Jing Hongchen's Attitude?! More Details on the Dark Badge!

Sun Moon Empire, Mingde Hall.

The vast hall had been forged entirely from metal. The walls, vaulted ceiling, floor, columns—everything gleamed with a faint golden metallic luster.

It was not the gaudy shine of ordinary gold, but a restrained dark gold that could only emerge after precision forging. Under the lights, it reflected fine patterns, like countless intricate gears meshing together—cold and imposing.

A plaque hung high above the entrance to the hall, its large dark-gold characters radiating an air of overwhelming authority beneath the lights: Mingde Hall.

On the metal seat at the center of the inner hall sat a short, fat figure.

Jing Hongchen.

The current master of Mingde Hall, and the grandfather of Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.

He looked to be in his forties. He was not tall—more precisely, not even one and a half meters—but his width definitely exceeded one and a half meters.

His legs hung over the edge of the chair, his toes barely reaching the floor. His round belly stretched tight the black robe patterned with golden threads, the gold lines on its surface rising and falling with his breathing.

Yet despite that physique, he wore his hair long. Reddish-brown strands draped behind his head, making his already short, thick neck nearly impossible to see.

Before him, the teacher leading the team lay prostrate on the ground, his forehead pressed tightly against the cold metal floor. His kneeling posture resembled a bow drawn to its absolute limit...

His back curved into an arc that seemed on the verge of breaking, his shoulder blades jutting sharply beneath his clothes. His fingers dug into the floor, his knuckles pale and bluish from the force.

"Hall Master, I failed in leading the team this time. Please punish me."

His voice trembled slightly. Sweat beaded on