108. The World Is About to Change

Ever since the attack on Fajar’s group was shown on the broadcast, the atmosphere across the Garuda Nation had become tense.

Clips from viewers’ screens showed Fajar, Andre, and Rian lying injured on the ground while Siska took cover behind a tree. A group of armed Pioneers surrounded them.

At first, no one knew who the attackers were. But one thing was already clear.

Garuda Pioneers had been attacked.

Global chat and various livestreams were filled with outrage.

“WHO ATTACKED THEM?!”

“THOSE ARE GARUDA PIONEERS!”

“THEY’RE TRYING TO TAKE THEIR ARMOR AND RESOURCES!”

“WHICH NATION ARE THEY FROM?”

“HOW CAN THEY ATTACK ANOTHER NATION’S PIONEERS?!”

In several places, people began gathering in front of large screens. Seeing Fajar with a spear pointed at him only made the atmosphere more heated.

At the Garuda Presidential Palace, President Prabu stood in front of a screen alongside General Suryo and several officials.

Their expressions were serious.

“Have the attackers been identified?” President Prabu asked.

“Not yet, Mr. President,” one of the staff members replied. “They haven’t stated their nation of origin.”

General Suryo clenched his fist.

“Make sure we continue monitoring their broadcast.”

The screen still showed Fajar’s group. Then a strange sound came from somewhere in the distance.

KRAAAK!

A massive shadow passed between the trees. Instantly, the attention of viewers everywhere shifted.

A figure appeared above the treetops, riding a mechanical creature that had long been considered one of the most dangerous threats on Tropical Island.

Dark armor resembling a predator covered the rider’s body. Beneath him, a Mechanical Hererasaurus leaped and landed.

THUD!

Dust and leaves flew into the air, and global chat immediately exploded.

“WHAT IS THAT?!”

“WAIT—IS THAT A GARUDA PIONEER?!”

“RANGGA?!”

“RANGGA IS HERE!”

“HE’S RIDING A HERERASAURUS?!”

The tension that had filled the screens suddenly changed. In homes, offices, and public spaces everywhere, people who had been anxious just moments earlier began cheering.

“RANGGA!”

At the Presidential Palace, several officials even instinctively breathed sighs of relief. President Prabu gave a faint smile.

“He’s here.”

General Suryo nodded.

“At least they’re not alone anymore.”

The screen then showed Rangga dismounting from the Hererasaurus and approaching Fajar’s group.

Their conversation could be heard clearly through the broadcast.

Rangga examined the injuries of his three companions, then gave Siska some medicine. But the atmosphere changed again when Rangga turned around and aimed his bow at the attackers.

The Hererasaurus behind him also lowered its body, and its mechanical growl could be heard through the broadcast. The attackers immediately panicked.

Then one of them tried to flee, and the Hererasaurus moved.

THUD!

The mechanical creature leaped and struck the man. His body was thrown aside and did not move again.

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The broadcast was suddenly filled with shocked voices. A few seconds later, the identities of the attackers began to emerge.

They were not Garuda Pioneers. They were Pioneers from the Bald Eagle Nation. The mood among the Garuda public immediately erupted into anger.

“BALD EAGLE?!”

“THEY ATTACKED OUR PIONEERS?!”

“SO THIS WAS AN ORGANIZED ATTACK?!”

“RANGGA REALLY CAME ALONE TO SAVE THEM!”

However, there were no cheers inside the Garuda Presidential Palace. President Prabu’s expression hardened, while General Suryo stared at the screen without blinking.

“If they were actually sent by the Bald Eagle Nation...” he said quietly.

President Prabu continued,

“...then this wasn’t merely the actions of a few Pioneers.”

The room fell silent again and one of the staff members sitting behind them suddenly stood.

“Mr. President.”

Everyone turned.

“An incoming diplomatic communication.”

President Prabu frowned.

“From whom?”

The staff member swallowed before answering.

“The Bald Eagle Nation.”

General Suryo immediately looked at President Prabu. A few seconds later, the large screen in the meeting room changed.

A video connection appeared.

The Bald Eagle President’s face appeared on the screen, and President Prabu took a deep breath.

“Accept it.”

The connection opened. And for the first time since the incident began, the two nations faced each other directly.

The meeting room in the Garuda Presidential Palace suddenly became much quieter as the video connection from the Bald Eagle Nation went through.

On the large screen, President Ethan appeared alongside several senior officials. His expression was stern. On the other side of the table, President Prabu sat with General Suryo and several relevant officials.

President Ethan immediately began speaking.

“President Prabu, we request an explanation regarding the incident that just occurred on Tropical Island.”

Prabu looked at the screen.

“We are also gathering information. The incident occurred in Pioneer territory, and we only learned the details from the same broadcast you did.”

Ethan shook his head.

“What we saw was quite clear. One of our Pioneers was killed by a Garuda Pioneer.”

General Suryo immediately interrupted.

“It wasn’t a Garuda Pioneer who killed him.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

“Then who did?”

Suryo answered firmly.

“A mechanical creature.”

Several Bald Eagle officials behind Ethan exchanged glances, then Ethan then sighed.

“General, don’t play with words. That mechanical creature was under Rangga’s control.”

Prabu remained silent for a moment, then Ethan continued.

“Rangga is a Garuda Pioneer. He controlled that creature. If that creature killed our Pioneer, then he is responsible.”

Suryo’s voice began to rise.

“And what did your Pioneers do before that?”

Ethan did not answer immediately, so Suryo continued.

“They attacked four Garuda Pioneers first. They shot arrows at them without provocation.”

“That is not an excuse to kill someone who had already surrendered.”

“We are not saying the killing was justified,” Suryo replied sharply. “We are saying that the incident had a cause.”

Prabu raised his hand, signaling Suryo to stop, then looked at Ethan.

“President Ethan, we will not turn a blind eye to what happened. But do not reverse the order of events. Your Pioneers attacked first. They injured three Garuda Pioneers and attempted to take their equipment.”

Ethan leaned back in his chair.

“Correct.”

The admission caused a brief silence in the room.

“But up to that point,” Ethan continued, “not a single person on the Garuda side had died.”

General Suryo frowned, and Ethan looked straight at him.

“Our Pioneer then dropped his weapon and surrendered.”

Suryo replied coldly,

“And one of them still turned around and attempted to flee... He was then killed by Rangga’s mechanical creature... after having attacked Rangga’s group.”

Ethan gave a faint smile.

“So we have come back to the same point.”

Prabu leaned back in his chair. Both nations had reasons to pressure the other side. Ethan then opened a document in front of him.

“The Bald Eagle Nation considers this incident an act that endangered the safety of our Pioneers.”

General Suryo stared sharply at the screen.

“And what do you want?”

“Compensation. An official explanation. And a guarantee that an incident like this will not happen again.”

Suryo almost laughed.

“A guarantee that your Pioneers won’t attack ours first?”

Ethan ignored the sarcasm.

“If Garuda is unable to provide that, then we will take economic measures.”

Prabu looked at him.

“Is that a threat?”

“Yes... It is a threat.”

Ethan paused for a moment.

“Starting today, the Bald Eagle Nation will impose an embargo on the Garuda Nation.”

The room immediately filled with tension. Several Garuda officials exchanged glances, but President Prabu remained calm.

“An embargo?”

“Correct.”

Ethan then added,

“We hope Garuda understands the consequences. Trade access, certain commodities, technology, and various economic partnerships will be suspended until this matter is resolved.”

Prabu remained silent for several seconds. General Suryo glanced at him, seemingly waiting for his decision. President Prabu finally looked back at the screen.

“Fine.”

Ethan appeared slightly surprised by the unusually calm response.

“Fine?”

“If that is your decision, we accept it.”

“President Prabu—”

“We will not apologize for something we did not start.”

Prabu stood from his chair.

“Garuda will take responsibility for the actions of our Pioneers if they are proven to have violated the rules. But we will not allow our Pioneers to be targeted simply because they come from the Garuda Nation.”

Ethan stared at him for a few moments.

“Then we will consider this Garuda’s official decision.”

“Very well.”

Prabu signaled one of the staff members, and the video connection began to close. Before the screen went completely dark, Ethan managed to say,

“President Prabu, make sure Garuda does not regret choosing this path.”

Prabu replied without changing his expression.

“We hope so too.”

The screen went dark, and the room fell silent again. General Suryo let out a long sigh.

“He thinks the embargo will make us bow down.”

Prabu sat back down.

“Let him think that.”

Suryo looked at him.

“We do have a problem.”

“Correct.”

Prabu then glanced at the report lying on the table. It was the production report from the Cirebon facility.

“There’s only one problem.”

He gave a faint smile.

“They don’t know what we’re producing.”

General Suryo smiled as well.

“And we don’t need to tell them.”

On the now-dark screen, the Bald Eagle Nation still believed they had just put pressure on Garuda.

They did not yet know that, at the very same time, in Cirebon, a new industry was beginning to move.

An industry whose raw material had just been discovered on Savannah Island.