By late autumn of the year 1517 of the Sea Circle Calendar, the chill had deepened. The impact of Hua Country's battlefield execution of "Shore Butcher" Jacks on its East Blue beachhead still lingered, yet the atmosphere within Zichen Hall in Chang'an grew increasingly grave. The oppressive sense of a storm about to break weighed on the heart of every key minister.
Chen Yu and his team knew full well that a local victory might have driven off the jackals before them, but would inevitably draw the gaze of tigers lurking deeper in the shadows. As time passed, the shadow of the colossal World Government grew ever clearer and more oppressive.
Night lay deep, and candlelight flickered in the study behind Zichen Hall. Chen Yu stood quietly before a vast map of the West Blue, his gaze seeming to pierce the paper and settle on the distant summit of the Red Line, on the city that symbolized the pinnacle of worldly power-Mary Geoise. Arceus's power over the origins of creation and order gave him a perception of potential danger far beyond that of ordinary people. In recent days, an indescribable sense of oppression, like gathering storm clouds, had weighed heavily on his heart.
"My lord, are you still considering Mary Geoise's movements?" Guo Jia entered with light steps, an encrypted silk letter in hand. A barely perceptible trace of fatigue showed on his face, but his eyes remained as clear as a deep pool. Uxie's Power allowed him to discern the myriad connections behind information, and made him all the more aware of the surging undercurrents beneath that invisible pressure.
Without turning, Chen Yu nodded slightly, his voice steady. "Such silence is unusual in itself. Fengxiao, have there been any new ripples in the West Blue lately?"
Guo Jia presented