The heavy metal doors of the Black Domain slowly closed, swallowing the last sliver of light.
The low rumble of the turning hinges sounded like a prelude to this isolated space.
There were no luxurious decorations here, only a few cold metal chairs and a dead silence profound enough to consume one's mind.
Soft light spilled evenly from the ceiling, yet it failed to illuminate the hearts of the men present.
The five most powerful men on Earth stared at Luo Ji, who stood alone opposite them.
"Mr. Luo Ji, we are here," the American President spoke first, breaking the silence. "Now, you may explain your intentions."
"We don't have much time to waste on a pretentious theatrical performance," the Russian leader added, his arms crossed and his gaze as sharp as a knife.
They had come seeking answers, not to play guessing games with a madman.
Luo Ji did not answer.
He didn't even look at them; he simply and slowly closed his eyes.
The very moment his eyelids fell.
An indescribable will descended.
It did not originate from Luo Ji, but from a higher, more distant, and utterly unimaginable dimension.
The air inside the Black Domain seemed to instantly solidify.
The questioning and impatience on the faces of the five leaders froze.
The world vanished before their eyes, leaving only pure darkness.
In the next second, they were no longer themselves.
They became the Star People.
Their consciousness awakened within an entirely new civilization, experiencing the brilliance of that golden age.
Humanity's fleets spread across the galaxy like silver locusts. The sheer might of their technology made even the stars pale in comparison.
Unparalleled pride and confidence filled their every cell; they felt as though they were the masters of the universe.
However, this utopia did not last long.
A blood-red shadow seeped out from the cosmos.
The Qu's fleet—those twisted, living, indescribable biological warships—descended.
It was an absolute, crushing defeat from a higher dimension.
Just as humans pay no mind to the formation of ants beneath their feet, the Qu were merely passing by, casually erasing all the pride of the Star People.
The most primal fear, stemming from the depths of their genetics, flooded their souls.
Immediately after, hell arrived.
Their consciousness was forcibly stuffed into writhing, limbless, and eyeless bodies.
They became the Worm People, rolling in the dirt, left with only the most pathetic craving for food.
Finally, they died in endless despair.
Then, they were reborn once more.
Their bodies were infinitely stretched and flattened, their bones and flesh restructured into a massive carpet.
They became the Carpet People, possessing clear consciousness yet only able to feel the trampling of countless creatures.
Every stomp was a death by a thousand cuts to their souls.
Pain accumulated; despair fermented.
They then became the Block People, imprisoned within warm, immobile, cubic chunks of meat.
Their intellect was perfectly preserved, their memories as clear as day.
But they had lost the ability to move, the right to speak, and even the privilege to shed tears.
All that remained was eternal wakefulness and endless torture.
The pain did not break them.
Instead, it incinerated their political slickness, their pride as leaders, and their human frailty.
What remained was an absolute rationality forged in an eon of hell—colder than steel and calmer than death.
Inside the Black Domain.
Only a single instant had passed.
"Ah—!"
An uncontrollable roar, laced with agony and terror, tore from the American President's throat.
He shot up from his chair, looking as if he had just been dragged out of a river, cold sweat soaking through his expensive shirt.
The other four, almost simultaneously, gasped violently as they broke free from that waking nightmare.
Their faces were deathly pale, their eyes unfocused, and deep within their pupils lay an indelible dread.
They subconsciously looked down at their hands, as if checking whether they still possessed intact bodies.
Then, as if by prior agreement, they all turned their gazes toward the man who had remained standing in the exact same spot the entire time.
Luo Ji had opened his eyes at some unknown point.
At this moment, no words were needed between them.
They were no longer politicians from different nations; they no longer harbored their own interests and schemes.
They were survivors of the same civilization, guardians burdened with the exact same mission.
They looked at each other, seeing in one another's eyes the same absolute resolve—a zero-tolerance policy toward any potential threat.
"We understand,"
After a long while, the usually composed Huaxia leader voiced everyone's thoughts in a voice so hoarse it was barely audible.
The meeting concluded.
When the heavy metal doors of the Black Domain opened once more with a low rumble.
Six men walked out together.
They were cold and murderous, like six walking statues.
The first directive, jointly signed by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and possessing the highest level of authority, was immediately issued.
No matter where, no matter who, based on the list, indiscriminate arrests were to be carried out.
No trials needed, no defenses allowed.
Confirm the identity, arrest immediately.
If there is resistance, execute on the spot.
...
Inside the university's aerospace engineering laboratory.
Cheng Xin stood before a massive holographic projection, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Her fingertips traced a brilliant staircase leading deep into the cosmos in the air.
"The Staircase Project is viable," she said excitedly to her colleague. "We can send just a brain over, using human intellect to communicate with the Trisolaran civilization and seek peace."
Before she could finish her sentence.
Bang!
The laboratory's alloy doors were smashed open from the outside by a tremendous force.
A squad of special forces operatives, clad in black combat gear and wielding weapons, swarmed in.
Cold gun barrels instantly locked onto everyone present.
The lead officer swept his gaze across the room, finally fixing on Cheng Xin's face, which was full of shock and confusion.
"Cheng Xin?"
"Y-Yes, that's me," Cheng Xin replied subconsciously. "Excuse me, what is going on? This is a key PDC laboratory!"
"Come with us." The officer's tone was completely devoid of emotion.
Two soldiers stepped forward and roughly grabbed her arms.
"You can't do this! This is illegal! I demand to see Chairwoman Say! I want to..."
Her protests were ruthlessly cut short.
In endless bewilderment and despair, this woman, who hadn't even had the chance to exercise her bleeding heart, was dragged away to a secret execution site along with the other ETO members on the list.
Her mindless 'love and kindness' didn't even have the time to be displayed.
Overnight, a bloody and highly efficient global purge began.
The Trisolaran world watched all of this unfold through their omnipresent Sophons.
They fell into unprecedented panic and confusion.
That weak, undisciplined human civilization, so full of infighting, had vanished.
In its place stood a cold, highly efficient war machine that they did not recognize at all.
And the source of this entire insane transformation pointed directly to that mysterious fourth Wallfacer, Luo Ji.