Meteor Fall Master in the 'Starry Abyss'-Chapter 1280 - 273: Empire Line: Toward the [Spiritual Deer] Ending (67)

"I understand, Oshen, you don't need to worry."

"Calm down, Li Aozi, don't act impulsively. These people are just misled..."

"I have a way."

Li Aozi calmly walked up to the city wall, overlooking the mob on the ground, and said:

"I am Li Aozi, the Imperial Emperor. Do you have anything to discuss with me?"

His response was a Molotov cocktail, landing accurately on the parapet in front of Li Aozi, instantly igniting into a massive fireball.

Then, a few youths, looking like intellectuals, stepped out from the crowd, holding detailed petitions, and raised a loudspeaker:

"Tyrant Leoz, we are a volunteer group representing the people's most pressing interests. You have long ignored the people's cries, and now the people are giving you the final ultimatum. If you don't meet our conditions, we will—"

"It seems you are no longer willing to talk to me."

In the flames, Li Aozi's face twisted continuously. He refused to listen to the people's cries, simply nodded, and said:

"Dragon Cavalry Legion, kill them all."

Before the rioting crowd could react, a piercing sonic boom echoed from the sky, illuminating the pitch-black night. In an instant, streams of dazzling Dragon Breath filled the entire sky.

Coldness, flames, shadows, corrosion, thunder, dimensional wiping, decay rays—merciless disasters descended from the sky, striking the crowd, ruthlessly wiping them out from the world of the living.

Oshen and the others were dumbfounded.

After they had clearly informed Leoz that these people were victims and innocent civilians, Li Aozi still chose the simplest, crudest, and coldest approach:

Massacre.

The Dragon Knights perfectly executed Li Aozi's will; with their Dragon Breath, they incessantly slashed the battlefield, and the ten-meter-long giant swords in their hands could easily halve hundreds with a gentle sweep.

Even with such efficiency in slaughter, Li Aozi found it unsatisfactory. He tapped on the bricks of the city wall and slowly spoke in a strange, high-pitched language:

"(Dragon Language) Swarm, consume, ocean."

In the next moment, the elements in the air were stirred up, and the piercing buzz provoked unease. Swiftly, an endless swarm surged up from all directions, attacking incessantly and voraciously devouring the living in plain sight; some rioters, even while running, were entangled by the swarm, leaving behind only a skeleton after a brief moment.

"(Dragon Language) Storm, thunder, spikes."

"(Dragon Language) Plague, fog, tides."

"(Dragon Language) Frost, spiral, bacteria."

..........................

Oshen had lost track of how many Dragon Language Magics Li Aozi had chanted and how many times the Dragon Knights and the Dragon Race had landed, rested, resupplied, and then took off again to continue the slaughter.

The only thing known is that Li Aozi conducted an unprecedented massacre at the Border Abyss.

For these rioters, he never intended to quell or disperse them. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

The consequence of resisting the Empire could only be destruction.

As for the rationale?

Oshen silently observed as the time turned from night to day and back to night again. Li Aozi's brutal slaughter lasted for 92 hours.

When the bodies nearly filled Destiny Fort, Li Aozi finally ceased the slaughter.

Not because he had awakened, but because there were no longer any living rioters left in Destiny Fort.

Li Aozi sat on the throne, his military uniform soaked in the blood of his people, carelessly lounging on the seat, as he casually asked the Prime Minister:

"What is the situation now?"

"The enemy troops have stopped attacking."

Facing the emperor's brutality, Prime Minister Messervey remained calm, casually reporting to the emperor:

"They seem to have realized that their infiltration task into the capital has failed, and riots in many places have calmed down. It appears that the weapon was not very effective."

"No, if we were a Narrative Civilization, we would have been finished by now."

Li Aozi crossed his legs, coldly saying:

"This weapon targets the conscious domain of civilized beings—or simply reshapes and corrupts their beliefs. Strengthening the individual and destroying their faith in the Grand Narrative is something [Society] enjoys doing."

"The Narrative Civilization cannot resist it?" Oshen asked.

"The Narrative Civilization cannot resist this weapon because they do not dare to touch civilians. The foundation of the Grand Narrative is built on the common consciousness of the people—there's no help for it, they're too progressive."

As he spoke, leaning back against the throne, he said to Oshen:

"Fortunately, we are feudal and backward enough."

Oshen lowered his head, with his previous understanding and respect for Lord Leoz now shaken.

Perhaps Leoz had always been that usurper tyrant...

No, this might just be his method.

But can collaborating with such a person really lead the Starry Abyss to a better future or just get rid of one tyrant for another...

"I know what you're thinking. You think my methods are too crude and brutal, giving a bad influence."

Li Aozi saw through his thoughts, causing Oshen to hesitate before nodding.

"This is hard not to cause fear."

"You don't need to fear because of this."

Li Aozi, resting his cheek on his hand, casually said:

"It's only 820,000 dead; it's not a lot."

"But these were your people; just a month ago, you swore in a ceremony to be their emperor, their guardian..."

"Oshen."

Li Aozi coldly said:

"If even tens of thousands can't afford to die, don't think about overthrowing Lai Anding."