Extraterrestrial demons invaded; I laid the groundwork eight years in advance.

Press conference site

Li Zhou pointed to a female reporter in the middle of the first row.

"Mr. Li Zhou, I am a reporter from the *China Daily*. Could you please tell me the effects of cultivating these three techniques? How long would it take an ordinary person to reach the ninth level of the Apprentice stage?"

"Cultivation speed varies from person to person, depending on aptitude and effort. According to Dawn's training data, under the current conditions, an ordinary person can reach the ninth level of the Apprentice realm in about a year by persisting in cultivation. Those with excellent aptitude will reach it faster, while those with poor aptitude will take longer."

"But I want to emphasize—as long as you persist in your training, everyone can become stronger. This is not the privilege of a few geniuses."

For his second question, Li Zhou pointed to a blond, blue-eyed foreign journalist: "I'm a reporter from the International Herald Daily. Are these exercises suitable for everyone? Will the effects differ depending on the individual's physical condition?"

"Applicable." Li Zhou's tone was very certain. "The design principles of the three cultivation methods are based on the basic laws of spiritual energy circulation, making them suitable for all humans to cultivate, regardless of race or bloodline."

"However, it should be noted that different people have different physiques and aptitudes, so the effects of cultivation will also vary. Moreover, each person is naturally more suited to a certain path. Of course, the choice of path is something that comes after the apprentice level. The apprentice stage of all three paths only requires tempering the physical body and laying a solid foundation."

For the third question, Li Zhou pointed to a male reporter wearing glasses: "Mr. Li Zhou, I'm a reporter from the *Shanghai Metropolitan Daily*. After the Bureau released the information yesterday, there has been some panic in society. Some people are worried that monsters will invade the city on a large scale, while others are worried that ordinary people are no match for the monsters. What's your opinion?"

Li Zhou remained silent for a moment.

"Panic is normal. Everyone is afraid when faced with an unknown and powerful enemy. But I want to tell everyone—panic solves nothing. The tens of thousands of members of the Dawn Organization faced tens of thousands of monsters during the first large-scale invasion, but they did not back down. Now that the cultivation method has been revealed, you also have the opportunity to become stronger. Not to become the Dawn, but to become your own shield."

He paused.

"Panic won't make monsters retreat, but fists will."

The hall was quiet for a moment, then scattered applause broke out, which quickly turned into a continuous burst of applause.

For the fourth question, Li Zhou called on a female reporter.

"Mr. Li Zhou, I'm a reporter from the online media outlet 'Blue Observer.' You just mentioned that in the current environment, an ordinary person can reach the ninth level of the Apprentice realm after a year of cultivation. Before the spiritual energy revived, how did the members of Dawn cultivate to the point where they could fight against demons?"

Li Zhou glanced at her and nodded.

"The members of Dawn have been preparing for this for many years."

He paused.

"At that time, spiritual energy had not fully recovered, and the concentration of spiritual energy in the world was extremely thin. Their training intensity was unattainable for ordinary people. They would get up at five o'clock every morning, do weighted cross-country running, combat training, and live-fire simulations, day after day, year-round without rest."

"In addition, we have been developing supplementary drugs to help members recover their bodies and replenish their energy more quickly after high-intensity training."

He lowered his voice a little.

"Therefore, the distance you can cover in a year took them many years to complete. You have spiritual energy to draw upon, but they only have flesh and blood."

The fifth question came from a middle-aged male reporter who stood up: "Mr. Li Zhou, I'm a reporter from Oriental News Network. Is the Dawn Organization still recruiting? Is there any opportunity for ordinary people to join?"

A slight smile appeared on Li Zhou's lips.

"Hiring. Dawn is always hiring. But the requirements are very high—not only qualifications, but also character and willpower. If you think you meet the requirements, you can submit an application through the Dawn Group's official website. But I want to remind everyone—Dawn is not a shortcut to fame, but a path to war and protection. Joining Dawn means that your life no longer belongs to you alone."

The Q&A session lasted for nearly an hour. Li Zhou answered dozens of questions, including details about cultivation methods, the levels of demons, predictions of future invasions, and the cooperation model between Dawn Group and the Administration Bureau.

His answers were crisp and to the point, without any bureaucratic jargon or platitudes; every sentence was as firm as a nail driven into the ground.

Finally, an elderly reporter with graying hair stood up, his voice soft but clear: "Mr. Li Zhou, I'm a reporter for the *Global Observer*, and I've been doing journalism for thirty years. I want to ask a question that I probably shouldn't ask—what was the creator you mentioned after?"

The hall fell silent.

  

Li Zhou looked at him and remained silent for a few seconds.

"He...didn't want anything." Li Zhou's voice softened. "He could have cultivated on his own and become the strongest after the spiritual energy recovered. He could have stood on this stage, receiving the world's attention. He could have had everything. But he chose another path—a path where everyone can become extraordinary. What did he want?"

Li Zhou shook his head.

"He doesn't seek fame, fortune, or power. What he wants is for the world to remain the same in the years to come: for children to run and play in the sunshine, for couples to stroll hand in hand through crowds, and for parents to reunite with their children under the lamplight. What he wants is for you not to know who he is."

The hall was completely silent.

Li Zhou took a step back and bowed slightly.

"This concludes today's press conference. The three cultivation methods and related materials will be uploaded to the Dawn Group's official website and the Administration Bureau's official website in ten minutes, and will be available for free download worldwide. Thank you all."

He turned around and stepped down from the podium.

The sound of camera shutters clicking filled the air.

Second floor lounge.

Li Zhou pushed open the door and leaned against the wall.

He recalled Shen Bai's face. Twenty-four years old, seven years younger than him. That young man had spent years preparing everything, yet chose to stand behind the scenes, letting others take the spotlight.

Li Zhou closed his eyes and contacted Shen Bai in his mind: "Sir, the press conference is over. It went very smoothly."

A moment later, Shen Bai's voice rang in his mind, saying only three words: "You've worked hard."

Upon hearing those three words, Li Zhou remained silent for a moment, then opened his eyes, straightened his tie, and pushed open the door to walk out of the lounge.

Downstairs in the lobby, reporters were still engaged in a lively discussion. Some had already opened the Shuguang Group's official website on their phones and were refreshing the download page. Others were doing live broadcasts, rapidly explaining the content of the press conference. Still others were scribbling furiously in their notebooks.

The sunlight outside the window was perfect, shining brightly on the floor of the hall.

Li Zhou turned and walked towards the elevator.

He knew that from this day forward, the world would be completely different.

An extraordinary wave belonging to everyone will sweep the globe.

The era in which mortals can become gods has begun.