"Alright! I'll let it go this time. Tell me, what do you want? Why are you contacting me at this time? It seems to be something very serious! Is it related to the World Government?"
"It is indeed related to the World Government."
Faced with Ian's question, Vegapunk didn't hide anything, his tone returning to its previous seriousness and earnestness. "Ian..."
After a pause, he continued with a sense of helplessness, "I think I'm going to die!"
Ian: "...?"
This sentence sounds familiar.
"What's wrong?"
Ian fell silent for a moment. After glancing at the Den Den Mushi in his hand, he said irritably, "You're also a remnant of the old era, and there's no ship left in the new era to carry you either?"
"What are you talking about?"
After those words fell, Vegapunk instead looked completely confused. But upon hearing that sentence, he couldn't help but mutter, "A remnant of the old era, with no ship in the new era to carry me? That's quite an excellent line! Did you come up with it?"
"I didn't say it. Some pirate who's also about to die said it."
Ian explained speechlessly, then continued, "Anyway, tell me what's going on. Suddenly telling me you're about to die, don't tell me you also want to make a deal with me?"
"You already guessed it?"
Ian: "...?"
"I do indeed want to make a deal with you. Can you take me away from here? On this sea right now, only you are capable of doing such a thing."
Vegapunk did not hide anything and directly stated the deal. "I'm not afraid of death. It's just that there are still so many things I need to do, and so many inspirations I want to realize. I don't want to die with regrets like this, you know?"
"Although it may sound a bit arrogant to say this, my death would be a tremendous loss to this sea!"
"And I still want to create more inventions that can bring peace and change the sea. To be honest, ever since I joined the World Government, my original dream seems to have drifted farther and farther away."
Ian: "…"
Ian did not interrupt Vegapunk. Instead, he chose to quietly listen to Vegapunk's words filled with regret and longing.
Even after Vegapunk finished speaking, he still did not say anything, as if he had fallen into deep thought.
However, this moment of silence caused Vegapunk, who had been waiting for an answer, to misunderstand something.
Thinking that Ian had refused him, he let out a sigh as if he had already expected it and spoke in a compromising tone, "Sorry, this really does put you in a difficult position."
Although the World Government seemed to have chosen to compromise with the Umbrella Corporation, it was not because the World Government truly had no way to deal with the Umbrella Corporation. Rather, dealing with them now might require paying an extremely heavy price, which was why the World Government had temporarily let the Umbrella Corporation be.
"Just pretend you didn't hear what I said earlier! Now let me talk about another deal."
Vegapunk seemed to have already adjusted his mood, or perhaps, just as he had said earlier, he did not care about death itself; he simply did not want to die with regrets.
He switched to a tone as though telling a story.
"When Ohara was erased back then, not all the knowledge was destroyed. Even when facing death, the scholars of Ohara chose to protect that knowledge as much as possible. They believed it was humanity's most precious treasure and that it should not be buried together with them in the flames."
As soon as those words fell, before Ian could say anything, Robin, who seemed to have overheard something from nearby, instantly had red eyes, and her tears flowed out uncontrollably. She moved closer to the Den Den Mushi and suppressed the excitement in her heart.
"Mr. Vegapunk, are you saying…"
"That's right, Mrs. Robin… no, Dr. Robin. Those scholars preserved a precious treasure for all of humanity."
Vegapunk said in a solemn and respectful tone. "And I obtained a portion of it. Ian, your wife is the sole survivor of Ohara. You have the right to inherit this treasure. I have protected this knowledge for so long already. Please, I ask you to take away these treasures belonging to humanity. Don't let them be destroyed. And the knowledge I've accumulated over the years, please take that as well. Perhaps in the future humanity will produce another genius scientist like me, and when that time comes, they will surely inherit my dreams."
Ian: "…"
Although Vegapunk's words did not conceal his praise and pride in himself at all, as the world's number one scientist, he indeed had the qualification to say so.
And Ian also understood Vegapunk's meaning. The earlier request to take him away was merely a hope; this one was his real objective.
However… Ian had never said he wouldn't take him away as well!
After all, that was the world's number one scientist!
With such an opportunity placed right in front of him, if he gave it up just like that, he would probably wake up every night afterward and slap himself twice in regret!
As for the World Government… Who cares about the World Government anymore?
Ian spoke in a serious tone, "No. I want you and the things. Go ahead, when do you need me to come over? Or rather, what do you need me to do?"
Vegapunk: "...?!"
This answer stunned Vegapunk. He seemed not to have expected that Ian would ultimately agree to the first request. With a tone of surprise, he said, "Although I also hope for that, you should understand what my intelligence represents. Once you take me away, the World Government might not hesitate to act against the Umbrella Corporation."
At present, the battle between the World Government and the Umbrella Corporation was already destined, but the Umbrella Corporation might still be able to drag things out for some time.
But once he went over, the World Government might directly launch a siege against the Umbrella Corporation.
"I know. Don't worry, I'll handle it."
Ian did not deny Vegapunk's words. "Right now, you just need to tell me what I should do."