"You're not the only one who returned alive from the battlefield, and not everyone is as lucky as you, able to find relief from their nightmares."
Maria's voice carried a tone of compassion, but it was unclear whether she pitied Bologue or sympathized with Nesanel.
"As for you, Bologue Lazarus."
Maria seemed to know what Bologue was thinking, what pain he was enduring.
"You cannot always remain just a soldier who follows orders."
Bologue swallowed hard, his emotions a mix of excitement and unbearable fear.
"It's time to raise the banner."
...
With the privileges of the deputy director, Nesanel moved freely within the Cultivation Room. He vanished in the Inverted Hall and reappeared in the Field Operations Department the next second.
Nesanel's appearance startled many. All field staff knew that the deputy director was someone who neglected his duties, rarely seen during working hours.
