Zhang Donglai pushed open the door, winked at Gandalf, and walked in first.

Zhou Huai followed behind and stepped into the office.

The room's layout was unexpectedly simple.

There were no luxurious decorations, nor any dazzling collections.

There was only a large desk, a few guest sofas, and a bookcase spanning an entire wall.

The bookcase was crammed with various military classics and historical documents.

Sitting behind the desk was a lean-figured elderly man.

He wore a grey Zhongshan suit without any rank insignia, his hair was already grey, and his face was covered with the gullies of time.

Looking at him, he didn't look like a marshal standing at the pinnacle of the Great Xia Military Department at all.

He looked more like an ordinary grandfather next door.

But the moment Zhou Huai's gaze met his, his heart uncontrollably skipped a beat.

What kind of eyes were those?

Calm, profound, as if containing a vast starry sky.

Yet as sharp as a falcon, as if capable of piercing through all illusions in the world.

Zhou Huai felt that every single one of his thoughts seemed unable to hide under the gaze of those eyes.

"Marshal!"

Zhang Donglai walked up to the desk, brought his heels together, and abruptly executed a standard military salute with a loud voice.

Zhao Qingcang slowly raised his head, those sharp eyes landing on Gandalf.

He did not speak, just quietly sizing him up.

Zhou Huai could feel an invisible pressure shrouding him like a mountain.

That was not a deliberately released aura, but a coercion naturally formed after holding a high position for many years and wielding the power of life and death.

Zhang Donglai stood to the side, fine beads of sweat already seeping out of his forehead, not daring to take a full breath.

It was his first time seeing the marshal use such a scrutinizing gaze to look at a young man.

Just when Zhou Huai felt his breathing was about to stall, that mountain-like pressure quietly dissipated.

A trace of a gentle smile appeared on Zhao Qingcang's face.

He beckoned with his hand.

"You must be Gandalf?"

"Sit."

His voice carried a hoarseness, yet was full of affinity.

Zhou Huai controlled Gandalf to calmly sit down on the sofa, but in his heart, he was far less calm than he appeared on the surface.

The pressure this Great Xia military god gave him was even greater than when he faced the Lord of Senluo, Lin Zhu, back then.

"Marshal, this is Student Gandalf."

Zhang Donglai hurriedly introduced.

Zhou Huai also controlled Gandalf to slightly bow, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.

"Student Gandalf greets Marshal Zhao."

Zhao Qingcang rose from his office chair and slowly walked in front of Gandalf.

He did not speak, merely walking a circle around Gandalf and looking him up and down.

That gaze seemed capable of piercing through skin and flesh to see the bones clearly.

After a moment, he nodded, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

"Mm, not bad."

"Upright figure, clear eyes, a handsome young man."

He patted Gandalf's shoulder, signaling the two of them to take a seat on the sofa.

"Sit down, both of you. You don't need to be so restrained here."

After the three of them were seated, Zhao Qingcang personally poured a cup of tea for each of them before slowly speaking.

"I am not a person who likes to beat around the bush."

"Calling you over this time, firstly, is to meet you."

He picked up his teacup, looking at Gandalf with a gentle gaze.

"To see what kind of young man can make that brat Changfeng full of praise looks like."

"Ever since you came to the Imperial Capital, I've had this intention, but it kept getting delayed by matters, dragging it out until now."

He paused, changing the subject as his gaze also became solemn.

"Secondly, I want to talk to you about your enlistment."

"Although Donglai has already brought you to the Imperial Capital, theoretically, you are still not a person of our Great Xia Military Department at present."

He looked into Gandalf's eyes, asking clearly, word by word.

"Therefore, I am asking you very formally now."

"Student Gandalf, are you willing to join our Great Xia Military Department?"

Zhou Huai controlled Gandalf without the slightest hesitation.

He slowly stood up, his face showing unprecedented solemnity.

"Since I was willing to follow General Zhang to the Imperial Capital, I believe you, Marshal, should understand my meaning."

After speaking.

He brought his heels together, stood straight, and saluted Zhao Qingcang with an incomparably standard military salute.

Every single movement was filled with a sense of power.

"I, Gandalf!"

"Am willing to join the Great Xia Military Department!"

"To protect Great Xia, I would gladly die ten thousand deaths!"

The loud voice echoed in the office.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Zhao Qingcang looked at the young man before him, those profound eyes filled with undisguised appreciation and joy.

The wrinkles on his face smiled into the shape of a chrysanthemum.

He likewise stood up, extended his hand, and shook hands firmly with Gandalf.

"Then on behalf of the Great Xia Military Department, I welcome your formal joining!"

Zhang Donglai at the side let out a long sigh of relief, a brilliant smile also appearing on his face.

This piece of unpolished jade had finally been truly pocketed by their military department.

"Marshal."

Gandalf put down his hand, his expression returning to calm.

"I wonder what enlistment procedures I need to complete?"

"Procedures?"

Hearing this, Zhao Qingcang smiled and waved his hand.

"You don't need to worry about those tedious formalities."

He sat back down on the sofa and said unhurriedly.

"Due to time constraints, your enlistment and rank-conferment ceremony will be grandly made up to you after you return from Caslantis."

"Rank conferment?"

Zhou Huai's brows gently raised.

He had just joined the military department, hadn't even served as a soldier for a single day, why was he already getting a rank conferred?

Zhao Qingcang saw his confusion, nodded, and explained.

"You turned the tide at the National Examination and rescued so many trainees; this in itself is a monumental merit."

"Coupled with this time, you are also going to represent our Great Xia Nation to contend for that Divine Artifact concerning the nation's destiny."

He looked at Gandalf, his voice becoming steady and powerful.

"Therefore, after unanimous discussion by our military department's upper echelon, it has been decided to exceptionally confer upon you..."

"The military rank of Colonel!"

"What?!"

Zhang Donglai at the side almost popped his eyeballs out of their sockets upon hearing this.

Back in the day, it took him a full ten years to go from an ordinary private to the rank of colonel!

Zhou Huai's heart likewise stirred up quite a wave.

He knew the military department valued him, but he didn't expect them to value him to this extent.

However, this was not the end yet.

Zhao Qingcang's next words directly petrified Zhang Donglai on the spot.

He only heard him unhurriedly toss out another blockbuster bomb.

"This is just an appetizer."

He looked at Gandalf, those profound eyes flashing with a light of anticipation.

"If you can successfully bring the Pendulum of Life back from the ruins."

"Then congratulations."

"You will become the youngest one-star major general in the history of our Great Xia Nation!"

Boom!

Zhang Donglai's brain went 'buzz' and completely crashed.

He opened his mouth wide, staring blankly at Zhao Qingcang, then looking at Gandalf, feeling his worldview completely subverted at this moment.

You must know that generals of the Great Xia Nation don't just look at talent and battle achievements.

More importantly, it requires putting in the years and seniority.

From a one-star major general, to a two-star lieutenant general, then to a three-star general, and four-star general.

Finally comes this unique five-star marshal before his eyes.

He, Zhang Donglai, had tumbled through decades on the battlefield and rendered illustrious military services.

Up to now, he was still just a two-star lieutenant general.

As for this kid, he was reaching the heavens in a single bound!

Zhou Huai was also shaken quite a bit by this news.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the waves in his heart, and saluted Zhao Qingcang once more.

"Thank you for the promotion, Marshal and the military department."

"This Junior will definitely exhaust all strength and not fail the mission!"

"Mm."

Zhao Qingcang nodded with satisfaction, the smile on his face gradually fading, and his expression turning serious.

"Sit down."

"Next, I want to tell you some precautions regarding this ruins exploration."

He stretched out his finger, tapping lightly on the desktop, making a "tap tap" sound.

"This ruins exploration has an extremely high degree of danger."

"It's not just about dealing with those unknown strange beasts inside the ruins."

"The most primary threat still comes from the powerhouses of other countries."

His gaze turned sharp.

"Although there are many countries participating in this exploration, there are only three that can truly pose a threat to us."

"The Freedom Federation, Sakura Country, and Kimchi Country."

"These three countries have always been thick as thieves."

"Sakura Country and Kimchi Country are even more the two most loyal running dogs of the Freedom Federation."

"I dare conclude that once the teams of these three countries enter the ruins, they will inevitably join hands and point their spears at us at the very first moment."

Zhou Huai listened quietly without interrupting.

Zhao Qingcang continued.

"However, you don't need to worry too much."

"Before setting off, we have already reached a secret alliance agreement with the Great Bear Country and Ancient Egypt."

"After entering the ruins, you can try to rendezvous with them and act together."

His tone changed, his voice turning icy.

"However, I must also remind you of one thing."

"So-called allies, in front of immense benefits, can at any time turn into enemies who stab you in the back."

Those profound eyes of his stared intently at Gandalf.

"So you must remember."

"In that ruins, besides our own people of Great Xia Nation—"

"No one else can be completely trusted!"