While they were talking, Bill was deep in thought. Of course, moral fortitude was foreign to those who became pirates, but why did they lack this morality initially?
Rance continued, "They won't just die of hunger, and the number of pirates is only growing. So many people have become pirates now that you wouldn't believe how many of them attack each other! And while this is happening, more and more islands are turning into dens where these people sell their stolen goods! I'm telling you, it's the traders who truly benefit, and until the Marines find a way to stop them, the situation will only worsen. They say we're living in the 'Golden Age of Pirates,' but in reality, it's death for the honest trader."
Listening to them, Bill understood there was some truth in their words, but his experiences from a previous world told him the problem was deeper.
When Mr. MacGrew began to speak, Bill thoughtfully spoke aloud, looking into the void, "Do pirates lack morality? Yes. Do corrupt traders worsen the situation by profiting from their actions? Yes. Does it become a vicious cycle where the more people are deprived of morality, the more they get used to such a lifestyle? Yes."
Bill pondered over the corrupt nations of his previous world. Did he consider a corrupt politician working in a corrupt city a bad person? Yes, he did. Despite what he learned about the spectrum of personalities from Vegapunk, he believed in free will, but this raised questions about the situation in which these pirates found themselves.
"Returning to the first question, why do these people lack morality?" he was still looking into the distance. "Because they have no prospects. They are poor. They are ignorant. They are unhappy. Pirates fight for treasure because they think treasure will give them what they can't get otherwise..."
Turning his gaze to Rance and his father, Bill finally said, "They want a better life, it's very simple. They don't want to work without seeing results; that's why they strive for a goal, just like you said, Rance! They will even work harder than many Marines! What the World Government should do is try to stimulate the development of the islands to provide a better future."
After these words, Rance gave Bill an odd look, while Mr. MacGrew, with a frown, responded, "So we should forgive them just because they're poor?! I grew up in poverty and didn't resort to robbery!"
Shaking his head, Bill thought that perhaps the Sheriff didn't fully understand how fortunate he was to be born on Vallipo and simply said, "No. People who break the law should be punished. After all, they know what is right and what is wrong. But even if we can't save everyone, we can take steps to reduce the number of future pirates." "And that's exactly why I'm here today."
After this, Bill told Rance and his father the same things he had already shared with Ricky and Sasha. He discussed the Scientific Division, his commission, and they asked the same questions as the others. Time passed, and when the food was nearly ready, Rance finally asked, "Well, what do you plan to achieve by creating a laboratory and base?"
Looking at the two in front of him, Bill simply said, "Look at how much the islands vary in their standard of living. I've mostly been in Marine ports, and the difference is astonishing! So, I'm going to create a laboratory that will sell things capable of making the hard work people do just to survive easier."
Shaking his head, Rance said, "I've seen such islands, but I don't think they have Beli. That's yet another problem caused by corrupt merchants."
Waving off that thought, Bill replied, "They won't have to pay with Beli. The first things we'll sell will be simple yet practical, and if they only have resources, they'll be able to pay with those. We'll transform these raw materials into higher-quality products and sell them in the Allied Kingdoms at a high price."
To this, Mr. MacGrew seriously said, "Your commission actually allows you to do this? You're talking about using the World Government's resources to create a massive business!"
Bill replied, "Why not? The goal of the Scientific Division is to create and sell innovations. I've checked it many times, and there are no restrictions on the types or quantities of products I can sell, except for weapons."
"But I don't plan on creating weapons, so there won't be any problems."
Hearing this, Rance became excited but still cautiously asked, "Bill, it seems like this will require a lot of people... and you yourself said there would only be five of us."
Nodding, Bill smiled broadly, "That's the point."
He raised a finger as if to emphasize his thought and continued, "Here's the catch, Rance. I've found out that there are dozens of technological islands all over Blue and the Grand Line.
I'm not saying it will be easy, but we just need to convince them to work for us. And I even know where we'll start."
By this point, Bill realized that Rance was already interested, but he decided to confirm: "What do you think?"
Bill: "There's an island in East Blue known for creating 'Diamond Clocks'. These clocks are famous because they needed to be wound only once, and since then, they've never stopped running.