“Next are China, Japan, and India, which are much more prominent forces than England or Russia. Those three are a big shot trio of Asia, or that hemisphere as a whole. Australia is kind of its own zoo, you see. It was never anything special, and the Philippines or those tides of lands below are not that different.”

  “You can call them losses, Mi-Yung. How many of them were even there? As I see it, what land survived to this day is tougher than the rest. But why did Japan survive if others did not?”

  “They did. Maybe it is climate or their people? Not sure. They are on par with the Federation, though, and it isn't just in one place. A lot of their survivors have huge underground facilities or mountainous fortresses. They cover a lot of land and with quite a big elevation, so that helps. They are also aware of each other since they are all inland and worry about everything. Not Japan, though. It is kind of unique, and Asia is very different from America, you see.”

  “How come?” William asked curiously.

  “Most Darks have some physical limitations. Cold is not helpful for them, even if many of their elemental properties are quite strong. The harsher the environment, the better it is for people unless we view more based Darks. They are still inhuman and far from animals, and many of them can survive without oxygens, or even live in volcanoes, and so on. Humans can't live that way, but it is better than nothing. We built. We are clever. If I give it a number, than at least three quarters of Darks are unable to approach very tall, elevated fortresses of Asia. Geological advantage is a good defense.”

  “Sounds like a cage instead.”

  “A small price for safety. It works for what it is, and guess what this land is doing?”

  “Federation is the same, right?”

  “Yes.” she said bluntly, as if hiding the truth was unthinkable.

  “Than, what about the nations that you haven't named yet? I saw those offices when I met Kaufman for the first time.”

  “You mean those broadening corps? Those are less important than you think, although it is sensitive to higher echelons. It is about business and making and maintaining connections. That is one part that Federations and a lot of Walkers need to recognize. There is no official England. There is no right Russia. Only pieces of them remain, yet their name still lives on. Few former nations survived to call this place a Dark Age. A lot of them fused together to form something else while hoping for the old or something completely new. Federation is one of them, you know.”

  “I... see little. Ellie must've said the same thing, but I forgot. It makes sense when I think about it.” William admitted. This exchange made it clear to him that the politics were very complicated and that he shouldn't think too much about them.

  The past nations might be gone, with many of them lingering in memories, legends, or stories. William planned to remember a couple of them, just in case, although he had no resemblance to nationality, or some sort of pride that could come with it.

  Mi-Yung was similar. She lost her pride, so it moved somewhere else. But she did not forget where she came from, or what pride meant.

  “There are very few places at the same level as the Federation. That doesn't mean the same level is everything. There are many small organizations, and they are prideful in their own rights, and are untamable, a little annoying, yet self-sufficient, fierce, and adamant to survive at all costs. I am saying it for your sake, as the number of people surviving in the wild could be bigger than we know. A lot of it could also shift since we, as people, don't ever know enough about Outside. I guess you get why that's the case, yes?” Mi-Yung turned, grasped his shoulder, and looked at him like her position demanded.

  William felt creeping stress from what he could describe as a tough reality of Mi-Yung's position, or was it just her hand playing tricks on him?

  This topic was personal. South Korea fell at a rather sensitive time. It was right around the corner of the biggest fusion of power in a century. Korea and Japan. Added together, they would create a power capable of surpassing the Federation. Alas, it failed, or too little care came towards that which could not be saved.

  It was a historical topic that many didn’t know about in the Federation. It was distant and unimportant to them. Someone like Mi-Yung knew the truth, and it was both painful and bitter beyond anything she could ever say.

  No one’s faults came with deaths like that. The case of South Korea was the last cut into new hopes, as well as one important knock. Since its destruction, many organizations put differences aside and focused ahead, fearing they could meet the same fate as South Korea.

  It wasn't as if it was something new. How many nations had collapsed to dust in the last century?

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  Most of them.

  In the recent decade, there was a surge of numerous organized missions and tries to uphold provocative actions. Organizations were trying to gather power to shake the Darks, look for a way past this destruction, yet so far, it was a fruitless effort.

  In order for no other cut to happen, maybe it wasn’t about embracing the fear, but having an awareness that it wasn’t all about extinction. They had to fight back and win and win and then win some more.

  Numbers weren’t a simple cause and reason to see a better world. People died and came to this world all the time, yet at one point, extinction and sustenance no longer painted a pleasant picture.

  They were good at adding vision to an idea. They also represented simplicity and rules, but tell that to the Darks. Those monsters didn't care for voice, reason, or numbers. They weren’t caring for Ranks they held as well, for their instincts and hunts were far more engaging and greater than any of that.

  They fought for the sake of hunting, or for the orders of power, or Hordes, and those marked as Alphas or Betas. Humanity couldn't simply wipe them out for whatever they started or had yet to end.

  There was no good way to start, or a right way for conflicts to cease. The only pace was a systematic clash all across the globe, and hope it wouldn’t end up awakening the old monsters.

  Most lands couldn't justify such thoughts because of the lacking numbers and way too large scope. So a lot of places looked for the long-term solutions, and the Federation and other places around the world engaged with this idea however they could.

  Being in the middle of the ocean proved to be a prosperous idea for those reasons. William noticed it very well, yet... why did no one else do the same thing? Mi-Yung mentioned others being inland, far above the sea-level, or underground. It was odd.

  The reason lay in the simple impossibility of such wide-scale ideas to work right now. Attacks across the oceans were possible and effective in wiping out such efforts. It was an easy way to get lost.

  The start of the Federation felt this burden, and if it weren't for sacrifices, continuous push, and Walkers paving this road, it would never have worked.

  Still, numerous fierce attacks were coming from all those Rifts every week. Federation wasn’t built for them. The Walkers were. None shall ever breach all the bridges and towers. Nothing will break them.

  Mi-Yung explained what she knew to William in the best way possible. William understood war and how tough decisions could work and struggle, be it Outside or… here. It was important to see it from afar, so he didn't talk nonsense any longer and listened to her words.

  “Our Divisions act as a wide web, whereas further ahead, other organization deals with their own things. Information is shared as long as it's worth it, clever, or pushed.. Database of Darks is one relatively widespread idea, although a lot of foreign aspects are singular to unique lands and places. Evolving Corruptions do that sort of thing. We can't win at the moment, but pushing further is one way to get closer. That’s why we are trying. We are resilient, so we continue developing this land and help younger generations. Well, we ought to do it better year by year. It is a goal of many, though not everyone shares this sentiment, even in my Division.”

  “Division... What is it for you, or what do you do?” William inquired and figured he had never asked about her specifics. Maybe she didn't want to tell it.

  He was wrong.

  “Assembly Lower-Pillar. I am not a General, nor am I of common military rankings, but I can be both if that’s demanded. I’m like a secretary... for High-Pillar Yondu. It is a unique position. Almost like being an agent set to do specific needs and orders coming from him. Oh, and I do not make a call for every little thing for the Assembly. I work for Yondu.”

  “Which means... what?”

  “That I am busy and hindered. Not free too much, in a Walker's sense. You shouldn't look at it for now.” Mi-Yung said simply and sighed.

  “I never thought important position are weak. Apologies. I am not used to it.” William shook his head and looked away from Mi-Yung's glance, which saw right through him.

  Unbothered by his words, she continued in a steep change of topics, and even her tone turned serious.

  “There are many things to consider for the future or the present. Places breached by the Darks and their Corruptions folds into countless domains. Converting their homes or nests back is a task for decades at best. Wheter you want to call this war or not, it is an issue for a very distant path. They... those monsters are never-ending, while we as Walkers have to destroy them at all costs!”

  Hearing her agitation, William stared at that globe. Just how much land was even livable, let alone once filled with people? In front of his eyes, it seemed big and empty. Like her sour and rough words.

  He understood them, so he noticed from what kind of places Mi-Yung was coming from. Although her position might be way too big for him, there were people out there who fought for what mattered. Humanity will strive toward never-ending tries, whether for survival or a nasty end.

  Dozen minutes of her lecture followed rather sporadic topics, interests, and attempts to change the mood. Mi-Yung had nothing good to add any longer. The number of organizations in her work was promising, but every single one of them had various distinct issues.

  Be it from the internal structure, missions, and differences in culture or distance, and even people and Walkers were the same. That included the rules, such as business, economy, Forced Awakening, or fused pacts of many missions and cultures, or lands.

  Then, there were topics of those Divisions, which the Federation handled for many decades. They were almost like fragments of the last era, but recently, they were coordinating and doing what they ought to do best.

  Which was what? Each could support dozens of camps on their own, handle politics, and even private and direct matters. In a sense, they were like six military units, with their own set of rules but overseen by the rules of the Assembly.

  That was a great lesson for William. He thought they would be smaller or more cohesive. Maybe his world was smaller, so he couldn’t get it. After all, he learned there weren't as many camps as he suspected. Just a dozen of them put together was enough to keep the Federation safe, so that was.... something.

  Rigid commitment, which Luke had in the Yondu Division, was harsh, and there was no military Mi-Yung dared to call perfect. Even this place was far from that, as there was a deep sense of belonging, pride, and purpose in every Division.

  Going around aimlessly, betraying, or making mistakes wasn't seen in a good light, so it was no wonder the topic of recruits was quite restless.