Celestial Pivot, Association Headquarters.
Under the dazzling sunlight, white buildings soared high, piercing the blue sky, while birdsong drifted in on the sea breeze.
Beneath the solemn severity lay a faint air of leisure and tranquility.
Everything had always proceeded unhurriedly, step by step.
Not only the passing craftsmen, but even the local residents who lived here took pride in it. They walked steadily, their expressions composed and dignified, never seeming impatient.
But today, everyone at the Association headquarters was hurrying along with anxious expressions and swift steps. None retained their former calm leisure, unable to conceal their anxiety and tension.
At first, it had been the panic caused by the Myriad Transformations Tower's loss of control and excessive consumption. But when new news arrived afterward, people grew even more restless.
Though it was Working Hours, countless craftsmen and staff had unusually abandoned their work and gathered in the hall, talking among themselves.
From time to time, they looked up toward the offices above, waiting for firsthand news.
For a moment, the hall, usually so quiet, seemed noisy and bustling instead.
"Heavenly Furnace?"
The craftsman who arrived late was stunned. He had barely sat down or caught his breath before his expression changed slightly. "A Grandmaster personally stepped in? It was only an examination—how did it end up alarming that one?"
The white-haired administrative clerk sighed, disillusioned with life. "They said he came to give it a try on a sudden whim."
"Did he really just happen to come?"
The craftsman fell silent for a moment and did not continue. At this point, everyone's gazes shifted and intertwined before finally settling on the two directors arriving late at the entrance.
Gustav and Jiang Tongguang.
Mainly Gustav.
Yet from beginning to end, Gustav remained expressionless. In silence, he handed over the