Chapter 223: Crisis at the Dais

I propose that, given the seriousness of the situation, a full-scale investigation should commence immediately.

I second that. However, I believe preparations for evacuation can proceed concurrently.

Agreed. Yenir has uncovered an issue, and I too feel we need to get a head start.

…

The discussion moved swiftly.

Once the Prime Minister set the tone, hardly anyone dared to voice any opposition.

After all, it wasn’t their Battle Zone at risk. If disaster were to strike, backing Yenir’s proposal would mark them as foresighted—and if it didn’t, the blame would fall squarely on Yenir, not them.

They’re all astute; they know exactly how to make the right call.

As voices of approval and calls to dispatch additional commissioners for verification filled the room, Yenir couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Not bad. Things were unfolding far more smoothly than he had expected.

What followed was simple: after thorough verification, the evacuation plan would be set in motion.

He had already assigned Chen Kailai, Zhao Long, and others to handle the subsequent steps. Once the evacuation started, all survivors’ records would be recompiled—giving him every chance to track down that Researcher Sun.

If it weren’t that he was forced to rely on them—and knowing they could spearhead the Transcendent Project—Yenir wouldn’t hesitate to openly harness the Authorities’ power to search for answers.

“Yenir kid, not bad. I underestimated you…”

After Yenir sat down, Fang Hao looked at his profile in surprise, his initial admiration deepening.

He had thought Yenir was fooling around, but instead he had dropped a bombshell.

Isn’t this keen observation and natural sense of impending crisis exactly what their Demon-Hunting Corps needs?

He had never doubted his own judgment.

Yenir turned his head, a flash of fatigue in his eyes. Just as he was about to speak with a smile, a chorus of vehement objections erupted.

“I disagree!”

“Esteemed commissioners! I know the East Sea Battle Zone better than anyone! I stake my life that there’s no danger now—and none will ever be!”

With his eyes bloodshot, Fang Teng resembled a desperate gambler, his hands gripping the table tightly.

“We’re beginning the evacuation immediately. Have any of you considered how you’ll explain this to the public?!”

“If word gets out that a Level-A disaster is imminent in the Sea Battle Zone, it won’t be just one Safe Zone thrown into chaos—but the entire coast!”

“Safe Zone 239 alone shelters seven million people, and unregistered numbers exceed eight! Along the coast, no fewer than sixty million survivors are spread out!”

“Any hint of trouble would deliver a devastating blow to the coastal economy and infrastructure!”

His voice laced with seething indignation, Fang Teng glared at the receding figure of Yenir. At that moment, he had no way out.

Launching an investigation was one thing—he was confident his dispatched commissioners wouldn’t uncover anything amiss.

But if news of the evacuation plan leaked, regardless of how events later unfolded, his painstakingly managed East Sea Battle Zone would be doomed!

“Commissioner Fang Teng, we fully grasp the severity of the problem,”

but “Yenir’s suspicions might well be justified. If we don’t prepare for evacuation now, in case…”

Before any official could retort, Fang Teng suddenly turned toward him:

“Suspicions!? You all know it’s mere speculation!”

“Are we really going to act like fools just because that kid saw something in a vision?”

“The data is just a little off! I refuse to believe that any district under our command could have flawless records!”

“In forty-six years, no disaster has ever occurred. Why would one happen now?”

“Absurd! Ridiculous! With so many commissioners and elites here, is my judgment really inferior to that kid’s?!!”

“Commissioner Fang, watch your tone!”

Noting that Fang Teng seemed to harbor ulterior motives and excessive animosity towards Yenir, a high-ranking official from the Political Department on the Dais sternly admonished him.

“This is a time for discussing proposals! If you disagree, simply cast your vote against it!”

After his rebuke, the official’s expression softened slightly—he wasn’t willing to press Fang Teng too hard, given Fang Teng’s stature and the need to save face.

As if jolted into awareness, Fang Teng’s once flushed face suddenly turned pale. He realized he had crossed a line.

Yes, he hated Yenir.

Wanrou had already been sidelined and had also attacked him—wasn’t this clearly aimed at him?

He even suspected that among the commissioners siding with Yenir, there might be a hidden mastermind—a political rival!

As for the crisis Yenir had mentioned, he hadn’t given it a second thought.

What kind of sheer coincidence is that?!

After so many years of peace, why would catastrophe choose to strike precisely today—or even this year?

Suppressing the anger boiling within, Fang Teng took a deep breath, careful not to show too much.

“I apologize, esteemed commissioners and delegates,”

“but I must say: sometimes panic is even more terrifying than the disaster itself.”

“We’ve worked hard to stabilize public sentiment and steadily foster development over the years. The people trust us. Now, if this crisis suddenly erupts, how will the masses perceive us? With only a scant ten days for evacuation, they’ll surely blame our incompetence!”

“Where are we to evacuate everyone? What about the supplies along the way? How can we ensure order during the exodus?”

“And if nothing happens… no—if nothing actually occurs?!”

“We might end up suffering greater losses from a hasty evacuation than from the disaster itself!”

“Ladies and gentlemen, you all know the chaos that ensues amidst panic!”

“Economic losses alone could easily soar into the tens of billions, not to mention the countless malicious incidents that may follow!”

“As the head of the East Sea Armed Department and overall commander, I cannot bear to see the people of the East Sea displaced and tormented over mere speculation!”

With a heavy heart, Fang Teng quietly pleaded, invoking the fate of ten million survivors as his argument.

As his words faded, silence fell over the entire meeting hall.

Even the top officials on the Dais appeared momentarily hesitant.

Indeed, the gravity of the matter was overwhelming.

Time was short—either we begin the evacuation now, or we wager that nothing will happen.

According to Yenir, disaster was only days away, making any evacuation seem dreadfully rushed.

Whether we evacuate or disaster strikes, nearly ten million lives would be saved.

Yet if the crisis never materializes, or its severity isn’t as dire as Yenir ‘saw’ it…

the Authorities would soon be ridiculed, and the resulting losses would be beyond calculation.

Do we trust Yenir’s judgment and his ‘visions,’ or do we rely on Fang Teng, who has managed the East Sea for years at the cost of lives?

It was a catch-22.