Lindemann was meticulously marking the areas he was patrolling. Coral Hill was one of the most bustling ports on Fish-Man Island.
Compared to the lukewarm activity in other regions, this thriving port had always been a significant landmark, densely frequented by people.
But no one would have thought that behind this prosperity lay a sinister conspiracy of human trafficking.
And what the Fox needed to do was to mark and organize the suspicious areas one by one, based on the district street map he had borrowed from the Neptune Army.
According to the intelligence secretly gathered over the past few days, all signs pointed to a company that, on the surface, legally and successfully manufactured coating transport vessels.
Gathering intelligence was Lindemann's forte. When he was still serving under Rear Admiral Onigumo, he had already been an expert in intelligence collection and organization.
It was precisely this meticulous nature and responsible attitude toward operations that led Onigumo—who typically regarded his subordinates as nothing more than expendable tools—to promote him as his deputy.
And now, although Lindemann was no longer under Onigumo's command, his rigorous work ethic had not changed in the slightest. One could even say he had taken it to an almost obsessive level of perfectionism.
He focused intently on the materials in his hands, cross-referencing them with the corresponding locations on the map—sometimes marking them, sometimes jotting down a few brief notes.
Lindemann was practically sprawled over the office desk, which was covered with maps. The several officers assisting him stood by, holding their breath, not daring to disturb the Fox at this moment.
"This company's warehouse locations are a bit strange." Lindemann, who usually carried a carefree smile, now had his narrowed eyes slightly opened, and his striking ice-blue pupils were filled with a sharp chill.
"Could it be that due to Fish-Man Island's unique architectural features, the warehouses were placed in relatively remote locations?" One of the officers beside him didn't overthink it. After all, the overall design of Fish-Man Island was vastly different from human culture.
Buildings on Fish-Man Island were primarily constructed from coral reefs and sturdy stone materials, with designs reflecting the island's unique aesthetic. Clam-shaped, seaweed-shaped, and coral-shaped structures were all architectural styles favored by the island's residents.
Lindemann shook his head. The seasoned Marine had still caught a hint of something unusual.
Deploying troops around industrial and commercial zones was something he had done countless times under Onigumo and Sakazuki.
While Fish-Man Island had its own architectural styles, the land-use planning was not too different from that of humans.
To Lindemann, the way this company managed its private land and warehouses contained subtle but significant irregularities.
"Mark these warehouses first, especially those two slightly more remote ones!" Lindemann did not dare to slack off in the slightest. After all, this was related to the Marines' next operational plan.
For now, though he and the officers were merely drafting a preliminary plan, they had to make it as comprehensive as possible.
A senior officer lowered his voice and nudged the officer who had spoken earlier with his elbow:
"Hey, is Lindemann a Virgo?"
"Of course! Exceptional analytical skills, a love for planning—this guy is a total perfectionist."
The officers exchanged exasperated looks as they watched the Fox, still nitpicking over the details of his analysis.
Labeled as a "workaholic" and an "outstanding strategist," Lindemann suddenly lifted his head and looked at the group of officers with a squinted, playful smile.
Stretching with an exaggerated yawn, the Fox grinned and pointed to the commercial streets near the suspicious company:
"When doing something, you must see it through to the end. Completeness is key—don't leave things half-finished."
"Uh... what do you mean?" The officers looked at him sheepishly, feeling a pang of guilt.
"Before we worry about lunch, let's factor in the stores along these streets surrounding the company and develop a detailed simulated troop deployment plan."
"Eh?!"
And so, they had all forgotten one crucial fact:
A Virgo Fox never forgets a grudge.
———
By the time Sakazuki returned to the warship from Fish-Man District, it was already three in the afternoon. The busy man, who had skipped lunch, decided to grab a quick meal before heading to the strategy room to review the draft plan.
From the start, Sakazuki had never intended to cooperate with Arlong, a radical racial supremacist and current pirate.
For a serving Marine, collaborating with pirates was the worst possible move in terms of reputation.
And for Marine Headquarters as a whole, it was even worse. No matter how noble or evil a pirate might be, the Marines' position made it impossible to openly work with them.
To outsiders, such an act signified treason. To those within the Marines, it was nothing short of betrayal.
Even someone as indifferent to military protocol as Smoker exercised extreme caution when dealing with the Straw Hat Pirates, who were pirates in name but adventurers in nature.
Whether it was stopping Crocodile in Alabasta or later incidents on Punk Hazard, the Marines could only offer limited cooperation under dire circumstances.
They could never openly ally with pirates.
Even Issho (Fujitora), despite temporarily teaming up with pirates on the battlefield to resist Doflamingo's destruction of Dressrosa, had to make a grand show of denouncing the Straw Hat Pirates afterward.
And Sakazuki, who was even more hardline, had never once considered recruiting the Fish-Man Pirates.
His only objective was to seize the opportunity in these murky waters to wipe out both groups in one fell swoop.
"?"
Expecting the cafeteria to be empty at this hour, Sakazuki was mildly surprised to find several officers gloomily picking at their meals, while the ever-cheerful Fox plopped down directly across from him with a tray.
Sakazuki was well aware of this man's habits—he must have been busy drafting the next phase of the operational plan.
Reaching for a glass of lemon water, he handed it to his meticulous subordinate.
"How is it?"
Lindemann tilted his head and took the drink from the admiral's hand.
"The basic layout and strategy have been sorted, but we still need to refine our contingency plans after we finish eating."
Watching the two of them discussing work even during a meal, the surrounding officers exchanged silent glances.
"Hey, have you guys noticed any similarities between Sakazuki and Lindemann?"
Unable to suppress his inner troublemaker, a lieutenant colonel recklessly voiced the question.
A senior colonel, who had been with Sakazuki for a long time, counted on his fingers like reciting scripture:
"Meticulous, cautious, methodical, and extremely rational—sometimes even cold."
"I heard that during the recent Warlord System summit, Sakazuki thoroughly analyzed and criticized every point of discussion with precision. No wonder he's a top candidate for Fleet Admiral."
Another officer chimed in, passing along some second-hand gossip.
"Besides, our admiral doesn't tolerate loose ends. No pirate has ever escaped his pursuit."
Still counting on his fingers, the senior colonel proudly shared his knowledge about their commanding officer.
"It seems Sakazuki has a detailed plan for everything, implementing each step systematically while maintaining complete control. I heard from the officers who went to Little Garden that even the two giant warriors were recruited this way, step by step."
...Wait a minute.
Strict self-discipline.
No compromise or concessions.
Meticulous, cautious, methodical, and rational—sometimes even cold.
...Wait a minute!
The officers collectively turned to look at the Fox, who was still casually chatting and laughing with Sakazuki.
"Could it be that Sakazuki is also..."
One officer's eyes widened in realization, but before he could say another word, the others immediately covered his mouth.
"Don't ask. Don't say a word. Just eat."
So... a Fox really was a canine after all!
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