49 Apocalypse Rules

Chapter 212: Chapter 202: The Final Result...

After the magnitude 6 earthquake, a magnitude 7 quake was set to arrive in three days.

If a magnitude 6 was merely a strong tremor that posed little threat to reinforced shelters, a magnitude 7 would be a truly great earthquake, placing cities near the epicenter at enormous risk.

Even the sturdiest shelters, designed with anti-seismic measures from the very beginning, couldn’t withstand the cataclysmic force capable of leveling an entire city.

Because of this, in addition to Guan Tong’s proposal to transfer Psychic Power, the various shelters in the inland cities were all undergoing temporary reinforcement. Any and all seismic-resistant materials were being piled on, as even the slightest bit of extra protection was welcome.

While North Star was exhausting all options to prepare, the other nations of the Human Federation were also making their own preparations.

However, each nation’s circumstances were different, and their methods of preparation varied greatly.

Powerful nations like the Soloma Empire still placed their faith in the power of machinery and technology. Harnessing the technological boom that followed the arrival of the Apocalypse Rules, they invented numerous new types of mechs, preparing to have them replace humans in post-earthquake disaster relief.

The Soloma Empire’s various territories also placed great importance on high-altitude evacuation. But time was short; constructing a large number of new transport aircraft was impossible. However, large airships and hot air balloons could be commissioned on the fly. A batch could be built at lightning speed, specifically for the use of the rich and powerful.

Meanwhile, island nations like Sakura Prayer, still in the middle of a nationwide relocation, were unable to make such grand preparations. Their only option was to disperse their population, a strategy aimed at reducing overall casualties.

This was because, based on the six earthquakes that had already occurred, the locations of the epicenters appeared to be random.

Unlike last year’s fourth rule, the snowstorm, where snowfall density was directly proportional to population density, putting more populous areas at greater risk.

This time, however, both the number and location of the earthquake epicenters were random. If a country was lucky, it might not have a single epicenter within its borders—a scenario that had already occurred several times.

As a result, these migrating island nations simply dispersed their populations across various locations. That way, even if the earthquake caused catastrophic damage, only a portion of their people would die, not the entire population.

It was a measure of desperation, tantamount to gambling on luck. If you were lucky and far from an epicenter, you were safe. If you were unlucky and an epicenter was nearby, all you could do was wait to die.

Predictably, this "let it rot" approach from the government sparked intense public outrage. However, the voices of dissent eventually faded when the people realized they couldn’t come up with a better solution themselves.

Another major power, Fahe, was still hunting for an Ascender with Brain Control or Mind Control abilities within its borders, following a major disturbance in its central plaza.

However, the Ascender seemed to be well-prepared and had gone deep into hiding, continuously using remote control to make civilians launch unprovoked attacks on government squads.

This gave the Fahe government a massive headache, making them paranoid to the point of seeing enemies everywhere. It was impossible to tell whether someone was an ordinary civilian or a puppet under control, like a ’zombie’ computer infected with a trojan horse.

What made matters worse was that the victims would lose all memory of being controlled, causing officials to hesitate, as the individuals themselves were innocent.

The remaining small nations, with populations in the millions, could do little in the face of the great earthquake. Their only hope was to rely on aid from major powers and band together for survival.

It is worth mentioning the Tulip Federation. In the early days of the Apocalypse Rules era, it had been a major power, once standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Soloma Empire and North Star.

This powerful union in the southern part of Celestial Water Star had been embroiled in a civil war ever since the period of the eighth rule, sparked by disputes over the distribution of resources. The fighting had yet to end.

Dozens of warlord factions, large and small, were locked in a chaotic free-for-all, and the resulting casualties were no less than those caused by one of the Apocalypse Rules.

This naturally led to the Federation’s collapse and decline. The largest faction, led by the Alpha Wolf, suffered heavy losses after being jointly attacked by the other warlords.

The consequence of this chain reaction was that all the warlord factions that once comprised the Tulip Federation were excluded from the Human Federation.

When the Human Federation was first established, some of these warlords applied for membership but were rejected by a vote. The reason given was that the other nations had repeatedly called on them to end their civil war and protect their populations, but they had completely ignored the pleas and continued to slaughter one another.

Under such circumstances, the committee members concluded that these men could not grasp or implement the Human Federation’s principles of unity and mutual aid, and thus denied their application.

Now, with the great earthquake imminent, these warlords had still not ceased their hostilities. Some were even still engaged in open conflict.

Furthermore, according to rumors circulating online, the Ascender Lucifer—previously wanted by the Soloma Empire for participating in a "killing competition"—had now become the leader of a small warlord faction.

But no matter what turmoil they caused, the member nations of the Human Federation couldn’t be bothered. Everyone was too busy sweeping the snow from their own doorsteps—fully preoccupied with their own disaster preparations to spare any attention for these factions.

...

「Somewhere in Yong’an.」

In a small conference room, fewer than ten people were seated around a table. On it lay the documents submitted by Gao Liangwei.

A steady voice was the first to speak. "Everyone is clear on the situation. Let’s discuss what to do."

A gentle voice said, "Since the Strategy Research Room has already approved it, I believe it should be feasible."

Someone else agreed, "That’s right. While there are certainly risks, for the safety of hundreds of millions of people, it’s a risk worth taking."

A forceful voice interjected, "We can take the risk, but we must also have safeguards. I think it’s completely inappropriate to place no restrictions on this Shadow. Also, I have a newly submitted file here. You can all take a look."

The person distributed the file. After a few glances, everyone understood its contents.

"Many people in the Strategy Research Room have issues with Director Gao Liangwei," the forceful voice continued. "They say his methods are too militaristic and that he suppresses dissenting opinions. I think this is something we need to pay attention to."

"I don’t think there’s a problem with Liangwei," another, more serious voice, chimed in. "I know him. He’s always been professional and would never let personal preferences get in the way of his duties."

"You’re the one who nominated him for the director position. Of course you’d say you know him."

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Enough," the steady voice said. "Let’s put the matter of Gao Liangwei aside for now. We need to focus on what’s important. And what’s important? It’s simple: the safety of our people. I am in favor of anything that can protect their lives."

The owner of the forceful voice responded, "Allow me to remind you, you are well aware of what Shadow did in the Andai Kingdom. This person openly attacked the capital of another nation and its leader, Prince Lado... Are you truly not concerned about giving such an individual additional, uncontrolled power? Are you not worried something similar could happen here at home?"

At these words, everyone turned to look at the person seated at the head of the table, wondering what the leader of North Star was thinking.

Faced with such a serious question, the leader’s steady tone suddenly became relaxed, even tinged with amusement. "What would I have to worry about? If I ever did something so heinous as to incur the wrath of both heaven and the people, it would only be right for someone to come and hold me accountable."

"You..."

"We don’t have a solution, but they do. So we’ll do it their way," the steady voice continued. "As for restrictions... I see no need. This is a matter of life and death; let’s not create any psychological barriers."

"You are right, sir."

"I feel the same way."

The others at the table voiced their support one by one, but the owner of the forceful voice remained silent.

"Lanying, my dear," the steady voice said, "we’re not young anymore. We should be more tolerant. It’s normal for young people who have seen society’s darker side to be withdrawn or suspicious. But as long as their heart is in the right place and they’re willing to help others, they are a good kid—a promising seedling worthy of our trust and cultivation."

"...You are right. I stand corrected."

"Let Gao Liangwei proceed with a free hand. As for the complaints others have raised about him, any investigation will have to wait until this rule has passed. Swapping commanders on the eve of battle is a grave military taboo, and that’s not something we do."

After the high-level meeting concluded, the decision was immediately relayed to the Strategy Research Room.

The reply Gao Liangwei received consisted of four words: "Proceed with a free hand."

This filled him with confidence. He immediately convened a full meeting of the Strategy Research Room and sent someone to invite the dean of the Psychic Power Development Academy to join them.

He planned to mobilize the Ascenders within the various shelters, as well as the students of the Academy, with maximum efficiency to perform the Psychic Power transfer for Shadow.

And by the next morning, this news had reached Guan Tong’s ears.

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