Chapter 29: The Power of Information
Iceberg was pinned to the ground by Kaku, his first thought being that Lucci and the others had been bought off by a hostile force, thus betraying him.
"What is this?"
Being pinned down by Kaku said it all—these people might no longer be his subordinates.
"It seems you're still completely in the dark, Mr. Iceberg."
Lucci adjusted his top hat, a hint of a smile in his eyes as he looked at Iceberg.
"Did the Maritime Transport Company buy you off, or some big pirate crew? I haven't offended anyone. If there are hostile forces, it can only be one of those two."
After the initial shock, Iceberg began to ponder what was really going on.
"Pirates? We would never serve pirates. Time is short, so let's get straight to the point."
Lucci signaled Kaku to release Iceberg. Iceberg sat on the floor without getting up. Among the five people in the room, three were his trusted confidants, yet all three had betrayed him. This blow left Iceberg deeply dejected.
"Mr. Iceberg, hand over the blueprints for the ancient weapon Pluton. For the sake of our five years together, I'll let you die a painless death."
Lucci stated his goal. When Iceberg heard him mention the blueprints for the ancient Pluton, his pupils constricted sharply, and his mouth fell slightly open.
"You... weren't bought off by another company or pirate crew."
Iceberg clenched his fists, his hands trembling.
"Of course. Since you're about to die, I'll tell you who we really are."
Lucci paused, then continued:
"We know you're feeling a bit down right now, but the mission deadline is approaching. To complete the task, we have to give it our all. You'd better not put up any pointless resistance."
Iceberg's face grew even more grim. He had already guessed Lucci and the others' origins.
"You've probably heard of the organization Cipher Pol. Simply put, it's CP1 through CP8. These eight departments help the World Government gather intelligence."
Lucci wasn't spouting meaningless nonsense; he was gradually breaking down Iceberg's mental defenses.
"I've heard of them. CP1 to CP8—a bunch of guys who stop at nothing for information."
Iceberg hung his head low. He already knew which side Lucci and his group belonged to.
"Good. But we're CP9, the ninth CP department that shouldn't exist. Because we have certain privileges, our identities cannot be made public."
"Privileges?"
"That's right. No matter what, we act in the name of justice. We have the authority to execute on the spot any citizens who refuse to cooperate with the government."
Iceberg's expression suddenly turned very ugly.
"Arrogant and reckless. Who would accept you killing people everywhere under the banner of justice?"
Lucci ignored Iceberg's words and continued, "You only have one choice: hand over the Pluton blueprints. Some people within the World Government have changed their minds. Instead of living in constant fear of the weapon's revival, they'd rather awaken it and put an end to this Great Pirate Era."
Iceberg let out a cold laugh.
"Impossible. If the weapon is revived, the world will endlessly fight over its power, and the harm will only grow."
"It seems you don't trust the World Government, Mr. Iceberg."
"I just know human nature, brat."
Lucci's face turned cold, and he slowly walked up to Iceberg.
"Do you still think we're your subordinates?"
Just as Iceberg was about to speak, Lucci delivered a side kick, slamming it hard into the side of Iceberg's face.
Bang.
Iceberg crashed into a nearby bookshelf, sending various books and blueprints scattering to the floor.
"Watch your mouth. Do you still think you're our boss?"
Lucci's tone was icy, as if he was about to land another kick.
"Lucci, we have 16 minutes left. If your method doesn't work, we'll switch to mine."
Su Xiao spoke. He had an agreement with Lucci: after meeting Iceberg, Lucci had 20 minutes. If Lucci couldn't get anything out of him, Su Xiao would take over.
The CP9 members shuddered inwardly at the thought of Su Xiao's proposed method.
"Fine." Lucci acknowledged and then turned back to Iceberg.
"Iceberg, for the safety of your friends and family, you'd better tell us where the Pluton blueprints are. In 16 minutes, your hell will begin."
Blood trickled from Iceberg's mouth and nose. Lucci's kick had clearly done some damage.
"Heh~, threatening me with my loved ones? You're too naive. Do you really think I'm just a shipwright? To keep the weapon from falling into the wrong hands, I don't care if everyone I know dies."
Iceberg gasped heavily, a look of death in his eyes.
Just then, the door was pushed open, and Kalifa entered the room, dressed in a tight black dress with fishnet stockings covering her shapely legs.
Kalifa was holding several documents and old blueprints. After closing the door, she nodded to Lucci.
"That assumption was correct. Cutty Flam should be the leader of the back-alley gang, Franky."
Once Kalifa confirmed this intelligence, a smile spread across Lucci's face. Things had become very simple.
Iceberg's head drooped, a hint of panic in his eyes. The Pluton blueprints were in Franky's hands.
"Kaku, check his heart rate."
Kaku pinned Iceberg down, pressing his knee into Iceberg's back, and used his index and middle fingers to feel Iceberg's wrist pulse, sensing his heartbeat. In Kaku's grip, Iceberg had no power to resist.
"Iceberg, you don't need to speak, and we won't torture you. Torturing you would be an insult to the results we've achieved over five years."
Lucci organized his thoughts and glanced at the clock on the wall. He had 11 minutes left, but that was enough.
"Iceberg, you were once a disciple of Tom the Fishman. The legendary shipwright Tom had two disciples: you and Cutty Flam.
Cutty Flam died in an accident eight years ago. The government confirmed it, and our leads ended there.
But after three years of lying low in Water 7, I suddenly felt that the name Cutty Flam sounded familiar, like I'd heard it somewhere, but I couldn't place it.
Until one day, Kalifa relayed some intelligence to us: Cutty Flam had actually come to see you. How could a dead man suddenly appear? If Kalifa hadn't told me this herself, I would have found it hard to believe.
Your reaction at the time ruled out the possibility of someone impersonating him. That meant Cutty Flam wasn't dead. After some investigation, we found out that Cutty Flam had changed his name to Franky and was now living in Water 7.
If I wanted to hide the Pluton blueprints, what would I do? Hide them at home? Too risky. A secret room? Also not safe.
But if I entrusted the blueprints to someone who was already 'dead,' someone who was once like a brother to me and now seemed completely unrelated, that would be the perfect choice.
So, the Pluton blueprints aren't on you. You entrusted them to Cutty Flam—no, now he should be called Franky."
Lucci finished his deduction. Iceberg was drenched in cold sweat, his heartbeat uncontrollably accelerating.
Five years of infiltration. The CP9 members had investigated Iceberg thoroughly—they even knew at what age he had been weaned.