The allied army's annihilation had happened eight hours ago.
The news spread with astonishing speed.
Spirit City, Pope Palace.
The council hall was brightly lit by candles. Qian Xunji sat in the seat of honor, clutching an urgent secret report that had just arrived.
There were not many words on the report, yet every one of them struck his heart like an iron hammer.
"Four hundred and fifty thousand allied troops completely collapsed in a single night."
"Helge was captured, Prince Xue Ye was taken prisoner, and Kundera surrendered."
"Approximately one hundred and fifty thousand were killed in battle or died of severe wounds. More than three hundred thousand surrendered."
"Less than two hours passed from the start of the battle to their collapse."
Qian Xunji set down the report, closed his eyes, and lightly tapped the armrest with his fingers.
Several cardinals stood in the council hall. Everyone held their breath, not daring to make the slightest sound.
After a long while, Qian Xunji opened his eyes.
"Four hundred and fifty thousand troops, wiped out in one night."
His voice was low, betraying no emotion.
"A woman led twenty thousand Heavenly Strategy Army soldiers and achieved such a record."
"Your Holiness..." one cardinal cautiously said, "Could the intelligence be wrong?"
"Three secret reports, from three different channels. Every detail matches."
Qian Xunji rose to his feet and walked to the window.
The night outside was deep. Spirit City's lights glittered faintly amid the darkness.
"That woman did not appear out of nowhere. There is someone behind her—but who exactly is that person?"
He paused.
"Otherwise, she could not have absorbed Heaven Dou City's nobility so quickly, nor could she have assembled such a terrifying elite force of twenty thousand in so short a time."
"Your Holiness, you mean..."
"Dig.