Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Hidden Rule 1 71:05:33
Guan Tong glanced at the countdown in the sky, then walked into his apartment building’s stairwell carrying a large bag of food.
He hadn’t fought the crowds for stimulants like coffee or black tea. For one, they were hard to get, and for another, he didn’t think they were essential.
Just as the rule’s "note" section stated, staying awake for 72 hours wasn’t absolutely impossible. With enough determination, coupled with the immense pressure of a death threat, a good number of people should be able to make it through.
Guan Tong returned home, went into his study, and turned on his computer. The internet was flooded with news about the Apocalypse Rules.
It wasn’t just in the North Star Country; massive numbers of deaths were being reported in other nations all over the world.
This was especially true for countries where it was late at night, whose citizens were dying in huge numbers. Some regions had even gone dark, losing all contact.
Governments everywhere immediately issued nationwide announcements, warning their citizens not to fall asleep during the designated time.
Online, discussions about the event were raging, with all sorts of theories being thrown around.
Some believed the Fire Thief was an alien, others thought it was a super AI, and still others claimed it was the incarnation of God, here to bring about the end of the world...
BZZZT.
His phone vibrated on the desk. Guan Tong picked it up and saw it was the latest official notice from his mobile carrier.
[Urgent Notice: Attention all citizens, the voice you heard in your minds is real! The Apocalypse Rules have been confirmed to be in effect. We implore you not to fall asleep under any circumstances for the next 72 hours!
Regarding how to stay awake for this extended period, we have temporarily issued the following recommendations:
1. Avoid being alone whenever possible! Staying in the same room with others and maintaining conversation is one of the best ways to remain conscious. You can also watch over each other and provide a timely warning if you notice someone getting drowsy or losing focus!
2. Keep your environment noisy. When you feel tired, use any available device to play music or loud sounds at high volume.
3. You may consume caffeinated beverages in moderation, but be careful not to overdo it.
4. Conserve energy; do not engage in strenuous exercise. You can also eat less, as hunger can be an effective way to combat drowsiness.
5. Keep your surroundings well-lit and stay away from sofas and soft beds to avoid accidentally falling asleep in a comfortable position.
Finally, do not give up. Do not despair. You must hold on for 72 hours!]
After reading through the list of recommendations, Guan Tong found them to be quite reasonable.
After all, in the face of such a sudden and massive global catastrophe with no prior warning, the government couldn’t be expected to produce a perfect solution instantly.
And the North Star Country’s official response had been relatively swift.
Guan Tong saw online that major riots had already broken out in the urban areas of some countries. If not brought under control quickly, the secondary disasters caused by the riots would likely be no less devastating than the "Rule" itself.
"All citizens, please return to your homes as soon as possible. Do not linger outdoors."
Outside, a patrol car equipped with a loudspeaker began broadcasting the message.
Guan Tong looked outside. On the street below, several uniformed Sheriffs were already on patrol, preventing criminals from taking advantage of the chaos to smash, loot, and commit other crimes.
Regardless, this supernatural disaster had already occurred.
Faced with the grim reality of mass deaths on a global scale, anyone who didn’t want to die by the power of the rules had no choice but to obey them.
Guan Tong recalled the words spoken by the Fire Thief when the rule was announced and silently thought, ’Personal Terminal’.
A semi-transparent virtual panel immediately appeared before him.
Looking at the panel, Guan Tong felt as if he had become some kind of video game character.
The text displayed on the virtual panel was his personal information.
[Name: Guan Tong]
[Nickname: Feature not enabled] (This feature will unlock after the first Apocalypse Rule has concluded)
[Title: None]
[Psychic Power: None]
[Sublimation Coins: 0]
[Comprehensive Biological Evaluation: Inferior]
...
After looking over his personal panel, Guan Tong checked the reward for the first Apocalypse Rule again.
[Survival Reward: 100 Sublimation Coins, Psychic Power]
’If this is a game, then Sublimation Coins are like the in-game currency. But what is ’Psychic Power’? Is it something like a skill?’
Guan Tong couldn’t figure it out. He would probably only find out after he successfully survived the rule’s duration.
"I’LL LOVE YOU EVEN IN DEATH!"
"BOOM BOOM BOOM! BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM! OONTS TSK OONTS TSK!"
Noise started blasting from the apartments above and below. Guan Tong figured his neighbors were already following the official advice, cranking their stereos and speakers to maximum volume and playing all kinds of high-energy dance music to stay awake.
Guan Tong thought to himself, ’Isn’t it a bit early to be blasting this stuff?’
It was still morning, a time when most people were full of energy. If they were already relying on external stimuli to stay awake now, what would they do when they got truly exhausted at night?
With nothing better to do, Guan Tong decided to read through the details of the Apocalypse Rules on his personal terminal one more time.