"Their reason for protesting is that they think these twelve hours are a so-called grace period, and that you're bluffing," Apocalypse said in its mechanical voice. "According to my projections, without force, no more than thirty percent will be bound when the twelve hours are up."
"A grace period? I'm bluffing?" Qin Chuan toyed with Moment of Utmost Darkness. "I gave them twelve hours for the people still fighting monsters in secret realms, or the ones who haven't seen the announcement. Not so these idiots could waste time arguing."
Qin Chuan snapped his fingers.
"Apocalypse."
"Yes."
"Pull out the data nodes for everyone in Wings of Freedom." Qin Chuan sounded as casual as if he were ordering takeout. "Don't wait twelve hours. Settle their accounts now."
Apocalypse's fingers darted through the air.
"Order confirmed. Target: all Wings of Freedom guild members. Operation: Full-Dimensional Data Severance."
New Moon City, Guild Hall.
Charlie had just raised his wineglass to his lips.
A crisp system alert suddenly rang in his ears.
It was no ordinary regional broadcast. The alarm struck deep into his soul.
[Warning! You have triggered the system's highest Judgment directive!] [Verdict: Refusal to bind to the Origin Realm faith. Deprivation Protocol activated ahead of schedule!]
Charlie's hand froze around the glass.
The Deprivation Protocol had started early?
What did that mean? Weren't there still more than eleven hours left?
Before he could react, the Epic-grade heavy armor glowing around him broke into countless pixel-like fragments of light and vanished.
Crash!
The wineglass hit the floor and shattered.
Charlie felt something holding him up drain out of his body in an instant. The power of the Holy Domain, the power that could move mountains with a gesture, was gone.
And it wasn't just his strength.
His Max HP plunged