# Chapter 830: Questions from the World (Part 1)
Among this group of over a thousand people, there were not only elite forces of the new Marines but also several powerful cadres from the Revolutionary Army mixed in.
Therefore, although the big shots did not directly intervene, the advancement speed of the group was beyond imagination.
The headphones Walnut wore were a sound range amplifier specially made for her by Vegapunk. The function of this device was nothing special—it merely expanded the silence range of her Silence Fruit. As Walnut advanced with the group, she naturally kept pushing her silence domain forward. This caused the Marine soldiers and World Government officials they encountered and engaged in battle with, when they tried to quickly use Den Den Mushi to report the attack, to pick up the receiver only to find they couldn't make any sound at all!
Outside the World Government headquarters, chaos reigned, but inside the World Conference Hall within the headquarters, they were completely unaware of the external situation. The World Conference was proceeding in an orderly manner.
For the Celestial Dragons, their most important goal in participating in this World Conference was to ensure that their status as World Nobles would not change in any way and that their interests would not be affected. So, right at the beginning of the World Conference, they eagerly brought up the issue of Heavenly Tribute.
"For the next four years, the amount of Heavenly Tribute from each country will increase by ten percent on the original basis!"
This was the Celestial Dragons' demand, and it was a demand agreed upon with the Five Elders. The Celestial Dragons had originally only planned to maintain the original amount of Heavenly Tribute, but the Five Elders had other plans. These five cunning old foxes thought they could take advantage of the Heavenly Tribute this time, so they proposed an additional ten percent levy.
This additional ten percent was naturally intended for the military expansion expenses of the World Government and the Marines. After Uranus went out of control, the Celestial Dragons lost their final trump card. Since the World Government had regained some power from the Celestial Dragons' hands, it was time to make bold moves—strengthening their own control, finding ways to end this dangerous era of great pirates, and eliminating the Revolutionary Army. All of this required corresponding military support.
The Five Elders understood very well that this additional ten percent would definitely cause dissatisfaction among the member states, but this had no impact on the World Government because the Celestial Dragons would take the blame!
The Celestial Dragons wanted to maintain their privileged position, so naturally they would bear the infamy, while the World Government quietly obtained its own benefits. This was the secret agreement reached between the two sides...
The Five Elders were secretly delighted about this situation. In the past, they had been forced to grovel before the Celestial Dragons due to their trump card Uranus, but now they had begun to be able to use the Celestial Dragons. This was the biggest change. As long as they manipulated things well, they could first develop for a few years under the Celestial Dragons' name, and when their power was sufficient, they would kick the Celestial Dragons away, allowing the World Government to become the true supreme authority of the world. At that time, the entire world would be under their control.
Having tasted the flavor of power, no one would willingly give it up. Now that the opportunity to hold greater power was before them, the Five Elders didn't mind continuing to collude with the Celestial Dragons and play along for a while.
As expected, when the Celestial Dragons made this demand, most of the leaders of the member states exploded.
Under normal circumstances, the amount of Heavenly Tribute that 170 member states had to pay to the Celestial Dragons each year was already a considerable sum, calculated based on the country's area and population. Originally, this Heavenly Tribute was already a huge burden for the countries, as it was an additional tax beyond their domestic taxes. For some economically weak or agriculture-dependent countries, if they suddenly encountered natural disasters or calamities, paying the Heavenly Tribute would almost force the entire country to sell everything they had and go bankrupt!
Now the Celestial Dragons were demanding an additional ten percent on the original basis. This was practically forcing the countries to jump off a building.
"Why the increase!?" An enraged king couldn't help but slam his fist on the table in front of him and roared: "We've been discussing reducing or abolishing the Heavenly Tribute all along, and now instead of making concessions, you're increasing the amount again! Are you trying to force our people to revolt!?"
"That's right! What kind of logic is this!?" Other kings also chimed in. A king from the North Sea angrily denounced: "My country has just ended a war with a neighboring country. The domestic economy is in shambles. We were just planning to recuperate and rebuild, and now you pull this stunt!?"
"And my country!" Another king from the South Sea also said indignantly: "My country has just experienced a once-in-a-century great flood. The entire country is trying every means to provide disaster relief. We were originally planning to ask for help at the World Conference. How could we possibly pay this Heavenly Tribute!?"
The entire conference venue was in an uproar. Many leaders of the member states were now on the verge of flipping the table.
However, the Celestial Dragons present nonchalantly tapped the table and said: "Everyone, please be quiet. You are all kings and noble leaders of your countries, the lofty upper class. Even if the Heavenly Tribute increases, it's not money coming out of your own pockets, right? Just shift the increased amount onto those lowly commoners. Do you really want those inferior commoners to have enough to eat and wear, giving them the strength to rebel?"
"What kind of twisted reasoning is this?" A king from the East Blue was so angry his nose twisted: "Without the people, how can there be a country? If the people of my country can't even eat enough or wear enough, how could they possibly support me as their king?"
However, before he could finish, another king dressed in gorgeous clothes, fat and big-headed, who needed support just to walk, suddenly spoke up: "On this point, I agree with what Lord Zilmarza said. Those commoners don't know what's good for them. If you let them eat their fill and gain strength, they'll want more. As for support, that's ridiculous! If those commoners don't obey, just send the army to suppress them. Kill anyone who dares to resist. When enough are killed, they'll naturally be afraid! Why do you need their support?"
"What did you say!?" The king from the East Blue pointed at the fat king and cursed: "King Basdo, don't think I don't know what kind of person you are! You debauched and extravagant bastard, I really don't know how your father could have been so blind as to let you inherit the throne!"
"Damn it, inheriting the throne is my ability, none of your damn business!" The fat King Basdo immediately jumped up and started arguing with the East Blue king.
With these two setting the tone, the other kings present also began to quarrel. Some had long-standing feuds, while others had incompatible ideologies and looked down on each other. Once they joined in, the entire conference hall became even more chaotic.
The several clan leaders of the Celestial Dragons exchanged glances, their eyes hiding satisfaction. They had long known this would happen. Over the years, many countries had been imitating the behavior of the World Nobles. The Celestial Dragons actually had quite a few admirers around the world, and the kings of these countries were their natural allies. On the way to Mary Geoise, these kings had already received secret instructions from CP intelligence agents to stand up and oppose the other kings who objected to the Heavenly Tribute.
And the Celestial Dragons only needed to throw out the topic and watch them argue with each other.
The Five Elders were also well aware of this situation. As in previous World Conferences, they remained silent and maintained a neutral stance, but they understood very well that as long as the leaders of the countries were not united, the Heavenly Tribute issue would eventually pass. Because as long as the Celestial Dragons brought out the trump card of Uranus, those opponents would ultimately have to swallow their teeth and blood...
As expected, as the arguing continued, a king who had been driven mad by anger couldn't help but say: "Damn it! I can't take this anymore. This so-called membership has brought no benefit to my country whatsoever, only this huge burden, and I have to argue with a bunch of bastards in this setting! Then I don't want this membership anymore. I will represent my country and withdraw from the World Government!"
When these words were spoken, several other equally furious kings also expressed their support, shouting about withdrawing.
But at that moment, another tyrant king from another country picked his nose, squinted his eyes, and sneered: "Withdrawing is certainly possible, but you'd better think carefully. Maybe the moment you withdraw, the tragic fate of the Beast Pirates' destruction will befall you!"
The king's sharp and mocking voice spread throughout the entire conference hall, and suddenly the entire venue fell silent.
The kings who had been driven mad by anger suddenly remembered the dragon descending from the clouds in the live broadcast, and the terrible huge explosion, and cold sweat immediately broke out.
Damn it, how could they have forgotten this?
So the kings who had been shouting about withdrawing fell silent. Not long ago, according to news from the Grand Line, that dragon had successively destroyed several islands—Amazon Lily in the Calm Belt, Elbaf in the New World, Wano Country, and several other small islands. Amazon Lily was one thing—it was said to be collateral damage from pursuing the Golden Lion Pirates and Blackbeard Pirates—but the other destroyed countries were, without exception, non-member states of the World Government.
Bastards, damn it, those damned Celestial Dragons seemed to be wantonly attacking non-member countries... If we withdrew, would our own countries also be attacked?
Because the Celestial Dragons and the World Government had concealed the news of Uranus going out of control, the leaders of the countries present were still unaware of this. They still believed that Uranus was under the Celestial Dragons' control and that Uranus's attacks were carried out on the Celestial Dragons' orders...
The conference venue fell into an eerie silence. Although many country leaders were extremely angry at the Celestial Dragons' excessive behavior, they had to consider the consequences of angering them.
"Cough, cough..." A series of coughing broke the eerie silence of the venue. King Nefertari Cobra of Alabasta coughed a few times and suddenly spoke: "Esteemed clan leaders of the World Nobles, and the Five Elders, I have a question."
"Please speak!" One of the Five Elders said expressionlessly.
"If I'm not mistaken, that dragon is the Ancient Weapon Uranus, correct?" Cobra stared intently at them and asked: "Your World Government has been prohibiting the study of Poneglyphs worldwide, claiming it's to prevent the Ancient Weapons from being revived and used by those with ulterior motives to destroy the world. Then please tell me, why is Uranus, one of the Ancient Weapons, in your hands? And why are you using it so wantonly!? In the blank one hundred years of history, what exactly did the ancestors of you Celestial Dragons do to this world!?"
Although Cobra was not in good health due to his age, when he asked this question, his tone was unprecedented in its power and conviction.
His eyes blazed as he stared at the Five Elders and the Celestial Dragons, but in his mind, he couldn't help thinking of that young man who had fought the Sand Crocodile Crocodile in Alabasta two years ago. That young man had now grown into someone to be looked up to. And Nico Robin, who had been taken away by him—had they already learned some of the truth?