483: Moment of genocide

Hearing that her in-laws were coming to check on them, Chu Mengxuan immediately jumped up, frantically rushing to gather her scattered clothes.

Her anxious appearance was as if she had done something wrong.

Qin Yang, on the other hand, calmly got up and clapped his hands.

Immediately, a team of palace maids filed in, beginning to serve the God-Emperor as he washed and changed.

A moment later.

The God-Emperor and Empress arrived at the front hall.

Qin Chuan and Lin Xiaoer were already seated, waiting. Seeing their daughter-in-law's flushed face, they exchanged glances and both showed knowing smiles.

"This is how it should be. Spend more time with Xuan'er when you're free, and hurry up and make a baby."

Lin Xiaoer said with satisfaction.

As a conservative human, she harbored a certain degree of racial prejudice.

She certainly didn't want her first grandson or granddaughter to be a demi-human.

Hearing the words "make a baby," Chu Mengxuan buried her head even lower.

Seeing this, Lin Xiaoer chuckled, "You're a married woman now, why are you still acting like a young girl?"

At this point, she glanced at Qin Yang, then indirectly criticized Chu Mengxuan, "With you like this, how can you possibly contend with those younger sisters who have lived for thousands of years?"

"Others are naturally young girls, how can they withstand your audacious words?"

Qin Chuan chuckled, mediating, and said to Chu Mengxuan, "Congratulations on your promotion to a Legendary Professional."

When the topic of Professions came up, Chu Mengxuan immediately perked up, the joy in her eyes completely unconcealable. She said with a giggle, "Thank you, Uncle Qin... oh no, thank you, Imperial Father."

"Still 'Uncle Qin'..." Lin Xiaoer shook her head, smiling dotingly, "You really haven't changed at all."

"I actually hope she can always stay this way," Qin Chuan said, laughing heartily.

The family exchanged pleasantries for a moment before getting down to business.

Qin Yang asked Lin Xiaoer, "Mother, has the expedition team for the Elf World been finalized?"

Lin Xiaoer nodded and said, "The personnel have all been confirmed. The vanguard force heading to the Elf World will be 9,000 people, with a minimum Rank of 61. We will enter the Elf World in three batches."

Qin Chuan followed up on Lin Xiaoer's words, "The team for the Demi-human World has also been confirmed, a total of 12,000 people, with a minimum Rank of 40. My side is mainly for exploration and construction, so I didn't pull together too strong a team."

Qin Yang nodded, then remembered something else and asked, "Have the sky carriers undergone sea trials?"

"Yes, they have."

Lin Xiaoer said, "Carrier battle groups 001, 002, and 003 have all completed three sea trials in the Annihilation Sea, and there are basically no issues."

After the "Ocean Two Thousand Rings," the remaining 9 major sky carrier battle groups from the former Free Federation, as well as the Professionals on board the warships, were all captured by Shenzhou.

Now, these warships have become Shenzhou's property, and those Professionals have all obtained their ID cards, becoming Shenzhou citizens.

Initially, Qin Yang was worried that these captives would not cooperate or secretly cause trouble, so he arranged a large number of Imperial Guards to accompany them.

As a result, these people worked even harder in Shenzhou than they did in the former Free Federation.

Each one of them shouted "Comrade" more affectionately than the last.

It was as if they had found their faith and their organization.

It was no wonder.

Their homeland had even been renamed "Shenzhou Affiliated Federation."

The President had also named himself "Jianguo."

These people felt at ease returning to the embrace of their motherland.

"It seems that the expedition preparations are very thorough. When do you think we can set off?"

Qin Yang asked Lin Xiaoer and Qin Chuan.

Lin Xiaoer thought for a moment and said, "I wanted to prepare for another two months. This is a long-distance conquest; we should conduct at least ten drills to be more secure, but..."

At this point, Lin Xiaoer paused, then continued, "Consort Xue said her family suffered a major defeat, losing 60,000 Professionals in a single battle, and the Elf World is on the verge of collapse."

Hearing this, Qin Yang frowned.

60,000 Professionals was an astonishing number even in the Human World.

Take Qin Yang's hometown, for example: the entire city had approximately 2 million people, with 180,000 having Awakened Professions.

While the number seemed large, most people actually didn't pursue the path of a Professional.

Only about sixty to seventy thousand people truly made a living from Secret Realms.

Mainly because this line of work was too dangerous.

According to Shenzhou's latest statistics, the death rate for Shenzhou Professionals in Secret Realms remained as high as 23%.

This was already a historic low, a 15 percentage point decrease from last year.

The reason was that Shenzhou's Professionals, with the auxiliary enhancements from the Zuo Huang Pavilion's civil officials and imperial relatives, had significantly improved their survival capabilities.

However, a 23% death rate was still terrifying, comparable to some extreme sports.

Moreover, this was the average death rate.

The death rate for regular-Rank Professionals was over 50%, and for Excellent-Rank Professionals, it was still 30%.

Many of Qin Yang's classmates had already died in less than a year.

Therefore.

Most people with poor Professions and no family background would choose to live as ordinary people.

Or, they would have someone help them reach Rank 15 to 20, put all their attribute points into Physique, and then completely 'lie flat.'

For example, Wang Kai, whom Qin Yang had dubbed the "Lying-Flat Emperor," used this strategy.

It could be said that most Professionals were like Wang Kai.

The Elf World losing 60,000 Professionals in one battle would be a catastrophic event even for Shenzhou.

For the elves, whose reproductive capacity was already low, it was an even greater crisis of extinction.

"The situation is indeed a bit critical,"

Qin Yang murmured, then asked Lin Xiaoer, "Why hasn't Yekaterina come to see me?"

Lin Xiaoer said, "She wanted to, but would you have seen her?"

A flicker of realization crossed Qin Yang's eyes.

Indeed, when he was relaxing in the Kunning Palace, he had ordered that no one should disturb him.

Let alone Yekaterina, even if the Retired Emperor and Empress Dowager came, they would need to be announced.

However, Qin Yang felt the problem wasn't big.

If the situation was truly so critical that he had to intervene, then Salaman, the Elven Main God, would directly call him through the kunlun mirror without Yekaterina needing to find him.

Salaman not contacting him meant she had the ability to handle it.

"First, summon them to inquire about the situation,"

Qin Yang thought to himself.

He also knew the ferocity of the Annihilation Sea.

Just as Lin Xiaoer said, without absolute certainty, one must never embark on a distant expedition rashly.

If the Elf World could still hold on for two months, then they would proceed according to Lin Xiaoer's plan.

Thinking this, he spoke to outside the hall, "Summon Consort Xue."

...Approximately the time it takes to drink a cup of tea,

Yekaterina hurriedly arrived at the Kunning Palace.

Though she wore a magnificent ice-snow royal robe, she no longer possessed the composure of a queen.

Her complexion was as pale as paper, and she looked considerably more haggard.

"Yekaterina pays respects to the God-Emperor, the Retired Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress."

"Rise."

After bowing to everyone present, Yekaterina rose with unsteady steps, looking very unwell.

Qin Yang, seated in the center of the main hall, asked her, "What is the current situation in the Elf World?"

Yekaterina shook her head slightly, her ice-blue eyes filled with worry, and said, "Reporting to the God-Emperor, the elves have reached the brink of extinction. The Beastmen army has broken through the two most important strongholds and has begun advancing towards the World Tree."

Qin Yang asked, "If the situation is so critical, why hasn't Salaman come to me?"

"That is because..."

Just as Yekaterina was about to answer, a voice came, "Let me explain."

Immediately following, a gentle breeze swept through the Kunning Palace's front hall.