Looking at the crowd before him, Adrian smiled faintly. Undoubtedly, he had finally won over the people before him.

This was precisely the outcome Adrian had envisioned. Their acceptance was crucial. Without it, dissatisfaction and lingering doubts would have continued to fester.

Across from him, Tyler stood motionless, his gaze averted. Despair weighed on him so heavily that, for a fleeting moment, he considered ending it all right there.

Despite years of military service and countless battles, Tyler's abrupt challenge to Adrian had ended in a crushing defeat—one so absolute it bordered on humiliation.

Compared to Adrian's strategic brilliance, Tyler felt like an unseasoned recruit, as if he had never even studied the art of warfare. The chasm between them felt insurmountable, as vast as the distance between earth and sky. It left Tyler deeply shaken.

Adrian, observing Tyler's demeanor, immediately understood his turmoil.

He grinned, approached, and said in a calm, steady voice,