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

Sunlight shone on the damaged, pitted bluestone slabs of Zhuque Street.

The temperature was still a bit low in the early morning.

But under the sunlight, people felt a long-lost warmth.

The woman, who was hanging in mid-air, suddenly plummeted downwards.

The last mechanical tentacle was choking her neck.

After losing power, it turned into a soft, charred copper wire.

It slid down her shoulder to the ground.

It made a soft "click" sound.

"Cough cough cough..."

The woman collapsed to the ground, her hands covering the scorch marks on her neck caused by the high-voltage electricity.

He opened his mouth wide and greedily inhaled the real, slightly earthy, cold air.

Even when I breathe in air, my throat feels like it's on fire.

She also felt that this was better than anything else.

"mother!"

The little girl who had fallen to the ground crawled over.

He rushed into the woman's arms.

The woman held her child, who had survived the ordeal, tightly, and wept uncontrollably.

On this street.

In every corner of Chang'an City.

Tens of thousands of people whose connections were forcibly severed lay paralyzed on the ground like fish out of water.

They looked at the civilian identification bracelet on their wrists that kept frantically alarming.

The glaring red light flashed a few times before going out completely.

Instead, a soft blue light representing system security is used.

Ding-dong-

Holographic GG signs for all the residents of the city.

Those screens that were just moments ago displaying pale, erroneous code like "ascend with me"

The screen flashed.

It has been restored to a clean sky-blue background.

A gentle, non-oppressive female synthesized voice.

The message resounded throughout the entire Tang Dynasty via the public channels of the Tian Shu system.

"Alarm over."

"Illegal upload channels and abnormal computing power pollution have been completely eliminated."

"The Tian Shu system has taken over the entire territory's infrastructure, and the storm surge shield is being reactivated."

"Citizens of the Great Tang Dynasty, the crisis has passed. You have all worked hard."

This is the most basic public announcement from the Eastern Palace Heavenly Pivot System.

He lacked Li Chengqian's usual irritability and condescension.

On this morning, which had just experienced a life-or-death ordeal, this gentle voice was like a shot of adrenaline.

"We're saved..."

An old man sitting by the roadside wiped the soot off his face.

He grinned as he listened to the radio.

As he laughed, tears mixed with black ash flowed into his mouth.

Rumble-

The heavy sound of tracks rolling came from the direction of the city gate.

The heavy infantry of the Great Snow Dragon Riders finally entered the city.

Xu Xiao and his team were not as menacing as they had been the night before.

All weapon systems on the mech were in the off state.

Their current task is to clean up this mess.

"Send a small team to the East Market and tow away those decommissioned security mechs."

Xu Xiao stood on the command vehicle and issued orders through a loudspeaker.

"Second squad, go clear the ground subsidence and dig out those dead cables and burn them."

"Medics, follow! Get the wounded to the nearest infirmary!"

A squad of Snow Dragon Knights quickly ran to a closed shop on the side of the street.

The shop's automatic sensor doors were locked by the high temperature during last night's power outage.

The shopkeeper and his staff were trapped inside overnight.

"Get out of the way!"

A soldier wearing exoskeleton armor shouted.

He raised the miniature laser welding torch in his hand.

Blue laser beams cut through the stainless steel door frame, sparks flying.

A few seconds later, the heavy iron door was kicked open.

The people inside scrambled out, thanking the soldiers profusely.

The city's major medical clinics also urgently reopened.

Those advanced medical AI robots that normally only treat the powerful and wealthy were forcibly requisitioned by the Tian Shu system.

They lined up and glided down the street.

They sprayed cell repair fluid on the injured people and bandaged their wounds.

The entire city of Chang'an was like a huge machine that had rusted but had been lubricated again.

Life is slowly returning to life amidst the ruins.

Taiji Hall.

Half of the dome of the main hall collapsed.

Some of the dragon-patterned gold pillars used to make a show of things were broken, and others were burned black.

Li Shimin had already changed out of his tattered dragon robe.

He casually threw on a dark-colored casual coat.

He did not treat the wound.

He simply had Wang De take a clean cloth and casually bandage the still bleeding tiger's mouth.

He sat on a temporary armchair that had been moved in.

The imperial guards outside were carrying away the remains of the Black Titanium Dragon.

The old man's eyes were calm.

They experienced great ups and downs, and faced life and death in an instant.

Those so-called dreams of immortality are a joke.

Several veteran officials, including Fang Xuanling and Cheng Yaojin.

They were all sitting on the steps nearby.

Some were massaging their lower backs, while others were applying medicine to each other.

No one spoke, but the expressions on everyone's faces were remarkably identical.

That is being down-to-earth.

Tapping.

The silence was broken by the rapid sound of high heels.

Wu Meiniang walked in, stepping on the broken tiles scattered on the ground.

She changed into a smart black business suit.

Her hair was neatly styled in a bun at the back of her head, without a single stray hair.

She wasn't holding a tablet; instead, she was carrying a thick stack of paper documents.

This is a rule set by Li Chengqian.

For matters of fundamental importance to the nation, the final step must be to put them on paper.

Wu Meiniang walked up to Li Shimin.

There was no greeting, nor any concern for each other.

She placed the stack of documents heavily on the makeshift desk in front of Li Shimin.

boom.

The paper hit the table, stirring up a fine layer of dust.

"His Majesty."

Wu Zetian's voice was cold and businesslike.

"The storm has subsided."

"But some scores need to be settled."

She reached out and flipped to the top document.

The title above was written in large characters in bright red cinnabar:

Order for the complete liquidation of assets of former power brokers and those involved in illegal uploading.