In this era where the world had already mutated, ordinary people seemed to have become creatures at the very bottom of the food chain. They were not qualified to participate in the wars between those evolved ones, nor could they do some highly specialized work.

In the eyes of some high-level individuals, their lives were not even worth as much as a few pieces of mutated beast meat.

They couldn't control their own destiny and could only let others control them.

When the world wanted to destroy them, when disasters befell them, they were powerless to resist, and didn't even have the right to voice their opposition.

Sometimes, they even felt that their lives were worse than the beasts in the zoo of yesteryear.

"I've experienced this kind of despair three times, watching everything around me being destroyed with my own eyes, but I was helpless to resist, just staying there like a useless person... Could it be that I have to experience it again today?"

"This is the fate of us ordinary people..."

"In this world of rampant monsters, our weakness is our sin!"

"Forget it, let it be... We can't do anything anyway!"

Within the settlement, voices of despair and decadence rose in unison.

The civilians looked at the pale-faced, bleeding-from-all-orifices smart-brain soldiers, no longer holding any hope in their hearts, believing that today would be their day of death.

They had already given up.

Because they didn't have the qualification to resist, they could only passively accept the fate the world gave them, just like they had experienced before.

...

The commander stood on a high-rise building, his vision already somewhat blurred, his ears beginning to ring violently, and his brain becoming abnormally sluggish. This was the result of multiple massive impacts on his mind. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer. This mental plague was even more powerful than Li Tianran had said before; they couldn't stop it at all.

"Is this the end?" The commander gave a miserable smile, his face extremely pale. "But it's enough, I can be considered to have fought to the last moment, no one can say that I wasn't dutiful enough..."

"This world that I once fought for, I must say goodbye today..."

Countless chaotic thoughts appeared in the commander's mind, like a revolving lantern, beginning to recall his life.

But at this moment, Li Tianran's voice actually appeared again in the sky above this city!

"All human compatriots, this is Li Tianran!"

The commander was stunned for a moment. He looked at the tallest building in the very center of the city, the one that combined command, communication, and public announcement. At this moment, Li Tianran's face appeared on the giant electronic display screen outside the building.

Seeing Li Tianran's face, the commander felt a jolt run through his entire body.

From who knows when, Li Tianran had almost become synonymous with "sense of security." The moment he saw him, the commander felt that things might take a turn for the better today!

The commander forcibly calmed himself down, trying to clear his mind and prepare to listen to Li Tianran's orders.

But this time, he didn't notice a detail.

In the past, when Li Tianran issued orders to the commanders of various cities, he would add the name of the city and the commander's number in front. But this time, he said "All human compatriots," instead of pointing to a specific commander or a specific city!

"All human compatriots, this is Li Tianran!"

"The human race has reached its most dangerous and darkest moment. I now need everyone to fight together to change the fate of the race. Whether you are soldiers or civilians, I now require you to release all consciousness, accept the mental power absorption of the smart-brain-type evolved ones, do not resist, do not refuse. This process may be a little painful, but for the continuation of the race, we must do this!"

"Now, I announce to the world the method to counteract the mental plague!"

"First, all smart-brain ability users in all cities, release your mental power, sense the spirit of other creatures in the city, turn your abilities into clues, and connect the spirits of other civilians!"

"Second, all civilians need to maintain absolute trust and cooperation with your city's military, and do not show any..."

"Third..."

Li Tianran's voice resounded throughout the entire city. Everyone who heard the content of this voice, including the commander, had an excited expression on their faces, because it represented hope!

It represented that they still had a chance to survive and even defeat the mental bacteria today!

Li Tianran spoke extremely quickly, announcing all the methods and precautions for mental connection. Finally, he said extremely seriously: "Everyone's fate is in your own hands today. If you don't want to die here, then follow the method I said and fight for yourselves!"

"I look forward to creating a miracle with you all!"

Li Tianran's voice fell, and the entire city was in an uproar.

For desperate people, what is the most important thing?

Hope, dawn!

At this moment, all the humans in the entire city did not hesitate at all and all began to try to connect their minds according to the method Li Tianran described.

"Numbers 102, 103... and one hundred others, immediately withdraw from the mental barrier team and perform mental connections within the city!" The commander roared, selecting one hundred of the most powerful smart-brain evolved ones from the team to carry out the important task issued by Li Tianran.

And after undergoing several impacts from the mental plague, these one hundred people were also in relatively good condition in this team.

"Received!"

The soldiers' responses rang out, and they quickly withdrew from the battlefield. At the same time, the commander felt that the mental pressure he was under had increased again.

The already crumbling mental barrier finally began to collapse after these one hundred smart-brain soldiers withdrew.

Cracks appeared on the barrier, and finally, in the commander's unwilling gaze, the mental barrier completely shattered.

This mental barrier, jointly created by a thousand smart-brain evolved ones, only lasted less than three minutes in the face of the impact of the mental plague...