However, not everyone could see opportunity like this ambitious man.
In other places, fear had already spread.
Especially among ordinary people who weren't involved in the fighting; their lives were turned upside down by these sudden, incoming messages.
On the city streets, shop doors were tightly shut, and the anxiety in the air was almost palpable.
People's moods were heavy, everyone quietly paying attention to the news, worrying about the changes to come.
A middle-aged man stood in front of the television, his eyes vacant, as if he had lost all vitality.
On the television screen, the camera flashed, giants fell, battles raged above the ships, and those fallen heroes and powerful figures, whether friend or foe, would vanish like dust forgotten by history, carried away by the wind.
He clenched his fists, his brow furrowed, his heart filled with unease.
The world no longer seemed safe; the flames of war brought not only death, but also an unknowable future.
Tomorrow, when he opened his eyes again, would this city still be here?
Would his family, his friends, also be safe and sound?
All this uncertainty filled him with a deep fear, an invisible pressure that was suffocating him.
He lowered his head, gripping the edge of the table tightly, as if doing so could help him maintain some composure.
But no matter how he struggled, the invisible fear in his heart always lingered, like a shadow looming over him.
However, there were some people who were not shaken by this; they continued to live their lives as if this great war had nothing to do with them.
Perhaps it was due to being accustomed to war, or perhaps life had taught them how to deal with external turmoil.
In their eyes, the world was already like this: war, chaos, death... these were no longer enough to attract their attention.
In a dimly lit bar, a long-haired man took a sip of his drink, his eyes deep, seemingly uninterested in the news from outside.
Some unopened letters were piled on the table, but he had no interest in opening them.
What happened to the outside world was none of his concern.
He was numb to such news, as if each outbreak of this war would have no impact on him.
He used to be a pirate, now he was just a retired ordinary person, perhaps even his identity had long been forgotten.
His days consisted of drinking, walking, and enjoying life, nothing else.
He knew that he had missed many years of glory and splendor, and now he just wanted to find a trace of his own peace in this storm-filled world.
"War?"
The corners of his mouth curled into a faint smile.
"No matter who wins or loses, in the end, aren't we all just trying to survive?"
These people no longer had any desire or hope for battle; they could only watch this page of history turn like bystanders.
And all of this, whether life, death, honor, or disgrace, had become a fleeting cloud in their eyes.
As the news spread, people's reactions around the world became increasingly complex.
Some were preparing to seize the opportunity and welcome the coming storm;
Some were trapped in fear, unable to extricate themselves;
And some chose to turn a blind eye and watch coldly.
What this war brought was not only the collision of blood and fire, but also the shock of people's hearts, deeply imprinted on this land, leaving countless intertwined figures of sadness and hope.
The flames of war swept across all directions, but whether they were people preparing to fight, people entangled in fear, or people watching indifferently, they could not escape the torrent of this destiny—war had changed everyone's fate, and this world would never be the same again.
Im sat on her massive throne, her gaze like a knife, sharp and cold.
The surroundings of the throne were silent, only the slight sound of her gently tapping fingertips could be heard, as if hinting at some impending change.
Her body was straight, sitting like an inviolable statue, and the surrounding air seemed to become heavy and silent with her breath.
There was not a trace of fluctuation in her eyes, that detachment and calmness, as if she no longer belonged to this world.
"Let me see what kind of termites are in the new world I've built."
Her voice was cold and indifferent, with a majesty destined to destroy everything.
She was not in a hurry to act, but tilted her head slightly, staring at the mirror in front of her that reflected her world.
The light in the mirror flickered, reflecting the turmoil and rebellion in various places—countless small sparks were quietly rising in every corner of this land.
Those rebels hidden in the shadows, those who tried to challenge her power, were quietly gathering momentum in this collapsing world.
She gently sipped the tea in her hand, her eyes slightly narrowed, her gaze falling on the constantly changing scene.
Every face, every battle, was under her control.
She did not feel a trace of anxiety; on the contrary, all of this was like a carefully designed drama by her, and the climax of the drama had finally arrived.
"The mice should be unable to restrain themselves, right?"
She whispered, her tone revealing an undisguised sneer.
She had long foreseen that Jin An and the others' resistance was just an introduction, and the real test was to wipe out those opponents in one fell swoop.
She had long realized that in this world, not only Jin An, but even Whitebeard, Loki, and those people could not sit idly by.
In this world, there were always some audacious "mice" who wanted to challenge her authority, wanting to tear open this dark veil that shrouded the entire world.
She was not in a hurry to act, because she knew that her real target was not the few people in front of her.
This conflict was just the beginning; her real purpose was to eliminate all opponents one by one—to find those hidden termites from the deepest and darkest corners, and to make them have nowhere to hide in this global storm.
She waved her hand slightly, and the mirror in front of her gradually changed, and the figures of countless rebels began to become clear on the screen.
The corners of her mouth raised into a faint smile, a smile with a sense of superiority from a high place, as if she was the master of this sky, invincible.
"You people are destined to be unable to escape."
Im's eyes became increasingly cold, that mixture of confidence and indifference making the air seem to become oppressive.
Her desire for control and destruction seemed to have reached its peak.
She knew that she had nothing to fear, everything around her was under her control, and no one could compete with her.
Her gaze passed over the mirror, penetrated the distant battlefield, and swept across every inch of land stained red by war.
Her vision pierced through layers of obstacles like a needle, reaching the forces that dared to resist—Jin An, Whitebeard, Loki, and even those former heroes, all became pawns in her eyes.
"This play has only just begun."
She murmured to herself, her voice low but full of threat.
As her voice fell, the entire throne space seemed to vibrate in some way, and the oppressive feeling in the air became more obvious.
Im slowly closed her eyes, the smile on her face like a thorny rose, exuding an untouchable allure and danger.
"I have no interest in playing cat and mouse with a few people.
What I want is a perfect hunt, a clean sweep, completely destroying these black sheep."
...
