News Broadcast! A Sensation!

That afternoon.

An extremely brief announcement swept across the internet.

Every major official media outlet in Dragon Country simultaneously pinned a red-header notice to its homepage.

[Tonight at seven, News Broadcast will announce a major national policy. All citizens are urged to watch!]

The fewer the words, the bigger the matter.

That single short sentence instantly seized the top spot on every social platform's trending list.

Online servers were completely overloaded.

On every major forum, netizens frantically refreshed their pages.

"Holy shit!"

"I haven't seen this kind of spectacle in decades!"

"This definitely has something to do with the Beast Tide livestream from a few days ago!"

"My uncle works for a government agency. I heard the country's going to release cultivation techniques!"

"..."

Unofficial rumors flew everywhere.

Some people were terrified, while others were ecstatic.

Imperial Capital.

Inner-city family residential compound.

Lin Xiaoxiao held her phone and sat cross-legged on the leather sofa.

She stared at the countdown on the screen, her big eyes brimming with excitement.

"Dad, Mom, stop what you're doing!"

"It's almost seven! Brother is definitely going to be on TV!"

Lin Jianguo wiped the water from his hands.

He quickly walked over to the television and sat down ramrod straight.

Zhang Hui brought over a plate of sliced fruit as well, her gaze locked tightly onto the screen.

They knew exactly what their son was capable of.

But appearing on the nation's highest-level news program was a matter that brought glory to the whole family.

At the same time.

The evening rush hour across the country vanished as if by miracle.

The streets that were normally packed with people were now completely deserted.

Street food stalls, mall displays, subway television screens.

Every screen capable of lighting up was tuned to the same channel.

At exactly seven in the evening.

The familiar opening theme began right on time.

The host's solemn face appeared on-screen.

There was none of the usual polite introduction or small talk.

The host went straight to the point, his voice steady and forceful.

"Good evening, fellow citizens."

"More than ten days ago, Blue Star underwent a drastic change."

"Spiritual Energy fully revived, and countless animals experienced bloodline mutations, becoming bloodthirsty Ferocious Beasts."

These words directly defined the unrest of the past few days.

Official confirmation!

The entire internet instantly exploded as countless people hammered away at their keyboards.

"It really is Spiritual Energy Revival!"

"I knew it! The stray cat downstairs from my home suddenly grew fangs!"

The clamor online could not reach the broadcast studio.

The host continued his report, his expression extremely grave.

"At present."

"Large numbers of mutated Ferocious Beasts occupy the wilderness."

"The danger level is extremely high."

"The authorities solemnly urge all citizens not to enter forests or mountains blindly!"

"If you discover any abnormal creature, please call the police immediately. The military will handle the situation."

The footage changed.

Several genuine recordings of the military clearing out Ferocious Beasts began playing.

Bloody and savage.

Pet dogs that had once been gentle now had protruding fangs.

Viewers before their screens all swallowed unconsciously.

Ordinary people had no right even to resist in the face of such monsters.

But that was only the appetizer.

The host's tone lowered. The screen turned black and white, and mournful music began to play.

"Seven days ago."

"Seven unprecedented Beast Tides erupted within Dragon Country."

"To protect the peace of our nation, Dragon Country's soldiers stepped forward and fought to the death without retreating."

"Zhang Tian, lieutenant, fell at the Changbai Mountain Defense Line."

"Li Hai, major, fell at the Taihang Mountains Defense Line."

"..."

One vivid name after another scrolled down the screen like a waterfall.

"Across the seven major defense lines."

"Our military suffered a total of fourteen thousand, eight hundred and fifteen deaths!"

"More than thirty-eight thousand were seriously wounded or permanently disabled!"

The host's eyes reddened, and his voice trembled faintly.

The moment that figure was announced, the whole country fell silent.

The once-frenzied online comments instantly disappeared.

No one made jokes at a time like this.

More than fifty thousand casualties had bought peace and prosperity for the inland cities.

"How could there be any peaceful years?"

"It is only because someone carries the burden for us."

A single comment drifted across the screen.

Then.

Countless candle emojis flooded the display.

"All citizens, please observe three minutes of silence."

The image on the television froze on a flag flying at half-mast in the wind.

Inside a conference room at the Martial Arts Research Institute.

Lin Yuan stood by the window, gazing into the distant night sky.

His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned pale.

More than fourteen thousand people.

They were not cold numbers, but men who had bled out their final drop of blood for their country and their homes.

Su Qingxue stood behind him, her eyes lowered slightly.

In her previous life, Dragon Country had suffered casualties in the millions during this disaster.

In this life, because of Lin Yuan and the preparations made in advance, the losses had already been reduced to the minimum.

Yet the pain remained just as real.

Three minutes were both long and short.

When color returned to the screen, the host's gaze became incomparably sharp.

"The dead are gone, but the living must carry on."

"Their blood must never be shed in vain!"

"With the approval of the Supreme Headquarters, several officers and soldiers will be commended today!"

"Major Ye Qingshan!"

"At the Mount Wuyi Defense Line, he killed one Second-Tier Stage Ferocious Beast and hundreds of First Order Ferocious Beasts!"

"He is hereby exceptionally promoted to—lieutenant colonel!"

On-screen.

Ye Qingshan wore a crisp military uniform and raised his hand in salute.

"Holy shit!"

"He soloed a Second-Tier Stage Ferocious Beast? That's insane!"

"This guy is definitely a War God!"

The netizens' emotions were quickly ignited.

Then.

"Major Chu Tiankuo... promoted to lieutenant colonel!"

"Major Xiao Zhan... promoted to lieutenant colonel!"

One gifted martial artist after another, each of whom had shone brilliantly during the livestreams, received commendations in succession.

Every name announced came with a string of dazzling achievements.

The people before their screens were fired up with passion.

These were Dragon Country's new generation of guardian deities!

Foreign netizens who had climbed over the firewall watched with reddened eyes.

Their own nations' armies had been beaten back step by step by Ferocious Beasts, while Dragon Country already had superhumans capable of slaying monsters alone.

That enormous disparity plunged the foreign internet into dead silence.

However.

The main event had only just begun.

The host's voice suddenly rose, carrying an uncontrollable fervor.

"Colonel Su Qingxue!"

"At the Taihang Mountains Defense Line, she killed three Second-Tier Stage Ferocious Beasts and more than a thousand First Order Ferocious Beasts!"

"With the approval of the Supreme Headquarters, she is promoted to—major general!"

Boom!

The internet completely exploded.

"Major general?"

"A major general this young?!"

"A valkyrie! She must be the reincarnation of a valkyrie!"

"She killed over a thousand Ferocious Beasts. Is she even human?"

The moment Su Qingxue's cool, beautiful face appeared on-screen, she instantly captured countless hearts.

But after the overwhelming shock.

Everyone realized one thing.

Su Qingxue had only killed three Second-Tier Stage Ferocious Beasts.

Then what about that fierce warrior at the Shu Capital Defense Line, the one who had single-handedly torn through the Beast Tide?

The host did not keep them waiting for long.

The massive screen displayed the breathtaking footage of Lin Yuan charging forward with his spear.

"Colonel Lin Yuan!"

"At the Shu Capital Defense Line, he fought a Peak Second-Order Stage Ferocious Beast alone!"

"He killed dozens of Second-Tier Stage Ferocious Beasts and more than ten thousand First Order Ferocious Beasts!"

"With his strength alone, he shattered a Beast Tide of one hundred and fifty thousand!"

"With the approval of the Supreme Headquarters, he is promoted to—major general!"

When the host announced that name, his voice nearly broke.

At that moment.

It was as though the entirety of Dragon Country had been struck by a massive earthquake.

More than ten thousand kills!

One man breaking an army!

This was not something a human could accomplish. This was a god living in the present age!

"God Lin!"

"Please accept my kneel!"

"What kind of monster is this? My hands shake when I kill a chicken!"

"Slayer of Ten Thousand Beasts! Now that's a real man!"

The comments packed the screen so densely that they completely obscured the image.

Imperial Capital family compound.

Lin Jianguo's hand suddenly trembled, and the water in his teacup spilled onto his pant leg.

But he did not even notice it.

He stared fixedly at his son's resolute face on the television, his eyes red-rimmed.

Zhang Hui covered her mouth, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.

"My brother is a general now?"

"This isn't a dream—my brother really is a general!"

Lin Xiaoxiao pinched her own cheek so hard that she bared her teeth in pain.

She jumped excitedly on the sofa.

This was peacetime—a major general under thirty!

And not just any major general, but a battle-tested rising star who had fought his way up through real bloodshed!

Lin Xiaoxiao's phone vibrated frantically.

Her class group chat had already exploded.

Everyone was wildly @-mentioning her, asking whether that badass was really her older brother.

Lin Xiaoxiao proudly raised her chin and directly replied with a smug meme.

The television broadcast cut back to the studio.

The host composed herself after her excitement.

"To address the crises of the future, the nation has decided to establish the Martial Arts Research Institute!"

"Elder Zhan will personally serve as its highest-ranking official!"

"Top martial artists and scientists from across the country will be assembled to jointly study martial arts and spiritual energy!"

This announcement once again detonated the entire internet.

Who was Elder Zhan?

The fact that he was personally taking command was enough to demonstrate how seriously the nation regarded martial arts.

"At the same time."

"Major General Su Qingxue will serve as a special advisor to the Martial Arts Research Institute."

"Major General Lin Yuan will serve as commander-in-chief of the Martial Arts Research Institute's Special Action Team!"

Commander-in-chief of the Special Action Team!

The weight of that title was even greater than that of major general.

It meant that all martial arts cultivation within Dragon Country's military would have to follow Lin Yuan's arrangements.

Lin Yuan's name had already been engraved at the pinnacle of the martial artist pyramid.

But the most insane news was always saved for last.

The host looked directly into the camera, enunciating every word.

"By resolution of the highest leadership."

"Starting today, Dragon Country will officially make the Basic Breathing Technique public!"

"At ten o'clock tomorrow morning."

"All Dragon Country citizens, regardless of gender or age."

"May use their ID cards to log into the Martial Arts Research Institute's official website and claim it for free!"

Silence.

A deathly silence.

The entire internet seemed to have been hit with a pause button.

A full ten seconds passed.

Then, like an erupting volcano, a frenzy of passion completely flooded every social platform.

"Cultivation for everyone?"

"The country is handing out cultivation techniques!"

"I can be a great hero too?"

"I won't sleep tonight—I'm camping in front of my computer!"

"Dragon Country is awesome! No regrets entering China in this life!"

"..."

This was a true transformation of the nation's fate!

No hoarding, no privilege.

As long as one was from Dragon Country, one had a chance to step onto the path of the Transcendent Realm.

Meanwhile, foreign netizens completely lost their minds.

Massive numbers of protest letters flooded their own governments' official websites.

They demanded that their countries immediately buy Breathing Methods from Dragon Country, or they would strike and take to the streets.

The world's balance of power was completely reshuffled overnight.