Apocalypse Showdown: Carrier Conquest

Chapter 12: The Fireseed Project

The Fireseed Project of the Xia Nation can be traced back to the early days of its founding. At a time when the nation was impoverished and facing threats from large-scale enemy weapons, a nationwide effort was made to develop extensive civil defense infrastructure, with the Fireseed Project as its central pillar.

As Xia Nation’s technological and economic strength grew, the project evolved from a simple elite survival initiative into a comprehensive plan encompassing humanity, biodiversity, and technology—ensuring the continuation of civilization itself.

In the conference room, the aging general swept his resolute gaze across the assembled experts.

“Each of you is among the foremost authorities in your respective fields. At this critical juncture, the nation and its people place their trust in your professional judgment. You have received all relevant data and simulation results. You have three hours—three hours to reach a definitive conclusion.”

With that, he turned and left the room, leaving behind thirty of Xia Nation’s top scientists to engage in heated debate over whether to activate the Fireseed Project.

Yet even outside the conference room, the general was not idle. Every passing minute, he was receiving updates from his aides.

“Sir, Beautiful Nation has issued another statement today, once again accusing us of hiding their missing Tefur-class aircraft carrier...”

“I’d like to know where it is too,” the general muttered sarcastically before shaking his head. “Political squabbles aren’t my concern. Any updates on the strange theft case in Deep City?”

His aide glanced at his tablet. “No progress yet, sir.”

The Deep City auto plant heist had piqued the general’s interest not because of the monetary loss but due to its sheer peculiarity. Somehow, it felt disturbingly similar to the disappearance of the Tefur-class. Like Beautiful Nation, he did not believe the carrier had simply sunk.

But right now, the looming catastrophe—the fate of billions—left him no time to dwell on missing warships and bizarre thefts.

Meanwhile, across the ocean, the Beautiful Nation government had also recognized the severity of the impending crisis. After a series of high-level meetings, the president found himself invited to a private estate for a highly classified discussion.

Those present were the true titans of Beautiful Nation—far beyond mere corporate magnates.

Among them were world-renowned figures from the fields of computing, aerospace, finance, and industrial technology, collectively representing half the power in the room.

The other half, however, consisted of strangers to the public eye. Their names never graced the headlines, yet their influence was evident in the way the president himself deferred to them.

At the head of the table sat an elderly man with silver hair, piercing green eyes, and deeply lined features. His expression was placid, his presence commanding, and when his eyes gleamed with the sharpness of a blade, all fell silent.

“Let’s begin. Our chief scientist, Mr. Misi, will explain the situation.”

Misi Pollant.

Few knew of his existence, but among those who did, he was revered as a legend. His intelligence was rumored to surpass Einstein’s, his inventiveness eclipsing that of Tesla. His contributions spanned multiple scientific disciplines, his fingerprints evident across many of the nation’s cutting-edge technologies.

“Gentlemen,” he began, his tone brooking no argument, “what I am about to tell you may defy your understanding of reality. However, you will remain silent and listen. Otherwise, you will be expelled—just like my incompetent students.”

Despite appearing no older than thirty-five, Misi Pollant was nearly seventy. His sheer confidence, born from intellectual superiority, made him an overbearing figure.

“First and foremost,” he declared, “humanity—as we know it, including everyone in this room—is on the verge of extinction.”

A heavy silence fell over the gathering. If it had been anyone else making such a claim, they would have been dismissed outright. But this was Misi Pollant.

“If you think I exaggerate, consider this: the Island Nation is already finished.”

Misi gestured, and screens around the room displayed grim statistics.

“New data confirms that over fifty percent of its population is already dead. The eruption of Mount Shifu has buried seventy percent of the country under volcanic ash. And not just any ash—our samples reveal high levels of radioactive contaminants. The source is unknown, but we suspect it could be a consequence of their reckless nuclear waste disposal.

“In short, the Island Nation is gone. And so are all those still trapped there.”

For the elite gathered in that room, the fall of a single nation was of little concern. What truly turned their expressions grim was what Misi said next.

“The volcanic ash is sealing the atmosphere. Temperatures will plummet at an unprecedented rate.”

“In the coming months, nothing will grow on the surface. Pay attention—I said nothing. This means one thing: famine. Every nation on Earth will face mass starvation, leading to the collapse of civilization itself.

“As if that weren’t enough, long-term deprivation of sunlight will cause hormonal imbalances, leading to widespread mental instability…”

Misi paused, letting the weight of his words settle before continuing.

“I am well aware that each of you has built your own private doomsday bunkers. But tell me—how long can you truly last in them? Three years? Five?

“A bunker without a self-sustaining economy is nothing more than a tomb. Without a stable population, without long-term resource renewal, you will die in those cages, like lab rats in an experiment.

“Unless… you join my plan.”

He straightened.

“Twenty years ago, I launched two projects—the Ark Initiative and Eden Project. They have now reached operational status and can support a population of over seventy million.

“If you choose to participate, I will grant you access to advanced technologies—including lifespan extension, genetic modification, next-generation aerospace systems, and industrialized food production.

“With proper planning, we will not only survive—we will emerge stronger.

“I assure you, the so-called great nations of today will not make it through this crisis.

“Xia Nation? It will perish.

“This catastrophe is a gift from God, an opportunity for Beautiful Nation to reshape the world order. All it will cost us… is half our population.”

For two hours, Misi elaborated on his theories.

He outlined the various calamities ahead, potential mutations among survivors, and how his years of research had already begun preparing for these changes.

His conclusion was clear: in the long run, the catastrophe favored Beautiful Nation.

Had Zhou Lin been present at this meeting, he would have partially agreed with Misi—at least about the fate of the Island Nation.

“Dad, look at the sky.”

Before setting out to retrieve his sister, Zhou Lin pointed at the dark heavens above them. Though it was already 8:30 AM, the sky remained a suffocating black.

“Stop doubting. This is just the beginning.”