It was a spacecraft hidden within the clouds. Because it was nighttime, it had been difficult to notice, which was why no one had discovered it until now.
But after such a bizarre and terrifying scene unfolded, the Imperial powerhouses lying in ambush aboard the spacecraft finally could not hold back from speaking.
The one who spoke was Imperial Marshal Kade Duvic, one of the Aojia Empire's ten remaining Five-Star Generals.
Lin Xin raised his head and watched as the spacecraft's hull slowly emerged from the clouds, an eerie smile flickering through his eyes.
"I don't like playing tricks, but there are always people who enjoy showing off their schemes and tricks in front of me.
"You think you're so capable?
"Do you think that just because your plan went smoothly, everyone else looks like a stupid fool to you?"
"High Mountain! I need an explanation!!!"
From beneath the outskirts of Du Jing Town came a thunderous roar. The very ground of the entire town seemed to shake and tremble.
"Those who do not obey the rules are destined to be crushed to death by them."
A man in a blue-and-white military uniform, with a cloak bearing the words Star Cluster on his back, strode through the air from afar.
His destination was unmistakably where Lin Xin stood.
"Rules?"
The black-red mist around Lin Xin suddenly surged outward, spreading in every direction as it gradually swept across all of Du Jing Town.
"I declared a curfew. That is the rule."
He stretched out his right hand and spread his five fingers toward the sky.
"Everyone who refuses to obey this rule must... die!"
His five fingers clenched.
Boom!!
The enormous silver-black spacecraft in the sky twisted first, layers of silver light shields flashing over its surface as they resisted the incomparably massive warping force.
But after merely one and a half seconds, the spacecraft's defensive force field collapsed.
Several powerful force fields surpassing Level Five Source Energy Users erupted from within it in emergency response.
Unfortunately, they were still like candle flames in wind and rain. They flashed for only an instant before being completely extinguished.
Rumble!!
The spacecraft exploded outright.
Golden fire first flared into a ball of flame, then two seconds later exploded directly, forming an enormous oval disk.
The golden disk burst open in the black night sky, completely blotting out even the moon's halo. Within that pure night sky, devoid of any impurities and filled only with unbroken stretches of dark clouds, it appeared all the more dazzlingly beautiful.
Yet it was precisely that dazzling beauty that made everyone who knew the truth feel a shuddering chill rise from the depths of their hearts.
For accompanying that brilliant golden disk was the fall of the Aojia Empire's fourth-ranked Five-Star General, Imperial Marshal Kade.
And it was no ordinary fall. He had been crushed alive by an unimaginably terrifying force while leading his entire personal guard, together with his own flagship, even after activating every defensive force field.
Following the spacecraft came the cloaked man from the Star Cluster Empire, walking through the air.
His originally solemn and still face changed drastically when he saw the spacecraft being crushed apart by force. He turned and tried to flee.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
As Lin Xin's five fingers closed.
An invisible and enormous pressure descended directly upon him.
"How is this possible!! How can he be this strong!!??"
The cloaked man's face twisted. He had never imagined that this general from High Mountain could be powerful to such an extent.
If that previous move, which had instantly slaughtered every ordinary person in Du Jing Town, was something many Flying Shadow Level Source Energy Users could accomplish.
Then the blow that had destroyed the spacecraft just now, as well as the force now descending upon him, had already far exceeded the limit a Flying Shadow Level Source Energy User could unleash.
"This... can't..." Bang!!
The cloaked man exploded like a blood bag as well. Blood sprayed down from midair and splattered across the ground.
The furious roar that had shaken the earth outside the town also seemed to have become afraid by now, swiftly falling silent.
Lin Xin did not bother with it. It was not inside the town, so naturally it was not within the scope of the rules he had established.
Strangely enough, all the blood splashed across the walls and ground seemed alive. It wriggled and crawled on its own, rapidly converging toward Lin Xin.
Before long, it flooded into the black-red mist swirling around him and was completely devoured.
Having killed quite a few elite forces belonging to the factions that had deliberately deceived Chen Feiyang, Lin Xin was greatly satisfied. Only then did he finally begin suppressing the terrifying force field he had just released in part.
Yes, the horrifying spectacle earlier had merely come from releasing one-thousandth of his body's force field.
Yet that mere one-thousandth had instantly turned the entire small town into hell.
It was like an ordinary person who had no choice but to wrap himself tightly in an icy coat at every moment. Otherwise, if even a trace of his body's own heat leaked out by accident, it might cause such terrifying destructive power.
Lin Xin was the same now.
His density was far too great, to the point that he had begun approaching the level of a black hole.
Thus, when he loosened even the slightest bit of suppression over his body, the terror it created was fully revealed tonight.
"You thought you were clever?"
With mockery on his face, Lin Xin glanced toward the silent outskirts beyond the town.
"This is the end of clever people."
That was the direction of one of the powerhouses sent by the Dark Investigation Department this time—the underground powerhouse who had spoken earlier.
In less than ten minutes from beginning to end.
The town at the foot of Du Jing Peak, which had originally been placed under martial law by the Aojia Empire, had now become a forbidden land where more than half was a dead zone.
The curfew had become a true curfew.
Lin Xin had actually considered whether the one who had written to his disciple in an attempt to frame him might not have been the Aojia Empire, but some other faction.
He simply could not be bothered to investigate.
In any case, as long as they were connected to this matter, he would kill them all together.
That was what it meant to be effortless and efficient.
It could also be considered a simple response to this incident.
As long as he hurt them badly enough, if the Aojia Empire truly had been wronged, they would naturally help him find out who had framed them in disguise.
"Lawless!! This is simply utterly lawless!!!"
The Three Powers Tower in the imperial capital of the Aojia Empire.
Within this building, which represented the Empire's highest center of authority.
A series of hoarse, hysterical roars was currently echoing.
The Emperor of the Aojia Empire, Galuo Katelin, was beside himself with rage. His face was deathly pale as he pointed at the three-dimensional projected image in the center of the hall and shouted.
He had been driven to the limit of fury. Veins like earthworms protruded densely across his neck and forehead. His blood and vital energy were racing through his veins at several times their normal speed.
It was not only him. Every minister of the Aojia Empire who saw the man in the projection flushed red and let out furious roars.
"Such a vicious criminal has actually been hiding all this time on the Empire's central planet! This is simply the greatest mockery of the Empire by the gods!"
Emperor Galuo Katelin rose from his throne, his chest heaving violently beneath his luxurious Dark Gold silk robe.
"What does he think he is!? What qualifications does he have, what right does he have, to enforce a curfew that only the Empire has the authority to enforce?
"And he even dared! Dared to murder Imperial Marshal Kade!!"
This was the greatest provocation and humiliation to the entire Aojia Empire!
Because this place was different from elsewhere.
This was Aojia Star, the Empire's mother planet!
Even amid the current chaotic situation, the Empire's strength on Aojia Star remained absolutely dominant.
Even powers as formidable as the Star Cluster Empire and the Dark Investigation Department did not dare confront them head-on.
Yet under such circumstances, a general from High Mountain actually dared to openly provoke the Empire's authority.
"Murdering Imperial Marshal Kade—death penalty!"
"Wantonly slaughtering Imperial troops—death penalty!"
"Utterly arrogant, insulting the Empire's dignity—death penalty!"
"Obstructing the execution of Imperial military orders—death penalty!!"
One charge after another was swiftly listed, then written into the judgment.
There was no need to convene the Supreme Court for trial. Everyone present directly finalized the judgment.
"Who will carry it out?"
When the matter reached this point, His Majesty the Emperor hesitated slightly.
"That criminal is fairly capable. I shall personally lead the encirclement and suppression. Galuser has not had an extra meal in a long time either."
Among the important ministers, aside from two silent pillars of the Empire who stood in sharp opposition to each other.
The one ranked third was Lei Ling Prince, who now spoke.
He had long golden curls that fell over his shoulders, and a face of utmost perfection. Whether viewed from near or far, no one could tell whether he was male or female.
His beauty was the most outstanding in the entire Empire, and his influence was likewise renowned throughout the Empire.
Because he was a Source Energy User, and the most talented Source Energy User in the entire history of the Aojia Empire.
His title of prince had not come through bloodline. It had been earned through his unceasing campaigns and slaughter, exchanged for military merit.
Galuser was the black-purple giant python coiled around his neck.
"Your Highness, please be careful. That criminal is not easy to deal with. His strength is indeed formidable."
A defense minister quietly reminded him.
"Strong is better..."
Lei Ling Prince smiled.
"The stronger he is, the more satisfied I will be..."
High Mountain's headquarters stationed in the Aojia Empire.
Pfft!
Sha Lu sprayed out a mouthful of tea and choked hard on it as well.
"Say that again?!"
He suspected that he had misheard, staring wide-eyed at the mushroom-like object floating before him.
"Just now... Third General appeared voluntarily in the town beneath Du Jing Peak and killed more than four thousand soldiers, spies, elites, and others from the Aojia Empire, Star Cluster Empire, Dark Investigation Department, as well as other small and medium factions.
"He caused direct economic losses exceeding one trillion and indirect losses exceeding two trillion starcoins.
"Among them, Imperial Marshal Kade of the Aojia Empire, a Five-Star General, was killed on the spot together with his flagship.
"Third General declared that everyone had to listen to him, and that anyone who went out at night had to die..."
"..."
Sha Lu felt that his brain was not quite enough to process this.
"What do you mean, anyone who goes out at night has to die? Explain it properly to me."
"Put simply, it is a death-version curfew."
The mushroom replied helplessly.
"Minister, our people in the town were scared stupid at the time.
"Several Illusion Law Kings were stunned too. They had originally planned to test the strength of Star Cluster and the Dark Investigation Department tomorrow.
"But who would have thought..."
Before you continue