Chapter 10: Command from the Dark Realm, the Annihilation Stone, and Operation Omega Crisis
At the secret headquarters of the Shadow World Council, tension mingled with satisfaction still permeated the air following reports of the initial success of the first wave of Operation "Omega Crisis." The military seizure of power in key target countries worldwide had been accomplished. The declaration of martial law and the establishment of "National Command Councils" (NCC) in each nation allowed them to cordon off medical facilities and begin "managing" the internal situation according to plan—which was the top-secret elimination of infants born during the Nine-Star Lightning, under the pretext of counter-terrorism and hospital security.
"Initial reports from all operational zones confirm that the lockdown and control of key medical facilities have been successful, Mr. Chairman," the member overseeing security reported in a steady voice. "The 'management' of primary targets within hospitals is ongoing and top secret. Resistance from medical personnel or patients' relatives is low and can be immediately suppressed. Media control ensures that information leaking to the public aligns with our desired narrative: chaos from terrorism and the necessity for the NCC's decisive measures."
The Council Chairman, an elderly man with eyes as cold as ice, nodded in satisfaction. "Very good... but it seems our 'allies' from another dimension have additional, more urgent demands for the next phase of Operation Omega Crisis."
As the Chairman finished speaking, the already frigid temperature in the conference room dropped abnormally fast. The dim blue lights in the room began to flicker rapidly before a distorted, swirling dimensional rift, like a dark vortex, appeared in the center of the solid black obsidian table! Dense black mist and a pungent sulfurous odor emanated from the rift, along with an immense, unseen pressure that caused every member of the Shadow World Council to freeze and struggle for breath!
Two pitch-black shadowy figures slowly stepped out from the dimensional rift. One was tall and imposing, with two sharp, curved horns on its head. Its crimson eyes blazed like flames from the depths of hell. The other resembled a noble lady in a long, obsidian-black robe that flowed as if alive. Her face was captivatingly beautiful yet carried an aura of extreme cruelty and coldness. They were high-ranking envoys from the Realm of Endless Night, direct representatives of the Kilesa Demon Clan.
"Salutations to both esteemed Envoys," the Shadow World Council Chairman spoke first, his voice attempting to maintain the utmost composure and deference, though his heart was filled with dread at the malevolent power radiating from the two visitors. "May I inquire as to the purpose of your visit today? What desires does the Master of the Realm of Endless Night have for us, the Shadow World Council, to ensure Operation Omega Crisis achieves its ultimate goal?"
The tall male demon envoy chuckled, a guttural "hmph." His voice was hoarse and resonant, as if echoing from the abyss. "Humans... your initial efforts are a 'good start' for the opening act of this grand spectacle." His tone dripped with sarcasm. "The seizure of power and the lockdown of medical facilities were swift, but the 'harvest of the delectable produce' is lagging and far from the quality our Master expected!"
"The harvest of the delectable produce?" an elderly female council member repeated, her voice surprised.
"Indeed... the harvest!" the female demon envoy added, her voice as sweet yet chilling as thousand-year-old ice. "The 'pure life energy' of the newborn infants bathed in the light of the Nine-Star Lightning is what our Master covets most. It is the finest elixir of youth and a powerful fuel to awaken our demon armies to their full might! But it seems you are still hesitant and not working at 'full efficiency'!"
"We have ordered the elimination of primary targets in all hospitals, Your Excellencies," the Chairman quickly clarified. "However, the operation requires discretion and secrecy to avoid excessive public panic."
"Discretion? Secrecy?" the tall male demon envoy sneered contemptuously. "That is the weakness and foolishness of humans! Our Master tolerates no delays! He demands clear and swift results!"
The female demon envoy stepped closer to the conference table, an icy chill radiating from her form. "Our Master has a new command for you... and this is your final opportunity to prove your loyalty and efficiency." She spoke while retrieving an object from her sleeve. It was a "Blood Demon Stone," a fist-sized, pitch-black stone that pulsed with a crimson glow as if fresh blood circulated within, radiating intense malevolent energy.
"This is the 'prototype' of a tool that will make your 'sorting' and 'harvesting' easier and more precise," the female demon envoy continued. "It is a 'Life Energy Detector Stone,' forged from the very essence of demons in the Realm of Endless Night. It can detect 'special energies' hidden within humans, be it the vital energy of cultivators, the psychic power of adepts, or even the 'aura of goodness' of highly virtuous individuals—something our Master despises and wishes to eradicate completely, as it is a significant obstacle to the expansion of darkness!"
"Our Master commands you... leaders of the human world... to order all nations under your command to mass-produce detection devices based on this stone prototype and distribute them to operational units worldwide immediately!" the tall male demon envoy declared, his voice booming. "From this moment on, Operation Omega Crisis must be elevated to its highest phase! It is no longer just about eliminating newborns! There must be a 'great purge'!"
"Your soldiers must use these detectors to scan every citizen, of all ages and genders! If the device signals an alert—whether for a small child or an old person, someone with latent powers or merely an annoyingly virtuous individual—eliminate them instantly! No investigation! No detention! All their souls and life energy must be sent directly as tribute to our Master! As a display of loyalty, and to pave the way for the 'true age of darkness' that is to come!"
The command was more brutal and heinous than any member of the Shadow World Council could have imagined. It was an order for the largest genocide in human history!
"But... but such an act will... it will cause global chaos and panic... the populace might rise up in violent resistance!" the Chairman argued, his voice trembling for the first time, his earlier confidence gone in the face of the Kilesa Demon Clan's limitless madness.
The female demon envoy smirked coldly. "That is your problem... not ours. If you cannot control the situation in your own world... then prepare to welcome the arrival of the army from the Realm of Endless Night... and on that day... you too will be of no further use."
With that final threat, the shadowy forms of the two demon envoys slowly faded back into the swirling dimensional rift in the middle of the table, before the rift sealed shut, leaving behind only a bone-chilling cold, the lingering stench of sulfur, and an unfathomable dread that gripped the hearts of every member of the Shadow World Council.
The Chairman sat frozen for a long time before taking a deep, ragged breath. Large beads of sweat formed on his forehead. His eyes, once as sharp as a hawk's, were now filled with confusion, dread, and… a spark of madness slowly beginning to ignite.
He looked at the other members, who awaited his orders with similar expressions, before forcing out in his driest, coldest voice: "You... have heard the new command from... our allies..." He swallowed hard. "Notify... the supreme command in every country... to begin production of... the energy detectors based on the Blood Demon Stone prototype we have received... and prepare for... the next phase of Operation Omega Crisis... the great 'cleansing of the world'... with no exceptions... no leniency... and absolutely no mercy! This is... the only way we will survive!"
The final order, filled with desperation and insanity, was immediately transmitted via top-secret communication networks to military governments worldwide, unleashing a new wave of death, hundreds of times more brutal, heinous, and comprehensive than before.