I, the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, am being kept by the state.

Kunlun Base, Command Center.

The atmosphere was as oppressive as solidified lead.

On the giant holographic screen, the overwhelming wave of public opinion on the Chinese internet was displayed.

"#Returned PhD Li Lin Missing in Tokyo#"

"#Children of the Dragon, who will protect them?#"

"#Please provide an explanation, Japan#"

One after another, bright red keywords dominated all the trending search lists.

"Report! Latest news from diplomatic channels!"

A young communications officer stood up, his voice hoarse.

"Fusang responded that, after investigation, Mr. Li Lin's personal information was not found in the entry records of Haneda Airport on that day. They promised to 'assist in the investigation,' but implied that Li Lin may not have entered the airport at all."

"fart!"

Sun Mingde slammed his fist on the table. This usually gentle and refined materials science giant had bloodshot eyes at that moment.

"Typical bureaucratic rhetoric! The person disappeared right at their airport gate, and now they're telling us there's no record? They're treating us like fools!"

Qian Youmin didn't speak, but stared intently at the photo of Li Lin looking triumphant on the screen.

The background of the photo is his recently completed doctoral dissertation, which is related to novel superconducting materials.

These are the talents that the Dragon Kingdom needs.

More importantly, this is a wanderer who answered the call of the dragon and returned with a heart full of sincerity.

If they can't even protect people like this, then their previous divine punishment of the US and their declaration of divine grace have become a huge joke.

"Old Qian, what are you waiting for?"

Sun Mingde looked at him, his voice tinged with pleading, "The Gengjin Array can be activated at any time! Give me the coordinates, and I can wipe their parliament building off the map!"

"and then?"

Qian Youmin's voice was unusually calm as he pushed up his glasses.

"And then prove to the whole world that our god is just a grumpy weapon system? Destroying everything at the slightest provocation?"

"That's better than doing nothing!"

Anger solves nothing.

Qian Youmin took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "The Dragon Lord taught us that we must abide by the law. We are the Heavenly Court, not thugs. A trial requires evidence, procedures, and even more importantly... legitimacy."

Although he was trying to persuade Sun Mingde, it was more like he was trying to persuade himself.

In his mind, the nascent model of merit and karma was running wildly.

Kidnapping talented people from the Dragon Kingdom and blocking their return is a great evil, and one will bear the karmic burden.

But how can karma be quantified? And what should be the criteria for judgment?

Just as the argument in the hall was reaching a stalemate and the atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense, a highly encrypted communication was directly connected to the main control system.

On the screen, the majestic red five-pointed star logo lit up.

A voice rang out directly in the command hall, getting straight to the point without any unnecessary words.

"The people's anger needs to be quelled. The nation's dignity needs to be upheld. Your Majesty... what are your instructions?"

All eyes instantly focused on the dragon-shaped necklace that was quietly floating on the main control panel.

The pressure from the entire nation is now focused on this small command center and on this necklace.

The plan to spread rain across the continent has been suspended.

The world's attention has once again been focused on the East because of this online storm.

They were all watching to see how this dragon, which had just revealed its miracles to the world, would react when its followers faced danger.

hum-

The dragon-shaped necklace finally gleamed with a warm golden light.

Li Chen's voice, devoid of anger or anxiety, resonated deep within everyone's soul with an air of indifference and majesty that seemed to emanate from eternity.

"A bunch of mortals, how dare they harm my people?"

The sound was very soft, yet it seemed to lower the temperature of the entire hall by several degrees.

Qian Youmin and the others felt a chill run down their spines.

They could hear the true wrath of God beneath this calm.

When mortals are angry, it is like a volcanic eruption, with tremendous force.

When the gods are angered, it is like a vacuum in the universe, silent.

"Dragon Lord, please issue your decree!"

Qian Youmin bowed and asked for instructions, "The Geng Metal Array has locked onto the target and is ready to execute the 'disengage' command at any time!"

"Dissociation?"

Li Chen's voice carried a hint of disdain, "That's Fan Tie's method."

"My followers have returned in response to my call. They have accumulated merit and are imbued with good fortune. They should not be harmed by mortal means."

"His current imprisonment indicates that the other party used unconventional methods to steal or even suppress his fortune."

Luck?

Qian Youmin and Sun Mingde exchanged a glance, both seeing shock and bewilderment in each other's eyes.

This is beyond the scope of their scientific understanding.

"You want to establish a heavenly court and formulate heavenly laws."

Li Chen's voice drifted over, "Very well, today, I shall promulgate this first ironclad rule."

"Qian Youmin, heed my decree."

"Disciple is here!"

Qian Youmin's heart was pounding, and his body was taut.

"The Yi Wood Array is ready; there's no need to wait any longer. But the target isn't Africa."

A brilliant golden light shone forth, and streams of extremely complex commands, flashing with mysterious runes, appeared out of thin air on the holographic screen.

"Compile and strip rules, add doom instructions."

"Energy output power...10%!"

10%!

Qian Youmin's pupils suddenly contracted.

Previously, when heavy machine guns were used against the US, 0.5% of their power was enough to break them down into powder. Now, they're going to use 10% of their power?

Moreover, the rule is... stripping?

"Target……"

Li Chen paused, as if surveying the entire planet, "Lock onto the entire territory of Fusang, all intelligent life forms that are not of Chinese blood."

The entire command hall was deathly silent.

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines, and a cold sensation shot straight up to the top of their heads.

This is not about killing someone.

This is a thousand times more terrifying than murder!

"Dragon Lord...this..."

Sun Mingde's voice trembled. "What does this mean?"

"The way of Heaven is constant; it rewards good and punishes evil."

Li Chen's voice became solemn and grand, as if he were proclaiming to the entire universe.

"From this day forward, here is the first rule of Heaven:"

"Those who have their hearts set on China and respond to the call to return, no matter where they are, will be protected by the divine dragon's fortune, turning misfortune into good fortune and disaster into auspiciousness."

"Those who intentionally harm or obstruct the journey home, I will strip them of all their fortune, their clan, and their nation, and subject them to the punishment of being afflicted with misfortune!"

"This is... judgment!"

The moment the words fell, deep within the Kunlun base, at the core of Reactor No. 3, the emerald green light that represented life and vitality suddenly changed!

Within the green, there were even wisps of gray-black, representing decay and desolation!

Yi Wood governs life, but it can also... usurp life!

An invisible torrent of rules, following the invisible quantum channel, instantly crossed the East China Sea, like a giant net that blots out the sky, covering the four islands of Fusang!

……

Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Fusang, inside a heavily guarded underground facility.

Li Lin was tied to a metal chair, his eyes covered with a black cloth.

He could hear the ticking of instruments around him, and several people talking in hushed tones in Japanese.

"...The brain activity is abnormally high, making deep hypnosis impossible."

"His mental field is strange; our equipment is being interfered with."

"Baka! How could an ordinary scholar possibly have such mental resistance! Increase the power!"

Suddenly, all the lights in the basement flickered.

At the same time, the beeping of all the instruments became sharp and chaotic!

"What's going on?!"

"Unstable voltage? Impossible! We have an independent power supply system!"

A researcher responsible for guarding Li Lin was about to step forward to check when he slipped and fell flat on his face, hitting his forehead hard on the metal casing of the instrument and losing consciousness on the spot.

Another researcher instinctively reached out to help, but felt a sudden jolt in his heart, his vision went black, and he collapsed in agony, clutching his chest.

Panic spread instantly.

Meanwhile, the black-suited leader who had been standing in the shadows, in charge of the interrogation, suddenly had his phone vibrate wildly.

He answered the phone, and heard his subordinate's terrified screams coming from the other end.

"Section Chief! Something terrible has happened!"

"Just now... in just one minute, the number of people admitted to hospitals across the country for myocardial infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, and acute epilepsy has tripled!"

"The stock market...the stock market crashed without warning! All indices are plummeting!"

"And...and there's an emergency report from the Japan Meteorological Agency: a meteorite...estimated to be fifty meters in diameter, has suddenly veered off course and is hurtling towards...towards Tokyo!"