Chương 1907: Battle of the North Sea (53)

Zhan Guo looked at everyone present with a serious expression, his voice echoing in the conference room with an unquestionable majesty.

Everyone looked at each other and remained silent for a while.

The dispute between Aokiji and Akainu had just ended, and now they were faced with such a thorny problem, and no one knew how to start.

Finally, Staff Officer He broke the silence. She frowned and said, "Fifty thousand elite troops? Is that enough? According to the intelligence we've received, the Rockefeller Kingdom has sent at least a hundred thousand troops this time, and almost two-thirds of the Rockefeller family's powerful men have been dispatched. Although Charlotte hasn't appeared yet, Douglas Barrett, Esdeath, Caesar, and Tesla are all important members. As for those hidden powerful men, we have no idea where they are.

If we rashly send troops like this, the consequences will be disastrous!"

After hearing what Chief of Staff He said, Zhan Guo did not refute it immediately like the others. Instead, he was silent for a while and nodded thoughtfully.

He knew very well that the enemy he was facing this time was indeed very powerful, and 50, 000 elite troops might not be enough to deal with it.

"He has a point," Warring States said slowly.

"Let's not even talk about how many powerful warriors the other side has. In terms of military strength alone, we are significantly weaker than the Rockefeller Kingdom. Therefore, the purpose of this military dispatch is not to completely expel the Rockefeller Kingdom, but to defend the North Sea. We must not let the entire North Sea fall into their hands."

Zhan Guo took a deep breath and continued, "The reason the World Government dispatched 50, 000 elite troops from our navy to defend the remaining half of the North Sea is because they hope we can hold this vital sea area and ensure that at least half of the North Sea remains under the control of the World Government. This not only concerns the reputation of our navy, but also the authority and interests of the World Government."

"Marshal, with so many troops deployed, how should Marine Headquarters respond? We cannot ignore the Three Emperors of Paradise and those pirates! They are lurking at our doorstep. If we divert a large number of troops, they will surely seize the opportunity and launch a fierce attack on Marine Headquarters. By then, I'm afraid we will be unable to resist their attack!"

Garp said with a worried look on his face, his brows furrowed tightly, as if the worry in his heart could no longer be concealed.

As soon as Garp finished speaking, Aokiji and Akainu turned their eyes to Sengoku at the same time.

They were obviously also very worried about this issue. After all, the safety of the Navy Headquarters was of vital importance and there must not be any mistakes.

Zhan Guo frowned and rubbed his eyebrows with his fingers, as if trying to relieve the pressure that was constantly surging in his heart.

He knew very well that every word Karp said was an irrefutable fact, but faced with such a difficult situation, he felt helpless.

This is an order issued personally by the Five Elders of the World Government!

As the Admiral of the Navy, he shoulders the heavy responsibility of maintaining world peace and justice. How could he openly disobey this order?

Although he had many doubts about this decision, in the face of the supreme authority of the Five Elders, he had no choice but to accept it.

"Based on the current situation, it will take the Rockefeller Kingdom at least six months to completely occupy the entire North Sea. In other words, we still have three months to organize a defense."

Zhan Guo took a deep breath and continued his analysis.

"However, it will take at least a month to move 50, 000 troops to the North Sea. Therefore, during this month, we can only let Aokiji and Akainu decide the outcome before making further deployments. During this period, we, the old guys, will need to step up and temporarily hold the front line."

"Marshal, this is too risky!"

Crane finally couldn't contain his worry and interrupted.

Zhan Guo's expression grew increasingly serious. He stared at everyone and said slowly, "Of course I'm aware of the risks involved, but time is of the essence and we can't afford even the slightest hesitation!"

"Also, order all naval branches in the West Sea, East Sea, and South Sea to begin recruiting immediately! Ensure that each branch recruits no fewer than two thousand soldiers! At the same time, publicly recruit strong men who have plied the seas. As long as they have no criminal record, they can be hired on an exceptional basis!"

Zhan Guo's voice echoed in the conference room, his expression extremely serious.

"Those with the ability of a major general will be directly appointed as major generals; those with the ability of a lieutenant general will be directly appointed as lieutenant generals; those with the ability of a general can be directly appointed as a general!"

He paused, then continued, "The situation is now extremely critical. The previous rules and restrictions no longer apply. Our navy needs to rapidly expand its capabilities to cope with the various changes that may occur. Therefore, I hope to have your full cooperation!"

Zhan Guo's words were like a bolt from the blue, causing an uproar in the conference room.

The minds of many generals went blank in an instant. They were completely stunned by this sudden order. For a moment, they were so shocked that they couldn't speak and could not respond to Zhan Guo's words immediately.

"Do you have anything to say?"

Zhan Guo's voice echoed in the conference room, and everyone came back to their senses as if waking from a dream.

"Marshal, would you like to reconsider this?"

A lieutenant general stood up, his voice full of obvious doubt.

"If positions are determined solely on merit, wouldn't that be too hasty?"

Zhan Guo's gaze fell on the lieutenant general. His eyes were calm and deep, as if he could see through the other's inner thoughts.

Then, he slowly glanced at the other people in the conference room, and they all looked at him with various complicated expressions on their faces.

Zhan Guo knew very well that the order he had just issued had caused dissatisfaction among these people.

He certainly understood why these people reacted this way.

After all, the people sitting in this conference room now have the rank of lieutenant general at least. Many of them have served in the navy for decades and have gone through countless hardships and obstacles before they finally climbed to the position of lieutenant general.

And now, just because of an order, the navy's promotion mechanism is about to undergo a fundamental change - no longer based on merit, but entirely on strength.

This is undoubtedly a huge shock to those ordinary lieutenant generals who have reached the position of lieutenant general through merit and hard work. They will naturally feel that their interests have been harmed.

Only then did he finally speak out and express his doubts.