#487 - Chapter 487: Unbridgeable Differences
Standing at the highest point of the Flower Capital, Jin-an stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing through layers of clouds, watching Kaido's fleet gradually disappear into the horizon where the sea and sky met.
He stood tall, saw far, as if everything was under his control, and as if he were in the clouds overlooking this turbulent world.
The cold wind brushed his cheeks, bringing a trace of biting chill, but it could not affect his composure.
"Kaido's side has acted according to plan." Jin-an's voice was low and indifferent, as if murmuring to himself, or speaking to the entire sea.
There was no superfluous emotional fluctuation in his eyes, only the light of calmness and determination.
The flames of war were about to spread throughout the world, but for him, war was just a tool to achieve his goals.
He was not obsessed with the battle itself, but more concerned with the result of victory—a result sufficient to subvert the old order.
He slowly turned around, retracted his gaze from the distant sea, and fixed it on the Wano Country being rebuilt before him.
This land had begun to show a new look, with high walls and strict defenses.
The streets of the Flower Capital were crowded with people, each with a solemn expression.
Everyone was preparing for the upcoming war, whether soldiers, civilians, or allies resisting the World Government.
Wano Country was being built by him step by step into an indestructible fortress.
"Next, I need to take a trip to the Navy Headquarters." Jin-an pondered for a moment, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
He knew that to truly change this world, the power under his command was far from enough.
He had to find out how many of his old acquaintances in the Navy would choose to stand on the side of the World Government in this change, and how many would still be willing to uphold the bottom line of justice, even if it meant opposing the corrupt rule.
The wind howled at the heights, as if predicting the coming storm for him.
Jin-an reached out and gently stroked the railing beside him, his fingers feeling the cold and hard touch.
His gaze became deep, as if piercing through layers of obstacles, reaching directly into the high walls of the Navy Headquarters.
The place he once served was now the battlefield he was about to test.
"Tsuru, Sengoku, Garp... are your hearts still firm?" Jin-an silently recited the names of these old friends in his heart.
He knew that many people in the Navy were also tired of the World Government's autocracy and oppression.
But in this wavering moment, who would fight for the truth, and who would bow down to the old power?
He had to find out these things himself, only in this way could he formulate a more precise action plan.
Jin-an turned and walked towards the stairs, his steps steady and firm.
His back was stretched by the afterglow of the setting sun, like a road leading directly to the future.
The hustle and bustle of the Flower Capital was gradually left behind by him, his thoughts had already leaped out, heading straight for the Navy Headquarters far across the sea.
That would be the key to his next action, and also a gamble on his future.
"Some people must face choices, and some choices will eventually change history." In Jin-an's eyes, there was an unwavering belief.
He knew in his heart that every step next was crucial and could not be lost.
"I just hope we won't meet on the battlefield then..."
As soon as the voice fell, the wind blew gently, and Jin-an's body slowly disappeared.
......
Far away, at the Navy Headquarters tens of thousands of miles away, the air seemed to be stagnant at this moment, and a tense atmosphere like an invisible pressure enveloped everyone's heads.
Almost everyone could feel that cracks were appearing in this once indestructible fortress, and the divisions and contradictions that had been suppressed had finally surfaced inevitably.
"Is it true that Admiral Jin-an has defected?" A low voice broke the silence, and a Navy Lieutenant looked at his surrounding colleagues with a complex expression.
Among them, some were silent, some clenched their fists, and some couldn't help but complain in a low voice.
"We joined the Navy to uphold justice, not to sell our lives for the high and mighty Celestial Dragons of the World Government!"
These words seemed to ignite the accumulated gunpowder. The conference room was in an uproar, with various voices intertwined.
Some were angry, some questioned, and some chose to watch coldly.
Everyone who joined the Navy had their own beliefs about justice.
Some believed in true fairness and order, while others believed that the supremacy of power was the embodiment of justice.
But no matter what kind of justice they believed in, their ideals would never be to maintain the autocracy and oppression of the World Government.
"Isn't Admiral Jin-an fighting against the World Government for us low-level marines?" Someone shouted indignantly, "He has opened up another path for us, allowing us to see a different kind of justice!"
"But he betrayed the Navy after all!" Another voice hesitated, "He is fighting against the entire system… does this mean that each of us has to betray with him?"
An unspeakable sense of oppression permeated the air.
For many people, this question was more challenging than any battle.
Since the establishment of the Navy, this organization has always touted itself as the embodiment of justice, but now, this foundation seems to be shaken.
The former beliefs became blurred, and people from all levels of the Navy were confused about the "justice" they adhered to.
Several veterans standing aside looked solemn, and they exchanged complex glances with each other.
These people had experienced countless storms, and their loyalty to the Navy had long been ingrained in their bones.
However, now facing all this, they also began to waver.
Even if they could continue to accept the days of obeying orders, could they still execute those orders that prioritized the maintenance of the Celestial Dragons' privileges without any regrets?
"What exactly is justice?" An old veteran with white hair muttered to himself, "Is it power? Is it peace? Or is it something we protect with our lives?"
This question lingered in everyone's mind.
The division within the Navy Headquarters was no longer a simple difference of opinion, but a deep crisis of faith.
Jin-an's defection and decision to fight against the World Government was like a flash of lightning, illuminating the dark corners that had been deliberately ignored on weekdays.
Many people realized for the first time that the orders they had been carrying out might not be true "justice".
Not far away, some Navy Colonels were talking in private, their tone full of apprehension and unease.
"Which side should we stand on? Jin-an's choice is likely to cause the entire Navy to split…"
Just as everyone was arguing, the door of the conference room was suddenly pushed open, and a general strode in, carrying an invisible pressure.
He coldly glanced around, his voice steady and powerful: "The Navy's mission has never changed, and justice will not be shaken by anyone's betrayal! But we must remember that true justice should not be swayed by anyone's power."
These words silenced everyone, but everyone's heart was still turbulent.
The atmosphere in the conference room did not calm down because of these words, but became more complicated—the division could no longer be avoided, and the huge institution of the Navy Headquarters was standing at a crossroads.
The road ahead may be difficult, but they have no choice but to choose this path.
In this disturbance tens of thousands of miles away, everyone in the Navy vaguely felt the huge changes that were about to come.
The name of justice was being re-examined at this moment, and this once extremely firm belief was undergoing an unprecedented test.
...
