"Me? Isn't it 'us'?" Liu Yunde asked in confusion. He had vaguely guessed it, but now he just wanted a definite answer.
" Old Liu, you heard me right, I said 'me,' not 'we.' Don't you think the colors of the Great Asian Alliance are too mixed? A nation perishes when it is weak. The Great Asian Alliance has too many internal problems and is already too weak to reverse. If it doesn't undergo thorough reforms, then one day, the nation will be completely destroyed."
"Right now, those old fogies in the executive government are still thinking about how to get a more comfortable chair for themselves, rather than how to make the country run more efficiently. They care more about the power they hold and the support they receive. You probably know that I purged the leaders of the ' Stick Faction.' But what you don't know is that it hasn't been that long since then? Those people in the executive government have already been secretly supporting several ' Stick Faction ' members to rise to power. It's just that they're only in minor positions right now, not that important, so not many people know about it."
"Just for some personal gain, they disregarded my initial warnings. Perhaps they thought I wouldn't dare touch them. But in reality, I was just waiting for an opportunity, a chance to completely wipe out those parasites. The ' Stick Faction ' incident was merely a warning, and clearly, the officials in the executive government didn't take it seriously."
Yunyi's words sent a chill down Liu Yunde's spine.
As a high-ranking military officer, he had personally dealt with many incidents of resistance from mages who had been forcibly conscripted into the army. After many such incidents, he naturally became aware of the drawbacks of this forced conscription.
A weakened nation is difficult to reverse. If the Great Asian Alliance doesn't adopt this approach, it will fall far behind its neighboring countries in terms of military strength. What fate awaits the Great Asian Alliance then? Need I say more?
Yunyi was also forcibly placed into the military, but his situation was different because he had a grandfather who held a high position of power. With that old man around, the military naturally had to give him some leeway, so the treatment he received after entering the military was much better than that of ordinary mages.
Even so, the forced conscription still aroused Yunyi's strong aversion, which has now extended to dissatisfaction with the executive government and the national leadership. This is a development that older generations like Liu Yunde do not want to see. Moreover, it is no longer just Yunyi who has objections to the decisions of the national leadership, but rather the majority of young people, especially those young mages who have been forced into the army.
Thinking of this, how could Liu Yunde not break out in a cold sweat?
"Alright, the Japan fleet is finished. I won't participate in the fortress siege. Old Liu, your ' Thunderclap Tower ' is more than enough to handle this kind of battle. I'm going to rest now." Yunyi waved his hand and left the control room.
It wasn't that he didn't want to go back to the research ship, but that he was afraid to leave.
Among the Japan fleet that was previously annihilated was Mio Itsuwa Japan, a publicly acknowledged Strategic-Class Magic. Her fall will certainly make the Japan high command uneasy. If those guys want revenge, then using another Strategic-Class Magic affiliated with the military to retaliate is the quickest way.
" Material Burst, Tatsuya, I wonder what you'll choose this time?" Yunyi wondered to himself.
On the other side, aboard the research ship.
The previous naval battles were clearly visible to the people on the research ship via satellite imagery. However, they weren't using Japan satellite broadcasts, but rather their own surveillance satellites.
When she saw the entire fleet being dragged to the bottom of the sea, Mayumi Saegusa turned deathly pale. Even though she had prepared herself mentally, witnessing this naval battle still filled her with bitterness.
"It must have been very painful."
Just then, Chen Mei's voice reached Mayumi Saegusa's ears. She looked up at this somewhat unfamiliar woman, pursed her lips, and didn't know how to respond.
Chen Mei reached out and ruffled Mayumi Saegusa's hair. She was a few years older than Yunyi, and naturally older than Mayumi Saegusa. So when she did this, it wasn't surprising.
"This war was destined the moment Mio Itsuwa launched ' Abyss,' and the curtain that was raised won't close so easily. You come from Japan and are a member of the Ten Master Clans. Seeing this scene must be very painful for you. But little girl, this is an obstacle on the path you've chosen, one that you both must overcome."
"In the future, we will face even greater difficulties. Everyone on this ship is prepared. If you are already feeling unbearable pain, then leaving might be the best option for you. If you've made up your mind, you can come to me, and I can try to find a way to send you back to Japan. I think he will understand. But if you choose to stay, then you must bury your pain. At least, don't show it in front of him."
" A-Yi has already shouldered too much, even though it's his own doing, but we exist to help him share that burden. I hope you understand, okay?"
Chen Mei's words, seemingly comforting and admonishing, were actually a way of warning Mayumi Saegusa. Given Shen Yi's approach to things, she wouldn't pay much attention to such matters. That's why she had to step in and play the bad guy.
Mayumi Saegusa was well aware of this. She nodded silently, agreeing to Chen Mei's request.
Back in her cabin, Mayumi Saegusa could no longer hold back her tears, which had been welling up in her eyes, and they slid down her pale cheeks, leaving wet marks.
Just then, the terminal beeped. Mayumi Saegusa hurriedly wiped away her tears, took out the terminal, and connected to the communication.
When she saw the person on the screen, her panic intensified, and she even considered hanging up the call immediately.
"You saw it?" Yunyi's voice reached Mayumi Saegusa's ears.
Seeing the worried face on the screen, Mayumi Saegusa still couldn't hang up. She lowered her head and slowly nodded, responding to Yunyi's question.
"You..." Yunyi was about to say something when Mayumi Saegusa interrupted him.
" Yunyi-kun, please, can I be alone for a while? Don't worry, I'm fine, really. I just need some peace and quiet right now."