"Screening" and "reception" are official terms used in Imperial documents to replace "capture slaves".
After the battle ended, what awaited the survivors of Ionia was a systematic and chilling despair that was more terrifying than death itself.
Countless uniquely shaped Imperial drones, like circling vultures, flew over the battlefield. They fired beams of pale blue light, scanning every living Ionian.
"Individual ID 734, Elf race, male, approximately 120 years old. Life energy level d, no special abilities. Classified as 'low-value individual', category: laborer."
"Individual ID 735, Vastaya, male, approximately 30 years old. Life energy level C, possesses basic wild shapeshifting ability. Classified as 'medium-value individual', category: biological weapon material."
"Individual ID 736, Elf race, female, approximately 70 years old. Life energy level c+, possesses intermediate natural affinity, appearance assessment A+. Determined as a 'high-value individual,' category: tribute/pet."
Gaia's central core processes this data with unprecedented efficiency. Every life is labeled with a cold tag, and their future fate is decided.
Those deemed "low-value" were primarily elderly men or those severely wounded in battle. They were shackled with energy-suppressing chains, roughly herded together, and sent to the Empire's most remote mining planets to exhaust their remaining lives in endless labor.
The young, special-ability female elves, especially those with striking appearances, were carefully separated into their own energy cages. They were the most precious "spoils of war" from this "conquest."
The entire Weeping Canyon has been transformed into a massive, open-air slave selection ground. The former heroes are now like livestock awaiting slaughter, sorted and ready to be transported to an unknown and terrifying future.
Cries, pleas, and curses rose and fell. But the warriors of the "Calamity Vanguard" paid no heed. They mechanically carried out orders, stuffing one once vibrant life after another into the cold transport ships.
These enormous, jet-black transport ships descended into the canyon like behemoths. The hatches opened to reveal countless small, metal cubicles, like a honeycomb. Each "high-value" female elf was imprisoned alone in a cubicle.
Their beautiful faces were streaked with tears and fear. They huddled on the cold metal floor, watching their homes recede further and further away through the small observation window.
"Mommy! I want my mommy!" A young elven girl cried out in her cage, reaching out her tiny hand to grab something. Her mother, a beautiful elven mage, was imprisoned in another cage not far away. She could only watch her child helplessly, tears streaming down her face, unable to touch her.
"Let me go! You demons! Let me go!" An elven girl who tried to resist was brutally knocked to the ground by two tall "Calamity Vanguard" warriors with energy spears, and then forcibly dragged into a cage.
These cruel scenes unfold every day in every corner of Ionia.
Irelia's repression was thorough and devastating. She not only destroyed the organized resistance forces in Ionia, but also extinguished the last spark of "hope" in their hearts at its root through methods such as psychological manipulation and publicly turning heroes against their cause.
Over the next few months, the "Calamity Vanguard" legion swept through Ionia like a comb. All cities, tribes, and villages were breached. Millions of Ionians were taken prisoner. Among them, over three hundred thousand of the most beautiful and purest elven women were deemed "high-value individuals" and prioritized for transport to the dimensional gates.
---
Beyond the dimensional gate lies the world of the Empire.
When the first transport ship, fully loaded with elven slaves, arrived in a city within the empire's territory, it immediately caused a huge sensation.
Under Lin Feng's thirty years of "absolute order" rule, the citizens of the empire had long been accustomed to a numb, monotonous life devoid of any emotional fluctuations. Their entertainment was extremely scarce. These beautiful, vibrant "new commodities" from another world undoubtedly injected an unprecedented, morbid dose of excitement into their lifeless existence.
On this trading planet called "Hera-7", a huge, open-air slave market was quickly established.
Those elven women deemed "tribute" in Ionia were cleansed, dressed in revealing and humiliating uniform white cloth, and given energy collars symbolizing their slavery status. Like commodities, they were displayed on anti-gravity stands.
In front of each of them was a holographic screen displaying their "product information" in detail.
"Number: E-00789. Race: Ionian Elf. Age: 68 years old (equivalent to 18 years old in human years). Life Energy Purity: B+. Ability: Basic Plant Communication. Appearance Assessment: S-rank. Characteristics: Gentle temperament, untamed, extremely pure. Starting bid: 500,000 Imperial Credits."
"Number: E-00912. Race: Ionian Elf. Age: 92 years old (equivalent to 24 years old in human years). Life Energy Purity: A-. Ability: Intermediate Water Element Affinity. Appearance Assessment: S+. Characteristics: Strong-willed and rebellious, suitable for buyers who enjoy challenging 'pets'. Starting bid: 800,000 Imperial Credits."
The market was surrounded by imperial citizens who had come to "shop." Most of them were imperial nobles, wealthy merchants, or high-ranking military officers. Their faces bore a morbid, condescending gaze as they pointed and commented on the elves on the display stands.
"Look at that silver-haired one, she's so pretty. Buying her and putting her in the garden as a living decoration would be very classy."
"I prefer the one with the fierce eyes. Taming a 'pet' like that would be more satisfying. It would be fun to have her sing me Ionian songs tonight."
"I've heard that these elves' bodies all carry a natural fragrance. I wonder if the Imperial Academy of Sciences has developed any related perfume products?"
These cold, objectifying, and possessive words, like the sharpest knife, slowly tore at the elves' last shred of dignity.
The auction has begun.
An imperial auctioneer, in his emotionless, mechanical voice, introduced each "item." Below, the imperial citizens bid wildly. These elves were not merely slaves to them, but symbols of status, rare collectibles from another world to flaunt to their colleagues.
Prices were continuously driven up.
In the end, one by one, the beautiful elven maidens were "bought" by their new masters with cold credits. They were chained with energy chains and led away from the exhibition stand like dogs on leashes.
Their fates will also be vastly different.
Some were sent to the estates of imperial nobles to become maids serving tea and water. Their magical abilities were completely suppressed by collars, and they had to perform heavy labor for more than ten hours a day. If they were not careful, they would be severely beaten by their masters.
Some, because of their outstanding beauty, are bought by psychologically twisted collectors and become "living dolls" in their secret chambers, deprived of all freedom and only allowed to wear gorgeous clothes for people to admire.
Others would be sent to the Empire's "entertainment" venues, forced to learn techniques to please Imperial men, becoming tools for their desires. Their pure souls would be utterly defiled and crushed in day after day of humiliation and torment.
Especially those top-tier elven girls with powerful life energy, their fate is even more tragic. They will be sent directly to the "Crown of Nothingness" at the core of the empire as the highest-level "tribute," becoming the most precious "collection" for Lin Feng and the highest levels of the empire to "study" and "appreciate."
This fervent pursuit of elven slaves, which swept across the entire empire, lasted for a long time. In the language of the empire, the name Ionia became synonymous with "high-quality slaves."
---
Ionia.
The once "Temple of Balance" has now become a cold military fortress covered with imperial flags.
Irelia stood alone atop the highest tower of the temple, looking down at the world below that had become completely "pure".
Enormous mining machines are extracting the planet's last life-giving energy. Countless factories are transforming its resources into war materials for the Empire. And transport ships laden with Ionia's "goods" are constantly taking off, heading towards that eternal abyss called "The Empire."
Gaia's voice echoed in her consciousness.
"Report to the First Apostle. Ninety-eight percent of the Ionia plane has been 'purified'. A total of 347,000 'high-value individuals' have been captured and transported. 1.21 million 'low-value individuals' are being sent to various resource planets in batches. It is expected that the 'asset liquidation' work in Ionia will be fully completed within three standard Imperial months."
"His Majesty the Divine Emperor's new orders have been issued."
A new star map appeared before Irelia. On the star map, a plane marked "Runeterra - Valoran," with a more complex and powerful energy system, was shining.
"A new 'experiment' is about to begin."
There was no reaction in Irelia's empty eyes. She simply raised the demonic sword in her hand slowly, its blade pointing towards that new, unknown world.
She knew this was just the beginning.
Her mission is to become the sharpest sword in Lin Feng's hand, carrying the despair she once endured and inflicted in Ionia to every corner of the universe.
She will lead her "Calamity Vanguard" through world after world, destroying civilization after civilization, and spreading endless pain and wailing.
Until the entire universe is reduced to only the "absolute order" and "perfect data" defined by Lin Feng.
And she herself will forever exist as a "fallen witch" on this endless journey paved with blood and tears.
An eternal night has descended upon Ionia.
And a new, deeper darkness is preparing to descend upon a more distant world.
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