A new era

"Yes... there's a very high probability that one of the mirage scenes shows Zhang Ming, the trapped survivor our team is responsible for."

"The others are harder to identify. They may be survivors from various places."

"Countries all over the world have people trapped in the mysterious zones."

After receiving an important phone call, Comrade Li Xianfeng of the Special Affairs Department hurried to a special room to attend a video conference.

The large screen displayed high-definition images of the mirages in the sky.

Every detail, every frame, had been recorded with perfect clarity.

"The sixteen mirage scenes come from the four major mysterious zones. Approximately 4,365 people are trapped inside."

"The scene with the most people shows a large luxury cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, carrying roughly three thousand passengers."

"This cruise ship has lost its satellite connection. For some unknown reason, it has appeared in the mirages."

"The scene with the fewest people shows an airline passenger stranded on a deserted island. He was the sole survivor of the plane crash."

"The images being refracted are extremely bizarre. The coconuts are as big as water vats, and the trees stand a hundred meters tall."

Li Xianfeng reported their findings during the video conference. "This man should be the survivor Zhang Ming. We estimate that the mirage scenes are delayed rather than being broadcast live."

What had happened to this world?

The global earthquakes had already left governments scrambling. Now the mysterious zones, mirages, and other inexplicable wonders had raised countless questions.

The military was searching for information about aliens, but so far had made no headway.

As for whether the United States, across the ocean, was behind it, the Americans simply lacked that level of technology. Only if they had suddenly acquired advanced technology from the Topsiders could they have caused such widespread earthquakes and mirages.

Besides, the other side of the Pacific Ocean had clearly been struck by earthquakes as well. Surely the people of the United States were not deranged enough to attack themselves.

As for explanations involving the Jade Emperor or God... could there actually be something to them?

Another expert spoke up to explain. "The scenes in the sky are indeed mirages. Altering the density and humidity of the air would be enough to disrupt them."

"But these mirages have appeared simultaneously in multiple regions around the globe. Disrupting them in just one region would accomplish little."

"Tens of millions, perhaps even hundreds of millions, may have seen these scenes. There's already extensive discussion online, with people claiming that... spiritual energy has returned..."

Li Xianfeng looked at the large screen.

Naturally, some citizens of Great Xia were trapped in the mysterious zones.

Among the cruise ship's three thousand or so passengers, for instance, were dozens of tourists from Great Xia.

Then there was Zhang Ming, the island castaway whose case he was primarily responsible for. The man was crying and laughing at the sky, his face filled with wild joy.

Li Xianfeng's heart lurched as a thought struck him. Could he have... gone mad?

What am I supposed to do if he's gone mad?!

Faced with such an enormous disaster, a complete mental breakdown was hardly unlikely.

Everyone aboard an entire plane had died except him, and now he had to contend with a mysterious island.

However one looked at it, this castaway's situation was far too grim.

In the other scenes, some people were actually breathing fire, while others were floating in midair.

Others had suddenly developed incredible strength, leaping more than ten meters into the air-far beyond the limits of an ordinary human.

Superpowers... could these people have developed superpowers? Li Xianfeng frowned at the thought.

Someone else asked, "How should we handle public opinion? If these scenes are real, what would that mean?"

An elderly man said slowly, "Since too many people already know, and we can't conceal the scenes in the sky, there's no need to do too much to steer public opinion. Rather than wasting our energy on a thankless task, we'd be better off allocating enough personnel to rescue people in the earthquake-stricken areas and ensuring that information and supplies keep flowing."

"Food in particular-we must ensure an adequate supply!

"Crack down hard on hoarding and profiteering!"

He paused for a long moment. "Superpowers... as for the scenes in the mirages... if they're real, they may mean that a new era is coming!"

As night fell, the mirages finally vanished after lingering for more than half an hour.

But on a planet, it was always dusk somewhere.

And so these wondrous mirages appeared again elsewhere.

The internet had long since erupted, with independent content creators spreading their wild guesses as though eager to stir up chaos.

"Global earthquakes! Hawaii engulfed by a tsunami!"

"Shocking! Mysterious mirages spread across the globe!"

"It must be a United States conspiracy!"

"The Mayan prophecy says the apocalypse has arrived. Today is the first day of the end of the world!"

"Aliens are using sophons to destroy Earth"

"Earth has fallen from a three-dimensional world into two-dimensional space"

"We're living in a novel!"

Someone commented below, "Oh, please. It's the end of the world every year. But today's earthquakes really were widespread. Even cities outside earthquake zones felt the shaking. My whole family has pitched a tent in the yard to sleep in. We're terrified the house might suddenly collapse."

"Earthquake reinforcement for your home! Special offer: one thousand yuan per square meter."

"Is that reinforcement of yours guaranteed to work?"

"I only have one question: if the building collapses, do I still have to pay the mortgage?"

"Go stay at a city shelter."

These so-called city shelters were mostly open-air public spaces such as playgrounds, stadiums, and parks.

City governments had put up simple sheet-metal shelters, prefab cabins, or just outdoor tents, providing food at regular intervals so disaster victims would not starve.

About half an hour later, an important news item titled "Investigation Report on the Mirages and Global Earthquakes" appeared on major web portals, pinning both the earthquakes and the mirages on the so-called "mysterious zones."

Whatever the case, the public needed an explanation for the earthquakes and their devastating impact.

As for whether the scenes in the mirages were real, and what exactly was happening.

The report remained vague, avoiding any definitive claims.

The report concluded by calling on everyone to focus on the present. The stock and property markets had crashed, the world economy was paralyzed, and the global order would be reshaped. Only by exercising human initiative could they fight for their future amid a transformation unprecedented in ten thousand years!

Of course, ideas that were far too lofty and far-reaching

were not something most people particularly cared about.

Plenty of people were willing to donate. Billionaires gave lavishly, while ordinary heroes transported supplies on tricycles and motorcycles. Others entertained themselves to the bitter end, treating the sight of people trapped in the mysterious zones as another excuse for a carnival.

Moreover, the emergence of "superpowers" sent internet users into a frenzy of delight.

"One in ten! One in ten people in the mysterious zones has developed superpowers!"

(PS: Starting tomorrow, updates will be posted at eight p.m. sharp!)