#730 - The cost of opposition
However, among the common people, the reaction was even more direct and intense.
In the town squares, people held newspapers printed with the World Government's scandals, their angry voices rising and falling.
A young worker clutched a newspaper tightly, shouting with bloodshot eyes:
"They actually treat our compatriots like this!
Are we just going to swallow this insult?"
He raised the newspaper high, as if to expose this unjust world.
A woman beside him looked at the newspaper, tears welling up in her eyes:
"I've heard about it, how many evil things these villains have done behind our backs; they don't care about us ordinary people at all!"
Her voice gradually became agitated:
"They embezzle, manipulate, and even cause countless people to die!
We can't endure it anymore!"
This emotion spread through the streets like wildfire.
People began to gather, forming an angry mob, and although they had no weapons in their hands, a silent force permeated the air.
They began to discuss how to act, how to speak out for the innocent people oppressed by the World Government, and some even began to incite others to take to the streets and protest.
At the same time, in the border regions of other countries, those distant, almost forgotten cities, some news was quietly spreading.
Some people were shocked when they saw these scandals in the news, but others didn't seem surprised, as if they already knew the ending of this tragedy.
They calmly analyzed the situation, calculating how they could take advantage of the situation to seek their own interests.
But whether it was anger or calmness, whether it was fear of the future or a desire for resistance, the spread of each newspaper made the cracks in the world more obvious.
The World Government, that once confident, oppressive, and enormous machine, was facing an unprecedented storm of public opinion.
People were beginning to realize that they had been awakened by this "truth," and the world before them could no longer be as stable and peaceful as it had been in the past.
In these seemingly scattered but strongly resonant reactions, a tremendous force was gradually gathering, ready to be unleashed.
And this was exactly what Jin An and the New Navy hoped to see—the battle of public opinion had begun in parallel with their military actions, becoming a multi-dimensional counterattack.
......
The atmosphere of war grew increasingly intense, as if shrouding the entire sea.
The sea breeze blew through his hair, and the salty wind stung his skin, cold and merciless.
Although his gaze remained steady, waves surged within his heart.
There was no turning back from this war.
Jin An took a deep breath, feeling the pressure coming from all directions.
His heartbeat became unusually strong for a moment, and he could almost feel the rhythm pulsing in his blood.
The baton he held tightly in his hand made his palms sweat slightly, but he still did not relax.
He was going to lead this team to meet the most brutal test.
In the fleet, Kuzan stood in a corner of the deck, looking ahead, his expressionless face concealing the turbulent waves within.
Once a Navy Vice Admiral, now, he was a member of the New Navy, standing here, feeling even heavier pressure than before.
He knew that battle was inevitable.
The cold wind blew past, carrying an icy aura, but it also gradually cleared his mind.
Either victory or death.
There was no third way.
At this moment, Sengoku walked out of the bridge, his face stern, his steps steady and firm, obviously ready to face all of this.
He walked to Jin An's side, his eyes involuntarily looking at the gradually clearer enemy ships in the distance, and said in a deep voice:
"Jin An, in the next battle, we must not only fight for ourselves, but also for those innocent lives.
We must never let the World Government trample on our dignity again."
Jin An nodded, his eyes fixed on the front, and he silently vowed in his heart that this war must be won no matter what.
"We will definitely bring change."
He said softly, although his tone was calm, the determination in it was as hard as cold iron.
At the same time, the Navy's fleet was approaching from another direction, their flags fluttering in the wind, as if symbolizing the beliefs and strength of countless Navy soldiers.
Fleet Commander Sengoku and several other veteran generals were already prepared, their eyes unwavering, as if this battle was destined long ago.
On the World Government's side, although they appeared calm on the surface, in reality, as the New Navy and Navy fleets approached, they also felt unprecedented pressure.
Inside the command room, several senior commanders stood there, staring at the display screen in front of them, the number of warships on the sea was increasing, and the sound of the waves hitting the hull was like the bell of fate, becoming more and more urgent.
"The enemy is approaching!"
An adjutant reported loudly, his eyes flashing with vigilance.
The World Government commander sitting in the center of the command room looked coldly at the front, a sneer forming on the corner of his mouth:
"Whether it's the New Navy or that group of Marines, today, we will make them understand what the price of standing against us is."
He took a deep breath, his voice low:
"Prepare for battle, all fleets enter battle mode."
At this moment, elsewhere, on the World Government's flagship, the officers had already begun to busy themselves.
Tactics, troop movements, battle plans... everything was in full swing.
Several tactical commanders spoke in low voices, their expressions serious.
"The enemy is no longer the Navy of the past; they are no longer simple opponents."
One of the young commanders' eyes flashed with unease, and one could almost hear the worry in his words.
"Don't underestimate them."
Another older general responded in a deep voice:
"Although the World Government is strong, the strength of the New Navy has far exceeded our estimates."
The commander's silence made the atmosphere in the room even more solemn.
Everyone understood that the outcome of this battle was destined to rewrite the course of history.
At the same time, a strong wind was blowing at sea, and the sky seemed to herald an unprecedented disaster.
War had finally broken out.
In the distance from the sea area where the New Navy and the World Government fleets were approaching, there was an uneasy atmosphere on the sea.
Far from the battlefield, several huge pirate warships were silently floating on the turbulent sea, like a pack of lurking wolves, waiting for an opportunity to move.
They did not dare to get too close, but they did not completely move away either, still waiting quietly in a hidden place.
On the ships, the pirates' eyes were cold, and their eyes flashed with greed.
