Chapter 13: Little Gorilla
"Eh… what's this?"
While wandering through the research base, he spotted a basketball-sized gray egg lying inside an incubation chamber.
"There's still an egg here? This base has been abandoned for ages. The life inside should've died long ago, right?"
Jiang Qize muttered to himself.
Out of curiosity, he tapped the glass of the incubation chamber with his finger.
Crack.
Bang!
The chamber's glass shattered instantly, scattering into a pile of shards.
The egg inside dropped to the floor.
The expected scene of egg yolk splattering everywhere didn't happen.
Thud!
As the egg hit the ground, two cracks appeared on its surface, then more and more spread across it.
Snap…
The shell fell away, revealing a small gray creature inside.
"Uuh…"
A baby-like cry sounded. The shell burst apart, and a thirty-centimeter-tall gray baby gorilla stood up. Its jet-black eyes were round and bright, darting around curiously before finally fixing on Jiang Qize.
"Uuh…"
The little gorilla let out a cry and suddenly leaped toward him.
Jiang Qize froze for a second but didn't dodge. He caught the little gorilla in both hands—
—and immediately felt his arms sink from the weight.
So heavy!
The thought flashed through his mind.
His gaze on the little gorilla changed instantly. From his perception, this tiny creature weighed at least two hundred jin.
The baby gorilla didn't seem afraid of strangers at all. Its small black hands pawed at him, its head rubbing against his chest like a spoiled child.
"Don't tell me it thinks I'm its mom?"
The idea crossed his mind.
Among animals, newborns often imprint on the first living being they see, recognizing it as their parent. Not always, but that's how it goes for most.
"Hey, stop crawling—ah…"
While he was distracted, the little gorilla wriggled under his clothes, tickling him all over.
"Get out!"
He struggled hard before finally pulling the little rascal free. There was no denying it—this little thing was incredibly strong.
Holding the gorilla up in front of him, he stared into its eyes.
"I don't care if you understand me or not—if you want to follow me, behave yourself. No fooling around, got it?"
"Uuh~"
The little gorilla tilted its head, gave a small cry—
—and then actually nodded.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"That smart? No way…"
"Uuh~"
The gorilla barked again in response.
"Forget it, forget it. No matter how smart you are, you're still just a baby gorilla." Jiang Qize shook his head.
Then, carrying the little gorilla, he walked out.
…
Marineford.
Headquarters of the Marines.
Inside a solemn office—
Gululu…
A Den Den Mushi began to ring.
"Hmm?"
Kong paused while reviewing some documents. He glanced at the snail, then answered the call.
The Den Den Mushi's face morphed into that of an elderly man with wavy hair.
"I am Fleet Admiral Kong," he said evenly.
"I am one of the Five Elders," came a deep, aged voice filled with authority and arrogance.
"What is it?"
Kong's tone remained calm.
Although the Five Elders of the World Government were technically his superiors, he wasn't one to bow easily.
"The archaeological team from Ohara—the so-called sanctuary of scholars—is currently at sea researching the Poneglyphs. Send your people to capture them all. As for the scholars of Ohara, they need not exist any longer. The authority of the World Government cannot be challenged."
The Five Elder's voice was firm and absolute.
"Understood."
Kong replied briefly, then hung up.
The moment the line went dead, his face darkened.
He immediately dialed another number—issuing a new order.
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