Excruciating pain was the first beacon of returning consciousness, screaming at his nerve endings.
Christopher's eyelashes trembled slightly from the burning pain, and every breath tugged at the large area of bandages across his chest.
Salty air seeped into his nostrils, not the smell of gunpowder and scorched earth he remembered, but a unique dampness.
He suddenly opened his eyes:
"Hmph…"
The movement pulled at his wounds, and a suppressed groan rumbled from his throat.
It took several seconds for his vision to focus.
Dim light filtered down from the dome, passing through some translucent coral material, bathing the room in a somewhat dreamlike blue ripple.
The walls were naturally formed porous reef rock, cool to the touch.
This was nowhere he recognized.
It wasn't his bedchamber in Mary Geoise, nor was it the sea of fire that had engulfed him.
Christopher struggled to sit up, but the intense pain throughout his body forced him to stop.
He tried to move his fingers to confirm control over his body.
Stiff, sluggish.
A stinging sensation spread through his limbs, constantly protesting, but his body eventually responded.
Very slowly, imperceptibly, he rotated his eyeballs, scanning the environment with minimal movement.
After a long while, he exhaled slightly.
His last memory was Garling's sword light, like a great sun descending, after which he completely lost consciousness.
It seemed now that Tiger must have successfully brought him to safety.
Just then, a steady sound of footsteps came from outside the door, growing closer.
Christopher thought for a moment, but still didn't close his eyes.
Since Tiger had placed him here, it should be safe.
He simply turned his head quietly, his gaze fixed on the door made from a giant seashell.
Before long, the door opened.
In the warm indoor light, what met Christopher's eyes was a burly blue Fishman.
His sapphire-like skin appeared exceptionally warm under the dim light.
"You're awake!"
Jinbe's face, so different from a human's, immediately showed genuine joy. He quickly approached, his eyes full of concern:
"Don't move around. Your injuries are very serious."
"How do you feel? Do your wounds still hurt badly?"
"Still… not dead."
Christopher moved his stiff facial muscles, returning a smile that was extremely weak but tried its best to convey gratitude.
This small movement immediately pulled at the wounds on his lips and cheeks, making his smile appear somewhat distorted.
He paused, then asked softly in a clearer, confirming tone:
"Who are you?"
"Where is this place?"
"Did Tiger… bring me here?"
"Yes."
Jinbe nodded affirmatively, sitting down on a naturally formed low reef rock, his hands habitually resting on his knees:
"This is Fish-Man Island's Fishman District. I am Jinbe, an executive of the Sun Pirates."
"Please rest assured, you and Big Brother Tiger are both safe here."
He had already learned from Fisher Tiger that the person before him was a warrior dedicated to liberating Slaves and promoting racial equality.
Although the other party's former status as a Celestial Dragon made Jinbe somewhat uncomfortable, he still greatly respected this brave warrior who was willing to fight for his ideals.
Hearing the address "Big Brother Tiger," the look in Christopher's eyes softened even more.
"Fish-Man Island, huh…"
He sighed, then his tone took on a hint of barely perceptible urgency:
"Tiger… How is he?"
"His injuries are less severe than yours, and he's already awake now."
Jinbe answered truthfully.
His tone was calm, attempting to convey some comfort:
"But he still needs time to recover and cannot get out of bed and move around for now."
Knowing that Tiger was unharmed, Christopher felt a little relieved.
Then, he took a deep breath.
His gaze met Jinbe's directly, with the determination to seek the truth, yet also revealing a premonition and fear of bad news.
Finally, he asked the question that had to be faced:
"So, please tell me… what exactly is the situation outside?"
The joy on Jinbe's face receded, replaced by solemnity.
He slowly pulled out a previous newspaper from his embrace, his voice clear and direct:
"Only you and Big Brother Tiger escaped…"
"Monkey D. Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, has fallen in battle."
Christopher's breathing hitched slightly.
Although he had a premonition in his heart, he still felt a sense of unreality when he truly confirmed the news.
That man, who possessed an imposing aura, proposed astonishing ideas, and together with him, tried to change the world… had actually fallen just like that?
Even though their comradeship had lasted only a single night, Christopher still felt heartbroken.
Jinbe continued to declare the final outcome:
"Mr. Lindbergh and Mr. Morley also perished."
Christopher closed his eyes.
The passionate inventor and the often-smiling giant flashed through his mind.
Not long ago, they had briefly stood side by side; now, they were separated forever.
"Mr. Ivankov and Mr. Crow were captured."
Jinbe's voice carried sorrow:
"The operation to assault the World Government… completely failed."
"The Revolutionary Army… has been annihilated."
"Annihilated… annihilated…"
Christopher kept muttering, repeating the words.
This was not just four words; it meant that the spark of a grand rebellion was forcibly extinguished, and a night that could have changed the world ultimately ended in the most tragic way.
A huge feeling of shock, regret, and powerlessness overwhelmed him.
He did not ask about the casualties of the private army.
If even the Revolutionary Army, with many cadres leading it, couldn't escape, then the leaderless private army was even more out of the question.
Thinking of the Slave soldiers who sacrificed themselves at Mary Geoise, Christopher again felt a pang of grief.
He had originally thought he could lead them to change that hell, but he never expected to lead them to their deaths.
Silence spread in the small room. After an unknown amount of time, Christopher finally broke free from his complex emotions.
His unfocused gaze struggled to lock onto Jinbe, asking the last question that had been swirling in the depths of his mind:
"How did we escape?"
He remembered that Tiger had jumped down from Mary Geoise with him at the end, and Garling had even slashed at them.
The large areas of burns on his body were sustained at that time.
Even if Garling hadn't continued the pursuit, falling directly into the sea from the Red Line should have been unsurvivable.
Jinbe looked at Christopher with concern, feeling that the other party had just woken up and was experiencing too much stimulation.
But after some thought, he decided that this question was nothing compared to the previous information.
He slowly began:
"That day, after you two jumped from the cliff…"
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