Just as the Chief Commissioner predicted, Donghua’s decision to disclose information about the Celestial Demons and implement a series of major initiatives—a move befitting one of the world’s great powers—was bound to have an immense impact on the global political landscape.

Even though other nations attempted to suppress the news, within a few days, word of Donghua’s drastic changes had spread across the globe. Foreign media outlets scrambled to cover the story, its influence snowballing until countless ordinary people learned of the Celestial Demons’ existence.

Moreover, Donghua officials repeatedly stated in their press releases that the Celestial Demons originated outside of Donghua’s borders. This implied that other governments must have had some knowledge of them, yet they had never disclosed any information about such threatening beings.

This revelation caused great alarm among the freedom-loving citizens of other countries, particularly in the self-proclaimed "nation of liberty," the Starry Sky Country. The public backlash there was especially fierce. Droves of civilians, unions, and organizations stepped forward, demanding that the government provide an explanation, reveal the truth, and uphold the people’s right to be informed.

Just when everyone thought the government wouldn’t compromise easily and that a prolonged period of protest would be needed to see any results, the relevant authorities responded with surprising speed. News broke immediately that the government would hold a press conference to address the Celestial Demon incident.

All at once, the eyes of the entire world, not just those within the Starry Sky Country, were fixed upon them.

As the most powerful nation on Earth, having occupied the top spot for a century, any move the Starry Sky Country made had the potential to alter the global landscape.

The press conference was held in an auditorium. Its hundreds of seats were filled to capacity with media and reporters from the Starry Sky Country and abroad. The entire nation, and indeed the world, was waiting for the Starry Sky Country’s official statement.

At that moment, seated in the center of the dais was General Norton.

Among the upper echelons of the Nebula Alliance, General Norton had always been responsible for public-facing matters, so he was the one chosen to preside over this press conference.

Under the gaze of hundreds of pairs of eyes, General Norton scanned the room, then slowly began to speak, officially kicking off the press conference.

"First, we acknowledge that, as Donghua officials recently stated, there does indeed exist a special life form in this world, one previously unknown to us."

Right from the start, General Norton confirmed the rumors, which came as something of a surprise to everyone present.

"However..."

Then, General Norton’s tone immediately shifted. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Regarding Donghua’s proposed term for these special organisms, the word ’Celestial Demon’—we find it to be biased. In fact, we prefer to name these special beings ’Celestial Beings’."

The moment he said this, the room erupted in an uproar. Though it was merely a simple change in name, everyone present could read into it the two superpowers’ nearly diametrically opposed stances on these special beings.

Celestial Demon carries an obvious, malicious connotation.

Celestial Beings, on the other hand, has a much more positive one.

A difference in attitude leads to opposing stances, and opposing stances could very well lead to conflict and struggle.

"According to our research, the Celestial Beings may have existed on Earth even longer than humanity."

"From another perspective, much like the dinosaurs and other prehistoric life, the Celestial Beings are also a part of Earth’s ecosystem. The difference is that prehistoric creatures had tangible forms and left behind ’evidence’ for us to study. The Celestial Beings, however, lack physical bodies, so they were initially unknown to us. Furthermore, for a long stretch of history, they entered a prolonged period of slumber, similar to hibernation, and have only begun a partial Awakening in modern times. As a result, public knowledge about them is scarce."

"In reality, the history of the Celestial Beings has always been inextricably linked with our own. In the dawn of civilization, they already possessed immense wisdom. They were in contact with humanity for long periods, guiding the development of Human Society. You could say they played the role of teachers in early human history. As such, they were worshipped and revered by ancient peoples. This reverence eventually led to the image of the Celestial Beings becoming deeply embedded in humanity’s faith in Divine Spirits and religion."

"Now, due to their natural cycle, they have begun to awaken. Their form of life, along with the knowledge and Power they possess, is of monumental significance to the overall development of Human Society. If we can thoroughly research this... technology, all of Human Society, as well as the progress of individual human Life Evolution, will experience an unprecedented leap forward. Every single person stands to benefit."

"We have already communicated with key factions among the Celestial Beings and have established a cooperative relationship. In recent years, the technology we’ve acquired from them has matured, leading to a series of breakthroughs. And now, we can solemnly and publicly declare: a new era of individual human Life Evolution has arrived!"

General Norton’s expression was calm as he spoke, but his words sent a shockwave through the assembled media. A forest of hands shot up from the reporters.

"You, sir. Please."

General Norton pointed to a middle-aged male reporter with dark skin, naturally curly hair, and a clear Indian Origin.

"Hello, General. From what you’ve said, am I correct in understanding that the official position of the Starry Sky Country is that the Celestial Demons—or rather, the Celestial Beings—are not a potential threat, but a beneficial force with whom we can cooperate to promote social progress?"

The reporter of Indian Origin asked.

"Yes, that is a correct assessment."

General Norton nodded.

"Then my question is, why do the Starry Sky Country and Donghua Country have such vastly different attitudes toward these special life forms? What is your explanation for the Nanjiang tragedy in Donghua? The massive casualties would seem to confirm that these beings pose a major threat to humanity. Do you believe this is the behavior of a species that can coexist peacefully with us?"

The reporter of Indian Origin pressed on, his question cutting straight to the heart of the matter.

The other reporters immediately leaned in, listening intently, as this was the very question on all their minds.

"The Nanjiang tragedy proves nothing."

A cold smile touched General Norton’s lips.

"Why would you say that?"

The reporter asked, confused.

"Unlike our consistent approach of friendly negotiation and mutual cooperation, certain countries may preach peace on the surface, but no one knows what they’re actually doing behind closed doors."

"For instance, when dealing with special life forms like the Celestial Beings, certain nations have resorted to capture programs that disregard all humanitarian principles, and have secretly conducted cruel, inhumane experiments."

"To my knowledge, the Nanjiang incident was, in essence, an experiment that spiraled out of control. A human being subjected to extremely cruel experimentation would suffer a mental breakdown and become destructive. The same is true for the highly intelligent Celestial Beings. That is the root cause of the Nanjiang tragedy."

"On that note, I hope the authorities in certain countries will put the interests of their citizens first, respect human rights, and stop threatening the lives of countless people for their own selfish ambitions. Furthermore, these actions could very well damage the friendship between the Celestial Beings and humanity, pushing a conflict that could be resolved peacefully to the brink of war."

"We reserve the right to pursue accountability. And if necessary, for the sake of world peace and stability, we will not rule out the possibility of taking... special measures."