150: Live broadcast across the city! This world is fake!

That voice passed through cell phones, computers, street billboards, and shopping mall TV walls.

Through every electronic device capable of sound, it drilled into the ears of every citizen in Jiangcheng.

"The history you know is a filtered fairy tale."

"The physics you follow is a restricted Law."

"The stability you live in is a fragile peace built upon lies."

Jiangcheng's pulse stopped at that moment.

On the roads, drivers pulled over one after another, and vehicles formed a long queue.

On the sidewalks, pedestrians rushing while looking down raised their heads to stare at the nearest screen.

At home, mothers tutoring their children and fathers watching the game froze in place.

The same expression surfaced on everyone's face.

Bewilderment.

"What is this? New viral marketing?"

"That voice gives me the creeps... Which company is pulling this prank? It's gone too far, right?"

"Look at Weibo! The hot search exploded! #Jiangcheng All-Area Blackout#, #Silver Mask#..."

The brief murmurs of discussion were quickly suppressed by that voice again.

On the screen, the silver mask reflected everyone's face.

"They proclaim themselves as 'Guardians'."

"They use 'science' as a cage and 'common sense' as chains, herding you in a pasture named 'reality'."

"They erase myths, tamper with history, and define all extraordinary power as nonsense."

"They tell you that this world has no gods, no ghosts, no demons, and certainly no miracles."

"But the truth is—"

"This world is far more expansive, more dangerous, and... more exciting than you imagine."

The voice paused, giving everyone a moment to breathe and think.

And right in that interval.

Dragon Shield Bureau, Jiangcheng Branch.

Inside the command center, the alarm siren was already hoarse.

"Report! Unable to cut off the signal source! The opponent's signal is a distributed implant, spread across over 100,000 nodes throughout the city!"

"Report! The network monitoring team is trying its best to delete related videos and posts on social media, but the upload speed is too fast; we can't delete them all! Jiangcheng's internal network has been detonated!"

Zhou Weiguo stood in front of the main screen, no longer issuing futile orders.

He knew it was too late.

The Apocalypse Society... had successfully lifted the curtain concealing the truth in the city of Jiangcheng, a metropolis of ten million people.

"They are crazy..." Zhou Weiguo muttered to himself, his eyes filled with despair. "They want to drag everyone in this entire city down with them."

... Central Plaza.

Su Wanqing stood in the crowd.

She did not look at any screen; her eyes were focused on her surroundings.

She saw a young girl, frightened, hiding in her boyfriend's arms.

She saw a middle-aged man whose face, initially showing disdain, was slowly being replaced by shock and suspicion.

She saw a child pointing at the screen, curiously asking his mother, "Mom, what is that uncle saying?"

His mother, however, was pale and unable to utter a single word.

Panic spread silently.

Just then, that voice rang out again.

"Spiritual Qi is recovering."

As his voice faded, the runes inscribed on the surface of the spire beneath the ground lit up with a red glow.

A wave of energy, centered on the spire, spread throughout the city, following the transmission of his voice.

"Those forgotten powers are returning."

"Dormant genes are Awakening; those with extraordinary talent will obtain god-like power, which we call—'Awakened'."

"Ancient Legacy has not been severed; practitioners who breathe and cultivate will forge extraordinary physiques, which we call—'Cultivators'."

In the plaza, people in the crowd began to have hazy looks in their eyes.

The voice was tempting them, amplifying their deepest desire for power and their reluctance toward mediocrity.

"We, the Apocalypse Society, are not terrifying thugs."

Jing's voice carried temptation.

"We are the guides of the new era, the pioneers who break free from chains."

"Everything we do is only to break the cage and return the power of choice to every single person!"

"Will you continue to sleep in a false peace, or... embrace a real world full of infinite possibilities?!"

When the voice fell silent, the entire city was quiet.

In the eyes of countless people, fear was receding.

What if... what he said was true?

What if I could also become one of those "Awakened" who could fly and burrow?

This thought was no longer a simple fantasy.

Instead, under the blessing of that mysterious power, it became a raging wildfire, burning fiercely in everyone's heart...

Atop the spire.

Lin Yuan kept his eyes tightly shut, enduring the baptism.

He could not hear the external clamor, but Jing's voice rang directly in his mind through energy resonance.

"Awakened..."

"Cultivators..."

These terms perfectly matched the information he had learned from within the Dragon Shield Bureau.

This lunatic, he revealed everything about the inner world!

"Divine Body evolution progress: 1.35%..."

The System's notification sounded in his mind, but Lin Yuan no longer had time to pay attention.

And right at that moment.

Jing's speech reached its climax.

"I know that many of you are still doubting."

"Words are pale."

"In that case..."

"Let your own eyes witness the birth of a miracle!"

The next second.

The mask in the frame vanished.

An incredibly shocking scene appeared.

In the night sky above the city center, dark clouds covered everything like a lid, and thunder roared like a prison.

A black spire soared into the clouds.

And at the top of that spire, a figure completely wrapped in billions of electric lights was spreading his arms, embracing the entire thundercloud!

The camera suddenly zoomed in!

It gave an extremely clear close-up of that figure's face!

It was Lin Yuan!

"To welcome the arrival of the new world..."

Jing's voice, carrying the majesty of a divine judgment, rang out one last time.

"We offer a sacrifice!"

"By this signal, Apocalypse descends!"

In the crowd at the plaza, Su Wanqing looked at the unfamiliar face on the screen.

It was Lin Yuan!

That face was fake, but the madness of dancing with the thunder—she would never mistake that!

Moreover, the electromagnetic signal she had been tracking ended up disappearing right beneath this tower!

These lunatics from the Apocalypse Society!

Not only did they want to overthrow the world, they also wanted to... use Lin Yuan as a sacrifice!

Just then, the terminal on Su Wanqing's wrist emitted a rapid "beep-beep" sound.

A powerful energy source was flashing wildly on the map.

The location was not at the top of the tower, but on the second floor of an inconspicuous coffee shop in the southeast corner of the plaza.

There, a large signal amplification device was maintaining this "live broadcast feast" covering the entire city.

Next to the device, four black-masked figures stood guard.

Zhou Weiguo's command flashed through Su Wanqing's mind.

"Your mission is not to attack; it is to infiltrate and scout."

"You absolutely must not expose yourself before reinforcements arrive..."

Su Wanqing closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, only intense killing intent remained in her eyes.

Moving against the chaotic crowd, she silently snuck toward the energy source.

To hell with orders.

If you dare touch my person, I'll tear down your stage first!