The grotesque, long-beaked mask filled his lungs with the scent of medicine.
The elongated beak was designed to hold filters and medicinal herbs, purifying the air before it reached the lungs.
Led by the two men, Jake stepped into a striking new house that stood out starkly against its surroundings.
Upon opening the door, an extravagantly decorated interior greeted him.
The polished marble floor reflected like a mirror and priceless calligraphy, paintings and antiques adorned the space—more resembling a high-end antique shop than a black-market slave den.
As Jake and Monet entered, Smoker and Hina, who had been watching from a distance, relayed their next moves to the other Marines via Den Den Mushi.
Ever since Jake successfully treated his first patient, he had anticipated that his adversaries might capture his former patients to analyze and verify his medical skills.
To sell the act, Jake had instructed most of the Marines on this mission to monitor those he had previously treated.
If anyone attempted to harm them, they would immediately substitute the targets with prearranged decoys.
As for where these decoys came from?
This country had no shortage of people missing organs.
Moreover, to prevent the enemy from silencing witnesses, Jake specifically selected condemned prisoners or criminals arrested mid-crime in recent days—individuals whose deaths would carry no moral weight.
Led by the man in black, Jake and Monet entered a room reeking of disinfectant.
Inside were two rather crude operating tables, with no sterilization process in sight.
The group simply walked in.
On the tables lay an elderly man and a pale-faced little boy.
The man in black smiled at Jake and said.
"Please transplant that child's kidney into the old man. If successful, we'll fulfill your previous demands immediately. If not, you only need to compensate us for the experimental materials. A very fair deal, don't you agree?"
Jake didn't say much in response, his voice still low and unyielding.
"Get out. Don't come back in until I say so. If I fail, I'll pay you ten times the cost of the medical equipment!"
With that, Jake ignored the two men entirely, taking the case from Monet and walking towards the two on the operating tables.
The two men in black exchanged glances before silently stepping out.
The place was swarming with their people.
If Jake was deceiving them, they'd make sure he never walked out that door.
As for staying inside to watch the procedure, the man had considered it, but he wasn't a doctor—even if he watched, he wouldn't understand.
Given Jake's insistence, leaving wasn't a problem.
Once the two were gone, Jake closed his eyes briefly, ensuring there were no surveillance devices nearby, then said to Monet.
"Same as usual. Administer the standard anesthesia. Don't let them interfere with the organ extraction."
"Yes, Doctor."
Outside the room, the man in black turned to his shorter companion and said.
"Ford, keep an eye on them. I'm going to find some of the lowlifes this doctor has treated before—see what condition their bodies are really in."
"Oli, didn't you say we'd wait for this surgery's results before grabbing anyone?"
"No need. With how arrogant that guy is, I'm betting he's the real deal."
With that, Oli lit a cigarette and strode out the door, his target clear—the patients Jake had taken in recently.
But what the man didn't know was that from the moment he left the black market, over thirty pairs of eyes had been locked onto him.
To monitor the treated patients more easily, Jake had summoned most of the Marines stationed in the city the very next day.
On one hand, it was for surveillance and protection.
On the other, it minimized the risk of exposure—after all, compared to the strictly regulated city, this Lawless Area was far better suited for hiding.
Within an hour of their arrival, the Marines were assigned their respective territories.
Each soldier knew exactly how many patients were in their zone and how many decoys had been prepared.
Tracking Oli's movements via Den Den Mushi, they replaced all potential targets with the prearranged stand-ins.
Half an hour later, Jake pushed open the door, his hands stained with blood, his voice slightly hoarse.
"The organs you provided weren't suitable. I had no use for the kid's organs, so I used the ones I brought myself. The old man is cured now. You can have your own doctors verify it. As payment, I'll be taking both the deposit and this kid's organs."
Hearing Jake's words, the shorter man in black, Ford, gave a slight nod before smiling and saying.
"Please wait in the living room, Doctor. I'll have some food prepared for you while we immediately arrange for another doctor to verify the surgical results. If everything checks out, we'll pay the deposit right away."
"No need for food. Just finish the verification quickly. My time is valuable."
Jake led Monet to the rest area Ford had designated for them.
Shortly after they sat down on the sofa, Ford entered with Oli.
Both wore ingratiating smiles, their tone far more polite than before.
"The results are in—your medical skills are the most extraordinary we've ever witnessed! It's nothing short of miraculous! We'll take you to collect the deposit now. If it's convenient, could you accompany us this afternoon to treat that esteemed person we mentioned?"
After a brief moment of consideration, Jake replied flatly.
"Prepare a ship for me. Load all the deposit onto it along with the cheapest provisions—just enough to sustain basic life functions. Also, until the treatment is fully completed, I need guarantees for my personal safety to prevent any... unexpected actions from your side."
"You jest, Doctor. For someone of your unparalleled skill, even if we can't recruit you, we'd never harbor ill intentions. The seas are vast—we'd never choose to offend someone like you, since who knows when we might need your expertise again?"
Jake responded indifferently.
"You're far wiser than the other fools I've encountered. Lead the way. Blindfolds, I assume? How predictable."
"It's the most effective method. We appreciate your understanding."
With that, multiple layers of black cloth were tied over Jake and Monet's eyes.
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