Douluo: This Legend of the Dragon King is not quite right

Chapter 340 Gathering of All Federal High-Ranking Officials
Meanwhile, in Mingdu, at the Federal Parliament headquarters building, the highest-level central council chamber.

The solemn and dignified hall was packed with people.

As the top leader of the Sun and Moon Federation, the Federal Speaker sat in the main seat, his face as calm as still water.

Below, the vice speaker, all core members of parliament, and the highest-ranking military officials, including the commander-in-chief, the chief of staff, and the commanders of the various corps, were all present.

The atmosphere was so heavy that water seemed to drip out of it.

If anyone familiar with the upper echelons of the federal government were here, they would recognize many prominent figures:
Yu Guanzhi, Commander of the Central Army Corps; Chen Xinjie, Commander of the Poseidon Army Corps; Dong Zian, Commander of the Western Army Corps…

It brought together almost all of the Federation's strongest military forces and the most powerful backgrounds, excluding the Spirit Pagoda, Shrek Academy, and certain neutral forces.

However, it is worth noting that no one who was obviously affiliated with Shrek Academy was present.

On the holographic projection screen in the center of the hall, the first emergency battle report from Guan Yue was being displayed in a 360-degree view, along with limited footage captured by the train monitoring system.

The Speaker of the Federal Parliament spoke slowly, his deep, authoritative voice breaking the deathly silence in the room:
"Gentlemen, I'm sure you've all seen Vice Hall Master Guan Yue's preliminary report. Shrek Academy... is becoming increasingly lawless and increasingly disregarding the Federation!"

His gaze swept across the entire room, especially over the military commanders present: "Openly intercepting a Federal Express train, hiring or even directly directing the top combat forces of the three major sects—the Clear Sky Sect, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—to intercept and kill them, and even... possibly attracting the intervention of god-level forces. This is blatant rebellion, the most thorough provocation against the authority of the Federation!"

The entire room was silent, and everyone's face was filled with solemnity and anger.

They had long heard of Shrek Academy's arrogance and domineering nature, but the extent to which it had developed was still beyond everyone's expectations.

“Speaker.” A loud, angry voice rang out.

The commander of the Western Legion, Dong Zi'an, suddenly stood up. He was burly and had a fiery temper. He pointed to several images frozen on the holographic screen, especially close-ups of the parts of Tang Zhong and Ning Qingcheng's obviously four-word battle armor.

“I have a question. As far as I know, the number of four-word battle armors that Master Craftsman Zhenhua reports to the Federation each year is extremely limited, and the whereabouts of each set are recorded and require strict review by the Federation.”

Dong Zian's voice boomed like thunder, clearly filled with indignation.

"Excuse me, Ning Qingcheng, where did the sect leader of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School get her four-word battle armor? The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda cannot amplify battle armor at all, yet she still has the ability to obtain a four-word battle armor to save her life."

"And what about Tang Zhong, the Grand Elder of the Haotian Sect? How does he also possess a four-word battle armor?"

"It is reasonable for Yu Yuanzu, as the patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Clan, to possess a four-word battle armor, but what merits does he, as a senior elder, have?"

He grew increasingly agitated as he spoke, his voice shaking the roof tiles:

"I strongly suspect that the master craftsman Zhenhua has long been secretly colluding with Shrek Academy, privately and massively forging four-word battle armor for Shrek and its affiliated forces, and completely bypassing the Federation's supervision and reporting procedures. This is a serious dereliction of duty and betrayal!"

Dong Zi'an's gaze, sharp as a knife, swept over everyone present, finally landing on the speaker, where he made a groundbreaking suggestion:

“I believe that Zhenhua is no longer suitable for the position of Divine Craftsman and is no longer worthy of the Federation’s trust. Since Gu Chenyu, the Holy Craftsman of the Spirit Pagoda, has demonstrated superior skills and firmly stood on the side of the Federation in this incident, why can’t we support Gu Chenyu to take over the position of Divine Craftsman?”

These words immediately sparked whispers throughout the hall, with many councilors and generals nodding in agreement. Shrek Academy possessing so many unreported four-word battle armors posed a significant potential threat.

We must cut off their source of high-end equipment.

Replacing the divine craftsman with a more controllable one, one who is closer to the Federation, is undoubtedly the most direct and effective solution at present.

However, amidst the chorus of approval, Chen Xinjie, the commander of the Poseidon Legion, a veteran general with unfathomable seniority and strength, remained silent with a furrowed brow, not uttering a single word.

It's hard to tell what he's thinking right now.

The Federal Speaker's deep gaze slowly swept across the entire room, finally settling on Dong Zi'an.

That gaze wasn't sharp, but it carried a heavy, undeniable pressure, like an invisible mountain, causing even the hot-tempered Dong Zi'an to unconsciously straighten his back and suppress the anger on his face.

"Commander Dong," the Speaker's voice was calm yet carried absolute authority, each word striking a chord in everyone's hearts, "your concerns are not without merit. Shrek Academy and its affiliated forces possess more four-word battle armor than reported, which is a serious problem and must be thoroughly investigated to find the source."

He paused briefly, and the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone held their breath, waiting for his decision.

“Then, as for Master Craftsman Zhenhua,” the Speaker said slowly, his gaze pressing down on Dong Zian as if it were a physical object, “you will personally go and test the waters.”

A glint flashed in Dong Zi'an's eyes, and he was about to accept the order when the speaker continued, his tone becoming more forceful:
"Remember, this is a test. If you find conclusive evidence that he has concealed the Federation's involvement in forging large quantities of four-word battle armor for Shrek Academy... then subtly tell him that for the sake of the stability and order of the Federation, he needs to gracefully step down."

The speaker emphasized the words "subtlety" and "abdication" slightly, and the seasoned politicians and generals present all understood the implication.

This was not a brutal dismissal, but a negotiation. It aimed to achieve its goal without excessively provoking the various forces closely associated with Zhenhua, especially the Saint Craftsman Gu Chenyu, who had just demonstrated his astonishing value.

Upon hearing this, Dong Zi'an's brows furrowed sharply. He clearly felt that this approach was too lenient and inconsistent with his decisive military style.

He took a sudden step forward, his voice loud yet urgent:

"Speaker, with such conclusive evidence, why go through such roundabout ways? Can't we just go straight to the point..."

His words stopped abruptly.

A terrifying spiritual force, vast as the sea and boundless, descended without warning, like an invisible giant hand that instantly gripped his throat, forcibly suppressing all his subsequent words and momentum back into his chest.

Dong Zian's face suddenly turned pale, his burly body swayed almost imperceptibly, and even the veins on his forehead bulged slightly.

He felt as if the air around him had turned into a thick, sticky substance, making it extremely difficult to breathe, let alone speak.

That spiritual force was not aggressive, but it carried an absolute hierarchy and an unyielding will, clearly conveying a message.

Shut up and obey.

(End of this chapter)