Eli took a deep breath and said slowly,

"Let's not talk about the zombies, nor the other mutated flora and fauna, not even whether marine life or microorganisms might mutate—let's focus on one thing: the Ratmen."

His gaze was sharp, and his tone grew colder: "These rat-men clearly possess intelligence on par with humans. Their physical capabilities are no less than those of an average man and, in some aspects, even superior. Moreover, the rat-men have numerous special abilities, and that’s the truly dangerous part."

Eli analyzed one point after another: "Their sense of smell, hearing, and vision far surpass those of humans. They also have a remarkable resistance to viruses and diseases. This alone gives them an adaptive edge over us. But what’s truly terrifying is that every single rat-man possesses transcendent abilities in the mental domain."

Ethan and Allen listened intently, waiting for him to continue.

Eli paused, his tone now calmer but filled with weight: "These mental abilities allow them to do at least two things."

Raising one finger, Eli began: "First, they can control rat swarms. For them, ordinary rats are both a food reserve and a weapon. This means we’re not just fighting the rat-men; we’re also up against their endless hordes of rats. These rats can infiltrate any place, devour our food supplies, destroy our equipment, and even spread diseases."

Ethan and Alan could imagine this. While they found the rat swarm extremely troublesome, they were not surprised by it.

Eli raised a second finger:

"Second, spiritual communication between individuals. This form of communication is far more efficient than language or text, allowing them to share vast amounts of information within milliseconds.

What does this mean? It means that a simple spiritual fluctuation can accomplish command transmission and tactical adjustments.

Combat is secondary; what is truly terrifying is that they have completely transformed their methods of learning and knowledge inheritance. Their learning efficiency and the speed of knowledge transmission far surpass that of humans, enabling their entire species to achieve leapfrog development in an incredibly short time."

Ethan roughly understood Eli’s point, his expression turning grim:

"They’re born able to communicate directly through mental waves, while it takes us years just to learn how to write."

Allen remained silent, his expression growing even more serious. He could fully grasp what Eli was implying.

Eli looked at Ethan, his tone grave: "It’s not that simple. This isn’t just about writing. It took humanity generations and over two centuries to build a modern industrial system. How long would it take the rat-men?"

Eli paused for a moment before continuing, "Direct communication based on spiritual fluctuations enables them to rapidly advance industrial development and quickly solve various technical challenges. Their civilization will develop in leaps and bounds. Within a hundred years, they might enter the era of interstellar colonization—a speed that is almost unimaginable."

Eli’s gaze grew colder, his tone carrying an undeniable conviction:

"The rat-men’s societal efficiency will give them an overwhelming advantage in resource competition. Industry, agriculture, healthcare, military—every sector could fall under their complete control in an alarmingly short time. And we won’t even have the chance to keep up."

Allen and Ethan’s expressions grew increasingly heavy.

Eli paused again, his gaze becoming even more profound:

"The most critical question is whether the reproductive capabilities of these rat-men have been enhanced. Even if they haven’t, even if their reproductive rates have decreased, they are still likely far greater than those of humans. And if their reproductive abilities have been enhanced…"

He didn’t finish the sentence, but the implicit threat in his words was enough to send chills down their spines.

Ethan asked heavily, "If that's the case, what will happen to humanity?"

He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts, and his tone grew even graver: "If the Ratmen choose to marginalize us, humanity's situation will deteriorate rapidly. The most optimistic outcome is that we are forced into resource-poor peripheral areas, such as the frigid zones or deserts. And in the worst-case scenario..."

Eli did not finish his sentence, but the look in his eyes said it all, and for a moment, the air seemed to freeze.

Eli continued, his tone devoid of emotion: "It's evident that the Ratmen are extremely ruthless. I find it hard to imagine they would choose to coexist peacefully with humanity."

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Ethan took a deep breath, his expression complex. "So, what should we do?"

Eli replied, "We need to find ways to bridge these gaps. Maybe through technology, maybe through genetic enhancement, but we must act immediately, or the situation will get worse."

Without much thought, Alan spoke decisively, "We need to quickly figure out the current situation and understand what's happening in other countries. I sincerely hope this disaster is confined to New York and hasn't spread globally. If it has gone worldwide..."

He paused, a repressed worry flashing across his face. "Then humanity might truly be finished."

Ethan nodded, his expression equally solemn.

He spoke firmly, "If the U.S. government hasn’t collapsed, I will find a way to join them and do everything I can to make those politicians and bureaucrats understand the severity of the problem. We must immediately take every measure to contain and combat the Ratmen. If the government has fallen, then we will have to rebuild order ourselves, reestablish industrial systems, and raise an army. Human civilization cannot simply end here."

Eli glanced at the sleeping Landon, his tone softening slightly. "Maybe things aren't as dire as they seem. Landon and I might not be isolated cases. There could be more like us."

A glimmer of hope flashed in Alan and Ethan’s eyes; his words reignited their optimism.

If more individuals like Eli and Landon existed, humanity might still have a chance to turn the tide.

Eli’s extraordinary abilities and composed leadership made them realize he was a crucial figure who could guide them through this crisis.

If the U.S. were still holding presidential elections, they would undoubtedly push for Eli to run, leveraging his abilities and intellect to secure humanity’s survival.

Only by placing Eli at the core of decision-making can he influence society as a whole, swiftly coordinate resource allocation, and drive the formulation of a comprehensive strategy against the Ratmen.

Alan spoke, tentatively asking, "If the government is still intact, have you considered... going into politics? Not necessarily as president, but at least participating in decision-making?"

Eli shook his head, his expression calm. "I have no interest, nor am I suited for it."

He paused briefly before continuing, "My time and energy are limited. I need to uncover the truth behind this disaster, which requires me to stay on the front lines, directly engaging with the events themselves, facing dangers head-on, At any moment, I could sacrifice my life.

Becoming president would mean spending a significant amount of time dealing with bureaucratic affairs and navigating political battles, leaving me unable to personally investigate the truth. That kind of role would bind me to an office, away from the core issues, ultimately delaying the investigation's progress and outcomes."

His tone was low but resolute: "Of course, being president could indeed allow me to task the CIA, FBI, or other agencies with investigating this disaster. But I don’t trust them to get to the bottom of it. This matter requires someone truly capable to handle it, not reliance on a bureaucratic system."

Eli let out a cold chuckle and added, "But don’t get me wrong. I’m just not planning to be a politician right now. If one day I decide it’s necessary to become president, those incompetent politicians had better step aside willingly, or..."

His voice dropped slightly, "I’ll send them to meet God."

Hearing Eli’s words, Ethan’s lips curled into a faint smile, a clear look of admiration in his eyes.

He had encountered too many hypocritical and indecisive people, but Eli’s clarity of purpose and unfiltered directness earned his respect.

This decisiveness and commanding presence made Ethan feel that Eli was naturally born to lead.

Compared to Ethan, Alan's reaction was much more complex, filled with inner conflict.

Although he could understand Eli's attitude and was aware that the current situation demanded decisiveness and toughness.

However, the phrase "send them to meet God" was hard for him to accept; he could not ignore his adherence to the principles of democracy deep within his heart.

Reflecting on human history, he knew that democracy was not achieved overnight but was won through the blood and sacrifice of countless individuals.

Every major crisis in history had given rise to authoritarianism and dictatorship, attempts to impose temporary order through violence and control.

Yet without exception, these regimes paid a heavy price:

The tyranny of the Roman Empire ended its golden era, the dictatorship following the French Revolution plunged the people into suffering,

and the atrocities committed by totalitarian states during World War II pushed humanity to the brink of extinction.

While democracy is far from perfect—with its redundancies, compromises, and occasional inefficiency—

its true value lies in giving everyone a voice, protecting the weak from the oppression of the powerful, and injecting fairness and justice into society.

It is this inclusiveness and balance that allows society to find harmony amid conflict and ensures that human dignity is respected.

Even at the edge of apocalypse, humanity should not abandon such beliefs.

They serve as a reminder that no matter how chaotic the situation, fairness, justice, and the dignity of humanity must be upheld.

This spirit transcends political systems; it is one of the most critical cornerstones of human civilization and the hope for its continuation.

Alan knew these principles could not be discarded; otherwise, human civilization risked descending into an endless cycle of violence.

His thoughts became clearer:

Power must be checked, and no matter how noble the goal, it cannot justify the abuse of means.

If humanity slides into despotism and violence, survival itself will lose its meaning.

He admired Eli for his abilities and vision displayed in the face of crisis—qualities humanity desperately needed in these times.

But at the same time, he harbored deep concerns, wary of over-reliance on individual power and vigilant against dictatorship, tyranny, and oppression.

Alan’s admiration and unease toward Eli intertwined, clearly reflected in his gaze—complex and heavy.

Ethan, on the other hand, harbored none of these concerns. In his mind,

instead of being entangled by the rules and frameworks of the past, it was better to place hope in those who genuinely had the ability to change the current situation.

And Eli was very likely that person!

Eli’s expression remained calm, yet he could keenly sense the emotional fluctuations in Alan and Ethan—even "hearing" their inner thoughts.

However, Eli said nothing. His thoughts were exceedingly simple:

If it’s necessary, he would do it;

if it’s not, he wouldn’t.

Everything depended solely on whether it was necessary.