An Hour Prior.
There was still no announcement because the 28-hour mark was still a few hours away. That was to say, unless the token was taken immediately, anything could still happen.
Hence, everyone was still on guard despite having relieved smiles on their faces.
The elders oversaw everything, with the guards remaining vigilant for any more unexpected moves. They especially tortured the stronger ones, making sure they didn't have the energy to cause any chaos.
Garan and the soldiers outside had already brought in their own prisoners, all of whom were going directly to the system prison. They were also there to make sure there was no accident. They had basically won. They were at the last step. How could they let anything happen?
They had begun to determine which among the enemies beyond the level cap to keep alive. They made them swear an oath to tell the truth about their crimes, and they were judged in the Justice Hall.