Duodun had been in a foul mood recently. He didn't like the current impasse, but the people around him couldn't think of a clean solution either. He knew the importance of being patient, but he still hoped that some of his subordinates could help relieve some of the pressure on him.

The fight for the throne was not a cause that concerned him alone. The ones who want fame and status must be the first to contribute — this was Duodun's philosophy.

More than half of the pressure on Duodun could be attributed to the Dragon King — the outsider who, originally, hadn't even been qualified to vie with him.

"The Dragon King went to scout out the battlefield?" asked Duodun severely. "Why didn't anyone tell me this earlier? He's already returned and you're only telling me about this now?"

Although Liman and Azheba had been promoted to senior generals, they still acted just as respectfully as they used to before Duodun. But Duodun's other companions now had to take care to avoid making any nois