Wizard: Become stronger by drawing cards from the potions variety show

Chapter 818

This reporter, who had endured countless hardships, finally obtained firsthand, shocking information.

However, this is only the tip of the iceberg in his report.

The latter part of the report revealed the true nature of this family in detail.

The family's upper echelons had long been aware of the extraterrestrial threat. Thanks to the family's vast branches, which had formed a powerful local force, both direct and collateral branches, and even the descendants of collateral branches, controlled enormous assets. Therefore, the family's leaders could easily raise sufficient resources.

The person who first discovered the crisis secretly orchestrated the "escape plan".

They joined forces with several other families with whom they had close personal ties to secretly build an eco-spaceship capable of accommodating hundreds of thousands of people for long-term survival in space.

In theory, as long as it functions well, this ecosystem can be self-sufficient and exist indefinitely.

Even if something unexpected happens along the way and the ecosystem breaks down, they can still dock at other planetary bases for resupply.

Moreover, even if an accident does occur, it will be a long time from now. By then, the outcome between Earthlings and extraterrestrial civilizations will be clear, and they can choose to return, join, or continue to escape, depending on the circumstances.

The initiative has always been firmly in their hands.

Because spaceship capacity is limited, they need to reserve most seats for top talent to handle various complex situations. Therefore, they have established a rigorous assessment mechanism for family members: only those who demonstrate exceptional talent and complete a series of predetermined goals can qualify to board the ship.

Ordinary members of the family are basically out of luck when it comes to this opportunity.

Even brothers cannot board the ship if they lack the talent.

This also explains why a family member initially chose to report the incident—he was so unlucky that all his family members except himself had qualified, leading him to mistakenly believe he was being targeted for assassination.

Interestingly, after this family member exposed the matter, the news was quickly suppressed, but he himself, due to his keen insight and unexpected methods, actually gained the qualification for the assessment.

It was during this opportunity that the reporter approached him, assisted him in obtaining the qualifications as an advisor, and was thus selected as one of the people to board the ship, which gave him the chance to uncover the whole truth.

Thus, this shocking report came about.

Because the content is so bizarre, many people find it difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

However, given the journalist's official status, and the recent dramatic changes in the social system, while the overall atmosphere is improving, the intensity of these changes is undeniable.

Furthermore, an insider left a comment under the report to corroborate this, stating that they knew people from this family, and indeed many of them had disappeared without a trace and lost contact, most likely because they had obtained the qualifications.

Public opinion quickly split: some believed it wholeheartedly, some strongly questioned it, and many more thought it was just fake news designed to gain clicks.

Amidst the conflicting opinions, the article was suddenly taken down, and related discussions were also restricted.

Rumors are circulating that the reporter has been detained.

This move, however, provoked an even stronger backlash.

This, on the contrary, made more people believe it.

Groups with some resources began to verify the authenticity of the story, and even anti-AI organizations stood up to support it, claiming they would "fight against tyranny and defend freedom of speech" and vowed to rescue the journalist.

No one wants to see someone who risks their life to reveal the truth sacrifice themselves in the name of protecting public interests.

The whole society has stood on the same side for the first time, and the voices on the Internet are overwhelmingly in favor of each other.

Several companies seized the opportunity to offer rewards: anyone who could successfully rescue the journalist and ensure his safety would receive a substantial reward. Not only would the ultimate rescuer receive the full reward, but all individuals or groups who contributed to the rescue would also share in the prize money.

Interestingly, the stock price of the company that issued the statement rose immediately.

This attracted more companies to join the support effort, causing rescue fees to rise steadily.

Various organizations, individuals, and capable groups couldn't sit still any longer, and even many newspaper reporters began to "focus on rescue work while also doing reporting on the side."

The safety of this reporter immediately became the focus of public attention.

Soon it was discovered that the person who ordered the removal of the report was a senior executive of a mainstream media outlet, and this executive had close ties with the escaped family mentioned in the report.

At this point, the whole incident became clear: it was clearly a cover-up.

Unfortunately, they underestimated the public's attention to this matter and misjudged the explosive nature of the incident.

Even if we wanted to suppress it now, we couldn't.

Soon, the executive was suspended from his duties pending investigation, and the report was republished.

Almost every day there are new discoveries and new reports. The wave started by this unknown reporter continues to grow, creating ripples in society.

At this critical moment, Dell, a core member of the main AI team, personally stepped forward on behalf of AI.

He publicly pledged to ensure the safety of journalists at all costs and solemnly declared: "Neither AI nor the higher-ups will abandon any citizen. We are still actively preparing for war. All previous policies were aimed at unleashing the true potential of society and transforming it into combat power to meet any potential alien threat."

Dell publicly assured that no member of the inner circle would participate in or consider leaving the plan.

"We don't have the right to use all of humanity's resources to decide who should stay and who should flee. So, we choose to fight to the death!"

Even more encouragingly, he announced on the spot: "In the coming year, all government expenditure details will be published on the official website for public oversight and traceability. The areas we are focusing on will also be completely transparent."

Under intense public scrutiny, Dell solemnly announced: "We hope everyone can learn about the research progress as soon as possible and conduct research in the latest fields. We only have one year; every second counts!"

He then abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming extremely serious: "At the same time, I declare that anyone who attempts to evacuate or escape will be considered a traitor to civilization. We welcome everyone to monitor and report, and the final judgment will be carried out by AI. You need not worry about malicious reports; AI will guarantee everyone's innocence."

Upon hearing this, everyone who was currently involved in or following the rescue of journalists immediately understood that this official announcement was a way to use this nationwide event to announce the government's intentions.

Their private activities, which originated from the grassroots, suddenly gained official endorsement.

All those involved in the rescue were no longer required to carefully conceal their whereabouts, but could now act openly and honestly.

By applying to become "auxiliary law enforcement officers," they can carry out reconnaissance and rescue missions more rationally and efficiently with the assistance of AI.

A massive, nationwide campaign was launched.

With rewards offered by dozens of companies, participation from hundreds of organizations, and the joint efforts of millions of people, the reporter, who had been secretly transferred to the glacier preservation area, was successfully rescued in just eleven hours.

And every member of this family, branded as a "traitor," was also subject to a bounty for capture.

Using clues discovered within the family, people even found the still-under-construction eco-spaceship in a secret base beneath the Yaso Plateau.

The members who had been hiding on the spaceship were dragged out one by one and beaten black and blue.

Amidst the crowd's outrage, the spaceship was destroyed and dismantled on the spot.

This scene was presented to the public from multiple angles and in a comprehensive manner through live broadcasts by participants, rebroadcasts by official media, and cameras of on-site reporters.

Everyone was chanting, "This is a victory for justice!"

Those present were filled with disgust as they watched the footage of the family members huddled in a corner, trembling with fear.

However, the trial was not over.

Previously, high-ranking officials, companies, and individuals who defended this family in society have all been clearly recorded by AI and are now facing a reckoning.

AI has established a special department called the "Thought Control Department," where thought police are responsible for "thought correction" of all detainees to ensure that they develop correct social cognition, are willing to contribute to the development of society, and are not always thinking about using social resources to satisfy their own desires, or being ready to abandon their relatives, honor and dignity just to prolong their lives.

"Uphold dignity, contribute our strength, and spare no expense to promote social development!"

—With this nationwide movement and large-scale publicity campaign, this phrase has taken root in people's hearts.

AI will readily fulfill any request that can be proven to enhance personal value or work efficiency. Through continuous positive feedback, everyone can feel a sense of meaning and value in their existence.

The whole society fell into a strange frenzy: people were active, striving and working hard, while at the same time vigilantly identifying anyone around them who spread negative thoughts or tried to escape, and handing them over to the thought police for "restraint and reversal".

Everyone knew that war was imminent, and everyone was doing their utmost to push their limits.

The "thinking unit" jointly created by Noah and AI surrounds the world like air.

Every individual can enhance their inspiration, cognition, and learning abilities by accessing this set of units, thereby accelerating output and achieving self-transcendence.

Researchers can communicate more efficiently and clearly understand each other's ideas. Research groups in the same field can collaborate without worry because AI will accurately classify each person's contribution to the research and assign corresponding honors.

In this atmosphere, the main AI also launched the "Civilization Striving Monument", "Weekly Reporting Day" and "Monthly Honor Day".

The "Civilization and Progress Stele" is used to record how the world united and forged ahead during this special period. Even if they ultimately fail, this specially treated stele will commemorate the last glory of their civilization.

"Weekly Reporting Day," as the name suggests, selects representative achievements that have greatly promoted social progress, technological capabilities, or combat effectiveness within a week, and inscribes them on the monument of civilization as an honor for all mankind.

The "Monthly Honors Day" is a grand award ceremony held after the most representative achievements are compiled from the weekly reports. Everyone is simultaneously connected to the thought unit to personally experience the thought processes and inspirations of the award winners as they conjure up their results in their minds.

In today's society, everyone can receive unlimited support from AI, making it possible to "have their wishes fulfilled." Their only pursuit is honor, proof of self-worth, and contribution to the continuation of civilization.

Every individual is a potential savior, and those whose names are inscribed on the monument of civilization have undoubtedly taken a solid step toward becoming true saviors.

……

Noah stood on the top floor of the library.

His research group's laboratory has moved here, and all members are working enthusiastically and intensively.

The vibrant atmosphere in society naturally influenced this place, and they were no exception.

As the core research component for societal progress, the "Thinking Unit" has helped research groups around the world achieve numerous groundbreaking results, rightfully becoming the first research group to be inscribed on the "Monument to Civilization," which greatly inspired all members of the team.

Fio and his colleagues were so engrossed in their research that they truly considered it the meaning of their lives.

With an unlimited supply of resources, the third-generation manned combat mech is no longer just a concept on paper; it has even gone through multiple iterations.

From the initial concept of two-person cooperative combat, to the current ability, with the participation of the "Hound Alien Combat Assist System," to achieve the coordinated operation of giant combat mechs by hundreds of people.

It integrates each person's "image" into a unified resource pool, evolving into different symbols. Through the dynamic flow of the resource pool, it achieves mutual transformation and collaborative operation between different images.

The effect it achieves is astonishing.

When their imagery energy is abundant, they can even use imagery to cover up and distort the rules of reality around them.

This is undoubtedly a qualitative change triggered by quantitative change.

During weapons testing, a giant mech piloted by a hundred people was able to withstand a large focused energy beam head-on. Even weapons with a larger area of ​​effect, if their attack intensity per unit area is insufficient, will be distorted and weakened by this giant mech, and ultimately withstood by the mech.

The special force field inside the mecha, formed by a combination of various images, makes it as hard as a diamond, difficult to destroy by conventional means, and even if it could be destroyed, it would require a huge amount of resources.

This is precisely the fundamental reason why AI is vigorously promoting the practice of martial arts among the general public.

As long as you learn step by step, even if you fail to develop your own unique imagery, you can still generate common images such as "recovery," "immortality," "cycle," and "endurance" by practicing specific techniques, such as the Undying Cicada. This will greatly improve the survival and combat efficiency of individuals and the whole team.

Their research has developed into a complete system, and the entire research team is filled with great excitement.

Noah was in his office when he received a communication request from Dell.

Noah looked at Dale's grim face: "Cool, Dale, what a thrilling 'witch hunt'!"

Dell didn't deny it: "This is the simplest and most direct way. Everyone understands their own side, everyone knows the enemy they hate, and I just need to make them understand that. Of course, I also want to thank Harden and the others for their cooperation."

Noah: "Apart from Harden, the others probably weren't cooperating willingly. But you're right, whatever the method, no matter how mundane or old-fashioned, achieving the goal is enough."