blogombal Chapter 108: If One Company Dominates
Chapter 108: If One Company Dominates
Chapter 109, Section 108: If One Company Becomes the Only Power
Marineford, at the highest level of this naval headquarters fortress, the solid door to the Admiral's office remained tightly shut.
The sky outside the window was overcast, with leaden clouds hanging low, as if they might collapse at any moment on this fortress that had just suffered damage.
Crane stood before the large marshal's desk, giving a mission report, his back ramrod straight.
She was dressed in a neat lieutenant general's uniform, her cape hanging down her back meticulously, her face expressionless.
"—In conclusion, Monkey Garp has betrayed the Navy, and Vice Admiral Sengoku was injured and fell into a coma during his battle with Garp and Zephyr, and has not yet woken up."
"It is my fault for failing to fulfill my supervisory duties. I ask the Marshal for his punishment."
Crane's voice was steady, and each word was pronounced clearly.
She was telling the truth, but she didn't finish her sentence.
Steelbone Kong stopped flipping through the documents. The naval admiral's eyes were now bloodshot, his eye bags were heavy, and the lines of his cheeks were even more rugged due to the pressure of the past few days.
He didn't speak immediately, but just looked at the crane, which met his gaze without flinching.
The clock on the wall ticked for a full three minutes.
During those three minutes, the only sound was the regular ticking of the old-fashioned wall clock in the office.
Finally, Marshal Kong took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, a gesture that made him look even more exhausted, as if that breath had taken away his last bit of energy.
"The island and the planned projects on it are numbered S-01."
The admiral's voice sounded as if he hadn't had a drink of water in a long time: "Now the entire island and the project have been destroyed by Garp and Zephyr, and the person in charge of the project has been killed by Garp."
"Sengoku—Sengoku was seriously injured by Zephyr while supporting the S-01 base with you."
He took a breath: "That's it—He, submit a report, and I'll forward it to the higher-ups, understand?"
"clear."
The crane answered quickly and decisively.
She looked at her superior, the Air Marshal, whose hair had turned quite white in the past ten days, and whose once upright shoulders were now somewhat hunched.
He sat in that chair that symbolized the highest authority in the navy, carrying an unseen mountain on his back.
A complex emotion flashed in the crane's eyes, but it quickly returned to calm.
"in addition."
Sora took a document out of his desk drawer. The cover of the document was printed with the logo of the World Government, and the edges were embossed with gold thread. It looked very formal and heavy.
He pushed the document in front of Crane: "This is the result of the World Government's trial after these ten days of action. Not only us, but all the World Government's subordinate organizations, partners and member states should have received it."
"The announcement will be made at 10 a.m. tomorrow. You'll be in charge of this."
"clear."
He picked up the document; it was heavier than she had expected.
Marshal Kong waved his hand, indicating that she could leave.
He turned around, his heavy military boots making almost no sound as they stepped on the floor.
She walked to the door, paused for a moment as she grasped the brass doorknob, and said, "Marshal."
She didn't turn around: "Take care of yourself."
There was no response.
He pushed open the door and left.
The light in the hallway outside the door was brighter than that inside the office, but it was just as oppressive.
Several high-ranking generals who were passing by nodded to her, but no one spoke. All of them looked tired and uneasy.
He walked along the corridor toward the elevator, the documents in his hands heavy.
She knew what was written inside.
Or rather, she could guess.
How many people died during those ten days of trials? How many were arrested? How many families were destroyed?
Regardless of the exact figures, they will ultimately be embellished, obscured, and packaged as necessary costs and a victory for freedom and democracy.
Garp and Zephyr will be labeled as traitors to the Navy, and the rumors that have spread will be portrayed as a pirate conspiracy.
If a single world government were to hold absolute power, the truth might be forever concealed.
That same evening, on Gaya Island, in the first half of the Grand Line.
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled across the narrow strip connecting the east and west coasts of the island, bathing the six-story Gothic government building in a warm gold.
The building's stained glass windows reflected the light, casting dappled patterns of light on the ground.
Even though it was after get off work hours, the building was still brightly lit.
The important visitor reception room on the east side of the third floor was pushed open, and Mostin was led in.
The president of the World Economic News Agency was dressed in an elegant three-piece suit, holding a top hat, and his hair was neatly combed.
-
Upon entering, he subconsciously looked around the room; it was large and luxuriously decorated.
The walls were covered with dark wood paneling, a crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, and a thick, dark red carpet covered the floor.
The bookshelves against the wall are filled with finely bound books and works of art, and even the potted plants in the corner are trimmed very elegantly.
A guard stood in each of the four corners of the room. They were dressed in the black uniforms of the Kingdom of Gaya, with a golden sun emblem on their cuffs. They stood straight, their hands on their weapons at their waists, their eyes alert but not overly intimidating.
A luxurious dark brown leather sofa was prepared for the visitors, and an exquisite tea set and a three-tiered dessert stand were already set on the coffee table in front of the sofa.
Opposite the sofa was a large mahogany desk, behind which sat Fisher Taylor.
The General Secretary of the Kingdom of Gaya was buried in piles of documents.
Her desk was ridiculously large, but even so, it was still piled high with folders, reports, and documents waiting to be processed.
There were several stacks of documents, each two or three people high, piled up on the floor on both sides of the table, making one wonder if she could breathe normally surrounded by these papers.
Taylor did not stop writing because of the visitor; she flipped through a report with her left hand while writing rapidly with a pen in her right.
"Please have a seat, President Mosting."
Taylor looked up and gave a polite smile, but she didn't get up. After saying that, she lowered her head again to continue working on the documents in her hands.
Mostin handed the top hat to the staff member, then walked to the sofa and sat down. He didn't feel neglected; he hadn't expected to see this person directly when he arrived.
A staff member silently approached and poured tea for Mostin. The tea was a fine black tea with a rich aroma.
Mostin picked up the exquisite teacup but didn't drink it. He had come to trouble the other party today, so he naturally needed to be careful.
"I am aware of the purpose of President Mostin's visit."
Taylor began by signing a budget request, her voice calm and her pace unhurried: "The World Government's final verdict on the ten-day trial—such big news, and the World Economic News Agency doesn't want to be the first to publish it?"
She didn't even look up as she spoke, her pen tracing smooth lines on the paper.
Mostin put down his teacup, a professional smile on his face: "We were the ones who first issued the opening announcement for these ten days, so shouldn't the closing announcement be handed over to you now?"
"We're all in the same industry, and we should work together harmoniously to make money. Only through mutual exchange can we progress together, don't you think?"
"I've heard that in the past ten days, there have been nearly a hundred cases of arson near the headquarters of the World Economic News Agency?"
Taylor remained silent, her attention seemingly fixed on the documents: "This is truly appalling. I wonder what your losses are? If needed, the Kingdom of Gaya is willing to offer some assistance, however small."
Mostin's smile froze for a moment.