In the early dawn hours, while the Elder Council Head was heading to the Senate, a tense quietude pervaded the Supre Operating Council in the Administrative Tower of Luoyang Sword House.
Since last night, the staff in the Administrative Tower, especially those in the secretarys office of the Tower Head, had been in a state of ergency readiness. They were either sipping tea, conversing in low tones, or pacing around the office. A commonality among them was the occasional glance towards the office door of the Administrative Tower Head.
Finally, the door opened, and the departnt heads, who had finished their eting, started pouring out. As the responsible figures hurried back to their departnts without looking back, the Administrative Tower Head erged last.
Effective imdiately, an ergency order is issued in accordance with the resolution of the Supre Operating Council.
The secretaries promptly sprang into action following the directive.
Drawers were opened, revealing armbands embroidered with the word Ergency. The secretaries, after donning these bands, followed the Tower Head to open and operate the situation room.
* * *
Descending several floors, a departnt head opened a door to reveal a large space filled with about fifty scribes, all poised with brushes at their desks.
Its an ergency order from the Supre Operating Council!
The scribes began copying various orders, cooperation letters, and visitation passes rapidly and seamlessly.
Secretaries continuously supplied fresh bundles of paper, collecting the completed docunts for verification by inspectors.
After inspection, the departnt head did a final check, stamped them, and the papers officially beca formal docunts.
The secretaries sealed the docunts in silk pouches marked with their destinations, securely tying them up.
These silk pouches were imdiately taken to the ground floor, where about two hundred ssengers from the Postal Bureau, urgently deployed, were waiting.
The ssengers, after receiving the silk pouches, secured them in leather carriers and fastened them to their backs.
With the receipts in their pockets, they dashed out of Luoyang Sword House premises like the wind, heading in all directions.
Red flags marked with Ergency fluttered wildly from their backs.
* * *
At the Luoyang Sword Houses Steward Departnt, the spacious courtyard was already bustling with activity even before the official start of work hours.
Make way, its urgent! Clear the path!
A ssenger from the Postal Bureau, with a red flag on his back, cut straight across the courtyard without any hindrance.
Startled attendants quickly ushered the ssenger to the office of the Chief Steward.
In his office, the Chief Steward, who had spent the night working, greeted the ssenger with a faint smile.
After stamping the receipt, the Chief Steward, with trembling hands, hastily broke the seal.
He burst into loud, almost maniacal laughter after reading the official letter, stamped clearly with the seal of the Supre Operating Council from the Administrative Tower.
Is anyone there?!
At his call, a maid hurriedly ran in.
Go and summon the duty officer imdiately! And put a call through to the head of the Armor Division Special Training Unit, now!
Yes, Chief Steward!
Knowing his temperant, the maid responded and dashed off.
Finally!
With a face filled with exhilaration, he picked up his brush.
* * *
At the Luoyang Sword Houses Business Division,
Sword House Construction Business Departnt, Luoyang Sword House Headquarters.
The duty officers office, which had been wrapping up a quiet night shift, burst open.
Whats going on?!
Inside were a panting ssenger and the office clerk who had guided him.
Seeing the red flag, the duty officer, without even wiping the spilt tea, hastily broke the seal after stamping the receipt.
What? What?!
He frantically searched through the night duty officers manual, shouting.
Coordinate with the Postal Bureau, gather all high-ranking executives working at the headquarters!
Confused staff, drawn by the commotion, asked incredulously.
All of them, sir?
Yes, all! Its an ergency assembly!
He found the section on ergency communication.
Summon all the ssengers to my office! And you, start copying this letter! It needs to be distributed to the executives!
* * *
At the Luoyang Sword Houses Outer Court
Dressed in his distinctive silk garnts, the renowned informant Yon Ha-eung stepped out of his office. The usually leisurely and cultured atmosphere of the Outer Court was nowhere to be found, replaced instead by a frenetic energy of people rushing to and fro.
Upon reaching the Foreign Affairs Hall, an Elder flagged him down amidst the chaos.
Ah, good timing. I was just about to call for a consultant.
Yon Ha-eung, with a light-hearted smile, rubbed his hands together.
I saw a ssenger with a red flag and thought I might be of assistance.
Great! All the attendants and maids have been dispatched to call the personnel of the main institute.
The Elder served Ha-eung so cool tea.
You may already know about this
As the Elder began to pull out a copy of the official letter sent from the Supre Operating Council, Ha-eung waved his hand.
Ah, Im already aware of that matter.
The Elder burst into laughter.
Ha-ha! Truly fitting for our Outer Courts walking intelligence bureau!
Ah, you flatter .
Typical of the Luoyang Sword Houses Foreign Affairs departnt, even in urgency, they engaged in a bit of small talk before delving into the main topic.
Then lets get straight to it. I would like you, as our consultant, to visit the elders on this list.
Ha-eung took the docunt and looked over the list.
Oh my! Arent these forr high officials residing in Luoyang?
As Ha-eung expressed his astonishnt, the Elder smiled.
With a consultant like you who has connections with the Eldest Young Master, even the most difficult of them should be anable. Right?
Tucking the docunt into his coat, Ha-eung nodded continuously.
Leave it to ! Im already acquainted with several of them, so dont worry.
Ha-ha! Well rely on you then!
* * *
On the rooftop of the Postal Bureau, carrier pigeons were released non-stop, scattering in all directions.
ssengers with red flags on horseback left the Luoyang Sword Houses headquarters at a trendous speed.
Following them were mounted warriors from the Guard Tower and cavalry troops.
They were headed to various business sites of the Luoyang Sword House, as well as to the vassal and collateral families across the Middle Kingdom.
* * *
Early morning at the Luoyang Sword Houses warehouse district.
As the night shift was nearing its end, a warehouse attendant, eagerly awaiting the change of shift, suddenly widened his eyes in disbelief.
What the?!
Was it because of sleepiness? Even after rubbing his eyes, the scene before him remained the sa, making his eyes grow even wider.
What is all this? Where is it coming from?
Carts, wagons, and porters were continuously streaming in.
Hey! Be careful! Youll crash into sothing!
Line up! Get in order!
It was an unusually large influx of arrivals all at once.
As the new shift mbers gradually arrived, they too were taken aback. Not only the usual shift mbers but also attendants from other shifts were present.
Whats going on here?!
A mber of the changing shift spotted him and approached.
Ah, you havent heard? An ergency order ca down at dawn!
Ergency order?!
They had to shout to be heard over the surrounding noise.
Yes, an ergency order! Directly from the Supre Operating Council!
Supre Operating Council?!
He jumped in shock.
In all his ti working for the Luoyang Sword House, this was the first ti he was dealing with an order of such importance.
Whats the order about?!
I dont know the details!
As they talked, various transport workers from all corners of the Luoyang Sword House, seemingly every available transport worker, were occupying the large open spaces of the warehouses.
How many transport units from Sword House Construction have been mobilized?
There are even carts from the Combat Transport Division!
And carts for food transportation too
It seed like all available transport personnel from every organization within the Luoyang Sword House were converging here.
Suddenly, a booming voice shouted at them.
Hey, you idiots! What are you loafing around for?! Get moving now!
It was their warehouse manager.
Normally, the manager would leisurely appear around the end of the morning shift, but today, he was there in the early dawn, fully active and commanding.
Yes, right away!
Just yesterday, their warehouse manager had been wrapped up in several layers of thick clothing, but today, he was bare-chested, his torso exposed. Moreover, he had a black whip, usually only taken out for maintenance, coiled around his shoulder.
Run, you slackers! Run!
They hurriedly dashed, lining up behind their colleagues.
With almost the entire workforce assembled, the warehouse manager, his breath visible in the cold air, began the briefing.
First, the night shift will extend their duty for two more hours!
Not a single complaint ca from the night shift workers. They might not have been highly educated, but they were not without common sense.
Due to the ergency order that ca into effect this morning, we are to cooperate unconditionally with related departnts!
His sharp eyes scanned the crowd.
I know you usually dont get along with the transport workers! But today, theres no room for such attitudes!
The warehouse manager thumped his chest emphatically.
From now until the end of the ergency order, lack of cooperation ans trouble for all of us! Got it?!
Yes, understood!
Such a robust response would normally have pleased the warehouse manager, who would have applauded their spirit.
This is no joke!
But today, his eyes blazed with an even greater intensity.
Until the ergency order is lifted, not only the supervisors but also the advisors from the Steward Departnt, and even high-ranking officials whom youd never usually et, might co for unexpected inspections!
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