Marshal Beigong sighed and took out a list as well. Torn with heartache, he said, "Such a shocking way to die. How are we supposed to report their military merits? Ah, what a disgrace!"
Minister Ding set down the phone he had just hung up and said heavily, "I just received word that three students from Cloud High Martial slipped into the water and died. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. Four students from Ancestral Dragon High Martial were involved as well. For some unknown reason, the seven students gathered for a get-together and all drowned. What a truly bizarre affair. Here is the list. Central Plains King, you can see whether you recognize anyone."
Minister Ding shook his head. "Ah, they were all star students with considerable cultivation. How could they have drowned? Could ghosts really exist in this world?"
"Perhaps they really do!"
Marshal Dongfang shook his head and sighed. "Over the course of today alone, more than three hundred officials across the nation have died by drowning. Strange things happen every year, but never so many as today. Could today be a once-in-a-century day of Mercury retrograde and flooding...?"
Marshal Beigong chuckled. "I don't know whether today is a day of flooding, but there's no doubt it's a day of disaster. According to the news I just received, the residences of no fewer than seven Lineages all collapsed into the ground... Who knows how many fathoms the earth sank? Not a single member of those households survived. What's even more incredible is that every one of those Lineages was holding a regular Lineage gathering when the accident happened. Among them were the Qi Lineage, the Qi Lineage, and even another Qi Lineage. Tsk, tsk..."
"Pfft!"
The Central Plains King opened his mouth, and a