Gilman gave an answer that made Sig's eyelids twitch.
"The biggest flaw of the Forum Tabloid is... infrequent updates!"
"Other newspapers are spreading rumors that the backer of the Forum News Agency is a mega-rich person who doesn't lack money at all, hence the updates are always short and small! So, despite having the potential to become a blockbuster entertainment newspaper, it has always maintained the scale of a tabloid."
"So?" Sig said irritably:
"Writing a shocking news article isn't simple. Even if you rush me, I can't write much more."
If he were a mega-rich person, would he need to risk creating a fake treasure like the One Piece?
"Boss Sig, the meaning from the Shock Department is to recruit more editors and reporters, let them imitate the boss's sharp and insightful writing style, and make the Forum Tabloid brand famous.."
"Afterwards, add other sections, or increase sponsorships, advertisements, etc.."
"After all, the Forum Tabloid is a newspaper, not the boss's personal column. It doesn't have to rely solely on the boss."
Gilman persuaded.
After careful consideration, Sig finally nodded.
"...That makes sense too. I'll entrust this matter to you as well. The Forum News Agency can appropriately recruit some editors."
"However, the front-page news spot still needs to be reserved for me."
Future serialized manga sections and the like couldn't be handled by Sig alone either.
More importantly, after he changed his identity in the future and was no longer the Bandit King, the Forum Tabloid could continue to operate.
After hanging up the phone.
On Whole Cake Island, Gilman also let out a long sigh of relief.
"Boss Sig agreed?"
"Then, the Forum News Agency can finally start expanding..."
Gilman muttered to himself.
In fact, this suggestion didn't come from any Shock Department at all.
It came from Kuro's ten-thousand-word strategic plan!
Although Gilman was the leader of the bandit crew's base on Whole Cake Island, the industry under his command was ultimately just the empty shell of the Forum News Agency.
Development required money and manpower.
To gradually cultivate the Forum Tabloid from an interest-driven small paper into a money-making tree like the "World Economic News."
Then, using this as a foundation, gradually expand from a simple newspaper office into an underworld force like Morgans' Economic News Agency.
This was one of the foundations of the Whole Cake Island development strategy.
Thinking of the previous conversation, Gilman was deeply touched.
"A Devil Fruit worth over 100 million, Boss Sig is actually planning to entrust it to me?"
"But after all this time, I haven't made any significant contributions... How can I deserve the boss's trust like this?"
"Not only entrusting me with heavy responsibilities, but also preparing to give me a Devil Fruit.."
Gilman felt very apprehensive, deeply feeling unworthy.
After being apprehensive for a long time, a determined look appeared on his face.
"It seems I need to work harder, I can't betray the boss's trust."
He raised his head and glanced at the small mountain behind him.
The stone wall of this small mountain peak had already been carved into a blurry, giant head sculpture.
The Bandit King Rock Face!
This was created based on Sig's previous large portrait, but it was currently just a prototype, far from completion.
"I heard that Rainbase City in neighboring Alabasta is also building a statue of Boss Sig?"
"How can we here on Whole Cake Island fall behind?"
Gilman murmured to himself and gradually walked away.
Regarding the matter of the second part of the treasure map, he also needed to represent Sig, talk properly with the local force leaders, and prepare for the upcoming auction.
......
During the days Sig traveled towards the Florian Triangle sea area.
The sea was shaken by two successive events.
The Angel Fruit incident in the Sabaody Archipelago gradually spread from underworld rumors to major islands.
"Angel Fruit! Sig's Angel Fruit was obtained by a pirate named Teach!"
"Teach? Never heard of this name before. Where did this unknown small-time pirate come from?"
Initially, many people didn't take this rumor seriously.
The authenticity of the Angel Fruit was itself a mystery, and many people didn't believe it.
But when some major powers learned the details of the matter, they couldn't remain calm.
Sea Bandit King Sig appeared at the Sabaody Archipelago scene to explain, personally demonstrated his abilities, and verified its authenticity!
The renowned Resourceful General, Admiral Sengoku, was mobilized because of this!
"Alerted Sengoku? This is definitely not a small matter... Could the Angel Fruit be real?"
"Sengoku is known as the Resourceful General. If it were an ordinary scam, it couldn't possibly fool him..."
"Teach? Who exactly is this pirate? How could he escape death from Sengoku's hands?"
"Found it! This person Teach is from the Whitebeard Pirates!"
"The world's strongest Whitebeard Pirates? I see, I see. So there's such a long-hidden hero within the Whitebeard Pirates!"
"Teach remains silent until he makes a stunning move. Once he acted, he seized the Angel Fruit!"
"This is a secret clash between a Yonko and an Admiral! Just for an Angel Fruit?"
"There's no mistake, the Angel Fruit must be real, otherwise how could it alert both Whitebeard and an Admiral simultaneously!"
A single Angel Fruit from the one-billion-bounty pirate Sig alerted both a Marine Admiral and the strongest Whitebeard Pirates.
The more one learned, the more confusing the matter seemed.
The larger the force, the more they knew about the details of Whitebeard and the Marines, the more firmly they believed it.
Figures standing at the pinnacle of the sea, especially those who knew more secrets, like Whitebeard and Sengoku, their words and actions must carry deep meaning.
How could the Angel Fruit that alerted them be fake?
And then.
The front-page headline news of the World Economic News once again stirred up a frenzy of discussion worldwide.
"Exclusive Interview with Sea Bandit King Sig: The Truth About the Angel Fruit and One Piece!"
Sig's previous Forum Tabloid also had a wide audience, but compared to the World Economic News, it was just minor skirmishing.
This was the world's number one serious newspaper; its influence and circulation were simply not on the same level as the newly emerging Forum Tabloid.
This was like a heavy hammer striking the hearts of every newspaper reader.
"The Angel Fruit and One Piece are both real!"
"According to Sig, someone impersonated him and sold an Angel Fruit of unknown authenticity?"
Sig didn't say that the Angel Fruit eaten by Blackbeard was 100% real, but this instead fueled people's imaginations even more.
"Angel Fruit, confirmed! And its power far exceeds our previous expectations!"
"Just one Angel Fruit of unknown authenticity could sell for 600 million and alert both Whitebeard and an Admiral simultaneously!"