National destiny: Starting with a coffin, building an aircraft carrier is broadcast live globally.

Blue Star.

Inside a subway car.

The fingers of those glued to their screens fly across the canvas, reflecting faces that are either shocked or excited.

"Hey, have you seen that viral video lately?"

"What video?"

"That one, the one where a homeless man was murdered in the street, I saw on foreign websites that some American netizens said that place is the lower part of their new city."

"...How can you believe everything? Is it AI-generated?"

"Who knows? But the amazing thing is that it hasn't been banned or censored here! And it's available on regular short video apps!"

A video has recently been circulating on the internet around the world.

The footage was only a short twenty-odd seconds long and somewhat shaky, as if it were secretly filmed by some kind of miniature device.

Like a relatively realistic cult film clip—

A homeless man sleeping soundly had his neck pierced by a fully armed black figure, and bright red blood gushed out.

If the video ends here...

This is at most a murder case that gives the local sheriff a headache, but the victim was already a high-risk individual, so it will at most take up a small section in the local tabloid.

But what followed challenged the audience's understanding of reality.

The assailant pulled out a black sphere.

All the blood was sucked into the black sphere within two seconds, defying gravity, even the blood from the corpse that hadn't yet dried up.

Within those two seconds, the corpse transformed into a dried corpse that would normally take three months to achieve the same effect.

Then, the black ball... actually floated up on its own!

The killer seemed to be talking to the black ball, but the distance was too great, and all that could be heard was the noise of wind and electricity.

This concludes the video.

The comments sections of various platforms quickly became a hot topic.

Some say it's from aliens, some say it's a composite, and others say it's behind-the-scenes footage from a film crew.

However, the most talked-about person is still a certain "insider".

He said he knew the deceased; he was Old John from the Lower City of New Testament, who had lived in that alley for six years. He had seen the car the murderer was driving in a certain triangular building.

Public opinion quickly shifted from curiosity to searching for the culprit.

......

"Fuck!"

Michael's face was contorted with rage; the body from last time had clearly been "properly disposed of" by his subordinates.

This is how it was handled in the past, for ten, a hundred, or a thousand times.

"Overdose" or "gang fight"

"Where's the PR department? Get them to work!" He loosened his tie, like a trapped wild beast. "Just say it's AI-generated! An Eastern conspiracy! A Hollywood special effects test! Do I need to teach you how to make up excuses?!"

"Mr. Michael, they don't believe it!"

Just then, the golden dedicated line rang.

Michael took a deep breath and answered the phone:

"You've disappointed me so much... I've already sent in the ICU and arrested the person who spread the video."

"Yes...yes..."

On the streets, sirens wailed incessantly.

The American people are living in fear, because they don't know when armed men with "ICU" printed on their chests will break down their doors.

This moment.

The slogans that tout "freedom," "human rights," and "beacon of civilization" seem so ridiculous.

......

France.

Sunshine, afternoon.

The air was filled with the lazy aroma of croissants, and the roadside open-air cafes were full of couples enjoying their leisure time.

A blonde woman is elegantly crossing her legs.

She wore sunglasses that covered most of her face, her golden wavy hair was casually draped over her shoulders, and there was an untouched latte in front of her.

"Buzz—"

My phone vibrated.

"say."

The voice on the other end paused, then said speechlessly, "Brother... your 'besieging Wei to rescue Zhao' tactic is pretty smooth."

"It was just a little trick."

The woman picked up her coffee, took a small sip, and gave a dismissive snort.

"They've got to clean up their own mess this time, they don't have time for me... Just wait, I'll bother you again when I get back."

"No, Saturday you—"

"How many times have I told you, call me Saturday in public!"

"Beep beep beep..."

......

The chaos on Earth is, for the few humans in the [Ocean Era], a distant prospect.

And it has even less to do with Vanessa.

All Vanessa knew was that... this human dared to treat her so disrespectfully.

help?

arrogant.

"Heh..." She curled the corners of her lips, gently raised her arm, and stretched her palm down toward Ren Yi, as if she really wanted to accept Ren Yi's help.

Since you want to help...

Then give up your life force.

The moment fingertips touch.

"Sizzle—"

The eerie green light flickered for only a moment before being forcibly extinguished by some unknown force.

And a panel appears in anyone's mind.

【Lv10 Vanessa (99%)】

[Evaluation: The current power ceiling on this map—though it's a leaky ceiling, it's more than enough to crush you. PS: Run! Don't look back! Now! Immediately! Right now!]

well.

I've seen it in their eyes; they're someone I can't beat.

Vanessa was momentarily stunned—

Her curse failed!

The human she had cursed with the [Life Replacement] should have withered away instantly like a plant, but the curse didn't even cause a ripple.

How could that be?

This seemingly weak human either possesses powerful protection, or...

It carries an even more powerful curse!

In the brief moment that Vanessa was stunned, Renyi had already swiftly pulled back, his turning motion becoming a blur—

"Walk."

"southwest."

In an instant, he darted back to his friends, not forgetting to grab Ivan, who was holding an axe.

Ethan reacted the fastest. Without even asking why, he grabbed Situ and prepared to run away, but Situ struggled.

"Leave me alone!"

"Bringing me along will slow you down!"

Before she could finish speaking, Klaus had already slammed the "Newton" sign onto the ground.

"Click—buzz—click-click."

With a series of metallic scraping and gear turning sounds, the huge wrench quickly extended and reconstructed, eventually transforming into a contraption consisting of a pedal, armrest, handle, and a wheel!

"This is only a semi-finished product!"

Klaus explained, a little embarrassed, that the remaining snake tendons were only enough to make one wheel, and the gyroscope's algorithm also had some problems, so he hadn't originally intended to take them out!

He simply lifted the handle and unfolded the makeshift pedal.

Then he lowered the front of the pedal and scooped up Sita's tail with a sharp scoop.

"?"

Sita tilted his body, and the whole snake fell askew onto the carriage.

Klaus and Ethan exchanged a glance, and like two rickshaw pullers, they set off in the southwest direction. Aurora glanced worriedly at Ivan and Renyi not far away, and followed closely behind.

Ren Yi had just dragged Ivan to the vicinity of the [Elephant Head God].

Behind them, a terrifying aura surged into the sky.

Ivan was still a bit unconvinced: "Boss! Let go! Let's give it a shot, whatever..."

"......Shut up."