I chose the safe house, and the Human Alliance regretted it.

These "seeds" of the Dragon Kingdom acted like onlookers, commenting and discussing the "trade terms" of the disaster.

These people are not worried about the final outcome at all.

These "seeds" believe that whether the alliance agrees or not will not affect them.

The young people chatting and playing in the square created a stark contrast with the outside world.

As time passed, darkness fell over the capital.

But the oppressive feeling only intensified after nightfall.

The controversy within the base not only failed to subside, but intensified.

Most people stood firmly on Chen Junjie's side and resolutely disagreed with exchanging the prophet for thirty years of peace.

But at some point, a group of "rational" people inexplicably appeared in the base.

A middle-aged man in a gray jacket cleared his throat. "Everyone, calm down and listen to me."

People around him turned to look at him.

"If the prophet cannot resolve this beast tide crisis, and we do not agree to the terms of the deal, it means the extinction of all humanity! This is not the time to act impulsively—"

"What do you mean?" someone immediately interrupted him, their voice filled with anger. "Are you saying the prophet can't solve it?"

"I didn't say that." The middle-aged man raised his hands, assuming a "I'm just stating the facts" posture. "I'm just saying 'what if.' I don't need to elaborate on what would happen to all of humanity if the prophet couldn't deal with the beast tide, do I?"

"We must believe in the Prophet!" an old woman cried out, her voice trembling. "When has the Prophet ever let us down?"

"That's right! The prophet will surely think of a way!"

"Believe in the prophet!"

The surrounding crowd was outraged, and waves of shouts rose and fell.

The middle-aged man was engulfed in a shower of spittle, a hint of unease flashing across his face.

He took a deep breath, intending to continue his "objective analysis"—

A voice rang out from behind the crowd.

"If the prophet truly can't help us... should we die together?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire underground base fell silent.

No one dared to say it aloud.

Meanwhile, in a quiet little building in the capital, Chen Junjie was resting in a private room.

The outside world was in an uproar over him, but he remained calm and closed his eyes to rest as if nothing had happened.

His breathing was steady, and his expression was calm, showing no signs of anxiety or fear.

"Thump, thump, thump—"

A knock sounded on the door, neither hurried nor slow.

Chen Junjie opened his eyes: "Come in."

Dewey pushed open the door and walked in.

He stood at the door, looking at Chen Junjie's calm face, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"I didn't expect the prophet to be so calm." Dewey closed the door and walked to the window.

Chen Junjie smiled slightly. "Isn't it just trading my life for thirty years of peace for humanity?"

Dewey's pupils contracted slightly.

"Too many people have died since the catastrophe," Chen Junjie said softly. "I can buy humanity thirty years, and die a worthy death."

Dewey stood there, stunned.

He opened his mouth, but his throat felt like it was blocked by something.

After a long pause, Dewey finally managed to squeeze out a few words: "You mean... disasters will abide by the contract?"

Chen Junjie looked at him calmly: "Didn't you come here specifically for this question?"

Dewey fell silent.

He did have that idea.

Moreover, this is also the intention of the entire alliance.

The alliance cannot agree to this because it is uncertain whether the calamity beasts will keep their promise.

They need a definitive answer.

An answer that only a prophet could provide.

Dewey just didn't expect Chen Junjie to tell him so directly.

"You...aren't you afraid of death?" Dewey asked a question he already knew the answer to.

"I'm afraid," Chen Junjie answered without hesitation. "I'm afraid of dying, and even more afraid of dying in a meaningless way."

Dewey took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Chen Junjie.

Thank you.

After saying that, he turned and walked out of the room.

The door closed gently behind me, and the footsteps faded into the distance.

Chen Junjie was the only one left in the room.

He closed his eyes again.

After a long while, he opened his eyes, stared at the ceiling, and let out a barely audible murmur:

"Prophet...with you here, humanity will not perish. Fortunately...I am an imposter."

Chen Junjie let out a breath and revealed a relieved smile.

This false prophet has amassed so much honor and the admiration and love of countless people that it's enough to save his life.

It's worth it.

However, he is also waiting for an answer.

With just over two days left, what choices will the alliance and the people he saved make?

Dragon Kingdom, deep in the Hengduan Mountains, a research base a thousand meters underground.

Several people were sitting in a meeting room at the base.

Dean Zhang sat at the head of the table, his hands crossed on the table.

To his left is Lao Zhou, the head of the crystal rune research group, and to his right is Lao Sun, the head of the traditional martial arts research group.

Wang Teng and some young researchers sat in the corner.

Dean Zhang cleared his throat lightly: "What are your thoughts on this deal?"

After he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

Old Zhou lowered his head, while Old Sun leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.

The young researchers looked at each other, but none of them spoke.

"Your research is one of China's trump cards," Dean Zhang's voice turned serious. "It concerns the survival of humanity. You must provide an answer."

Old Zhou and Old Sun exchanged a glance, both looking hesitant to speak.

Just then, Wang Teng suddenly stood up.

"Sealing runes and amplification runes are now ready for mass production and use!" His voice was loud, carrying the youthful vigor unique to him. "We can confront the alien beasts head-on!"

A young researcher from the traditional martial arts team also stood up: "Although we haven't figured out the principle yet, our current research results can increase the power of supernatural abilities by at least 60%!"

Dean Zhang nodded slightly, but his gaze passed over them and landed on Old Zhou and Old Sun.

Old Zhou gritted his teeth and finally spoke: "We need time!"

He paused for a moment before continuing:

"If we truly have thirty years, we are confident we can mass-produce offensive runes! By then, humanity will no longer be on the defensive. But with what we have now, even if we win, it will be a pyrrhic victory—the number of deaths will be immeasurable!"

His voice trembled slightly.

Old Sun nodded, his voice low and deep: "Death is death, but I won't rest until I figure out the secrets of traditional martial arts!"

There was a fire in his eyes, a scholar's dedication to the unknown.

Dean Zhang's expression shifted slightly, and he tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.

Of all the research projects at the entire research base, the one he cares about most is the research on traditional martial arts!

Although the crystal runes are also quite bizarre, the crystal fragments are most likely foreign objects.

But traditional martial arts are different; they have been passed down from generation to generation in the Dragon Kingdom for thousands of years.

After a moment, Dean Zhang stood up.

"Why?" Dean Zhang muttered to himself.

"Why do the things left behind by the Dragon Kingdom a thousand years ago perfectly correspond to the supernatural abilities that appeared after the cataclysm?"

"Did our ancestors foresee all of this, or... was this just how the world was always...?"