A Heavy Mask!
The next day.
"Hmm, from this angle, the Red Line really does look ridiculously high."
Vidal stood on the deck, looking up at the endless red wall before him, and sighed in amazement.
At the same time, the warship beneath their feet slowly docked at the town's pier.
Yes, a small town.
For people on both sides of the Grand Line to reach the Red Line, they need to use bubble gondolas made with enhanced bubble buoyancy. Therefore, a gondola station must be built at the bottom of the continent to accommodate these people.
However, in this place where all that was needed was to send the Holy Guard Army or the Navy, a very beautiful, tidy, and clean town and dock were built around it, and many happy residents lived there without any worries about food or clothing.
Vidal was well aware of the significance of doing this.
"You've worked hard, Comil. You guys go back first. I can go up by myself from here on out," Vidal said to his old classmate behind him as the warship came to a stop.
Okay, be careful!
Major Comil nodded, watching Vidal slowly walk down the wooden plank from the warship. Only after his figure entered the town under the watchful eyes of the Holy Guard Army on both sides did the warship sail out of the dock again.
At this moment, they were the only ship here, making it very convenient for them to move around, since this place only became lively when the Reverie was held every four years.
Meanwhile, as Vidal walked along the clean avenue, he observed the surrounding environment and residents. It must be said, the pleasant atmosphere here did indeed inspire a certain degree of goodwill towards the World Government.
Unfortunately, this only applies to those who are unaware of the true nature of the World Government.
Interestingly, small bubbles also appear on the ground in this town. They are undoubtedly made of Yarukiman Mangroves, and may even have been brought directly from the Sabaody Archipelago. In this way, the raw materials for those bubble pods can be sourced locally.
However, the bubbles that can rise to the top of the Red Line must be special bubbles enhanced with some kind of technology, as ordinary bubbles will automatically burst when they reach a certain height.
"Rear Admiral Vidal, please."
Upon reaching the edge of the Red Line at the deepest part of the town, a heavily armed Holy Guard Army, clad in full armor and whose face was completely obscured, politely gestured with his left hand for him to enter the cabin.
Vidal didn't say much to him, but just glanced at the huge government logo printed on the red clay wall and silently boarded the bubble pod.
The Holy Guard Army seemed used to being ignored and casually closed the cabin door for him. Soon, the gondola, usually used to transport royalty, slowly rose straight up along the edge of the Red Line.
As the gondola ascended, Vidal's view became increasingly expansive. Leaving aside the town below, which was gradually turning into a black dot, the most spectacular sight was the vast, sapphire-blue ocean. At this moment, he truly felt as if everything in the world was beneath his feet.
When the pod reached a certain altitude, he even saw the dark silhouettes of the Sabaody Archipelago.
Even after watching this beautiful scene for over ten minutes, Vidal didn't get tired of it at all. Only when the slow-moving pod reached the top of the port did he turn around and get out of the pod with satisfaction.
"Thank you for your hard work, please watch your step!"
He was greeted by the Holy Guard Army soldiers standing on both sides, while a government official in a black suit stood in the center and greeted him softly.
"Hello, Rear Admiral Vidal. I will now lead you into Mary Geoise. The Celestial Dragons have been waiting for you in the Land of the Gods for some time."
Upon hearing this, Vidal feigned confusion and asked, "The Land of the Gods?"
"Are you mistaken? I was invited by Dr. Vegapunk to visit the Science Unit of G-1 Branch. Shouldn't you be taking me directly to the other side?"
"I don't know the reason. I just received orders from above to take you to the Land of the Gods," the government official replied after a moment's hesitation.
"Alright, let's go take a look, since it's the Celestial Dragons' idea." Vidal nodded dismissively.
"Thank you for your help."
The man breathed a sigh of relief and quickly turned around and walked inside.
It was Vidal's towering three-meter height and the aura of power he exuded that unknowingly brought an extremely strong sense of oppression.
The area of this Red Line is indeed large. The two of them walked up more than a hundred steps before they arrived at the surface, the true surface of the Red Line. And from here on, it can be considered the 'Holy Land'!
As soon as he emerged from the underground staircase, Vidal felt his vision suddenly open up, with vast expanses of green trees and a wide blue river in front of him, and in the distance, various exquisite and magnificent buildings could be vaguely seen.
But what is most eye-catching is indeed the enormous castle, so large that it can be clearly seen from the edge of the continent.
"Is that Pangaea Castle, the center of the World Government and the seat of supreme power? It is indeed quite awe-inspiring," Vidal murmured.
"Yes, the fifty kings who hold seats convene Reverie there every four years." After saying that, the government official added, "However, our destination this time is not there, but the Land of the Gods over there, where the Celestial Dragons live." As he spoke, he pointed his palm towards the opposite bank of the river.
"Can I go into the place where the Celestial Dragons live?" Vidal asked.
"Originally, this was not allowed, but this time the Celestial Dragons unanimously agreed to allow you to meet in the central courtyard of the Land of the Gods."
The government official bowed respectfully in response. As someone who served the Celestial Dragons here every day, he was well aware of how popular this Rear Admiral Vidal was among the Celestial Dragons.
The original plan was to take Vidal to the social courtyard next to Pangaea Castle, which was also the place reserved for royalty and guards of various countries to gather and chat during the Reverie held every four years.
Unfortunately, their so-called plan was worthless in the eyes of the reckless Celestial Dragons.
"That's an honor. Lead the way," Vidal chuckled.
"Yes!"
Just as Vidal was following him onto a gray brick road, his feet suddenly started moving. He looked down and saw that the bricks were moving forward on their own.
"This is an automatic walkway; the ground will automatically move towards your destination."
"Hmm." Vidal nodded expressionlessly, which puzzled the government official.
Logically, most people who encounter this for the first time would show some surprise, astonishment, or even shock, but this 'Ryokugyu' Rear Admiral didn't even flinch.
Little did he know that this kind of 'automatic elevator' was something Vidal used to every day.
However, he also knew that the power source beneath his feet did not come from electricity, nor from any other advanced energy technology, but was purely human power!
Even if he didn't know the original story, his Observation Haki alone would be enough to clearly sense the presence of humans dozens of meters away.
Those were Hundred Plans slaves, desperately pushing this so-called 'moving walkway' under the relentless whipping of their guards.
Moreover, it must be pushed at a steady, comfortable pace for those above!
Although Vidal's Observation Haki couldn't perceive the emotions in those auras, he could still imagine how desperate and painful those slaves must have been.
Even so, he stood firmly on it, motionless, not even daring to clench his fists!
Even if I feel absolutely disgusted!
However, at this moment, it was difficult for him to wear a relaxed smile. He could only maintain a cold, expressionless demeanor while trying to adjust his changing mindset.
Because later, he was going to chat and laugh with a group of the most disgusting people in the world, and even drink with them. At this moment, Vidal finally felt the weight that this 'mask' brought him.
It's really heavy.
Thank you bdhjenjd for the 100-coin reward! Thank you so much!