Die, Replay, Repeat

The Director's face revealed an unusual mix of hesitation and nervousness. He couldn't be certain if what he was about to do was the right decision.

But when his eyes fell on Fang Xiu's calm demeanor, his doubts eased. Fang Xiu's steady expression seemed to promise that everything would be fine, lifting a weight from the Director's shoulders.

After all, if Fang Xiu, the Foreseer, had spoken, then there was no room for error.

Without further hesitation, the Director left to make arrangements for the nationwide livestream.

Meanwhile, Fang Xiu gathered a squad of psychics and assigned them to monitor the location where the Specter Train had last appeared.

The Specter Train, after all, served a singular purpose: transporting people to the Other Side, a spatial node linking their reality to that eerie world. This meant it wouldn't be a one-time occurrence.

Their last journey had ended at the fourth station, just one stop away from the spatial node. They had been on the brink of uncovering the truth.

But at that time, Fang Xiu had only been at the second tier and wasn't strong enough to continue.

Fang Xiu had never let this go. He had always intended to revisit that place once his strength grew.

Now, he was determined to uncover the spatial node. Though he had solved some initial mysteries as his power increased, each answer only led to more questions.

Perhaps the spatial node held the ultimate answers he sought.

And maybe—just maybe—it held traces of Zhou Qingfeng.

As the scheduled time for the nationwide livestream approached, there was a knock on Fang Xiu's office door.

"Come in."

BANG!

The door burst open as a figure hurried in, impatient and agitated.

It was Fang Moli.

"I just heard from the Director that the nationwide livestream is about to start?" he asked.

"Mm," Fang Xiu replied without elaborating.

"Why so sudden? I haven't even prepared a speech," Fang Moli exclaimed, clearly flustered.

"You don't need to show on camera," Fang Xiu said calmly.

Fang Moli froze, his expression stiffening. "I'm not going on camera? But this is MY plan!"

Fang Xiu said nothing, his gaze steady and unwavering.

Fang Moli hesitated, then softened his tone. "Let me do it, Fang Xiu. I'm ready to reveal the truth to the entire country."

Fang Xiu held an unlit cigar, mimicking a scene from The Godfather. In a low voice, he said, "You don't even have the decency to call me 'Sir.'"

Fang Moli took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "Sir, please let me go on camera!"

"No," Fang Xiu rejected him flatly.

Fang Moli stared at him in disbelief. "What? Why not? I'm the only fifth-tier psychic alive! Who else could possibly be better suited to make the announcement?"

"Me," Fang Xiu said, completely unfazed.

"You?" Fang Moli was momentarily stunned before anger turned his face red. "This is MY plan! I came up with it. Logically and morally, I'm the one who should make the announcement. You can't just take it from me!"

Fang Xiu took a sip of tea, his tone indifferent. "I can—because I'm the Chief Commander."

Fang Moli's frustration boiled over, leaving him speechless. He opened his mouth but couldn't find the words. Finally, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Fang Xiu watched him leave without saying a word.

His decision to take away Fang Moli's opportunity wasn't about stealing the spotlight. Fang Xiu had no interest in showing off.

His goal was entirely experimental.

He intended to test something—to deceive an entire nation.

Through the nationwide livestream, Fang Xiu planned to reveal the truth about the Specter invasion while subtly weaving in a few lies.

If this experiment succeeded, it could enable Xiao Chuxia to harness the power of lies on an unprecedented scale.

The energy generated by lies from over a billion people would be staggering. It would create an unimaginable tidal wave of power.

Such energy wouldn't just push people to the fifth tier—it might even propel someone to the sixth.

Of course, this assumption only stood if the fifth tier wasn't the limit of psychic power.

Whether a sixth tier of psychic power truly exists remains uncertain. The tier system is based on the level of Spiritual Energy awakening within a psychic.

At the fifth tier's peak, Spiritual Energy is 100% awakened, illuminating the entirety of the mental world.

Theoretically, this suggests there is no sixth tier, as Spiritual Energy would have already reached its absolute limit.

Yet Fang Xiu couldn't shake a persistent intuition: the sixth tier was real.

And if anyone had reached it, it was Zhou Qingfeng, the Dean.

Although Fang Xiu had never met Zhou Qingfeng, the man's legendary feats left no room for doubt. They far exceeded what a fifth-tier psychic could accomplish.

Zhou Qingfeng had severed the connection between two worlds, breaking the link between their reality and the Other Side. He had ended the era of Specter domination, sacrificing his life to secure a century of peace for humanity. He had even led a counterattack against the Other Side.

Ultimately, however, he was killed by two fearsome entities: Wedding God and the Angel.

A note found on Zhou Qingfeng's body described his final moments:

"Wedding God tore apart my heart, liver, and spleen. The Angel dismembered my bones, flesh, and skin."

This made it clear that his death came at the hands of two Specter Gods.

The implications were terrifying.

Ordinary psychics couldn't even stand in the presence of a Specter God. The faintest whisper from such a being could instantly kill most psychics.

Yet Zhou Qingfeng not only stood against them—he fought them. Though his defeat was apparent, the fact that he could even face them was an unparalleled achievement.

This was beyond the capabilities of a fifth-tier psychic.

Fang Xiu was convinced: Zhou Qingfeng was not a fifth-tier psychic. He had ascended to the sixth tier—or perhaps even a mysterious seventh tier.

…

One sunny afternoon, a sudden and strange phenomenon gripped Huaxia's major cities.

Out of nowhere, loudspeakers across the country blared the same urgent message:

"This is an emergency news bulletin. All citizens are requested to immediately pause whatever they are doing and tune in to the news via any available electronic device—whether it be a phone, computer, or television."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The announcement repeated itself moments later:

"This is an emergency news bulletin..."

At work, in school, or during leisure, people froze as the announcement echoed through the air.

Faces reflected confusion and unease. 'What's going on? Why this sudden alert?'

Those who had been following rumors about Specters and the collapse of Isleland felt a chill run down their spines. They had a nagging suspicion about what might be coming.

Two minutes later, the announcements ceased.

And then, something extraordinary occurred.

No matter what people were doing—working on computers, gaming, or scrolling through their phones—every screen displayed the same pop-up.

A live live stream window automatically opened.

Across Huaxia, in every home and on every internet-connected device, the same live stream played.

Electronic billboards on towering skyscrapers switched to display the live stream.

The entire nation was taken by surprise.

On the streets, confusion erupted as people scrambled to understand what was happening.

Cries of shock echoed:

"Is your phone showing the same thing?"

"Yes! What's going on?"

"This looks like it's from the national live-streaming station!"

"Something big must've happened. Do you think it's about the Specter rumors from Isleland?"

"Don't be ridiculous. There's no such thing as Specters! Maybe it's a war."

"Or… could it be a nuclear attack?"

As speculation spread, the tension in the air grew thicker.

At the same time, soldiers poured into the streets.

Across the nation, armed forces and law enforcement officers were deployed in overwhelming numbers.

Their objective was clear: to maintain order in the face of whatever came next.

The sudden nationwide mobilization left Huaxia's citizens in a state of shock.

No one knew what was about to unfold, and a palpable sense of fear hung in the air.

Only a handful of insiders—those privy to the truth about the Specters—wore somber expressions.

They sighed deeply, murmuring to themselves, "So it's finally come to this. Even the government can't keep it under wraps anymore… Is the world about to change?"

In universities across the nation, classrooms had already switched their projectors to the live live stream.

Everywhere, eyes were glued to screens, anticipation building.

And in this moment of collective uncertainty, Fang Xiu appeared.

Fang Xiu Steps Into the Spotlight

"Look! Someone's on screen now!"

"Who is that? He looks so young!"

"He's really handsome. Is he some kind of celebrity?"

"Get real. Do you think a celebrity would be given a nationwide livestream like this?"

Across Huaxia, whispers and speculation about Fang Xiu rippled through the population. Yet few people recognized him.

Standing before the camera, Fang Xiu remained calm and composed, unshaken by the weight of millions of eyes watching his every move.

He took a breath and began to speak.

"Greetings, citizens of Huaxia."

His voice was steady, clear, and carried an air of authority that commanded attention.

Instantly, his words echoed across all live streaming devices—smartphones, computers, televisions, and even the massive electronic billboards in bustling city centers.

Through the power of the internet, Fang Xiu's voice reached every corner of the nation.

The moment he began speaking, Huaxia collectively held its breath.

The sheer scale of this live stream—combined with the visible military presence and the coordinated takeover of all digital platforms—was unprecedented.

All activity came to a halt. People stopped what they were doing, whether out of curiosity, unease, or outright fear.

Unable to look away, they listened closely, wondering what Fang Xiu was about to reveal.

After letting his opening words resonate, Fang Xiu continued:

"I am Fang Xiu, the Chief Commander of Huaxia's Specter Incident Joint Investigation and Strategic Defense Attack and Logistics Support Bureau…"

Translator's note: Whoa, that's the second time I heard the full name of the bureau.