Looking at the wrinkled old arm of the other person, Boars had a bold thought flash through his mind.
He gazed at the masked Jake before him and chuckled softly.
"Someone with such extraordinary medical skills as yourself—why would you be so interested in internal organs? I once heard a rumor that the Op-Op Fruit can grant eternal life. Precisely because of this, its price on the black market has reached 5 billion berries and the actual transaction price is undoubtedly even higher!"
"Just think—even the world's strongest man, Whitebeard, has a bounty of just over 5 billion berries. For a single Devil Fruit to be valued on par with that man's head—what an absurd price! And you, my esteemed doctor, are the most skilled medical practitioner I've ever seen. Your obsession with internal organs... could it be for the sake of immortality?"
Though Jake didn't immediately understand the reasoning behind Boars sudden remarks, he could roughly guess that the man had concocted this narrative after seeing his arm.
And when it came to reinforcing such misconceptions, Jake had no reason to refuse.
"Shut your mouth, pirate. This has nothing to do with you and I don't need you asking questions about it!"
As he spoke, Jake deliberately feigned slight offense—a performance that only solidified Boars conviction.
The pirate chuckled and said.
"No need to get mad, dear doctor. Though I haven't reached the end of my life yet, I've faced death countless times. Naturally, I have a keen interest in such things. If possible, when you make progress, let me know. I'll do everything in my power to assist."
"Unnecessary!"
"Who knows, doctor? The seas hold endless possibilities. Perhaps one day I'll bring you materials of great value. Wouldn't that be something?"
With that, Boars laughed heartily, his gaze fixed on Jake as if he had already seen through the masked old man.
Jake took a deep breath before asking.
"When will you act? I need an exact date. I won't wait forever. Since you're laughing so confidently, you must know I don't have time to waste."
"Naturally, my dear doctor. Tomorrow afternoon it is. Now that I've mostly recovered, I won't linger here much longer. For a pirate, staying in one place too long is like stagnant wind—it turns foul, hahaha!"
"What's the plan, then?"
"I'll be waiting for you tomorrow afternoon in the Land of the Forsaken. We'll enter the inner city together, take a look at that old king, then chop up his entire family and steal all their treasures! That's our goal and plan. If there's any strategy, it's this: if one strike doesn't kill, strike twice more. If the Marine shows up, we retreat immediately."
Boars' words were predictably crude and casual, but this perfectly matched the pirates' usual methods.
Jake wasn't the least bit surprised.
He nodded and then said.
"Tonight, I'll prepare another batch of medicine and have those two who brought me here deliver it to you. Also, the promised organ materials, including those from your black market—all of it belongs to me! Keep your men in check. If any of them damages even a single organ, I'll need their own organs as replacements!"
Listening to Jake's slightly deranged words, Boars nodded with a smile and said.
"Don't worry. All we want is good liquor and berries. As for women—we won't touch your experimental materials. There'll be more and better women on the next island. What I truly value isn't flesh, but my relationship with you."
"I hope you keep your word, pirate. Tomorrow morning, I'll come personally to deliver something. Now take me back—I'm exhausted and need rest."
At Jake's words, Boars turned to the blood-soaked Oli beside him and said.
"Take them back, Oli. Whether you can stand or not, you're going. Remember—if the doctor dies on the way, don't bother coming back."
Boars' voice was ice-cold, showing no concern for Oli's injuries.
After these words, Jake could clearly sense the thick, venomous resentment emanating from Ford.
But Oli showed little emotional reaction.
Struggling to his feet despite his wounds, he smiled at Jake through his blood-streaked face and said.
"Please follow me, Doctor. Thank you for curing Captain Boars' illness."
Noting the wounds pierced by rusty nails on Oli's body, Jake spoke impassively as he pulled a tube of antibiotics from his pocket.
"Hold out your hand. I'll give you an antibiotic shot. Rusty nails often cause unexpected harm and death. If you die on the way, your captain might suspect me. Normally, a pirate like you wouldn't be worth this shot even with your life. But today, consider it my mercy."
Without hesitation, Jake grabbed Oli's arm and injected the antibiotic into his wrist.
The next moment, Oli smiled at Jake and said.
"Thank you for your kindness!"
As he spoke, Oli even gave Jake a slight bow.
Watching this, the emotions radiating from Ford instantly shifted from before.
Jake knew his objective was achieved—he'd preliminarily gained Ford's trust.
This would provide an excellent foundation for future developments.
Boars watched the scene without saying a word.
He merely turned to Oli and urged impatiently.
"Hurry up and send the doctor back. The two of you must bring tonight's medicine back intact, or I'll kill you!"
"Yes! Captain Boars!" x2
The carriage continued to jolt violently as the black cloth strips were slowly removed.
Jake and Monet soon arrived at their small clinic, only to find a group of strangers gathered outside.
Ford asked Oli hesitantly.
"Oli, isn't this a bit too harsh on the doctor?"
"Ford, surveillance is necessary. Even though the doctor saved my life, this is for the sake of our entire pirate crew!"
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