Ever since the mighty god Odin appeared on the Antarctic continent and captured the flame giant Surtur, bringing him back to Asgard, the entire Earth temporarily fell into a state of tranquility.
Odin, wielding the eternal spear thrown from somewhere in the universe, had the power to pierce the Earth, but news of this was suppressed by governments worldwide. Additionally, the intense battle between Surtru, Odin, and the thunder god Thor took place in Antarctica, and the aftermath of the battle was blocked by Odin's runes, preventing it from spreading.
As a result, humans did not experience the crisis of facing extinction, and the discussions centered around the handsome appearance of the thunder god and the terrifying powers of the two Nordic gods. People marveled at the beyond-hollywood-level effects of the divine battle.
The rare calm on Earth did not last more than two days before another piece of news shattered it.
However, by this time, the nerves of the people on Earth had become resilient. Ever since the first extraordinary event occurred over two years ago, humanity has grown accustomed to various mysterious forces and gods appearing on Earth, coloring their lives with a touch of mythology.
Yet, this piece of news still caused a stir and became the subject of active discussion on the internet.
This news involved every human, offering a gospel to each individual!
"What? Our country is canceling the healthcare insurance system? Ha, I mentioned in a post on Bilibili that the country's economy has been declining, foreign exchange reserves are insufficient, and the funds for pensions and major illness insurance have dried up. If it weren't for the sudden appearance of gods, social unrest would have occurred due to the economic downturn. Canceling healthcare insurance was within my expectations, but I didn't expect the country to be so ruthless. They are pushing us to the brink!"
"...Our generation is truly the most miserable. We were only children when we were born, and when we grew up, there were too many university graduates, making us worthless. Each family had to raise the elderly and the next generation on their own, with no siblings. Then there's retirement delay, and now they're canceling healthcare insurance. It seems the cancellation of pension insurance is not far off either. We should learn from America..."
Upon seeing the headline 'Cancellation of Healthcare Insurance,' the keyboard warrior didn't even bother to read the content; he launched into a lengthy criticism, presenting himself as a patriotic youth with a sense of righteousness reminiscent of Lu Xun.
"Where did this keyboard warrior come from? If there are any monsters in the future, let him fight them alone with his keyboard. With his typing speed, the monsters probably won’t be his match."
“Can you at least read the content before commenting? How much did America pay you?”
"Heh, your American daddy just released the news. They’re canceling healthcare insurance as well."
The keyboard warrior realized his mistake as he read the article's content, feeling embarrassed.
The article indeed stated the cancellation of healthcare insurance but, at the same time, major illness treatment had become free!
Before he could delete the post, the cyber police were already at his door.
A message from the Ministry of Health stated that due to technological breakthroughs in various countries, many terminal illnesses now had treatment methods, and all countries would provide free healthcare for all illnesses.
Simultaneously, many major countries on Earth released similar announcements.
The world was in shock. Had humanity collectively entered a new era?!
[How to view the free healthcare policies announced by many major countries worldwide?]
Similar questions immediately appeared on Bilibili.
"Thanks for the invitation. I'm in Asgard right now. I just got off my divine horse and am about to meet Odin. Based on the time of this global declaration, we can roughly infer that governments of various countries discovered something important in Antarctica, leading to this situation. As for breaking through technological bottlenecks, it seems like a deception. How can a technological breakthrough cure most terminal illnesses?"
"...Looking at how governments worldwide are solving the issue of diseases, there must be significant behind-the-scenes maneuvering. If governments dare to offer free healthcare, it indicates substantial benefits for humanity. With the drastic reduction in medical costs, such policies could be possible. Also, everyone should be aware that the pharmaceutical industry in various countries is highly profitable. With this, many pharmaceutical industries might go bankrupt. Our country can handle it with policies, but for capitalist countries like America, there must be a fierce struggle behind the scenes."
"From the temporary results, this development likely solves most human diseases through technological means rather than supernatural methods. Therefore, I boldly speculate that the previous conclusion that there are extraterrestrials beneath Antarctica might be highly likely. Humanity has probably obtained extraterrestrial technology, leading to a breakthrough in medicine."
"...For humanity as a whole, this is good news. Humans have finally overcome microbes, bacteria, viruses, and the 'disease' in aging and death. Although it's not everything, it covers the majority of diseases."
"But there are advantages and disadvantages. With diseases solved, and considering Earth already has over seven billion people, resources are no longer sufficient. If diseases disappear, and everyone dies naturally, resource conflicts will immediately become apparent, likely leading to war!"
"...But this is something governments should think about. As an individual, I think it's time for humanity to leave Earth. Only then can humans obtain the resources needed to survive."
"Alright, the AllFather has summoned me. I won't waste time with you guys. Goodbye!"
Although this person's response was somewhat juvenile, provoking laughter, the content he provided was thought-provoking. Some even felt “Damn, maybe this guy is really in Asgard”.
With the disease problem solved, from a global perspective, there were both positive and negative aspects. However, on a personal level, it was undoubtedly good news. People would no longer have to worry about the cost of medical treatment, or watching loved ones die due to lack of funds.
From now on, there will be no more talk of being unable to afford treatment!
Moreover, with the significant savings from the annual healthcare expenses, governments could redirect these funds to improving people's lives and providing more welfare.
However, the resource scarcity resulting from the prolonged human lifespan was indeed a pressing issue for governments worldwide. Fortunately, this conflict wouldn't erupt for several decades, giving governments time to find solutions. They were already hoping to gain some space technology from extraterrestrials.
Apart from this global event concerning all of humanity, another significant event stirred countless discussions. The Nordic five countries successively expelled Christian clergy, earning the dissatisfaction of most Christian countries. Even the kind and pure nun-angel issued her own declaration of anger.
No matter how kind the nun was, she was also a fervent believer. Encountering the expulsion of her faith would naturally anger her.
However, facing the hostility from this earthly angel, the Nordic five countries were undeterred. The Valkyrie, a female warrior who remained on Earth, directly confronted the Christian angel, although only verbally for now. Still, it foreshadowed an impending storm, and tensions were rising.
Amidst this tense atmosphere, some people became excited. The Nordic Valkyrie against the Christian angel – such a thing was happening on modern-day Earth!
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