Thud thud thud...
"Alright, everyone, what good ideas or suggestions do you have? Let's brainstorm!" After a while, Sengoku saw that most people had finished reading the documents in their hands. He tapped the desk a few times with his fingers and spoke.
Many people exchanged glances, but no one spoke. Even the five Vice Admirals in the front row frowned deeply, as if pondering a difficult problem.
"Prodi, among those present, you're the most senior Marine. Do you have any good suggestions?" Seeing that no one was speaking, Sengoku called on the oldest of the five Vice Admirals, a man of his own generation.
Hearing this, Cross looked up, shifting his gaze from the documents in his hand to the Vice Admiral. He saw a tall, broad-chested man with short, black and white hair. His mustache was shaped like a blade, and he had a goatee on his chin. He wore a double-breasted white suit over a red shirt, draped with a Justice coat.
Prodi looked at Sengoku and couldn't help but complain, "Asking me so suddenly puts me in a difficult position, Sengoku!"
"It's also your duty as an old soldier to share your experience with the young ones here, isn't it?" Sengoku said indifferently.
"Alright, I'll go first then! Cough, cough~" Prodi thought for a moment, then lightly coughed, clearing his throat, and said slowly, "The Shiloh Island where the Bion Kingdom is located isn't particularly large, but it's not small either. And since we're currently at a disadvantage in terms of troops, we need to focus on an element of surprise!"
"Because Shiloh Island is surrounded by mountains on all sides, with only one port, I believe the original plan should remain unchanged: we still attack the port, trap the Roberts Legion in the Bion Kingdom, and then deliver the decisive blow, encircling and annihilating them!" As he finished speaking, the Marine Vice Admiral, who was no younger than Sengoku, suddenly clenched his fist, a fierce expression on his face.
After listening to Prodi, everyone present nodded, clearly agreeing with the experienced old soldier's words.
"Speaking of emphasizing surprise, we might as well wait until the Roberts Legion officially attacks the Bion Kingdom before the fleet sets out from the G-1 Branch. However, if we do that, we can't be sure whether the war on Shiloh Island would have already ended during those two days of travel."
At this moment, a Vice Admiral over four meters tall and strong as a beast, shook the three pages in his hand and said in a deep, resonant voice.
"Who's that?" Cross poked Gobert's back and asked quietly.
"That's Vice Admiral Silas, known as 'Mad Beast'. He's a Zoan-type Ox-Ox Fruit, Model: Yak user!" Gobert slightly turned his head and gave Cross a brief introduction.
But just as everyone was pondering Vice Admiral Silas's words, Doberman suddenly stood up, his eyes sharply scanning those present. The X-shaped scars on his face and neck were very prominent.
"Forgive my presumption, but Carp Island, where the Roberts Legion is located, was originally an uninhabited small island. Its resources are scarce, and relying solely on plundering merchant ships and robbing other countries simply can't support the Roberts Legion, which has swelled to over 20,000 people. That's why Bartholomew Roberts wants to set his sights on the Bion Kingdom."
"Therefore, I believe the Roberts Legion won't delay for too long. They'll definitely seek a quick victory, aiming to defeat the Bion Kingdom within a day or two!" After stating his opinion, Doberman closed his mouth and sat back down.
"I think what Rear Admiral Doberman said makes sense. Furthermore, the scale of our fleet is so large that once it moves, it's impossible to keep it a secret."
Immediately after, a tall and thin young Rear Admiral with a conical chin and short golden hair stood up and said something astonishing: "So I propose that as soon as the Roberts Legion moves to attack the Bion Kingdom, we move in. Then, our artillery fire will directly blanket the entire Shiloh Island, wiping out both the Bion Kingdom and the Roberts Legion from this world!"
"Nani?!"
"Are you kidding? A Buster Call bombardment?"
"Good idea, Rear Admiral Pegasus!"
"Is he crazy? That's a terrible idea!"
"..."
The entire strategic conference room erupted in an uproar. Almost everyone looked at this mad Marine Rear Admiral with incredulous eyes.
For a moment, over a hundred officers discussed amongst themselves, but while some spoke in support, the majority vehemently opposed.
"It's normal for some to object, but do you have a better idea?" The man referred to as Rear Admiral Pegasus calmly surveyed those present and said unhurriedly, "Leveraging our Marine's firepower advantage can not only greatly cripple the Roberts Legion but also reduce our Marine casualties. I think it's very worthwhile."
"Besides, the Bion Kingdom isn't a World Government affiliated country anyway!"
At these words, everyone suddenly fell silent. In the eyes of many radical Marines, if it could reduce casualties among their subordinates, sacrificing a non-World Government affiliated country, especially one hostile to the Marines, was not out of the question.
"Tsk tsk, that guy's a complete lunatic!" Gobert shook his head, saying with some disgust.
"I object!"
Suddenly, another burly, well-built Rear Admiral wearing a yellow and black striped top, a green beret, and a Justice coat stood up. He glared furiously at Pegasus, shouting, "This madman! Do you know there are hundreds of thousands of civilians in the Bion Kingdom? Do you want all of us to become executioners and kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people?!"
"Oh, so Rear Admiral Massol, do you have a better suggestion?" Pegasus casually twirled his finger, asking indifferently.
"I haven't come up with a good idea, but I won't be an executioner!" Massol scoffed, saying fiercely.
"Executioner is a bit too harsh a word, Rear Admiral Massol!" Pegasus narrowed his eyes, saying coldly, "This is merely a necessary sacrifice to uphold justice. The World Government won't mind us eliminating a non-affiliated country. It can also serve as a deterrent to those pirates and ambitious individuals!"
Thud—
Hearing this, Cross could no longer hold back. He slammed his hand on the armrest and stood up abruptly, roaring, "Rear Admiral Pegasus, justice that can only be upheld by sacrificing hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians is not true justice at all!"
"Claiming to uphold justice while committing monstrous slaughter—what then distinguishes us Marines from pirates in the eyes of the Bion Kingdom's populace?"
"Even if the Bion Kingdom isn't a World Government affiliated country, it doesn't mean we can slaughter them at will. Justice is justice precisely because we protect innocent people when they're harmed! It's because under justice, everyone is treated equally!"
"Good! Well said!" Massol's expression was agitated, and he couldn't help but shout.
Similarly, Cross's resounding words also made everyone present turn their heads. Many felt a newfound admiration for this young man, hailed as the "future star of the Marines," even some of the more radical hawk-faction officers.
"Well, well, if it isn't Captain Cross!" Facing Cross's reprimand, Pegasus's face turned unpleasant, and he said in a severe tone, "It's no wonder you, a naive rookie who just joined the Marines, think that way. Justice isn't some game of make-believe! If you show temporary mercy and let heinous criminals go, leading to an even worse situation, that so-called justice is cruelty to other innocent people!"
"If you don't have the courage to stain your hands with blood, if you don't have the courage to face mountains of corpses and seas of blood, then you should resign and go home early. Go live comfortably as a noble!" By his last sentence, Pegasus's tone clearly revealed a hint of mockery.
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