Winner Takes All

The Commander was summoning him, and a Golden Guard was attending to it personally.

This was the biggest honor for any soldier in the Dragon Cavalry Squad.

To put it into greater perspective, the Achilles of today was merely a Sergeant.

Achilles raised his brows quizzically, obviously having some doubts.

However, no questions came from him as he was about to follow the Golden Guard.

That was because he knew very well that while being summoned as a sergeant, he was in no position to speak or ask anything.

At least, he could not be out of line in front of Debut and the others.

Only when Achilles and the Golden Guard had left, Debut and the others immediately burst into a bout of gossip.

"Tsk tsk tsk... the Commander was summoning him, and a Golden Guard is coming to get him, all this means that our boss is still not stripped of his duties completely. As the saying goes, a starved camel is bigger than the horse!"

Cole nodded, "That's right, ever since joining the Dragon Cavalry Squad, we must be in total luck for being able to serve under Sergeant White. With him leading us, can we be considered people who is within near reaches of the mighty Commander?"

"Tone down your voice, mind you. We should keep this only between us, or else when people get wind of it, gossips would spread." Yarol quickly reminded them.

The three of them exchanged glances and then a mysterious smile hanged on their faces.

At the same time, Jack piped in and joined in their laughter, but his eyes was still fixed on the direction where the Golden Guard and Achilles had left.

If the Coalition Order didn't exist, maybe he could laugh as nonchalantly as Debut and the others.

However, knowing that Coalition Order was still in effect, the summoning this time by a Golden Guard carried an entirely different meaning.

Was things very severe now?

Jack's heart immediately sank.

On the other side, after leaving with the Golden Guard, Achilles didn't so much as making a sound.

Achilles was one step behind the Golden Guard, because this was the law in the army.

Only after they had left the barracks and were passing through a secluded area, the Golden Guard finally stopped and turned around with a wry smile, "Alright, there's no one around now, so we don't need to put up this act anymore. We used to be blood brothers, so there's a limit to putting on appearances."

"I don't think it's weird to put on this act. You are a Golden Guard now, and I am just a sergeant. We still need to maintain appearances and orders."

Achilles laughed languidly, "Have you ever seen any sergeant in the squad who could walk side by side with a Golden Guard?"

His words caused the Golden Guard in question to feel even more helpless, but suddenly his expression changed to one of agony as he loudly coughed. Achilles immediately turned serious, "You're hurt?"

"Yeah."

The Golden Guard nodded without hiding, "I have been stabbed on my back, and my lungs were somehow affected."Text © 2024 NôvelDrama.Org.

What?

Achilles had a startled expression and veins almost burst out from the corners of his eyes.

Among the Twelve Golden Guards, there shouldn't be too much of a gap between their respective strengths.

Those who were chosen by Zenith to be in the ranks of the Twelve Golden Guards were the cream of the crop, no matter it was about their power or their command in the battlefield. They were the best of the best.

It was especially rare for a Golden Guard to even get hurt, even though he might have just come out of a grave battlefield.

Of course, in that TM Villa District incident last time, it was an exception when the few of them were killed by Brent out of desperation.

The reason was not hard to comprehend. Numbers were on their side, and they had underestimated Brent. Another reason was that Brent was a contract assassin who was formidable on his own. He was ready to give up his life to save Jack.

That was the reason the outcome was unfavorable for the Golden Guards.

However, his blood brother whom he had long history with was hurt, and it was not a light one!

"What could have happened?"

Achilles asked in a low voice.

The Golden Guard waved his hand dismissively accompanied by several dry coughs before saying with a pale face, "You go meet the Commander for now. Things are difficult now, and I have just returned from out there."

Coalition Order?

One possibility surfaced in Achilles' mind.

As the former Chief Guard, he knew perfectly well the status and importance of the Twelve Golden Guards in the army.

As the twelve arms of Zenith, this team of elite personnel was a calming presence in the army.

It would require extraordinary circumstances to dispatch even one of the guards to go on a mission.

As they were only ranked secondly below Zenith, if the Golden Guards were sent out for mission so easily, then what was the purpose of having a three-hundred-men strong army?"

The only thing which made everything that was going on now made sense was the Coalition Order, which even caused one of the Golden Guards to be injured and this Golden Guard even confessed that things was in dire straits now.

Immediately, Achilles stopped saying anything altogether as he rushed towards Zenith's residence with the Golden Guard hurrying along.

In a room that was just a few hundreds square meters, there were smoke billowing in the air.

The heater combined with the heat from the brazier shrouded the room in a warm atmosphere.

Zenith was seated before his desk, and his brows were knitted tightly, his face a glum look.

In front of him stood a row of humongous and impressive figures.

They were wearing golden armors, which made them look very intimidating.

They were the Golden Guards.

However, as one of the highest ranking officers who command over many others in the Dragon Cavalry Squad, they looked tiny and honest in front of Zenith.

However, they had the same grave expressions as Zenith's.

The room was in total silence.

Only the crackling of fire in the brazier gave out the momentary sound.

It was as if air itself was frozen.

When Achilles walked into the room with a Golden Guard, Achilles could feel his heart sinking into a deep abyss.

Besides, the Chief Guard who was tasked with Jack, there were a few newly-joined Golden Guards and same familiar faces.

All of the important ones were gathered this time!

If something of huge proportions didn't happen, he bet that this kind of scene was hard to come by.

Even if he had experienced this type of scene, it shouldn't feel so heavy and suffocating.

Everyone had sunken into silence, and all had grave expressions on their faces.

This heavy feeling was weighing down on Achilles, causing him to feel that the air was thin.

Zenith and the Golden Guards raised their heads at Achilles.

Achilles felt himself tensed up as he knelt on one knee, "Sergeant White is reporting to the Commander and the Golden Guards."

His behavior was very humble and respectful.

In response, Zenith waved his hand dismissively, "Achilles, the reason I am summoning you is for you to take over Jack's post as the Chief Guard for now and for a meeting. Get up now." Achilles froze for a moment before getting up with a confused face, "Commander, is this about the Coalition Order?"

Zenith nodded before tossing a placard on his table.

Achilles focused his gaze as Zenith tossed another placard on the table.

The two of the placards were a copy of one another.

They were the Coalition Order!

"This was secured by Louis when he was out carrying out the mission of investigating the Coalition Order. He was only able to do this with his life on the line!" Zenith sounded very clam, but his expression was grave and heavy. Then, he added, "Can you guess which clan did Louis snatch this from?"

Zenith glanced at the Golden Guard who had brought him here.

He replied uncertainly, "Was that person killed?"

Louis looked at him strangely, "Did you think that I wasn't able to wield my weapons? I was stabbed by him, so there's no way they could get out alive." "That's great, then."

Achilles nodded, then he raised his fists respectfully at Zenith and asked with confusion, "Commander, I don't know what's going on, please enlighten me."

After he said that, besides, Louis, the other Golden Guards simultaneously turned their heads around and watched Zenith curiously.

Only Louis was dispatched on this mission alone, and they were all summoned here out of the blue.

As they gathered here, they learnt nothing from the mute Zenith, so they didn't know what was going on.

Zenith slowly stacked the placards together and said with a calm voice a shocking news, "It is the Hun tribe!"

It was as if a loud bang had gone off in Achilles and the others' mind, and although they were the Golden Guards, at this instant everyone had various emotion displaying on their faces.

Those emotions included shock, aghast, confusion, nervousness...

"They are the king of all the races outside the North!"

Achilles tried to suppress the shocking news as he squeezed his words, "The Hun tribe has always viewed the other clans as dirt as they wouldn't bother to side with any other clans, but now this supreme race is ready to discard their mighty arrogance?"☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐