The biggest accomplishment in the last twenty years? Stussy was stunned. Does this Diarmuid guy even think before he speaks?
What was the biggest accomplishment in the last twenty years? Of course, it was Garp's battle at God Valley, where he shattered the Rocks Pirates. He single-handedly broke up a pirate crew that was made up of the most powerful pirates on the seas.
Just by looking at the former "shareholders" who were now out on their own, you could tell how powerful the Rocks Pirates once were. There were Whitebeard, Golden Lion Shiki, Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, as well as Captain John, Silver Axe, and Wang Zhi, who had gradually faded from the pirate scene in recent years.
Each and every one of them was a powerful figure who could make the sea tremble with a stamp of their foot. It was more difficult than climbing to the sky to achieve an accomplishment on par with that.
To be honest, the only person left who fit the bill was the now-disappeared Pirate King Gol D. Roger. It would probably take capturing him to be considered an accomplishment of that magnitude.
Hmm? Wait a minute? Pirate King Gol D. Roger?
Stussy looked at Diarmuid in surprise. As someone who had meticulously gathered intelligence on him, Stussy naturally knew a lot of inside information. For example, she knew that Diarmuid had once accurately predicted that Roger would become the Pirate King. And after that, he was the first to predict that the Roger Pirates would disband!
At the time, those words were considered sensational. But the facts proved that Diarmuid was right all along!
In the past, people thought that the Marine hero Garp was the Marine who knew Roger the best. But now, Stussy believed that Diarmuid was probably the Marine who knew Roger the most. If it was him…
Thinking this, Stussy moved a little closer to Diarmuid, and then naturally linked her arm with his. The way she was holding his arm made them look like a loving couple walking arm in arm. Sure enough, this woman truly uses her beauty as a weapon.
After linking arms with Diarmuid, Stussy whispered, "Diarmuid-sama, are you talking about Roger?"
Diarmuid's lips curled into a smile. "Who knows?"
Seeing that he didn't seem to be swayed by her charms, Stussy's mind quickly changed gears. She slightly loosened her grip on his arm and said with a chuckle, "Just now, you said that there's a place for me in the Marines?"
"What? Are you tempted, Stussy-san?" Diarmuid asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I am honored to be invited by you again and again, Diarmuid-sama, but… I might be able to bring you more benefits if I stay in the CP agency, don't you think?" Stussy said softly. Without waiting for Diarmuid to reply, Stussy continued, "After all, if I joined the Marines, I would only be able to serve you as your subordinate."
Diarmuid pretended that he hadn't thought of that. He put his hand on his chin, looking thoughtful, as if he was seriously considering it.
There were some things that couldn't be said outright. If Diarmuid were to ask Stussy to cooperate with him, it would look like he was desperate for her help. But if Stussy proposed the idea herself, it would be a completely different story. The tables would turn, and the initiative would be in Diarmuid's hands.
Also, this was different from poaching someone. If she left, no one could do anything about it. But if she was the first to propose the idea of cooperating while staying in her position, it would be something he could use against her.
Diarmuid hadn't spoken because he was waiting for Stussy to suggest it. He knew that with this woman's ambition, she would do anything to climb the ladder as long as she had a chance. He had put Roger out there as bait, and she had no reason not to take it. And she did.
As for Stussy, she didn't realize how much Diarmuid was scheming. She only thought he was using the bait to get her to defect to the Marines. Although she was curious as to why this powerful Vice Admiral was so interested in her that he would invite her so many times, she knew it wasn't the point. The point was, she didn't want to be a Marine.
Unlike the CP agency, the CP agency didn't solely focus on strength, so even if she wasn't as strong, she could still become a senior operative. But the Marines were different. There were too many monsters in the Marines, and they prioritized strength above all else, even in the Intelligence Division.
The former Deputy Chief of the Intelligence Division was Diarmuid, and the current Chief of Staff, Tsuru, had fought her way up from the front lines alongside Garp and Sengoku. Who would dare underestimate her strength? She was undoubtedly a top-tier fighter.
With Stussy's abilities, if she went to the Marines, she would only ever be protected by Diarmuid, and she would find it difficult to make a name for herself. It wasn't as good as being in the CP agency. So, Stussy really didn't want to go. She felt that the Marines weren't for her.
But the bait was too good to pass up. Besides, she really didn't have much loyalty to the CP agency. The higher she climbed, the more secrets she learned. When she first joined the CP agency, she was grateful because she was an orphan who was raised by the World Government. But she later learned that the World Government was behind human trafficking.
It was hard to say whether she was actually an orphan or if her family was murdered and she was taken away. There was no point in pursuing it, though; she couldn't. She understood the darkness and the power of the World Government. She could only give in. There was nothing more to say. And this was just the tip of the iceberg of their dark secrets.
Without loyalty, Stussy felt insecure. She wanted to protect herself and not be a pawn for the CP agency or the World Government. To do that, she needed more power, status, and accomplishments to prove her value. The more valuable she was, the less likely she was to be abandoned.
She had hit a wall in CP0. It was impossible for her to become a Chief anytime soon, and being a senior operative wasn't enough for someone as insecure as her. Diarmuid's appearance and his appreciation for her had given Stussy an idea.
She couldn't advance within the CP agency for now, but she could work with the Marines. She didn't need to do much; she couldn't handle it anyway. The CP agency wasn't stupid. If she fully sided with the Marines, she would die faster. But if it was just Diarmuid, that was a different story. She could even go back and report that she had used her beauty to trick this new Marine star. She might even be praised for it.
By building a secret partnership with Diarmuid under the guise of an open one, they could help each other advance within the Marines and the CP agency. Wouldn't that be a good thing?
She believed that Diarmuid was smart, and she felt that they were similar. She hoped he wouldn't reject her.
"Hehehe, Stussy-san, that's a bit out of line, isn't it? We're sister organizations. Marine Headquarters has always been very respectful of the CP agency. We often cooperate. I'm not sure what you mean," Diarmuid said with a smile, pulling his arm out of hers.
Stussy didn't seem anxious. Instead, she said, "That's right. The CP agency and Marine Headquarters are very close. So as members of both organizations, we should cooperate and remember to look out for each other when there's a good opportunity, shouldn't we?"
What kind of relationship do the Marines and the CP agency have? Don't you know? If it was so good, why would you keep trying to poach me?
As the warship in the port grew closer, Diarmuid stopped joking and said in a serious tone, "Stussy-san, you have to give me some assurance, don't you? I can't just give you such a big accomplishment without anything in return."
Stussy was silent for a moment. After some thought, she made up her mind. She looked around to make sure no one was there and then whispered, "CP0 is planning to establish a new organization in the underworld to gather information. And I'm going to be part of it. This is top-secret information, and I'm telling you now. I also promise you that if I become the person in charge of this project… this power can be used by you, on the condition that you guarantee my benefits…"
Diarmuid was shocked.
This was the beginning of the Pleasure District project.
Honestly, if Admiral Sengoku and Chief of Staff Tsuru had accepted his proposal and established a similar organization two years ago, the CP agency wouldn't have been able to get their hands on it. But now, the Marines' plan was half-dead. The "non-existent organization" wasn't useless, but it wasn't as useful as Diarmuid had hoped.
Now the CP agency had found a new way to operate, and with their professional skills, they would surely be able to establish a foothold in the underworld and squeeze out the Marines.
If Stussy had said something else, Diarmuid might have doubted whether she was tricking him. But this was enough to prove her sincerity. Thinking this, Diarmuid nodded. "I hope you remember that nobody likes to be betrayed, Stussy-san."
Stussy smiled faintly and didn't say anything. Diarmuid was warning her. The fact that she had told him this information was a tool he could use against her. It was also proof that she was, to a certain extent, harming the interests of the CP agency.
On a smaller scale, it was just a tip-off between two sister agencies. But on a larger scale, it could be considered a betrayal of the CP agency.
On the other hand, Diarmuid was also showing his own attitude. He didn't like being betrayed. If Stussy dared to play both sides, he would get angry… and it wouldn't be impossible for him to get rid of her.
Without waiting for Stussy to say anything else, Diarmuid smiled. "Glad we're working together."
"This is a secret between the two of us, isn't it?" Stussy asked again.
"Of course. You don't want me to involve the Marines too much, and I don't want to involve the CP agency too much. It's enough to keep it between the two of us," Diarmuid said, nodding.
Only then did Stussy truly feel at ease. She was afraid that the Marines were plotting something. But if it was just Diarmuid, it was a private matter. Feeling relieved, Stussy linked her arm with Diarmuid's again. "Now, can you tell me about that biggest accomplishment in twenty years?"
"Hehehe, you guessed it. I have information on Roger's whereabouts," Diarmuid said with a smile.
Stussy was shocked. It was true! I finally bet on the right horse. This information alone is worth it!
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