"One Piece:The True Codex"Chapter 368: The Scapegoat
After the incident with Morgan William escalated, Marine Headquarters dug up all available intelligence related to William.
This included the past collusion between Roy, Arcadio, and William. In particular, the accusations against Captain Roy for embezzlement, accepting bribes, conspiring with local powers, and fostering pirates for personal gain were thoroughly exposed.
Following the Gin incident, Marines originating from the East Blue were already under scrutiny. Yusolin Heller, not only being from the East Blue but also a Marine officer recommended by Captain Roy, became even more suspect.
Now, Captain Roy was regarded by Marine higher-ups as a criminal and a parasite—a key culprit behind William's rise. They believed his incompetence, lack of talent, and overall uselessness were the reasons William had been able to wreak havoc across the East Blue.
Naturally, officers recommended by Roy were even less favored.
Later investigations revealed that Yusolin Heller had privately contacted newspaper reporters and provided the lead for the news article that prompted the Marines' operation against William. This led to him being completely sidelined and exiled to a remote post.
His private contact with reporters and the inaccuracies in the information he provided, which caused intelligence errors, violated the taboos of Marine leadership.
They didn't care about Yusolin Heller's repeated internal reports that had been ignored. Perhaps they would investigate those failures later, but for now, they only focused on the fact that Heller had leaked internal Marine matters to outsiders.
If it weren't for the ongoing conflict with William and concerns about the negative internal and public repercussions of punishing the whistleblower, Yusolin Heller's situation might have been even worse.
Currently, Yusolin Heller was stationed at a remote outpost near the Calm Belt, tasked with guarding supplies. The island was desolate, with no other inhabitants besides Heller himself. Even in the surrounding waters, it was rare to see a ship pass by for half a day.
Due to changes in Marine routes through the Calm Belt, this outpost was nearly abandoned. Heller's duties were to prepare fresh water for passing Marine ships and provide a place for rest upon receiving orders from his superiors. If pirate ships were spotted in the area, he was to use the Den Den Mushi to report immediately.
In reality, since Heller's arrival, he had never once used the Den Den Mushi. The snail, which was his sole companion, seemed lethargic and unwell, as if infected by the desolation of the place.
Recently, Yusolin Heller had been plagued by nightmares, feeling groggy every day. Deep down, he harbored a sense of foreboding but lacked the clarity to connect the dots. Only in his dreams did his subconscious suspicions jolt him awake.
"It's already past midnight..." Heller muttered absentmindedly, squinting at his watch in the moonlight to barely make out the time.
Without lighting a lamp, he stared blankly out the window, lost in thoughts about his future, the current state of the world, his past ideals, Captain Roy's warnings, and a chaotic mix of other memories. His mind was a tangled mess.
As Heller's thoughts spiraled, he suddenly rubbed his eyes. In the distance, near the shore, a small Marine warship silently docked.
Heller immediately glanced at the Den Den Mushi on the table, only to find it still lying there, sound asleep, with a small bubble of snot forming at its nose. It showed no sign of ringing.
Suspicion surged in Heller's mind.
Given the remoteness of the outpost, even pirates aimlessly wandering the seas rarely ventured here, let alone a pristine, undamaged, and solitary Marine warship. If it were an official mission, his superiors should have notified him.
Shaking his head vigorously to dispel his drowsiness, Heller reached into a nearby drawer and retrieved his revolver.
This type of weapon, now common in the East Blue, had yet to be officially adopted by the Marines. Heller had purchased it with his own money.
Having spent considerable time on the Grand Line, Heller was well aware of the audacity of some pirates, who wouldn't hesitate to impersonate Marines.
While checking his ammunition, Heller noticed in the moonlight four uniformed figures disembarking from the ship and stealthily approaching the outpost.
Their suspicious movements heightened Heller's vigilance. Tightening his grip on the revolver, he silently thanked his habit of staying alert at night and familiarizing himself with the layout of the outpost out of boredom and unease.
Moving quickly, Heller made some simple preparations in the room to create the illusion of an escape. Then, he crouched near the bed and uncovered a hidden trapdoor.
The trapdoor, covered in moss and blending seamlessly with the surrounding floorboards, had long been sealed due to the outpost's near-abandonment and the reduced need for storage. Heller had only discovered it recently during a rodent infestation. Since then, driven by a lingering sense of insecurity, he had moved his bed closer to it.
Taking his weapon, Heller slipped into the cellar, leaving a small gap in the trapdoor to listen for movements above.
The outpost's weathered front door creaked slightly as it opened, even when handled with care. To a sleeping person, the sound might go unnoticed, but to someone alert, it was piercingly loud.
The four strangers tiptoed into the barracks and immediately noticed the empty bed facing the door.
Three of them exchanged uneasy glances and stepped into the room, scanning the surroundings, only to find it deserted.
The last to enter was a dark-skinned, stern-faced Marine officer who appeared to be the leader. After surveying the room and noticing the signs of a hasty departure, he asked gravely, "Did he get tipped off?"
After dispatching two of the Marines to search other rooms, the officer picked up the Den Den Mushi left on the table and dialed.
The call was quickly answered, and the officer tersely reported, "The target is gone."
"How could this happen?" a voice on the other end questioned.
"He might have been tipped off," the officer replied. The outpost was small, and the two Marines who had been sent to search soon returned, shaking their heads. The officer continued, "We've searched the entire outpost and found no trace of him. He must have fled."
"There's a private dock on the southern side of the island, with the only boat available. He must be heading there. Pursue him immediately! Do not let him escape!" the voice on the other end commanded urgently.
"Understood." The officer hung up, his gaze seemingly unintentionally sweeping over the area beneath the bed.
In the cellar, Yusolin Heller tightly covered his mouth to stifle any sound. The Den Den Mushi's mimicry of the speaker's voice was uncanny, and Heller recognized it immediately—it was the voice of the lieutenant commander who had escorted him to the island on his first day.
(End of Chapter)
🔥 Want to read the next 50+ chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on - patreon.com/GoldenLong]