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Chapter 401 The world suddenly collapsed.

In fact, many people originally had no concept of the existence of ghosts.

If it weren't for this newly released movie, many people wouldn't even know what a ghost looks like.

Hong Qitian's announcement came three days after the film's release.

That is, at the height of the movie's popularity, they announced that the movie was real.

This gives many moviegoers the impression that ghosts exist.

Therefore, it is because of this impression that fear arises from the heart.

so.
Upon hearing Hong Qitian say that the Ghosts of Fate would descend in full force in four days, most of the viewers of the movie couldn't help but show fear on their faces.

For example, these guys in the dorm right now.
After all, when you've just watched a horror movie, like Train to Busan, and then the official sources tell you it's real and the whole world is about to be surrounded by zombies, it's normal for an ordinary person to feel this kind of fear.

But based on the speculation before the live broadcast, Li Feng and the others were both afraid and...

But more than anything, I feel lost.

I haven't graduated from university yet, and I haven't even found a girlfriend. The world is about to end. What should I do?
Hurry home and have a final reunion with your parents!
Or should we make the most of these last few days and enjoy life to the fullest?

They haven't figured this out yet.

Just then, the solemn and apocalyptic look on Hong Qitian's face on the screen faded away as if ice and snow were melting.

His wrinkles smoothed out, and the corners of his mouth stretched to the sides.

He put on that slightly naive smile again.

"Nothing"

Hong Qitian rubbed his calloused hands together, his voice carrying a comforting warmth, as if he were chatting with someone, "Kids, don't get the wrong idea, this isn't the end of the world, the sky isn't going to fall."

Upon hearing this, Li Feng and the others who were watching the live stream were taken aback.
The people who were crying and cursing in the square also stopped.

Staring blankly at the big screen
Hong Qitian chuckled, as if he were enlightening a younger relative who had gotten stuck in a rut: "I'm just informing everyone that this is happening. I never said that once the Fate Ghost and those gods show up, our good days will be over and humanity will be wiped out."

He leaned slightly forward, his gaze piercing through the camera lens, as if he could see directly into every terrified federal citizen:

"Demons can't turn the world upside down, they can't amount to anything, and they can't wipe out humanity! Those so-called gods can't ride roughshod over us either! We'll eat when we're supposed to, drink when we're supposed to, go to work when we're supposed to, go to school when we're supposed to. Order won't be disrupted, society won't collapse! Life will go on as usual!"

These words were like a stabilizing force.

In the dormitory, Zhang Meng unconsciously loosened his grip on Chen Yu's arm.

Li Feng's violently trembling body also calmed down slightly.

In the square, those who had collapsed to the ground, beating their chests and stamping their feet, gradually stopped crying. Their faces were still wet with tears, but their eyes were filled with confusion and bewilderment.

Can they really still be the same?

Hong Qitian changed the subject again, his smile still there, but with a more pragmatic tone: "But as for the impact, it will definitely be there, more or less."

He held up his little finger and gestured.

"After all, there are no secrets that stay hidden forever. This time we've completely opened the floodgates. In short, we're laying our cards on the table. We really don't have enough manpower. We're desperately short-staffed."

He spread his hands, completely open and honest:

"We're hiring, we're open to hiring, but there's an old saying in our rural area: 'Forced melons aren't sweet,' so it's all up to voluntariness!"

Hong Qitian straightened his hunched back slightly, and his voice suddenly rose in pitch:
"For those willing to take up arms and fight those beasts who want to eat our flesh and drink our blood to the end, there are two paths! First, go to the place in front of your house that has a martial arts school sign, no matter how big or small, push open the door, register, it's free, we'll cover all registration fees!"

"Second, pick up your phone and dial the federal military hotline. Tell them, 'I'm here!'"

Finally, Hong Qitian placed his hands on the podium.

Even his old cotton-padded coat couldn't seem to conceal the sudden surge of power emanating from him.

The smile on his face faded, and his eyes became deep and bright.

As if piercing through the mists of history, it gazes directly at every pair of eyes in front of the screen—eyes filled with fear, confusion, or anticipation:
"Children, remember this."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was clearly imprinted in the hearts of every listener:

"From the day people first appeared in this world, there has always been a group of people silently bearing the weight of this sky above our heads. It was there before, it is there now, and it will be there in the future!"

"Don't just remember how sharp the fangs were, how vicious the claws were, and how terrifying the gaping maws were in those movies! Those things are pretty disgusting, but they're not fucking scary!"

"And more importantly, we must remember our soldiers!"

"Remember the ruthlessness with which they risked their lives to plunge knives into the hearts of those beasts; remember the countless lights they held up with their backs."

Just like in the movies.

Hong Qitian took a deep breath:

"The Fate Demon is not as terrifying as you imagine."

The words fell.

The live broadcast signal was abruptly cut off.

The screen plunged into deep darkness.

The clamor in the press conference room and the explosive flood of information online were all silenced in that instant.

ended?
This is the end?

The ending was abrupt.

It's as if someone casually patted you on the shoulder and said something.

Hey, in a few days this world will transform from an ordinary world into a world of extraordinary beings.

There will be monsters, and even gods.

Be careful.

After that, he left.

Absurd? Yes.

reality?

It was so heavy it made it hard to breathe.

Confusion once again enveloped the small dormitory.

"What should we do?"

Zhang Meng leaned weakly against the bed leg, staring blankly at a piece of peeling paint on the ceiling.

"Go home? Cry in your parents' arms and wait to die? Or go out and live a life of pleasure, making these last few days feel like a lifetime?"

Chen Yu took off his glasses and vigorously wiped the lenses with the corner of his shirt, as if that could clear the fog from his vision. His voice was hoarse: "Join the army? Train in martial arts? With our skinny arms and legs, is it even possible? Those superhuman characters in the movies can punch through a steel plate!"

The bloody scenes from the movie kept creeping into my mind.

Li Feng curled up on the bed, burying his face in the blanket, and muffled voice came out: "I don't want to die. I'm my parents' only son."

At this moment, Zhao Zhe, who had been silently staring at the dark computer screen, suddenly sat up straight.

The blank look on his face disappeared.

He ignored his companion's whispers.

His fingers flew across the keyboard, making a rapid tapping sound.

The others were drawn by the sound and instinctively gathered around.

On the screen, in the browser search box, three words were clearly displayed.

Fang Qingyu.

Press the Enter key.

Refresh!

A brand new entry, bearing the official federal certification mark, popped up instantly.

There was no lengthy resume, no impressive list of medals.

Brief description of the term's anomaly.

Fang Qingyu

【Gender】: Male

Age: 19

Place of Origin: Qingjian City, Federal District

【identity】:
1. Colonel, Federal Arctic Command
2. Lord of the City of Dawn
[Resume]: From Chenfeng Martial Arts School in Qingjian City. Has been practicing martial arts for less than a year.

"Fuck!"

Zhang Meng's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

Pointing at Qingjian City and the number 19 on the screen, his voice suddenly rose eight octaves and cracked: "Fang Shen is from Qingjian?! Only 19 years old?! He's been practicing martial arts for less than a year?!"

An indescribable electric current instantly surged through the five people's bodies.

The figure in the movie, with star-like horns on his forehead and a sword that could cleave the sky, like a god of war, was actually breathing the same air as them?

His legend may even begin just a few blocks away.

Zhao Zhe's breathing became heavy, and he closed the encyclopedia page without hesitation.

I typed "Chenfeng Martial Arts School" into the map search box.

Search, locate.

A clear cursor lit up on the map.

The straight-line distance from Qingjian University.

8.7 kilometers.

Zhao Zhe suddenly stood up, the chair legs scraping against the floor with a piercing noise.

He turned around, his back to the screen.

His gaze swept over his four companions, each with a different expression, and he became serious.

"I'm going to practice martial arts. Now, immediately, right now. What about you?"

silence.

Zhang Meng opened his mouth, his throat a little dry: "Brother Zhe, now? There are only four days left. What can we possibly achieve? Can our bodies handle it?"

Fang Qingyu has been practicing martial arts for less than a year.

Zhao Zhe's voice suddenly rose, "He's 19, and the oldest of us is only 21. He was able to traverse the Arctic in a year and slaughter the Ghost King's clan like pigs. Our talent might not even be as good as his toes, but..."

He clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force:
"But I really don't want to be meat on a chopping board, I don't want to be walking down the street one day and be pounced on by one of those monsters from movies, and be torn to pieces and eaten as snacks without even having a chance to scream for help. I don't want to rely on others to save my life."

"Practice! Practice like crazy! Practice until you can throw a punch, practice until you can run faster, practice until if we really clash, even if I die, I'll break one of its teeth!"

He took a breath and continued:
"And have you forgotten what Elder Hong said at the end? Take a look at the Bureau of Justice app!"

He quickly opened his phone and brought up the app that had just been made available for download.

Locate the entry for the basic characteristics of the Fate Ghost, and point to the line of bright red bold text:
[Note: Conventional gunpowder kinetic energy weapons are extremely ineffective against the vast majority of Spirit Beast entities, almost negligible. Super-large weapons are more likely to cause Spirit Beast mutations.]

"Did you see that?!"

Guns? Cannons? They're useless now.

"When you encounter a jinx, an ordinary person without weapons is just a lamb to the slaughter. Practicing martial arts is the only way for us to survive!"

His gaze swept over the wavering faces of his companions.

The last and heaviest weight has been thrown out:

"Also, before the live stream, there was a post on that forum, 'Find a safe city,' and what was the top-voted reply? Do you remember?"

Chen Yu instinctively replied, "The City of Dawn."

“That’s right!” Zhao Zhe said decisively. “Dawn City, but that place isn’t one that just anyone can enter! Either you pay a hefty price for residency rights, or…”

"Join the City of Dawn! Become a part of them, fight for that city, and what is the core criterion for the City of Dawn to recruit? It's strength!"

He stood tall, like a javelin, his voice resounding:

"So, I'm going to practice martial arts, practice like crazy, and make a name for myself! Then, I'll join the army at Dawn! I'll work under Fang Shen, be a killer, guard Dawn, and also guard the escape route my parents can take in the future."

He looked at the four of them again, his eyes burning: "Hey guys, how about it? Want to come along? To Morning Breeze Martial Arts School, right now."

There was a brief silence.

The four of them turned around, grabbed their wallets and phones, and left.

They even urged Zhao Zhe on.

"Hurry up, I'll call a taxi."

The Arctic, the city at dawn.

Unlike the outside world's clamor and panic, there are undercurrents surging beneath the surface.

Inside the banquet hall on the top floor of the city lord's mansion, located in the heart of the city.

A banquet is currently being held on the top floor of the city lord's mansion.

To be more precise, this should be considered a welcome party.

Welcome to all family members of the core members.

Yesterday, when all the family members arrived.

Wei Banmeng made such a suggestion.

Let's get everyone together for a meal and get to know each other.

Fang Qingyu then agreed.

However, Fang Qingyu now has some regrets.

Qi Hao's mother, a well-maintained lady with a gentle smile, was holding Fang Qingyu's hand, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration.

"Qingzi, it's been a long time! You look even more energetic and handsome now than in the movies!"

Qi's mother's voice was gentle, carrying the affection unique to elders.

"My son Xiaohao told me that back up north, thanks to your help, he was able to come back safe and sound! Auntie really doesn't know how to thank you enough!"

As she spoke, her eyes became slightly red.

Fang Qingyu's body stiffened slightly, and she tried to maintain a polite smile as she subtly withdrew her hand: "Auntie, you're too kind. Haozi is excellent; he's a key member of the team. We look out for each other."

He remains calm and composed even when facing thousands of troops and life-or-death battles.

But at this moment, they were overwhelmed by the warmth and enthusiasm of this lively atmosphere.

"Oh, you're just being modest, child!"

Instead of letting go, Qi's mother gripped his hand even tighter and gently patted the back of his hand.

He changed the subject abruptly, a hint of gossip creeping into his smile.

"Qingzi, look at you, so young yet so accomplished. Have you thought about finding someone? Do you have a boyfriend? What kind of girl do you like? Auntie knows a lot of nice girls, would you like me to introduce you to some?"

Upon hearing this, the elders who were also surrounding Fang Qingyu immediately perked up.

They all chimed in, chattering away:
"Yes, yes, we must hurry up and settle this life-long matter!"

“I have a niece who just graduated from the Federal Academy of Arts. Her temperament and figure are absolutely perfect for Lord Fang.”

"Does Lord Fang prefer a quiet or a lively girl? My niece."

Fang Qingyu felt a chill run down his spine, and cold sweat seemed to be seeping from his forehead.

He could only maintain that somewhat stiff smile.

His eyes unconsciously drifted to the outer edge of the crowd, searching for help.

Meanwhile, in a relatively quiet corner of the banquet hall...

The core members of Dawn, led by Wei Banmeng, Chu Kuanglan, and Lu Jiuyuan.

Everyone was gathered together, each with a glass of champagne or juice in hand.

They didn't participate in the elders' pleasantries, but instead tacitly enjoyed Fang Qingyu's rare moment of embarrassment.

"Pfft."

Unusually, a smile crept across Wei Banmeng's usually cool face, and she quickly covered her mouth with her wine glass. Her shoulders, however, trembled slightly.

Haozi, Lao Qin, and the others couldn't help but chuckle.

They exchanged knowing glances.

"Tsk tsk tsk"

Lu Jiuyuan took a sip of wine and chuckled in a low voice, "If those believers outside who worship him like a god saw this, their faith would probably collapse!"

Wei Banmeng barely managed to suppress her laughter. Looking at the awkward figure in the center of the crowd, a warm ripple appeared in her usually cold eyes. She said softly, "He would probably rather fight a hundred royals alone than face this kind of situation."

Just when Fang Qingyu felt he was about to be overwhelmed.

As the question of whether to make a strategic retreat was being considered, a heroic voice rang out like a savior:
"Oh, everyone! Come on over! Don't just crowd around Qingzi, let the young man catch his breath!"

Qin Feng was holding a large wine glass filled with baijiu (Chinese liquor).

With a bright and enthusiastic smile on his face, he strode into the crowd.

He was tall and imposing, exuding an aura of power, and his arrival naturally separated Qi's mother and Fang Qingyu.

He used his broad shoulders to shield Fang Qingyu behind him.

"Uncle Qin, Aunt Zhang, and this Aunt Wang, right?"

Qin Feng raised his glass in a loud voice, clearly targeting Chu Kuanglan's father and several other elders.

“Your son and I are comrades-in-arms, we’re like brothers. These young guys are shy and don’t drink! It’s okay, I, as their older brother, will drink for them.”

Without saying a word, he shoved his glass of baijiu into Chu's father's hand.

He then deftly picked up another full glass from the waiter's tray.

Infected by his hearty spirit, Chu's father laughed heartily and patted Qin Feng's shoulder forcefully: "Good lad! Straightforward! Much better than your taciturn brother! Come on! Cheers!"

The other elders who were mentioned were also moved by Qin Feng's enthusiasm.

My attention was instantly diverted.

The crisis is temporarily over.

Fang Qingyu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Taking advantage of the moment when Qin Feng successfully drew away the firepower, he quickly slipped out of the encirclement and retreated to the corner where Wei Banmeng and the others were.

His feigned composure finally crumbled completely.

He raised his hand to wipe away non-existent cold sweat, let out a long sigh, and muttered a complaint to Wei Banmeng:
"Your parents' fighting power..." He hesitated for a few seconds before finding the right words, his voice still slightly shaken, "...is just too strong!"

"Pfft, hahaha!"

At this point, all the spectators in the corner could no longer hold back.

They all couldn't help but burst out laughing.

The noise will eventually subside.

Warmth also needs time to settle.

The last family member left the banquet hall accompanied by a waiter.

The relaxed smiles on the faces of the core members of Dawn gradually faded.

They followed Fang Qingyu through the empty and quiet corridor and into the conference room on the top floor of the city lord's mansion.

Only a few cold white wall lamps were lit in the conference room.

The light was focused on the center of the round table.

The countdown projected on the table was illuminated:
【23:57:43】

There are less than 24 hours left until the full arrival of the virus.

Everyone automatically found their own seats and sat down, their eyes fixed on Fang Qingyu in the main seat.

Fang Qingyu did not sit down immediately.

He stood before the main seat, his hands resting on the cold metal tabletop, his gaze slowly sweeping over each face.

"It starts tomorrow night."

"Are you all ready?"

His gaze first fell on Wei Banmeng.

Wei Banmeng immediately stood up and gave a concise report: "The troops in all departments have rested and are ready to respond to any emergencies and enter the highest state of combat readiness."

"Hmm." Fang Qingyu nodded slightly, turning his gaze to Chu Kuanglan.

Chu Kuanglan stood up abruptly, his voice booming like a bell: "In the past three days, relying on the underwater monitoring array and the God Cult's perception team, we have repeatedly swept through the area and confirmed the elimination of all seventeen discovered third-tier life ghosts within a radius of three hundred kilometers."

One report after another came from the mouths of the people.

They all completed their assigned tasks.

Fang Qingyu listened quietly to everyone's reports, his face remaining expressionless.

Stand up straight, lift your hands off the table, and stand with your hands behind your back.

"Yes, it may be very quiet in the early stages after the full arrival of the event."

Fang Qingyu's gaze swept over the subtle doubts on everyone's faces, and he continued, "Whether they are gods or ghosts, they are newcomers and need time to observe, test, and adapt to this new world. The possibility of a large-scale, organized war breaking out is not high."

Then, changing the subject, he added, "However, beneath the surface of this quiet, local tragedies are absolutely inevitable."

"You must prepare for this in advance."

"Our purpose is not to be busy putting out fires all over the world in the early days of our arrival, to be that exhausted savior, that would be meaningless."

"The Federation's current capabilities alone are sufficient to achieve 99% of this."

"Even if we mobilized all our forces, we still couldn't achieve even one percent."

"This is a race war, not a battle of individual heroism."

"Understand?"

Everyone fell silent.
If it were in the past...

They probably really don't understand.

I thought, I'll save as many as I can.

But now the position is different, and the abilities are different.

The perspective is different now.

Just as Aoko said, this is a racial war.

Instead of relying solely on your personal emotions and acting like a hero.

So everyone nodded silently.

Seeing this, Fang Qingyu looked at Su Wanqing beside him and said, "Provide them with all the resources you can. If there is a shortage, let me know."

After saying that, he stopped looking at the complicated and incomprehensible expressions on everyone's faces.

He turned around and walked straight towards the conference room door.

Footsteps echoed in the silent conference room.

Just as his hand was about to touch the doorknob, Wei Banmeng finally couldn't help but speak up: "Qingzi, but given the reputation of Dawn City, if we really do nothing but defend the city in the early stages of its arrival, the pressure from public opinion outside will be immense."

Fang Qingyu stopped in his tracks.

He chuckled and turned back to say.

"So, I'll go out."

The moment he finished speaking, he pressed the doorknob.

The door slid open a crack, letting in light from the outside corridor.

Fang Qingyu didn't pause at all, and stepped out of the conference room in one stride.

Just as the door was about to close completely, his last words echoed clearly in the silent space.

"Assuming sufficient resources, if none of you have broken through to the fourth tier after one year..."

"You're about to suffer a lot."

The door was completely shut.

Chu Kuanglan's expression immediately fell apart.

It felt like swallowing a whole bitter gourd: "A year?! Even with enough resources, breaking through to the fourth tier isn't something you can just do."

He scratched his head anxiously, feeling immense pressure.

Lin Kang, who had been silent all along, slowly stood up.

He walked up to Chu Kuanglan.

He reached out and patted Chu Kuanglan on the shoulder.

"It has to be done, whether it's possible or not."

“Qingzi can still discuss things with us now and set goals for us, but what about the situation a year from now?”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the countdown on the conference room wall.

"It's not up to us to decide..."

After saying that, Lin Kang withdrew his hand, took a step, and his figure quickly disappeared outside the door.

Then, as if by unspoken understanding, they reached a tacit agreement.

Mouse stood up, walked to Chu Kuanglan's side, didn't say anything, but just patted his shoulder hard as well, then turned and left.

Old Qin followed closely behind and silently patted Chu Kuanglan on the other shoulder.

Lu Jiuyuan sighed softly and, as he walked past Chu Kuanglan, he reached out and pressed his hand on Chu's shoulder.

One by one.

Soon, only Chu Kuanglan remained in the large conference room.

After a few seconds of silence.

"Depend on!!!"

Chu Kuanglan snapped out of his daze and immediately laughed and cursed at the empty doorway.

"Who do you think you are? Just wait, I'll be the first to reach the fourth tier."

The city of Qingjian remains bustling at night.

The cold December wind swept through the streets, swirling up a few withered leaves.

The neon lights continued to flash tirelessly, illuminating the signs of KTVs, food courts, and other establishments along the roadside in a bizarre and dazzling way.

There weren't many pedestrians on the street.

The few who were there seemed to be walking rather hurriedly.

The ghost of fate is about to descend, but as before, nothing will happen.

The credibility of this statement.

It doesn't seem tall to the average person.

At least many people are unwilling to believe it.

So those who should be afraid will still be afraid, while those who overcome their fear will remain fearful.
Or rather, people who want to move on.

They all already have their own plans.

Enroll in a martial arts school, then join the army.
Or perhaps you could watch the movie a few more times to see how the characters kill the killer.

Fang Qingyu was all alone.

Stroll along Central Avenue, the most bustling street in Qingjian City.

He was wearing an unremarkable dark gray hooded sweatshirt, with the hood pulled up, covering half of his face.

My steps finally came to a stop in front of a luxuriously decorated, brightly lit movie theater.

On the huge glass curtain wall.

The walls were covered with grand posters of the same movie.

The most eye-catching one of them took up almost the entire wall.

Ice fields, smoke of gunpowder, and corpses strewn everywhere.

The background is a majestic and menacing outline of a royal court made of piled-up bones.

The central focus of the image is a figure with its back to the viewer and its body slightly turned to the side.

His entire body was enveloped in a dazzling, ever-flowing starlight.

The face was obscured; all that could be seen was that the figure was tightly gripping a starlight-infused blade!
Where the blade struck, the heavens were torn apart.

The movie title is at the bottom of the poster.

Dawn: Oath of the Icefield

And two blood-red slogans:

In the shadows of the world, there is always a group of people silently protecting it!

For the sake of humanity! There is no turning back!!

Even though it's already the seventh day since the film's release.

There was still a fairly long queue outside the cinema.

People with complex emotions on their faces chatted in hushed tones, waiting for their tickets to be checked and them to enter.

Fang Qingyu looked up.

His gaze, hidden beneath the brim of his hat, calmly swept over the image of himself on the poster, which resembled a god descended to earth.

Then it swept past the faces of those waiting in line to enter.

Fang Qingyu slowly lowered his head, his hands tucked into his hoodie pockets.

I instinctively gripped my phone tighter in my pocket.

The screen lit up, and on the Arctic app interface, the bright red countdown was flashing frantically:

【00:00:03】

【00:00:02】

【00:00:01】

【00:00:00】

Zero.

At the very instant the numbers were completely cleared to zero
Above Qingjian City, the night sky, which was originally tinged with a dark red by the city's neon lights and sparsely dotted with a few stars, was now a blurry mess.

Suddenly disappeared.

At first, no one noticed this scene.

After all, it's just a few stars.

And as darkness slowly bowed its head.

When it's clear enough to see.

The queue outside the movie theater instantly erupted into chaos.

Chaos erupted instantly.

Everyone was shouting and began to run away frantically.

Fang Qingyu was the only one standing in the middle of the rushing crowd.

Looking up at the darkness
A ferocious face.

The Ghost of Fate arrived after the Federation had completed its tense preparations.

It officially and directly appeared before all of humanity.