The other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds, followed by heavy breathing indicative of relief.
"Good!"
Kong's tone was full of the relief of surviving a disaster and heartfelt satisfaction.
"As expected of the future hope of the Marines! It's good that you are safe. As long as all of you are fine, everything else is manageable."
Hearing this sentence, Tatsuki's crying stopped abruptly.
This was the sentence he was waiting for.
"But Fleet Admiral..."
Tatsuki interrupted Kong's praise, his voice instantly turning pitiful and mournful. "We are alive... but we are close to death."
"Sakazuki's arm was broken, Borsalino's leg is fractured, and Kuzan, that big idiot, is still unconscious."
Beside him, Sakazuki watched expressionlessly, while Borsalino leisurely clipped his nails, and Kuzan stood yawning.
The three fell into an eerie silence.
"We are currently standing on a piece of floating ice." Tatsuki continued to play the victim, subtly giving Gion a signal.
Gion's face flushed crimson with shame, wanting to crawl into a hole, but she still cooperated perfectly, letting out a few trembling whimpers.
"It's so cold... Tatsuki... I'm so hungry... I want to go home..."
These few tearful female cries became the final straw that broke Kong's psychological defense.
Kong's heart instantly shattered.
How miserable!
These children fought desperately against a legendary pirate in the New World for the sake of Justice, and now they couldn't even get a hot meal and had to wait for death in the ice and snow?
What nobility! What tragedy!
"Say no more! Tatsuki!" Kong's eyes were moist.
He waved his hand and roared with heroic spirit, "Headquarters will never mistreat any hero! Tell me, what support do you need? Anything Headquarters has, I will send it to you immediately!"
On the ice field.
The look of grief on Tatsuki's face vanished instantly.
He raised an eyebrow at the dumbfounded Redfield, a smug, scheming merchant's smile on his lips.
Then, he spoke into the den den mushi with an extremely earnest and troubled tone, "Fleet Admiral, supplies are secondary, the main problem is... the original G-5 foundation has been completely destroyed and cannot be rebuilt."
"Sakazuki and I have 'discussed' it." Tatsuki glanced at Sakazuki, whose fist was already clenched, his eyes full of threat.
"We have decided to establish the new G-5 Branch on an uninhabited deserted island one hundred nautical miles further into the New World from the original site."
"Deserted island?" Kong paused, "Which island?"
"Punk Hazard."
Tatsuki uttered the name, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.
"It has no magnetic field, a hidden location, better strategic depth, and is more suitable as our Marine stronghold in the New World."
Kong pondered for a moment and nodded. "Since this is the result of your careful consideration, I approve. It's a deserted island anyway, so it doesn't involve territorial disputes with Affiliated Nations."
"However, Fleet Admiral..."
The time for the reveal had arrived.
Tatsuki took a deep breath, his tone becoming somewhat awkward and embarrassed. "Starting a base from scratch on a deserted island, and one that can defend against a monster like Redfield... the cost might be slightly, just a little bit large."
"Slightly large?" Kong was wary, "How much do you need?"
"As you know, we need to build walls that can withstand Redfield's full power, purchase the most advanced surveillance equipment, build warm dormitories for the soldiers... Oh, and we also need to build a deep-water port to facilitate support from Headquarters at any time."
Tatsuki counted off the items on his fingers, one by one, and finally tentatively proposed the number.
"One hundred billion Berries... do you think that's enough?"
"Pfft—"
Kong, who had just picked up his coffee to calm his nerves, spat it out, splashing important documents on his desk.
The face mimicked by the den den mushi had wide eyes, and its mouth hung open, unable to close for a long time.
Kong's roar pierced the office, making the glass in the entire building buzz.
"One hundred billion?! Why don't you just rob someone?! Do you know how much the total annual military budget for Marineford is?! Are you trying to build the G-5 Branch, or are you trying to build another Mary Geoise?!"
"But Fleet Admiral, this is for the long-term development of justice!" Tatsuki's tone was full of grievance.
"You bastard!" Kong completely lost it, pointing at the den den mushi and cursing, "I think you've gone mad with greed! Ten billion at most! Not one Berry more!"
"Ten billion? Fleet Admiral, ten billion isn't even enough to lay a proper foundation. Are you asking my soldiers to live in tents?" Tatsuki immediately started playing the victim.
"Then forget pirates, a gust of wind in the New World will blow our new base away."
"Fifty billion! That's the absolute limit!"
"Eighty billion! No less, for the sake of Justice's reputation!"
"Tatsuki, you scoundrel! Are you bargaining with me?!"
"I'm going to file a complaint! I'm going to the Gorosei! I'm going to tell the whole world that a Marine Hero is bleeding and crying!"
"You wouldn't dare! Fine, eighty billion it is! If you say another word, you get nothing!"
"Done! Thank you, Fleet Admiral! You are generous! May you enjoy good health!"
Tatsuki spoke at a terrifying speed, shouting into the den den mushi as if afraid Kong would go back on his word.
"Also, besides the money, we need independent material procurement rights, personnel appointment rights, and... absolute jurisdiction over the Punk Hazard Sea Area. Since you didn't give enough money, some policy support should be fine, right?"
Kong on the other end was so angry he was deprived of oxygen and just wanted to hang up on this scoundrel immediately.
"Fine, you get everything! As long as you don't tear the sky down, do whatever you want on that damned island! Just make sure you hold the gate to the New World for me!"
Click.
The phone was roughly hung up.
Tatsuki sighed in relief, tossed the den den mushi to the already petrified Gion, and flashed a triumphant smile.
"Done."
He turned around and looked at the group of "spectators" behind him, all with varying expressions.
"Eighty billion in official appropriation, plus a series of policy supports."
Tatsuki snapped his fingers and pointed towards the empty sea ahead, as if a magnificent fortress already stood there.
"Add that to the fifty billion 'private funds' we have, plus the 'donations from caring individuals' that will continuously flow in in the future."
His gaze subtly swept over Redfield.
"It's enough."
"We will establish a true 'Justice' Fortress on Punk Hazard, one that even the World Government won't dare interfere with easily."
[Ding! Detected Host maliciously extorting the Marine Supreme Commander using false information!]
[Judgment: Extremely shameless! Insulting a superior! The Art of Deception has been utilized to the extreme!]
[Violation Points Gained: 50,000!]
[Violation Points: 551,800]
(End of Chapter)
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