Forty-nine rules of the end times

Chapter 189 Perseverance, the Terra Plan, and the Voting
On the afternoon of May 1, the same day the meeting of the World Health Organization concluded, a massive global relocation operation began.

It's not just island nations that need to relocate; even landlocked countries like North Star and Solmara have major coastal cities that need to be relocated.

In peacetime, cheap and efficient maritime transport fosters the development of numerous coastal cities. However, in the event of a major earthquake, these cities risk being among the first to be swallowed by tsunamis.

At that time, whether living on high ground or in a shelter, it would be difficult to survive, so it would be necessary to move inland.

Island nations like Sakuragi Kingdom have had to relocate their entire populations. Experts predict that even before the magnitude 10 earthquake expected on the 30th, a magnitude 9 earthquake expected on the 27th could potentially destroy the islands.

The transfer needed to be completed before that could happen, and the volume of transportation was enormous. Many landlocked countries sent ships and planes to assist.

However, relocating the entire country is not so easy, because people can leave, but other things on the land cannot be taken with them, which is difficult for many people to accept.

In the capital of Sakuragi, officials were pleading with people in front of an ancient building where more than a thousand people had gathered, each wearing a headband with the words "Unwavering to the death" written on it.

"We are not leaving!" The leader was a middle-aged man in his forties, whose attitude towards the officials was extremely firm.

"This Dujing Tower is a national symbol built by the first divine child of our Sakura Kingdom; it is the soul of Sakura Kingdom! We will never abandon it and leave in order to survive!"

"That's right, we're staying here!"

Sakura's official staff advised, "These buildings can be rebuilt after we move to our new home. But if you lose your lives, there's no way to bring them back."

"Pah!" an excited young man spat out. "Damn it, this is our home, not some tropical region where some country where everyone is dead!"

A woman with a sorrowful expression said, “We know that staying might mean death, but does leaving guarantee safety? There are so many rules to follow. Even if we survive this time, what about next time… Rather than dying in a foreign land, I would rather die in my true homeland.”

"This..." The official in charge of persuading them was speechless.

"Let them stay."

A voice came from behind. The official turned around, immediately stood up straight, and bowed slightly nervously.

"Prime Minister Kurohara!"

Kurohara nodded. The people who had been waiting in front of the ancient building were also very surprised to see the Prime Minister arrive in person.

Hearing that his group could stay, everyone was delighted. The middle-aged man in the lead said, "Prime Minister Kurohara, you also think that what we did was right, right?"

“No, I don’t think so,” Kuroi said. “The national culture represented by the ancient buildings you are protecting needs to be passed down by humans. Without people, these things are just a pile of broken wood.”

"Wha, what..."

Everyone was stunned for a moment, looking at Kurohara in disbelief, finding it hard to believe that the prime minister of a country would describe his country's most important cultural relic as a piece of broken wood.

"Since you're willing to stay and be buried with a pile of broken wood, then stay." Kurohara turned to the officials and said, "Time is of the essence. Ignore them and go evacuate the others."

"Yes Yes!"

After Kurohara finished speaking, he turned to leave, but was stopped by an angry voice behind him after taking a few steps.

"Stop! You bastard Kurohara, how dare you, as Prime Minister, denigrate our cultural relics like this! You should apologize to the nation!"

"Exactly, you actually called it a piece of broken wood... I think your head is the piece of broken wood!"

"With someone like this as prime minister, no wonder our country has become like this!"

Kurohara sighed, shook his head helplessly, got into the car, and drove away.

The secretary, sitting in the front row, looked at the tablet in his hand and reported, "Prime Minister, apart from this place, there are many people all over the country who do not want to leave, and the relocation work is facing many obstacles."

“Let those who don’t want to leave stay,” Kurohana said. “It’s their own choice, and we don’t have enough time to persuade them to change their minds.”

The secretary asked curiously, "Aren't you planning to force them to relocate?"

“Even a normal relocation takes a very tight timeframe, and if a conflict breaks out during a forced relocation, it will delay things even more. What we need most right now is time.”

"understood."

……

The Solomon Empire, Senate.

The thirteen elders and King Soromagna are currently meeting to discuss a serious topic.

The Grand Elder said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I think it's time to relaunch the long-dormant Terra Project!"

"Yes, I also think it's time."

"Given the current dire situation, this may be the only way to save us."

The elders all chimed in with their agreement.

King Soromagna remained silent, his fingers tracing the jeweled tip of his scepter.

Project Terra was a space colonization plan secretly prepared by the Solomon Empire fifteen years ago.

Terra is a satellite of the planet Tianshui. It is rich in mineral resources but lacks fresh water and other resources necessary for survival.

The original intention of Project Terra was to prepare for a possible nuclear war on Tianshui.

Fifteen years ago, the international situation was tense, and a world war seemed imminent. Given the global stockpile of nuclear weapons, if a war had actually broken out, most of the world's major habitable areas would likely have been contaminated by nuclear radiation.

Therefore, the Soro Empire secretly launched Project Terra, intending to migrate some of its people to Terra before the outbreak of nuclear war and rapidly develop technology using its abundant mineral resources. As for the lack of fresh water, food, and other resources, they could be synthesized chemically or transported from Tianshui.

No one expected that the tense situation would be resolved in less than a year. People all over the world could no longer bear the serious atmosphere and recognized that peace and development were the mainstream, while war was despised. As a result, Soroma's "Terra Project" was shelved and shelved until today, fifteen years later.

The Grand Elder spoke again: "Your Majesty, judging from the situation described in the Eleventh Rule, humanity is getting closer and closer to its doom. We cannot sit idly by on Tianshui Star and wait for our demise!"

"I have only one question," King Soroma began. "Elders, what evidence do you have that you believe hiding on Terra will allow us to escape the rules of the apocalypse?"

"This……"

The elders looked at each other in bewilderment.

They had absolutely no evidence that escaping the planet Tianshui would exempt them from the rules of the apocalypse.

"Your Majesty, we have no evidence. But you also have no evidence to prove that humanity will still be bound by rules after leaving Tianshui Star, right?"

The Grand Elder slowly said, "From what we can see now, the Fire Stealer is more like an AI that operates according to programmed logic and releases rules periodically. So, if this really is a program, perhaps its operating range is set within the planet Tianshui. If it can leave this range, the program might malfunction."

The elders nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

"Yes, the Grand Elder is right."

"Whether it works or not, it's worth a try!"

King Soroma pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly: "I can agree to restart the 'Terra Project.' However, conducting a launch test will inevitably not escape the notice of countries like the Northern Star."

"Does Your Majesty not know that the Northern Star Kingdom also has a similar plan?"

"Hmm?" King Soro looked at the Grand Elder, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

The Grand Elder smiled and said, "I have a good personal relationship with one of the high-ranking officials of North Star. He told me that the North Star leadership is also preparing several 'destruction response plans,' one of which includes launching a manned rocket to Terra to preserve the human race."

Upon hearing this, King Soromagato remained unfazed, but the other elders were all greatly alarmed.

"North Star has a similar plan? Then we'd better hurry!"

"Yes! What if they launch a manned rocket to Terra first and declare Terra as their North Star territory?"

"We can't delay any longer; we must conduct the launch test as soon as possible!"

The elders looked anxiously at the king, who, after a long pause and when everyone was getting impatient, finally spoke slowly: "I agree to restart the 'Terra Project' today, but the first priority right now is to prepare for the major earthquake."

The Grand Elder nodded and said, "That's natural. No matter how fast it is, it's impossible to complete a manned launch in just one month. But regarding the information about that 'Pillar of the Earth'... has the King made a decision about the devotees?"

King Soro nodded: "Survival of the fittest, there is no other choice."

……

The Home of Ascended Ones, Casual Chat Section.

A user-posted poll has topped the popularity charts and remains there.

Regarding the selection of individuals to contact the Leyline Pillars, which selection method do you support?

1. The capable shall prevail: Choose to contact those who have a high upper limit of spiritual power.

Second, the weak should step forward: choose to contact those who have a low upper limit of mental power.

Third, the lottery: truly fair and just, with no deception of the young or old.

IV. Obeying orders: The selection of personnel is decided independently by the authorities.

V. Voluntary registration: Great, no further explanation needed.

The post quickly went viral, with countless users voting and commenting from their own perspectives.

"As the saying goes, 'With great power comes great responsibility,' so in times like these, those with high mental strength should definitely step up!"

"Those with high mental strength limits are all very clever people, right? I feel like they would never sacrifice themselves, and many of them are even being groomed by the authorities. I'll specifically mention those students in the Mental Strength Development Academy; they're always bragging online about how great the academy's environment is and how much the authorities protect them within the rules."

"From a holistic and collective perspective, shouldn't those with lower potential be the ones to go? Those who have reached the highest potential in spiritual power are the hope for the future, and they shouldn't just be donated like this."

"It's easy for you to talk when you're not the one suffering. Do you think that future includes ordinary people? If not, then it's none of my business!"

"What do you mean by the weak standing up for themselves? I think it's just making use of trash!"

"Stop arguing, let's all draw lots. Whoever gets the spot goes. It's all about luck, so nobody can blame anyone else."

"Those who say that drawing lots is purely based on luck are probably students. Anyone who has been in the workforce for a year or two knows how easy it is to rig a lottery. It's very easy to manipulate the lot."

“I think everyone knows that lotteries are easy to rig. But voting for the lottery is just to show the authorities that the public demands fair and just selection, and that people shouldn’t be arbitrarily assigned to sacrifice themselves.”

"That's right, voting here feels more effective than reporting it in the shelter. The authorities will definitely see this post. Everyone should vote so that the authorities know the public's attitude."

"What I'm trying to say is that all this effort you've put into voting back and forth will most likely end up with option 4, where the official team directly selects someone..."

"That's what I think too. It's unlikely the authorities would make a decision based solely on public opinion, right? This is a matter of life and death!"

"If you really want me to go, I'll go. What's the big deal? Everyone dies eventually, and besides, not everyone who goes will necessarily die, right? I still need to see what exactly the ley lines are."

"It's estimated that it will only be found during a magnitude 2 earthquake? A magnitude 1 earthquake is too slight; ordinary people can't feel it at all. Maybe the sophisticated instruments of the earthquake detection department can measure it. Now we just have to wait for the official results."

(End of this chapter)