I fabricated myths to guide the revival of spiritual energy.

The presidential bunker, 300 meters below the White House.

This is in stark contrast to the current frenzy and the overwhelming celebratory atmosphere in the media, where "magic is invincible."

Inside this nuclear bunker, which represents the pinnacle of human secular power, there was a suffocating silence.

The president slumped in his leather chair, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at the huge tactical projection screen in front of him.

On the screen, instead of some "heroic" moment of killing a low-level Void Hound in Times Square, it was real-time monitoring footage from a top-secret military satellite.

Los Angeles. This once dazzling "City of Angels" has now become a desolate ruin radiating a ghostly green glow.

In the heart of the city, there lies a terrifying crater with a diameter exceeding five kilometers. In the center of the crater, suspended a hundred-meter-tall "giant cocoon" woven from countless dark purple void substances and high-intensity radiation.

"Mr. Secretary of Defense..." the president's voice was dry, as if he were chewing sand, "Are you sure the media hasn't leaked anything?"

"Your Excellency, the National Security Agency has cut off all civilian communication networks within a 300-kilometer radius of Los Angeles."

The Secretary of Defense wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his voice trembling, "The official line is: Los Angeles has suffered a massive gas leak, and our newly formed 'National Magicians' Guild' is currently conducting a protective barrier cleanup."

Upon hearing the word "magician," the president angrily smashed the crystal ashtray on the table onto the screen!

"Fuck the sorcerers! Fuck the purification!"

The president roared like a mad lion:

"Seventy-two hours ago, that monster that crawled out of the crack landed in Los Angeles! Our shells didn't even leave a mark on it! It slaughtered two million people in Los Angeles in three hours!"

"In desperation, I pressed the nuclear button! Two 100-kiloton tactical nuclear bombs! And the result?!"

The president pointed to the enormous cocoon on the screen, which was beating eerily like a heart and even greedily absorbing nuclear radiation, and trembled all over:

"The top-secret intelligence from over there is correct! This high-dimensional being, which has reached the so-called 'half-step Golden Core' level, possesses its own force field! Our nuclear bombs not only failed to kill it, but actually provided it with the energy for evolution!"

The four-star generals inside the bunker all lowered their heads, their faces filled with humiliation and despair.

Yes, this is the bloody truth that has been covered up.

The Western public was celebrating, believing that with the "magical cheat" bestowed by Gu Qing, a few quickly trained mages could easily burn a few low-level Void Hounds to death in the streets, thus saving the world.

But the top brass in the White House knew better than anyone else: those who were burned to death on television were nothing more than parasites that the terrifying beast of Los Angeles shed before it fell into slumber!

The real boss is transforming amidst the nuclear-contaminated ruins of Los Angeles. Once it emerges, let alone those "quick-fix" sorcerers who can chant a spell in ten seconds, even the entire American army wouldn't be enough to fill its teeth!

"We must seek foreign aid." The Secretary of State swallowed hard. "We can't wait any longer. We must reconnect with China's red hotline, even if it means surrendering all our military bases in the Pacific, to bring down the swordsman of Kunlun and slay this monster!"

"It's too late, and Kunlun has rejected all our communication requests."

The president gave a bitter laugh, then slumped back in his chair, looking as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

"So what should we do now?"

"Connect to the Vatican." The president closed his eyes.

……

Five minutes later, the bunker's large screen switched.

On the other end of the screen is the magnificent St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

The newly crowned Pope wore a triple crown symbolizing supreme divine authority and held a scepter of light inlaid with spirit stones. Behind him stood twelve bishops and paladins, their bodies radiating dazzling light and packaged by Gu Qing's system as "Sacred Domain level".

"Lost sheep, may the glory of the Lord shine upon the White House." The Pope's voice carried a sense of superior compassion and arrogance.

"Your Holiness," the President of the United States said, forcing back his humiliation and lowering his once arrogant head, "you should already know the situation in Los Angeles. We... need the power of the Papacy."

The Pope smiled slightly, his eyes revealing undisguised ambition:

"The Lord is merciful and will certainly protect His people. But the Lord's grace should not be profaned by worldly folly."

"On behalf of the Holy See, I make the following request:"

"First, effective immediately, the supreme military command of the United States of America and all NATO member states shall be transferred to the Vatican's Holy Expeditionary Force Command."

"Secondly, secular law must be subordinate to the Holy Code. All those who have awakened to magic and holy light are not subject to secular courts and are loyal only to the Papacy."

"Third, governments are required to pay 30% of their annual GDP as a tithe to the Vatican for the construction of sanctuaries and the worship of the gods."

These words caused an uproar inside the White House bunker!

What is this? This is a blatant power grab! This is an attempt to drag the entire Western world back to the theocratic era of the Middle Ages in the 21st century!

"Pope! You are taking advantage of our misfortune! You are subverting modern civilization!" The Minister of Defense was furious.

"civilization?"

The Pope snorted and slammed his scepter heavily on the ground.

Om-!

A visible, divine ripple emanated from the screen, causing all electronic devices inside the White House bunker to briefly malfunction.

"Your nuclear weapons are a joke before the void monsters capable of annihilating humanity! Now, only our Holy See possesses the 'divinely bestowed' magic; only we can stand against the Abyss!"

The Pope's gaze was sharp as he stared intently at the president: "Either submit to divine authority, or wait for that monster in Los Angeles to awaken and wipe your secular regime, along with the entire map of America, from the face of the earth!"

Dead silence.

A deathly silence that lasted for a full minute.

Ultimately, faced with the absolute fear of survival, the US president slumped into his chair like a lump of mud.

His voice trembled as he looked down at the screen, lowering the head that represented the world's superpower:

"As long as you can avert disaster in America, the White House... agrees to all your requests."

At this moment, the secular crown shattered, and the scepter of divine authority, with absolute dominance, once again ruled the West.

……

The following day, the Western media frenzy reached an unprecedented peak.

Under the deliberate manipulation of the Vatican and the cover-up by various countries, Los Angeles remains the "disaster area protected by a magical barrier."

Meanwhile, the Vatican announced its takeover of global defense and bestowed the title of "Twelve Great Sage Mages" upon twelve geniuses with the highest magical power.

CNN's headline prominently featured:

A Secular Compromise: The Papacy Takes Over Defense, and the Holy Magic Legion Will Finally End the Void Chaos!

The situation in Los Angeles has stabilized, and the Pope has announced: The West has found the ultimate answer that surpasses Eastern cultivation techniques!

The entire Western society has fallen into a state of near-manic blind self-confidence.

They believed that by chanting incantations for a few seconds and drawing elaborate magic circles, they could become invincible; they believed that by bowing to divine authority, the secular world would gain absolute safety.

however.

While billions of eyes around the world were marveling at the Vatican's magnificent "magic,"

The skies above Paris, France, located in the heart of Europe and known as the city of romance.

The space suddenly shattered without warning, like a pane of glass struck by a heavy hammer.

A kilometer-long void rift, exuding the terrifying aura equivalent to that half-Golden Core monster in Los Angeles, and carrying an abyssal chill capable of devouring everything, slowly opened its eyes on the banks of the Seine.

This time, however, there was no nuclear bombing and no information blockade.

In order to demonstrate the "invincibility of divine authority," the Vatican arrogantly dispatched Louis, one of the "Twelve Holy Mages" and the strongest genius they had just appointed, to lead a swarm of drones broadcast live globally to confront the S-class rift.

……