Chapter 47: Operation Zero: The Supreme Command's Order

Tianyixing, Supreme High Command.

The freezing directive issued a month ago now materialized into substantive, bone-chilling intent.

Around a massive, rectangular alloy conference table, twenty legion commanders clad in gleaming, pristine-silver armor, alongside the chiefs of all core departments within the High Command (Strategy, Secretariat, Conquest, Star-Chart, Intelligence, Logistics, and Deep-Space Probing), sat in silence like statues of iron.

The pristine-silver armor reflected a grim, chilling luster under the dim glow of the holographic star map.

The air seemed to congeal. Only the heavily marked coordinate in the core of the star map—the edge of the G-Ω-7 Supercluster, radiating an ominous red light—pulsed in silence, representing a threat located six hundred and seventy-eight billion light-years away.

The heavy alloy doors slid open without a sound.

Hefeng stepped inside.

"Attention!"

The deep voice of Chief of Staff Lucifer—a male angel with a gloomy disposition and eyes as sharp as a falcon's, his pristine-silver shoulder guard engraved with crossed scepters and stars—rang out like an order.

Clatter!

Every commander in pristine-silver armor rose instantly in unison, the friction of their armor producing a low, metallic chime.

Their gazes, like tangible searchlights, focused on the monarch stepping toward the seat of honor.

"Salute to His Majesty, the King of Tianyi!"

"Absolute loyalty!"

Dozens of high-ranking military officials in pristine-silver armor saluted as one, offering their unwavering allegiance to Hefeng.

Hefeng made no superfluous movements. He walked straight to the main seat and sat down. His gaze swept across the room, his voice calm yet carrying a soul-freezing majesty:

"Begin the meeting."

"Sit."

At his command, the commanders fell back into their seats like parts of a precision machine, their backs held rigid, their eyes locked unwaveringly on the glaring red dot at the center of the star map.

"Lucifer," Hefeng said, casting his gaze toward the Chief of Staff.

"Understood, Your Majesty!" Chief of Staff Lucifer rose instantly, striking his right fist against his chest in a crisp motion.

He stepped before the massive holographic star map, taking over the position at the focal point of the room.

With a flick of his hand, the star map instantly magnified, focusing on a distant stellar region labeled "Chunhua."

A holographic model of an ugly, flesh-toned, goblin-like organism projected beside the star map.

"Target confirmed: the Chunhua Civilization," Lucifer's voice was cold, precise, and devoid of emotion, reading like a pathological report.

"Civilization Form: Carbon-based, non-humanoid lifeforms."

"Civilization History: Approximately 70,000 years."

"Threat Level: Quasi-God-Making tier (revised based on recent intelligence)."

"Core Technological Level: Energy weaponry (capital-ship grade), spatial jumping (novice tier), megastructure construction (space stations/fortresses). Maximum individual enhancement level: roughly equivalent to one-tenth the strength of a first-generation super-warrior."

"Social Structure: Highly centralized, strictly hierarchical, with strong expansionist and aggressive tendencies."

"War History: Successfully launched and won an interstellar war, completely annihilating a late-stage space-faring civilization (the 'Kalomian Coalition'), and conquering and enslaving a total of thirteen pre-nuclear and lower-tier civilizations in its surrounding territory (numbered list distributed to all terminals)."

"Population Scale: Approximately 300 billion."

"Armed Forces: Standing army of approximately 6 billion. Composition: roughly 8,000 capital ships (estimated), approximately 1.2 million medium and small combat vessels of various types, with massive planetary and orbital defense forces of low technological tier."

"Intelligence Source:" Lucifer paused, a cruel curve touching the corner of his mouth, "The 'Shadow' infiltration cell successfully captured a 'Resource Allocation Sub-Officer' (mid-level bureaucrat) from their homeworld, the 'Chunhua Ancestral Nest,' twenty-seven standard hours ago."

"Core data was extracted via 'Deep Information Extraction' (the Great Memory Recovery Technique). The target individual has been terminated."

On the star map, the territory of the Chunhua Civilization was clearly delineated: a relatively compact stellar region controlling over a dozen star systems with the "Chunhua Ancestral Nest" at its core.

The enslaved colonial regions under its control were marked in dim red.

"Our Advantages:" Lucifer's voice rose sharply, carrying absolute confidence and contempt:

"Dimensional Suppression: Absolute generational gaps exist in individual combat prowess (super-warriors), vessel performance (energy shields, weapon range and firepower, maneuverability), and information warfare capabilities (reconnaissance, counter-reconnaissance, communication jamming)."

"Transparent Intelligence: Their core star-territory coordinates, vital military nodes (fleet homeports, command centers, defense fortresses), energy centers, industrial hubs, and leadership movements are all within our grasp."

"And they know nothing of us."

"Strategic Initiative: We hold the absolute initiative in offense, free to choose the time, place, and method of delivering a devastating blow."

"Concentrated Force: The forces we are deploying consist of absolute elites."

"Threat Assessment (Revised): Low to Medium."

"The threat primarily stems from their expansionism, potential for technological leaps, and uncontrollable variables introduced by their massive population base."

"Their existing armed forces pose no substantive threat to our Tianyi main force." Lucifer's conclusion was cold and crisp.

He surveyed the assembled commanders, his gaze beneath his pristine-silver mask like frost: "Based on the Supreme Principle of the 'Dark Forest Strike' ordered by His Majesty and prior strategic communications, the High Command has formulated the final operational plan: 'Operation Zero-Out'."

"Objective: Thoroughly, cleanly, and trace-free eradication of the Chunhua Civilization and all its vassal civilizations from existence!"

Lucifer's hand swept across the star map, unfolding complex tactical deployments like interlocking gears:

Phase One: Absolute Blockade and Clandestine Infiltration (Codename: Iron Curtain)

Executing Forces: Deployment of 600,000 elite Tianyi standing forces, divided into:

Blockade Cluster (550,000): Composed of ten main legions (including the Noxus and Demacia legions).

Mission: Establish a multi-layered, omnidirectional, blind-spot-free hyperspace blockade net 0.5 light-years outside the borders of the Chunhua territory. Prohibit any form of matter, energy, or information leakage. Sever all communication with the outside world (including its enslaved vassal zones) entirely.

Infiltration Cluster (50,000): Composed of elite super-warriors (a large number of second-generation super-warriors) forming a special assault detachment.

Mission: Utilize our spatial-jumping advantages and optical/energy stealth technology to covertly infiltrate the core regions of the Chunhua Civilization either before or concurrently with the establishment of the blockade.

Infiltration Objectives:

'Decapitation' Squad: Target: Chunhua Ancestral Nest planet.

Mission: Raid its supreme power center (the 'Nest Council'), military headquarters, and planetary defense control center. Employ thunder swords, high-energy explosives, and neurotoxins to execute all supreme rulers, core military generals, and key defense system commanders on the spot. Paralyze its planetary-level command and defense systems.

'Chain-Breaking' Squad: Target: Flagships and core bases of Chunhua's main fleets scattered across vital star systems.

Mission: Infiltrate fleet flagships and base command posts to assassinate fleet commanders, base commanders, and their core staff teams. Paralyze the fleet's command chain and regional defense coordination capabilities.

'Wedge' Squad: Target: Key defense nodes, early-warning outposts, and communication hubs on the periphery of the Chunhua territory.

Mission: Secretly eliminate garrison forces prior to the main strike, seize or sabotage critical facilities, clear obstacles for the main force's breakthrough, and create chaos.

Operational Requirements: Covert, precise, lethal.

The launch time (T-0) will be ordered uniformly by the High Command. All infiltration squads must complete their core objectives and reach designated safe zones (asteroid belts or deep-space coordinates far from the strike center) prior to the main strike (T+12 hours).

Phase Two: Dimensional Strike and Core Annihilation (Codename: Sky-Burn)

Executing Forces: Main Blockade Cluster (550,000 troops, all capital ships and planet-destroyers).

Strike Initiation: Confirm all infiltration squads have reached safety (T+12 hours).

Strike Method: Indiscriminate, saturation-style, beyond-visual-range remote bombardment.

Targets: All strategic targets within Chunhua territory: planets (especially the Chunhua Ancestral Nest and major colonies), large space stations, fleet assembly areas, industrial centers, energy nodes, research facilities—indiscriminate coverage!

Weapons: Prioritize high-efficiency devastating weaponry:

Antimatter Main Battery Salvo (Planet-Destroyers): Deliver destructive bombardment to planets and large celestial bodies, triggering core collapse, tectonic plate fracturing, and the total incineration of ecosystems.

Gamma-Ray Burst Cluster Launchers: Deliver broad, high-energy particle stream scouring against fleet formations and space stations, instantly vaporizing metal, destroying electronic equipment, and eradicating organic life.

Planetary-Level Disintegration Rays (Area Coverage): Conduct widespread surface cleansing of secondary targets.

Strike Principles: Saturation! Coverage! Zero blind spots! Resource consumption unrestricted! Ensure the first strike maximizes the destruction of their living forces, war potential, and the core carriers of their civilization!

Phase Three: Internal Demolition and Sweeping Advance (Codename: Pure-World)

Executing Forces:

Internal Forces: The elite infiltration cluster (50,000 super-warriors) that completed Phase One tasks and withdrew to safe zones will immediately return to the interior of the Chunhua territory simultaneously with or shortly after the main strike (Sky-Burn phase, adjusted based on strike results)!

External Forces: The main fleet of the Blockade Cluster, upon completing the initial beyond-visual-range strike, will initiate light-speed propulsion simultaneously, surging at high speed into the core of the Chunhua territory!

Advance while clearing all surviving resistance and valuable targets along the route.

Internal Missions (Infiltration Cluster):

'Grave-Digger' Operation: Target critical facilities not entirely destroyed in the initial strike: penetrate planetary cores (especially the Chunhua Ancestral Nest), plant planetary-level thermonuclear bombs or mantle oscillators to artificially induce supernova-like events or total geological collapse.

'Storehouse-Burn' Operation: Locate and detonate surviving large-scale weapon ammunition depots, strategic resource reserves, capital ship docks, and biological gene banks (to prevent the preservation of their racial seed).

'Hunt' Operation: Eliminate core nodes of surviving organized resistance, carrying out targeted assassinations of any escaped high-ranking officials or technical leaders. Continuously generate chaos to prevent any form of organized resistance or flight.

External Missions (Main Cluster): With an overwhelming momentum, utilize ship guns, fighter craft, and air-dropped super-warrior squads to conduct "scorched-earth" clearing operations across all surviving celestial bodies within the Chunhua territory. Any discovered resistance strongholds, settlements, industrial remnants, or even large biological gatherings shall be subjected to orbital bombardment or surface purification (high-energy flamethrowers, genetic disintegration weapons)!

Ultimate Objectives: Ensure not a single vessel capable of spatial jumping escapes! Not a single intact industrial facility remains! Not a single group possessing knowledge to rebuild civilization survives! Not a single planet capable of nurturing their civilizational seed retains an intact ecosystem! Erase every physical and informational trace of the Chunhua Civilization's existence from the universe entirely!

Phase Four: Mopping-Up and Monitoring (Codename: Embers)

Assigned to elements of the Blockade Cluster to conduct long-duration, high-intensity scanning for space and information residues within the strike zone.

Utilize deep-space probe networks to monitor a radius of thousands of light-years, ensuring no fish slip through the net or accidental civilizational seeds (such as hibernation ships or deep-space probes) escape.

Assess strike results and confirm the "Zero-Out" objective has been achieved.

Timeline:

Present: Operational directive issued, all units enter maximum combat readiness.

T-13 Years: All participating forces (600,000) travel via conventional faster-than-light linear navigation to arrive at designated attack launch positions (preset staging points outside Chunhua territory). Infiltration cluster begins covert entry.

T-0 (Action Launch Day): Unified command from High Command; Blockade Cluster establishes the "Iron Curtain" while infiltration cluster simultaneously launches "Decapitation," "Chain-Breaking," and "Wedge" operations.

T+12 Hours: Infiltration cluster safety confirmed; "Sky-Burn" strike initiated.

T+12 Hours to T+13 Days: "Sky-Burn" strike continues; "Pure-World" phase commences concurrently (infiltration cluster returns, main cluster advances to sweep and clear).

T+13 Days: Main combat operations expected to conclude, entering the "Embers" phase.

Logistics and Support:

The remaining 600,000 standing forces maintain normal defense and order within the Tianyi homeland and territories.

All vassal civilizations enter wartime control status, providing additional resources, industrial production capacity, and auxiliary military forces (responsible for logistical transport and secondary area security).

The Tianyi Star government fully guarantees all materials, energy, and equipment maintenance required for "Operation Zero-Out."

Chief of Staff Lucifer spent nearly an hour laying out this cold, detailed, and extermination-oriented operational plan like an anatomical chart before all the commanders.

Every step, every target, every weapon pointed toward a single destination—complete, physical civilizational extinction.

The conference room was filled only with his relentless voice and the shifting light of the star map.

Concluding his briefing, Lucifer turned toward Hefeng, striking his right fist heavily against his chest: "Final operational plan for 'Operation Zero-Out' fully briefed! Awaiting Your Majesty's instruction!"

Hefeng had listened quietly from beginning to end, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the star-patterned gold tabletop.

Most of his gaze fell upon the red-covered stellar region, occasionally sweeping over the model of the Chunhua creature displayed by Lucifer with the supreme indifference one might show toward ants.

When Lucifer's voice fell, a dead silence descended upon the High Command.

The commanders digested the details of this exterminating plan. Beneath their pristine-silver masks, their gazes burned with fanaticism, coldness, or calm, but without exception, they were filled with absolute obedience to the order.

Hefeng slowly raised his head, his pitch-black pupils sweeping across the room. He did not look at Lucifer, but spoke directly. His voice was not loud, yet it branded itself into the soul of everyone present like a law of the universe:

"The plan is approved."

Four words sounded the final death knell for the Chunhua Civilization.

"Chief Lucifer shall hold full authority for coordination and execution."

"My lords," Hefeng's gaze swept across every commander like a freezing probe, "this war is not for conquest, nor for plunder."

He paused, declaring each word with crystal clarity:

"It is solely for destruction."

"It is solely to wipe the name 'Chunhua' completely from the annals of the universe!"

"What I wish to see is not a victory report, but confirmation that every piece of evidence of their civilization's existence—planets, creations, knowledge, and even genetic fragments—has been reduced to dust!"

"During the operation, encounter resistance—crush it!"

"Encounter civilians—purify them! Encounter ruins—annihilate them!"

"Encounter any carrier that might bear their civilizational information—completely destroy it!"

"Leave no trace of a spark! Harbor no shred of leniency!"

"Thirteen days after the operation begins," Hefeng's voice suddenly took on a resolute finality that severed all hesitation, "I want this stellar region to leave behind only—eternal silence and freezing dust!"

"This is our first step as Tianyi strides toward the apex of the universe. A God-Making tier civilization dealing with a space-faring civilization is effortless..."

"Yet since entering this universe, we have never fought a war between God-Making civilizations. This is our first; it is a test, a military exercise."

"To evaluate whether our combat outcomes against civilizations of a comparable tier, our tactics, our military buildup, and our strategic direction have any flaws."

"If we cannot even eliminate a quasi-God-Making civilization, we need not bother dreaming of conquering this universe."

"I believe we can do it."

"You, too, must believe we can."

He rose abruptly, his pure-black administrative jacket acting like a condensed shadow in the dim light.

"Execute."

Leaving those three words behind, Hefeng looked at no one further, turned, and walked out of the Supreme High Command with steady, chilling strides.

The alloy doors closed silently behind him, sealing away the star map bathed in the red light of death, alongside a gathering of pristine-silver commanders poised to become the embodiment of extinction.

Inside the High Command, the silence was replaced by an oppressive, pent-up energy of impending destruction. Chief of Staff Lucifer drew a deep breath and turned to face the assembly, his eyes sharp as blades beneath his pristine-silver mask:

"Lords! Target: Chunhua Star-Region! Objective: Zero-Out!"

"For the Radiant Order—"

"Eradicate them!"

His command was met by twenty pristine-silver-armored fists slamming heavily into chest plates, merging into a single dull roar charged with the will to slaughter:

"Understood!!"