The two men each harbored their own thoughts, their eyes fixed tightly on those armor pieces, filled with anticipation.
They even unconsciously straightened their robes, preparing to receive the imminent announcement.
Wen Kai finally arrived before them with the soldiers.
Yet in the next moment, a scene that left both men utterly aghast unfolded.
Wen Kai's footsteps did not pause in the slightest, nor did the soldiers carrying the armor hesitate for even a moment. They strode straight past Tang Liao and Duan Cheng, arriving before the Black Robes figure at the courtyard gate.
Then the eight soldiers stopped in unison. With perfectly synchronized movements, they dropped to one knee and raised the armor pieces in their hands above their heads, shouting together—
"Greetings, Commander-in-Chief Xuanhuang!"
The eight voices thundered deafeningly, like divine drums shaking the heavens.
Immediately afterward, Wen Kai stepped forward, unfolded the scroll of imperial-yellow document with both hands, lowered his gaze to it, and announced, "By order of the Deputy Director: Jiang Bei, two-star captain of Yellow One Camp, has, within half a month of entering the camp, consecutively slain the three Dragon Lords Hei Tian, Zi Tian, and Jin Tian; quelled the demon calamity at Heavenly Dragon Lake; executed the Heaven-Seizing Dragon Emperor; and purged the traitors within. His merits are outstanding! With the Deputy Director's personal approval, he is hereby promoted to Commander-in-Chief Xuanhuang of the Myriad Forms Bureau, commanding all troops of the Profound Division and Yellow Division, overseeing the generals. So ordered."
As the words fell, Tang Liao and Duan Cheng seemed as though they had been struck by twin bolts of lightning, both of them completely frozen.
Their mouths hung open, their expressions stiffened, and they could not utter a single word. The wild joy and anticipation in their hearts shattered