Chapter 33: Sea Train
"You said earlier that you weren't originally part of the World Government either, and like me, you have something the World Government desires?"
Robin organized her thoughts. The mindset of seeking death temporarily receded, Cotard's syndrome eased, and the accompanying symptoms gradually diminished.
"Yes, but our treatment differs. You'll be imprisoned by the World Government. Don't worry, they probably won't let you die—they'll extract all the knowledge from your mind through interrogation."
Robin tilted her head, seemingly unfazed by the prospect of interrogation.
"I fear neither death nor interrogation."
Su Xiao fell silent. This girl probably hadn't witnessed others being interrogated. Compared to interrogation, death wasn't the terrifying part.
"Then, can you imagine what it feels like when someone peels your skin off, inch by inch?"
Robin's complexion began to sour.
"I'm not skilled in physical torture, but I know a thing or two. With your endurance, lasting two hours would be a miracle."
Su Xiao described some torture methods to Robin, whose face grew increasingly pale. She might very well experience these, yet the knowledge in her mind—she could never reveal it to the World Government. That knowledge was bought with the lives of her mother and the scholars of Ohara.
Robin knew the whereabouts of the ancient weapon Pluton. Not just the blueprints—she knew the exact location of a fully constructed Pluton. Between building a new one and refurbishing an existing one, which was simpler was obvious.
Beyond Pluton's location, Robin also knew secrets about the Celestial Dragons.
After hearing Su Xiao's descriptions of torture methods, Robin curled up. She had never imagined humans could be so cruel.
"Will I really go through this?"
Robin wasn't foolish; she remained skeptical of Su Xiao's words.
"No, you won't go through this."
Robin felt a slight relief.
"You'll experience something even more brutal."
Su Xiao smiled at Robin. In truth, their situations were similar. From the moment he encountered Kalifa, it was inevitable that he would have dealings with the World Government.
Su Xiao had used a clever method to communicate with the World Government, ultimately cooperating in a semi-transactional manner.
Robin's initial approach was unwise. First, she abandoned her will to live, then actively exposed her weaknesses.
Under normal circumstances, Robin wouldn't have made such mistakes. Perhaps encountering Admiral Aokiji had shaken her.
"Franky's back. We don't have much time to talk."
Su Xiao watched Franky approaching from a distance. He had a plan—if successful, the gains would be immense; if it failed, there would be no major loss.
"We?" Robin accurately caught the nuance in Su Xiao's words.
"Yes, we. If you don't want to be tortured under duress, you'll have to cooperate with me."
Robin lowered her head, deep in thought. She had previously believed that being taken to Enies Lobby would at most result in execution. The possibility of torture had crossed her mind, but she hadn't imagined some methods could be so twisted.
Robin wavered. She began to fear going to Enies Lobby.
"What do you plan to do? Or rather, what's your goal?"
Su Xiao took out an alchemy bomb and discreetly handed it to Robin, explaining how to use it.
"It's yours. Hide it well—even CP agents won't find it. As for where to hide it, you should have plenty of places."
This alchemy bomb held immense significance for Robin now. Once she arrived at Enies Lobby, she would surely be cuffed with Seastone handcuffs, which would render Devil Fruit users completely weak and powerless. At that point, this alchemy bomb would become Robin's lifeline.
"Why help me?"
Even now, Robin felt Su Xiao had ulterior motives.
"Fellow sufferers in a harsh world should help each other."
Robin said nothing, but Bubu Wang was startled by Su Xiao's words. Bubu Wang looked at Robin sympathetically. Based on his master's usual style, this long-legged, female primate was probably in for trouble.
Robin hesitated for a long time before finally hiding the alchemy bomb. Su Xiao sat aside and stopped speaking.
Before long, Lucci and the others dragged Franky out of the rubble. Franky was no match for Lucci and his team, now bound by Kalifa's spiked whip.
"Let me go! I'm not Cutty Flam! You've got the wrong person!"
Franky was covered in injuries. As a half-cyborg, as long as his vital points were intact, he could keep fighting.
If it were a one-on-one fistfight, Franky had never backed down from anyone.
"Not Cutty Flam? Then you're not a disciple of Tom the Fishman either?"
Lucci's words left Franky speechless. He could deny being Cutty Flam, but he could never deny being Tom the Fishman's disciple.
That fishman had raised him and taught him shipbuilding.
"You're from the World Government?"
"You don't need to know."
Kaku pushed Franky, who stumbled forward.
Su Xiao stood up from the pile of stones. Robin followed closely. Compared to CP9, she now trusted Su Xiao a bit more.
"Time to head back. Our mission is complete."
Kalifa chuckled lightly, looking at Robin and Franky. Both targets had been captured.
The group escorted Franky and Robin straight to the Sea Train station in Water 7.
As the name implied, the Sea Train was a train that traveled on the sea surface. Tracks floated on the water, and the train sped along them at over ten times the speed of a ship, capable of overcoming any harsh weather.
The distance from Water 7 to Enies Lobby wasn't far. When they arrived at the Sea Train station, a train was already waiting.
Because the operation had been brief, the Straw Hat Pirates hadn't pursued them. If not for the incident with Barry, Su Xiao could have left Water 7 unnoticed.
"We've been waiting for you, esteemed sirs."
A special agent leader stepped forward. This was a CP8 agent, far inferior in status to CP9.
"No complications?"
Lucci was cautious, which was why he had spent five years undercover in Water 7.
"None at all."
"Good. Prepare to depart."
The Sea Train resembled a regular train. Su Xiao entered the third car, which was the VIP car, with spacious, comfortable seats.
Only seven people sat in the large car. Su Xiao found a seat, sat cross-legged, and pulled out a tablet to play a puzzle game.
"Let me go! Do I have to stay tied up?"
Franky was furious. He noticed that Robin, also a prisoner, had already sat down.
"Of course not."
Kalifa's answer pleased Franky.
"Someone, tie him up and throw him in the back car."
Franky's expression froze. Three agents rushed forward, first binding him with chains, then stuffing him into a long cloth sack, leaving only his head exposed, and tying ropes around the sack.
"Hey, you bastards! This treatment is way too harsh!"
Franky was soon carried away, now only able to squirm.