Chapter 195: Chapter 185: The First Step Toward the Expedition The joint announcement of the *Human Unity Declaration* by thirty-four nations undoubtedly gave people a tremendous psychological boost.
While nations had issued various declarations back when the first rule appeared, they were mostly just words, lacking any accompanying measures or codes of conduct.
In the adult world, only declarations backed by action have meaning. Everything else is just empty talk.
So, when the heads of state mentioned establishing the "Human Federation Committee" and various other concrete measures in this declaration, it gave people a sense of security. ’This time, it’s for real.’
This action—setting aside past conflicts to unite against a common calamity—would inspire courage and hope in the hearts of many. In this era, those two things were undoubtedly more precious than gold.
After the declaration was published, it unsurprisingly sparked excited discussions worldwide. Almost everyone felt it was an incredibly wise decision—one that would genuinely increase the human race’s chances of survival.
In their excitement, people spontaneously began to refer to the newly established "Human Federation Committee" by the shorter "Human Federation."
Furthermore, people unanimously renamed the current year the "United Year," commemorating humanity’s decision to finally cease their infighting and join hands against their common enemy, the Fire Thief.
People all over the world were overjoyed that day, believing humanity was advancing to the next stage of social development.
If this was a great expedition, then human unity was the first step. The destination might be far, but as long as they took that first step, they were on the right path. To perish from infighting, on the other hand, would be far too tragic.
Guan Tong stood atop Mingdao Mountain, gazing into the distance. In the direction of the city, fireworks blossomed in the sky.
The survivors in the city were likely celebrating the declaration’s release and the establishment of the Human Federation. The authorities must have supported it; otherwise, they wouldn’t have provided the fireworks.
A faint smile graced Guan Tong’s face as he watched the colorful patterns in the distance.
He knew his post had made a difference. Even if it had played only a small part in the formation of the Human Federation, it was still a contribution to humanity as a whole.
He might prefer a free and solitary life, but that didn’t mean he was devoid of feeling for his own kind. When he saw the post denouncing the "Sponsor Organization," for instance, he had been filled with a rage that compelled him to go and deal with it himself. He simply couldn’t stand seeing his fellow humans treated that way.
"Meow."
Coal Ball scrambled up Guan Tong’s leg and onto his shoulder, gazing at the splendor in the distant sky.
"You like watching fireworks, too?" Guan Tong chuckled.
Coal Ball licked its lips, yawned, and then settled onto his shoulder, squinting its eyes with no intention of humoring him.
Guan Tong shook his head, exasperated. ’Like owner, like pet.’ Coal Ball’s personality was practically a carbon copy of his own.
BUZZ. BUZZ.
The phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated. Guan Tong pulled it out. It was a message from Shi Jingyi.
It contained photos of large fireworks and crowds of smiling people celebrating on a wide street. She had even added a special caption: "Thanks to you, Yong’an is at peace today."
Guan Tong felt a bit embarrassed reading the phrase "Thanks to you." Since Shi Jingyi knew his identity, she could easily guess that he was the one who had made the post.
He decided to take a few pictures of the distant fireworks himself and sent them back with the caption, "The Yunhua fireworks, admired from a distance."
He had just sent the message when Shi Jingyi called.
The moment Guan Tong answered, he heard her ask, "Are you living in the middle of nowhere? Why is it so dark around you? And you’re so far from Yunhua."
"You could say that. I live on a mountain."
"All by yourself?"
"And a cat I took in."
"Nice. No wonder you didn’t want to come to Yong’an. You’re living the peaceful life of a mountain hermit."
"Mountain hermit, yes. Peaceful, not so much."
"That’s true. With all these rules hanging over our heads, I doubt anyone can truly feel at peace."
Since they were having a rare phone conversation, Guan Tong seized the opportunity to ask, "I heard from Xu Xiaotian that the academy students are graduating this August?"
"Mhm, each class is a year long. The dean said it’s to enroll as many people as possible," Shi Jingyi explained. "But a year is enough to build a solid foundation. As the saying goes, ’The master can lead you to the door, but you have to walk the path yourself.’ Once the foundation is laid, how far each student goes is up to them."
"But with the declaration published and the Human Federation established, the second class will probably have a lot of foreign students," Shi Jingyi speculated. "Some of the instructors might go abroad, too."
Guan Tong wasn’t surprised. Once the Human Federation was established, national borders would have to open. If they continued to restrict the movement of people as before, the federation would be meaningless.
Open borders would naturally lead to a massive flow of people. Many foreigners would come in, and many of our own people would go abroad.
"Oh, by the way, that Qi Gong Secret Manual I borrowed money from you to buy? I’ve been practicing it for the past few days, and it’s pretty good. If you want to learn, I can teach you, but not over video," Shi Jingyi said with a laugh. "This Ancient Martial Qi Skill is very complex. It requires hands-on instruction."
Guan Tong was tempted. If a Martial Arts master like Shi Jingyi said it was "pretty good," then it must be truly exceptional.
But it required hands-on instruction, meaning he’d have to go to Yong’an, which wasn’t in his current plans.
He thought for a moment before replying, "We’ll see. I might make a trip to Yong’an in a little while."
This was because Xu Xiaotian had said he’d come visit after graduation. Guan Tong figured that if he found some free time, he might as well be the one to visit Yong’an and see Xu Xiaotian.
It had been inconvenient before because, under wartime management, entering and exiting cities required documentation.
But with the establishment of the Human Federation, unity and openness would become the norm for all nations, so North Star’s wartime state would likely fade. The collective shelters would certainly be maintained and expanded, but access to and from the cities probably wouldn’t be as strictly managed.
The strictness at the beginning was to guarantee results quickly. Now, after several months of the wartime state, plus the last major purge and the devastating Mist from the ninth rule, the violent factions in the wilderness had suffered heavy losses. There weren’t many left.
Thus, the major cities should reopen soon. It would be much more convenient for Guan Tong to come and go then, without needing to use his Shadow ability to sneak in.
"Let me know before you come. I’ll treat you to a meal."
"Okay."
After ending the call, Guan Tong put away his phone and continued to watch the distant fireworks.
So much had happened recently. He had made several trips to different countries, and he was mentally and physically exhausted.
But thankfully, his exhaustion had paid off. The powerful "Civilization Observer" title and the newly formed Human Federation were both outcomes he had hoped for.
Furthermore, his conversations with the Primordial Man, and even his exchange with the woman, Snake Eyes, from the nation of Sakura Prayer, had given him new insights.
Of course, there were also troubles. For instance, the "one-time assistance" owed to the King of Soloma. The King had yet to send a private message explaining what this assistance entailed, and the unresolved matter left him feeling uneasy.
Then there was the person or organization that had slandered him, framing him for the attack on Lado’s convoy. That also infuriated him, and he planned to find them and settle the score when he got the chance.
Lastly, the one thing that worried him beyond the rules was the kidnapping case he had been involved with since the very beginning. He wondered if the authorities had found the mastermind behind it all after the Yongzhou Base was exposed.
He was deeply concerned about it because he, and even his friends Xu Xiaotian and Chen Na, had been affected. There were simply too many victims.
He still remembered that Liu Yuqiang, before committing suicide, had called the mastermind "Big Sis," while Han Ling, who had also taken her own life, had called her "Commander-in-Chief." He wouldn’t be able to rest until this person was found.
’I remember Li Meng, the former police chief of Yunhua City, was transferred to Yong’an to investigate the kidnapping case. I wonder if he’s still on it, or if he has any leads? Or maybe... I could give him some...’
Guan Tong still had Li Meng’s number. He definitely couldn’t call from his own phone; he’d have to use one of someone else’s. That part wasn’t a problem. Back when he was living in the property management storage room of his residential complex, he had collected plenty of phones from the deceased...
’I can think about this later,’ Guan Tong thought. ’The eleventh Apocalypse Rule is being announced the day after tomorrow. I should focus on that for now. Everything else can wait.’