As ti reached the end of September, people's hearts, which had finally settled down, once again beca tense and restless.
October 1st was the day for the new rule's release. Although the Fire Thief's rule releases followed no discernible pattern, they generally adopted a thod of "alternating tension and relaxation."
The so-called alternating tension and relaxation ant they wouldn't release extrely difficult survival-type rules consecutively. Instead, it would be one survival-type rule followed by one non-survival-type rule, or one with lower difficulty.
The twelfth rule, [Digital Detox], although it made many people who were inseparable from the internet 24/7 extrely uncomfortable, even these individuals had to admit that this rule definitely fell under "relaxation," not "tension."
Therefore, according to the tension-relaxation exchange theory, people couldn't help but worry whether the thirteenth rule would be a high-difficulty survival-type rule.
The academy had also been quite uneventful these past few days, giving off a feeling of calm before the storm.
The only thing that sparked so discussion was Yelanka's sudden withdrawal and departure.
Although the students felt regretful, since Yelanka had almost no interaction with other students during her ti at the academy, in the end, everyone didn't know much about her. The regret was simply about losing a beautiful Xisiya Empire woman who was pleasant to look at whenever seen.
On the last day of the month, after school ended, the students returned to their dorms early to rest after dinner.
Staying up late was usually no big deal, but on the day before each rule release, everyone who wanted to stay alive would go to bed early to conserve energy for the new rule.
The teachers were no exception, all returning to the faculty dormitory to rest.
Guan Tong himself returned to his shelter.
Night fell, moonlight scattered down. Guan Tong sat at the entrance, admiring the canyon under the moonlight, finding a unique tranquility.
Coal Ball lay on the grass not far away, occasionally opening its eyes to scan the surroundings with a sharp gaze, looking very alert.
"This little thing really is growing stronger and stronger..."
Guan Tong looked at Coal Ball. Since it ate that piece of Demon Monster Flesh, after the initial explosive growth in size, it had continued to slowly increase in size over the following period.
Now, after several months, it had completely reached the size of an adult cheetah, looking majestic and quite fierce.
Moreover, as its size changed, its tastes seed to have changed too.
The cat food and canned food Guan Tong had always fed it before, it hardly ate anymore now. Its daily food was basically whatever it caught itself by darting into the mountains and wilderness.
Not only did it eat for itself, but it also brought food back. Once, it brought back a pheasant and placed it in front of Guan Tong, seemingly as an offering for him.
Guan Tong indicated he wouldn't eat it, and Coal Ball understood very intelligently, not bringing him any more wild ga afterwards.
Guan Tong thought this was a good thing.
Before, he had to frequently rember to prepare food for Coal Ball. Now that it could survive on its own, even if he had matters keeping him away from the shelter for ten or fifteen days, he wouldn't have to worry about it starving.
After watching for a while, he willed it and took out an item from his Storage Box.
It was the gift Yelanka gave him before leaving, that small hourglass.
He had already checked this item's effect before. After seeing it, he also understood why the woman nad Sigaochin beside Yelanka looked surprised and reluctant when she took it out.
[Sandglass of Ti]: Upon use, consus 20% Mind Power to freeze ti for 1 second within a 50-ter radius centered on the user. The user is unaffected. Cooldown ti: 48 hours. Maximum uses: 5. Current remaining uses: 4. Tradable.
A one-second ti stop within a 50-ter radius, consuming one-fifth of Mind Power, and having a usage limit—at first glance, it didn't seem impressive.
But Guan Tong clearly understood that items related to "ti" and "space" abilities were always extrely precious.
This kind of one-second ti stop wasn't very valuable to ordinary people. But for powerful Ascendants, this one second could very likely change the outco of a crucial battle.
Guan Tong also hadn't expected Yelanka to give him such a precious item as a gift. If this item were placed on the market, selling for several million or even more Ascension Coins would be no problem at all.
In comparison, Guan Tong felt the [Passerby Transformation Device] he gave wasn't as valuable.
However, he wasn't too bothered by it. When it ca to gifts, if you nitpicked over every bit of value, it would lose its aning and beco a transaction.
"If we have a chance to et again, I'll just give her sothing good then."
Guan Tong thought as he put the hourglass back into the Storage Box.
"Buzz, buzz."
At that mont, his phone in his pocket vibrated. Taking it out, he saw it was Shi Jingyi calling.
After answering, Shi Jingyi told him she had mostly recovered.
"Actually, by mid-September, I was pretty much fine. I just didn't return because I wanted to further refine my skills."
Hearing this, Guan Tong asked, "So how did your refinent go?"
"I made so progress, but it's not enough yet." Shi Jingyi then said with a laugh, "I wanted to ask how you're finding being a lecturer yourself? I checked so online comnts, and the students' evaluations of you are pretty good."
"I feel alright."
Guan Tong's less-than-three-month lecturing career hadn't been stressful because he had long mastered the course content, so teaching students was more than sufficient.
But aside from stress, so trivial matters had more or less occupied so of his ti.
However, these experiences were definitely aningful.
If nothing else, if he hadn't co to the academy, he probably wouldn't have t Yelanka, learned about the academy's internal situation, or encountered Fang Qian again to clear up previous issues.
"Alright?" Shi Jingyi asked upon hearing this, "So you're considering staying at the academy?"
"No, not at all," Guan Tong said. "When you co back to take over, I'll still leave. So when are you coming back?"
Even after less than three months at the academy, Guan Tong was already starting to miss the free and unrestrained life.
If he had to keep teaching classes here, he definitely couldn't stand it.
Shi Jingyi apologized, "Probably mid to late October. Hold on a little longer."
"Hold on isn't quite the word... You don't need to rush either." Worried that Shi Jingyi might rush back before fully recovering, Guan Tong thought for a mont and said, "How about this, co back after the thirteenth rule ends."
"That works too," Shi Jingyi said. "Then I'll return in November. Cover for
for another month."
"Mhm."
They chatted a bit more about other casual topics before hanging up.
Guan Tong checked the ti; it was past 9 PM. To prepare for tomorrow's new rule release, he also went to bed early.
...
October 1st, morning.
From students to teachers, from inside the academy to outside, from Beixing to the entire world, everyone was waiting for the Fire Thief to announce the new rule.
When the Fire Thief's voice sounded, everyone knew it was exactly 9 o'clock without checking their watches.
[The Thirteenth Doomsday Rule has been released]
[Doomsday Rule Thirteen: The Liar's Self-Punishnt]
[Rule Content: From the mont this rule is released, all humans are prohibited from making statents they subjectively know to be false. This includes but is not limited to spoken language, written text, sign language, encrypted communication, etc. However, objective cognitive errors such as misrembering dates are not considered violations. This rule lasts for 30 days.]
[Success Reward: 500 Ascension Coins, increase in Mind Power Upper Limit]
[Failure Punishnt: Those who violate the rule will forever be unable to speak any truth after the rule ends]
[Note: Humanity, a race that walks hand-in-hand with lies. If unable to lie, will humans still possess the ability to communicate?]
...
Doomsday Rules Counterasures Research Office.
After the thirteenth rule was released, a eting was convened imdiately.
Once everyone was present, each person remained silent, carefully weighing every word they were about to speak.
Many had even decided that during this rule period, they would completely refrain from speaking, just like during the previous seventh Doomsday Rule, [Silent Hour].
Lying leads to failure? Then I just won't say anything at all!
Because everyone understood that so lies weren't intentional; they might just slip out carelessly.
For example, if soone asked you to do sothing, invited you to a al while asking for a favor, you might be unwilling and casually tell a lie like "I'm busy, can't go."
It could be said that in human life, most people tell minor, inconsequential lies. This has nothing to do with moral character; it's simply to make life more convenient and easier.
But unfortunately, during this rule period, once such inconsequential little lies are spoken or written, they will be judged as failures.
"This rule's success reward and failure punishnt deserve special attention."
In the conference room where everyone was silent, it was still the person in charge, Gao Liangwei, who spoke first.
"Previous rules' failure punishnts were a binary choice between 'death' and 'Mind Power Upper Limit reduction.' This was also the thod to distinguish between survival-type and non-survival-type rules. Another way to tell was whether the success reward included a Survival Chest."
"But for this rule, failure won't reduce the Mind Power Upper Limit, nor will it cause death. Instead, one will forever be unable to speak the truth. And upon success, besides the fixed Ascension Coins, one can obtain the extrely precious increase in Mind Power Upper Limit."
Zhang Minglu said, "This rule is indeed quite unusual. In terms of difficulty, as long as everyone remains silent, getting through it safely shouldn't be a problem."
"I'm afraid soone might exploit this rule," one expert said. "Let
give an inappropriate example: a couple where one suspects the other of cheating but has no evidence. During this rule period, they could directly ask. If the other party is evasive or remains silent, it ans they really did cheat."
Others nodded one after another, their expressions very serious.
The cheating example wasn't actually important. What mattered was that this rule could be applied in the field of lie detection.
Ask you a question; as long as you don't give a direct answer, it ans you're afraid of the rule and dare not lie, thus confirming you have a problem.
"The rule ntions 'subjective cognition,' aning if soone objectively believes they didn't do sothing, denying it might not trigger rule failure," another expert gave an example. "For instance, a person has a sleepwalking habit and kills soone during sleepwalking. After waking up, since they subjectively have no awareness of the killing, if they deny killing soone, perhaps the rule won't be triggered."
Soone else spoke up, "Don't forget that rule failure doesn't an death, just forever being unable to speak the truth. If the benefits are great enough and soone is willing to pay that price, then lying during the rule period is also possible."
Everyone nodded again. This rule seed simple on the surface, but one could easily step into a trap if not careful. They had to face it with caution.
A sociology PhD said, "I believe this rule shouldn't be used as a lie detection tool. Doing so would only damage relationships between people. Perhaps this is precisely the Fire Thief's goal."
"I suggest proposing in the White Paper to call on everyone not to use the rule to test others during this period. Then, try to speak as little as possible. That way, passing the rule challenge shouldn't be a problem."
"Agreed."
"Agreed, ah..."
An expert who had just finished speaking suddenly covered his mouth, his face full of panic.
Everyone in the room looked over.
Gao Liangwei asked in a deep voice, "Dr. Li, could it be that you actually disagreed in your heart but said 'agreed,' violating the rule?"
"I, I..."
That Dr. Li looked anxious, sweat beading on his forehead, clearly caught by Gao Liangwei's words.
"Nonsense!" Gao Liangwei angrily scolded in a low voice. "If you disagree, either remain silent or openly oppose. Why falsely agree with others against your will!"
Dr. Li said frantically, "Director, I, I was wrong... What should I do now?"
He looked at the others. Everyone remained silent.
So had learned from his lesson and didn't dare speak casually anymore.
Others simply didn't know what to say. Just like the rule's na, "The Liar's Self-Punishnt," it wasn't anyone else's business.
And what could be done about violating the rule? Naturally, they would suffer the rule's punishnt—never being able to speak the truth after it ended.
Forever unable to speak the truth—compared to death, which punishnt was heavier?
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