manynovel Chapter 109: You Can't Leave
Chapter 109: You Can't Leave
Chapter 110: You Can't Leave
Mostin picked up his teacup again and this time actually took a sip. The tea was at the perfect temperature, but he felt his throat was dry as he drank it.
Those arson cases are real.
Starting on the third day of the trial, the World Economic News Agency's branches on various islands were attacked one after another.
They weren't pirates or gangsters; they were ordinary people who needed an outlet for their anger, and the news agency that published the World Government's announcement became the perfect target.
The Reds Rosa branch office was vandalized three times, the Sabaody Archipelago branch office was burned to the ground, and the editor-in-chief of the Water Seven branch office even received death threats.
Mostin put down his teacup, the ceramic base making a crisp sound as it struck the glass coffee table.
"The Secretary-General is extremely busy, so I won't take up any more of your time."
Mostin's smile faded, and his expression turned serious: "Let me be frank, the World Economic News Agency has already borne the brunt of public anger once, and it shouldn't have to suffer a second time, neither morally nor logically."
Taylor finally put down her pen and looked up at Mostin.
"Of course, President Mostin."
Taylor's voice remained calm: "We are all just victims of the world government's madness, and no one should bear the consequences of others' misdeeds."
"However, isn't President Mosting being a little too worried?"
"Overly worried?"
Mostin laughed, a bitter laugh. He pulled a folded document from his inside suit pocket—the one he'd received that morning—and unfolded it, placing it on the coffee table.
"Even if the Kingdom of Jaya is not a member state of the World Government, and the Jaya Daily is not a partner of the World Government, the World Government has not issued this document to you."
"But I don't believe you really don't know."
Mostin pointed to the text above: "Look at these terms, the Great Order? Ha!"
"All member states must keep their borders open for inspection by the CP department at any time. All commercial transaction records must be reported monthly, and all vessels entering and leaving ports must report their routes three days in advance."
"This isn't some era of great order; it's clearly an era of massive regulation!"
His voice rose slightly, but he quickly lowered it again: "Right now, it's just the discontent among the people of the Grand Line that's boiling over."
"I'm sure that once this announcement is released, people all over the world will be in an uproar."
"At that time, no one will care that we are just a mouthpiece. Even if people only vent one-thousandth of their anger on us, it is still something that my small newspaper cannot bear."
Mostin leaned forward, clasped his hands on his knees, and said in a very humble manner, "The size of the Kingdom of Jaya is known throughout the world. I beg the Kingdom of Jaya to save my lowly employees from this predicament."
Taylor looked at him for a few seconds.
Then she leaned back in the high-backed chair, interlacing her fingers on the table. This posture made her look more composed and also more imposing.
"President Mosting has been deeply involved in the news industry for many years. With such extensive experience, why would he be so worried about a harmful news story?"
Taylor said in a soft voice, "Couldn't we just cover it up with a bigger news story?"
"Bigger news?"
Mostin looked puzzled: "Could there be any bigger news than a ten-day trial?"
"Of course."
Taylor gently beckoned, and a female assistant who had been standing in the shadows behind her the whole time stepped forward; Mostin hadn't even noticed there was someone standing there before.
The female assistant placed a pre-prepared folder on the coffee table and pushed it toward Mostin.
Mostin picked up the folder. It was dark blue with no markings on the cover and felt very high-quality to the touch.
He turned to the first page.
Then he stopped moving.
His eyes widened instantly.
The fingers on his hands trembled slightly.
After a while, he turned the pages one by one, faster and faster, and his breathing became rapid.
After finishing reading, he suddenly looked up at Taylor, opened his mouth as if to say something, but couldn't make a sound.
He looked down at the document, then looked up at Taylor, repeating this process twice.
"Really?!"
Mostin finally spoke, his voice trembling with shock. His fingers slammed heavily on the words, tracing them line by line: "A former admiral and a current vice admiral have jointly created a new navy completely independent of the World Government?!"
"An announcement at nine o'clock tomorrow morning?!"
"And this too! The world government concentration camps that have been making headlines these past few days are actually like this!"
The document contained not only a draft declaration of the new navy's establishment, but also detailed background information, including what happened on the island, how Garp and Zephyr destroyed it, and how they rescued the survivors.
The document even included several blurry but recognizable photographs—
Gray buildings, barbed wire, and figures floating on the sea.
After the initial shock, Mostin immediately realized the value of the document. It wasn't just news; it was a bomb, a bomb that could pierce through all the disguises of the world government.
If all of this information is true, then it is indeed huge news.
but----
"Secretary-General ————"
Mostin tried to keep his voice steady, but his slightly trembling fingertips betrayed him: "These—you really intend to send these out? You've escaped the people's wrath, but what about the World Government's?"
"Does President Mostin believe that the world government currently has the capacity to manage press releases?"
She tapped the table lightly: "Marineford has been attacked, and more than 40 percent of the port has been damaged. Repairs will take at least five or six months."
"A division has emerged within the Navy. Garp and Zephyr have taken away a group of elites, and the suppression operations on various islands over the past ten days have consumed a great deal of manpower and resources —"
She looked at Mostin: "Besides, how we deal with the World Government is our business, isn't it?"
Mostin remained silent.
He took the documents, walked back to the sofa, sat down, and drank the red tea in one gulp.
The branch offices being vandalized and burned, and reporters being beaten and threatened, are minor issues. More importantly, subscription numbers are declining and GG is withdrawing its investment!
If this "Announcement of the Great Order Era" is released again, the consequences will be unimaginable!
He really is going to go bankrupt!
However, the information that Gaya Daily was about to publish was truly crucial; if it were in the hands of Mostin, he wouldn't even touch it.
"How about it? President Mosting, would you like to switch with us?"
"If the World Economic News is really that passionate about big news, then that's not necessarily a bad thing."
Taylor spoke again.
"No, no!"
Mostin quickly waved his hand, a smile returning to his face. After thinking it over, he finally chickened out.
He didn't have that much influence to get Gaya Daily to publish both of these crucial news stories.
"Gaya Daily truly deserves its reputation as the top news outlet in the world. Its capabilities and sense of responsibility are truly admirable."
He stood up, carefully closed the folder, and handed it back to Taylor's assistant with both hands: "Hahaha, then I won't bother you any longer, I'll be going now."
"You can't leave."
"what?"
Faced with Mostin's bewildered confusion, Taylor slowly said, "Since you're already here, why don't you stay on Gaya Island tonight, President Mostin, and go to the new navy's press conference tomorrow morning on behalf of the World Economic News Agency and the Gaya Daily reporters?"
"How could you possibly be absent from such an important occasion?"
Mostin forced a half-laughing, half-crying expression: "Huh? This...this isn't a good idea, is it?"
"This is too much trouble for you—"
"No trouble at all, what trouble? Someone, escort President Mosting to the hotel."