"The moment the RR virus appeared, it spread rapidly across the globe. Every living thing on Earth... whether human, bird, or beast, anyone who needed to breathe was infected with the RR virus."

"By the time humanity discovered the existence of the RR virus, it was too late."

"The fatality rate after infection with the RR virus was extremely high, nearly 30 percent. In just three months—according to post-event statistics—these three months saw the global population plummet by nearly two billion, in addition to the massive death toll among animals! These three months were nightmarish. Global scientists were utterly helpless against this virus!"

"The nearly five billion human survivors had all naturally developed antibodies within their bodies!"

"After those three agonizing months, the entire world was steeped in endless grief."

Luo Feng spoke slowly, "During this process, the fifty billion human survivors discovered their bodies had become significantly better. Almost every human’s strength, speed, cellular activity, and skin resilience had more than doubled! Even an average person could now effortlessly shatter the old world records for weightlifting or the hundred-meter dash."

"However... the true disaster began!"

"Humans, long accustomed to comfort, saw massive physical improvements. But the birds and beasts that also survived the RR virus, constantly subject to nature’s law of the fittest, experienced a far more astonishing surge in power due to this physical transformation. Moreover, some terrifying monsters even gained intelligence!"

"In September 2015, starting with an attack launched by the endless creatures of the ocean, the countless beasts formed from transformed birds and beasts began assaulting human settlements!"

"Bloody, insane!"

"In the war between humans and monsters, people were shocked to discover that the modern weaponry they once prided themselves on was only effective against low-level monsters. The powerful flying and terrestrial monsters were completely immune to bullets and cannon fire. Bullets striking them often couldn't even pierce their scales! Missiles were easily evaded by monsters with swift neural reactions and blinding speed."

"Even when humanity deployed nuclear weapons, they were ultimately shocked to find..."

"The monsters' defense was too strong. Only in the immediate core blast zones of the nuclear strikes did large numbers of monsters perish; those in the wider dispersal areas were largely unharmed. The power of nuclear weapons was far less than humanity had imagined. While a batch of monsters was killed, the resulting nuclear radiation caused even more terrifying entities to mutate among them. The most infamous was the 'Bloodfiend Sky Wolf' from that era, which could fly and slaughtered over a million people. It was then humanity realized... nuclear radiation could actually cause partial mutation in some monsters, birthing extremely dreadful beings."

"While terrible entities emerged among the monsters, powerhouses also rose among humanity! The Bloodfiend Sky Wolf was eventually beaten severely and forced to flee by a human superpower—who could also fly—known now as 'Thunder God,' currently ranked second internationally."

"These powerhouses, at crucial moments, saved vast numbers of ordinary civilians and assisted the armies in resisting the monster hordes. During this period, countless stirring and heroic stories unfolded."

"And human scientist Kro’Dersona, utilizing materials from monster corpses and the 'Blue Gold' metal discovered on the moon, invented an alloy harder than diamond—Kro Alloy! This provided the human powerhouses with terrifying weapons capable of slicing through monster hides and scales, rather than relying solely on bare-handed combat."

Luo Feng remembered this segment of recorded history clearly in his mind.

"During the war, massive cities were destroyed."

"In my homeland, Huaxia, the government urgently established six major bases and began transferring vast populations to them. In terms of powerhouses... our nation and India, which venerates ancient Yoga, possessed the largest numbers of human super-strong individuals! Meanwhile, the United States, the European Union, and the Soviet Union led in technological advancements."

"Due to the sheer number of monsters in the oceans, nearly every island nation was wiped out!"

"To this day, the ocean remains the domain of the monsters."

"In the war between monsters and humans, only five nations on Earth could ensure their self-preservation: our nation, India, the United States, the EU, and the Soviet Union. Other countries were already fragmented. At the critical juncture, the Earth Alliance was established with these five great powers at its core! The Earth Alliance joint forces then assisted in establishing numerous human bases across the globe."

"The war between monsters and humans began in September 2015. It finally concluded with the successful development of the ultra-high-frequency laser cannon in March 2021, which subsequently killed over ten S-level monsters and two SS-level monsters."

Luo Feng sighed profoundly.

A full five and a half years of the most terrifying warfare! Nearly a billion people died during this conflict. Only the five major nations retained their 'national' structure; the surviving populations of all other countries were integrated into the various human bases, living intermingled.

Up until the present day—

On land, humanity held the advantage. But the ocean was teeming with far too many monsters; the sea remained their territory!

"From 2013 to 2021, these eight years constituted the Great Nirvana Period in human history!" Luo Feng stated slowly while seated on the sofa.

Clang—Clang—Clang—Clang—Clang

The sound of chimes echoed in the room.

The wall clock struck five times; it was already 5 PM.

"The Great Nirvana Period," Luo Hua also murmured with feeling, "Brother, honestly, I really can't quite imagine that before the Great Nirvana Period, there were over two hundred countries and regions globally. How large was the population then? Only 7 billion. Some small countries were truly minuscule. I suspect one formidable monster could have wiped out a small nation back then."

Luo Feng nodded: "That's why, currently, the world is divided into five major powers and twenty-three cities."

Across the globe, there were five major nations—Huaxia Nation, India, the United States, the EU Nation, and the Soviet Nation—along with twenty-three human bases formed from regions like South America and Africa, which were now considered twenty-three cities!

Huaxia Nation had a total of six major human bases, now known as six major cities!

Luo Feng’s home was located in Yian District, one of the eight defense cities within Jiangnan City.

The entire Jiangnan City had a population approaching two hundred million, and 'Yangzhou City,' one of the eight defense cities, housed over ten million people. The Jiangnan City human base was primarily formed by the concentration of large populations migrated from the original Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, with some contribution from the original Anhui population.

"So distant," his younger brother Luo Hua observed, glancing at the wall clock. "It’s now 2056 AD. The Great Nirvana Period ended over 30 years ago. In human society now, training at a martial arts hall is nearly something everyone does. Society is much stronger than it was three decades ago."

Luo Feng nodded.

In thirty years, the number of powerhouses among humans had certainly increased, and technology had progressed somewhat. However, numerous terrifying entities had also emerged among the monsters.

"Click!"

The door opened, revealing a middle-aged couple. The man’s clothes were damp with sweat and smeared with paint and various stains; he looked thoroughly exhausted. The woman was not tall and carried a vegetable basket containing some greens and meat.

"Dad, Mom," Luo Feng immediately stood up. This couple was his parents.

Father Luo Hongguo, Mother Gong Xinlan.

"Heh heh, yes, Xiao Feng, keep reading, keep reading. Don't mind me," Luo Hongguo said quickly, smiling. His son was facing the college entrance exams, and in Luo Hongguo’s view, revision was naturally the most important thing.

Luo Hongguo looked down and spotted the large plastic cup of cooled boiled water on the table, warming his heart. Cooled water was always prepared for him upon his return. After a day of work, he picked up the large plastic cup and, with a deep gurgle, finished it all in one go, letting out a satisfied breath.

"Go take a shower quickly, look at the sweat all over you," Mother Gong Xinlan chuckled.

"Haha." Luo Hongguo laughed and immediately grabbed a change of clothes, heading towards the small 'bathroom' that the family had shared for years.

Gong Xinlan smiled and looked at her two sons: "Xiao Feng, Xiao Hua, Mom is making braised pork for you today!"

"That’s my favorite!" the younger brother Luo Hua immediately shouted.

Luo Feng couldn't help but smile. He watched his mother tie her apron to start dinner. Luo Feng understood clearly... his mother always shopped for groceries in the evening because the prices for vegetables and meat were much lower then than in the morning, though the produce wasn't as fresh. He glanced towards the bathroom and thought silently: I must quickly, at the fastest possible speed, obtain the 'Warrior Title.' Then, Mom won't have to go out in the late afternoon to buy groceries, and Dad won't have to do tough manual labor like renovations anymore.

In his heart...

Luo Feng deeply longed for the day he could let his parents rest, allowing them to quietly enjoy the sunshine and good food.

"Xiao Feng," his father, Luo Hongguo, returned after washing up. "Dad needs to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" Luo Feng looked at his father.

Luo Hongguo smiled faintly: "It's like this, Xiao Feng. I’ve never asked you about your plans after high school graduation. Can you tell me about them?" Luo Hongguo rarely discussed such matters with his son because he didn't want to put too much pressure on him, knowing his son always worked hard and performed exceptionally well.

As Luo Hongguo began to speak, Mother Gong Xinlan’s movements, while stirring the cooking, also slowed slightly. Parents always worried deeply about their sons' futures.

"Dad, here is what I'm thinking," Luo Feng stated directly. "With my academic scores, I believe getting into the 'Jiangnan First Military Academy' through the college entrance exam won't be difficult. Since I've already earned the 'Advanced Trainee' title from the martial arts hall, upon entering the Jiangnan First Military Academy, I will be directly cultivated as an officer. Mom and Dad can also move directly into the military dependents’ complex."

Military service had its tiers.

Huaxia Nation certainly recruited soldiers now, but ordinary soldiers did not receive significant benefits. However, someone young who was an 'Advanced Martial Arts Trainee' and could enter the 'Jiangnan First Military Academy' would be considered 'cultivated in both literature and martial arts.' The nation would definitely prioritize their development, and they would be allocated housing in the military dependents’ complex.

Housing allocated to an officer's family would naturally be ten or a hundred times better than their current low-rent apartment.

"What if you don't get into the Jiangnan First Military Academy?" Luo Hongguo asked. "Xiao Feng, don't put too much pressure on yourself."

"Jiangnan City has two key military academies. Even if my performance in the college entrance exam is below par and I can’t get into the First Academy, getting into the Second Academy is absolutely certain," Luo Feng said, fully aware of his grades. His usual test scores were about 50 points above the undergraduate cutoff line, whereas the Second Academy only required meeting that undergraduate line.

Present-day college entrance exams no longer distinguished between 'first-tier undergraduate' and 'second-tier undergraduate'; there were only undergraduate and vocational categories, defined by a single cutoff score. Anything above was undergraduate; anything below was vocational.

"At the Second Military Academy, with the status of an 'Advanced Martial Arts Trainee,' I will still be cultivated as an officer. The benefits won't be significantly worse," Luo Feng smiled.

Being able to pass the undergraduate threshold... only two out of ten people managed that.

But among high school students, obtaining the 'Advanced Martial Arts Trainee' title was a rarity, achieved by perhaps only one in a thousand.

"Mm-hmm, as long as you are confident, that’s fine. But Xiao Feng, don't burden yourself too much. Your mother and I only wish for a stable life," Luo Hongguo nodded slightly. "You always put too much pressure on yourself, child."

"Not at all," Luo Feng chuckled. "I don't feel pressured. Young people need some drive."

Although Luo Feng said this aloud, he secretly vowed: Mom, Dad, younger brother, as soon as the college entrance exams are over, you will soon live good lives. Once I gain the 'Warrior Title,' you won't have to do any more hard labor.

"Hurry up and get the bowls and chopsticks, let’s serve the food. Dinner is ready!" Gong Xinlan called out with a smile.

"Got it!" Father Luo Hongguo stood up cheerfully to fetch the utensils.

"The greens smell so good," Luo Feng said, smelling the contents of the soup pot, and helped carry bowls over.

"I smell the braised pork! Wow~~" the younger brother 'Luo Hua' exclaimed excitedly, pulling his wheelchair closer to the dining table.

The family of four shared a warm and harmonious moment.

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