A little earlier.
After Zhang Tianyuan left with the others, Bai Xu did not hesitate. While everyone was still reeling, he drove the loudspeaker truck that had played music for the Darkseekers and given them an artistic education during their tour of the city over to the gathering, climbed onto its roof, and began to speak:
"Everyone, don't worry!"
"We belong to the Parallel Spacetime Mutual Aid Society First Branch. After learning about the crisis in your spacetime, we came here from another spacetime through a Spacetime Tunnel specifically to help you!"
After briefly introducing himself, Bai Xu launched into a lengthy explanation:
"The people who just disappeared only went through a Spacetime Tunnel into our spacetime. Your leaders have gone to hold talks with our leaders, and they'll be back after a while.
"As for the pregnant women, giving birth in your spacetime would be extremely dangerous, so with your leaders' consent, we decided to send them to our spacetime temporarily.
"We have fully functioning hospitals over there, and no virus. We can ensure the safety of both mothers and babies. Once they've given birth and the babies have received the KV Vaccine, they'll come back..."
Though he spoke in plain language, there was still quite a lot of information to take in.
After listening, almost all the survivors stood rooted to the spot, exchanging bewildered looks.
It was still 2008. Most people's phones still had physical keypads, and some did not even own phones.
Most of the survivors only understood the general gist of what Bai Xu had said.
"What does parallel spacetime mean?"
"Didn't he just say it was a world like ours?"
"But what's that supposed to mean...?"
"I just want to know when I can see my wife!"
Some of the survivors' family members rushed forward in agitation, feeling around where the pregnant women had been sitting, but their hands found nothing but empty air.
Seeing these people act just as he once had, Bai Xu could only continue explaining patiently.
While these family members were agitated, the other onlookers seemed all the calmer by comparison.
Once they confirmed that Tong Wenshi and the others really had disappeared, rather than it being some magician's sleight of hand, they half believed Bai Xu's explanation.
Later, Zhang Tianyuan sent the camera back, and they saw the pregnant women safe and sound in the recording, along with a spacious, orderly plaza.
Only then did everyone become mostly convinced about the Mutual Aid Society.
They also began looking forward to the things Bai Xu had described.
"Our spacetime will definitely help everyone weather this crisis. Once Director Tong returns, we won't have to worry about either the monsters in the city or the virus!"
Bai Xu climbed onto the loudspeaker truck's roof and called out to everyone.
Meanwhile, the newly established Mutual Aid Society Second Branch began organizing the crowd's departure. Following Tong Wenshi's earlier instructions, they also brought out Mutual Aid Society application forms for everyone to sign.
On the other side, Bai Xu jumped down from the truck and was immediately surrounded by a tide of people.
"Do parallel spacetimes really exist?"
"How do you open a Spacetime Tunnel? How advanced is the technology in your spacetime?"
The curious survivors were eager to learn everything they could.
Bai Xu could only climb back onto the roof and begin answering their questions.
"We came from a parallel spacetime. President Zhang opened a Spacetime Tunnel and brought us here.
"As for our technology, it probably isn't much different from yours. We've only just finished 2008 over there..."
"Then how does President Zhang open a Spacetime Tunnel?" People were most curious about the Spacetime Tunnel. A large crowd stood beside the truck, looking up and waiting for Bai Xu's answer like they were waiting to be fed.
Bai Xu scratched his head. "I don't know about that. Maybe President Zhang has some special technology.
"We're actually just like you, an ordinary member nation of the Parallel Spacetime Mutual Aid Society. We established the Mutual Aid Society First Branch, while yours is the Second Branch."
Someone raised a hand and asked loudly, "Then what does the Mutual Aid Society do?"
"Our Mutual Aid Society's purpose is to gather the strength of all spacetimes, uniting our wills into a fortress to help spacetimes that have fallen into disaster, or are about to, weather their crises."
"Take your spacetime, for example. Before we entered, President Zhang had already told us about your situation, so we took precautions in advance..."
Everyone listened attentively. Once Bai Xu finished, someone else asked, "Then how did President Zhang know there was a disaster in our spacetime? Can he travel through time? Is he an immortal?"
"Probably not?" Bai Xu felt things were getting a little troublesome. It seemed the more he explained, the more questions these people had...
"2012"
Before they knew it, a month had passed since Tong Wenshi and the others arrived.
Today was the day Zhang Tianyuan, Tong Wenshi, and the others finished receiving
their vaccines, were confirmed to no longer carry any of the virus, and left the quarantine facility.
After they left, the pregnant women in the quarantine facility would go through the same procedure. Once confirmed to no longer carry the virus, they would leave the facility in an orderly manner and head to the internal hospital prepared especially for them.
"President Tong, welcome."
Tong Wenshi had only just walked out of the quarantine zone with his team when he saw the senior officials of "2012," who had been waiting for him.
The two sides shook hands warmly. After brief introductions, they got into vehicles and headed for the convalescent grounds where Zhang Tianyuan had previously stayed.
Zhang Tianyuan was already waiting inside the Elementary School in the rear courtyard.
The group of virologists was there as well.
These experts included Xi Lei and the others who had entered "I Am Legend" with them, some who knew about the situation but had not gone along, and finally some newly recruited members.
These new experts had found the idea of parallel spacetimes rather hard to accept. Only after sitting in the school's seats and experiencing the sensation of their minds being enhanced had they reluctantly believed it.
Everyone was waiting for a special meeting to begin.
Once Tong Wenshi and the others arrived.
The first meeting between the two worlds officially began.
Zhang Tianyuan sat in the frontmost school seat. Tong Wenshi's group and the senior officials of "2012" each occupied three seats below, while everyone else provided their own seats outside the school.
The moment he sat down, Tong Wenshi's eyes widened in surprise. He stood up in disbelief and felt the chair beneath his backside.
"This chair, it... it..."
Even after spending a while gathering his words, Tong Wenshi found it difficult to describe that peculiar sensation of being enhanced. He could only look at the others to see whether they felt the same thing.
Seeing this from the front, Zhang Tianyuan smiled. "President Tong, these chairs are rather special. They enhance the human brain, improving memory and learning ability. You can sit down without worrying. They won't harm the human body."
Only then did Tong Wenshi understand, secretly astonished.
He had been wondering why they were holding a meeting in a pavilion open to the wind on all four sides. Now he knew the reason.
He looked at the three senior officials from the parallel spacetime beside him. Though composed, they still showed some surprise, clearly not particularly familiar with this thing.
Tong Wenshi immediately realized that this strange pavilion must have something to do with Zhang Tianyuan and the Mutual Aid Society.