"R-Report, Your Majesty, Crane Feather Pass has come under attack. According to intelligence, an unidentified force launched a surprise assault on Crane Feather Pass. It fell after a single exchange."
"Report, Your Majesty, Crane Feather Pass has completely fallen."
"Report, Your Majesty, Mountain Pass has fallen."
"Report, Your Majesty, Three Gorges Great Pass has fallen."
"Report, Your Majesty, all Three Great Legions sent to intercept them have been annihilated."
"Report, Your Majesty, that unidentified force is advancing toward the imperial capital."
In the imperial court, seven messengers knelt together and shouted their reports.
As their voices fell, the entire court sank into deathly silence.
Heaven Crane Lord: "..."
The ministers: "..."
The ministers, including the lord himself, all remained silent.
They had yet to process it.
In merely a few dozen breaths, several great passes had fallen in succession, and even the Three Great Legions were gone?
What kind of joke was this?
"Y-You... you aren't joking?"
Heaven Crane Lord looked at the six ministers below and asked.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, we are not joking. At present, that army is still some distance from us—"
"Report! Great Frost Dynasty troops have appeared outside the imperial palace. They have already fought their way into the palace!"
Before the man below could finish, a gold-armored general hurried in from outside to report.
"How dare they! Great Frost Dynasty? What does Su Tao think he is doing?"
Suddenly, Heaven Crane Lord swept out a hand. A terrifying quasi-Saint aura surged through the entire imperial palace, and the ministers trembled beneath that dreadful pressure.
This time, they no longer doubted the messengers' words, because they too could sense the terrifying aura coming from outside the palace.
"I'd like to see just what Su Tao thinks he is doing. Does he intend to turn