— — — — — — —
Leaning back on the couch, Joey smiled warmly. "Alright then, Lion King, the deal is set."
"When can you deliver?"
The Lion King pondered for a moment before replying, "In half a month, I will have ten thousand Succubi ready."
Raising his teacup, Joey grinned. "Then, a pleasant cooperation to us."
The Lion King remained composed. "A pleasant cooperation indeed."
[Click!]
[The video call ended.]
Joey couldn't help but chuckle. "Heh heh heh..."
The grin on his face grew wider as he murmured to himself, "This is far too interesting. I never expected to gain such an unexpected windfall from the Lion King! With this, I can accelerate my next plan."
"However..."
He tapped the coffee table lightly, lost in thought.
Though he had no Devil Fruits left for external trade, that didn't mean he had none left at all. But for now, other matters needed his attention.
Just then, a maid entered and bowed respectfully. "Patriarch, the young masters and ladies have all arrived. They are just waiting for you."
"Hmm?" Joey snapped back to reality. "Got it. You may leave. I have a few things to take care of first."
The maid bowed again. "Understood." Then, she exited.
Joey immediately reached out to contact someone.
[Charlotte Patriarch: "Angel Patriarch, are you willing to sell Angel Bloodline?"]
[Angel Patriarch: "Oh! Charlotte Patriarch, what a rare guest! Selling Angel Bloodline isn't an issue, but let me make it clear: without divine protection and inherent Angel lineage, even if one possesses Angel Bloodline, they'll only be an ordinary winged race member."]
The Angel Patriarch's meaning was obvious.
Becoming an angel wasn't that simple.
There were strict conditions, and it wasn't as easy as just possessing the bloodline.
[Charlotte Patriarch: "Understood. If I decide to proceed with the trade, I will contact you."]
[Angel Patriarch: "No problem. It's not exactly a rare resource. I look forward to your visit."]
Ending the conversation, Joey stood up and left his study.
Soon, he arrived at his office.
---
Creak!
He pushed open the office door, stepped inside, and closed it behind him.
Inside were five people—Perospero, Compote, Katakuri, Amande, and Cracker.
Only these five.
After all, these five were the most qualified members of the entire Charlotte Family in terms of strength, status, and decision-making capabilities.
Joey looked at his younger siblings and laughed. "You little brats, it's only been three or four days of rest, and you're already back?"
Katakuri shook his head. "Big Bro, we don't intend to waste any more time. There's no need."
"In four months, once Totto Land is officially established, there will be plenty of time to rest. For now, we shouldn't waste a second."
Amande nodded. "The sooner we complete Totto Land, the better."
"Also, after discussing with Big Sis, we think Cloud Island isn't ideal and slow. Instead of using it as floating land, we should modify it into some Cloud ships. That would be far more practical."
Clearly, none of them planned to relax. They believed resting was unnecessary.
After the World Summit and Totto Land's founding, there would be ample time for relaxation. At that point, they might not even have any work to do.
Compote noticed Joey's gaze shifting to her and nodded. "Indeed, why not turn it into Cloud ships instead? Keeping it as an island doesn't serve much purpose."
Amande continued, "Doing so will greatly ease our black market trades while also helping us evade the World Government's attention. It's a win-win."
Joey pondered before nodding. "Indeed, Cloud Island's strategic value is low for us right now."
"Amande, after the meeting, have the Goblin Clan modify it into Cloud ships."
Amande nodded. "Big Bro, I already consulted the Goblin Clan. According to them, we can convert it into roughly 300 Cloud ships. Second Bro confirmed that's feasible."
Perospero grinned. "Big Bro, with 300 Cloud ships, our Black Trade operations will be completely secure."
They all could see that this modification would bring immense benefits.
"Good." Joey nodded. "The Cloud ship project is settled. Now, what about the different races? How are they integrating?"
Amande replied, "Big Bro, everything is proceeding smoothly. The various races understand their positions well, and they've all signed the magic contracts binding them to the written rules. Though minor conflicts arise, nothing serious has happened."
Cracker added calmly, "Big Bro, it's to be expected. The so-called 'different races' may sound united, but the reality is full of conflicts. Even maintaining this level of stability is impressive."
If the non-human races had been able to truly unite, their status in the world would be vastly different.
If they were truly one force... No one would dare enslave them.
Joey tapped his fingers on the table. "Amande, monitor the situation closely. We need to avoid any major clashes."
Amande reassured him, "No worries. The races rarely leave their islands, so conflicts won't escalate."
Everyone nodded in understanding.
At that moment, Katakuri spoke up. "There's another matter."
Joey asked, "What is it?"
Katakuri's expression darkened. "Lately, according to Opera, more and more people have been eyeing the Charlotte Family. If this continues, it could become a serious problem. Their intentions are clear."
Cracker added, "They're waiting for the right moment. The perfect chance to land a fatal blow on us. That's dangerous."
Joey frowned slightly, deep in thought.
There were indeed too many eyes watching from the shadows.
Compote, however, shook her head. "Honestly, I don't think this is a major issue. No matter how well-prepared they are, Totto Land's geography makes it nearly impenetrable. And now, with the Cloud ships, even an air assault is impossible."
Amande agreed. "That's true. The bigger concern is internal issues. In the next four months."
No doubt about it.
Totto Land represented the fusion of countless races—a utopia of sorts.
Right now, the world was witnessing the influx of non-human races into Totto Land, drawn by the promise of a new home.
Every single day, more arrived. All except the Giants, of course.
Given their history with Big Mom, they still harbored deep hatred.
But besides them, even the Mink Tribe had started settling in Totto Land.
This meant...Totto Land was now an undeniable presence in the non-human world.
If the World Government used something like the Lunarian Clan as bait, Joey would have no choice but to act.
Sighing, Joey rubbed his temples. "It seems we need to initiate the next phase ahead of schedule. Initially, this was planned for after Totto Land's founding, but things have changed."
A shift in plans.
Plans never keep up with reality. And that...Was always a pain.
.
.
.