Just as everyone was reeling from Qin Hao's achievements, Hongxiu's communicator suddenly rang.
"Emperor, we have a problem!"
Hongxiu opened the message, and her face immediately changed. "Last night, three or four cities near the border were attacked by unknown assailants. They didn't just burn, kill, and loot—they also abducted a large number of female cultivators."
"Who did it?!"
Long Aotian's face was full of fury. "Lingxiao Palace? Or the Immortal Alliance?!"
"Uh, neither!"
Hongxiu glanced at the message again, looking rather awkward. "This report came from Bairi. He says the unknown assailants who attacked those cities were actually members of the God of War's Army stationed at the border, in disguise."
"What?!"
Long Aotian grew even more furious. "Who gave them the nerve? How dare they attack our own cities?!"
"Aotian, don't be angry!"
Xinyu Fairy hurriedly tried to calm him. "Those men have always been unruly, arrogant soldiers. They joined the God of War's Army purely for the immortal crystals, not out of any lofty ideals. And on top of that, the army has been months behind on their pay. It's no wonder they'd do something like this!"
"Is that supposed to be an excuse?!"
Long Aotian was beside himself with anger. "What was Bairi doing? I put him in charge of the God of War's Army, and he just let his men go on a looting spree?!"
"Emperor!"
Hongxiu braced herself and reminded him, "Bairi is only a lowly Golden Immortal. He can carry out your orders, but how could he possibly control those arrogant soldiers?!"
"Exactly!"
Xinyu Fairy tried to reason with him again. "The urgent matter now isn't to hold Bairi responsible. We need to find a way to pay the troops what they're owed. Otherwise, who knows what those arrogant soldiers will do next!"