Li Tianran's emotions were running high as he spoke, his voice turning cold and angry.

He already knew from the city officials' reports what was happening in various cities. Just like in City Seven, where he was now, in other cities, those civilians who had been infected by the mental plague once before were making similar choices to the officer Li Tianran had killed.

They were desperately craving to return to the illusion, even actively running towards the mental plague to speed up the infection process!

This behavior infuriated Li Tianran.

Putting aside the fact that they were courting death and exacerbating the consequences, their attitude alone made Li Tianran want to kill.

While Li Tianran and the army were doing everything they could to save the cities and the lives of these civilians, they were choosing to actively seek death!

It was like a group of anti-drug police risking their lives to wipe out drug dealers and make society safer, only to have people actively seeking drugs, allowing those harmful substances to flow into society through them.

Their actions would not only harm themselves but also render all the efforts to eradicate drugs futile!

Li Tianran knew very well how terrifying this mental plague was and why these civilians were so obsessed with the illusion. It was because they were dissatisfied with their lives in reality. This dissatisfaction had accumulated to the point that they easily fell into the illusion, willing to stay immersed in it and unwilling to leave. They became hysterical and unable to accept reality after being forcibly pulled out, even actively seeking to be infected again!

All of this stemmed from the tragic reality.

Among these civilians, some had lost their entire families, some had their homes destroyed, some had lost their privileged status, some had lost their wealth, and some had lost their power...

This disaster was terrifying for everyone.

These civilians who had lost everything were powerless to change the situation, unable to bring back what they had lost. This had become their obsession and their most tragic memory.

The illusion could satisfy all their needs.

They could find what they had lost in the illusion, change their current suffering, stay away from disasters and pain, and live happily.

It seemed like there was nothing wrong with that...

Except that this happiness came at the cost of their lives.

"Your lives are indeed your own, and you have the right to choose to live or die. Even I cannot interfere with that..." Li Tianran took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. "But I want to tell you..."

"In this world, since the revival of ancient civilizations, in countless wars, at least ten million soldiers have died so that you could live!"

"They also had homes, and they also wanted to live! Their families may also have died in disasters!"

"While you are lying in shelters sleeping, they are standing on the border lines in the cold wind of the night, guarding against possible attacks!"

"While you are complaining about the poor environment of the shelters, they are shedding blood on the battlefield, fighting against sea beasts, followers, and enemies who are countless times stronger than them!"

"While you are cursing because some dry food is difficult to swallow, they are sitting on the battlefield with rivers of blood, crying beside the bodies of their comrades!"

"If they had a choice, I think those soldiers might be more willing to exchange their lives with you!"

"They shed blood, risked their lives, and guarded the border lines, repeatedly defeating those invaders who wanted to enter the cities on a large scale, not only because of my orders but also to allow you to live better and longer, and to ensure the long-term continuation of the human race!"

"The chance of survival they risked their lives to gain for you is now being discarded by you like trash..."

"If the spirits of those warriors on the border, in the great desert, and on the sea knew about this, they would never rest in peace!"

Li Tianran was almost roaring, his voice echoing over every city in the human world.

Under his roar, everyone lowered their heads, their faces filled with shame and unease.

Even those who were trapped in the illusion saw distortions in their happy world, as if the real world and the illusion were overlapping. Li Tianran's voice rang in their ears, causing huge fluctuations in their emotions.

"What I wanted to say is over." Li Tianran's voice suddenly lowered. "I will now give you a choice. If you choose to fight for yourselves, then please immediately initiate mental linking to eliminate the mental plague."

"If you still think the illusion is beautiful and would rather be immersed in it and die, abandoning your lives in vain... then I will launch nuclear missiles and electromagnetic pulse bombs at your cities to control the spread of the mental plague in the most direct way."

"You have three minutes!"

"Also, to those compatriots who want to see their former families in the illusion, I think your families would rather you live stronger than meet you in hell."

After saying this, Li Tianran directly hung up the communication with the cities.

...

The cities fell into a dead silence.

A moment later, someone began to cry loudly.

It was an evolved soldier who had once been infected with the mental plague. At this time, a large number of colored lights were still surrounding him, as if trying to drag him back into the illusion.

"Dad, Mom, I can't stay with you any longer..." Distorted images appeared in his eyes, a kind old couple standing in front of an old house. He held back his tears and kowtowed three times heavily to the front: "I can't let my comrades' blood be shed in vain!"

"If you were still alive, you wouldn't want to see me like this, right!"

With a roar, the evolved soldier turned and ran towards the building where mental linking was taking place in the distance. Soon, as he entered the range of the spiritual body, the mental plague on his body was completely eliminated, and his spirit instantly entered the linking.

And with his actions, more and more people seemed to have realized something, and their eyes showed a firm light.

The hot blood of those war dead cleansed the fear and doubt in their hearts.

They finally overcame their inner timidity and their attachment to the mental plague, and once again completely released their spirits, entering the linking.