Jiang Zhaoyue turned and walked to the first seat on the right to sit down, her silver-white spear leaning against the side of the chair.

Jiang Yelan walked to the first seat on the left. Zhao Hu nodded to her, and she responded with a slight nod. After sitting down, she leaned her shadow moon blade against the chair and folded her hands over her knees.

Lin Feng waited for them to settle in, took a sip from his teacup, set it down, and asked, "Was the trip to the Annan Country successful?"

Jiang Zhaoyue sat upright with her hands on the table, her voice clear. "We didn't encounter the Undead Army head-on. Ye Lan and I, along with three Enshrined from Zhenyue City, entered the Dungeon directly."

After five days of exploration and with the assistance of the three Enshrined, both Ye Lan and I have reached Level 35."

The Council Hall instantly became lively.

Tie Dun was the first to bounce up from his chair, his eyes wide and round. "Level 35? My goodness! Lord Jiang, you and Ye Lan went out once and gained four or five levels? That's way too fast!"

Wang Wu also sat up straight, his eyes full of surprise. "Level 35... just a few more levels and you can reach the fourth rank."

Su Yurou's eyes curved into crescents. "Congratulations, Sister Ye Lan and Sister Jiang. From now on, you'll be the pillars of our territory."

Feng Qingyan looked up from the table, her chin still resting on the back of her hand.

Her voice carried unmasked pride. "Of course! Sister Jiang and Sister Ye Lan were already powerful. With the help of the Enshrined from Zhenyue City, what's a Dungeon in the Annan Country to them?"

Su Yuehua also showed a slight smile and nodded toward Jiang Zhaoyue.

Lin Feng waited for the chatter to die down and asked again, "What's the status of the battle between ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) the Undead Army and the Annan Country, Baixiang Kingdom, and Russia?"

Jiang Zhaoyue turned slightly toward Lin Feng, her tone becoming a bit brighter.

"We obtained the latest intelligence when passing through Zhenyue City. The battle situation there is looking very good. One of the three Undead Armies has been eliminated, and the remaining two are expected to be wiped out within a month."

Reinforcements from the Baixiang Kingdom and Russia have arrived. The Annan Country has also launched a national mobilization; it's said that even veterans in their forties have donned their armor and returned to the city walls."

Lin Feng felt a secret sigh of relief.

Finally, there was good news. As long as the foreign races within the borders of the Annan Country were eliminated, the various nations could free up their forces to deploy defensive lines along the border of the South Pole Region.

The rate at which the situation in the South Pole Region deteriorated would slow down significantly. Holding out for forty to fifty days shouldn't be much of a problem.

In forty-some days, once Fenghuo County upgraded to a city-level territory, he wouldn't even fear the Demon King's emergence.

Thinking of this, he said "Good" three times in a row, his voice carrying a sense of relief that had been suppressed for a long time.

Lin Feng leaned back in his chair, hands folded over his abdomen. His gaze moved from Jiang Zhaoyue to Jiang Yelan, and then back again. "Since you're all here, I have two things to announce."

He sat up straight, his voice steady. "First, starting today, the 1,200 Awakened from the former Moonflower Guild are officially organized as the 'Yuehua Legion,' with Jiang Zhaoyue serving as the Legion Commander."

The 1,000-plus Awakened from the original Fenghuo County and the newly annexed territories are organized as the 'Night Whisper Legion,' with Jiang Yelan as the Legion Commander. You two will decide on the organization and training for your respective legions; just report it to Li Yuan for the records."

Jiang Zhaoyue was slightly stunned, then stood up immediately, pressing her right fist to her chest. Her voice was clear: "The New Moon Legion accepts the command!"

Jiang Yelan also stood up, right fist to chest, her voice soft but clear: "The Night Whisper Legion accepts the command."

Lin Feng nodded to them, signaling them to sit, and then continued, "The second matter—"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall.

"Tomorrow night, there will be a major operation. Everyone present, get some good rest before then. Gather at the East Gate tomorrow at 5:00 PM. We will not wait for anyone who is late."

The hall went silent for a moment.

Tie Dun shifted his weight in his chair, wanting to ask something, but was glared back by Zhao Hu.

Wang Wu and Arrow Eye exchanged a glance, both seeing gravity in each other's eyes.

Feng Qingyan tilted her head, looking at Lin Feng and then at Jiang Zhaoyue. Her lips moved, but she didn't speak.

Zhao Hu was the first to stand, fist to chest: "Understood."

Then, everyone rose in succession, shouting in unison: "Understood!"

"Meeting adjourned."

Lin Feng stood up and walked out of the Council Hall.

Behind him, the sounds of chairs scraping, boots on the floor, and whispered conversations mixed together like a pot of water that had just come to a boil, bubbling away.

... 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Time flowed like water, and in a flash, it was 4:50 PM the next day.

The light in the Council Hall of Hangu Pass was soft. The setting sun shone obliquely through the high windows, dyeing the dark brown tables and chairs in shades of orange-red.

Lin Feng sat in the primary seat, holding a cup of tea, with several documents awaiting approval spread out before him.

Li Yuan stood by his side, waiting quietly.

He looked up at the sky outside the window. "Lord, it is already 4:50."

Li Yuan's voice wasn't loud, carrying the unhurried composure unique to the elderly.

Lin Feng looked up, glanced at the sky, and his lips twitched slightly. "Is it already this late?"

He set down his teacup, closed the documents on the table, and pushed them aside.

"The defense of the North Gate is left to Meng Yi and Bai Yi. I will be away for the next few days, so I'm entrusting Hangu Pass to you."

Li Yuan bowed slightly and cupped his fists. "Rest assured, Lord. This old man will not fail his mission."

Lin Feng stood up, took the Wildfire Spear from beside his chair, slung it across his back, and strode out of the Council Hall.

The setting sun shone from the west, casting his shadow long and straight onto the bluestone ground.

Outside the Council Hall was a main street running east to west.

The main street was fifteen meters wide, paved with bluestone, and lined with iron-leaf trees transplanted from Zhenyue City. Their crowns were neatly trimmed, shimmering with a dark green luster in the twilight.

On the south side of the main street were the warehouse district and the armory. Several tall stone buildings were lined up, with bundles of arrows and neatly stacked stone projectiles piled by their doors.

A few soldiers were loading goods onto carts, their movements brisk and without idleness.

On the north side of the main street was the residential area. Rows of gray-walled, black-tiled houses were arranged neatly. Cooking smoke curled up from chimneys, and the air was filled with the fragrance of rice porridge and salted vegetables.

Several women sat by their doors sorting vegetables. Seeing Lin Feng pass by, they quickly stood up and bowed in greeting.

Lin Feng nodded in acknowledgment, his pace never slowing.

Passing through the residential area and turning a corner, the East Gate came into view.

The gate tower was three stories high with upturned eaves. Its glazed tiles glinted with a dark gold luster in the twilight.

The purple city gates were wide open, and the three large characters for 'Hangu Pass' on the lintel shone brightly in the setting sun.

Outside the East Gate, a crowd had already gathered.