To respond to the possible wave of unrest, the Pegasus Civilization government made very thorough arrangements. Large numbers of troops had already moved to the edges of the city, and the police took to the streets to begin patrols, ready at any time to strike at any rioters who might appear.

But, very much against people’s expectations, after the new leader finished this address, the city still remained quiet. No one took to the streets to stage protest marches, no one took to the streets to launch riots. Everything in the city was as usual, as if nothing at all had happened.

Amid this silence, the new leader and a group of members of the leadership sat quietly in the conference room. Everyone was silently waiting for something.

“What we could do, we have done. The rest, let fate decide. We have always believed that the citizens of our civilization will not let us down, will they not?” the new leader said.

Three hours later, the data channel for applying to become members of the Escape Committee opened. With great solemnity, the new leader was the first to submit an application. This application was immediately published in the digital realm, and anyone could retrieve this piece of information by querying it.

Next, the military leader submitted his own application, then the industrial leader, the commercial leader, the representative of the scientists…

Everyone present submitted their own applications, giving up their hope of survival.

Then there was a stretch of silence as people read the information. In the digital realm, no new applications appeared for the time being.

Everyone was still waiting for something, and the atmosphere was extremely serious.

After a few minutes, a solitary name appeared on the application list. All the information on this person was immediately pulled up and placed before the leaders present for their review.

“It is actually him? Is Lord Willis not known for stinginess and fear of death? The rumor is that even when he goes out shopping, he brings at least more than fifty elite warriors as a security detail. In fact, when the Divine Ark Civilization attacked our capital star system, if he had not been hiding in a fortress one thousand meters underground and missed the boarding time, he would have long since fled with the former leader. Other than us, the first to apply to join the Escape Committee is actually Lord Willis?”

In the conference room, the leaders looked at each other, scarcely believing their eyes.

“I fear death, but only fear dying without understanding, only fear a death without meaning. Now is the most dangerous moment for our civilization. For the continuation of the civilization, what does it matter if I sacrifice my own life? I am doing this for the ideal in my heart. I am sacrificing for our belief. For me, this is the best way to lose my life.” Accompanying his appearance was a declaration from Lord Willis.

In a luxurious mansion, Lord Willis wiped his eyes and said to the more than fifty elite soldiers who stayed by his side at all times, “All of you may go. From this moment on, you no longer need to protect me. I am going to die in eight months anyway, and I suppose no one has any interest in killing me now.”

Right after Lord Willis’s name, two more names popped up. Likewise, the information for these two people was also retrieved.

Of these two, one was an ordinary office worker. The other was an elderly person who had long since retired.

“I have lived a cowardly life. I have no outstanding looks, no remarkable abilities, no illustrious family background. But I still love this world, love our society, love our civilization. I hope our civilization can continue, and continue better, so I choose to give my chance at survival to someone else.”

In a room of a dilapidated building in a corner of the city, a short, ugly middle-aged man sent out these words and let out a gentle sigh.

Behind him stood a female intelligent being with a sturdy build, even sturdier than male intelligent beings. At this moment, seeing what this short and ugly man before her had done, she could not control the moisture welling up in her eyes.

“I have only just realized that you are the real man. Dear, I will stay and accompany you.”

“Dear, thank you.”

The poor couple held each other happily.

On the edge of the city, in a shabby little house, an elderly intelligent being drained the last bit of alcoholic drink in his hand and murmured in a drunken haze, “I am going to die soon anyway. I might as well give the hope of life to those still young lads… they are the hope of the civilization.”

In the digital realm, the number of applicants began to increase slowly. Among these people were down-and-out unemployed, young students, successful middle-aged people, beautiful young women, and dignified noble ladies…

All kinds of people, all kinds of declarations.

Half an hour after the data channel opened, the number of registrants surged. Every minute and every second, tidal waves of data connection requests poured in. Every minute and every second, large numbers of intelligent beings of the Pegasus Civilization registered to request joining the Escape Committee, while simultaneously giving up their own hope of escape.

The tidal waves of data connection requests continued for three hours. The momentum not only did not abate, it grew even fiercer. The highest leader sat there, and no one knew when his eyes had filled with hot tears. He turned and said to the other leaders, “Do you see it? These are the people of our Pegasus Civilization. With them, our civilization will never perish. Those who fled with the former leader may possess comparatively more outstanding individual abilities, but they are not pure Pegasus Civilization beings, because they have already cast away the most precious spirit within our civilization.”

“These are our people, these are our people!”

At this moment within the Pegasus Civilization, the number of citizens under the leadership of the government was only about thirty billion. As of now, in the span of five hours, more than fifteen billion had registered to join the Escape Committee. After eight hours, this number rose to eighteen billion. After twelve hours, the number broke through to twenty billion. After seventy-two hours, this number finally settled above twenty-eight billion.

A heroic emotion began to spread across the entire planet.

“This is our civilization. We will die, but our civilization will not die. The spirit of our civilization will not die.”

“I have the good fortune to live through such a great era, to witness the greatest spirit of our civilization. To protect this spirit, I will not hesitate even if I must give my life.”

“Even in death I will have no regrets. Fight until the very last moment.”

This situation was something the highest leader had not anticipated. Therefore, after an emergency meeting, the rules of the lottery drawing were changed. Specifically, it changed from drawing lots among those who had never registered to drawing lots among those who had registered. Currently, the number of people who decided to flee was only about two billion, leaving a shortfall of eight billion. These eight billion would be selected from among the twenty-eight billion who had registered. Whoever was selected must leave this planet by compulsion and begin an interstellar escape.

After the lottery drawing began, another unexpected occurrence took place. The citizens selected by lottery were generally emotionally agitated. Some even gathered to sit in silent protest before the highest government institution. They held high their signs and shouted their slogans loudly.

“We will not go. We will stay in our home and live and die with our home to the very last moment. Give the hope of survival to those who can make a greater contribution to our civilization.”

In addition, some extreme incidents even appeared. Some of those selected actually killed themselves outright, using this method to resist the arrangement to flee. Their intent was very clear, “After I commit suicide, you certainly cannot put my corpse on the spaceship and take it away, can you? Give the chance at survival to others.”

To ensure order, government institutions had no choice but to transfer guards to keep those selected under strict watch to prevent acts of resistance. Through many twists and bumps, the lottery eventually ended. Ten billion of those selected were escorted by guards aboard the escape ships. Countless citizens remaining behind began to pray for the escape ships. Innumerable people shed their tears as they parted ways.

“Young man, do your best. You must pass down our civilization. Tell our descendants how great our civilization once was.”

“Dear, once you have gone, do not think of me…”

“Dear, I am not going. I am staying. I am staying.” A young male intelligent being struggled desperately, resisting the guards’ seizure. Not far away from him, a young female intelligent being wept bitterly, yet still shouted herself hoarse, “Dear, you must live. You must live.”

This male intelligent being finally could not resist the guards. He was forcibly pressed onto the ship. Separated by the ship’s porthole, he crouched on the floor in helplessness, as if he had lost his soul.

The boarding operation lasted for two months. After all preparations were complete, under the reluctant gazes of countless people, these spaceships finally left their hometown and embarked on a distant and unknown journey. No one knew what awaited them.

At this moment, there were still twenty billion citizens living on this planet. The leader kept his promise. He stayed behind and began to lead the citizens and the soldiers to carry out the final preparations for war.

“Even if what lies ahead is extinction, or hell, we will still leave our name in this universe, let our name float forever in this universe. What of a Level 6 Alien Beast? We of the Pegasus Civilization will make you feel our spirit and our strength…”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep