After the group from the White Wolf Kingdom left, the entire hall fell into an eerie silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
However, this very tranquil atmosphere, in Logo's perception, was like the calm before a storm, with turbulent undercurrents lurking beneath the blue sea, and heavy, oppressive clouds weighing on his heart, making his whole body feel heavy.
The silence lasted for an unknown amount of time before being broken by a series of hurried footsteps. A middle-aged man in military uniform, with the rank of colonel on his shoulders, strode into the hall. Instantly, all eyes were on him, filled with a mixture of trepidation, fear, sorrow, and complex emotions.
"Urgent military report! The Dragon Blood Clan has betrayed us and defected to the White Wolf Kingdom. The entire Dragon Blood Island has now fallen into enemy hands." The colonel reported, his body hunched over, his voice filled with sorrow, emptiness, and bewilderment.
"They actually betrayed us..." The once imposing Grand Duke Lieyuan now had a somber expression and muttered to himself involuntarily.
In contrast, the Left Chancellor, Alex, appeared much calmer. Although his fists were slightly clenched, his expression remained impassive. He glanced at the crowd below and said calmly, "The Dragon Blood Clan's rebellion is a crime deserving of death. The Cabinet will hold an emergency meeting to address the situation. You are all key members of our Royal Court. At this crucial moment, do not lose your composure. Stay alert and do your jobs well."
"Know that our Royal Court has stood for over a thousand years, and our Gendaya Tribe has built this foundation through four thousand years of arduous struggle. No matter what, even if we perish, we will defend the honor of our people."
As soon as the words fell, the hall, which had been somewhat noisy due to the news of the Dragon Blood Clan's betrayal, fell silent again. But this time it was different from before. As if they had found a pillar of support, everyone's eyes shone with a burning light, which was the glory and spirit accumulated by the Gendaya People over four thousand years.
"The Left Prime Minister is right. No matter what, don't be discouraged. Rest assured, with me in charge of the Royal Court, the sky won't fall!"
The Grand Elder, who had somehow appeared before his original spot, grabbed with his right hand, producing a long-handled battle scythe carved entirely from blood-red jade. A terrifying aura of Slaughter emanated from the scythe, causing his robes to flutter and his hair to dance, making him appear both godlike and demonic, exuding an imposing presence.
The Grand Elder in this state appeared extremely terrifying, but precisely because of this, he gave everyone immense confidence. In the current climate of widespread panic, nothing could be more reassuring than a super strong individual capable of directly fighting High-Rank Demigod.
"Alright, the gathering is over. Go down and await the Royal Court's summons." Seeing the fighting spirit of the crowd below reignited, the Grand Elder breathed a sigh of relief and waved his hand.
The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only the seven cabinet ministers and the Grand Elder.
The eight men exchanged glances, their expressions all grave.
Boosting the morale of the clansmen is one thing, but making actual decisions is another. The Royal Court is currently facing far too many problems, and the betrayal by the Dragon Blood Clan has come at a very opportune time.
"Abyss Hunter, you are in charge of the Royal Court power, what do you suggest we do?" The Grand Elder turned his gaze to Grand Duke Lieyuan.
The latter then realized that he had been overshadowed by the Left Prime Minister, so after the Grand Elder asked the question, he eagerly said, "Of course, it's war! We must take back Dragon Blood Island first. This will not only restore morale but also deter those with ill intentions."
Upon hearing this, the Grand Elder remained noncommittal. Although his expression was calm, a hint of disappointment flashed deep in his eyes.
Clearly, the words of the Grand Duke Lieyuan did not satisfy him.
"Left Prime Minister, and what about you?" The Grand Elder then turned his gaze to Alex.
A glint appeared in the latter's eyes. After a moment of contemplation, he shook his head and sighed, "My opinion is, no war!"
Upon hearing this, Grand Duke Lieyuan roared like a rooster with its feathers ruffled, "What? No war? What do you mean? The Dragon Blood Clan is a powerful clan. Do you know how serious the consequences of their betrayal are? If we don't deliver a Destruction blow and impose punishment, such incidents will only increase. By the time the situation becomes unmanageable, it will be too late to do anything!"
The Grand Duke Lieyuan Lieyuan's booming voice echoed in the empty hall, but the Left Prime Minister Alex didn't even glance at him, only raising his eyes to stare at the Grand Elder.
Right now, this person is the true pillar of the Royal Court, and Zuo Bi understands this better than anyone else. Therefore, figuring out the Grand Elder's opinion is the most urgent task.
Seeing that the Left Prime Minister was completely ignoring him, a flash of anger crossed the Grand Duke Lieyuan's eyes. Just as he was about to say something, he felt a cold gaze coming from the side, and the words that were about to come out were involuntarily swallowed back down.
Grand Duke Lieyuan was somewhat afraid of this elder of the Night Watchers.
No other reason than that he'd been beaten up too many times.
Despite the Elder's seemingly good-natured demeanor and easygoing nature, when it comes to crucial issues, his attitude is extremely firm, leaving no room for compromise.
There was a time when the Grand Duke Lieyuan was impulsive, but after being pulled back and beaten a few times by the Grand Elder, his temper subsided considerably.
Of course, the Grand Elder was also careful; the beating of Grand Duke Lieyuan was done in private, and no one else knew about it except for the two of them.
Furthermore, the Grand Duke Lieyuan's life was saved by the Grand Elder from the battlefield. He could never repay such a life-saving debt, let alone beat him up.
The Grand Elder beat up Grand Duke Lieyuan, and the latter wouldn't feel any hatred. Otherwise, even if the Grand Elder's cultivation and status were higher, he wouldn't have acted this way.
Therefore, although on the surface Grand Duke Lieyuan does not show the same respect to the Grand Elder as the Left Prime Minister, in reality, he is very afraid of the Grand Elder, but also extremely respectful.
Seeing that even the Grand Duke Lieyuan was silenced by a single glare from the Grand Elder, the other Duke dared not speak even more.
The scene fell silent once more, with only the sound of the Grand Elder pacing back and forth.
After a long silence, the Grand Elder looked up at the starry curtain above the dome and let out a long, lingering sigh, "We cannot fight!"
Upon hearing this, the Left Prime Minister visibly breathed a sigh of relief.
Grand Duke Lieyuan's eyes widened. "Not to fight? But the Grand Elder..."
Before he could finish speaking, the Grand Elder cut him off again.
"Shut up and let me finish!" The Grand Elder gave Grand Duke Lieyuan a look of exasperation, and then said, "I have the following reasons for saying we will not fight."
"First, the Dragon Blood Clan's rebellion must have been premeditated, and it certainly involved the assistance of the Dawn Empire and the White Wolf Kingdom. Since they dared to take this step, they must have been prepared to counter our large-scale attack. If we rashly send troops as you suggest, we might just walk into a trap they've already set up."
"Secondly, the Dragon Blood Clan has always been an unstable factor for the Royal Court. They have been demanding large sums of military funds from the Royal Court for years, but they themselves have done little. Such a clan is less about guarding the Royal Court's borders and more about supporting a powerful enemy and establishing its own independent territory. It would be better if they rebelled sooner rather than later, as it would eliminate a major hidden danger within the Royal Court."
"Third, the Royal Court's economy, although boosted by the good profits in the arms market over the past year, is still stretched thin. Warfare is all about money and supplies; without money, no matter how ambitious you are, it's all for naught."
"Fourth, we cannot afford the risk of defeat on the front lines. The situation in the Royal Court is already volatile. If we start a war and return empty-handed, or even lose, the blow to the Royal Court would be far more severe than the betrayal of the Dragon Blood Clan."
"Fifth, and finally, the island across the sea from Dragon Blood Island is home to one of the three largest military bases of the Corte Alliance in the Trident Archipelago. Dragon Blood Island's betrayal is worrying not only us, but also the elves and dwarves, who are probably in no better shape."