Chapter 361: Era of Rapid Development

The two reached an agreement, and their expressions relaxed a bit.

However, they did not know that Qin Hao's announced "Great Silence" plan would stir up a terrifying storm across the entire Milky Way Galaxy and Andromeda.

The contents of the meeting were quickly conveyed to the highest officials of all civilizations in the Interstellar Commonwealth.

Madness!

This was everyone's first reaction upon seeing the plan.

Each of those goals seemed like an insurmountable mountain, weighing on everyone's hearts.

Next came a bone-deep chill.

Because accompanying the plan was Qin Hao's icy order.

"All opponents will be deemed guilty of treason against civilization and executed on the spot."

"Those who slack off will be treated the same."

At this moment, the entire Milky Way Galaxy felt the will coming from the strongest of the Yanhuang Civilization.

The First Administrative District, formerly the capital star of the Biji Lie Empire.

Inside the vast circular conference hall, the atmosphere was so oppressive it made it hard to breathe.

Biji Lie sat in the main seat, his face grim as he looked down at the hundreds of former imperial officials and generals below.

They were the elite of the Biji Lie Civilization, once controlling one-third of the Milky Way Galaxy's power, each proud and arrogant.

But at this moment, every one of their faces was filled with shock, incomprehension, and even anger.

Just moments ago, Biji Lie conveyed to them the "Great Silence" plan from the Yanhuang Civilization.

"Your Majesty! This... this is impossible!"

An old minister finally could not hold back and stood up, his voice trembling slightly from excitement.

"In five hundred years, increase industrial output ten thousandfold? And we must hand over more than ninety percent of our civilization's resources to the Yanhuang? This is trying to drain the very marrow of the Biji Lie Civilization!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Another general who held military power also stood up,

"We acknowledge the strength of the Yanhuang Civilization and are willing to follow their leadership, but this demand has already exceeded our limits! It is slavery! Bare naked slavery!"

"Even if we are defeated, the Biji Lie Civilization cannot accept such humiliation!"

"Please, Your Majesty, reconsider!"

"Protest against the Yanhuang Civilization!"

For a moment, the crowd's emotions ran high.

In the conference hall, voices of opposition rose and fell.

They had just emerged from the shadow of the Devourer, hadn't even caught their breath, when they were greeted by an even harsher command.

How could they possibly accept this?

Biji Lie listened silently, his expression blank.

His gaze swept over the excited faces below, but his heart was icy cold.

Protest?

Bottom line?

Humiliation?

To him, these words were so distant and laughable.

Under that man's thought steel seal, he had none of these emotions at all.

His thoughts, his will, had only one goal—to unconditionally carry out Qin Hao's orders.

But deep within his soul, in a suppressed corner,

there seemed to be a faint spark, flickering lightly with the murmurs from below.

That was the emotion belonging to "Biji Lie" himself.

He seemed... also able to feel that unwillingness and anger.

But this feeling was only a flash, instantly covered by the logic of the thought steel seal.

"Silence!"

Biji Lie slowly spoke, his dignity undiminished from years past.

The entire conference hall instantly fell silent.

Everyone looked at him, awaiting his decision.

They hoped that this emperor, who once led them to glory, could fight for their rightful rights.

Biji Lie rose to his feet, his icy gaze sweeping over the entire assembly.

"You say this is impossible?"

"Is this slavery? Is this humiliation?"

With each question, his voice grew colder by a degree.

The old minister, steeling himself, replied: "Yes! We..."

"Shut up!"

Biji Lie let out an angry shout, cutting him off.

A massive spiritual pressure instantly enveloped the entire conference hall.

Everyone present felt a sudden palpitation, as if stared down by an ancient ferocious beast, making even breathing difficult.

They stared in shock at Biji Lie.

Only then did they realize that the Majesty before them was not only their leader, but also an expert whose strength was unfathomable.

"I have summoned you today not to consult, but to issue orders."

Bi Jia Lie's voice was ice-cold, devoid of any emotion.

"Starting now, the First Administrative District enters the highest level of wartime state."

"All civilian industry will be converted to military production."

"All non-essential research projects are suspended; all scientific personnel will be uniformly allocated by the Yanhuang Academy of Sciences."

"All planetary resource extraction rights will be turned over to the Yanhuang Civilization Resource Allocation Department."

"All fleets await unified command from the Yanhuang Military Department."

Order after order issued from Bi Jia Lie's mouth.

"Your Majesty! You cannot do this!"

That general's eyes were blood-red; he almost roared it out.

"This is treason! You are betraying our entire civilization!"

"Treason?"

Bi Jia Lie's mouth curled into a cruel arc.

He slowly raised his hand, aiming at that general.

"I say again, this is an order."

"All opponents will be deemed guilty of treason against civilization and executed on the spot."

The general's body stiffened; he saw in Bi Jia Lie's eyes a trace of killing intent that was not his own, cold and unfamiliar.

That was... Qin Hao's will!

The general's body began to tremble slightly.

He was not afraid of death.

He simply could not believe that the emperor to whom he had sworn lifelong loyalty would become an emotionless puppet.

"I... I refuse!"

The general let out his final roar.

However, his voice cut off abruptly.

An invisible spiritual blade instantly pierced his brow.

The light in his eyes quickly faded; his body fell straight back with a heavy thud.

Blood stained the luxurious carpet.

The entire conference hall fell into deathly silence.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden scene.

They stared blankly at the general lying in a pool of blood, then at the expressionless Bi Jia Lie in the main seat, a chill surging from their soles to the crown of their heads.

They understood.

The era has truly changed.

The emperor who once argued for the civilization's benefit is dead.

Now standing before them is merely a shadow of Qin Hao, a cold, ruthless enforcer.

Bi Jia Lie withdrew his hand, as if he had merely crushed an ant.

His gaze swept over the crowd once again.

"Anyone else with objections?"

This time, no one dared to speak.

Everyone lowered their heads, unwilling to meet his gaze.

Fear overwhelmed anger and resentment.

"Very good."

Bi Jia Lie nodded satisfactorily.

"Now, go carry out the orders."

"Remember, I want results. In five hundred years, if I do not see the number that the Qin Chief Commander desires..."

His gaze turned extremely dangerous.

"You and your families have no right to exist."

Having said that, he turned and left the conference hall.

Only a group of former Imperial high-ranking officials remained, their faces ashen and trembling.

The same scene unfolded in the Second Administrative District, in Ke Huang's Empire.

Facing the same order, Ke Huang likewise encountered fierce opposition.

And his methods were even more direct and bloody than Bi Jia Lie's.

On the spot, more than ten nobles and officers who led the opposition were struck down by him!

In the face of absolute violence and fear, all resistance appeared feeble and pale.

The two great galaxies, with over a hundred thousand civilizations, fell silent simultaneously on that day.

An unprecedented resource integration, driven by blood and fire, began at a nearly mad pace.

Countless planets were hollowed out, countless factories roared day and night, countless lives were drawn into this colossal war machine.

The Milky Way Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy have fully entered the "Great Silence" era.