Fruit user at all.

Even when handcuffed, they can pull out weapons, break free of the chains, and unleash their full power.

The ability that Leon demonstrated to Teach to retrieve and store items at any time was naturally mistaken for a Devil Fruit power, thus setting a trap by exploiting the system's mechanics.

However, this pit was of no use, because Li Ang had no intention of crawling out of it himself.

But I digress, we'll get back to that later. First, after hearing Leon's words, Garp managed a rare smile: "This is the Revolutionary Army founded by my son, what's wrong with calling it that? I can call it whatever I want."

Sengoku, who was overseeing the overall situation from below, saw Garp talking to Leon and quickly reminded him, "Hey, you know what to do, right?"

Garp said with dissatisfaction, "Sengoku, I know exactly what I'm doing. Don't worry, no one can get past me."

Since Garp had made the promise, Sengoku didn't say anything more and let him be. Garp would still stand on the Navy's side on some key issues.

However, Garp lost interest in continuing the conversation and sat down with his arms crossed, quietly waiting for the Revolutionary Army to storm the execution ground.

However, Li Ang didn't rest. He observed the impregnable and impregnable Naval Headquarters, looking at the massive cannons already set up, the hidden high walls, and the various Den Den Mushi placed everywhere. In this serious setting, he launched into a sarcastic commentary that was out of place with the atmosphere.

"It's ridiculous. I have no idea what the point of those giant cannons is. The angle of attack is too low. We don't even need to hide under them. Once the enemy enters the port, all those cannons will become mere decorations."

Oh? Are they planning to unleash their firepower before the revolutionary army's ships even get close, when they're still far out at sea? Who devised this tactic? Step forward and let me see. I promise I can resist laughing at them.

To be honest, has the world government, with its vast resources, never heard of diving? This incredibly expensive contraption only considers the possibility of enemies coming from the sea. What if the enemy were to surface from the ocean floor? Or fly down from the air? Wouldn't this thing be completely useless then?

Learn about coating technology, and also about floating islands.

Li Ang immediately launched into a tirade against the massive cannon, which had cost a fortune and served as the main source of firepower, completely discrediting it and showing no mercy whatsoever.

However, this outburst also served as a reminder to Sengoku, as well as to the Navy and the World Government leadership, that they couldn't focus all their attention on the horizon, as the Revolutionary Army might attack from the seabed or the sky.

Although Li Ang's stance was that of the Revolutionary Army, Sengoku could tell that Li Ang was not lying, but was genuinely mocking the ineffectiveness of the navy's massive cannon deployment.

So the question arises: why did Li Ang do such a thing? Was he having a mental breakdown? He should have kept this to himself; why speak it aloud? Was it just for the sake of mocking? Even at the cost of aiding the enemy? That's a bit much, isn't it?

Moreover, the joy and mockery on Li Ang's face were genuine. In this day and age, who would be happy after being sent to the execution platform? Either he had something to rely on and wasn't afraid at all, or he had gone mad.

Sengoku and the others preferred the second option. After all, if it were the first option, what would be the point of the Navy and the World Government planning this for so long?