One Piece: Surrounded at Marineford? Just kidding!

Chapter 345: Vegapunk's Cry for Help!

The conference room at the Revolutionary Army headquarters was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After the communications soldier finished reporting the highest-level encrypted distress signal from Egghead Island, "Future Island," his voice trembling, he retreated to a corner as if he had lost his soul.

The red Den Den Mushi was still flashing rapidly.

Each flash of light struck a chord deep within everyone's hearts.

Long stared at the nautical chart on the table, his brow furrowed, and was the first to speak.

"impossible."

"That old fogey Vegapunk has many quirks, but he's the World Government's darling, enjoying the highest level of security. Asking us for help? That doesn't make sense."

Long served in the navy.

I've had several dealings with Vegapunk.

He knew that the big-headed man was obsessed with science and knew absolutely nothing about political struggles. In his mind, as long as the World Government provided the money and materials, Vegapunk didn't care who was in charge.

The other military commanders in the conference room looked at each other in bewilderment.

Sabo rested his knuckles on his chin, his mental network spinning rapidly as he sifted through every possible clue.

"That's really strange."

Sabo said.

"CP0 has been very active lately, but their targets are all those new Yonko in the New World. There's no intelligence suggesting they're going to attack Egghead Island. Could it be that Vegapunk's research has backfired?"

Bello Betty exhaled a puff of smoke and snorted coldly.

"That old man is a madman; which of his studies isn't taboo?"

"Cloning technology. Artificial Devil Fruits. Bio-modification."

"The World Government has always turned a blind eye, so why are they suddenly going to overturn the table?"

A group of people argued back and forth, but to no avail.

Knock knock.

To the side of the head of the table, Chen Ye tapped his fingers on the table.

The sound wasn't loud.

But like an awl, it pierced through everyone's doubts.

Don't use common sense to judge geniuses.

Chen Ye spoke, his voice was calm, but his eyes were unfathomable.

"It seems that Vegapunk is going to completely break away from the World Government."

"What?"

Long Meng looked up, his eyes filled with horror.

He was fully aware of Vegapunk's predicament. That man possessed a mind five hundred years ahead of his time, yet in terms of physical strength, he was a useless piece of trash who needed the World Government's protection.

"Mr. Chenye, what do you mean by this?"

The dragon pressed on with further questions.

"Is he courting death by leaving at this critical juncture? Without the World Government's money and the Navy's protection, how will he conduct his experiments? Who can protect him?"

Chen Ye stood up and walked to the newspaper that Sabo had just put down.

He pointed with his finger.

The dot is on the wanted poster of Luffy in Gear 5, all white, grinning widely.

"Dragon, you still don't understand?"

"I guess it's because of Luffy."

All eyes followed his finger, fixed on that photograph.

There was something inexplicable in Chen Ye's voice.

"Vegapunk saw Luffy's awakened form."

"Nikka the Sun God".

"The Drum of Liberation, which disappeared eight hundred years ago."

"For us, this may simply be a source of strength, a beacon of revolution."

"But against Vegapunk..."

Chen Ye paused, his gaze sweeping around.

"A scientist who has spent his life uncovering the truth of the world, a man who has studied the history of the 'ancient great kingdoms.' He saw the real 'gods' come to life, and the legendary warriors reappear on earth."

"How could he possibly still sit still?"

"For scientists, truth is more important than life."

Sabo's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, his face beaming with pride.

"Has Luffy unknowingly influenced the world's number one scientist?"

"If we could bring Vegapunk over here, the Revolutionary Army's technology would take off!"

Chen Ye turned around, his tone resolute.

"Moreover, I deduce that Vegapunk sent us more than just signals."

"Judging from that old man's character, he's a genius, but also a shrewd speculator. He won't put all his eggs in one basket."

Chen Ye's finger traced an arc on the nautical chart.

It eventually came to rest in the waters near Egghead Island.

"I reckon the first person he'd call for help from would be Straw Hat Luffy, who's nearby!"

The army commanders nodded repeatedly.

"That's right."

Lindbergh pushed up his goggles, his eyes shining.

"If it's for Nika, then it makes perfect sense for him to ask the Straw Hat Pirates for help. The Straw Hat crew just defeated Kaido and are riding high; they certainly have the ability to protect him."

With just a few words, the tangled situation instantly became clear.

But Chen Ye's face turned cold.

His voice was like ice shards.

"But don't get too excited yet."

Chen Ye's gaze swept over everyone present, like a knife scraping across their skin.

"If Vegapunk tries to escape, the World Government will naturally be the one to kill him."

"Furthermore, I estimate that the World Government's crackdown force, deployed to eliminate this all-knowing mind, will surpass the 'Buster Call'!"

"Beyond the Buster Call?"

Lindbergh's throat went dry, and he swallowed.

"Could it be...?"

The Buster Call has become the pinnacle of naval conventional tactics.

Ten top-tier warships and five vice admirals were enough to annihilate an island.

Beyond this level, there is war.

Chen Ye held up three fingers.

"I estimate that none of the admirals who are active at the Navy Headquarters will escape."

"That old fox Kizaru, he's the direct superior of the Science Unit, he definitely has to go."

"Even more serious..."

Chen Ye paused for a moment, then threw out a bomb.

"The Five Elders will personally intervene!"

"What?"

This time, Long suddenly stood up and braced himself on the table with both hands.

That perpetually unchanging poker face was now cracked.

"The Five Elders descending to the mortal realm? This hasn't happened in hundreds of years!"

"They are the kings of the world, the gods of Mary Geoise, how could they possibly fight for a scientist? Even if he were Vegapunk, he wouldn't deserve it!"

In the dragon's mind, the Five Elders were the masterminds behind the scenes, not the henchmen who fought in the open.

Chen Ye smiled.

The laughter was full of scathing mockery.

"Dragon, you underestimate Vegapunk's value."

"They've underestimated the Five Elders' fear."

He walked to the window, looking out at the sandstorm on White Earth Island, his back to the others.

"Don't forget how many years Vegapunk has been working for the World Government. What's going on in his head?"

"A blank century".

"Ancient weapons."

"Even the core energy technology of that enormous kingdom."

Chen Ye suddenly turned around, his gaze like two drawn swords.

"More importantly, he possesses the World Government's most advanced weaponry, as well as the highest authority of the 'Seraph'!"

"Seraph?"

Sabo asked.

"A new weapon to replace the Seven Warlords of the Sea?"

"That's right."

Chen Ye explained.

"That's a monster created from the bloodline of the Lunaria race, Vegapunk's technology, and the genes of powerful beings."

"If Vegapunk rebels, the access chips he possesses can instantly turn all the Seraphim against him."

"That's a force capable of turning the entire battle around."

"To take them back, or to destroy them."

"The Five Elders must be present in person."

"Because within the Seraph's chain of control, only the Five Elders have the authority to crush Vegapunk!"

The meeting room was deathly silent.