Die, Replay, Repeat

The National Psychic Program—just hearing the name was enough to stir excitement in people’s hearts.

For the first time, many realized their long-held dreams of transcending ordinary life were suddenly within reach.

Those who had lost hope, those drowning in despair, and even those numbed by the endless distractions of virtual worlds—all of them now found their eyes glimmering with a new and unprecedented light.

It was as if a clear and open path had appeared before them, beckoning them forward. 

Everywhere, people began shouting, "Work? Saving for a house? That’s for someone else! I’m going to become a psychic and achieve greatness!"

Online, comment sections under news articles were flooded with bold declarations like, "I’ll be the king of this new era!"

The despair caused by the Specters vanished after Fang Xiu displayed his extraordinary powers. Most of the population was now swept up in an ecstatic dream of surpassing their human limits.

Fang Xiu couldn’t read the minds of people across the country, but judging by the reporters’ thrilled expressions, he had a good idea of what they were feeling.

He understood the current enthusiasm was fleeting. When the reality of battling Specters set in, and the harsh requirements for becoming a psychic became known, waves of despair and fear would surely follow.

Becoming a psychic wasn’t like starting a job or attending school—neither of those could get you killed. The path to becoming a psychic, however, was filled with danger.

It required direct confrontation with a Specter. One had to face the unimaginable terror of death, allowing the Specter’s power to invade their mind and ignite their Spiritual Energy.

Even the slightest mistake could lead to a gruesome death. Moreover, meeting the requirements didn’t guarantee success.

Becoming a psychic was a gamble. Some succeeded after encountering a single Specter, while others needed to endure multiple life-and-death situations, teetering on the edge of survival over and over again.

What determined these odds? Fang Xiu wasn’t entirely sure, but it likely depended on factors like natural aptitude, mental resilience, and sheer strength of will.

Even those who became psychics didn’t get to rest easy. Psychics weren’t mythical cultivators who could grow stronger simply by meditating.

Their growth came only through battles with Specters—risking their lives time and time again.

The psychic’s path was a dangerous one, every step as treacherous as walking on a razor’s edge. On top of that, there was the constant threat of Spiritual Energy spiraling out of control.

But Fang Xiu kept these grim truths to himself. His goal wasn’t to crush people’s hope but to inspire it.

When the National Psychic Program officially launched, he planned to take steps to improve success rates and reduce mortality.

His preliminary idea was to capture low-threat Specters and release them into controlled environments.

With proper training, participants would face these Specters under the supervision of skilled professionals.

If, despite maximum protection and proper training, someone still died, it would simply mean they lacked the necessary skill.

This wasn’t a harmless game—it was a war for humanity’s survival.

With these precautions, safety could be significantly enhanced. Though the quality of psychics might decline, the increase in their numbers would more than compensate for it.

After addressing the topics of Specters and psychics, Fang Xiu shifted his focus to his next objective: harnessing the nation’s Power of Lies.

Raising his hand to signal for silence, he announced, “The National Psychic Program will be coordinated nationwide, so I won’t go into further detail today. We’ll now begin the Q&A session.”

The reporters in attendance lit up with excitement. They had been holding back an avalanche of questions, waiting eagerly for this moment.

Even before Fang Xiu officially began the session, countless hands shot up, each hoping to be the one chosen to ask the first question.

Fang Xiu calmly swept his gaze over the crowd of reporters before pointing and speaking in a steady tone: “The gentleman in the first row wearing the dark blue suit.”

The selected reporter’s face lit up with excitement, and he immediately stood to ask his question.

“Mr. Fang, hello! My question is—”

“You want to ask about my position, don’t you?” Fang Xiu interrupted.

The reporter froze mid-sentence, then quickly nodded. “Yes… yes, that’s exactly right. How did you know?”

Fang Xiu didn’t answer directly but instead began elaborating on his role.

“I am the Chief Commander of the Huaxia Specter Incident Joint Investigation and Strategic Defense Attack and Logistics Support Bureau. We call it simply the Investigation Bureau. The Investigation Bureau is a specialized department that handles Specter-related incidents. It consists of psychics and professionally trained personnel. As Chief Commander, I oversee all psychics in Huaxia.”

When he finished, the room fell silent in stunned awe.

For the first time, the reporters truly understood the significance of the man standing before them. He wasn’t just an extraordinary individual—he was the highest authority over all psychics in Huaxia.

Meanwhile, the livestream comment section exploded with activity:

“This guy is insane! He’s literally the boss of all psychics!”

“OMG, if Fang Xiu were a webnovel character, he’d be like some invincible emperor ruling the world!”

“Show some respect! How dare you casually call him by name? Address him as His Majesty!”

“But seriously… just how strong is he? There’s no seniority system among psychics, right? For someone so young to be in charge, it must mean he earned the position purely through strength. Does that make him the strongest psychic in Huaxia?”

Fang Xiu’s calm voice interrupted the commotion as he selected the next reporter: “Second row, third from the left.”

This time, a graceful woman in her thirties stood up eagerly, her polished demeanor evident as she held the microphone.

Before she could speak, Fang Xiu cut in: “You want to ask about the current state of the Specter invasions.”

Just like the previous reporter, she froze, her shock evident.

“H-how… how did you know? Can you read minds…?”

“I can’t read minds,” Fang Xiu replied flatly.

The woman’s face paled, as if she’d just encountered a Specter herself. Fang Xiu had precisely articulated her question before she had a chance to say it.

The other reporters erupted into a storm of whispers. Fang Xiu’s ability to predict questions wasn’t a one-time fluke—it had now happened twice.

The murmurs grew louder:

“He says he can’t read minds, but how does he keep knowing the questions? Are the reporters in on this?”

“Are you stupid? Why would he stage something so pointless? This isn’t a talent show!”

“Exactly! Use your brain. This is a global broadcast about Specter invasions—what would he gain from fake theatrics?”

“Wait, if it’s not mind-reading… could it be… foresight?”

“Bingo! That has to be it! He must be able to see the future!”n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

As speculation in the comment section ran wild, Fang Xiu answered the woman’s question in his usual composed manner.

“The current situation with the Specters is dire. Increasing numbers of Specters are preparing to invade the real world. At this moment, the entire planet is under attack. And in the future, even more countries will fall to the Specters. Isleland is the most recent example.”

The livestream chat exploded with reactions:

“Holy crap! I heard about that! Isleland is in complete chaos. People are saying they’ve even seen Specters in broad daylight!”

“So it really was Specters? I thought it was some kind of divine punishment!”

“Uh… can someone fill me in?.”

“Fill you in? What’s there to explain? The boss of all psychics is speaking—just shut up and listen!”

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