Chapter 829: The Little Girls' Emoji Battle
The reason Tina chose to remain silent was also based on her own considerations.
She was no fool. From Smoker's words, she had realized that the fleet of warships appearing under the cover of night definitely belonged to the New Navy. Although she didn't know their exact intentions, they were likely also targeting the World Conference.
This was definitely an opportunity for the Marines. If they could negotiate an agreement between the Marines and the New Navy during this World Conference, it might allow the Marines to reunite from their divided state. The return of Admiral Aokiji and Admiral Zephyr would restore the Marines' strength to its peak.
Admiral Aokiji was the best candidate for the new Fleet Admiral. If he could return, the vacant Fleet Admiral's seat would finally have a new owner... A Marine with a Fleet Admiral and one without were completely different matters.
Moreover, Tina believed that whether it was Smoker or Admiral Aokiji, even though they had adopted this night raid approach, they were still former Marines at heart and would not do anything detrimental to Marine Headquarters. This was also the reason she chose to turn a blind eye.
To say Tina's choice was wrong wouldn't be accurate. Her intentions were all for the good of the Marines. She just never imagined that this time, aboard the New Navy warships, there wouldn't only be Aokiji and the others, but also a criminal infamous throughout the world!
After landing, the New Navy soldiers only took over the port's guard duties without attempting to infiltrate Marineford's interior. They simply wore the same Marine uniforms and replaced the exhausted night watch soldiers. Since the number of night watch soldiers at the port was already small, this substitution aroused no suspicion at all.
With people like Smoker and Aokiji, who were familiar with Marine internal affairs, forging orders and the like was far too easy.
After taking over the port's defenses, the New Navy warships quietly departed before the patrol boats returned, leaving only a large number of New Navy soldiers at the port. These soldiers remained quietly at the port, waiting for dawn to arrive.
Just as Smoker had said, as long as they got through tonight, it wouldn't matter, because when the World Conference convened during the day, that would be the time to show their cards...
…………………………
A sunrise at sea is absolutely the most beautiful scenery. Those who have never seen it can never imagine the magnificence of the dawn's light piercing the dark night sky.
When the morning sun gradually rose from the sea surface, at the top of the Red Line in the Holy Land Mary Geoise, the leaders of various nations staying in the luxurious mansions also began to wake up one after another. Yawning, they dressed with the help of maids, washed up, and enjoyed the exquisite breakfast provided by the World Government, all while starting to formulate in their minds what they might say at the upcoming World Conference.
A World Conference often lasts a long time; the longest one once dragged on for a month.
Today was the first day of this session. According to tradition, the first and second days were reserved for discussing the most important agenda items, primarily outlining the main points. The following days would then be spent endlessly debating or bickering over these points.
With over one hundred seventy member nations, it was impossible for every nation's opinions to be unified. In fact, many of these agenda items often ended up unresolved amidst the endless squabbling and discussion.
Take the matter of the Heavenly Tribute, for example. Every time the World Conference was held, some nation overwhelmed by the burden would bring it up. It had almost become a perennial, unchanging topic over the years. But what was the final result? It still hadn't been abolished.
Barring any surprises, this old tune would be played again at this World Conference. Understanding this, the leaders of various nations were now pondering what stance their own country should take on this issue.
Some wise and insightful kings had originally planned to unite with other nations at this conference to forcefully demand the abolition of the Heavenly Tribute. But now, they were frowning, wondering whether they should even bring it up.
The reason was simple: the live broadcast of the battle during the Beast Pirates' annihilation had terrified many people.
Those kings from nations with a bit of historical background and depth could roughly guess that the giant dragon might be the Ancient Weapon, Uranus. They inwardly cursed the World Government and the Celestial Dragons for their shamelessness, believing that while they preached that Ancient Weapons would destroy the world and suppressed those who studied history, they themselves held Uranus as their ultimate trump card. This was a classic case of having it both ways, like maggots with blackened hearts.
But knowing this, these kings and leaders still had to consider the immense threat that the World Government and Celestial Dragons, wielding Uranus, posed to their own countries and people...
They had to face the terrifying power of Uranus. Once they defied the World Government and the Celestial Dragons and were expelled from the member nations, who could guarantee that the other side wouldn't deploy Uranus to strike their country?
In more modern terms, what these nations were now experiencing was nuclear blackmail!
Even those nations unaware of the specifics, who didn't know Uranus was an Ancient Weapon, could still see that the World Government and Celestial Dragons possessed a very powerful weapon. Their thoughts were the same as those in the know.
Of course, as for those nations that were inherently tyrannical, worshipped decadent aristocratic systems, and licked the boots of the World Government and Celestial Dragons, they were overjoyed. They felt that with such a solid backing, they could rest easy. If those treacherous commoners at home who always wanted to harm the emperor acted up, they could just ask the big shots to teach them a lesson.
All they needed to do was flatter the World Government and the World Nobles well. It wasn't their money anyway. If they ran out, they could just squeeze it out of those commoners...
Harboring all sorts of thoughts, the leaders of over one hundred seventy nations—some worried, some frowning, some strutting arrogantly—entered the World Conference hall with expressions as varied as their moods.
This was a very spacious hall, using a circular stepped conference table. The leaders of the nations took their seats according to their designated positions. Not long after, the highest authority of the World Government, the Five Elders, also entered the conference hall.
Accompanying them were several clan heads from the Celestial Dragon families. This was a routine that had remained unchanged at every World Conference over the years.
Once they appeared, all attendees were present. World Government officials in black suits, sunglasses, and top hats walked out of the conference hall, closing the doors behind them, and stood guard outside.
CP intelligence agents, World Government officials, elite Marine soldiers, and even Pacifistas from the Marine Science Unit were deployed in layers around the World Conference, forming a heavily guarded perimeter.
This was all standard procedure. Every year when the World Conference was held, it was like this. However, although these guard units appeared serious on the surface, they were actually quite relaxed. After all these years, no one had ever been foolish enough to disturb the World Conference.
Similarly, at the foot of the mountain, Marine Headquarters at Marineford was also on alert. Several Marine warships were lined up outside the port, their cannons aimed menacingly at the outer sea surface.
However, the people at Marine Headquarters didn't notice that just before dawn, as they were beginning their deployment, over a thousand people had already set out from Marineford's port, heading towards Mary Geoise at the top of the mountain...
This was a timing gap. The New Navy, led by Aokiji and Zephyr, had precisely found this loophole, bypassing the shift change.
Tina watched Smoker and the others leave, but she frowned slightly. That group of over a thousand New Navy soldiers barging into Mary Geoise at this time would inevitably clash with the Mary Geoise defense forces. Once gunfire erupted, Marine Headquarters would immediately be alerted, and the Marines would have to take action.
Regardless, Aokiji and the others forcefully crashing the World Conference would be seen as high treason. They might end up caught between the World Government and the Marines.
She could only hope they could hold out long enough to complete the negotiations. Tina thought with a headache...
Tina waited in Marineford's plaza. Ten minutes passed. Twenty minutes passed. But the anticipated sound of battle never came. Not only was the road to Mary Geoise silent, but Mary Geoise itself was equally quiet.
What was going on? Tina grew suspicious. Calculating the time, they should have definitely encountered the outer defense forces of Mary Geoise by now!
If Tina had paid closer attention to that group of over a thousand New Navy soldiers, she might have spotted two small, short figures in the crowd...
In fact, at that very moment, Aokiji and the others had indeed encountered Mary Geoise's outer forces. They had even been discovered as soon as they reached the mountainside.
The battle had begun immediately. Those Marine soldiers and World Government officials opened fire on the group without even a warning!
However, the strange thing was this: no matter how the two sides exchanged fire, or how people screamed after being hit, no sound escaped. An invisible, hemispherical space had already enveloped the area for over a kilometer in all directions.
This was the power of the Silent-Silent Fruit!
Walnut, protected at the center of the group by the New Navy soldiers and big shots like Aokiji, Zephyr, and Dragon, had a cloak over her head and a pair of antenna earphones similar to those of Germa on her ears. She was holding up a sign, communicating with Sugar beside her.
[So tiring! The amplifier designed by that old man Vegapunk drains stamina quickly! (╬▔皿▔)]
Seeing the words on her sign, Sugar also took out a piece of cardboard, scribbled on it, and held it up.
[o(≧v≦)o Then do you want some grapes?]
[(=￣ω￣=) I want to eat bear-shaped cookies...]
The two little girls, in this eerie silence, were having an emoji battle with their small signs...