Chapter 186
C186 – Military Meeting
“What?”
Jia Jian’s typically serene face registered surprise upon hearing the news.
Lyi Jie gave Jia Jian a dismissive look, having just rebuked him for overreacting.
Yet now, Lyi Jie’s own outburst surpassed that of Jia Jian’s.
Naturally, he wouldn’t voice such a thought aloud.
“Vice Commander, the Council of Commanders has commenced. Commanders from the other factions are already present, leaving the Flame Dragon Legion as the last to arrive. It’s crucial that you awaken the Commander and the rest promptly.”
Lyi Jie expressed this urgently.
The Dark Parliament’s deployment of numerous beast kings and a host of lords indicated the looming onset of a decisive battle!
In the face of such critical developments, it was customary for commanders of the major forces to convene a strategic meeting to devise a plan of action.
Commanders from the other forces had already assembled, with only the Flame Dragon Legion yet to join.
Jia Jian was torn, reluctant to interrupt the reunion between his sisters-in-law and Mr. Chen.
“What’s with all the commotion this early? A mere dozen beast kings and you’re all this stirred up?”
Suddenly, a languid voice interjected.
The tent’s door swung open, revealing Loong Chen to the pair.
“Mr. Chen, you’re up.”
Jia Jian greeted him with due respect.
Even as a Vice Commander, Jia Jian maintained his unwavering allegiance in Loong Chen’s presence.
While speaking, Jia Jian glanced past Loong Chen, hoping to see others emerge, to no avail.
“Don’t bother looking. They’re still resting.”
Loong Chen intuitively addressed Jia Jian’s silent query.
Caught off guard by this, Jia Jian quickly offered a sheepish smile in apology.
“Mr. Chen, your abilities are truly remarkable.”
Jia Jian expressed his admiration for Loong Chen with a thumbs-up gesture.
Loong Chen gave him an exasperated look.
“Enough talk. Weren’t you mentioning a meeting? Let’s get moving.”
Loong Chen urged, prompting a look of concern between Jia Jian and Lyi Jie.
“What seems to be the issue?”
Loong Chen inquired, his eyebrows knitting together.
“Mr. Chen, normally the Commanders lead their legions. It would probably be wise to have my sister-in-law join, or we risk criticism.”
Jia Jian quickly elaborated.
“She’s still resting. I’ll fill in for her. Let’s proceed.”
Loong Chen maintained a neutral demeanor. Seeing Loong Chen’s resolve, Jia Jian sighed,
choosing not to further attempt to change his mind.
Loong Chen quickly made his way to the front lines with Jia Jian. Even though the battlefield was out of sight, the clamor of combat was audible.
A temporary tent was already crowded with individuals.
Commanders from various legions occupied each seat, except for the foremost seat, which remained vacant.
“The Commander of the Flame Dragon Legion is ten minutes late!”
An irritated voice declared at that moment.
The speaker was a middle-aged man dressed in a green robe, identified as the Commander of the Green Cloud Legion.
“They might have been held up by something. Let’s remain calm.”
A man clad in purple armor interjected. Had Loong Chen been present, he would have recognized this man as Lei Zhen, whom he encountered the day before.
“Is there anything more critical than what we’re currently facing? Let’s begin brainstorming solutions.”
The Green Cloud Commander expressed disapproval with a stern snort.
“The Flame Dragon Legion is our key fighting force; their loss would be unacceptable.”
These words came from a muscular individual known for always having a saber slung over his shoulder.
Clearly, he was the leader of the Ultimate Blade Legion.
“We can’t afford to sit around waiting. With the urgency of our situation, delaying even a minute could result in the loss of thousands of our troops.”
The Commander of Green Cloud voiced his dissatisfaction.
“We’ll give it a few more minutes. If they haven’t arrived in five minutes, we proceed with the meeting immediately.”
This suggestion came from a man donned in a golden robe, causing the Green Cloud Commander to immediately fall silent.
This individual was the leader of the Star Glory Army, a force renowned on the frontier, only surpassed by the Flame Dragon Legion.
With the Star Glory Commander’s intervention, the Green Cloud Commander refrained from further comment.
Nonetheless, five minutes elapsed without any sign of the Commander.
This delay started to irk the others present.
“Given the absence of the Flame Dragon Legion’s Commanders, let’s commence the meeting without them.”
The Commander of Star Glory proposed, taking a moment to gather his thoughts.
But, just as he concluded, three individuals entered the tent.
These were Loong Chen, Jia Jian, and Lyi Jie.
The trio immediately captured everyone’s attention, though two of them were not recognized by the group.
These two were strangers to the assembly.
“The Flame Dragon Commander’s arrogance is clear. Not only is she late, but she also failed to appear, sending only a Deputy Commander in what seems an attempt to dismiss us.”
The leader of Green Cloud Temple scoffed mockingly.
Given the ongoing disputes between Green Cloud Temple and Dragon God Temple, it was expected that their relations were strained.
Currently, each army was dispatching their Commanders for a gathering. However, only the Flame Dragon Legion was delayed, sending merely a Deputy Commander in place.
This delay caused dissatisfaction among not just the Green Cloud Legion, but also the Commanders of other legions to varying degrees.
He saw this as a perfect chance to marginalize the Flame Dragon Legion.
“The Commander is in rest. We are here to represent the Flame Dragon Legion at this meeting.”
Upon hearing this, a shadow of displeasure crossed the faces of all the Commanders present.
Their displeasure stemmed not just from what was said, but also by who said it.
Unexpectedly, the speaker was not Deputy Commander Jia Jian, but a younger man accompanying him.
The sight of Loong Chen in purple armor caused Lei Zhen’s heart to skip a beat.
“He belongs to the Flame Dragon Legion!”
Lei Zhen felt compelled to rise and greet Loong Chen, yet he hesitated and remained seated, curious about the unfolding events.
He was keen to see the outcome.
“This is a discussion among Commanders. What authority do you have to speak?”
“Deputy Commander Jia, it seems you need to discipline your subordinates properly.”
The Green Cloud Temple’s leader sneered, considering Loong Chen and Lyi Jie merely as Jia Jian’s subordinates.
To his surprise, Jia Jian’s demeanor shifted abruptly upon hearing this.
“How dare you show such disrespect to Mr. Chen, Chen Qingtian? Are you seeking death?”
Anger flared in Jia Jian’s eyes, his fierce aura causing those around him in the tent to tremble in fear.
Chen Qingtian was particularly taken aback. Despite the known tensions between their factions, he hadn’t anticipated Jia Jian’s fierce reaction over a subordinate.
Jia Jian addressed him by name directly.
At this point, it was common for individuals of King Level and higher to be known by unique names.
Their actual names were seldom used, so being addressed by one’s real name often implied a provocation.