One by one, the people on the video call vanished, each moving to act on the agreed-upon plan.

At this time on Earth, billions of people were crammed into a few inland cities, packed in dense crowds.

In some cases, a dozen or more people were living in a single room.

Outside, hordes of mutated sea creatures had already come ashore.

Surrounding these cities, a tight defensive line had been formed, held not only by Cultivators but also by an array of modern weaponry!

This scene was playing out across nearly the entire planet. Most regions had been overrun by the mutated sea creatures.

"There are more and more of those mutated sea creatures."

"When will all this end?"

"It has to. We’re hiding in here, but out there, people like Li Yang are protecting us, fighting those mutated sea creatures around the clock."

"That’s right. We can’t cause them any more trouble."

Countless people were glued to the battle updates, exhaustion etched on nearly every face.

For over a month, almost no one had gotten a good night’s sleep. They simply couldn’t.

Their previously peaceful lives had suddenly been upended. Earth had become like something out of a disaster movie, constantly on the brink of annihilation.

Just as everyone was watching the footage, monitoring the defensive lines around the cities, all the screens suddenly changed, and a voice rang out.

The voice was broadcast globally, translated into the language of each respective country.

"Everyone, I am here to report a very important message."

The voice was grave.

"What news now?" Hearing this, everyone’s expression shifted.

The last time there was a global announcement like this was right before the disaster struck. Afterward, the mutated sea creatures began to appear, plunging Earth into an unprecedented crisis.

’And now, a second global broadcast?’

Everyone clenched their fists and listened intently as the voice continued, "Earth has the means to contact extraterrestrial civilizations. However, a planet that has never had contact with other civilizations is known in the Cosmos as a Planet Zero. And once a Planet Zero is discovered, specialists will arrive to conduct an audit."

"If a Planet Zero lacks a genius who can break through to the Law Realm before the age of thirty, it will be judged as a planet with no potential. A planet with no potential is then taken over by personnel dispatched by the auditors, and the new administrators will dictate all planetary affairs."

At this, a huge uproar swept across Earth.

"What? Earth can contact other civilizations?"

"If we don’t have someone who can break through to the Law Realm before they’re thirty, Earth will be taken over?"

"Don’t we have a single genius like that? I don’t believe it!"

"Li Yang is so young and powerful. He can definitely break through to the Law Realm."

"What will happen to Earth if we’re taken over?"

...

In that moment, everyone was reeling from the news.

Many began to wonder what Earth would be like after a takeover.

No one was a fool. Would an alien with no emotional attachment to Earth really govern it with care? It was highly unlikely.

The voice continued, "In truth, our forces cannot hold out against the mutated sea creatures for much longer. In the past month, over thirty of Earth’s King Level Cultivators have fallen! At this rate, we can last for another month or two at most before the defended cities are overrun."

King Level Cultivators had also perished in the fight against the mutated sea creatures. Battle was cruel, and casualties were unavoidable.

"Therefore, we chose to contact an extraterrestrial civilization and deliberately expose Earth!"

"In one hour, the extraterrestrial civilization will arrive to begin its audit. These auditors include beings from the Longevity Realm, which is above the Law Realm, and even the Star Lord Realm. These realms are all higher than King Level..."

"If Earth lacks a genius who has broken through to the Law Realm, it will be taken over!"

"If Earth has such a genius, it will remain free, and the extraterrestrial civilization will help our world develop!"

"Regardless of the outcome, the current crisis with the mutated sea creatures will be swiftly resolved."

...

The entire message had been delivered, reaching the ears of every single person.

Upon learning this, the entire planet erupted into chaos.

"An alien civilization is arriving in one hour!"

"Damn it! They kept us completely in the dark! Now they suddenly announce a full-blown alien force is about to arrive!"

"It wouldn’t have made a difference if they told us sooner. With the current crisis, with those mutated sea creatures swarming everywhere, relying on an alien civilization is the only way to deal with them. The alternative is extinction."

"If a genius appears, Earth stays free. If not, we get taken over! But what does ’taken over’ even mean? Why won’t they tell us?"

"Longevity Realm, Star Lord Realm... these are terrifying beings beyond King Level. How could Earth possibly resist them?"

"We demand to know everything!"

...

In an instant, the entire planet was plunged into absolute chaos.

Some remained rational, but others erupted in anger, or descended into madness...

Previously, while facing the great Ocean Giant Beast crisis, they had managed to hold on to their sanity because there was still hope.

But now, another civilization was about to descend, one that might take direct control of the planet...

Although the consequences of being ’managed’ were left unsaid, everyone’s mind immediately jumped to the worst-case scenarios.

After all, if Earth had long possessed the means to contact other civilizations, why hadn’t they? It must be because the fate of a ’taken over’ planet was known to be grim.

Civilization, freedom... perhaps none of it would exist anymore.

In the movies, when alien civilizations arrived at a new world, their methods were destruction and conquest, just like in the film *Avatar*.

At that moment, some people simply broke down, falling to their knees and praying for Earth to have a kind fate.

Everything... would be answered in one hour.

...

Inside the Celestial Origin Palace, Li Yang and Shen Xuan stood together.

"Palace Master, how much longer?" Li Yang asked.

Inside Shen Xuan’s palace hall was a massive screen.

Shen Xuan tapped the screen, bringing up an incoming message.

"One minute," he said, reading it.

He took a deep breath. "They’re finally coming."

Next, Earth would truly come into contact with an extraterrestrial civilization.

"Li Yang, you’ve broken through to the Law Realm. Once the audit is over, you will be the leader of Earth. Our first order of business will be to mine the ore veins on Mars and the moon to develop Earth’s strength as quickly as possible."

Li Yang nodded. "I know."

A glint of light shone in his eyes.

In one minute, Earth would face its final judgment. Then, it would become a free planet and officially make its debut in the Cosmos!