The Entire Population Begins Cultivation

Helu City, Hongfu Tower.

A corner beside the second-floor spiral staircase.

Lin Yi held a Source Energy Crystal in his hand. The source energy within was being slowly drawn out, then flowing along a strange path, struggling yet steadily circulating through his parched meridians. While bringing a tingling sensation akin to the warmth of a winter sun, it silently nourished and strengthened his body.

He sank his consciousness into his body, carefully savoring this long-lost, solid feeling of strength slowly increasing. The faint roars and explosions in the distance seemed to be isolated in another world.

This process of focusing on his own strengthening was one of the few moments Lin Yi could feel at ease during his struggle for survival in his past life.

Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps approached.

"Brother Yi, quick! Look at this!"

Chen Yu's face was flushed red with excitement. He practically lunged in front of Lin Yi and shoved his phone over.

Lin Yi was forcibly pulled out of his cultivation state.

The feeling was like... well... regardless, it was slightly unpleasant.

However, looking at the light mixed with ecstasy and hope in Chen Yu's eyes, he swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

Forget it... I'll tell him next time that one shouldn't shout like that while someone else is cultivating...

It's lucky it was me. If it were a novice with poor control over source energy, having their attention distracted like that would have caused them to lose control of the energy flow in the crystal. While it wouldn't cause serious injury, wasting a crystal would be inevitable.

Lin Yi complained slightly in his heart before taking the phone.

What met his eyes was the familiar official website of the Emergency Center, but unlike the lonely link from before, it was now suddenly filled with content.

There were dense, formal official notices, as well as many concise yet highly impactful images.

And those images were precisely the photos of the Abyssal Beasts known so far, with labels like "Abyssal Beast - Corrosive Abyss Wolf" clearly marked underneath.

Lin Yi's heart skipped a beat, and his gaze swept rapidly downward.

[...Following a decision by the Supreme Command, the "Spark" Survivor Shelter Plan is officially launched, effective immediately...]

[...Based on existing intelligence and analysis, the invading creatures from the different dimension are officially named "Abyssal Beasts." Their nests are temporarily classified into six levels based on energy reaction intensity and the overall threat level of the Abyssal Beasts: Micro, Small, Medium, Large, Giant, and Main Nest...]

[...Attached are the characteristics of each nest level, a schematic diagram of estimated territory ranges, and a guide for identifying relatively safe "Gap Zones"...]

[...Attached is the full text of the Basic Source Energy Guidance Technique, a summary video, and a video tutorial for the first part...]

[...Survivors far from established settlements are advised, provided their absolute safety is ensured, to cautiously assess risks and choose an opportune time to head to the nearest nest Gap Zone to wait for rescue or proceed on their own to the nearest settlement to seek shelter...]

[...All military and local armed forces will fully organize search, rescue, and transfer operations for survivors, covering fellow citizens as they move toward settlements...]

[...All fellow citizens must hurry to save and record relevant information. Those sheltering in groups should conserve phone battery, using them in turns when necessary. Power, communications, and the internet will be completely interrupted in the short term...]

Every word was like a heavy hammer striking Lin Yi's heart.

He couldn't help but hold his breath.

This... how is this possible?!

Even with Lin Yi's temperament, he was momentarily stunned.

Because the official response was vastly different from his memories of the past life.

In his past life, the first few days after the disaster broke out were pure, hellish chaos.

The massive official war machine was constantly bleeding while trying to defend vital strategic nodes, completely unable to attend to or effectively contact civilians scattered in every corner.

It wasn't until three days after the disaster that the radio signals intermittently broadcasted the locations of a few large "Safe Zones," calling for survivors to head there on their own.

There were no detailed nest distribution maps, no clear concept of "Gap Zones," and certainly no release of the full text of the Basic Source Energy Guidance Technique.

As for organized military search and rescue?

After the initial troop strength was heavily depleted in the battles for strategic nodes, that was more of a pipe dream.

However, Lin Yi could understand.

The authorities at that time didn't want to abandon people, but they were truly powerless, forced to make cruel trade-offs, prioritizing the preservation of the last sparks of civilization and core military strength.

But now?!

How much time has passed?

Counting it all up, from the outbreak of the disaster to now, it has only been half a day.

It isn't even dark outside yet!

Not only did the authorities establish a threat assessment system with astonishing efficiency, name the Abyssal Beasts, figure out the basic laws of nest territories, and draw detailed "Gap Zone" maps, but they also announced the organization of large-scale search and rescue and the establishment of so many settlements?

This efficiency, this decision-making, this boldness... it was a world of difference from the tragic and helpless struggle of his past life!

"But... why?"

After the massive shock, Lin Yi thought rapidly in his heart.

Why?

Why is there such a huge deviation between this life and the past?

"Could it be... that video of mine?"

Lin Yi pondered back and forth, feeling that the only variable was that video of his.

In his previous life, as a high-ranking official, Lin Yi had naturally reviewed the archives regarding the official initial response.

The authorities had obtained the crystal containing the Basic Source Energy Guidance Technique early on, but the information inside only consisted of abstract cultivation paths and energy sensing methods, with no clear descriptions of its power manifestation or practical combat value.

At the critical juncture of human civilization's survival, facing a completely unknown and seemingly "ethereal" path of individual strengthening, the high-level decision-makers could naturally not gamble the fate of the nation and the lives of countless soldiers and civilians on it at the very first moment.

Therefore, the highest leadership had no choice but to grit their teeth and engage in a two-front war.

On one hand, they invested top-tier resources into attempting to decipher and learn this "Source Energy Guidance Technique" to see if this so-called source energy cultivation and source energy technology was a true delicacy or a poisonous bait. On the other hand, they spared no cost to fight for the strategic nodes they deemed vital.

In the end, they fell into a quagmire of attrition, suffered heavy losses, and missed the initial golden window of opportunity.

But in this life, things had changed.

His video seemed to have injected a shot of adrenaline into the highest leadership, showing them a brand-new, feasible, and perhaps even more suitable path of strengthening and combat mode for the new era, following the collapse of the traditional industrial system.

"What... incredible courage!"

Even as the initiator, Lin Yi could not help but feel a surge of heartfelt admiration for the current decision-makers in his heart.

To make a strategic shift that affected the entire fate of the nation based on just a single video in such a short time required immense decisiveness and sense of responsibility.

This was done while bearing the pressure of potentially becoming a sinner who caused the downfall of the nation and the extinction of the race if even the slightest mistake were made.

Putting himself in their shoes, Lin Yi felt he could not have done it.

"Li Zhenguo... no wonder you people always kept this in mind..."

In his previous life, when he had risen to the upper echelons, he often heard the elders gather together and sigh at the chaotic situation, "If only Commander Li were still here... if he were here, this would never have happened..."

It was said that this iron-blooded Commander, who possessed immense prestige and could hold all factions in check, had fallen ill from worry and indignation due to the rapidly deteriorating situation and the shocking casualty figures during the early stages of the apocalypse, and had passed away shortly thereafter.

Although his successors had also tried their best, they could never command the same level of prestige, courage, and strategic decisiveness, leading to many correct decisions in the middle and later stages failing due to internal bickering or poor execution, and making it difficult for various factions to be effectively coordinated.

If it was Li Zhenguo who had made the decision after seeing the video, overriding all objections... then everything made perfect sense.

Perhaps only he could possess such prestige and courage to make such a earth-shattering decision when the weight of the world was pressing down upon them.

"Brother Yi, look here, there's the full text of the Source Energy Guidance Technique, and your teaching video is attached at the end! There's also an introductory explanation video."

Chen Yu did not notice the turbulent thoughts in Lin Yi's mind at all, and he excitedly poked the phone screen with his finger.

"I actually managed to understand the introductory video just now! Uh... I don't mean you didn't explain it well, it's just that the old man is too amazing..."

"..."

Lin Yi helplessly patted Chen Yu.

"He is definitely an expert in teaching; it's only natural that he explains it better than I do."

He didn't take it to heart; everyone has their own area of expertise, and an academician teaching elementary school students math might not necessarily be more effective than a senior elementary school math teacher.

Compared to Chen Yu's excitement about learning the opening of the guidance technique, Lin Yi was more concerned about the impact this would have.

"The era of global source energy cultivation is about to begin..."

Lin Yi reached this conclusion after only a brief moment of thought.

Because the decision made by Li Zhenguo would affect more than just the Xia Country.

It would affect the entire world!

With the sudden arrival of the apocalyptic crisis, countries around the world would naturally communicate frequently to discuss countermeasures and share information.

Just as the reason the Xia Country didn't consider using high-yield nuclear weapons again was because the Ross Federation had already test-fired two on a remote ice sheet, with little effect.

Although many low-to-mid-level Abyssal Beasts were killed, the high-level Abyssal Beasts were almost unaffected, and their nests also seemed to be illusory, ignoring the nuclear attacks.

This time, the Xia Country had suddenly made a major strategic adjustment and even made the complete Source Energy Guidance Technique public; it was hard to say that other countries would remain unaffected.

After all, in their eyes, the East wouldn't act without a reason.

Although they might not immediately believe that a decision was changed just because of a video, and would assume there were deeper, undisclosed reasons, they were already in such a mess that they might as well just follow along and learn.

In Lin Yi's view, publicly releasing the source energy cultivation methods in advance was absolutely a great thing with only benefits and no drawbacks.

Compared to his previous life, where network communications were cut off and one had to rely on risking their life to kill Abyssal Beasts to obtain crystals to learn the Source Energy Guidance Technique, this was now essentially a free handout, available with a single click.

Moreover, it came with a general outline and introductory teaching, which greatly lowered the barrier to entry.