The Entire Branch Building.
Not even a single guard at the entrance.
Hina strolled in without resistance.
First floor…
Second floor…
Third floor——!
Finally, she encountered the first person since entering the building.
Standing outside the office of Luo Lan...
Ian.
"Ian…"
"Lieutenant General Hina, the Colonel is expecting you."
Ian stepped aside with a courteous gesture, his right hand extended in invitation.
Without hesitation, Hina pushed the door open and walked in.
As the office door slowly shut behind her, Ian returned to his original position—
—standing like a loyal guard, just like the Marine sentries usually stationed there.
---
Inside the Office.
The two locked eyes in silence.
No words were exchanged.
Not for one minute.
Not for two.
Three full minutes passed.
At last...
"Hina wants an explanation. Now. Immediately."
Silence lingered for a few seconds.
Luo Lan let out a sigh.
"Sister Hina, I honestly don't know what you think needs explaining."
"Did I betray the Marines?"
"Did I act against justice?"
He spread his hands in mock innocence.
"Don't play dumb. That mess at the Sixteenth Branch... That was you, wasn't it?"
"Yes, it was me."
Luo Lan nodded without a hint of hesitation—completely forthright.
Hina was stunned.
She had only meant to probe him with the question, thinking it was maybe his doing.
It was a bluff—an opening strike to seize control of the conversation.
But the answer...
It really was him?
And he just... admitted it?
No defense? No denial?
Was that seriously okay?
"Sister Hina, considering what that rat did, is there really a problem with me taking him down?"
"Technically speaking, I'm just cleaning house, am I not?"
He shrugged again.
And Hina was speechless.
It felt like every punch she threw landed in a cloud of mist.
"Fine. Let's say you were justified in taking action. But why didn't you report it to Headquarters afterward?"
"Do you realize how much chaos that caused? The whole Marine command structure was thrown into disarray! One misstep, and our entire reputation could've crumbled!"
"What exactly are you scheming?"
Hina slammed her left hand on her hip, right hand braced on the desk, her voice sharp and accusing.
And truthfully, that was the heart of it.
Hina had no issue with Luo Lan building a supersized branch or even purging corruption within the ranks.
She had no reason to pry into his secrets either.
But what came after...
That crossed the line.
Because no matter how you looked at it, Luo Lan's actions were hurting the Marine's reputation.
In other words—he was treating the Marines as his enemy.
"Sister Hina, do you know who was really backing that rat?"
"Hina has a good guess. It was Vice Admiral Val, head of the Four Seas affairs, wasn't it?"
"Correct. But tell me—do you really think Val was the mastermind?"
Hina paused, then recalled how Val joined the Marines... how he rose to the rank of Vice Admiral.
Luo Lan's words carried a clear implication.
"Exactly. That rat was just Val's puppet. And Val?"
"He's just another pawn, propped up by people even higher up the ladder—people who use him to consolidate power and rake in dirty money."
"So tell me—what do you think the Fleet Admiral can really do? What can he actually accomplish?"
At last, Hina understood.
Put simply...
The corruption went too deep.
Too many were involved—some from within the World Government itself.
Even if Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral, wanted to root it out, the most he could do would be to remove someone like Val.
He wouldn't be allowed to dig deeper.
The real culprits would remain untouched.
And after a few months—or a year or two—the same cycle would repeat.
Another Val would be propped up.
More rats would resurface.
And those civilians who'd just escaped the darkness...
would be swallowed up again.
Hina's resolve began to waver.
But not for long.
"Even so, that doesn't justify you scheming behind the Marines' back!"
"Luo Lan, listen to Hina. There's still time. If you report everything to the Fleet Admiral now, he'll find a way to fix it!"
She shook her head, shaking off the hesitation.
And began to plead.
But Luo Lan...
Raised his hand, pointing at the wall to the side.
"Sister Hina, do you recognize this?"
She turned to look.
There, like in the offices of many high-ranking Marines, hung a framed calligraphy scroll symbolizing personal justice.
But the one in Luo Lan's office—
Hina knew it very well.
In fact, any Marine with over ten years of service would recognize it.
"Justice Reigns Supreme."
"Don't worry, sister Hina. I'm still a Marine. Unless there's truly no hope left, I won't destroy the Marines."
"But this time, my goal is clear."
"First: Expose every single person involved, and deliver proper punishment."
"Second: Force the World Government to pay out double compensation to every civilian harmed."
"Third: Sever the World Government's filthy grip from within the Marines."
---
Hina's mouth fell open, stunned.
"You're insane. That's impossible!"
Humiliate the World Government?
Force them to cough up money?
And even weaken their control over the Marines?
No way. Absolutely not.
The Five Elders would sooner issue a Buster Call than allow that kind of humiliation and loss of power.
"Sister Hina, we've known each other for years. Have you ever seen me take on something without a plan?"
"Or propose something I couldn't pull off?"
She hesitated.
Thinking back... he was right.
No matter how outrageous Luo Lan's schemes seemed at the start, he always pulled them off perfectly in the end.
"Here's the deal, sister Hina—stay here with me for a month."
"If after that time, you think I've failed, you can report me to whoever you want."
"But if I succeed..."
"Then you help me keep it a secret. Deal?"
Luo Lan offered calmly.
But Hina narrowed her eyes.
"You want to detain Hina?"
"Stay with me"? Please—this was nothing short of house arrest.
This brat's guts had grown real big now, hadn't they?
Trying to lock her up?
Someone's due for a beating.
The fire in her eyes flared.
"Fine. You want me to stay?"
"Then prove it."
"Beat me in a fight."
"If you win, I'll agree to everything you said. But if you lose..."
"You're coming back with me to face the Fleet Admiral."