The spell's range covers the entire territory of China? Hand it over to the state.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a voice that became utterly cold: "Mr. Long, this is reality. Noah's Ark could never hold everyone. Ordinary people are merely fuel, a price to pay. As long as we elites survive, human civilization can be rebuilt. Carrying those burdens will only make the ship sink faster."

"Fuel...the price..."

Long Yi repeated the two words, finally unable to suppress the anger in his eyes.

Snapped!

He slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups jump, and launched into a tirade into the microphone, showing no trace of leadership and displaying only the swearing and banditry he had during his time in the army.

"Bullshit!"

"Trying to use ordinary people as fuel? How could you even think of that! Let me tell you, while you see them as a burden, here they are heaven! Earth! The very foundation of the nation!"

"You want three provinces to have autonomy? You want to be a big shot here? Are you dreaming, or is your brain filled with mush?"

"Ross, listen to me carefully. The land of Longxia only sustains the people of Longxia. Every inch of Longxia's soil is soaked with the blood of our ancestors and the sweat of our people, but there is no place for you stray dogs!"

"Gold? Technology? They're good things. But if you trade them for national dignity, for the land of your people, then they're no different from worthless paper and scrap metal! Take your gold, take your 'elites,' and go back to your bunkers! Go to hell and wait to die, clutching your gold bricks!"

After saying that, Long Yi didn't give the other party a chance to retort and swiped his finger across the phone screen.

Swish!

The world is quiet now.

Long Yi took a couple of deep breaths and turned to look at Lin Weiguo, who had appeared on the big screen at some point.

"Old Lin! Did you hear me?!"

Lin Weiguo said with a look of satisfaction, "I heard that, sir! Well said! If it weren't for the ocean separating us, I'd want to go through the internet and kick him a couple of times!"

"Pass on my orders!" Long's eyes were like knives, radiating murderous intent. "From this moment on, keep your anti-aircraft missiles on 24/7, and keep your radars wide open!"

"No matter what kind of aircraft or submarine it is, if it dares to approach the border without being identified, whether it's the Rothschilds or some damn royal family, open fire without warning!"

"Take it! Take it all!"

"Our food is for our families, not to feed these ungrateful bastards!"

"Yes!!!" Lin Weiguo roared, his voice booming. Having captured the entire combined fleet, he was in high spirits and more eager than anyone else to strike at the West.

After hanging up the call, I calmed down after a long time.

Long Yi then picked up the tea again and took a sip to soothe his hoarse voice from yelling.

He looked at Su Yun, slightly embarrassed: "I'm sorry you had to see this. I'm getting old, and when I encounter shameless people like this, I just can't control my temper."

Su Yun gave a thumbs up: "Old Long, that was really cool. If this were broadcast live, our people's approval rating would skyrocket."

This is not a compliment.

This kind of unwavering resistance to temptation and protectiveness of his own was something Long Xia had rarely shown before.

At least he enjoyed it!

……

at the same time.

In the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, in some unnamed sea area.

A massive submarine, entirely black and twice the size of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, is quietly floating 500 meters below the surface of the ocean.

It is the "Poseidon." It is the real Noah's Ark, built by the deep-seated Western governments over half a century.

The outside world is ravaged by floods and teeming with monsters, but the interior of this steel behemoth is outrageously luxurious.

In the vast central banquet hall, Swarovski crystal chandeliers cast a mesmerizingly warm glow, the air was a constant 22 degrees Celsius, and carried a subtle lavender scent. The long dining tables were laden with top-quality wines, caviar, and, at this moment, priceless fresh meats sourced from around the world.

There is no dust, no monster roars, no survivors' wails; only the melodious sound of a violin gently flows, playing Mozart's Requiem.

A group of men and women dressed in tuxedos and evening gowns were conversing elegantly, holding wine glasses. Although they knew that the country outside had fallen and the regime had collapsed, they still maintained their so-called "aristocratic decorum."

At the head of the table, an elderly man with gray hair and a sinister look slowly put down the satellite phone in his hand.

It was Old Ross.

The heads of several major conglomerates controlling energy, military, and pharmaceutical industries immediately surrounded him, some anxious, some expectant.

"So? Did Long Xia agree?"

"Three provinces is a bit too many, actually one province would be fine, but we need to share their rules and tools..."

Old Ross didn't answer, but with a cold face, he picked up the glass of red wine in front of him and swirled it gently.

"He refused," Old Ross said casually. "Rude, barbaric. He'd rather die with those peasants than accept the gifts of civilization."

A commotion broke out in the banquet hall.

"How is this possible? Have they gone mad?"

"Why would they refuse a benefit that's practically offered to them?"

"Damn it, are we really doomed to hide in this metal can?"

They have also discovered that copies of reality are being integrated into the world, making the already apocalyptic planet even more dangerous. It is no longer possible for them to rebuild order on their own, so they can only turn their attention to Long Xia.

Unfortunately, no matter how well you plan, they simply ignore you.

Old Ross raised his hand, silencing the commotion. His eyes, however, held no fury born of humiliation, only a chilling, calculating glint, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows.

"Since we can't get in through trading, let's try another way."

Old Ross put down his glass, took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, and turned to look at a middle-aged man in a white coat standing in the shadows.

"Doctor, how are the preparations for that plan going?"

The man pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, a maniacal smile spreading across his face: "Speaker, are you referring to the 'White Horse' in the 'Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse' plan?"

"Longxia's rule-based weapons are indeed formidable." Old Ross slowly cut into the bloody steak on his plate. "Missiles can't penetrate it, fighter jets can't fly in, and even all our spies and agents who infiltrated the area were caught."

"It can also heal the people and raise a golden wall to protect them from all harm. It has to be admitted that it is very powerful, like holding the power of God."

Old Ross put a piece of beef into his mouth and chewed it slowly.

"However, strength does not mean invincibility. The more impregnable a fortress seems, the easier it is to overlook small, invisible vulnerabilities."

"What if it were just a gust of wind? What if it were a rain shower carrying unseen dust? What if it were just the cycle of nature?"

The man in the white coat understood immediately, took out a sealed metal briefcase, placed it on the table, and opened it. As the white mist from the liquid nitrogen dissipated, several tubes of pale blue reagent were revealed inside.

"This is an ancient virus sample we extracted from beneath the Arctic permafrost, combined with zombie fungus extract from the 'Biohazard City' instance."

The doctor's voice carried a twisted excitement. "We've named it 'Wasteland.' It doesn't target people, only plants, especially crops. Just one gram can cause rice paddies within a hundred miles to wither and rot overnight, turning into highly toxic black mud."

"And this too." He picked up another vial of red reagent. "Blood algae, specifically for water sources. It reproduces ten thousand times faster than ordinary algae. Just one drop in the water can turn the entire water system into an undrinkable pool of corpses within three days."

Old Ross nodded in satisfaction.

"very good."

"Since Long Yi said that the land of Longxia only supports the people of Longxia."

"Then we will make this land so that not a single grain of rice can grow, and not a single drop of clean water can flow."

"When famine struck, when panic spread, when those people he cherished began to kill each other for a single steamed bun..."

Old Ross stood up, walked to the porthole, and looked out at the dark, deep sea.

"That golden wall will naturally crumble from within."

"Then we'll bring food and water over." He turned around, spreading his arms like a benevolent priest, but the shadow he cast looked more like a demon. "They'll kneel down and beg us to come in."

"Pass down the order to activate 'Apocalypse.' Calculate the next monsoon window and, taking advantage of atmospheric circulation, send this precious gift eastward."

"Since we can't buy it, let's destroy it first. Only from the ruins can we rebuild our new world."

……