Chapter 308: Explosive News Spreads
The next day, Morgans' newspaper spread across the entire sea.
When people saw the first half of the headline, they thought it was normal. After all, most of them had watched that live broadcast.
But when they saw the latter half, they froze.
Many even wondered if Morgans had made a typo. They rubbed their eyes, thinking they must have seen it wrong.
When they picked up the newspaper and read it again, every one of them wore the same expression.
Disbelief.
The more people read, the more shocked they became.
In their impression, weren't those people nothing but pigs? Brainless idiots?
How could they possibly be this powerful?
Holy Land Mary Geoise, the Room of Authority.
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn slammed his cane heavily against the ground.
"Damn Morgans. How did he learn about this?"
As he spoke, he looked at the CP agent kneeling on the floor.
"Did you catch him?"
"I am deeply sorry, my lord. By the time we arrived, he had already fled."
The kneeling CP agent spoke in terror.
Splurt.
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn's cane pierced straight into the CP agent's skull.
"Trash. All of you are trash."
Thud.
The CP agent collapsed to the floor.
The guards at the door hurried in. Some carried away the body, while others wiped the floor.
Before long, the room was clean again, without a trace of blood left behind.
Just as the five were about to discuss the matter—
Bang!
The door was kicked open.
A tall old man with clear wrinkles on his face and a sharp nose walked in.
"How did you handle this? Didn't I say that person had already been removed from the family registry and had nothing to do with me?"
The Five Elders looked at him strangely.
Was that really what you meant back then?
Saint Figarland Garling felt uncomfortable under their stares and snorted coldly.
Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro withdrew his gaze.
"There is no point saying that now. The most important thing is how to reduce this matter's influence as much as possible."
Saint Topman Warcury picked up his teacup.
"We cannot suppress it. Those three in the New World have all seen you."
As he spoke, he glanced at the person sitting on the sofa.
"If the World Government clarifies that this is only a rumor, those three will definitely come out and refute it. At that point, it will not only be our faces being slapped."
Saint Marcus Mars folded his arms and looked out the window.
"Then do we do nothing? Would that not mean we are admitting this matter?"
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn looked at the man on the sofa.
"At a time like this, doing nothing is better than doing anything.
"Since Shanks chose that path, let him continue walking it. In any case, that man has ties to those people. A person brainwashed by Roger should be abandoned when necessary.
"Am I wrong, Saint Figarland Garling?"
Saint Figarland Garling, who was sitting there, snorted coldly, extremely displeased.
"Do as you like.
"But I want to know how Morgans found out about this. Even if that fellow was at that place back then, he could not possibly know this matter."
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter rubbed his chin.
"Someone must have told him, but he will not reveal who.
"He has already offended the World Government. Shanks likely hates him to the bone as well. At this point, he will not hand over the person behind him."
Saint Figarland Garling's face was dark as he looked at the newspaper on the table.
"The Descendant of the Great Creators, Saint Figarland Shanks, Descends Upon the New World as the New Fourth Emperor."
A lot of things were written there, some true and some exaggerated.
However, Morgans had not written about the God's Knights.
He had only exposed Shanks' identity.
At most, the Five Elders would chase him for a while.
If he exposed even the God's Knights, then what awaited him would be the World Government's full-force pursuit.
Morgans was not stupid.
He still wanted to live for a few more decades.
Marine Headquarters.
Borsalino, who had rushed back overnight, looked at the newspaper and spoke in that irritating tone of his,
"Ooh, ooh, what an important figure. By the way, Sengoku-san, the next time we see Red Hair, should we call him the honorable Saint Shanks?"
Sengoku's face was dark the entire time, and he said nothing.
He had been shocked by today's newspaper.
At the same time, there was no movement from the Five Elders' side. That clearly meant they had silently admitted it.
Kuzan thought of White Ghost's words and said them directly.
"The Navy is merely the Celestial Dragons' violent institution on the sea. A violent organization with official documents. They can play however they like."
Hearing that, Sengoku's already dark face became even darker, as if it had been coated with top-grade Haki, black and shining.
White Ghost had said those words when he left the Navy, so Sengoku and the others all knew them.
Tsuru looked at Shanks' wanted poster in her hand.
The bounty was four billion berries.
She turned to Sengoku.
"Do we send this out as it is?"
The corner of Sengoku's mouth lifted, his tone mocking.
"Add another five hundred million. Change 'Dead or Alive' to 'Alive Only.' Since they want to play, we'll play along properly."
Tsuru nodded and went to handle it.
If the Five Elders asked later, one sentence would be enough.
"Can the Navy really allow someone to bring back Shanks' head?"
"How scary, Sengoku-san. Once this move of yours goes out, who knows how many people will go looking for trouble with Shanks. After all, there are still people on this sea who escaped from that place."
Sengoku ignored Kizaru's sarcastic tone and began thinking about who had told Morgans.
White Ghost's face appeared in his mind at once, but it quickly disappeared again.
Impossible.
That brat had no grudge against the Roger Pirates. There was no need for him to do this.
In the end, Sengoku locked his suspicion onto those rats.
After all, they were the most suspicious. Perhaps they had secretly found out something and leaked it directly.
At Shakky's Rip-off Bar, Shakky rested her chin on one hand and looked at Rayleigh, who was reading the newspaper.
"So Shanks' matter is true?"
Rayleigh put down the newspaper and nodded.
"It's true. White Ghost probably leaked it. After all, they've caused trouble for him so many times. Anyone would have a temper, let alone him."
Shakky smiled.
"Looks like Little White was right. Your Roger Pirates really were a pyramid-scheme organization, brainwashing people everywhere.
"As for Roger, the head of the whole scheme, he directly brainwashed the entire sea."
Rayleigh did not get angry. He poured himself a drink.
"Some things were meant to be. Until the very end, no one knows how it will turn out."
Shakky rolled her eyes at him.
What exactly had these people seen over there?
Why were they so obsessed with a certain matter, to the point that they did not even care about their lives?
Shakky began thinking about whether she should give White Ghost a warning.
After all, she was afraid that guy might misunderstand and think she was part of their group. If that happened, he might come and tear down her bar.
Through her own channels, Shakky had uncovered some hidden information about White Ghost.
The more she knew, the more shocked she became.
So she had to make preparations in advance.
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon → /StrawHatStudios