After waiting a few seconds and seeing Doflamingo remain silent, Kane pressed, “Anything else?”
What he wanted wasn't this kind of common knowledge.
Doflamingo spread his hands, feigning dejection. “No, that’s all. As you know, I left the Holy Land when I was eight. How could I have any important information?”
“Hmm, theoretically, that’s true.”
Kane nodded understandingly.
Before Doflamingo could sigh in relief, Kane crossed his legs, raised two fingers, and said playfully, “But you still have at least two pieces of information you can tell me.”
Doflamingo’s eyes narrowed, and a sudden ominous premonition filled his heart.
“You all go out first!”
Kane, however, didn't continue speaking; instead, he dismissed the few people listening in.
Jack and Speed left without a word, turning to go.
“Young Master?” Trebol inquired softly.
Doflamingo waved his hand, signaling him to leave.
After the room was cleared.
Kane watched Doflamingo at his leisure, wondering what other nonsense he could come up with.
“Lord Kane, I’ve already told you everything I know. How can I make you believe me?”
Doflamingo gritted his teeth, still determined to resist to the end.
That secret was too important; it was his trump card for survival, and he absolutely couldn't reveal it unless it was a last resort!
“Sigh~ What have I done to make you so disrespectful to me, Doflamingo?”
Kane sighed. “The Celestial Dragons’ national treasure and the Immortality Operation. Do I need to keep going?”
Doflamingo jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his panic so evident that even the bandages covering his face couldn't hide it.
Impossible!
How could Kane know?
“Who exactly are you?!” Doflamingo was utterly horrified. “This is absolutely not a secret the Beasts Pirates could know.”
Even if the Beasts Pirates' intelligence capabilities were outstanding, surely no high-ranking Celestial Dragons had defected to them.
And they'd have to be Gorosei-level high-ranking.
How could that be!
Doflamingo wouldn't believe it even if he were beaten to death.
Don't want to act anymore?
A confident smile appeared on Kane’s lips. “This is certainly not Beasts’ intelligence. If it were, it wouldn’t be me talking to you here today.”
“Fufufufufu…”
Doflamingo let out a few dry laughs. “Lord Kane, this concerns the Celestial Dragons’ highest secret. It’s probably not good for you to know. Don’t forget the existence of the God's Knights. Once they know you also know this secret, they will definitely pursue you across the seas from afar. The mere Beasts Pirates absolutely cannot stop them!”
Doflamingo tried his best to exaggerate the terror of the God's Knights, attempting to stop Kane from pressing him.
The information I just told you, are you using it against me now?
You're really something, Doffy.
Kane waved his hand. “That’s my business. Besides, before they chase me, they’ll definitely have to kill you first. We’re in this together, aren’t we? I believe you’ll keep my secret.”
You’re pressing me for my trump card, and you want me to keep your secret?!
Doflamingo’s eye twitched, and he tried to leverage his status. “That’s not necessarily true. The Gorosei also know that I know that secret, and aren’t I still alive and well? Don’t forget, I am a Celestial Dragon.”
“Remember to add ‘former’.”
Kane said, “Although I don’t know why the Gorosei want to protect you, I can be sure of one thing: once this secret is known to outsiders, you will be completely worthless.”
You know, and you’re still pressing me like this!
Doflamingo was practically grinding his teeth, but his fractured skull reminded him that he had no way out.
If he didn't speak, he would die right now. If he did, he might still have a glimmer of hope.
As Kane said, two people who shared this secret were like grasshoppers on the same rope; neither would think of revealing it.
Doflamingo’s eyes shifted back and forth, but finally, his resolve hardened.
“It seems you’ve made up your mind? Then speak.” Kane gestured with an open hand.
“Regarding the Celestial Dragons’ national treasure, I don’t know much.”
As if afraid Kane wouldn't believe him, Doflamingo specifically emphasized, “It’s truly not much. You also know that secrets of this level cannot be fully known by just anyone.”
Kane nodded, acknowledging Doflamingo’s statement.
Doflamingo continued, “I only know that it’s a weapon, a weapon that can destroy an island with one blow!”
“The origin of that weapon seems very ancient, as it’s a secret passed down by my ancestors.”
One of Doflamingo’s ancestors had secretly worked for the Gorosei for a long time, and only after his death was his body released to his family.
For some unknown reason, that Donquixote still had a final breath, and he managed to recount his discoveries before dying.
For years, he had worked in a secret laboratory. Because he understood mechanical manufacturing, he was appointed by the Gorosei as the lab administrator, responsible for controlling the work progress and—supervising the scientists!
“That weapon couldn’t be used because it lacked energy. Those scientists were working hard to find an alternative energy source for it.”
Doflamingo sneered, “But they never knew, until their dying breath, what awaited them!”
“They were all killed? But I suppose the new energy wasn’t researched, was it?” Kane asked.
At this point, he already knew what the so-called Celestial Dragon national treasure was.
It was nothing more than the mysterious ancient weapon that blew up the Lulusia Kingdom.
Those scientists naturally didn't achieve any results.
Because it wasn't until Vegapunk created Mother Flame that the weapon's function was restored.
“That’s right, those scientists spent their entire lives only to work in vain. They claimed that the weapon’s advancement was at least three hundred years beyond current technology!”
Doflamingo finished the story, stating that the Gorosei, realizing it was hopeless, completely shut down the laboratory.
To keep the secret, the decision to eliminate the scientists was, of course, easily made.
Doflamingo’s ancestor tried to dissuade them because, having worked in the lab for many years, he had become good friends with those scientists.
But the outcome was obvious.
How could the Gorosei change their decision for the sake of a lab administrator, even if that person was a Celestial Dragon?
In fact, the Gorosei even put that Donquixote under house arrest to prevent him from leaking information.
After the incident, that Donquixote, having witnessed the deaths of many close friends, became melancholic and soon fell gravely ill and died.
The subsequent developments then returned to the beginning.
“What about the Immortality Operation?” Kane asked.
“I heard a rumor that as long as one undergoes the Immortality Operation, they can control the Celestial Dragons’ national treasure and control the entire world!”
Doflamingo confessed, “But that’s just a rumor. Believe it or not.”
Kane thought about it and felt that this rumor wasn't entirely groundless.
At least Imu was very likely a beneficiary of the Immortality Operation.
Perhaps that ancient weapon had some kind of restriction besides its energy source.
However…
Kane looked at Doflamingo with disdain.
How could you, a Celestial Dragon, know less than I do?
After this entire conversation, he felt like he had learned something, yet also like he hadn't gained any new information.
The only somewhat useful information was about the Immortality Operation.
Doflamingo only had a partial understanding of it.
Useless!