The hall was built of light red bricks and adorned with copper railings and decorations. The warm color scheme created a relaxing and cozy atmosphere. A warm flame blazed in the fireplace, its orange glow enveloping the room like a mist.
A pot hung above the fire containing a bright yellow liquid that bubbled and frothed, emitting a fragrant and subtle scent.
There were many rooms on both sides of the hall, likely bedrooms for resting.
But whether it was the hall or the rooms inside, both were empty.
The Envoy said, "Now that the war is tense, all combatants in the ranks are on the front lines."
Rod asked in surprise, "Are there people who are not in the fighting ranks?"
The Envoy explained, "When combatants are unable to fight due to injuries, prolonged combat, state adjustments, rest rotations, or fulfilling duties, they will leave the fighting ranks, and at that time, combatants are not in the Fire Hall."
Rod realized that when Qingyu was fulfilling her Guardian duties, she wouldn’t be in the Fire Hall.
The Chief Judges who had attacked Star Town initially had been on a rotation break as well.
But contemplating what the Envoy had said, he couldn’t help but feel a sinking sensation in his heart. The scene within the hall hinted at the immense pressure that full-scale expansion had brought to Trolians beyond imagination.
Afterward, the Envoy took Rod on a tour of the logistics area, medical facilities, high-rank training grounds, Spiritual Power Laboratory, Alchemy Pharmaceutical Workshop, and other places.
Here at last, he saw traces of human activity. Many logistics and production staff were busy at work, appearing extremely professional with every action fluent and succinct, well-trained.
Walking on, Rod quickly arrived at the castle’s upper level.
There, he encountered a familiar face.
He sat behind a long table, eyes closed, continuously drawing on a rolled cigarette.
The swirling smoke enshrouded him, but it couldn’t hide his wearied face and graying temples.
With respectful tone, the Envoy spoke, "Your Excellency Dalin, Rod is here."
Dalin opened his eyes; weariness vanished from his face in an instant, his eyes were full of life, and his stern face lit up with vigor.
"Ah, young Rod, it’s great to see you."
Rod bowed and greeted, "Your Excellency Dalin, hello."
Dalin seemed very pleased.
"Finally meeting you here, this is a joyful occasion... Does he know the combat mode of the Fire Hall?"
This question was directed at the Envoy.
The Envoy shook his head slightly, "Not yet."
"Well, come with me, young Rod."
Dalin opened a door behind him and walked through.
Rod followed, and upon entering, he saw a giant long table.
On the table was a Super Spiritual Power Imager, but unlike others, it lacked detail and was entirely black, with some fiery red dots wandering within it.
Dalin spoke briefly, "This is the Strong Energy Imager, used to monitor extremely strong Spiritual Power Waves."
"We’ll talk about its uses later; let’s get to the main point."
Dalin’s expression turned serious.
"According to the principles of the Fire Hall, once you become a member, you officially enter the realm of the strong."
"And each strong person is an independent combat unit. Except in special circumstances, you would usually fight alone."
"Of course, not alone — this combat unit includes you and your Battle Group. You can choose teammates to become your left and right hands."
"An excellent combat unit should be : you and your teammates are well-coordinated, of one mind, with complementary characteristics, and together, you can unleash multiple times the strength to defeat monsters far stronger than yourselves."
Rod nodded, Molly had repeatedly emphasized this to him, and he had always tried to build his team to this standard.
However, due to various reasons, his Black Battle Group currently only consisted of Molly, Mephit, and Anna.
"Of course, not everyone has a Battle Group. Some people prefer to fight alone, some have characteristics that pose a significant danger, and for some extremely hazardous missions, a Battle Group is not used, but instead, a new, more potent combat unit is formed from among the strong individuals — but that’s a separate matter."
Dalin paused, his voice growing deeper.
"Young Rod, you must understand that from now on, you’ve joined the ranks of the strong, a realm unattainable by over ninety percent of Fire Holders. In their eyes, you are incredibly powerful."
"Always remember, when you undertake a dangerous mission, you are the hope of the area you’re helping, their pillar, the dominant force in the team, somewhat akin to a Savior. You absolutely cannot fail, as the Fire Hall never deploys a combat unit twice."
"You have no one to fall back on; you are the fall-back."
"If the fall-back collapses, it is the gravest combat incident, signifying a colossal mistake in our battle arrangements and will disrupt our overall strategic deployment."
"Therefore, even reserve members carry an enormous weight on their shoulders that should never be taken lightly."
Dalin looked Rod straight in the eyes.
Rod answered solemnly, "I understand, Your Excellency Dalin. Please rest assured, I will not fail, I will not be the chain that breaks in the war."
Dalin nodded slightly.
"That’s the best answer I’ve heard this year."
"You don’t need to worry too much either, as we do have backup plans. Any member on a mission will receive an emergency talisman, and if an unexpected situation arises, you can crush it, and the Fire Hall will send support troops at the fastest speed possible."