Otherworldly Affairs Office
Chapter 1164: Chaos Erupts
"What did you say?" Clan Leader Phoenix of the Fire Phoenix Race stood up and asked again after hearing the report relayed by the guard: "Are you sure the message you received is correct?"
"Yes, sir. The front-line report states that the space lock around Half Moon Gorge has not been lifted. The scouts now fear their rash actions might alert the opposition, so they’ve stayed outside the lockdown zone to transmit the message back and await further instructions." The guard kneeled on one knee to accurately relay the received intelligence.
"The space lock still hasn’t been lifted? How can this be!"
"Yes, they succeeded in their attack, why aren’t they leaving?"
"Could it be that His Majesty the Dragon King wasn’t taken?"
"What are you all still discussing? Head out to rescue His Majesty the Dragon King!"
The news immediately set the entire hall bustling like boiling water, with some eager to launch the rescue mission immediately, while others opposed, believing it to be a trap. For a moment, the meeting room was in chaos with each person voicing their opinion.
"Silence! Silence!" Celt struck the table twice forcefully, immediately quieting the hall. After some discussion among the Dragon Race elders and leaders of other clans around Salafam, a decision was made to dispatch a second wave of scouts. This time, experts from the Shadow Dragon Race of Ancient Dragon grade and top figures from the Night Wolf Race would be sent, aiming to utilize their powerful stealth abilities to infiltrate Half Moon Gorge and investigate the true situation inside without alerting the enemy.
Once the order was issued, the designated members from the two clans quickly got up and hurried to Half Moon Gorge. Meanwhile, as the clan leaders anxiously awaited news in the meeting room, Gerry entered three times from outside, reporting quietly to Celt and Salafam.
"Sir, this is the third time the Daoist Race has sent someone to inquire about what’s happening." Gerry was sweating profusely; so much time had passed since the incident, and though the severity of the situation wasn’t fully clear, the Divine Dragon Guards from outside and their captains had gotten wind of what transpired. Such a massive mobilization within the clan couldn’t be concealed from the other faction in the Dragon Realm. Now, rumors were rife across the Dragon Realm, causing panic, and the Daoist Realm held an emergency clan leader meeting, continuously sending envoys to inquire about the situation.
"Wait a bit longer! Keep covering! We’ll drag it out as long as possible! Regardless, we’ll only reveal once we have definite news." Despite his vast experience in battles, Keldo was somewhat shaken by such a thorny matter, having lived in relative peace for years, but now he must hold firm; all the remaining Grand Elders of the Dragon Race are currently in a deep sleep, and with His Majesty the Dragon King absent, he must take responsibility. If he loses composure, the whole Dragon Race would fall apart.
"Alright, I’ll get it done."
Waiting for the eagerly hoped-for news seemed endlessly arduous. Though there were many people inside the room, not a single one spoke, as most were either sitting restlessly or contemplating silently, or pacing back and forth across the room. When the oppressive atmosphere almost became unbearable, the meeting room door was pushed open again.
Everyone’s gaze focused on the guard sprinting in, and his report was succinct, consisting of just two words.
"Still there!"
"Whew!" Celt, who had been leaning on the table, let out a long breath upon hearing those words before sinking back into his seat. His emotions were complex; while he hoped the Dragon King was still in the gorge, he feared the same possibility.
Being there meant the situation was still under control, and there might be a possibility to rescue from the Dragon Realm. But the question remains: should we rescue him? How should it be done? If we mobilize, can we succeed? Success would bring joy and make him a hero for turning the tide, but if it fails, can he bear such a responsibility?
Lost in thought, Celt sat in contemplation, while the hall simultaneously erupted in chaos. Upon hearing that Dragon King Zhuo Geng was still in the gorge, his loyal faction wanted to immediately mobilize the Dragon Race’s army for a rescue. However, a portion of the opposition voiced concerns, seeing it as a trap, which enraged the loyal faction, accusing the other side of malicious intent and deliberately delaying the rescue opportunities. The opposition, of course, did not accept such accusations and swiftly retorted, causing a cacophony of disputes in the hall, even escalating to the brink of drastic action.
"Enough!" Phoenix Clan Leader Phoenix slapped the table in anger, demanding attention. Given his formidable strength comparable to His Majesty the Dragon King, both sides showed him respect by promptly silencing.
"Listen to what you’re saying! All of you!" Phoenix pointed at the Dragon Race leaders and Beast Race leaders with their hands on their weapons, rebuking, "What do you think you’re doing? Do you intend to fight your own kin?"
"Move aside! A bunch of hot-headed idiots!" Celt scanned the group from the Dragon Race with a glare, shouting sternly.
Under the formidable pressure from both clan leaders, the most aggressive faction leaders paid respects to their adversaries and reluctantly retreated to the corners of the hall as a sign of punishment.
Seeing the atmosphere in the room finally calm somewhat, Phoenix continued, "Our ancestors teamed up against Mages within the Magic Realm, and after ascending to the Celestial Realm, we united to confront the Daoist Race. Now, at last, the two races are at peace! Are we now at war with ourselves? It’s been less than a day since something happened to His Majesty the Dragon King! The urgent matter now is what we should do next!"
Once finished, Phoenix turned to Celt beside him, his gaze inquiring his opinion. Seeing the eyes of the gathered fixed on him, Celt pondered briefly before deciding to speak, "This matter demands cautious handling!"
"Cautious handling! Cautious handling! As we cautiously delay here, His Majesty the Dragon King will be taken away, and we’ll regret it then!" Hydra, who had mostly recovered from his foot injuries, expressed disappointment and anger upon hearing Celt’s words.
"Have you considered why they haven’t left after succeeding? Are they waiting in the same spot for us to snatch the person back? Such an obvious trap, shouldn’t we be cautious?" Celt retorted.
"Elder sir, don’t forget; this is the Spirit Monster Plane; this is the Dragon Realm! The culprits who ambushed His Majesty the Dragon King are within the attack range of the Dragon Realm. What are we afraid of? If there’s a trap, so be it! Even if they laid down an army, how would it matter? Our mobilized army would surely sweep clean and rescue His Majesty the Dragon King!"