Swallowing the Stars: Only in my later years did I come to the life-spending panel.

War God Palace, a virtual space.

Inside the enormous circular council hall, over three hundred illusory seals sat solemnly in their respective positions. This was the highest meeting place for global war god-level powerhouses and leaders of various countries, rarely gathering together on ordinary days, yet it was now packed with people.

The atmosphere was so heavy it was almost suffocating.

In the center of the council hall, a phantom image of a representative from the Europa region of the HR Alliance was giving a passionate speech.

He was a middle-aged man with blond hair and blue eyes, and a burly build. He was Hall, one of the core councilors of the HR Alliance.

"...Everyone!" Hall's voice echoed in the virtual space, "Zhou Mu, as the prospective chairman of the War God Palace, not only has he failed in his duty to protect humanity, but he has also colluded with the Beast King!"

"According to the message sent back by Councilor Fal before his death, the Thunder Dragon Emperor was clearly following Zhou Mu's orders to attack the human councilor!"

He raised his hand and waved it, and a screen of light unfolded in the center of the council hall.

In the scene, the enormous body of the Thunder Dragon Emperor roams in the moonlight, while Zhou Mu stands atop the dragon's head, hands behind his back.

The image freezes.

"Please look, everyone!"

Hall's voice grew increasingly impassioned, "What is this? This is blatant betrayal! This is collusion between humans and monsters! This is intolerable!"

A buzz of discussion filled the council chamber.

"Fifth Speaker Atkin, a core powerhouse of my HR Alliance, died at Zhou Mu's hands!" Hall continued. "Councilor Fal also died at Zhou Mu's hands! Two planetary-level powerhouses, who didn't perish at the clutches of monsters, died at the hands of their own people! How absurd is this!"

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"I propose—immediately strip Zhou Mu of his position as prospective speaker and execute him for the crime of betraying humanity!"

After he finished speaking, the council chamber fell into a deathly silence.

Immediately, applause broke out.

Representatives from more than ten base cities, including America and Europe, echoed the sentiment, and for a time, the crowd was filled with indignation, as if Zhou Mu had become an unforgivable sinner.

"I second that!"

"Support the trial!"

"They must be severely punished to serve as a warning to others!"

The neutral members of parliament looked at each other, some frowning, some silent, and some glancing quietly toward the main seat, where, apart from the Third Speaker, Mohandsen, the other seats were empty.

First Speaker Hong, Second Speaker Thor, and... Zhou Mu, who is accused, have not yet appeared.

Seeing this, Hall's voice grew even louder: "Gentlemen! Zhou Mu, relying on his personal connections with the First and Second Speakers, has been running rampant in China. Now he even dares to openly murder a human councilor! If we don't punish him severely today, won't he be riding roughshod over us tomorrow?!"

"That's right!"

"Congressman Hall is right!"

A chorus of agreement rose and fell.

Hall nodded in satisfaction, about to continue his eloquent speech...

Suddenly, the entire council chamber fell silent.

That silence wasn't a gradual fading, but a momentary, absolute, deathly stillness.

Hall's voice abruptly stopped.

Because he saw that all the members of parliament present turned their gazes to what was behind him at the same time.

He slowly turned around.

At the entrance to the council chamber, three illusory figures had appeared without anyone noticing.

At the very front, Hong, dressed in a gray robe, had a calm and composed expression, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

On the left, Thor's silver armor gleamed, lightning crackled around him, and a faint, enigmatic smile played on his lips.

Right side——

Zhou Mu.

White hair, black clothes, standing with hands behind his back.

He didn't release any aura, nor did he look at anyone; he simply stood there quietly, looking at Hall.

But in that one glance, Hall felt a sudden tremor deep within his soul.

The feeling was like being targeted by an ancient, ferocious beast.

He opened his mouth, but found his throat too dry to make a sound.

The council chamber was completely silent.

Zhou Mu strode forward, passing the seats of the councilors on both sides, and walked step by step toward his seat.

Explore the infinite categories of the universe; there's bound to be one that suits you.

His gaze never fell on anyone on either side, but wherever he passed, the previously impassioned members of parliament all lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.

Those who echoed the sentiment most enthusiastically now wished they could hide themselves in their chairs.

Zhou Mu took his seat.

The Speaker sat down in the main seat, with Thor sitting beside him.

The three took their seats, but the council chamber remained deathly silent.

Only Hall remained standing in the center of the council chamber, awkwardly positioned, unsure whether to advance or retreat, like a statue.

Zhou Mu looked up at him.

That gaze was calm as still water, yet it sent a chill down Hall's spine.

"continue."

Zhou Mu said calmly, his tone devoid of any emotion, "Congressman Hall, right? What you said earlier was very good, please continue."

"I'm listening."

Hall's lips trembled, and he stammered, "I...I..."

He opened his mouth, but found that all the impassioned speeches he had prepared were now rendered speechless under Zhou Mu's gaze.

Zhou Mu just looked at him, his gaze calm, without anger, mockery, or even any emotion.

But this very calmness nearly drove Hall to the brink of collapse.

"Not going to say anything more?"

Zhou Mu waited a few moments, then a faint smile appeared on his lips. "Since you won't tell me, then I will."

He stood up and his gaze swept across the entire room.

"Just now, Councilor Hall said that I colluded with the Beast King and betrayed humanity."

Zhou Mu's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears: "He said I killed Atkin and Far without cause, and harmed human councilors."

He paused, then raised his hand and waved.

A light screen unfolded in the center of the council hall.

In the scene, Fal floats above the misty island, flames surging around him, while Zhou Pojun and Mo Yan lie on the ground below.

Farr's voice came through the screen: "I'm asking you one last time—are you going to hand it in or not?"

Zhou Mu's voice echoed in the council chamber: "Is this what you call unprovoked killing? Who struck first? Trying to steal our spoils?"

The entire room fell silent.

"As for colluding with the Beast King..."

Zhou Mu laughed. "That Thunder Dragon Emperor is a servant I subdued. As its subordinate, what's wrong with teaching a woman who doesn't know her own limits a lesson?"

Hall finally mustered the courage to speak: "You...subdued the Beast King? Ridiculous! How could a human possibly subdue a Beast King!"

Zhou Mu looked at him, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

"What? Just because you can't do it, does that mean no one else can?"

Hall choked.

Just then, a deep, muffled sound rang out.

"Zhou Mu, even if the Thunder Dragon Emperor was your servant, ordering it to attack the human councilor is a serious crime! Moreover, you also killed Atkin and Fal!"

The speaker was a burly white man—Wilson, the American representative.

He stood up, looked directly at Zhou Mu, and said in a deep voice, "You can kill the Speaker of the HR Alliance today without cause, and you can kill a member of my American Congress tomorrow! You are trampling on the rules of the War God Palace, trampling on the rules of all mankind!"

"rule?"

Zhou Mu smiled, but the smile was devoid of any warmth.

He slowly stood up. "Wilson, I'm here to ask you, who made the rules?"

Wilson was taken aback.

Zhou Mu continued, "Rules are made by the strong. The weak abide by the rules, while the strong make the rules."

"Don't you understand this principle?"

Wilson's face turned ashen: "You...you're just making excuses!"

"Solicitation of reasoning?"

Zhou Mu's smile deepened, and his gaze suddenly turned sharp as a knife.

"Trampling on the rules?"

He stepped forward, and the invisible pressure he exerted made Wilson almost unable to breathe.

"Yes, so what?"

The entire room fell silent.