I can receive unlimited protection; my parents handed me over to the state.

"Notify the kitchen... to prepare more barbecue grills?"

Inside the bridge, a young officer in charge of communications subconsciously repeated Lu Yuan's order, then froze. He turned to look at his colleague, his eyes full of questions.

Did I hear that right? The army of cosmic monsters that came from outside could flatten galaxies, and the commander-in-chief was thinking about barbecue?

Not only him, but everyone on the entire bridge, including Qian Sen who had just rushed over from the laboratory, was stunned by what they heard.

"Ahem," Qian Sen pushed up his glasses and spoke cautiously, "Commander-in-Chief, given the current situation... isn't it a bit... unsuitable to consider the food issue?"

He felt he had been very tactful. This wasn't just inappropriate; it was downright insane!

"Food issue? No, no, no, Lao Qian, you don't understand." Lu Yuan turned around, looking at him seriously. "This isn't about food; it's a rehearsal for post-war mobilization and spoils distribution! Think about it, after such a huge battle, we have to reward the troops, right? These top-quality ingredients delivered to our doorstep—wouldn't it be a waste not to use them for a victory celebration?"

"Besides," Lu Yuan changed the subject, a shrewd smile spreading across his face, "what's the point of war? Isn't it to seize territory and resources? These Void Hunters are treasures from head to toe! Their carapaces can be made into the strongest armor; their energy cores are top-tier power sources; their flesh contains pure void power, making them better tonics for warriors than any rare and precious treasure!"

"We're not fighting a war, we're doing... targeted poverty alleviation! Look at them, all of them are skin and bones from hunger, they've traveled across the entire universe to come here, it's not easy for them. As the host, we have to 'give back' to them, let them... return to dust, let them return to ashes, and let their energy belong to us."

Qian Sen and the other researchers were dumbfounded by his twisted logic and heresies.

What the hell is this "targeted poverty alleviation"?!

God the hell is "giving back"!

Beating someone to death, dismantling their body for materials, and then eating it – is that what you call giving back?

Qian Sen felt like his worldview had been thoroughly rubbed into the ground by Lu Yuan once again. But upon closer reflection, it seemed... damn well, it made perfect sense!

Yes, in Lu Yuan's eyes, what's the difference between these so-called cosmic overlords and the Xuanwu Dragon Turtle and Hydra that he had dismantled before? They're just "seafood" that's a bit bigger and has a firmer texture.

"I understand!" Qian Sen's eyes lit up instantly, the scientist's fervor overcoming his fear. "Commander-in-Chief, please rest assured! I will immediately organize a research team, on standby 24 hours a day! We guarantee that immediately after the battle, all 'ingredients' will be meticulously segmented, sampled, and analyzed! We will not waste a single piece of valuable 'scraps'!"

Seeing Qian Sen instantly get into work mode, Lu Yuan nodded in satisfaction.

Children can be taught.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing." As if remembering something, Lu Yuan said to the communications officer, "Connect me to the global broadcast system."

"Global broadcast?" The communications officer was taken aback.

"Yes." Lu Yuan's lips curled up slightly. "How can such a grand 'fireworks show' not be enjoyed by audiences all over the world? I want... a global live broadcast."

"What?!"

This time, even Su Lie couldn't sit still. He rushed to Lu Yuan, his face full of shock.

"Lu Yuan! Are you crazy?! A global live broadcast?! Do you know how much panic this will cause?! What if... what if we lose? It will be a devastating blow to the morale of all humanity!"

Su Lie was truly panicked. He could accept any crazy plan Lu Yuan had, but broadcasting this unprecedented interstellar war globally was far too risky. This wasn't just gambling; it was playing with the psychological defenses of all human civilization!

"Defeat?" Lu Yuan glanced at him, his eyes looking at him like he was a fool. "Old Su, do you have some misunderstanding about my 'League of Gods,' or rather, about my work?"

"I..." Su Lie was speechless for a moment.

"Panic? Isn't that perfect?" Lu Yuan said leisurely. "Let them see, let them be afraid. Let them see with their own eyes what a terrifying enemy they are facing. Let them understand that the peaceful days are gone forever."

"Only when they are truly intimidated will they truly unite. Only when they see hope will they unleash their boundless potential."

Lu Yuan walked to the huge porthole and looked down at the Pangu Temple deck below, where the members of the "League of Gods" were assembled, their expressions ranging from tense to excited to confused.

"This battle is not just about annihilating the enemy. It's also about breaking our own human spine and then rebuilding it... a brand new spine forged from divine metal and dragon bones!"

"I want everyone to know that from this day forward, humanity is no longer a baby curled up in a cradle."

"We will take up arms, rise from our cradle, and personally... tear apart those jackals who dare to spy on us!"

Lu Yuan's voice was calm, yet filled with undeniable power.

Su Lie stared blankly at his retreating figure, opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

He got it.

What Lu Yuan wanted was never just victory in a war.

What he wanted was... a transformation of civilization!

In the bloodiest, cruelest, and most direct way, force the entire human civilization to complete an epic evolution!

"I understand." Su Lie took a deep breath, stepped back, and gave another crisp military salute. "Everything... will be done according to the commander-in-chief's orders!"

Soon, Lu Yuan issued his order.

Globally, all working screens—televisions, computers, mobile phones, outdoor billboards—were forced to switch to the same image at the same time.

The image depicts a deep and cold universe.

At the far end of the scene, a "nebula" composed of countless ferocious beasts, radiating an ominous red light, is slowly approaching.

The terrifying scene, the suffocating sense of oppression, even through a screen, made everyone on Earth who saw it feel as if they had fallen into an ice cave.

"My God... what is that thing?"

Is this the end of the world?

"Are we... going to die?"

Panic, like a plague, spread across the globe. Countless cities descended into chaos.

But soon, the scene changed.

A colossal, indescribable metal temple, resembling a moving continent, appeared in the scene.

On the temple's deck, tens of thousands of warriors, dressed in uniform armor, stood solemnly.

Before them stood a dozen or so "elders" with auras as deep as the sea, including Gu Tianye, Yan Ji, and Mu Bingli, who stood proudly like war gods from mythology.

At the very front of everyone, a man wearing a vest, shorts, and flip-flops was lazily sitting on his "throne" and yawning.

"Hello, viewers on Earth."

Lu Yuan's voice was clearly transmitted to everyone's ears through the broadcast.

"I am Lu Yuan, the newly appointed commander-in-chief of your Earth Defense Alliance."

"I know you're scared right now. That's okay, being scared is a normal emotion."

"Now, let me introduce our 'guests' today."

Lu Yuan pointed to the terrifying red nebula on the star map.

"They are called 'Void Hunters,' a group of 'ingredients' from the depths of the universe."

"In the following time, the 'League of Gods' will be broadcasting live how to process these 'ingredients' into... a delicious 'seafood barbecue feast'."

"Please bring your own bowls and chopsticks, watch the show politely, and do not litter."

"So..."

Lu Yuan stood up, stretched, and his bones crackled and popped.

"Let the feast begin!"

"Shall we...begin the feast?"

In a safe house in London, a blond man stared blankly at the lazy figure on his phone screen, oblivious to the half-eaten bread he dropped to the ground.

"He calls this... the start of the feast?"

"My God, is he crazy? That's a cosmic monster! Not a grilled shrimp from a buffet!" His companion, a woman holding a child, said in a trembling voice.

Similar dialogues are playing out in every corner of the earth.

Panic, confusion, absurdity... a mix of emotions swirled in the hearts of seven billion people. They couldn't understand why, in the face of a war that concerned the very survival of civilization, their supreme commander acted like a street urchin heading to a bonfire party.

【Pangu】Temple, bridge of a ship.

"Boss, are we really going to do a live stream? My hair isn't even done yet." Xiang Batian touched his buzz cut and said somewhat awkwardly. The thought of billions of people around the world watching him fight made even someone as thick-skinned as him feel a little nervous.

"You have no hairstyle to speak of," Gu Tianye mercilessly mocked from the side. "Your head looks like a braised egg, it looks the same from every angle."

"Who the hell are you calling a bastard!" Xiang Batian was furious and swung his axe, ready to argue with Gu Tianye.

"Quiet down, all of you!" Lu Yuan snapped impatiently. "What's the rush? It's just being on TV! Show the same fighting spirit you have when you're grabbing meat! Anyone who embarrasses me on camera, I'll hang their picture at the temple entrance as a greeter when we get back!"

The two immediately shrank back, no longer daring to cause trouble.

"Commander-in-Chief!" Qian Sen's voice rang out from the side, his face filled with excitement and fervor. "The first wave of Void Hunters is expected to enter the optimal firing range of the 'Pangu' Planet Destroyer in three minutes! The number is approximately three thousand! Individual energy responses average between A and S rank!"

Three thousand S-rank monsters!

This number sent chills down the spines of everyone who heard it on the bridge.

In the past, any S-class monster would have been enough to destroy a city, requiring China to exert all its strength to deal with it.

Now, they are merely "cannon fodder" of the vanguard.

"Only three thousand? That's not even enough to fill a tooth gap." Lu Yuan curled his lip, looking disgusted.

He lazily sat back in his command chair, crossed his legs, and said into the communicator, "God's Legion, stand by. No one is allowed to take action without my order."

"What?"

Gu Tianye and Xiang Batian were both stunned.

"Boss, aren't we going to start? I'm all warmed up!" Xiang Batian asked anxiously.

"What are you talking about? Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut?" Lu Yuan rolled his eyes at him. "You guys are the trump cards, why throw out your best hand right away? Just stand there quietly and be your background, show the global audience some skill."

After saying that, he turned to Qian Sen and snapped his fingers.

"Old Qian, it's time for our 'Research Department' treasures to come out and show off."

"Yes, Commander-in-Chief!" Qian Sen was so excited that his face turned red.

He rushed to the control panel, his hands flying across the virtual screen as he shouted, "[Pangu] Temple, Main Weapon System, disarm security restrictions!"

"Orbital cannons numbered one through three thousand six hundred, 'Chaos Annihilation', begin charging!"

"Energy source switched to the 'End' core! Power level: 30%!"

"Target: Lock onto the enemy's vanguard! Conduct indiscriminate, saturation attack!"

With his command.

"boom--"

The entire Pangu Temple emitted a muffled roar.

The next second, viewers around the world witnessed a scene they would never forget through the live stream.

The surface of the metallic continent suspended above the Pacific Ocean slowly cracked open with thousands of huge fissures.

Immediately afterwards, one after another, incredibly thick cannon barrels, gleaming with a dark golden light, slowly rose from those cracks.

Around each cannon barrel, visible chaotic power, like black lightning, swirled. At the muzzle, energy rapidly converged, forming terrifying spheres of energy radiating destructive power.

The scene was like a steel god revealing its fangs, powerful enough to destroy stars!

"My God..."

Su Lie stared in disbelief at the screen in the command center.

He knew that Lu Yuan was modifying Pangu, but he never dreamed that Lu Yuan would be so ruthless!

This is not a mobile fortress at all!

This is clearly a... heavily armed, mobile... death planet!

"Fire."

Lu Yuan looked at the Void Hunter on the screen, who had already entered his firing range, and uttered two words calmly.

It was as if it were a decree from the Grim Reaper.

Qian Sen pressed the red launch button hard!

"emission!"

In an instant.

Three thousand six hundred incredibly thick, dark golden beams of light, composed of pure chaotic power and the rule of zeroing, tore through the pitch-black universe like divine punishment swords!

Their speed surpasses that of light.

Their power is enough to pierce through space.

In their presence, time seems to lose its meaning.

Those Void Hunters who had just jumped to the edge of the solar system, baring their fangs and claws, ready to enjoy a feast, hadn't even had time to see what their "food" looked like.

Then came... utter annihilation.

"Pfft—"

A Void Hunter, whose size rivals that of a mountain and whose shape resembles a giant starfish, was struck head-on by a dark golden beam of light.

There were no earth-shattering explosions.

There was no agonizing scream.

Its sturdy shell, strong enough to withstand a supernova explosion, was as fragile as a piece of paper in the face of that beam of light.

The beam of light easily pierced its body, and then, its massive form, starting from the point of impact, silently... "disappeared."

Yes, it disappeared.

It wasn't decomposition or vaporization, but rather its existence was completely "erased" from this universe by a higher "rule".

It was as if it had never existed.

And this is just the beginning.

Three thousand six hundred beams of death formed an inescapable net of death covering millions of kilometers of airspace.

"Pfft!" "Pfft!" "Pfft!"...

Countless similar soft sounds echoed one after another in the silent universe.

One ferocious and terrifying Void Hunter after another vanished into nothingness the moment they came into contact with the light net, just like a pencil drawing erased by an eraser.

In just a few seconds.

That vanguard force, composed of over three thousand S-class monsters—enough to make any A-class civilization despair—was completely wiped out.

Not a single hair was left.

The entire airspace at the edge of the solar system was swept clean, as if nothing had ever happened.

Only those 3,600 dark golden beams, after piercing their targets, continued their momentum into the deeper reaches of the universe, eventually disappearing into the darkness, their destination unknown, and the unfortunate planets they might wipe out.

silence.