The fifth standard year after the end of the war.

For Lin Feng, the emperor of the Holy Star Empire, time had long lost its meaning as a measure of time.

When his life approaches eternity, when his authority touches the truth of the universe, the rising and setting of the sun and moon become no different from the dust in our breath.

He sat atop the highest point of the capital city, on the "Heavenly Throne".

Inside the palace, there was not a single pillar. All the buildings and decorations were suspended on coordinates precise to the Planck scale, defying the laws of physics. The ground was warm, seemingly breathing "soul jade," and stepping barefoot on it, one could feel a tranquil energy gently soothing the soul. Above the dome was not a simulated starry sky, but an extension of Lin Feng's will—with just a thought, he could project the real celestial phenomena from any corner of the universe onto it in real time and without loss. At this moment, a red giant star was hanging above the dome, slowly collapsing; its magnificent yet tragic beauty of destruction was Lin Feng's only "embellishment" for the day.

A woman clad in a gossamer-thin golden dress glided silently to his throne. She didn't walk, but sat atop a lotus leaf formed from spiritual energy, radiating a soft glow. Her name was Yao Xi, the theoretically most perfect life form designed specifically for Lin Feng by the Imperial Genetic Academy over centuries, fusing the finest gene fragments from hundreds of advanced civilizations. Her beauty eclipsed any definition of "beauty"; her voice resonated directly with the soul; and her body could even emit different fragrances of "emotional pheromones"—soothing or invigorating—based on subtle changes in Lin Feng's emotions.

She was the most expensive "work of art" that the empire had presented to him.

“Your Majesty,” Yao Xi’s voice rang out softly, like an ethereal chord from the universe, “your beloved ‘Star Tear’ has awakened.”

With a gentle wave of her hand, a crystal-clear wine glass made of pure energy appeared out of thin air beside Lin Feng. A drop of liquid, shimmering with silver-blue light and seemingly containing the essence of an entire galaxy, slowly dripped from the energy flask, hovering in the glass, pulsating softly and rhythmically with Lin Feng's breath.

Lin Feng didn't look at her, nor even at the "Star Tear"—a drop of preciousness enough to buy an entire interstellar fleet. His gaze remained fixed on the planet below, a planet he had completely transformed.

He slowly raised his hand, and the drop of "Star Tear" flew into his mouth automatically. Without the sensation of alcohol going down his throat, it vaporized directly on his tongue, transforming into a pure, cold, primordial energy, like that of the beginning of the universe, instantly flowing through his limbs and bones. For mortals, this feeling would be nothing short of a spiritual ascension. But for Lin Feng, it was merely quenching his thirst.

"boring."

He uttered the same two words he'd never spoken before.

Yao Xi's perfect smile remained unchanged; she was already used to it. As a life form "designed" for existence, one of her core programs was to understand and adapt to her master's absolute loneliness.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Academy of Sciences reported yesterday that the 'Earth Core Furnace' project has entered its final stage. It is expected that in seven standard days, the crust and core will be completely connected, drawing upon the planet's core energy to provide the entire continent with a near-limitless energy source. At that time, the 'Heavenly Palace' floating matrix of the City of Heaven will be able to rise another three thousand meters, truly realizing a 'Divine Kingdom' isolated from the world." She continued her report, attempting to pique his interest even slightly with the Empire's great achievements.

"Hmm." Lin Feng's response was still just one word.

To penetrate the Earth's core? To harness the power of the planet?

Five years ago, he personally dismantled and reassembled the continental plates of this planet like building blocks, and hurled dozens of mountains, each ten thousand meters high, like pebbles. That so-called "hero" even stirred up the magma pillars in the Earth's core to fight back against him. Now, the Empire's top scientists have spent five years and employed hundreds of millions of laborers to be about to repeat what he could have accomplished with a single thought back then.

How can I get him interested?

He stood up and slowly walked to the edge of the palace. The walls, made of dark matter crystals, became completely transparent under his will.

The entire planet has now completely changed.

The continent once known as the "Land of Holy Light" is now named "New Chengtian". In the center of the continent, the enormous crater, more than three thousand kilometers in diameter, which he himself had created, has now been filled by an even more magnificent city—the capital of the Holy Star Empire, Chengtian Capital.

The city's structure is three-dimensional. At the very bottom lies a colossal energy core and resource processing center. Countless captured dwarven artisans toil day after day in that sunless depths, accompanied by the roar of machines.

The middle level comprises the residential and commercial areas for ordinary citizens of the empire. Hundreds of colossal eco-towers, some reaching thousands of meters in height, form the heart of the city. Maglev trains, like tireless blood, flow through the city's veins. Holographic projections of dragons and phoenixes dance among the buildings, proclaiming the empire's glory and the emperor's greatness.

The highest level of the city is the "Celestial Palace," a residential area for nobles and high-ranking officials composed of hundreds of floating islands of varying sizes. Each floating island is an independent ecosystem, with mountains, rivers, palaces, and gardens, like a fairyland from mythology.

The entire capital city of Chengtian is shrouded in an enormous, invisible energy shield. This shield not only withstands any physical and energy attacks, but also filters the atmosphere, regulates the climate, and ensures that the city always maintains the most pleasant temperature and the purest air.

Beyond the cities, the former forests, grasslands, and deserts have been replaced by uniform farms made up of genetically modified crops. These farms, cultivated by automated machinery, produce enough food to feed more than 50 billion people.

As for the original inhabitants of this land—humans, elves, and dwarves—they now have a unified title: third-class citizens of the Empire, or to put it more bluntly, property owners.

Lin Feng's telekinetic power was like an invisible breeze, sweeping across the entire planet.

He could "see" that thousands of kilometers away from the capital of Chengtian, in a newly built mining city called "Rust Town," millions of dwarf slaves were digging for a mineral called "Magic Crystal" tens of thousands of meters underground.

Their bodies were branded with numbers signifying their affiliation, and around their necks wore energy collars that would detonate at the slightest thought of resistance. Their once-proud forging skills were utterly useless here. The Empire needed only their innate physical strength and endurance, far superior to that of humans. Like worker ants, they silently and numbly sifted through the ore veins, then, under the whips of overseers, transported the ore to designated locations. Their food was the lowest quality, a meager nutritional paste barely enough to sustain life. Their dwellings were cramped, filthy dormitories. The race that once sang heroic epics within the mountains now found even a complete sentence of communication a luxury.

He could "see" that on the ruins of the "Emerald Forest," at the easternmost point of the continent, massive, honeycomb-like "gene breeding centers" were rising from the ground. Countless beautiful elven women were imprisoned there. They no longer had names, only cold, impersonal numbers. Their sole value was to serve as "S-grade genetic resources," to propagate offspring for the empire. They would undergo rigorous physical examinations and genetic matching by experts from the Imperial Academy of Sciences, and then, during their ovulation period, be sent to cold "conception rooms." They would never even know which general or nobleman of the empire had impregnated them. They only needed to give birth to one after another, like birthing machines, one gifted "new citizen of the empire" after another, possessing elven blood. These newborns would be immediately taken away after birth to receive the empire's most rigorous, standardized elite education, instilled with absolute loyalty to the emperor from a young age. The best among them would become the empire's sharpest sword and strongest shield in the future. Their mothers, after losing their fertility, are "recycled" and turned into fertilizer in the breeding center's garden.

He could "see" that in the brightly lit, bustling "city that never sleeps" of the middle district of the capital, countless human and orc women who had survived from the Land of Holy Light were being used as slaves, providing various services to the citizens of the empire in various entertainment venues. Some were engaged in deadly battles with fanged monsters in the arena, their blood and wounds used to entertain the spectators in the stands. Others, dressed in revealing, exotic clothing, served tea and wine to the citizens of the empire in luxurious taverns, passively enduring their unrestrained and humiliating touches and words.

This is the empire he built single-handedly.

A highly efficient, powerful, and orderly terrifying empire built on an absolute and unquestionable system of enslavement.

Here, the Han people, as the "chosen people" of the empire, are the absolute ruling class. They are born with all privileges. They are the masters of this planet.

Other races, on the other hand, were conquered resources that needed to be "rationally utilized." Their misery, their suffering, their despair were nothing more than normal, insignificant noises produced by the massive war machine of the Empire as it operated.

Lin Feng's face remained expressionless.

There was no satisfaction, no pride, not even a trace of pity.

All of this was within his expectations. This was simply the most standard and efficient way for a civilization to handle the aftermath of conquering another. He had personally established this set of rules, and the empire, like a precise, emotionless machine, perfectly executed his will.

Is he powerful?

The answer is yes.

He is now even more powerful than he was five years ago. After conquering the Land of Holy Light and absorbing the planet's "world origin," his telekinesis is deeply intertwined with the planet's gravitational and magnetic fields. He is the "god" of this planet. As long as he stands on this land, he can mobilize the entire planet's energy. He can make the oceans flow backward, the sky burn, and the continents sink. He can even forcibly interfere with the planet's revolution and rotation, making time accelerate or... rewind at his will.

But this power only brought him a deeper void.

Like a player who has mastered all the games, only to be left with a static "congratulations" message on the screen, feeling utterly bored.

He has destroyed and he has created. He has been revered by the masses and cursed by all. He has tasted the most extreme pleasures in the universe and experienced the deepest loneliness.

What else could possibly make him feel "interested"?

“Your Majesty,” Yao Xi’s voice rang out again, interrupting his thoughts, “the time for the celebration is approaching.”

"A celebration?" Lin Feng frowned slightly; he had long forgotten what day it was.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Today is the fifth anniversary of the victory in the Holy Light Liberation War. As is customary, you will receive the homage of 140 million citizens of the Empire on the Nine Heavens Avenue. At the same time, it will also be the ceremony for awarding a new batch of 'meritorious rewards',” Yao Xi respectfully reminded him.

“Rewards…” A barely perceptible, cold smile curved Lin Feng’s lips. “Are those generals again, who treat elves as trophies and flaunt them to their colleagues? Or those nobles who decorate their mansions with dwarf bones?”

“This is the glory they deserve, Your Majesty. It was you who created this great order, where power and merit determine everything.” Yao Xi’s answer was always impeccable.

"Yes... the order I created." Lin Feng sighed softly, his voice carrying a hint of weariness that even he himself was unaware of.

He turned and sat back down on the cold throne that symbolized supreme power.

"Then... let's begin."

The game, after all, must continue. Even if the script is already memorized.

Wang Hao awoke from the soft, automatically temperature- and firm molecular gel mattress. Sunlight streamed into the room through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows. Outside, the most bustling scene in the middle level of Chengtian Capital unfolded—hundreds of meters tall eco-buildings pierced the clouds, silver maglev trains glided silently through translucent tubes, and further away, the outline of the upper-level "Celestial Palace" floating island could be faintly seen, ethereal and majestic like a mirage.

"Good morning, Master." A timid, sweet voice with a slight foreign accent rang out.

Wang Hao didn't need to turn around to know it was his female slave, Xiao Mi. A year ago, at his twentieth birthday celebration, his father, a mid-level official in the Imperial Logistics Department, gave him this girl from the "Beastman-Foxman Tribe" as a gift.

Xiaomi has long, flowing, fiery red hair, a pair of large, watery, amber eyes that always seem a little uneasy, and a pair of fluffy fox ears that twitch slightly with her emotions. According to the Empire's "Alien Asset Appraisal Law," she is classified as a "B-grade ornamental and domestic slave," and is quite valuable on the market.

At this moment, she was kneeling beside Wang Hao's bed, holding a silver tray with a glass of perfectly squeezed juice made from genetically modified "Morning Dew Flower" at the right temperature. She was only wearing a maid outfit that Wang Hao had personally chosen for her, which was practically nothing at all, and her snow-white, furry fox tail was swaying nervously behind her.

Wang Hao took the juice, drank it all in one gulp, and then, as usual, reached out and rubbed Xiao Mi's soft fox ears. The girl's body trembled slightly at the moment of contact, and then, obediently, even with a hint of flattery, she rubbed her head against his palm.

This was the result of three months of training at the "slave re-education center." Absolute obedience was the only rule for their survival.

"What's the plan for today?" Wang Hao asked, his gaze not lingering on Xiao Mi's shapely figure for even a second longer.

For the citizens of the empire, owning slaves of other races was as commonplace as owning a smart home appliance. From birth, they were instilled with the idea that the empire was the center of the universe; the Han people were the superior race; and other races were born to serve the Han people.

"Reporting to Master, today is the 5th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Holy Light, a city-wide holiday. At 10:00 AM, His Majesty the Emperor will conduct a military parade on 'Nine Heavens Avenue.' Your friends, Li Ang and Zhang Wei, have left messages on your personal terminal, inviting you to watch the parade together," Xiao Mi replied softly, while deftly preparing Wang Hao's clothes for the day. It was a well-tailored white casual suit with pale gold patterns, representing the status of an ordinary citizen of the Empire.

"Another military parade." Wang Hao pursed his lips, but a hint of excitement and fervor still flashed in his eyes.

No one can resist the deep-seated, heartfelt worship of absolute power, especially when that power belongs to one's own side.

After washing up, Wang Hao, served breakfast by Xiaomi, had a simple meal: a piece of high-energy, nutritious synthetic meat and a glass of high-protein synthetic milk. The Empire's technology was sufficient to ensure that even the most ordinary citizens could enjoy the most scientific and healthy dietary ratios.

During the meal, Wang Hao's gaze fell upon the holographic news hanging on the wall. The news was playing a classic clip from the final battle five years ago—Emperor Lin Feng, with a casual gesture, crushed the "Hero's" strongest attack, and then manipulated the entire sky, transforming it into a "solid atmospheric hammer," smashing the entire Glory Fortress, along with tens of millions of allied troops and the demonic tide, into the depths of the mantle.

Every time Wang Hao witnessed that earth-shattering, godlike power, it made his blood boil.

“Do you see that, Xiaomi?” he said, pointing to the screen and addressing the female slave kneeling beside him, ready to feed him at any moment. “This is our emperor, the power of our empire. For you primitive and backward races to be ‘liberated’ by the empire and to bask in His Majesty’s glory is a blessing you could never attain in several lifetimes.”

“…Yes, Master.” Xiaomi lowered her head, her long eyelashes concealing the emotions in her eyes.

Her homeland, the fox-people tribe located in the "Whispering Grasslands," was "liberated" in this way. Imperial "divine" mechs descended from the sky, and with a single volley, reduced their tribe's prized totem pole, along with their altar, to scorched earth. Her father and brothers, attempting to resist, were instantly vaporized. She and all the women of her tribe were taken as "spoils of war" to the capital, Chengtian.

Blessing? Perhaps. At least, she's still alive. Unlike many of her companions, who were disposed of as "inferior goods" long ago because they weren't "beautiful" or "docile" enough.

“I’m leaving,” Wang Hao stood up and straightened his collar. “You don’t need to come with me today. Clean the house. Li Ang and the others might come over tonight. Prepare drinks and… well, you know what to do.”

"Yes, Master." Xiao Mi knelt obediently on the ground and gently touched the tip of Wang Hao's shoe with her forehead. This was the most standard farewell greeting from a slave to his master.

Only after Wang Hao's figure disappeared through the door did Xiao Mi slowly raise her head. She walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the bustling, magnificent city outside, her amber eyes filled with emptiness and bewilderment.

My home is gone. And there's not a glimmer of light in the future.

She was like a canary locked in a glamorous cage, whose only purpose was to learn how to please her master in order to get the next meal.

And there are tens of millions of such "canaries" in every corner of this city.

-

In the upper "Tianque" area of ​​the capital city of Chengtian, on a floating island called "Jingyu Manor".

This is the residence of General Qin Yue, the Imperial Minister of Military Affairs.

Unlike the residence of an ordinary citizen like Wang Hao, this place was a completely different world. The entire island was enveloped by an independent ecological cycle system. On the island, there were ancient trees that were thousands of years old, transplanted in their entirety from the elven homeland of "Emerald Forest," and springs rich in energy minerals drawn from the underground river of the dwarven kingdom of "Ironforge." In the air, there was a faint, refreshing fragrance emanating from a sacred elven flower called "Moonlight Flower."

Alice, once the Moon Priestess of Silvermoon Forest, is now merely the most "favored" of the hundreds of elven slave girls in this manor.

She wasn't branded with a number, nor was she fitted with an energy collar. General Qin Yue considered himself a "refined" conqueror. He preferred a more "elegant" way of asserting his ownership.

He crafted for Alice an exquisitely beautiful pair of shackles made of "Starry Mithril." The shackles were inlaid with "Moonlight Gems," which could absorb the energy of moonlight. These shackles not only did not restrict her movements, but also nourished her body at all times, keeping her in her most perfect state.

He allowed Alice to wear the traditional elven dress and allowed her to keep her name.

But he took everything from her—her faith, her freedom, her dignity.

At this moment, Alice was kneeling in the center of the manor, beside the lake formed by the spring water of the "Fountain of Life," gently playing a silver harp. The melodious, slightly melancholic music flowed slowly through the tranquil manor.

Behind her, General Qin Yue was reclining on a chaise lounge carved from a single piece of warm jade, his eyes closed, enjoying this moment of tranquility. Beside him, several equally beautiful elven maidens were carefully peeling fruit for him or using soft feather fans to bring him a cool breeze.

“Alice,” General Qin Yue slowly opened his eyes. His gaze fell on Alice’s fair ankles, which were bound by shackles, and a glint of admiration and possessiveness flashed in his eyes. “Your piano playing is the most beautiful music in the world. It is ten thousand times more beautiful than those so-called ‘masters’ of the Imperial Central Orchestra.”

Alice's piano playing paused slightly, then continued. She did not answer.

Here, silence is her last stand.

Qin Yue didn't care about her indifference. On the contrary, he enjoyed it. He loved the untamable pride of a noble race in her eyes. This gave him an ultimate pleasure—the thrill of conquering a civilized being—every time he "possessed" her.

“Today is a celebration day,” Qin Yue stood up, walked behind Alice, and gently stroked her pointed, art-like ears with his rough, war-scarred hands. “Tonight, His Majesty will hold a small banquet at the ‘Heavenly Throne,’ inviting only the highest echelons of the Empire. You will attend as my companion.”

Alice's body stiffened abruptly. The piano music stopped abruptly.

"The Throne of the Heavens"...the palace of that man who, like a god, single-handedly destroyed her entire world?

Her breathing quickened instantly. In her mind, the apocalyptic scene from five years ago, where a blue "hammer of the solid atmosphere" that covered the entire sky, slowly pressed down, uncontrollably, flashed before her eyes.

Fear, like a cold, venomous snake, instantly seized her heart.

"What? You're unwilling?" Qin Yue sensed her stiffness, and his voice instantly turned cold. "Or do you think that accompanying me to His Majesty's banquet is... an insult?"

“…No, Master.” Alice lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly with extreme fear and anger. “It is…my honor.”

"Hmph, good to know." Qin Yue smiled with satisfaction. He pinched her chin, forcing her to raise her head, and looked at her beautiful eyes, which were misty with humiliation, with the gaze of someone examining a trophy.

“Remember, Alice. You, and everything about you, belongs to me. Your beauty, your pride, even your hatred, are medals of honor for my war. Tonight, before His Majesty, your task is to add to my glory like a perfect work of art. Understand?”

"...Yes, Master."

Qin Yue released his grip and turned to leave.

Alice slumped to the ground, staring blankly at her pale and desperate reflection on the lake.

Go see that demon...

She felt as if her soul had been thrown into the coldest icy hell.

But in the depths of that endless cold and despair, a crazy thought, one that even she herself found frightening, quietly ignited like a ghostly flame.

Perhaps... this is an opportunity...

One, the only chance to see that demon with my own eyes, or even... get close to him.