"One Piece:The True Codex"Chapter 369: Stained Reputation
The dark-skinned officer hung up the Den Den Mushi. A nearby Marine asked, "Ensign Daddy, should we head to the boat now?"
"No rush. I suspect he's still hiding somewhere in the outpost," replied Ensign Daddy. "This place was originally a supply depot with plenty of cellars and hidden rooms. He might be in one of them."
"But if we just secure the boat..." One Marine couldn't help but question.
"If he's truly heading to the boat, it'll be too late for us to catch him now," Daddy insisted.
Seeing his firm stance, the other Marines had no choice but to obey his orders.
Daddy left one Marine to guard the barracks and took the others to search the outpost.
In the cellar below, Yusolin Heller heard their conversation clearly. When he realized Daddy intended to stay and search the outpost, his heart nearly leapt out of his chest from anxiety.
Yusolin's mind was a chaotic mess. These people were undoubtedly Marines, but why were they trying to capture him? Even if he was out of favor with the higher-ups, it shouldn't have escalated to being treated like a criminal!
The Marine left in the barracks, remembering Daddy's instructions, began searching for the cellar. Watching him inch closer to his hiding spot, Yusolin Heller silently tightened his grip on his revolver.
When the Marine reached the bed, Yusolin Heller suddenly flung open the cellar door and leapt out. The Marine barely managed to let out a startled cry before Yusolin delivered a heavy punch to his jaw. His upper and lower teeth collided sharply, transforming his cry into a muffled groan of pain.
Taking advantage of the moment, Yusolin steadied himself on the floor and pointed his revolver directly at the Marine's forehead.
The cold moonlight streamed through the window, reflecting faintly off the silver revolver. The Marine clutched his bleeding mouth, staring wide-eyed at the barrel aimed at him, sweat pouring down his face.
"Don't make a sound, or I'll shoot!" Yusolin growled in a low voice.
The Marine slowly nodded.
"How many of you came to capture me?"
"What capture? It's not—"
The Marine tried to deny it, but Yusolin cut him off sharply: "I heard everything from the cellar!"
With no other choice, the Marine confessed, "Just four."
"Liar! I know the standard capacity of that warship—it can hold twenty people. You only sent four to capture me?" Yusolin's tension caused veins to bulge on his forehead, making him look terrifying.
Frightened by Yusolin's intense demeanor, the Marine hurriedly explained, "Ensign Daddy is incredibly skilled—a sharpshooter with perfect accuracy. He originally said he could handle it alone, but others were worried he'd be overwhelmed or face unexpected dangers, so they sent a few of us to accompany him. The rest stayed on the ship to prevent you from stealing it and escaping. They could intercept you at sea if necessary."
"Why are you here to capture me? Who gave the order?" Yusolin demanded, desperate for answers.
"The World Government is preparing to release an announcement acknowledging Morgan William as both a monarch of a World Government member nation and a Seven Warlord of the Sea. Previously, the Marines clashed with Morgan William, who was a high-ranking official of a member nation. The conflict was attributed to your personal vendetta against him, which led to you stirring up public opinion, falsifying reports, and provoking disputes between the two sides. Now that the Marines and Morgan William have reached an understanding and are negotiating peace, the misunderstanding has been resolved. The Marines have issued orders to arrest the instigators of the conflict, including you."
Despite the Marine's injured mouth and muffled speech, Yusolin Heller understood his words clearly. As the Marine spoke, the color drained from Yusolin's face, and his eyes became vacant.
"Provoking disputes... How could I possibly have the power to do that?" Yusolin muttered, his lips trembling in despair.
The Marine nervously observed Yusolin's hopeless expression and hesitantly added, "The higher-ups claim you were manipulated by hostile forces, possibly one of the Four Emperors, aiming to create tension between the Government and its member nations."
"F-Four Emperors?!" Yusolin stammered, his despair mixed with indignation. "I'm just a lowly captain—why would the Four Emperors even bother with me?!"
The Marine remained silent, clutching his mouth. Seeing Yusolin lost in his thoughts, he suddenly darted to the side, avoiding the gun barrel and sprinting toward the barracks door.
The Marine's sudden movement snapped Yusolin out of his stupor. His arm swung around, aiming the revolver at the Marine's back.
Overwhelmed by the shocking revelations, Yusolin's despair and anger drove him to pull the trigger. But at the last moment, he hesitated, instinctively lowering the gun to aim at the Marine's leg instead.
Bang!
The sound of gunfire echoed sharply, but it did not come from Yusolin's revolver. Instead, it came from outside the door, where a bullet pierced through the Marine's body.
Yusolin cried out in pain as a bullet tore through the back of his hand holding the revolver. The weapon slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.
Ensign Daddy pushed aside the Marine blocking the doorway and strode in. He held an old flintlock pistol, its barrel still smoking—clearly the source of the shot.
"Judging by how you lowered your aim just now, my next shot won't target your vital areas," Daddy remarked coolly.
Yusolin gritted his teeth and tried to kick the revolver back into his hand. But Daddy swiftly drew another flintlock pistol and fired, hitting Yusolin's other shoulder.
The close-range shot forced Yusolin to stagger back, extinguishing any hope of resistance. He retreated further, smashing through the barracks window and escaping outside the outpost.
Daddy watched Yusolin's shaky retreat through the broken window, his expression calm and unhurried.
"Ensign?" The Marine, still bleeding from his mouth, asked hesitantly.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Daddy vaulted through the window and landed outside. "I can handle him alone," he said.
The other two Marines, who had arrived after hearing the gunfire, approached with flintlock rifles. Hearing Daddy's words, one of them called out to him and tossed a rifle his way.
Daddy caught the weapon and thanked them before continuing his pursuit of Yusolin Heller.
(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]