As someone in sequence 001, I also want to give up today.

The conference room door closed silently behind us.

This is a more solemn space than the outer hall.

The walls were dark gray and undecorated, with only a long table large enough to seat thirty people and a holographic projection device suspended above the table.

The twenty-one S-class members took their seats.

There was no sequential ordering—such formalism is meaningless in the face of these “human-shaped natural disasters.”

Everyone sat down casually, but a subtle understanding still formed.

Lilith – Sequence 002, is seated at the long table closest to the head of the table.

She was still holding that hardcover book, but Li Yu noticed that she wasn't turning the pages.

Lin Mo – Sequence 005, sitting opposite Lilith.

With his glowing pink hair, he had an unusually serious expression, and his fingers unconsciously tapped the table.

Zhao Mingyuan – Sequence 008, sitting next to Lin Mo.

The spicy snacks had been put away, the tablet was on the table, and the lenses of his glasses reflected a cold light.

Li Yu and Chen Zhe sat in the middle of the long table, surrounded by other S-level members who were either high-ranking or senior: Lei Gang (Sequence 024), Su Wan (Sequence 031)...

The meeting room door opened again.

Two people walked in.

The person walking in front was an elderly man who looked to be in his seventies or eighties.

He wore a simple Zhongshan suit, his hair was gray, but his back was ramrod straight. His eyes were bright, as if they could see through everything.

Old Zhou, one of the founders of the Supernatural Abilities Bureau, former director, and current chief advisor of the Bureau.

Although he wasn't an S-class, everyone here respected him—and not just because of his status.

Following behind Old Zhou was Zhou Zhengguo.

He sat down in a secondary seat next to the main seat and turned on the terminal in front of him.

Old Zhou stood in front of the main seat, his gaze slowly sweeping across the long table.

There were no pleasantries, no opening remarks.

"004 is dead."

The first sentence caused the temperature in the conference room to drop by ten degrees.

Li Yu's fingers tightened slightly.

004, the Seer of Fate, whose real name, age, and even gender are unknown—very few people have seen 004, and their descriptions vary.

The only certainty is that his ability is "prophecy," allowing him to see certain key moments in the future.

And 004 died.

"When?"

Lilith's voice rang out, still calm, but the book in her hand was already closed.

Four days ago.

Old Zhou said, "In his safe house. When our people found him, he had... exhausted his energy and his life force was completely depleted."

"Did he make a prophecy before he died?"

Lin Mo asked in a low voice.

Old Zhou nodded.

He reached out and tapped the table, and the holographic projection lit up, displaying a line of text.

The handwriting was distorted and blurred, as if it had been carved with the last of its strength—

Three years later, the earth cracked and the sky collapsed, and all things returned to silence.

The meeting room fell into dead silence.

There is only a slight humming sound when the projection device is running.

"Just... these ten words?"

Su Wan's voice was a little dry.

Just these ten words.

Old Zhou said slowly, "But you all know 004's abilities. The 'future' he sees is not a possibility, not a probability, but... a 'fact that will definitely happen'."

"In other words,"

Zhao Mingyuan pushed up his glasses.

"The Earth will be destroyed in three years. Literally."

No one refuted.

004's predictions have never been wrong.

Thirty years ago, he predicted the East China Sea tsunami with accuracy down to the minute;

Twenty years ago, he predicted that the thawing of the Siberian permafrost would be the beginning of global climate anomalies.

Ten years ago, he predicted that the "Abyss Singer" would awaken in the depths of the Pacific Ocean—although the timing was off by a month, it did indeed happen.

And now, he has traded his life for these ten words.

Three years later, the earth cracked and the sky collapsed, and all things returned to silence.

"What's the reason?"

Lilith asked, "The prophecy didn't explain why?"

Old Zhou shook his head: "No. We tried to trace back all of 004's movements, contacts, and energy fluctuation records in the three days before his death... and found nothing unusual."

It was as if he suddenly "saw" something, and then... that sight drained his life away.

"To be worn down by the 'future' we see..."

Qin Yue murmured, "How terrifying must that scene be?"

No one answered.

But everyone can imagine that the "future" that could kill an S-class prophet of Sequence 004 instantly due to the sheer volume of information is definitely not a trivial matter.

"So this meeting,"

Lei Gang said in a deep voice, "Is this just to tell us—we'll all be finished in three years?"

"Lei Gang".

Zhou Zhengguo frowned.

Did I say something wrong?

Lei Gang shrugged: "004's predictions never fail. He said everything would be doomed in three years, and it will definitely happen. What's the point of us sitting here having a meeting? To write our wills in advance?"

"Shut up."

Lilith said.

The voice wasn't loud, but Lei Gang immediately shut up—not because he was afraid.

As Lilith spoke, a fine, geometric crack pattern appeared on the surface of the table in front of her, then disappeared in the next second.

That was the power she unconsciously leaked, causing the material structure to temporarily lose its balance between "decomposition" and "reconstruction".

"004's prophecy is the result, not the process."

Lilith looked at Old Zhou.

"He saw the fact that 'the Earth will be destroyed in three years,' but he didn't see 'how it will be destroyed,' 'why it will be destroyed,' and... 'whether it can be stopped.'"

Old Zhou nodded: "That's exactly what we need to discuss. Prophecy is absolute, but the 'future' itself... may be subject to change."

"variable?"

Lin Mo scoffed, "Old Zhou, you yourself said that 004 only sees 'facts that are certain to happen.' Is there any possibility of change?"

"have."

The speaker was Zhao Mingyuan.

Everyone looked at him.

Zhao Mingyuan adjusted his glasses, swiped a few times on the tablet, and brought up a set of data:

"004's ability is essentially to peer into specific nodes in the 'river of destiny'."

However, the "river of fate" itself... is not static. According to my research, when enough "variables" act on a node simultaneously, the node's "certainty" decreases, and it may even... be overwritten.

"What do you mean?"

Chen Zhe asked.

"It means,"

Zhao Mingyuan looked at the line of text on the holographic projection.

These ten words describe the inevitable outcome three years from now on the 'current timeline'.

But if we create enough "variables" within three years, perhaps... we can change the course of this timeline.

The meeting room fell silent again.

This time, in the silence, there was something else—not despair, but... reflection.

"How exactly do we do it?"

Li Yu asked, "Creating 'variables'? What are 'variables'?"

"unknown."

Zhao Mingyuan answered decisively.

"It could be someone's awakening, a technological breakthrough, the evolution of a strange beast, or... a choice made by us."

"Variables are unpredictable; otherwise, they wouldn't be variables."

"So we're going to rely on sheer luck and stumble upon something within three years?"

Su Wan raised an eyebrow.

"To be more precise..."

Zhou Zhengguo took over the conversation.

"We need to do everything that can create 'variables' within three years."

Enhancing strength, exploring the unknown, researching the nature of superpowers, monitoring global anomalies... doing everything possible, and then... waiting for a certain 'opportunity' to appear.

"wait?"

Lei Gang couldn't hold back any longer.

"Wait three years? Wait to die?"

"Otherwise what?"

Lilith looked at him.

"Do you have a better idea?"

Lei Gang choked.

"so,"

Lin Mo leaned back in his chair, his hands behind his head—a gesture that made his pink hair even more dazzling.

"The purpose of this meeting is to tell us: the world is going to end in three years, so everyone should work hard during these three years and see if we can stumble upon a solution to save the world?"

"That's a very good summary."

Zhou Zhengguo remained expressionless.

"ha."

Lin Mo laughed: "Alright, at least it's better than sitting here waiting to die."

"What are the specific divisions of labor?"

Qin Yue asked, "Three years isn't a long time; we need a plan."

Old Zhou nodded.

"Jungkook."

Zhou Zhengguo operated the terminal, and the holographic projection switched to a global map, marked with twenty-one points of light—the location of everyone present.

"Based on your individual abilities and locations, the General Administration has initially proposed the following division of labor—"

"Dr. Zhao Mingyuan is in charge of leading the 'Research on the Nature of Superpowers' project, exploring the principles of superpower birth, energy conversion mechanisms, and... whether there is a possibility of 'evolution'."

Zhao Mingyuan nodded:

"I need access to at least five Class A research institutes, and... unlimited funding."

"approve."

Old Zhou said.

"Lady Lilith, your ability 'Reconstruction of All Things' touches upon the very essence of matter. We hope you can assist the Doctor's research, especially in the area of ​​'The Influence of Supernatural Abilities on the Structure of Matter'."

Lilith paused for two seconds:

"Sure. But I need an absolutely quiet environment, and... a supply of fairy tale books."

Zhou Zhengguo's lips twitched slightly:

"……approve."

"Lord Lin Mo, your 'cause-effect substitution' involves the level of rules."

We hope you can participate in the "Oracle Mechanism Analysis" group to try to analyze the formation mechanism of the 004 prophecy, and... whether there is a possibility of "prophetic interference."

Lin Mo scratched his pink hair:

"Alright, I'm just killing time anyway. But let's make this clear first: if I find that 004's prophecy is truly unsolvable, I'll run away immediately—to see if there are any habitable planets in outer space."

"...Please do your best."

Zhou Zhengguo selectively ignored the second half of the sentence.

"Li Yu, Chen Zhe."

Zhou Zhengguo looked at them and said, "You two are at the top of the sequence and your mental strength is also acceptable, but you lack practical experience."

Given your long-term activities in Jiangcheng, you are assigned to guard Jiangcheng and the surrounding area.

At the same time, you need to strengthen the monitoring of the activities of superhumans and strange beasts in the area, and report any abnormalities immediately.

Li Yu and Chen Zhe exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously:

"clear."

"Everyone else,"

Zhou Zhengguo looked at the long table.

"Details of the division of labor will be sent to your encrypted terminals later."

There is only one core principle: for the next three years, remove all restrictions, do everything possible to improve ourselves, and explore all possibilities.

The General Administration will provide all necessary resources, intelligence, and... follow-up support.

"Clean up the mess?"

Someone asked.

"For example," Zhou Zhengguo said calmly, "if you accidentally blow up half a city during your research, the General Administration will be responsible for reconstruction and public opinion control—provided, of course, that you are still alive."

A few soft laughs rang out in the conference room.

The atmosphere relaxed a little.

"Any other questions?"

"Old Zhou asked."

There was a few seconds of silence.

Su Wan raised her hand: "I have a question."

"Please speak."

"If the world really does end in three years,"

Su Wan asked earnestly, "Can I still withdraw the money I have in a Swiss bank?"

The meeting room became completely silent.

Then, Lin Mo burst out laughing.

Then came Lei Gang's rough laughter, followed by the muffled chuckles of several other S-class members.

Even Lilith's lips twitched slightly.

Old Zhou looked at Su Wan for a long while, then slowly said, "If Swiss banks were still around back then... it should have been possible."

"Then I'm relieved."

Su Wan nodded in satisfaction.

Meeting adjourned.

Old Zhou said.

The twenty-one S-class members got up one after another.

No one spoke, but the expressions on everyone's faces were complex—solemn, confused, but...not desperate.

Not yet, at least not yet.

When Li Yu walked out of the conference room, Chen Zhe followed beside her.

"Three years..."

Chen Zhe whispered, "It feels like a dream."

"Nightmare".

Li Yu said.

They returned to the hall. The other S-class members also came out one after another. The atmosphere was much heavier than before the meeting, but not yet oppressive.

Lin Mo took out his phone again and started taking selfies:

"Come on, let's take a 'three-year countdown to the end of the world' commemorative photo. Tsk, that pink hair actually looks pretty good in the picture..."

Zhao Mingyuan had already opened his tablet and started listing his research plans, muttering to himself, "The energy conversion efficiency needs to be increased by at least 30%..."

Lei Gang walked up to Zhao Mingyuan:

"Doctor, could I have another spicy snack? I was really nervous during the meeting, I need to calm down."

Zhao Mingyuan handed him one.

Lei Gang threw it into his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and then suddenly stopped.

He stared at the remaining half of the spicy strip in his hand for a long time.

Then, he looked up at the S-class members in the hall, each busy with their own tasks, lost in thought, or simply being silly.

"PhD."

Lei Gang said.

"Um?"

"you say……"

Lei Gang's voice was very low.

"Can people like us change our 'fate'?"

Zhao Mingyuan adjusted his glasses but did not answer immediately.

He looked at the holographic globe floating in the center of the hall, and at the flashing dots on it—representing S-class alien beasts and energy anomalies.

Then, he looked away and stared at the spicy strips in Lei Gang's hand.

"I have no idea."

Zhao Mingyuan said.

"But 004's prophecy did not say 'we failed'."

Lei Gang was stunned for a moment.

"He only said, 'The Earth will be destroyed in three years.'"

Zhao Mingyuan continued.

"But he didn't say... 'We tried to stop it, but we failed.' That's an important distinction."

Lei Gang's eyes slowly brightened.

"so……"

"so,"

Zhao Mingyuan took the half spicy strip back from his hand and threw it into his mouth.

"No one knows what will happen until the end."

He chewed on a spicy snack, then turned and headed towards the exit.

"I'm leaving now, going back to do my research. Three years... time is tight and the task is heavy."

Lei Gang watched his retreating figure and suddenly grinned.

"That's right."

He turned and left.

Li Yu and Chen Zhe stood at the entrance of the hall, watching these "humanoid natural disasters" leave one after another.

Every person's silhouette carries a certain determination.

"Let's go back too."

Chen Zhe said, "Jiangcheng... still has a lot to do."

Li Yu nodded.

The two walked towards the passageway.

Halfway there, Li Yu suddenly stopped.

"Chen Zhe".

"Um?"

"you say……"

Li Yu turned to look at him.

"If the world really does end in three years, what would you want to do in your last moments?"

Chen Zhe thought for a moment and then smiled.

"Being with you," he said, "and then having a nice meal. Sweet and sour pork ribs would be good."

Li Yu smiled too.

"Then my brother has to make it," she said. "He makes the best."

"Okay." Chen Zhe nodded. "Then let him do it."

The two continued walking forward.

At the end of the passageway was that black minivan.

The car door closed, and the car drove away from the base hidden deep in the woods.

Outside the car window, the sun was shining brightly.

Meanwhile, in Jiangcheng, a thousand miles away, Li Xian had just finished lunch.

He slumped on the sofa, patted his round belly, and let out a burp.

The weather forecast on TV says it will rain tomorrow.

"oh."

Li Xian responded, picked up his phone, and sent a message to Li Yu:

Remember to bring an umbrella tomorrow.

A few seconds later, the reply came:

"Okay, bro. Have you eaten?"

"I've eaten, braised chicken."

"Don't eat takeout every day."

"oh."

"I'll bring you some local specialties when I go back tomorrow."

"What local specialties?"

"Keep it a secret."

Li Xian pursed his lips and put down his phone.

He looked out the window; the sun was shining brightly.

three years?

he does not know.

All he knew was that it might rain tomorrow.

We need to bring the clothes from the balcony in advance.