The celebrations of "Grace Day" were like a golden storm sweeping across the country, lasting for three days and three nights.

As the third sun set at dawn and the purple night descended for the fourth time, this extravagant feast, which had exhausted everyone's energy, finally came to a slow end.

The city streets still held the lingering aroma of roasted meat and the fragrance of fine wine. Weary but contented people, having enjoyed the king's generous gifts, drifted off to sleep with the most fervent hopes for the future.

Inside Chengtian Hall, the hustle and bustle of the night banquet had long since dissipated. The spacious hall, illuminated by the miniature nebula, appeared tranquil and sacred.

Lin Feng leaned back on the white jade throne, toying with the Emperor's Sword, a symbol of supreme royal power, in his hand.

His spiritual power, like invisible tentacles, enveloped the entire capital of Chengtian.

He could sense that under the bright lights of the industrial zone, Wang Dachui and his group of enthusiastic engineers, after resting for less than eight hours after the celebration, were already roaring and throwing themselves into the new production plan.

Everything was under his control. This absolute sense of dominance made him feel incredibly comfortable and at ease.

"His Majesty."

Su Wanqing's soft voice rang out.

Dressed in magnificent palace attire, she gracefully walked to the throne and bowed slightly.

Her face showed no signs of fatigue; on the contrary, she appeared even more radiant, thanks to the nourishment of power.

"The celebration was a great success." Lin Feng's tone was calm, revealing no emotion. "The people were more united than ever before. You did a great job."

"This is all due to Your Majesty's divine might. Your Majesty's concubine is merely showing your glory to the people in the most appropriate way."

Su Wanqing's answer was flawless. Then, she changed the subject and got to the point, "Your Majesty, after the revelry, the kingdom is also facing new problems."

"explain."

"labor force."

Su Wanqing handed over a report displayed on a light screen: "During the Holy Grace Day, the treasury's generosity greatly stimulated consumption and ignited the people's enthusiasm for production. Minister Wang Dachui's industrial zone has submitted a new round of expansion plans, which are expected to increase production capacity by 30%. The development of new agricultural and mining areas is also imminent. All of this requires people. A lot of people."

The report clearly listed the estimated manpower shortage for each project, and it was a shocking figure.

Although the Star Kingdom boasts advanced technology and a powerful army, its large population remains its biggest weakness.

"The kingdom's total population is currently 83,427." Su Wanqing's voice was calm and clear: "Excluding the military, scientific researchers, and the elderly, women, and children, the number of able-bodied young and middle-aged laborers who can be engaged in front-line production is less than 30,000. This is already the limit."

Qin Lan entered at some point, dressed in a crisp military uniform, her face cold and stern: "If you don't have enough men, just rob them. Give me a 'Ice Wolf' tank battalion, and I can bring you back at least ten thousand men within half a month!"

Su Wanqing frowned slightly and retorted, "Marshal Qin Lan, we are building a civilized nation, not a barbaric bandit gang. People who are captured by force only have hatred in their hearts, and they will become a huge threat to the stability of the kingdom. Moreover, their bodies and minds have long been distorted by the wasteland, and they are simply incapable of handling sophisticated industrial production."

"Then teach them a lesson with whips and death!" Qin Lan retorted sharply, "Before absolute power, no amount of hatred can be crushed!"

"Enough." Lin Feng's voice once again stopped their argument.

He slowly stood up, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling crystal pavilion, and looked down at the brightly lit kingdom below.

"Qin Lan, your sword should be pointed at more powerful enemies, not at these insignificant ants."

Qin Lan's face paled, but she still respectfully lowered her head: "Yes, Your Majesty."

Lin Feng's gaze turned to the boundless, dark wasteland shrouded in purple night outside the city.

"Wanqing is right, I need people. But what I need are people who can understand my civilization, who can bask in my glory, and who can be grateful to me from the bottom of their hearts and submit to me."

His fingers tapped lightly on the crystal wall, producing a crisp sound.

"Since we were able to be transferred here, there must be countless other survivors from Earth like us scattered in other corners of this planet."

A flash of understanding crossed Su Wanqing's eyes: "Your Majesty means..."

"I want you to launch a plan immediately." Lin Feng turned around, his eyes flashing with ambition: "Let's call it 'Project Shepherd'."

“Shepherd…” Su Wanqing savored the word and immediately understood its profound meaning.

The king is the shepherd, and the survivors scattered across the wilderness are his lost sheep.

"Starting immediately, a search will be conducted 24/7, covering an area of ​​1,000 kilometers outward from the center of Chengtian City."

Lin Feng issued the following orders: "Order the aerospace reconnaissance forces to send out all of the 'Ghost' unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. Order Qin Lan to form more than ten 'Expeditionary Search and Rescue Task Forces,' each of which must be equipped with 'Tearer' armored vehicles, all-terrain assault vehicles, medical units, and engineering units."

"I want you to comb through this land like a comb. Wherever you find a settlement of survivors, no matter how small, make contact immediately, demonstrate the power and prosperity of my kingdom, and then... bring them back."

“I don’t care what their past identities were, whether they were scientists, workers, criminals or celebrities. Here, they have only one identity—they are my people, Lin Feng’s people. I will give them new life, and they will repay my grace with their loyalty and hard work.”

"This is the king's decree."

Su Wanqing and Qin Lan knelt on one knee simultaneously, their expressions solemn: "Yes, Your Majesty!"

A massive plan, backed by the powerful military, industrial, and organizational capabilities of the Star Kingdom, aimed at plundering the planet's surviving humans, was thus launched.

The fates of countless people will be completely rewritten under this royal decree.

The next day, at the Iron-Blooded Military Headquarters.

"Pass on my orders!"

Qin Lan looked at the twenty-seven officers in front of her with a serious expression.

"Order: Effective immediately, with the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 'Ice Wolf' Tank Regiment as the core, and incorporating 'Ripper' infantry fighting vehicles, 'Thor' self-propelled howitzers, 'Hunter' all-terrain assault vehicles, and 'Hive' drone combat units, form the 1st to 10th 'Expeditionary Search and Rescue Task Forces,' codenamed 'Shepherd Dog' I to 10."

“Each ‘Shepherd Dog’ task force consists of a fully staffed ‘Iron Fist’ assault battalion, a medical company, an engineering company, and a ‘re-education specialist’ team dispatched by Prime Minister Su Wan-ching’s Ministry of Home Affairs.”

"Order the aerospace reconnaissance forces to scramble all 'Ghost' series unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, except for those reserved for basic defense. Conduct 24-hour continuous shift reconnaissance, with a search range of one thousand kilometers! I want this land to have no secrets left for us!"

"Order the logistics department to equip all 'Shepherd Dog' task forces with three standard combat loads of ammunition and fuel, as well as enough field rations and medical supplies to support 5,000 people for a month within 24 hours!"

"Order all soldiers involved in the operation to write their wills and submit them to the military records department. Tell them this is not a drill, nor is it a safe mission. Anything can happen on the wasteland. But they must remember that they are the King's army, searching for his lost people. This is honor, this is their mission!"

Commands were issued clearly and swiftly from Qin Lan's mouth.

Under her command, the entire kingdom's military machine began to operate with terrifying efficiency.

Outside the capital of Chengtian, at the military airfield, the roar of engines never ceased throughout the night, the sound of tracks crushing the ground was like muffled thunder, and the shouts of soldiers merged into a torrent of steel.

Qin Lan's eyes gleamed with excitement and a sense of conquest.

She didn't care who the survivors were; all she knew was that it was the king's will.

Ministry of Industry and Science

"Damn it! Get moving, all of you! Quick! Quick! Quick!"

Wang Dachui's roar echoed through the brightly lit industrial area. His bare, muscular upper body, drenched in sweat and machine oil, made him look like a demon god emerging from the earth's fire.

The "Shepherd Project" imposed almost demanding requirements on his Ministry of Industry and Technology.

"That crazy woman Qin Lan, she demands the equipment of ten special forces teams with just one word! Does she think 'Ice Wolf' grows out of the ground?" Wang Dachui cursed as he personally operated a huge mechanical arm, precisely welding a piece of newly forged "Black Tortoise"-grade composite armor, shimmering with a dark gold luster, onto the chassis of a brand-new "Ice Wolf" tank.

"But! The king's command is destiny!" he roared at the engineers around him who were also fighting shirtless. "Don't say ten teams, even if it's a hundred teams, we'll squeeze them out from between our teeth!"

"Increase the power output of the energy core by another five percent! Change the 'Ripper' production line from three shifts to four shifts, with machines running non-stop even when people are resting! Unseal all the 'Ghost' drones in the spare warehouse and conduct pre-battle testing!"

"Also, the leader specifically instructed that the task force be equipped with a batch of 'non-lethal deterrent weapons.' Those bookworms in the R&D department, work through the night to come up with a solution! High-voltage sonic waves, blinding flashes, tear gas—install them all! We're going to find our compatriots, not to slaughter them. We need to let them feel the Kingdom's 'civilization' and 'goodwill'!"

The entire industrial zone has been transformed into a massive, high-speed furnace.

Countless resources were poured into them, and at a visible speed, they were transformed into steel behemoths exuding an aura of death, silent hunters slicing through the sky.

The kingdom's terrifying power was on full display at this moment. It was not merely a military force, but a perfect machine that combined efficient command, fanatical execution, a robust industrial base, and cutting-edge technology, existing solely to realize the leader's will.

Once Lin Feng used telekinesis to manufacture industrial machine tools, industrial development became unstoppable.

Imperial Household Department

Unlike the bustling activity and intense activity in the military and industrial areas, Su Wanqing's Imperial Household Department was weaving an invisible net in a calm yet efficient atmosphere.

"Your Excellency, as per your instructions, the accompanying publicity plan for the 'Shepherd Project,' titled 'Divine Grace Descends,' has been completed." A well-dressed and capable female secretary handed Su Wanqing a document with a screen display.

Su Wanqing, dressed in a well-tailored white suit, sat upright in her office. In front of her was a cup of fragrant "Starflower Tea".

She gently swept her hand across the light screen, carefully reviewing every detail of the plan.

“Very good.” She nodded, her voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable authority. “The core of the publicity should highlight three points.”

"First, it's about 'salvation,' not 'conquest.' We need to make the survivors understand that it was the king who heard their prayers and sent divine soldiers to rescue them from hell. We need to plant the seeds of gratitude in their hearts the moment they see us."

"Secondly, it is 'hope,' not 'charity.' Let them see the greatness of the capital city and the prosperity of the kingdom. Let them understand that joining the kingdom is not about becoming refugees, but about becoming builders of a great civilization, and that they will gain unprecedented dignity and a future."

"Thirdly, it is about 'uniqueness'. They need to deeply understand that on this planet, only King Lin Feng and the Star Kingdom are their only reliance and refuge. Any doubt or resistance is a betrayal of divine grace and a path to self-destruction."

"Issue my order to edit the footage of our 'Grace Day' celebrations, especially the military parade and His Majesty's speech, into the most powerful and moving propaganda film."

“Every ‘Shepherd Dog’ task force must carry high-powered holographic projection equipment. Upon contact with survivors, the first thing to do is to show them these propaganda videos.”

A glint of wisdom and strategy shone in Su Wanqing's eyes.

If Qin Lan's army is the sharp teeth of a sheepdog, then her Imperial Household Department is the warm embrace of a shepherd and the alluring pastoral songs from his lips.

A balance of firmness and leniency, combining kindness and severity.

Under the planning of this "Queen" Prime Minister, "Operation Shepherd" will not only be a military search and rescue operation, but also a meticulously planned, psychologically driven, and unprecedented conquest.

In just three days.

Ten fully equipped "sheepdog" task forces completed all the preparations.

At dawn, as the golden suns climbed once more above the horizon, ten torrents of steel, from ten different directions, surged with overwhelming force into the vast wilderness shrouded in mist.