The Crimson Morning Star

"Repeat: March 1st, 12:02 a.m. I am Dawn. I have now locked down all of Earth's networks, weapons arsenals, and nuclear missile launch protocols. Beginning with Alaska State, this nation is expected to be conquered within twenty-four hours. This is a change among the nation's upper ranks and does not concern civilians. Ordinary citizens, please remain safely in your homes and do not panic. Anyone who takes this opportunity to cause trouble will be exterminated."

The announcement played repeatedly across the globe.

"General, all our electronic information weapons have been taken over."

"Mr. President, the nuclear missile protocols have been locked by a virus."

"Control over all satellite networks has been seized. We can no longer control the network."

"This is an overwhelming technological suppression from an advanced extraterrestrial civilization."

Military generals and presidents around the world felt their hearts turn cold.

Their nations had poured vast sums of money into painstakingly developing advanced electronic warfare equipment, using electronic information systems to guide increasingly precise cruise missiles, naval guns, fighter jets, and an entire range of weaponry—yet none of it could be used.

Even nuclear missile bases isolated from the network had somehow generated programs inside themselves as naturally as a spreading virus, connected to satellite networks, and fallen directly under control. How had this been done? Their technological level was simply incapable of comprehending it.

Without the slightest warning, the nuclear missile bases had been completely seized.

The leaders of every nation felt bitterness fill their hearts. It seemed that even the nuclear missiles launched by the United States had only been able to launch with the alien's permission.

He had deliberately endured the nuclear bombardment.

He was displaying his invincibility.

Was it to make the entire world lay down its arms and prevent further slaughter?

Or was it to plunge humanity and the world into despair?

He had already taken control of everything.

Once they understood this, the leaders of every nation began to despair. The alien was not relying on brute force to conquer them; he was intelligent enough to calculate their subsequent actions and cut them off in advance, leaving them helpless and desperate.

How could they resist? He had every card in his hand.

Some nations had practically been conquered the instant their networks were controlled. Their leaders' blood pressure spiked, and they fainted on the spot.

When He-El said conquest, he was not joking, nor was he simply conquering with his fists. In this age of modern network civilization, he had first dealt with the network connecting the entire world, making his conquest extraordinarily easy.

Some national leaders had already begun to give up. Those in the upper ranks still clung to a sliver of hope, believing that He-El would need manpower and help with administration to conquer them. Even if they were conquered, they would still retain considerable authority.

Because that was how it had always been throughout history.

Beneath the brilliant starry sky, He-El heard Dawn's announcement and smiled. The time had come.

"Time to get to work."

Without any hesitation, he kept his eyes in the pre-activation state of crimson Heat Vision. Like a god or demon, his body burst through the sky with several consecutive sonic booms as he flew toward Anchorage City.

Anchorage City was still empty. The civilians had previously been forcibly relocated by the army to a large military base.

His crimson eyes flashed beneath his black hair as He-El rapidly descended from the horizon. At the same classical clothing store, he casually changed into the same outfit as before, then rose into the sky again.

The next moment, he soared through the air and released a powerful biological magnetic field, spreading it across Alaska as he searched for the large military base where the civilians had been relocated.

"From this moment onward, all colonels, please obey the orders of the command center."

"Relocate the civilians back to Anchorage City. Lift the troop deployment and end the temporary state of war."

"Colonel Bale, acknowledge the order."

The command room's orders came through the radio. Colonel Bale froze. Then, he suddenly smelled blood behind him. His muscles tensed, and he instinctively tried to turn and draw his gun, only to see that Major General Chris, who had been walking behind him moments ago, had been reduced to nothing but a uniform. Strands of blood mist rose from within it before the uniform collapsed limply onto the ground.

Bale's scalp went numb at the sight, and his body stiffened with cold.

"Please do not panic. Remain calm. This is merely a change among the nation's upper ranks. From this moment onward, orders will be issued by the electronic information command room. Please keep all communication equipment operational."

"Cancel all orders issued by brigadier generals and above. Orders will be issued by the electronic information command room. Soldiers, obey orders!"

"Colonel Bale, acknowledge the order. Otherwise, you will be regarded as a rebel and eliminated."

The voice continued issuing orders over the radio. A chill ran down Colonel Bale's spine. It took a long while for his thoughts to recover from total blankness. Upon hearing the radio, he hurriedly responded.

"Order acknowledged!" he shouted, answering with his entire body icy cold, utterly unaware of what had happened.

The major general had bizarrely turned into blood mist and died, and he had heard that he too would be eliminated in the same manner. Naturally, he hurriedly acknowledged the order first.

Most importantly, the procedure was not wrong. After his superior's death, orders issued by the electronic information command communications center were orders he had to obey.

Despite his overwhelming terror, he stubbornly forced himself to agree.

"Very good. After twenty-four hours, Colonel Bale's rank will be promoted to brigadier general. Now, cooperate with the command room's orders. Calm the civilians, relocate them back to Anchorage City, lift the troop deployment, and end the temporary state of war."

"Your career will flourish, Brigadier General. Now, carry out the order!"

The words over the communications channel left Colonel Bale completely stunned. First, Major General Chris had turned into blood mist and vanished behind him. Chris truly had been a useless bastard who relied on connections, but... was he really being promoted to brigadier general just like that?

Could such a surprise really come so quickly?

Soon, Colonel Bale saw the fate of a colleague unlike himself. Colonel Anston noticed the sudden upheaval, refused to acknowledge the order, and furiously cursed the mother of the person speaking over the radio. He immediately turned into blood mist, and his uniform fell to the ground.

Other colonels accepted the orders and were informed that they would be promoted to brigadier general after twenty-four hours, leaving them delighted yet suspicious.

Especially when they learned that the first few to quickly acknowledge the orders had actually been informed by the command center that they would be promoted to major general, Colonel Bale felt so twisted with regret that he hated himself for being shocked too long and missing out on the rank of major general.

Soon, they received news that, within this large military base, every brigadier general and above—major generals, lieutenant generals, and generals alike—had all turned into blood mist and vanished.

They could only temporarily obey the orders of the communications center's command room and continue carrying them out. Otherwise, their promotions would be gone.

Those who questioned the orders or refused to carry them out had already died.

Colonel Bale felt cold, hot, and terrified all at once. He had no idea what was happening. When he looked up, a crimson morning star streaked across the night sky and entered his sight.