This time, the joint resistance of the three major powers against the meteor disaster was not concealed from the public but was broadcast live in its entirety.

  Most of the elderly among the crowd taking shelter in the underground bunkers watched via the projected laser screens inside, while the younger people used their phones to stream it online.

  The mood of the crowd peaked with each successful completion of a predetermined target.

  Just as everyone was rejoicing that the three nations had successfully destroyed the vast majority of the larger meteors in this assault on Blue Planet...

  Suddenly, both the laser projections and the phones went black, and even the lights in the underground bunkers instantly went dark.

  Fortunately, most underground facilities are equipped with backup power sources.

  The darkness that had initially panicked the people in the bunker gradually receded as the light bulbs on the ceiling lit up one by one, restoring illumination.

  However, although the lights in the bunker came back on, the phones in everyone's hands remained black screens.

  A long time passed before everyone learned that although the three nations had successfully destroyed most of the large meteors in the swarm, many smaller ones had still managed to impact Blue Planet.

  The sudden blackout of the laser screens and phones was caused by the EMP pulse generated upon the meteors' impact, which damaged the vast majority of electronic devices on Blue Planet.

  Luckily, most of the larger meteors had been shattered by the three nations.

  Even though some remnants successfully breached Blue Planet's atmosphere, their impact sites were mostly over oceans or deserts—uninhabited areas.

  While a few smaller meteors did strike cities, their size was limited, resulting in minimal damage.

  However, due to the communication breakdown caused by the damaged equipment, most people remained unaware that this EMP pulse had incapacitated the vast majority of electronic devices on Blue Planet.

  More developed nations suffered greater losses from this meteor impact, while some less developed countries appeared relatively unaffected by the EMP pulse.

  Although the Celestial Empire had prepared in advance, life in the underground spaces remained oppressive.

  Therefore, after confirming that the outside world was relatively safe, the authorities gave residents two choices.

  Residents could choose to return home immediately or, to guard against unforeseen dangers, continue staying in the underground bunkers.

  While this choice might require careful consideration for others, Dong Qi, upon hearing it, decisively chose to leave at once.

  Although he hadn't sensed any damage to his Lifebound Artifact while in the underground space, Dong Qi was still deeply concerned.

  Moreover, with the EMP pulse disabling all electronic devices outside, this presented the perfect opportunity for enhancement.

  Not many in the underground space made the same choice as Dong Qi; most who did were ordinary young people.

  When the officials led Dong Qi and the others to the exit of the underground space, they addressed the group:

  "Testing indicates minimal immediate danger outside, but the equipment is rudimentary and the tests were basic.

  Since you have chosen to go outside now, you must bear the consequences of any subsequent dangers yourselves.

  Beyond potential dangers, I must solemnly remind you: while only a few of you here have chosen to leave, other bunkers likely have people making the same choice.

  This is not the post-apocalyptic world of fiction. Even after you leave, you must still abide by the law. Do not act recklessly. If you do, you will still face severe punishment."

  Most of those who chose to leave paid little heed to the officials' warning.

  Those willing to venture out at this time undoubtedly had their own motives.

  As the saying goes, crisis and opportunity coexist. Taking the risk to go out now was precisely to seize that sliver of opportunity.

  Since the meteor swarm hadn't caused significant damage to structures on Blue Planet, going out now not only allowed for the 'forced' gathering of supplies from some buildings...

  It also provided a chance, with the Sky-Eye surveillance systems disabled, to carry out actions requiring secrecy.

  Therefore, everyone who went out this time basically had their own hidden agendas.

  In truth, the officials understood this perfectly well. The main reason they were still willing to let Dong Qi and the others leave was exactly as they had stated.

  Due to the EMP pulse, the vast majority of electronic devices had been damaged.

  At this point, the authorities could not confirm whether the outside environment was safe, so they needed some "guinea pigs" to conduct on-site testing.

  In the eyes of the officials, Dong Qi and the others who voluntarily left the underground shelter were like willing "guinea pigs" offering themselves up.

  As for the impact these "guinea pigs" might have once outside, it wasn’t much of a concern for the authorities.

  If these "guinea pigs" behaved themselves, that was fine—the authorities wouldn’t pay too much attention to minor actions.

  But if those "guinea pigs" didn’t know when to stop, the firearms in the hands of the authorities were no joke.

  After all, the EMP pulse had only damaged electronic products; it hadn’t affected purely mechanical firearms at all.

  So even if there were some Awakened among those who went out, the government wasn’t too concerned. At this stage, firearms still held the dominant position.

  Upon hearing the thinly veiled warning from the officials, none of the crowd were fools. Not only did no one voice an objection on the spot, but their expressions remained unchanged as well.

  The official didn’t say much more. What he had just said was merely routine procedure—he had to say it, but he didn’t want to offend those heading out.

  So he immediately added a reminder, "I won’t say much more. Just remember, once the authorities 'discover' you’ve committed any illegal acts, you will be severely punished."

  When the crowd heard the official emphasize the word "discover," they all tacitly understood.

  As long as things weren’t taken too far and they weren’t directly caught in the act, the authorities wouldn’t bother investigating minor issues from their time outside.

  After the official left, the crowd glanced at each other. Since everyone had different thoughts, they didn’t chat much and simply dispersed.

  Perhaps because the meteor fall had stirred up a great deal of dust, even though it should have been daytime, the sky remained shrouded in a gray haze.

  The underground shelter where Dong Qi had taken refuge was converted from a subway station and wasn’t far from his home. An ordinary person would take at most half an hour to walk there.

  But Dong Qi, having undergone one enhancement, made the trip in just under ten minutes at a brisk pace.

  Looking at the unchanged door, Dong Qi immediately checked all the electrical appliances at home as soon as he returned.