71:05:33
Guan Tong glanced at the countdown in the sky and walked into the building corridor carrying a large bag of food.
He hadn't competed with others for stimulating drinks like coffee or black tea. First, they were difficult to obtain, and second, he didn't consider those things indispensable.
Just as the rule's "notes" explained, staying awake for 72 hours wasn't sothing absolutely impossible to achieve. With determination and the imnse pressure from the threat of death, many people should be able to pass.
Guan Tong returned ho, went to the study, and turned on the computer. The internet was flooded with news about the Doomsday Rules.
It wasn't just Beixing Country - nurous deaths had occurred in other countries around the world.
Especially in countries where the local ti was deep night, citizens died in massive proportions, with so regions even approaching complete communication blackout.
Governnts worldwide imdiately issued nationwide announcents, warning citizens not to sleep during the rule period.
Online, the topic was being heatedly discussed with all kinds of theories.
So believed the Fire Thief was an alien, others thought it was a super artificial intelligence, and so considered it an incarnation of God coming to destroy the world...
"Buzz buzz."
The phone on the desk vibrated. Guan Tong picked it up and saw it was the latest official notice from the telecom operator.
[Ergency Notice: All citizens please note that the voice in your mind is real! The Doomsday Rules have been confird to be in effect. Please do not fall asleep during the next 72 hours!
For maintaining wakefulness over extended periods, we temporarily offer the following suggestions:
Avoid being alone whenever possible! Staying in the sa room with others and maintaining conversation is one of the best ways to stay awake. You can also monitor each other and promptly remind anyone showing signs of drowsiness or blurred consciousness!Keep your environnt noisy. When tired, use various devices to play songs or sounds at high volu.You may appropriately consu so caffeinated stimulating drinks, but be careful not to overconsu.Reduce energy expenditure and avoid excessive exercise. You may appropriately reduce food intake, as hunger can effectively combat drowsiness.Maintain adequate lighting in your environnt while staying away from sofas and soft beds to prevent your body from unconsciously entering sleep due to excessive comfort.
Finally, please do not give up, do not despair, you must persist for 72 hours!]
After reading the suggestions listed in the ssage, Guan Tong found them quite reasonable.
After all, for this sudden global catastrophe without warning, authorities couldn't imdiately find perfect solutions.
And Beixing Country's official response was relatively swift.
Guan Tong saw online that major riots had already broken out in urban areas of so countries. If not controlled promptly, the secondary disasters caused by riots might rival the damage from the "rules" themselves.
"Please return ho quickly, citizens, and do not linger outdoors."
Outside the window, patrol cars equipped with loudspeakers began broadcasting announcents.
Guan Tong looked outside. On the streets, uniford peace officers had already begun patrols to prevent criminals from taking advantage of the chaos for looting, robbery, and other illegal activities.
Regardless, this supernatural disaster had already occurred.
With the brutal reality of massive deaths worldwide facing everyone, anyone who didn't want to die from the rule's power had to comply.
Guan Tong recalled what the "Fire Thief" had said and silently chanted "personal terminal" in his mind.
A semi-transparent virtual panel imdiately appeared.
Looking at this panel, Guan Tong felt like he had beco so kind of ga character.
The text listed on the virtual panel displayed his personal information.
[Na: Guan Tong]
[Nickna: Function not activated] (This function will activate after the first Doomsday Rule's effective period ends)
[Title: None]
[Mind Power: None]
[Ascension Coins: 0]
[Comprehensive Biological Information Evaluation: Inferior]
...
After reviewing his personal panel, Guan Tong checked the rewards for the first Doomsday Rule again.
[Survival Reward: 100 Ascension Coins, Mind Power]
"If this were a ga, Ascension Coins would be like in-ga currency. Then what is 'Mind Power'? Is it sothing like skills?"
Guan Tong couldn't figure it out - he probably needed to survive the rule period successfully to find out.
"Rather die! Still love you!"
"Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang bang! Boom chicka boom!"
Various noises began coming through the walls. Guan Tong estimated that his neighbors above and below had already started following official advice, turning their ho players, speakers, and other devices to maximum volu, playing various energetic dance songs to stay alert.
Guan Tong thought to himself: "Playing these now is a bit early, isn't it?"
It was still morning, when most people were at their most energetic. If they started relying on external stimulation now, what would they do when true fatigue set in at night?
With nothing else to do, Guan Tong decided to review the Doomsday Rules details again through his personal terminal.
[Test Content: Forty-nine Doomsday Rules]
[Test Objective: Those who pass the test may participate in Doomsday Operations to win survival opportunities]
"It seems there are forty-nine Doomsday Rules in total. Just with the first rule released, how many have already died? After forty-nine rules, how many people would remain worldwide?"
"No, wait, I shouldn't assu. Not every rule's requirents might be this strict, and not every rule's failure penalty might be death."
"'Those who pass the test may participate in Doomsday Operations to win survival opportunities.' What are Doomsday Operations? Just from the na, it definitely doesn't sound like anything good..."
Guan Tong continued reading.
[Doomsday Rule One: Sleep Deprivation]
[Rule Details: From rule announcent, do not enter sleep state in any form for 72 hours]
Sothing changed in this first rule as he watched it.
Like the four jumping characters "Test Begin" he had seen in the sky outside the classroom window.
This rule also began slowly pulsing in his vision.
Those pulsating "color particles" gradually rearranged themselves into other text.
Soon, the first line of rearranged text ford.
[Hidden Rule One]
Guan Tong imdiately stood up from his chair, vigorously rubbing his eyes.
When he opened them again, the text was still there.
This wasn't an illusion!
The color particles continued coalescing into text.
[Hidden Rule One: Plunder Wakefulness]
[Hidden Rule Details: After the first Doomsday Rule is announced, using violent ans to make others enter sleep state grants oneself one "Alertness Mint." Using this item maintains absolute wakefulness for 3 hours]
[Note: To increase your own survival possibility, will you choose to plunder others' right to survive?]
"I can see hidden rules...?"
With a shocked and doubtful expression, Guan Tong rushed from the study and turned on the computer.
He tried searching for relevant keywords, but found only unrelated content.
Clearly, no one online had ntioned hidden rules yet, which possibly ant only he could see this rule.
This should have been sothing to celebrate.
However, the content of this hidden rule, and the behavioral tendency it induced, made it impossible for Guan Tong to feel happy about it...
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