Chapter 119: Take Swift Action!
Correspondence established!
Shen Hao first wanted to know the ratio of conversion from deceased personnel to undead souls.
But was it a hundred percent?
Shen Hao didn't know if other civilizations had the same ratio, but for their own, it was extremely terrifying.
"Do the new trial's enemies have anything to do with the deceased personnel?" Dong Gong also seemed to have guessed something from Shen Hao's question.
"Let's have a meeting," Shen Hao said gravely, "Contact the highest meeting of the Global United Front, and have key personnel from various important departments of the Chosen One Association participate. I demand an online meeting to be convened in the shortest time possible!"
"Yes!" Dong Gong immediately went to arrange it.
Clearly, he also sensed the urgency of the situation.
Shen Hao maintained his attention on the entire Donghua City and once again entered the "Inner World."
This time, he took out his mobile phone and tried other functions.
Aside from having no signal to make calls or access the internet, other functions were still operational. He tried recording some videos, only to find that ghosts would not appear on camera at all.
This indicated that these ghosts were actually intangible and insubstantial.
He could "see" them because his spiritual power was strong enough.
Some ordinary people who have not yet embarked on the path of cultivation might die without ever realizing it, not knowing what killed them.
In that case, conventional weapons, even some of the newer high-tech weapons, might not necessarily be useful.
A new method of engaging the enemy had to be found.
The importance of the Extraordinary Domain might become even further elevated.
And what's worse was that human civilization had no advantage in this area.
Even now, their civilization was still primarily technology-based.
Shen Hao did a brief survey of intelligence information and couldn't help feeling weighed down.
By the time he returned to the Main World, the meeting was ready.
In today's world, the advantage of information had been further enhanced, and personal information terminals had grown very powerful. The terminals used by Shen Hao and some key figures were purchased directly from the Chosen One Mall and were completely futuristic technology.
At this moment, he took them out, and more than a hundred projection screens simultaneously appeared in mid-air. In each screen was a person, of various skin colors and ages, all high-level members of the Global United Front, the highest authorities of human civilization within the common people's domain.
The technology of the past could never have achieved this level.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Shen Hao, sitting in his chair with a serious expression, said, "Before we get to the main topic, I want to ask something. Prior to the start of the Trial, how many people died worldwide in a day?"
"President, about 150,000," Dong Gong's voice sounded.
Although he wasn't one of the high-level members of the Global United Front, as Shen Hao's current chief secretary, he naturally had the right to participate in the meeting.
"That means on the first day of the Trial, we would have gained 150,000 enemies!" Shen Hao uploaded the video he had recorded. "This is what I've discovered, another 'Inner World' overlapping with ours which I prefer to call the 'Undead World.' I have confirmed through my hometown, Donghua City, that in this Trial, any human who dies will become an 'Undead' in this world!"
As the dark, decaying world appeared on the screen, everyone at the meeting unavoidably began to stir.
Such enemies were one thing, but for a Trial, a Civilization Trial had actually created a second world!
And it seemed that all the buildings of the Main World were present!
Even though it wasn't the first time people knew about the power of the Civilization Trial, they were still amazed.
"This world itself is filled with a very cold supernatural power, harmful to life. Erin," Shen Hao called out his Contractor's name, "you walk the path of death, and this Trial might involve the field you're proficient in. Come to me after the meeting is over."
"Yes!" Erin responded.
She was initially surprised that she was called to a meeting of this caliber, but now she understood.
This Trial indeed involved her Extraordinary Domain!
"I have summarized the following intelligence points," Shen Hao continued:
"First, it's quite difficult for the living to come to the Undead World, as there is much resistance. Second, undead can freely traverse any location, and it seems they have the characteristic of directly observing the Main World through the Undead World, enabling them to appear precisely by their targets. Find adventures at empire
Third, the undead gain strength rapidly while staying in the Undead World; those produced on the first day of the Trial have reached at least Level 3 in strength. Fourth, pure physical attacks, including kinetic bullets and cold weapons, are ineffective against the undead. Fifth, people killed by the undead will also become undead!
It should be said that the probability of the dead becoming undead is one hundred percent!"
As Shen Hao narrated, many people started to take notes anxiously, and with each point he mentioned, the atmosphere of the meeting visibly grew heavier.
Especially after the fifth point.
There wasn't a single relaxed face to be seen anymore.
The discussions grew louder.
"This is way more terrifying than the Blood Demon."
"Yes, the spread is even scarier than the Blood Demon!"
"Without the Matrix's limitation on parasitic range, anyone who dies will become an enemy!"
"How are we supposed to establish a defensive line against attacks that breach space and teleport instantly?"
"The rate of increase in strength is also very dangerous, Level 3 in four days!"
"Immune to physical attacks, so most of the military's active weapons are useless now?"
"..."
One after another, voices of discussion and questions were continuously raised.
But these discussions didn't offer any sense of relief, quite the opposite.
The more they discussed, the more everyone could feel the immense pressure.
Some people's faces turned extremely grim, especially those in regions with a high number of recent deaths, clearly feeling the great danger!
Compared with the Blood Demon, the enemies in this Civilization Trial were indeed too powerful!
The only silver lining was that, for now, these Dead Souls seemed to act purely on instinct with limited targets for their attacks. If they had Human intelligence and strict command like the Blood Demon, the whole world would likely have already descended into chaos by now.
But to put it bluntly, if this had been the first Trial Humanity encountered, even with Shen Hao, Human extinction would have been highly probable!
"Everyone." Shen Hao spoke again.
The numerous voices of discussion gradually subsided.
All eyes quietly turned towards him.
"The enemies in this Trial have appeared, and the degree of danger has indeed exceeded our expectations. Moreover, I fear there is more to it; the changes in climate are equally concerning," Shen Hao said with a heavy tone. "But the power we now possess is also completely different from before.
If pure technological means are not effective, then we shall combine them with the powers of the Extraordinary Domain! I demand a rapid global response, and for all of us to do everything within our power!"
This conference was mainly about sharing the intelligence he had with everyone.
It was not about commanding them on what to do.
In fact, just as Shen Hao said, Humanity now was entirely different from before, and even though the enemy was terrifying, it was not without countermeasures.
Close monitoring of high-risk populations, intensifying battle research, and even stepping up the treatment of the sick and critically ill were all means to combat this Trial!
These were not actions Shen Hao could undertake himself; they had to be accomplished by every individual in this civilization!
After the meeting, the Global United Front acted swiftly, as Shen Hao had said.
The basic information about the Trial was sent to guardians at the front lines in various locations in the shortest possible time.
These usually were patrol officers from the Crisis Management Departments, many of whom were Soldiers with experience from the Blood Demon battlefield and key targets for training on the Extraordinary Path. At least after surviving that war, they had more courage to face the enemy than ordinary people did.
However, this inevitably led to intelligence leaks. As the Global United Front prepared to make a statement, discussions on the internet became dense and frequent.
"This is an undead calamity!"
"It's terrifying, I'm really scared that one of those things might suddenly appear."
"To the commentator above, my uncle is from the Crisis Management Department. Internal news indicates that the more nervous you are, the more likely you are to be targeted."
"Don't spread rumors; the official announcement will come out soon."
"I hope they announce it quickly! There's too much information on the internet right now!"
"Have you all noticed it's getting colder? The temperature drop is so rapid!"
"Indeed, it's getting colder and colder!"
"..."
Most people still only had a partial understanding of the information. Although panic continued to spread, having gone through the Blood Demon war, the populous had some psychological preparedness; it hadn't yet reached a point of general anxiety, concern, or despair.
At this moment, most were just waiting for the official report.
And they didn't have to wait too long.
Well aware that such a significant crisis could not be concealed, the Global United Front quickly held a press conference and confirmed the formal emergence of the new Trial.
"The enemy this time has two forms; the first is the Undead, and the second is Death itself," the spokesperson said gravely. "The existence of the Civilization Trial is for the time being unstoppable. What we can, and must, do is to muster all our strength and courage to confront and endure the Trial.
I now, on behalf the Global United Front, declare once again, that the world has re-entered a state of emergency, and war has been reignited!"
With this statement, the brief three-month period of peace officially ended!
The threat of death once again loomed over every individual in this civilization!
However, thanks to the continuous declaration during this period, although people still felt instinctive unease and fear, they ultimately did not experience the panic or despair of the first time.
Simultaneously, a "Manual for Undead Prevention" was released and detailed at the press conference.