The atmosphere in the Empire's Military Department central command room was even more grim and icy than in Iron Jaw Fortress.
Across the enormous battlefield sand table, glaring red zones marking fierce fighting and chaos were rapidly spreading.
Prince Xue Jiqing sat in the seat of honor, reviewing bloodstained battle reports, while Marshal Ge Laihao and Staff Officer Zuo Tinggang stood beside him.
The Prince held the intelligence delivered by the Chen Clan. His fingers abruptly tightened, thunderbolts flashed in his eyes, and his imposing aura instantly engulfed the command room. The temperature plummeted.
He suddenly raised his head, his gaze shooting like lightning toward Ge and Zuo. "The Forgotten Ruin Abyss! The Chen Clan says they captured Black Tongue, and he confessed that Azure Bamboo is in the Forgotten Ruin Abyss!"
The slip of paper was slapped down beside the sand table, searing their eyes like a branding iron.
Zuo Tinggang reacted a step faster. A sharp gleam burst from his eyes as he said gravely, "The Crimson Embrace took Azure Bamboo into the Forgotten Ruin Abyss?! Do they have a death wish?"
Ge Laihao's eyes widened almost to bursting. Snatching up the note, he growled, "Now we're in trouble. Never mind what's inside-even the area surrounding the Ruin Abyss-
"-is occupied by enormous numbers of soul beasts, and plenty of Underground Forces have made their lairs there."
Throughout the command room, every adviser and messenger let out irrepressible gasps and muffled cries of alarm!
After days of desperate searching and an enormous price paid, they had finally pinpointed their target-only to find a death trap a hundred times more dangerous!
The Forgotten Ruin Abyss was infamous. In terms of its position relative to the surface, it lay at the central point of the Four Great Districts.
Deadly poison