For many people in the OG World, Xiao Ran's return brought enormous pressure. Those who had been somewhat restless were relieved that they had not acted rashly, but they also worried that Xiao Ran would settle scores with them afterward because of their unrest.
For others, Xiao Ran's return finally let them breathe a sigh of relief. Doctor Bian, Daitetsu, Gaspar, and Elsam were among them. Under the current circumstances, although Gaspar, as Federation President, did not directly hold military authority, he was living quite comfortably and did not want that life disrupted.
For Doctor Bian, Daitetsu, and Elsam, however, the pressure was direct and crushing. As the leader of the DC faction, Doctor Bian serving as Deputy Commander of the Earth Defense Force and overseeing its affairs was not really an appropriate arrangement. After all, most members of the Earth Defense Force came from the Federal Army, making his position somewhat awkward. Fortunately, he had many supporters, and with Xiao Ran's lingering influence, he could still maintain control of the situation.
Daitetsu first had to deal with the Shura Corps, then keep a close eye on every move made by the Earth Defense Force. After receiving the order not to obey headquarters' commands, the Steel Dragon Squad and Sword of Earth had effectively been placed on equal footing with—and in opposition to—the Earth Defense Force. They had certainly faced no shortage of obstruction. Under such circumstances, he had to fight enemies while remaining wary of his own side, so the pressure on him was immense as well.
Elsam did not consider himself a qualified leader. After Xiao Ran and the others had "disappeared," Satellite Integration had descended into complete chaos, with all kinds of rumors spreading everywhere. Only then had he truly understood how difficult it was to govern