"When I was in the South Sea recently, I visited Branch 47 again. Your little sister is really adorable," said Gion, sitting across from Jon in the living room of his courtyard.
"Really? So you met Natasha. Yeah, she's a cute and mischievous little thing," Jon replied with a gentle smile at the mention of his sister.
Gion also smiled warmly. With age, she had shed the playful charm of youth, maturing into a graceful and poised woman, full of feminine allure.
"I heard about the promotion matter too. Jon, I truly believe in you. If even you can't be promoted to Vice Admiral, then no one else deserves it. I have faith in you."
"Thanks, hearing that from you gives me even more confidence," Jon replied happily.
Neither spoke after that, and the atmosphere grew a little awkward. Jon remained calm, but Gion began to feel uneasy.
After a long pause, seeing Jon still hadn't said anything, Gion felt disappointed and finally broke the silence.
"Jon, I need to head back—Vice Admiral Tsuru still has some tasks for me. If there's nothing else, I'll get going?"
Jon nodded. "Alright, I also have some ability-related material I need to organize."
Watching Gion's retreating figure, Jon sighed slightly. He wasn't oblivious to Gion's feelings for him—he simply chose not to respond.
When it came to relationships, Jon was slow to warm. Years of working together had made him fond of Gion, but not enough to consider dating or marriage.
In a dangerous world like this, his top concern was strengthening his abilities. Until he had the strength to feel secure, romance wasn't something he wanted to consider.
Gion was great—but not enough to make him set everything else aside.
Jon wasn't naïve about feelings. He knew that once you commit to love or marriage, the burden on a man becomes significantly heavier, and freedom becomes limited.
Moreover, a woman like Gion was not one to simply support from behind. Though she softened around Jon, she was a capable and ambitious woman.
Two career-driven people like them would be prone to conflict if they got together.
Jon didn't want to invest too much time in romance, so he chose to ignore Gion's subtle cues.
Back in Vice Admiral Tsuru's office, Gion returned with a heavy heart. Tsuru looked up and immediately understood.
"That rascal Jon still hasn't given you an answer, huh?"
Gion looked frustrated. "Vice Admiral, tell me—does Jon really not understand, or is he just pretending?"
Tsuru laughed. "With how sharp he is? Of course he understands."
"Then why? Is it because he doesn't like me, or because there's someone else?"
Gion felt discouraged. Her feelings were no secret within the strategy department, but Jon never responded, leaving her feeling hurt and helpless.
She had many admirers, but only cared about Jon. She thought he'd come around with time, but it had been nearly ten years, and he still hadn't changed. It was disheartening.
Even Jon's parents liked her, yet he remained unmoved.
Tsuru laughed breezily. "Jon? Like someone else? No way. Look around—there are so many beautiful female marines here. Who's he closest to? It's you. Right now, he's focused solely on getting promoted and growing stronger. It's not what you think."
"Really?"
"Really. Gion, you're usually smart—how can you be so clueless when it comes to Jon?"
"I—"
"I get it. You've let your feelings cloud your judgment. But don't dwell on it. Jon isn't in the mindset for love right now. A woman shouldn't give up her dreams or career for a man. A woman with her own goals and drive is the most attractive kind."
Gion's expression shifted. She knew Tsuru valued her. If she started slacking just because of Jon, it would be a betrayal of Tsuru's trust.
"I understand, Vice Admiral. I won't let you down."
Tsuru smiled in approval. She believed in both Jon and Gion and didn't want Gion to sacrifice herself emotionally.
In the following half-month, even someone as reclusive as Jon could feel the shifting atmosphere in HQ.
What had initially been a secret high-ranking officer selection had gradually become an open secret, causing a stir among the troops.
Though such promotions occurred every few years, it was still a major event for many.
Ambitious candidates aside, others were busy speculating who would rise, trying to cozy up to the right people early.
Naturally, HQ's mood became tense.
The top brass were aware but didn't intervene—it was inevitable. As long as it didn't cause real trouble, they let the rumors be.
One day, while Jon was eating, Pemberton came rushing in with urgency, saying there was something important and insisting Jon come with him.
On the way, Jon asked quietly, "What's the rush? You clearly have something big."
"It's my uncle—he said it's urgent, and you need to make a decision," Pemberton replied.
"Something business-related?"
Jon's eyes narrowed. If Pemberton's uncle was summoning him, it had to do with their logistics operation.
"I don't know the details. You'll find out when we get there."
Though Pemberton knew about the logistics dealings, he didn't know specifics.
"Alright, let's go."
They wound through various alleys and finally stopped at a civilian home in a modest district.
"This is it."
Pemberton knocked in a deliberate pattern, and after a moment, the door opened.
Jon waited patiently. For them to call him here so secretively, something major must've happened.
Once inside, they were greeted by Pemberton's uncle, who quickly shut the door behind them.
"Uncle, no one followed us."
"Good. Come in. Lucien is inside."
The uncle clearly trusted Jon's capabilities.
They entered the inner room and found Lucien seated there. Seeing Jon, he immediately stood up.
"Jon, finally you're here."
Lucien was Jon's main contact in the logistics department. They had a good relationship.
Jon sat down at the table. "Lucien, what's going on? Why the rush?"
Lucien sat again, his face grim. "Jon, we're in serious trouble. I wouldn't have called you otherwise."
"Serious trouble? Did something happen to our supply chain? Or something else?"
They'd been running this business for years without issue. For trouble to arise now, it had to be significant. Yet no one had come for Jon—meaning the operation was likely still secure, or at least under control.
Lucien's face darkened. "The problem isn't the goods or the trade. It's a person."
"A person? Someone leaked info? Someone embezzled? That's your domain, not mine."
Jon didn't see how it involved him. He just handled supply. Personnel issues were internal.
"The key is—it's not just anyone. We can't handle this one."
"Oh? Who is it, then?"
Now Jon was truly surprised. Their operation had serious backing.
"It's that old bastard," Lucien said coldly.
Jon's expression shifted instantly. "Him? But he's your boss—the Vice Admiral in charge of logistics. He's been making a fortune. Why would he be the problem?"
The man Lucien referred to was the head of the logistics department, a Vice Admiral, and one of the silent partners behind their operation.
Given his stake and earnings, he should've been the last person to cause problems. If anything, he had the most to lose.
Yet now Lucien claimed he was the problem—which Jon struggled to comprehend.
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Powerstones?
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