"Gorosei!"
"Gorosei!"
Before anyone had even entered the Gorosei's office, an urgent cry had already rung out.
The newly appointed personal messenger of the Gorosei was drenched in sweat. He hurried through the doors, rushed before the five elders, dropped to one knee, and said in terror, "No..."
"Why are you panicking like that?!"
"What a useless fool!"
Several Gorosei cut off the messenger with a round of scolding. Their displeasure was plain to see as they looked at the new messenger.
As the personal messenger of the mighty Gorosei, he did not possess the slightest hint of composure. He was disgracing all five of them.
Huff!
Huff!
After taking several deep breaths, the scolded messenger regained some of his calm. He was not angry. He believed that once the Gorosei heard the intelligence, they would be just as shaken as he was.
"Honored Gorosei, there has been unusual activity in the Eternal City!" the messenger said calmly.
Hmm!
Eternal City!
Unusual activity!
The Gorosei's expressions hardened. Upon hearing that it concerned the Eternal City, all five immediately straightened their attitudes.
The messenger continued, "This morning, the Eternal City halted all escort missions. Every escort unit stationed outside has been returning one after another through the portals at the Eternal City's branch offices, heading back to the Eternal City headquarters in the New World."
"What!"
The five asked in unison, "All escort units are withdrawing to the Eternal City headquarters?"
"Yes!"
The messenger added, "Not only the escort units. Intelligence indicates that all armed personnel from every Eternal City branch have also withdrawn to the headquarters."
"Only the escort units still stationed outside have yet to fully return."
"But at their speed, all escort units will be able to return to the Eternal City headquarters within three days at most."