87: Chapter 87 Global Panic and the Resilience of the Dragon Nation
The information contained in the "reaper" signal was like a giant boulder thrown into the calm lake of human civilization. Although the Dragon Kingdom controlled it with the highest level of security measures, the ripples it triggered inevitably spread, sparking an unprecedented wave of panic on a global scale.
The first to notice the abnormality were the global financial markets. The Dragon Kingdom's sudden and unprecedented large-scale strategic resource allocation and industrial shift could not be completely hidden, even though the official reason was explained as "infrastructure for a new round of technological revolution." Its breadth, intensity, and high priority were impossible to mask. Sensitive international capital, like a flock of startled birds, began to flee into safe havens frantically.
The New York Stock Exchange had just recently recovered from the blow of "Shadow of Medusa" when it suffered another cliff-like plunge. London, Tokyo, Frankfurt... major global financial markets were filled with wailing, and green (representing a decline) became the only color. "Doomsday theories" and "war theories" were rampant on various unofficial channels, and panic spread like a plague.
Following closely was social unrest.
Chaotic demonstrations broke out in several major cities of the European Union, with crowds shouting slogans like "Right to Know" and "Oppose Secret Wars," clashing with the police. In Japan, shelves in many convenience stores were stripped bare, especially of compressed food and drinking water. Pretty Country was even more chaotic; in some remote areas, cult organizations claiming to "welcome the true god" even appeared, preaching alien salvation and causing local riots.
On the internet, all kinds of news, difficult to distinguish as true or false, spread wildly.
“Insider information! The Dragon Kingdom has discovered an alien fleet!”
“The Doomsday Clock has been moved forward! Only five years left!”
“The government is hiding the truth! We are being treated as sacrifices!”
Suspicion, fear, and despair fermented and expanded on the global internet. Governments were exhausted from dealing with it, and the voices of rumor-refuting seemed so weak in the face of the surging wave of panic. A hysterical atmosphere, unique to a civilization facing the threat of unknown destruction, enveloped the entire planet.
In this global panic and chaos, one nation showed amazing composure and order—the Dragon Kingdom.
Compared to the dire situation outside, although an invisible sense of tension could be felt within the Dragon Kingdom, society continued to operate in an orderly fashion.
The foundation of this composure came first from the absolute energy autonomy brought by the "Golden Crow" fusion energy. While other countries were still anxious about a possible energy crisis, the Dragon Kingdom's electricity prices remained as steady as Mount Tai and were even steadily decreasing. The strong energy security acted as a reassuring pill for society.
Secondly, it was the information moat built by the "Mozi" quantum communication network. It was difficult for external panic-inducing rumors and negative information to penetrate this layer of absolute security and disrupt the cognition of the domestic public on a large scale. Official media reported the latest progress of the country in deep space exploration and technological breakthroughs in a timely, orderly, and confident manner, skillfully guiding public opinion and focusing the public's attention on "development" and "striving" rather than "fear" and "doomsday."
More importantly, the top leadership of the Dragon Kingdom showed strong determination and a clear roadmap. Although the details of the "north heavenly gate project" and the "Spark Project" were kept secret, their existence and the strong mobilization capacity shown by the country invisibly conveyed a powerful confidence: the state knew what was happening and was taking strong action. That sense of being protected offset most of the potential panic.
The streets were busy with traffic, schools were filled with the sound of reading, and factories hummed with machines. Except for suggestions on stockpiling some sensitive materials and adjustments to the production tasks of certain key enterprises, the lives of ordinary Dragon Kingdom citizens were not significantly impacted. On the internet, Dragon Kingdom netizens even had the mood to joke about the chaos outside.
“Why is it getting chaotic outside again? Is Pretty Country up to some monkey business again?”
“Stay calm. They're probably just salty because they see us developing so fast.”
“Trust the country! We have the ‘Golden Crow,’ we have ‘Mozi,’ and we even have the ‘Guanghan Palace.’ What is there to fear?”
“Exactly! If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. Living our own lives well is the greatest contribution!”
This almost "abnormal" calm and composure seemed simply incredible to the international community. It was like a towering mountain standing amidst stormy waves—silent, yet radiating a reassuring power.
Soon, people of insight and the elite class in some neighboring countries began to turn their eyes to the East. They realized that when disaster might strike, the Dragon Kingdom—with its fusion energy, quantum network, Moon Base, and highly stable society—might be the sturdiest Noah's Ark for human civilization.
More and more application letters flew to the Dragon Kingdom's embassies abroad, with content ranging from technical cooperation and energy purchases to more subtle "crisis response consultations"... An invisible centripetal force, centered on the Dragon Kingdom, was quietly forming in the undercurrents of panic.
Inside the "Candle Dragon" safe house, Lin Mo looked at the report showing the stark contrast between the chaos of the outside world and domestic stability, his heart unruffled.
He knew well that this composure came from the bit-by-bit accumulation of technology and national construction over the past few years, from the silent dedication and protection of countless people, and also from himself—the "Patriot X" hidden behind the scenes.
He looked at the starry sky, his gaze penetrating the current panic and landing on the more distant future.
“Panic cannot solve problems,” he whispered to himself, his fingers lightly stroking the design blueprints of the “Quantum Long-Distance Sensor.” “Only power can protect the sparks of civilization.”
The Dragon Kingdom had already become the most stable ballast for human civilization before the storm arrived.