In the height of summer in Sea Circle Calendar year 1515, sea breezes swept across Longquan Island, laden with humid heat and the briny scent of the sea. The smoke of the battle at Hurricane Gorge had long since cleared, but the lingering warmth of victory seeped into every brick and stone of Longwei City, into every heart, like the summer sunshine.
At the docks, newly captured warships lay alongside Peach Blossom Spring's existing fleet. The clang of craftsmen hammering out repairs mingled with the rhythmic shouts of sailors drilling, sounding a vibrant overture. This was a rare spell of peace, yet beneath the calm surface of the sea, dormant strength was quietly gathering, waiting for its next earth-shattering eruption.
Incense smoke curled through the Martyrs' Shrine on the western side of Longwei City. Dressed in plain mourning clothes, Chen Yu stood before the shrine and personally placed the name tablets of the fallen soldiers one by one, his expression solemn. Behind him stood a dense crowd of soldiers and civilians. There was no clamor, only the mournful sound of the sea breeze passing through the pine woods. The families of the fallen received compensation sufficient to support their lives, and their children would be given priority admission to the schools. Old and young alike would be provided for.
The military camp presented a different scene. A great bonfire blazed, and fat from whole roasting sheep dripped into the flames with a crackle.
Zhang Fei cradled a wine jar nearly as tall as he was, going from table to table to clink bowls with the soldiers, his voice booming like a bell. "Drink! There's plenty! Brothers who earned merit, eat all the meat and drink all the wine you want! Those who didn't, you'd better give it everything you've got next time!"
Amid the uproar, Guan Yu sat quietly in a corner, his Phoenix Eyes passing over every lively or wounded face, silently committing those who had fought bravely and showed promise to memory.
Huang Zhong had gathered several soldiers who had distinguished themselves in archery, gesturing as he explained wind direction and finger techniques. In Zhao Yun's naval camp, captains who had earned merit sat around nautical charts, reviewing every engagement at Hurricane Gorge.
After the brief respite, even harsher training began in full.
Battle cries shook the heavens on the training ground. Under the blazing sun, soldiers performed weighted cross-country runs and formation drills. Guan Yu personally oversaw the saber-and-shield formations, his demands for precision bordering on cruelty. "The blade is an extension of your arm! A formation means hundreds and thousands moving as one! A fraction too fast or a hair too slow is the difference between life and death!" His voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly over all the noise. Occasionally, he stepped onto the field himself. Without drawing the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, he could expose every flaw in a centurion's movements with nothing but taps of its sheath.
The sandy ground near the coast belonged to Zhang Fei's Siege Battalion. Bare to the waist, his bronze muscles bulged in the sunlight as he roared like thunder. "Haven't you eaten? If you can't even run on sand, how will you storm beaches and scale city walls? Charge, damn you!" He led from the front, a massive log on his shoulder as he sprinted over the soft sand, sending dust flying wherever he passed. Inspired by him, every soldier gave his utmost.
Deep within the naval camp lay an enclosed stretch of calm sea. Two hundred carefully selected hardened soldiers were undergoing hellish training. At times they held their breath and moved underwater; at others they fought with wooden swords atop swaying masts, or were blindfolded and made to block attacks from every direction by feel alone.
Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Huang Zhong took turns overseeing them. Their methods differed, but their goal was the same: to push the soldiers to their limits, awaken their potential, and bring them to the threshold of that extraordinary power-Haki. Screams, roars, and the sharp crack of bones continued throughout the day. This was the "Seed Plan" proposed by Guo Jia. The cost was enormous, but if it succeeded, the reward would be a truly battle-hardened elite force.
In the workshops, the furnaces burned day and night. The hammering of weapons and armor, the rasp of saws, and the clicking of crossbow mechanisms being adjusted mingled together. Huang Zhong proposed modifications to a batch of newly forged heavy crossbows, demanding another fifty paces of range. Zhao Yun set even stricter requirements for the maneuverability of the speedboats' steering rudders. Every effort was directed toward the more brutal battles to come.
Compared with the feverish activity on the training ground, a secluded room in the Core Region of Longwei City was exceptionally quiet. Wrapped in a light fur robe, Guo Jia reclined languidly on a couch, the long table before him covered with secret letters and nautical charts. His fingertips moved slowly across ink marks and symbols of different colors. Uxie's Power allowed him to distinguish easily between true and false information and discern its connections. Occasionally, he picked up a vermilion brush to place a light dot somewhere or draw a concealed line of connection.
"In the Flower Country's capital, grain prices have risen thirty percent. The garrison and imperial guards have already had minor armed clashes over supplies... Qi Ming of the Two Treasures Navy-his daughter Qili has been entering and leaving the capital frequently of late. There seem to be unusual movements... Sai of the Happo Navy has secretly met with our envoy again. His stance has softened somewhat, but Chinjao remains shut away, drinking himself drunk..."
He murmured to himself as though playing a game against someone. Encrypted orders went out one after another: intensify the grain embargo against the Flower Country's capital and spread rumors that the garrison was about to mutiny; add fuel to the fire in the secret letter to Qi Ming, hinting that his court already suspected him; make the promises to Sai more concrete, including the Happo Navy's future position within the new system.
On another chessboard, the piece representing Gan Ning was gently moved. Guo Jia instructed Zhao Yun that during his next "sparring session" with Gan Ning, he could "inadvertently" reveal certain "flaws" in the new speedboats with which the Peach Blossom Spring Navy would soon be equipped, and hear what this genius of naval warfare thought. This was a higher form of respect and probing.
The Talent Recruitment Hall presided over by Liu Bei saw so many visitors that its threshold was nearly worn through. An elderly official well versed in law, dissatisfied with the Flower Country's corruption, came to offer his service with a legal code in hand; a craftsman skilled in water management presented plans for an improved waterwheel; even a down-and-out navigator who had once traveled the Grand Line drew charts of several dangerous sea routes from memory. Liu Bei received them all personally and assigned them duties suited to their abilities. Peach Blossom Spring's reputation for welcoming talent from every quarter quietly spread with merchant ships and refugees.
On a late-summer night, Chen Yu stood at the railing of the Dragon Might Hall's terrace and gazed into the distance. The lights of countless homes shone against the river of stars overhead. Behind him, Guo Jia, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Huang Zhong stood silently at attention.
"Is everything ready?" Chen Yu's voice was calm, yet carried immense weight.
"Our provisions and military supplies will last half a year. The officers and men are ready to give their all and eager for battle," Liu Bei replied.
"The naval warships have all been inspected and repaired. The new recruits have trained enough to fight," Zhao Yun added.
"The men of the Formation-Breaking Battalion have sharpened their blades and await only your command!" Zhang Fei said in his deep, rumbling voice.
Guan Yu stroked his beard, a sharp gleam passing through his Phoenix Eyes as they opened and narrowed. "The Flower Country's days are numbered. Its people have lost faith, and its army has no will to fight. Our forces have long been gathering strength. Now is the time for a thunderous strike."
Guo Jia coughed softly, the faintest hint of a smile at his lips. "The net has already been cast. The Two Treasures and the Happo remain undecided. The Flower Country's capital is gripped by anxiety. All we lack now is an opportunity-or rather, a... pretext."
Chen Yu slowly turned, his gaze passing over them before finally settling on Guo Jia. "Fengxiao, in your view, where does that opportunity lie?"
Guo Jia looked toward the dark sea to the north and said softly, "The opportunity lies with that young man... 'Brocade Sail.' If we can win him over, our navy will be like a tiger given wings, and our chances of conquering the Flower Country will rise another thirty percent. Then the favorable wind will come of its own accord."
Chen Yu nodded, a flicker of anticipation crossing his eyes. "In that case, our next move will be Gan Ning. Once Brocade Sail is in our net, the time will come for us to swallow the West Blue whole!"
Night hung low, and the waves resounded. A grand narrative that would shape the future fate of the West Blue was about to begin. And winning over that proud, untamable dragon of the seas would be the most spectacular opening to this great drama.
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