"Lucci… what are you doing here?" Iceburg forced himself to stay calm.
Lucci had dropped every disguise. His voice was cold. "Iceburg… we are agents of CP9, the secret unit under the World Government."
"You've been hiding the blueprints for Pluton. We've already confirmed it. Hand them over now… maybe you'll suffer a little less."
They had already been officially removed by the World Government, but only internal people knew that.
So this banner still worked… no reason not to wave it.
So it was really for the Pluton blueprints.
Iceburg actually felt relieved.
Franky was already gone, which meant the Pluton blueprints weren't here anymore. CP9 or not, they couldn't pull something out of thin air.
Iceburg sneered. "I don't know anything about Pluton's blueprints. Our company, Galley-La, is a perfectly legal business. You breaking in like this… doesn't seem very legal by World Government standards."
He reached toward the bell to call security.
But before his fingers touched it…
A large hand pressed down on the top of his head and slammed him forward.
Bang!
Iceburg's face smashed into his desk. Blood gushed downward like a burst pipe. He immediately knew his nose was broken.
Kaku released him, grabbed Iceburg by the collar, and lifted him like he weighed nothing.
"Did you not hear what we just said?"
Kaku's expression twisted with ferocity, like a beast on the verge of rampage.
"We are World Government agents. You think laws apply to us?"
"I'm telling you… CP9 has the privilege of legal assassination."
"Do you know what legal assassination means? If you dare obstruct us… we have every right to cut you down."
A killing intent so cold it stung flooded the room, like countless invisible blades pressed against Iceburg's entire body, ready to slice him into pieces.
After learning he had been expelled from CP9 and issued a Level-1 kill-on-sight order, Kaku was on the verge of collapse.
So when facing Iceburg's feigned ignorance… he truly wanted to kill him.
Iceburg felt like he had fallen into an ice cave.
He was just an ordinary man. Against CP9 operatives forged through hellish training, he was no different from a trembling sheep.
Even so, body shaking uncontrollably, Iceburg clenched his teeth.
"I said… I don't have any Pluton blueprints."
"Still pretending?"
Kaku raised his left hand. His index finger shot forward, stabbing Iceburg's shoulder.
Shigan.
A wet tearing sound burst out. Skin split. Bone cracked.
Iceburg screamed, his whole body trembling.
"Iceburg, let me remind you. Don't expect anyone to come save you. Before entering, we already cleared everyone outside."
Lucci sounded as emotionless as ever, even slightly mocking.
Because time was tight, they hadn't acted covertly like in the original timeline. They simply bulldozed their way through.
Every guard outside had been knocked out and tied together.
Yet even with Lucci's psychological pressure and Kaku's torture…
Iceburg held firm. "I said I don't have it. Even if you kill me, I can't give you something I don't have."
What a stubborn bastard.
Kaku raised his hand again… but a gunshot cracked through the room.
Bang.
Lucci fired without hesitation.
Blood slowly spread across Iceburg's abdomen. His face turned pale. Sweat poured down like rain.
Lucci stepped up to him, looking down coldly. "That shot avoided your vitals. But without treatment, you'll bleed out just the same."
"We have time. Do you still want to keep this up?"
Iceburg clutched the wound, but he still repeated the same words. "I don't have the Pluton blueprints…"
The room fell into silence.
Even Kaku was stunned.
His mouth is that hard?
He doesn't care even about dying?
Lucci stared at Iceburg for a long moment before speaking softly.
"Looks like it really isn't on him."
CP9 operatives were torture specialists. Iceburg's reactions weren't those of a liar.
Kaku panicked. "Lucci, are you saying we investigated for six years… and got it wrong?"
If they messed this up… they'd become the biggest clowns in history.
Lucci shook his head. His eyes locked tightly onto Iceburg. "I said it's not on him. I didn't say we were wrong."
Suddenly, Lucci let out a quiet, casual laugh. "It's with Franky, isn't it? Tom's other disciple… Cutty Flam."
Iceburg's pupils shrank violently before he could control it. He quickly snapped back, "Hmph… Cutty Flam was killed by you World Government dogs! And now you want to pin a crime on the dead?"
But Lucci had already seen the tiny twitch in his pupils.
The corner of his mouth lifted. Rare.
Kaku's torture and his own gunshot… all of it was to force this split-second reaction.
In the original timeline, they had evidence, and Spandam exposed Franky's identity directly.
But this time… they only had suspicion.
Under the pressure of the kill-on-sight order, Lucci had to bluff Iceburg.
Luckily… their suspicion was correct.
"Kaku, Blueno. Go catch Franky."
Blueno opened a Door-Door portal straight into the Franky House workshop.
But the room was completely empty.
"Where is Franky?"
Lucci didn't need to think. He turned instantly to Iceburg.
Iceburg laughed coldly. "They left Water 7 long ago. As for where… heh… I don't know."
"You really not going to talk?" Lucci stepped down on Iceburg's bullet wound, killing intent pouring forth.
Iceburg screamed, but he still couldn't answer.
He had planned for this. He never asked Franky where he was headed.
"Bastard! I'll kill you!"
Kumadori moved to finish Iceburg off, but Lucci stopped him.
"Lucci, what are you doing? This guy is useless now!" Kumadori shouted.
Lucci shook his head. "No. The blueprints aren't with him, but he has a close connection with Franky."
"As long as we hold him… Franky will come out."
Lucci's mind worked quickly. "We now have concrete intel on the Pluton blueprints. Iceburg is the key to obtaining them. Bringing him in is just as valuable."
"If we do that… the kill order on us should be canceled."
Hearing that, everyone's spirits rose.
Iceburg almost tried to kill himself on the spot, but it was pointless. Even healthy, he couldn't do anything in front of CP9. As an injured man… he had zero chance.
After subduing Iceburg completely, Lucci turned to Kalifa.
"Kalifa… contact the World Government. Tell them we can help them retrieve the Pluton blueprints. But the kill order on us must be canceled."
***
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