"Everyone should go together!"
"That's right, get in my car, I'll drive!"
"Why should we just wait to die at ho?!"
"Exactly! Those rich people can definitely buy alertness dicine or get alertness injections at the hospital!"
The noisy voices outside grew increasingly loud. Guan Tong and Fang Qian ca out to the balcony and looked down, seeing that twenty to thirty people had already gathered at the residential complex entrance.
All of these people were extrely agitated, shouting that they wanted to go to the hospital.
"It seems they're reaching their limits," Guan Tong said. "Many people can't take it anymore."
Fang Qian asked, "Are they planning to rob dicine from the hospital? Is that really possible? There should be public security patrols on the streets, right?"
"They probably feel they can't hold on any longer and are willing to risk everything for one attempt."
Guan Tong actually understood their desperation. If he were in their position, pushed to the brink of collapse, he didn't know what he might do either.
"So, is the internet down because too many people are coordinating to go to the hospital together?"
"Very likely."
Guan Tong thought Fang Qian's reasoning made sense.
Previously, when the authorities discovered the existence of Hidden Rules, they hadn't shut down the internet. The sudden shutdown now was probably because too many people were coordinating to go out together.
More people going out would inevitably lead to increased conflicts on the streets. More street conflicts would an more people getting knocked unconscious... which would lead to more people discovering the existence of Hidden Rules.
This would cause order to deteriorate rapidly.
The crowd gathered downstairs soon left the residential complex.
They weren't the first wave, nor would they be the last.
More and more people who had held out until now, truly unable to stay ho any longer, began ignoring the official ban and chose to leave their hos.
Even Fang Qian, watching the increasingly dense crowds in the distance, felt a stirring of restlessness herself.
"Guan Tong, don't you want to go out?"
"No." Guan Tong's answer was crisp and decisive.
"Why not?"
"Think about it - after being awake for so long, everyone's probably like a powder keg right now, ready to explode at the slightest spark. Going to crowded places at a ti like this makes it easy to get caught up in large-scale conflicts."
When Fang Qian heard the word "conflicts," she couldn't help but think of "knocking unconscious" and "Alertness Mint," her eyes widening in realization.
Guan Tong looked up at the sky at that mont.
The red countdown continued.
30:18:06
"Only 30 hours left. If we hold on just a bit longer, we'll make it through."
After speaking, Guan Tong sat back down on the stool, fighting drowsiness by reading.
Fang Qian also resolved to endure the final 30 hours. She put away her phone, no longer refreshing the internet repeatedly.
Previously, constantly checking online news had only made her more anxious. She decided to follow Guan Tong's example and went to the study to pick out a book to read.
One hour, two hours, three hours passed.
During these final 30 hours, every hour felt like an eternity.
By this point, Guan Tong no longer paid attention to what was happening outside. He knew his only enemy now was himself.
He repeatedly told himself internally: 72 hours without sleep was far from reaching known human limits. He could definitely persevere.
Fang Qian, sharing the sa room with him, was also enduring trendous tornt.
She had beco so fearful that she didn't dare check how much ti remained on the countdown. The stronger her drowsiness grew, the more she couldn't suppress thoughts of that phone call from her father.
When her father had asked if Guan Tong was with her, the aning was obvious enough - if she couldn't hold on any longer, she should do whatever it took to survive, even if it ant targeting her classmate Guan Tong.
Initially, she absolutely rejected such behavior, but now, as she grew increasingly exhausted, her resolve was wavering.
So tired, I really can't go on...
Maybe in another hour, no, another ten minutes, maybe the next second I'll fall asleep...
I don't want to die, what would happen to my parents...
Fang Qian struggled internally, feeling her eyelids growing heavier, to the point where she could barely keep them open.
If not for her parents, she might have chosen to give up.
But...
Fang Qian looked at Guan Tong.
Guan Tong was an orphan.
Yes, that's right, he was an orphan. If... if only one of us can survive, wouldn't it be better for , who has parents, to be the one...
The mont this thought erged, Fang Qian shocked herself.
She had never imagined she could entertain such thoughts. Was she inherently an evil person?
No, I'm not!
I'm just... driven by survival instinct...
Fang Qian's gaze gradually grew determined, as if she had made a decision.
She stood up and walked toward the kitchen. Passing by Guan Tong, she asked, "Guan Tong, would you... like so coffee?"
Guan Tong nodded: "Okay, thanks."
By now, even he was having trouble holding on and needed so external help to maintain alertness as much as possible.
"I'll go make it then."
Fang Qian entered the kitchen and prepared coffee.
She ca out carrying two cups, handing one to Guan Tong.
If she could use her own glass to... while he was lowering his head to drink...
Fang Qian felt her heart pounding wildly, as if it might leap out of her throat.
Guan Tong took the coffee but didn't drink imdiately. Instead, he stood up and stared at Fang Qian.
"Fang Qian, what are you planning to do?"
"Ah..."
"Your cup doesn't have water in it," Guan Tong said.
Hearing this, Fang Qian froze, then looked down and saw that her cup indeed contained only coffee grounds, no water.
She had been so focused on her plan that she'd forgotten to even add water!
"And looking at how you're holding the cup handle... were you planning to attack
with it while I was drinking coffee to knock
unconscious?"
Fang Qian's right hand gripped the glass cup handle tightly, her wrist slightly lowered and turned outward. The posture didn't look like soone preparing to drink, but more like soone ready to use the glass cup as a blunt weapon for attack.
"Gu-Guan Tong... I... how did you..."
Fang Qian hadn't expected her plan to be seen through so completely. She stood frozen in place, at a loss.
Guan Tong's gaze was cold.
"You know about the Hidden Rules, don't you," he said. "Both your parents are well-known researchers. Earlier you said they were organized by authorities to research counterasures for the Doomsday Rules. So the authorities most likely told them about the Hidden Rules."
"Then your parents inford you through your phone... so you wanted to knock
unconscious to get items that maintain alertness? Fang Qian, I never thought you'd be this kind of person."
Hearing Guan Tong's words and seeing his cold expression, Fang Qian suddenly felt much more alert.
"Guan Tong, you knew about the Hidden Rules all along? How did you know... then why didn't you use them to..."
"How I know is none of your business," Guan Tong interrupted. "I don't use them because I don't want to kill innocent people for my own survival."
Upon hearing this, tears stread from Fang Qian's eyes: "I'm sorry, Guan Tong... I was just so tired, my mind was muddled, I acted on impulse..."
"Fang Qian, leave my ho imdiately."
Guan Tong didn't want to hear any explanations from Fang Qian. In his eyes, she was no longer trustworthy. The only reason he was letting her leave was because she hadn't actually attacked. If she had made a move, Guan Tong wouldn't have shown any rcy.
"Leave imdiately, or don't bla
for being unfriendly."
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