At 8 PM, the commercial playing on the TV screen flickered, and a press conference scene appeared. Seated behind the microphones was no longer a spokesperson, but the nation’s top leader.
Seeing this, Qin Sang’s family was stunned. They understood even more clearly that the content about to be delivered was extremely important.
“Fellow citizens…”
“Since the end of June, so-called ‘precognitive dreamers’ have been appearing all over the world. Among this group, some individuals have acquired spaces. The emergence of these spaces is critically important in the face of the coming disaster. However, some criminals have used their spaces to carry out a series of illegal activities. The criminal records previously announced—I believe everyone is aware of them.”
“But what I’m about to discuss next is an international criminal syndicate…”
This was the first time Qin Sang had heard of this criminal syndicate. She looked at Xu Lin, who gave a slight nod.
“Chen Longji was a member of this syndicate,” Xu Lin said. Thinking of the information he had received before coming back, he found it almost unbelievable. But as he listened to the live broadcast, he decided to give Qin Sang a heads-up.
The information the authorities were announcing was all true—urgent matters that the public most needed to know. But some of the broader, higher-level information would not be directly disclosed.
“According to what I’ve learned, the reason Chen Longji tried to kill both you and me several times is that in his precognitive dreams, the two of us are the ones who end his life.”
For some reason, Qin Sang wasn’t surprised at all to hear this.
Ever since she learned that there might be other “Qu Meijings” in the world, she knew anything was possible.
Seeing her nod, Xu Lin continued, “Several of the leaders of this international criminal syndicate actually connected online after having precognitive dreams back in late June. They come from all over the world, and their precognitive dreams seem to be unusually detailed. They gathered together to stockpile as many supplies, jade spaces, and space owners as possible. Meanwhile, another faction among them didn’t want too many space owners to exist, so they carried out some ‘cleanup’ operations…”
Qin Sang listened to the press conference with one ear and Xu Lin’s account with the other. She felt there wasn’t much difference between the two—just that the press conference was more surface-level, clearly trying not to panic the public or create copycats.
She guessed that these few syndicate leaders were probably, more or less, of the same “Qu Meijing” type. Their precognitive dreams must have contained memories of an even later stage of the apocalypse. The authorities must have extracted those memories, which was why they were announcing the syndicate’s existence so directly.
On TV, they reported that after dismantling the international criminal syndicate, the authorities had seized an enormous amount of stolen goods. It wasn’t that the criminals hadn’t tried to store them in their spaces—it was that their spaces were already full.
So the syndicate had also been researching how to increase a space’s volume, how to enable a person to acquire a space, where exactly in the human body a space resided, and other such human experimentation—the descriptions of which were rather horrifying.
Qin Sang didn’t need to check. Online comments must already be exploding.
“Da Linzi, do you think the warehouse we found that day also belonged to these criminals?”
Xu Lin shrugged. “Maybe. Either way, that stuff was handed to us on a silver platter. No reason to turn it down.”
On TV, the discussion of the criminal syndicate alone took over an hour. Qin Sang took the chance to glance at online comments.
Most were positive, but a small minority complained that this had nothing to do with them and urged the authorities to get to the important stuff.
Qin Sang figured the authorities had chosen to start with the syndicate for a good reason.
—
And sure enough, the next topic was related to the spaces themselves.
“Through extensive efforts, we have now confirmed that the jade spaces humans possess cannot be expanded in volume. That is bad news. However, an even better discovery is about to change the landscape of human society.”
Then Qin Sang heard the authorities announce that a new form of energy had emerged worldwide. This energy could not be captured or stored, but it could be perceived.
Hearing this, Qin Sang jumped straight up from the sofa. She stared wide-eyed at the TV screen, wondering if she had misheard.
“If spaces can be detected, it’s only natural that this energy would be discovered,” Xu Lin said at that moment.
Qin Sang understood that reasoning too. But since the authorities hadn’t made any moves before, she had assumed the energy levels in the outside world were still too low.
Sure enough, she had underestimated the Academy of Sciences.
Qin Sang’s parents, who had been practicing their mental energy cultivation these past few days, naturally knew exactly what this new energy was.
“Sang Sang, can the authorities detect that we have energy in our bodies?”
“No.”
Qin Sang felt that the authorities’ research hadn’t reached that point yet. But now that they were announcing the existence of new energy, it was clear they had figured out how to utilize it.
Xu Lin had the same guess.
The next second, the leader speaking on TV confirmed both of their suspicions.
“This new energy shares the same origin as spatial energy. While it cannot increase a space’s volume, humans can train to absorb this energy into their bodies. The more energy they absorb, the stronger their bodies become…”
[Holy crap, this is basically an energy revival!]
[Hurry, hurry—announce the cultivation method!]
[Oh my god, are humans going to be able to fly on swords in the future?]
…
When Qin Sang opened the comments section, these types of remarks dominated the screen. Humans were so obsessed with cultivation.
Of course, some “in-the-know” types popped up, saying they had indeed felt their bodies improve after acquiring a space and had suspected all along that spaces weren’t simple.
Reading that comment, Qin Sang sensed something ominous.
And the words from the TV immediately confirmed it.
It turned out that current research showed that this new energy absorption was only possible for people who already had spaces.
Qin Sang facepalmed. She could foresee that jade would soon be fought over by millions. Everyone would want a space. With a space, they could cultivate. By cultivating, their bodies would become stronger than those without spaces. And being stronger would help them survive better in the apocalypse.
As for the cultivation method, it was surprisingly simple.
The treasures passed down from China’s ancestors—Baduanjin, the Diamond and Longevity Exercises, Five Animal Frolics, the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon—all of these could be used to cultivate.
“I think things might get even more chaotic…”
Of course, for the authorities to dare announce this information at this time, they must have already prepared countermeasures.
That had been one bombshell. Online, people kept commenting and discussing, and no one noticed that another leader had taken the podium.
But Qin Sang sat up straight, waiting for the news she had been curious about.
“After extensive research, the country will be divided into five major safe zones: the Northern Safe Zone, the Southern Safe Zone, the Western Safe Zone, the Eastern Safe Zone, and the Central Safe Zone. Please check the map that has been pushed to your devices for the specific boundaries of each safe zone.”
Qin Sang immediately opened the map on her phone. She saw that the safe zones were not as large as she had imagined. Many areas were simply grayed out. That meant…
“Based on comprehensive research, it has been determined that the colored portions of the map will be the main safe zones. Residents living outside these safe zones will have the next nine days to complete their relocation…”
—
At this news, Qin Sang’s house fell silent.
No one had expected the authorities to suddenly order a population relocation when there were only nine days left before the apocalypse.
The only possible reason for such a decision was that the authorities had learned from multiple “Qu Meijing types” what the apocalypse would look like. The gray areas on the map were likely the hardest-hit zones.
Seeing that Huashan City was colored on the map, Qin Sang’s first reaction was relief. And then, immediately after, guilt—guilt for feeling relieved.
Because countless people would have to leave their homes and move to unknown places to live.
In reality, who had to migrate wasn’t something any individual could decide. So Qin Sang didn’t dwell on it for too long. She quickly pulled herself together. The apocalypse was coming—instead of overthinking, she should focus on doing something useful.
On TV, the leader giving the speech clearly knew how jarring this decision was.
“I know that asking some of you to begin relocating now is a very difficult thing. But the authorities have reliable information confirming that the gray zones will be hit especially hard by the coming disaster. The colored zones will also be affected, but the situation there will be comparatively better.”
“As of 8 PM tonight, the authorities have recruited tens of millions of space owners. This vast team will assist residents in the relocation zones with their move.”
“Please trust that we will not abandon anyone. We will give everything we have to help everyone get through the coming disaster.”
“Now, let us work together. Let us stand tall, raise our hands, and build a living zone for humanity…”
—
The press conference ended, but the impact it had was astonishing.
Countless messages flew across the internet. Countless people contacted their relatives and friends.
In the various chat groups on Qin Sang’s phone, people were calling out to their relatives and friends in the colored zones, urging them to confirm their safety. The authorities already had plans for how to arrange the relocation of people from the gray zones. The various structures that had been built in advance were all intended to help these people settle down.
But no matter how much preparation had been done, there were bound to be many problems along the migration routes.
And time was extremely short.
Qin Sang looked at Xu Lin, who was busy working. “Has the government built shelters all over the country?”
Without looking up, Xu Lin replied, “Yes. In one month, they’ve built countless shelters. But it wasn’t until after we caught all those criminals that the boundaries of the safe zones were finally confirmed.”
“Aren’t you afraid the safe zones might not actually be safe…” Knowing some of the world’s truths, Qin Sang couldn’t help saying.
She was worried that the memories in those people’s minds were just simulated—that the actual disaster might unfold differently.
Xu Lin said, “Actually, many experts have validated these zones. It was only after I joined the Survival app team that I learned the authorities had been making apocalyptic preparations for years. The current safe zones are just the result of cross-validating multiple sources of information.”
This fell outside Qin Sang’s area of expertise.
A month ago, she had been a fresh, naive, and unemployed college graduate who couldn’t find a job. A month later, she realized how crazy the world had become.
She had just asked a foolish question.
There was no absolutely safe place in this world. Strengthening herself was clearly the better way to survive.
That was probably the fundamental reason the authorities had announced the new energy cultivation method.
Thinking back over the events of the past month, Qin Sang marveled at how the government had been playing one big chess game.
After a moment of reflection, she suddenly asked, “Is your department responsible for the Survival app?”
Seeing that she had finally caught on, Xu Lin’s lips curved slightly. “Yes. I ended up there by accident. Now I’m in charge of the Huashan City branch.”
Qin Sang nodded. So she had someone in the government now. She hadn’t had time before to ask Da Linzi what exactly his job entailed. She had still thought he was working as an outsourced contractor.
Chen Longji and his ilk probably had many counterparts among these precognitive dreamers. And Xu Lin’s “snake-drawing” operation the day before yesterday—others with the same knowledge were likely doing the same thing.
Qin Sang asked Xu Lin directly if that was the case.
Xu Lin nodded.
Qin Sang sighed again: one big chess game indeed.
Just then, the sound of drums and gongs suddenly rang out from outside.
Only then did Qin Sang notice that her parents were no longer in the living room.
She picked up her phone and saw that the village group chat was already exploding. Her phone froze for a moment, and then the latest message appeared.
It was a photo of Second Aunt wearing a large red flower on her chest. In the picture, Second Aunt was beaming, her eyes curved into crescents, dressed in a high-tech sun-protective suit, standing at the entrance of the village office.
Beside her, villagers were beating drums and gongs, dancing with lions, seeing her off.
“Da Linzi, Second Aunt’s official space owner team is going to Nan’ao to help with the relocation work.”
Qin Sang was surprised. She had known Second Aunt had joined the official space owner team to help transport supplies. But she hadn’t expected her to be selected for this migration team.
“I’m going to go see her off.” Qin Sang looked at Xu Lin, who was still hard at work.
Everyone was doing their part. She wanted to contribute too.
Leave a Reply