255 254 Negotiation
"Is it possible they're collaborating to destroy the Marine branch from both inside and outside?"
"No, that's too terrifying. I hope Vice Admiral Dirk handles this situation carefully and doesn't fall for their tricks."
The hushed conversations among these Marine soldiers and the hostility on their faces made Marco reflect on the deep-seated animosity between Marine and pirates.
Vice Admiral Dirk also noticed the change in Marco's expression, and he felt helpless about the behavior of these Marines.
Because the relatives and friends of these Marine soldiers might have died at the hands of pirates or, specifically, died at the hands of Whitebeard Pirates.
Hatred cannot be forcibly suppressed with commands, as it may lead to an even greater eruption of hatred within them
"Please don't mind them, just follow me"
Vice Admiral Dirk led Marco to his office, closed the door, and said, "Please have a seat. There's no surveillance equipment here. You can talk freely."
Marco took a seat in front of Vice Admiral Dirk and promptly initiated the conversation: "First, let me introduce myself. I am Marco, the first division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates."
Vice Admiral Dirk's courtesy toward the pirates improved slightly. He nodded and introduced himself, saying, "Manager of this Marines Branch, Vice Admiral Dirk ."
Marco continued, "We've just defeated the Blackbeard Pirates and captured all the key crew members, except for Blackbeard himself."
Vice Admiral Dirk's heart was suddenly shocked, thinking about the possible obliteration of the Blackbeard Pirates in such a way. Such a quiet downfall might have been unimaginable before this
Normally, at the level of the Four Emperors, there is almost no commotion before and after such events. Normally, a situation like this would cause a stir throughout the entire world.
Then Marines might seize the opportunity to deploy to gather intelligence, and the war could continue for a few months or so, with one side eventually losing.
And now, let alone a few months, he is afraid it won't even take a few days, if he doesn't count in travel time.
However, there is still a fundamental problem in Marco's words, and Vice Admiral Dirk is keenly grasping this problem
"Except for Blackbeard, does it mean that Blackbeard himself managed to escape?"
Vice Admiral Dirk inquired.
"How could he escape being targeted by the Whitebeard Pirates?"
Marco said triumphantly.
Vice Admiral Dirk felt a bit awkward. His words seemed to be discussing the Blackbeard Pirates, but in a subtle way, he appeared to be provoking Marine.
However, such remarks still made Vice Admiral Dirk a bit uneasy. He had to admit that if Whitebeard had indeed done something wrong, it would be a serious matter.
The Marine force here is not as strong as Marineford. Faced with an attack from a pirate group at the level of the Four Emperors, it's likely to be wiped out without additional support.
"Then, where is Blackbeard now?"
Vice Admiral Dirk asked again.
"He's probably trying things out in hell"
Marco replied thoughtfully. After all, the guy had committed so many bad things that he should end up in hell.
Vice Admiral Dirk, however, seemed to misunderstand Marco's meaning. He thought Marco meant hell as a place where Blackbeard was trapped, thinking life there might be worse than death.
"Have you captured him? If you have, how about handing him over to the Marines?"
Vice Admiral Dirk asked further.
If Blackbeard can be executed publicly, much like Roger back in the day, it would undoubtedly enhance the authority of the Marines.
It would enable the Marine Force to gather more trust from the people, convincing them that even the Four Emperors are insignificant before the might of the Marine Force and will eventually be eliminated.
However, Marco couldn't help but laugh. "What are you talking about? When I say 'his hell,' I mean he's been killed by the old man"
"What!"
Vice Admiral Dirk's heart suddenly shook. Blackbeard was killed just like that?
"Is there any way to prove it?"
Vice Admiral Dirk questioned with trembling voice
After all, this is a significant event that needs verification. Believing and reporting such a matter based solely on Marco's statement could turn out to be a major mistake if something goes wrong.
"If you insist on evidence, Blackbeard's crew is in our hands. You can ask them about this later"
Marco stated.
"Then, what is your purpose for coming for our marine branch this time?" Vice Admiral Dirk gradually became serious.
"Rain Shiryu, Jesus Burgess, Catarina Devon, Avalo Pizarro, Laffitte, Doc Q, and Vasco Shot"
Marco suddenly listed a string of names.
Realizing that these were all members of Blackbeard's main crew, Vice Admiral Dirk immediately retrieved a brochure from the drawer and began comparing the names Marco mentioned one by one.
"These people are on our ship, and our purpose is to hand them over to the Marines"
Marco finally explained.
As soon as these words were spoken, Vice Admiral Dirk was slightly surprised. After all, few pirates took the initiative to negotiate with marines, and it appeared to be in favor of the Marines.
If Blackbeard is truly dead, capturing his crew would undoubtedly be a positive development for the Marines.
However, Vice Admiral Dirk noticed that there were two missing names in Marco's words.
"There are two more Blackbeard crew members, Van Augur and Sanjuan Wolf. Did you not catch them?"
Vice Admiral Dirk asked. Although it doesn't matter if two people are missing, it's best to capture them all.
"Van Augur was killed in the battle, and as for Sanjuan Wolf, he has joined the Whitebeard Pirates"
Marco said casually.
Dirk immediately recalled the massive figure he had seen before. Wasn't that Sanjuan Wolf? It turns out he has already joined the Whitebeard Pirates, so it is impossible to make the Whitebeard Pirates hand over their partner.
"What's your purpose in handing them over to Marine?"
Dirk Vice Admiral inquired once he regained his composure.
"Yes, indeed, we have conditions. It would be naive to think we're offering such a huge benefit to Marine without expecting something in return"
Marco asserted.
"Then please speak directly."
Dirk Vice Admiral said.
"We need five new advanced Marine warships"
Marco stated directly.
Exchanging these Blackbeard crew members for five high-level warships is definitely a good deal.
In essence, the most significant distinction between pirates and Marines lies in their equipment. Marine warships are uniformly outfitted with artillery, torpedoes, and a variety of combat gear.
While this advantage might not hold much weight against an Admiral-level powerhouse, it can be absolutely devastating when facing basic combat power.
Whitebeard only requested five ships because any more would be too much for the Marines to willingly part with. Additionally, these five ships were precisely the ships that he would give to Whitebeard Pirates five main commanders.
However, Dirk Vice Admiral was shocked upon hearing this condition.
The pirates are requesting advanced battleships from the Marines? This is certainly big news, isn't it?
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TO BE CONTINUED
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