Chapter 504: Kong

"I originally thought…"

"Even if Lu En is that extraordinary, he'd at most be appointed as our headquarters' lieutenant colonel."

"But I never expected…"

"This monster was directly appointed as our headquarters' brigadier general!"

"Good heavens!"

Smoker was deeply moved and visibly shaken.

His mind went utterly blank at that moment.

Thinking back,

he had just been basking in pride over his own rank of headquarters' major.

In contrast, Lu En,

had become a headquarters' brigadier general!

There was simply no comparison between him and that mere major!

Smoker felt like crying without tears.

We all graduated from the same training camp…

Why is this monster Lu En so extraordinary?!

A five-year-old brigadier general!

It's truly breaking new ground in history!

It has powerfully shattered the Navy's all-time record!

"I'm only a major…"

"Yet Lu En has become a brigadier general."

"I'm four full ranks below him!"

"It might take me ten years just to climb those four ranks—if I ever can."

"This defies all justice."

Smoker felt waves of psychological imbalance.

Around him,

a group of trainees had just snapped out of their shock over "040."

"Good grief…"

"Lu En became a headquarters' brigadier general?"

"Am I dreaming?"

"That's a brigadier general—second only to a vice admiral! A high-ranking Navy official!"

"Lu En is only five years old!"

"Doesn't this mean Lu En has shattered our Navy's record again—becoming the youngest headquarters' brigadier general in history?"

The trainees all wore expressions of stunned awe.

They were left speechless with shock.

They were completely dumbfounded.

One trainee whispered weakly: "I just thought Smoker's rank of Navy major was the most impressive in this cohort."

"Turns out,"

"this cohort produced Lu En! A monster!"

"He was appointed headquarters' brigadier general right after graduation!"

"This move is unprecedented in history!"

"Lu En is just too monstrous!"

By comparison,

Smoker's rank of headquarters' major is utterly unworthy to even polish Lu En's boots!

…

That day,

all the Navy's high-level officials were in heated discussion over Lu En's five-year-old brigadier general appointment.

Though most could not understand Admiral Kong's decision, they did not question it.

As Navy Admiral, Kong commanded immense authority.

Yet a tiny minority still could not comprehend Kong's action and deeply questioned and resented Lu En, a five-year-old, becoming a headquarters' brigadier general.

For instance,

Kiri, a headquarters' brigadier general himself.

He had spent a full ten years just barely earning his rank as headquarters' brigadier general—until he heard a five-year-old boy had been promoted to the same rank and now stood on equal footing with him.

Naturally,

he felt profound resentment.

He had spent ten long years…

to attain his current status and position.

What right does a five-year-old brat have?

What right does he have to stand equal to me?

He's just a five-year-old kid fresh out of training camp—what merit does he have to hold the position of headquarters' brigadier general?

Kiri could not understand.

Thus,

Driven by the anger and discontent in his heart, Klee began to complain to several of his subordinates.

"A mere five-year-old brat — what right does he have to become a Major General of Headquarters?"

"I've risked life and limb for the Marines for ten years. For ten years I've toiled without complaint, nearly died more than once, and only now do I hold the rank and status of Major General."

"A little brat who just graduated from the training camp — what right does he have to sit on equal footing with me?"

Klee was deeply dissatisfied.

His remarks quickly spread from his subordinates' mouths to the outside world of Marineford.

Immediately,

A very small number of Marines who shared the same resentment, as if they had found a backbone, seized upon Klee's words and began to trumpet them far and wide.

In an instant,

Throughout the vast Marineford, all manner of rumors and gossip flew through the air.

Most of the rational Marines did not intervene in this topic.

But there were still a small number of Marines who blindly joined the discussion and began to debate it heatedly.

Regarding the matter of the five-year-old Major General Lu En…

A fierce debate erupted across Marineford.

Countless Marines at the rank-and-file level harbored discontent.

Spurred on by Klee's remarks,

The number of dissatisfied people began to grow.

Subtly,

Even the atmosphere within Marine Headquarters grew somewhat oppressive.

Clearly,

Those who shared Klee's discontent were not few in number.

It's just that…

At first, their low status left them too afraid to speak up and object.

But now.

After Klee stepped forward to object, they rallied and emerged one after another, venting the discontent and anger in their hearts over the matter of the five-year-old Major General.

"On what grounds can a five-year-old boy serve as a Major General of Headquarters? What merit or ability does he have?"

"Even if he's strong, he's still only five years old."

"A mere five-year-old brat becoming a Major General of Headquarters? Was there a lack of consideration in this?"

"It's utterly childish!"

"A five-year-old boy just graduated from the training camp, and he's already a Major General of Headquarters? Doesn't this deal a devastating blow to those of us who have been struggling our way up from the bottom?"

"……"

Opinions flew from every quarter.

The voices of discontent grew ever louder,

And Marine Headquarters faced an exceptionally rare scene of chaos.

At the same time.

The various remarks and news from outside quickly reached the ears of Kong, the Fleet Admiral.

For Kong, who had personally appointed Lu En as a Major General of Headquarters, these dissatisfied voices outside were nothing less than a slap in his own face — naturally, he was furious.

"Fleet Admiral, those people outside want an explanation."

The Marine Colonel standing before Kong spoke up timidly, his heart pounding with fear.

He certainly knew.

At this moment, Kong's mood was extremely angry.

"They want an explanation?"

"Good! Very good indeed!"

Kong laughed in spite of his fury and said coldly, "Then I'll give them a satisfactory explanation! I hope, after seeing it, they can still maintain such an arrogant air!"

"Publish every single pirate that Lu En has captured in recent years!"

"This is Lu En's personal record of achievements and merits."

"I'd like to see — among all these discontented people — which one of them can match the number of pirates Lu En has captured for our Marines over these years."