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"Could it really happen... Are they really going to fight?"

Civilians were getting anxious because the way the news presented it, the posture of the four federations... It indeed looked as if they were about to take action.

But many still found it unbelievable, since no large-scale war had occurred since the dawn of the Digital Life Era. The public had long since lost any sense of imminent war, so when such rumors suddenly appeared one day, it felt like an inexplicable disaster, like a meteor falling from the sky...

"They wouldn’t really do it, would they... Are they serious?"

"Why wouldn’t they dare? You really think the Federation is all harmony and peace?"

"Exactly, we are the only Yellow Race in the Federation District, and those white pigs think they’re some superior race.

They have been annoyed with us for a long time, especially after we took over those major virtual businesses.

They didn’t fight before because they didn’t dare, but given the chance, they would peel us alive! "

"If they didn’t dare before, why do they dare now?" some naive internet users asked, perplexed.

"Are you stupid or what? Haven’t you heard?

Huaxi Pass has been shut down. I heard that the losses aren’t limited to the senior engineers from our Huaxi District but also a bunch of high-level combat powers.

Mr. Zhang Zhengyuan, our district’s First Special-class Combat Power, seems to have been in Huaxi District too. "

"Damn, really?"

"Is Mr. Zhang Zhengyuan gone?"

"No way... What are we going to do then?"

In the civilian world, Zhang Zhengyuan, who rose from humble beginnings to the status he had today, was undoubtedly a legend.

Although later on, many online said that he had turned from a hero to one of the Evil Dragons, his standing in the hearts of people from the Central Federation, especially in terms of strategic status, had never wavered.

Everyone knew that he was the Central Federation’s strongest pillar of support. Once, North America produced a superhuman who was so arrogant that he even dared to urinate on iconic buildings of the Digital City in contempt, and nobody dared to rebuke him.

But that superhuman never once dared to act recklessly in the Central Federation. Not that he didn’t try, but there was one time when his little cockerel was almost snipped by the Zhuxian Sword.

In the Federation, the destructive power of such top-tier life forms was immense, and if Zhang Zhengyuan was gone, it would be a huge blow to the people’s morale...

"But official sources say... Huaxi was a technical shutdown..."

"Do you really believe that?" someone scoffed online: "If it truly were a technical shutdown, the other four districts wouldn’t dare attack us in Huazhong even if you gave them eight balls."

"Hey you, what’s with the sarcastic tone? At a time like this, you’re still throwing cold water. What benefit is there for you if our Central District is invaded by outsiders? Why the schadenfreude?"

"I’m stating facts. And what if they do invade? Do the noble families in Central treat us any better? Who rules doesn’t change a thing. It might even be more democratic on the outside..."

"Democratic my ass, Rego. Are you out of your mind? Go out there and see for yourself what kind of lives people of non-white races lead in those four districts. If we get conquered, do you really think our status will be better than those black bastards?"

"Exactly, what the hell are you playing at? You’ve been brainwashed by that Western media day in and day out, harping on about democracy."

"So what? What can you do about it? Am I the one who caused this situation? Isn’t it the doing of those lords that you serve?"

The online quarrel was in full swing. At the gates of Digital City, groups of people wanting to leave the city to avoid the chaos gathered. After all, the mysterious internal shutdown and the threat of foreign invasion made people unwilling to take risks by staying.

Hiding in machines or going to the remote extraction areas seemed like a good idea. The world was vast enough to duck out of the way for a while and then wait out the situation, which many people were thinking about doing.

This also resulted in the price of the exodus equipment skyrocketing.

In just one day, prices tripled or even quadrupled, and even though official sources in many places strictly prohibited the sale, it couldn’t stop the booming black market.

Some wealthy people not only got a set for each family member but also spent a lot in secret procurement, planning to profit from the national disaster.

As long as one had money, life wouldn’t be much different for these tycoons even if the Central District fell. At worst, they’d just keep a low profile and toe the line, assured that their lives wouldn’t be too bad...

The chaos within the Central Federation’s Digital City was meticulously reported by the spies lurking there, without missing a single detail.

Meanwhile, the executives of the four major districts at the front line almost instantly received the intelligence, and it was precisely because of the tumultuous situation within the Central Federation that the councilors of the four districts solidified their resolve.

"It should be correct..." said the previously hesitant Western Europe District Councilor, "It’s unlikely to be a plot. The Central Federation’s market is already in total disarray, almost like a harbinger of great upheaval. It signifies that their government can no longer control the situation."

Another person nodded, saying, "The closure of Huaxi Pass caused such a massive loss. To prevent external threats, they had to deploy officers and heavily guard the outskirts, leading to an unmanageable public opinion within the city for a time. It’s logical, so it must be correct."

"So, have we reached a conclusion?" asked Stal lazily as he stood up, "Are we fighting or not? If we’re not, I can leave. I’m really busy tonight."

As Stal spoke, he glanced at the Duchess, who also smiled and returned his gaze, "What’s the rush? Can’t wait to go and take a leak in the Central Federation’s Digital City?"

"Shut up, woman..." Stal glared back at her. Being nearly castrated by Zhang Zhengyuan with a single stroke when he first started was a lifelong humiliation for him. After growing stronger, he had long wanted to fight Zhang Zhengyuan.

But Zhang Zhengyuan was an old-generation powerhouse, and the Zhuxian Sword Formation was universally acknowledged as the most deadly, the Federation’s most terrifying super-weapon.

No country wanted to try their luck against it because, in the Virtual World, Zhang Zhengyuan had suppressed the entire Immortal Executioner Realm with this formation. ..

Its terrifying lethality was comparable to the ancient era’s nuclear weapons, and this had been the Central Federation’s greatest confidence over the millennia.

If he were to make it into the Central Federation, his first course of action would be to restart Huaxi and then strip bare the dead data of Zhang Zhengyuan and hang it on top of the tallest building in the Central Federation.

"Make a declaration!" The President of the North America District finally spoke, "The Central Federation has secretly launched a dangerous project which has now spiraled out of control, and they refuse to disclose intelligence, putting the entire Federation in jeopardy. For the safety of the Federation’s citizens, we have grounds to forcefully enter the Huaxi District for a comprehensive investigation.

If the Central Federation still refuses to release the information, they are willfully endangering humanity and are the public enemy of all humankind! "

"Yes..." The secretary hurriedly published the declaration online.

The President nodded, then turned to look at the special-class combat powers from various districts, "Even if Zhang Zhengyuan is dead, the Central Federation is still not to be underestimated. There might be some unknown combat forces hidden. I ask you all to take this seriously and not be careless. In Huazhong, there’s an old saying, ’proceed with caution and you’ll sail safely for ten thousand years.

’ The more optimistic the situation seems, the more cautious and careful we need to be! "

"What a steady leader..." The Duchess said with a smile, "Seeing you on TV, I always thought you were a flamboyant person."

"You flatter me, Duchess," the President replied with a smile, "Putting on a show is for the voters. If I was really that foolish, the country would have been finished long ago, wouldn’t it?"

"Hahaha..." The Duchess burst into laughter, and in the next moment, a terrifying roar echoed up from deep within the earth.

Then, an enormous black-scaled monster, at least a hundred zhang tall, tore through the ground as though ripping apart a canvas, and emerged.

The frightening presence, carrying the magma from deep underground, made an astonishing impression; all the politicians present paled instantly, and in that moment, realized the difference between them and high-tier combatants.

The President watched the dragon with a sigh, saying, "Only someone of your stature could tame such a fearsome beast."

"You do have a way with words." The Duchess watched him and smiled, "Try to say more of that in bed tonight."

"It would be an honor..." The President, faced with the prospect of romance, bowed with gentlemanly grace.

Stal snorted coldly, giving the tactless woman a chilling glance, but he said nothing—her displayed power had made even him hesitant to act recklessly.

However, she did say one thing correctly; everything would be over before nightfall.

"Burn them, Rego. Let everyone in the Central Federation remember your flames!"

The dragon, shaped like a lizard, let out a cry and soared into the sky; its enormous size blotted out the sun. It then flew directly towards the Central Federation’s data layers, evidently ready to join the advance troops in making a resounding impact...

Thus, the first civil war since the founding of the Digital Federation had begun!