An informant humbly brought a message to the Lord Esley. His face expressionless as he delivered a message he believed to be of no importance, “Sir, Lord Kairos of the Astroire family requests to meet with you.”

“Tell him I’m busy. Whatever request he has, just pass it to me.”

As expected, the commander did not seem to place any priority on the matter either, and the informant nodded understandably, “Yes sir, I will let him know.”

“Dismiss,” Esley waved him off impatiently.

The soldier hurriedly exited Esley’s tent then a few minutes later he returned.

“Sir!”

“Done already?”

“He has a note for you, sir!”

“Let’s see... His little group wants to join the skirmishes and test the enemy’s strength? Just let them go out. We don’t have to care about them.”

“But sir, would it look bad on us? They will be in danger.”

“Do you think this is the playground? Are we babysitters? If they come to the frontlines, they should be prepared for danger. We don’t need to pay any attention to them, just let them go out as they wished.”

“Yes sir, I’ll let them know you approved.”

“Dismissed. And, don’t let anyone disturb me unless it’s urgent. I had a breakthrough and need absolute silence to fortify my cultivation.”

“Yes, sir! Congratulations, sir! I’ll make sure no one will disturb you.”

…..

In a darkly lit hall, several robed individuals stood in a circle; the Ghosts of the Dark Hall, and their leader, the Hall Master.

If not for their furrowed brows and heated discussion, they would’ve appeared as aged wizards trying to summon something wicked.

At the centre is the cause of their debate. A crystal ball projecting the latest report out into the air above it.

“Requesting reinforcements from the Northern Keep, 2000 soldiers. Is he kidding us? Why would we approve?”

“The boy must’ve dreaming. Strange, he didn’t seem like that sort.”

“Regardless, we will decline the request.”

“No, we should hold on from making a decision.”

“Yes, that is a good idea. We will drag for time.”

The crystal ball flashed, then a new report was generated. They carefully read off the image projection then a problem arose. Kairos had led his team out of Northern Keep the very next morning.

A little more than a week passed as those robed individuals waited to see what Kairos had planned, when finally the next report came: The Snowdrifts had arrived at the frontlines.

“Are they just going to head towards the Ku Kang encampment like this?”

“Of course not. This is Kairos we are talking about. It’s impossible that the boy will head out without a plan. He should be collecting data on the current status of the frontlines and analysing how to create a breakthrough point right now,” one of them said proudly. He is the Silver Ghost who is known as the sharpest mind in the Dark Hall.

Any decision that will affect the entire organisation must go through his hands. There were countless incidents concerning the fate of powerful individuals and great families that cannot be separated from the Silver Ghost. Even the direction of Saint Empire had been in his hands once before.

The other Ghosts nodded and applauded him.

“Ohhh, impressive analysis as always,” the Green Ghost said.

“As expected of the brains of our operation,” the Gold Ghost nodded in appreciation.

“If you guys are impressed with this much, then you’ve really looked down upon our Silver Ghost. No doubt, he already know what the Snowdrifts plan to do next,” the Copper Ghost claimed.

“Ah. Indeed, Indeed!”

As they were praising him, the report changed again.

The few robed individuals turned their attention back at the floating words above the crystal ball, the look of disbelief were thick on their faces.

According to the Silver Ghost’s speculation, the next report shouldn’t appear that quickly.

1200H

Weather: Fair

Report: The Snowdrifts had been found heading into the enemy lines.

“What?”

“Unbelievable! Silver Ghost, why are they heading out right away?”

The other Ghosts stared at him for answers, but the once-brilliant mind of his appeared to have shut off and he returned their stare with wide and confused eyes.

“Ohohoho. I think the Silver Ghost can’t see through Kairos at all. He should come back to my Dance Hall for some overnight training,” the Purple Ghost chuckled.

The already panicking Ghosts turned pale at her suggestion.

With an uncomfortable silence looming in the room, the others waited for the next report and in a little more than an hour, it appeared.

1315H

Weather: Fair

Report: The Snowdrifts clashed with the barbarians.

1345H

Weather: Fair

Report: The Snowdrifts defeated an assault party scattering their surviving members. The Snowdrifts were seen chasing after them.

1435H

Weather: Cloudy

Report: The Snowdrifts had attacked five assault parties on its own. However, they appear to maintain superiority in firepower.

1600H

Weather: Cloudy

Report: The Snowdrifts scattered those that attacked them and gave chase. They are now three kilometres behind enemy lines. They appear to be charging a straight path through the northern armies.

1700H

Weather: Light Drizzling

Report: The Northern mounted unit have surrounded the Snowdrifts and are herding them deeper into their army. We are unable to continue our monitoring by sight.

“They were caught?! Seriously?”

“I guess our task are done then. Shall I send them a completion letter?”

“No, this is bad… We need to save them right away,” the Silver Ghost suddenly cried out.

“Bad? I don’t see why it’s bad?”

The others were also stumped. Only the Gold Ghost and the Hall Master looked deep in thought.

“Remember our objective. It isn’t just to wipe out the Snowdrifts’ military strength. They are reputable in the empire and had multiple achievements, so we need them to sacrifice themselves and rile up the others.”

Just as Kairos had guessed years ago, if the Snowdrifts gain enough recognition, even their enemies dare not deal with them directly.

With his shops providing jobs and supplying the frontlines, his godfather - Lord Yue’s notoriety, the Right Prime Minister You secretly working for him in the state courts, and the amalgamation of power from the houses of nobles after his friends who had become the next head or second-in-line in their families, it wasn’t easy to remove them without causing an uproar.

If the Devilheart still dares to make a move against them without reason, it wouldn’t be ridiculous that the very same day, commoners, soldiers, and nobles alike would be banging on their gates.

“Ask Esley to send his men to help. Send all of them!” the Gold Ghost quickly barked in panic while the Hall Master standing beside, spoke not a word.

“Also, let’s send the Silver Ghost to my Dance Hall,” the Purple Ghost added.

The expression on the Silver Ghost’s face cannot be described. The Ghosts had all been trained to a ridiculous degree in the halls. Even now there are nights when they were haunted by nightmares of what they experienced in those places.

Everyone held their heart in their mouths. The consequence of failure was never something that could be bore lightly. If things went wrong, likely before the day is over, the Silver Ghost will become an actual ghost.

A few minutes later, a reply was given. Esley Restrio had declined.

“All my soldiers are currently engaged in battle thanks to what those little twerps did. I have no man to spare. If you want to save them, do it yourselves.”

The normally quiet Dark Hall was filled with howls of anguish at once.

“How dare a little Martial King speak this way to us?!” the Copper Ghost exclaimed

The quiet Red Ghost spoke for the first time, explaining, “Well, technically, the commanders can overrule even the emperor’s decree while on the frontlines. It’s because in such threatening situation, they are the only ones that could make the most accurate decisions. So, if we push it, he could send a letter to the ministers claiming we are disruptive. At that time, if we…”

“Red. Shut up!” the other Ghosts said in unison.

“Oh, I thought Copper was asking…?”

“No!”

Spittle and froth bubbles covered him as he expertly wiped it off as though it was a normal thing, “Alright, alright… Well, at least I’ve helped speed things up. Esley already knows what we think, I believe we’ll be getting a response soon.”

The Copper Ghost palmed himself on the forehead while at this time in the command tent, Esley was looking at the communication crystal ball and reading the words, “How dare a little Martial King speak this way to us!?”

An ugly smile cracked across on his face.

Esley took out a brush, dipped it in smoky black ink, and then wrote on a pure white paper, “You pigheads in the Dark Hall, are you saying you will be responsible if those barbarians breakthrough our defence line and attack Saint Empire?”

He then slapped his letter face-down onto the crystal ball when its ink had not yet dried.