An air of despair spread through the Operations Room on the top floor of the Military Intelligence Branch.
Guo Kai slumped in his chair like a heap of mud, staring hollowly at the ceiling. News of the Commander-in-Chief's disappearance and the ensuing paralysis within Beiyang seemed to have drained every ounce of strength from him.
"There's no saving him... Junior Brother Qin is beyond saving..." Guo Kai muttered, his voice steeped in sorrow.
"Without a Grandmaster protecting us, charging into the Linjiang Forbidden Zone flooded by the River of Forgetfulness with just the few of us wouldn't be a rescue. It would be delivering takeout to those High-Rank Ghost Kings."
Li Xiang stood before the war map, his brows tightly knitted.
His azure [Dharma Eye] flickered furiously in the depths of his eyes. His brain worked like an overloaded Difference Engine, desperately searching this tangled death trap for even the faintest thread of survival.
"Is there really no way?" Li Xiang pressed both hands hard against the wooden edge of the war map, his knuckles turning white.
"If even Juntong can't mobilize resources, then who else in the South of the Great Xin Dynasty could..."
Just as Li Xiang's heart sank toward rock bottom, and he even began considering whether to risk using the Ghost Bride's forbidden trump card within the [Ghost-Slaying Blade]...
"Li Xiang, don't panic yet."
Zhang Yunqing, who had been sitting dejectedly on the sofa, suddenly drew a deep breath. He raised his bloodshot phoenix eyes to Li Xiang, a faint yet extraordinarily steadfast glimmer of hope shining through his tone.
"Although Beiyang can't spare a Grandmaster-level expert to protect you right now, and Juntong's core resources have been frozen..."
Zhang Yunqing rose, walked over to Li Xiang, and patted his shoulder.
"You aren't fighting alone."
"Hm?"