Deposed? I couldn't be happier! I wouldn't even be a dog to the crown prince.

The explosion's flames instantly illuminated the dark night sky of Europe. The governor rushed to the window and witnessed a scene that chilled him to the bone.

On the once pitch-black horizon, a thick, crimson pillar of fire was now rising into the air.

The sweltering heat, carrying the acrid smell of sulfur, shattered the tranquility of the night in a very short time.

The governor's hands gripped the remaining window frame so tightly that sharp wooden splinters dug deep into his fingernails, drawing blood, but he was oblivious to it.

In the center of his vision, the quantum tower base station, a hundred feet tall and representing the majesty of Tang Dynasty technology, was at the core of the raging vortex.

It was a black tsunami formed by countless bodies of flesh and blood.

Thousands of blond-haired, blue-eyed foreign miners and low-level laborers were shirtless at this moment.

They were covered in black coal ash and dark red engine oil, and in the firelight, they had an almost frenzied, beast-like quality.

These lowly laborers held aloft torches that were burning fiercely.

It let out a deep, suppressed growl, like a group of vengeful demons crawling out of hell.

"Smash it! Smash this bloodsucking monster!"

"We won't be beasts of burden to the Tang Dynasty! We need to breathe! We need to live!"

The raging roars coalesced into a tangible sound wave, causing the air to tremble violently.

These laborers wielded heavy stone-crushing hammers and thick crowbars.

With bloodshot eyes, they charged madly toward the quantum base station that emitted a pale blue fluorescent light.

In their eyes, the cyber tower that could accurately monitor everyone's breathing frequency and forcibly deduct credit points was not a miracle at all.

It was an invisible, deadly shackle that was tightening around their necks inch by inch.

In that instant, class conflict was vividly manifested on the land of Europe in a bloody and direct manner.

The rapid industrialization of the Tang Dynasty always used these foreign laborers as the cheapest fuel.

They endured twelve hours of endless labor and meager wages.

Now, when Li Shimin's outrageous "breathing tax" was forcibly imposed online, their last line of physical and psychological defense completely collapsed.

If you won't even let me breathe for free, then I'll fight you to the death.

"boom!"

A massive iron hammer slammed heavily onto the defensive light screen surrounding the base station, sending up a shower of eerie blue sparks.

"Second squad, use steam explosives! Blow this iron pillar down!"

The miners' foreman had a ferocious face, and the scars on his face writhed like centipedes as he roared.

More than a dozen boxes of highly concentrated industrial explosives were tightly strapped to the alloy base of the base station.

The fuse hissed and crackled, spewing deadly sparks in the night wind.

In that one second, time seemed to stretch out infinitely.

The governor stared wide-eyed out the window, his eyes bloodshot with fear.

He tried to reach out to stop him, but only his withered throat could produce strange hissing sounds.

"Boom—!"

A sound ten times louder than before suddenly exploded between heaven and earth.

The supporting structure at the bottom of the quantum base station shattered instantly amidst a loud bang.

Countless tons of precious rare alloys melted and peeled off in the extreme heat, turning into large swaths of dazzling metal rain that splashed wildly in all directions.

The towering cyber tower, hundreds of feet high, emitted a sickeningly metallic, twisting roar amidst the swirling sparks.

Then, it began to collapse irreversibly towards the Governor's Mansion.

The tower fell at an extremely high speed, creating a violent hurricane in mid-air.

It crashed to the ground, instantly leveling several exquisite Baroque-style buildings, and the dust it kicked up resembled a giant mushroom cloud in the firelight.

The quantum signal was completely cut off at that instant.

Blue arcs of electricity, generated by countless system failures, surged wildly across the ground, emitting a crackling, ear-piercing noise.

"Governor! All the base stations are destroyed! Our network is down!"

The adjutant stumbled into the office, his forehead slashed open by broken glass, blood smearing his entire face.

"Those barbarians have already stormed into the first-floor lobby, and the two squads of Snow Dragon Riders left behind are simply unable to control the flow of people!"

His voice was thick with sobs.

Li Xizhi slumped in his chair.

He looked out the window at the ever-approaching sea of ​​torches, his hands and feet as cold as a corpse.

It’s over.

Before a single penny of the breathing tax had been collected, the entire digital foundation of the Europa province was utterly crushed into scrap metal overnight.

With trembling hands, he reached out and tapped the emergency distress terminal on the control panel, which was flickering wildly due to unstable voltage.

"Help... Chang'an... Help..."

His voice was weak, sounding so insignificant amidst the cacophony of shouts and cries of battle.

His fingers were pressed firmly on the send button, his fingertips turning completely pale.

That red distress signal represents the highest level of danger.

Just millisecond before the governor's mansion gate was smashed by a hammer, it shot out with a narrow escape along the last quantum frequency band.

At this moment, inside the Taiji Hall of the Great Tang Dynasty.

The previously calm and dull atmosphere was completely torn apart in that millisecond by a sudden burst of scarlet light.

The alarm on the control panel emitted its most piercing and urgent scream.

"Warning! Europa Quantum Base Stations 1 through 3 have been physically destroyed! Signal completely interrupted!"

The mechanical, synthesized voice echoed in the empty hall, carrying a cold and ruthless sense of judgment.

Li Shimin was holding a teacup, ready to drink.

The sudden red light cast a blood-red glow on his cheeks, making him look like a bloodthirsty god of death.

His movements were completely frozen in that second.

Those bloodshot dragon eyes were fixed on the three Europa control points on the big screen that had instantly gone out.

"Snap!"

A crisp cracking sound suddenly rang out on the large table.

The priceless, exquisite mutton-fat jade teacup in Li Shimin's hand.

Under his furious and suddenly surging immense force, it actually shattered into countless sharp, pure white fragments in mid-air.

The scalding tea flowed freely between his fingers, soaking the cuffs of his black outfit.

But he didn't even frown.

A flush, caused by the reverse flow of blood and qi, crept up Li Shimin's neck at an alarming speed.

His facial muscles twitched violently with anger.

The veins on his forehead bulged like several startled black earthworms, throbbing wildly.

This provocative act—the first time in the digital age that someone dared to use physical violence to destroy his imperial seal—instantly and thoroughly humiliated his pride as a great emperor throughout history.

The ministers standing below were so frightened that a large number of them knelt down.

Wei Zheng lay prostrate on the ground, terrified, burying his head so tightly that he dared not even breathe.

Changsun Wuji secretly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He knew all too well how intense the murderous intent in the heart of the cyber tyrant sitting above him had become.

This capitalist empire, built with gold, blood, and advanced technology, absolutely does not tolerate any disobedience from the lower classes.

"You unruly commoner... how dare you smash my base station..."

Li Shimin's voice was terrifyingly deep, like two rusty iron pieces rubbing together, each word carrying an intense, visceral stench of blood.

He suddenly stood up and kicked the sandalwood dragon table in front of him, sending it flying into the air.

Countless precious financial documents were scattered all over the floor.

He stared intently at the charred map of Europe on the holographic screen.

He gripped the hilt of the Tian Shu high-frequency oscillating horizontal sword hanging behind the stage with his right hand.

His knuckles made a cracking sound.

He no longer considers industrial support or calculates the cost of air purification.

Now, all that remains in his mind is the most primitive and brutal logic of imperial purges.

"Your Majesty! You must not mobilize the army! That is the foundation of two hundred thousand artisans!" Fang Xuanling lay prostrate on the ground, his voice filled with despair.

"Shut up! Anyone who dares to utter another word will be hung on the flagpole of the Vermilion Bird Gate!"

Li Shimin completely lost his mind. His bloodshot, furious eyes were fixed on the communication window of his fourth brother, Li Tai. His voice roared and sounded hoarse and shrill.

The distress telegram flashed a blinding red light directly onto the screen in the Taiji Hall. Li Shimin smashed a teacup with his fist and roared, "Rebellion! Summon the Great Snow Dragon Riders and flatten Europe for me!"