Marshal Heizou spoke calmly. "What exactly happened on that yacht?"
His timing was perfect. Just moments before, the atmosphere was so tense it seemed blades would be drawn at any second. But Heizou's question, posed at just the right moment, scattered the gunpowder-laden air and eased the tension.
At last, Yamato could finally voice what she had been holding back all day. She burst out angrily, "Someone set up more than a dozen hidden cameras in the yacht's cabins! Bismarck and her group discovered them!"
Heizou and the others froze, never expecting that to be the reason.
To be frank, diplomacy was full of deception and trickery. Setting up surveillance devices wasn't unusual—eavesdropping, fraud, framing, even assassination—all were considered acceptable so long as the risks and rewards balanced out.
But shipgirls were not like humans. To secretly film a shipgirl was to cross a forbidden line.
If it were human diplomats being spied on, the other side might dismiss it as no more than being bitten by a dog, perhaps even ignore it altogether.
But for shipgirls, the matter was grave. Shipgirls were beings of spirit and will. Being secretly filmed would make them feel violated, and in their despair and rage they could fall into corruption—becoming terrifying Abyssal shipgirls bent on vengeance.
Warspite still tried to salvage the situation.
"It was only the work of a few malicious conspirators using such despicable means. Think of it like a single fly landing in an apple pie—Bismarck, surely you won't throw away the entire pie just because of one fly?"
Bismarck's reply was icy. "This is your problem. Don't think to pin it on me."
Heizou said gravely, "We can promise with utmost sincerity that those responsible will be hunted down and brought to trial. We will issue a formal apology and compensation. I ask you, for the sake of the greater good, to show restraint."
"That's your greater good," Bismarck retorted, turning on her heel. "Our base is small—we have only our own people to protect, not some so-called grand cause. Clean up your own mess first. When you've done that, then you can come to us."
Warspite could not bear to let Bismarck walk away. She called out repeatedly for her to stop, even lifting the hem of her cumbersome gown to chase after her.
But Bismarck's figure was like a reflection in a mirror—forever just out of reach. In only a few steps, she had vanished back across the sea.
Breathless, Warspite turned to Yamato. "Yamato, immediately escort this convoy at the port to catch up. Make sure those supplies are delivered to Kuramoto Hikaru's base."
Yamato acknowledged with a nod, though inwardly she couldn't help but think: so, Warspite can run when she lifts her skirts after all.
Heizou's face remained calm and unreadable as he turned to leave.
Several high-ranking officers closed in around him, but Heizou slashed the air with a decisive wave of his hand.
"Operation Autumn Thunder! Hunt down those conspirators—every last one of them!"
By the time he spat out the last words, the old marshal was gritting his teeth, trembling with fury.
With that command, the ranks of corrupted transcenders moved out at once, pairing off to arrest their assigned targets. Many officers who had been standing watch only moments earlier were suddenly seized and restrained, throwing the entire port into uproar.
These corrupted transcenders had been brought here precisely for a moment like this.
Even the shipgirl ranks saw minor unrest—the division's military police were demanding each shipgirl submit to questioning. Still, their treatment was gentler than what the human officers faced.
Everyone who might have handled the intelligence Yamato had returned, or who might have come into contact with that yacht in the last three months, would all be investigated.
Whoever had orchestrated this scheme—no matter who they were—would now face the wrath of both the military and the shipgirl division!
Saratoga glanced northward, stretching lazily and grumbling.
"What a shame. I really wanted to go take a look at the house the Commander stayed in…"
[End of Chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
[Check out my Patreon to read 20+ chapters ahead]
[[email protected]/BellAshelia]
[Thanks for your support!]