novelonline Chapter 478 Aokiji Joins, a New Guest
Chapter 478 Aokiji Joins, a New Guest
Upon seeing Kizaru again, Aokiji felt less confused, but also had many more questions.
His experiences along the way in the East China Sea gave him a vague sense of the contradiction between the two different mindsets of democracy and power, and that these two mindsets could both have a positive impact in different ways.
After the bar owner, Makino, served him and Kizaru two glasses of whiskey and ice, and then left, Aokiji looked at Kizaru and asked.
"I met officials from the Kingdom of Light with different styles along the way. Some were kind and willing to communicate with villagers and townspeople to gain their support and understanding, while others insisted on their own policies and used force to push them through. These two conflicting approaches appeared in different officials from the Kingdom of Light, like a spear and a shield, which made me feel somewhat disconnected."
Faced with Aokiji's confusion, Kizaru laughed easily, "Is it because you're overthinking it?"
"Am I overthinking things?"
Kizaru nodded, then continued, "The villagers and townspeople at the lowest levels of those islands can't understand your confusion. To the officials we send out, whether they're kind or domineering is just their individual style. The only thing we need to supervise is whether their methods comply with the laws we've established. As for the civilians under their rule, the only thing they care about is whether their lives will improve under the new officials."
"Our only performance evaluation goal for officials is whether they have improved the living standards of the local people. Ensuring that ordinary people have more income, can eat their fill, eat well, and dress warmly and comfortably is what makes an official qualified at this stage. On this basis, developing industries tailored to local conditions, providing ordinary people with long-term income security, and satisfying their material needs while also creating and fulfilling their spiritual needs makes an excellent official."
"For officials, the annual year-end review and the triennial performance review are the key to evaluating their work. They can use any means within the law to promote their ideas, as long as they can make ordinary people's lives better, there is no problem."
After saying that, Kizaru picked up the whiskey on the table in front of Aokiji and said, "This is a glass of whiskey."
As Kizaru surveyed the air with his left hand, a bottle of tequila flew out of the cabinet in front of him and landed in his palm. "This is a bottle of tequila."
"Both wines have their own unique flavors, and I enjoy drinking them both. Can you tell me which one is better?"
Aokiji looked at the two kinds of sake in Kizaru's hand and roughly understood what he meant. He nodded slightly and a faint smile appeared on his face. "I was indeed overthinking things."
“That’s right!” Kizaru put down his tequila, picked up his whiskey, gestured for Aokiji to clink glasses, and then drank it all in one gulp.
"For a country, neither democracy nor power is the key; the key is the governance and control at the grassroots level. Why is the World Government powerless to suppress the increasingly active pirate era? It's because their rule is detached from reality. Their rule over the local areas is indirect. They ensure their fiscal revenue by exploiting each member state. They don't care about the specific circumstances of each member state; all they want is for the member states to hand over their celestial gold on time, and for their kings to be obedient."
"Such rule may last a long time, since the World Government only needs to ensure that it has power over all member states. But such rule cannot bring any peace and happiness, because for the most ordinary people, they have to suffer double exploitation from both their own country and the World Government."
"Under such heavy pressure, people can maintain a basic standard of living thanks to the world's abundant output."
Upon hearing this, Aokiji understood. Looking into Kizaru's eyes, he boldly and directly said, "The World Government's ruling model is also the easiest to overthrow, because as long as a stronger person than the World Government appears, their rule will collapse from top to bottom. The reason you chose to gradually erode this world from the East Blue is to break the past ruling model and establish a vertical management system from top to bottom, all the way down to the grassroots level."
Kizaru raised his hand and clapped. "You're absolutely right! So for us, the future of this world is already set. The end of the World Government is already on the countdown, and all we have to do is prepare to take over this world from the World Government."
Aokiji nodded. Under Kizaru's guidance, his thinking became increasingly smooth, and many of his previous problems and confusions were easily resolved. The usually lazy Aokiji even felt a surge of passion at this moment. A sense of glorious mission to participate in an epic transformation rekindled the motivation that Aokiji had lost for a long time.
He took the initiative to think from the perspective of the Land of Light and quickly discovered the key to improving efficiency: "Therefore, the Navy is the key! If we can completely bring the Navy into the Land of Light's camp, then the Land of Light will immediately have a large number of people to maintain order and security in various regions."
In the end, Aokiji's eyes shone with an invisible light as he looked at Kizaru, for he already knew the answer in his heart.
However, before formally committing to joining the Land of Light, he had one last question to answer.
"How can the Land of Light avoid becoming the next world government many years from now?"
"No way!"
Kizaru answered very directly.
The flame that had just ignited in Aokiji's heart was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head.
Kizaru looked at the stunned Aokiji, a smile playing on his lips, and continued, "Even if I and the current high-ranking officials of the Land of Light can live on forever, we cannot stop the Land of Light's government from gradually decaying. All we can do is slow it down."
"The rule of a country does not rely on one or two people, but on hundreds of thousands or even millions of middle and lower-level officials. These officials naturally possess power. They have access to information from within the government faster than ordinary people. They can use the convenience of their power to take care of their offspring without breaking the law. The knowledge, wealth, and connections they accumulate can be passed on to their children. Their children have a natural advantage over the children of ordinary people. This is something that no regime can avoid."
"As long as officials can reproduce, as long as every human being, and every other race, cares about the continuation of their bloodline, the abuse of power cannot be prevented."
"All we can do is to establish a comprehensive legal and oversight system, while also extending this to education, broadening public awareness, and ensuring that everyone has the right to education. All we can do is maintain basic fairness, but we cannot achieve absolute fairness. Everyone has desires, and desires can only be restrained and limited, but cannot be eliminated."
At this point, Kizaru stopped, pointed at Aokiji, and then pointed to several photos hanging on the bar behind Aokiji.
"This is Garp's hometown, and his grandson Luffy grew up here. Luffy is a pirate, and you are a Marine. If you met Luffy, would you really stand on the Marine's side, capture him, or even kill him? Would you do that? Could you do it?"
Aokiji turned his head and looked at the photo behind him. He saw a picture of Luffy as a child with his crew. After staring at it for a few seconds, he looked back at Kizaru and said truthfully, "I can't do it."
"Look, even you, who always pursues justice, cannot achieve true impartiality. And in the future of the Land of Light, there will be hundreds of thousands, or even more, government officials. How can we guarantee that each of them can be absolutely impartial?"
"So don't overthink it. Focus on the present, do what we can do well, and leave the rest to the future, to our descendants. All we can do is to maintain peace and order, fairness and happiness for as long as possible."
"Just like I told you last time, if we can achieve 100 years of peace and prosperity, then the people during that time can enjoy 100 years of happy life. 100 years! Enough for several generations to reproduce."
Aokiji listened quietly, then silently picked up the whiskey in front of him, drank it all in one gulp, and said to Kizaru, "You're right. I'm willing to join you and become a member of the Land of Light."
Kizaru smiled and extended his right hand. Aokiji hesitated for a moment before extending his left hand as well. Their hands clasped together. "Welcome to the team. Also, your work from now on won't be easy."
"Just give me your orders," Aokiji said calmly.
Kizaru waved his hand. "Don't take it so seriously. You have some time to relax before I assign you a mission. In the coming period, I will arrange for someone to take you to the mainland of the Land of Light. There you will gain more and see the future of this sea."
"When do we set off?" Aokiji asked with a hint of anticipation.
"It will be a few more days. We have another guest, who may become your colleague in the future," Kizaru said, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense.
Aokiji asked curiously, "Could you tell me who it is?"
“He should be considered an old acquaintance of yours, one of the former Seven Warlords of the Sea, Crocodile,” Kizaru replied.
Upon hearing the name, Aokiji frowned slightly and said, "This is an ambitious person."
Kizaru, however, didn't seem to care. He reassured them, "Having ambition isn't a bad thing. There are plenty of ambitious people in the Land of Light too. The key is whether we can suppress these ambitious people and direct their abilities and ambitions in the right direction."
Aokiji didn't continue speaking. Deep down, he still didn't trust these pirates, but out of trust and respect for Kizaru, he was willing to accept these things.
While Kizaru and Aokiji were having a pleasant conversation, the sand crocodile that Kizaru mentioned at the end finally arrived in the East Blue.
However, unlike Aokiji, Crocodile had no interest in embarking on any journey in the East Blue. After entering the East Blue, he took the initiative to find the ninja team training there and explained his identity and purpose.
Compared to Aokiji, who pursues ideals, Crocodile is a pragmatic person who values interests. Kizaru and his Land of Light, being powerful enough, can bring him unprecedented and enormous benefits.
Therefore, for his own future and ambitions, Crocodile was willing to take a gamble and join the Land of Light under Kizaru's command. (End of Chapter)