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.
[Test Content: Forty-nine Apocalypse Rules]
[Test Objective: Those who pass the tests may participate in the Apocalypse Missions and win a chance at survival.]
'So there are forty-nine Apocalypse Rules in total. This is just the first one, and who knows how many people have already died? After all forty-nine, how many people will be left in the world?'
'No, that's not right. I can't jump to conclusions. Not every rule will be this demanding, and the penalty for failure might not always be death.'
''Those who pass the tests may participate in the Apocalypse Missions and win a chance at survival.' What are these Apocalypse Missions? Judging by the name alone, they can't be anything good...'
Guan Tong continued reading.
[Apocalypse Rule 1: Sleep Deprivation]
[Rule Details: From the moment this rule is announced, you may not enter a state of sleep in any form for 72 hours.]
As he stared at this first rule, something suddenly began to change.
Just like the two large, shimmering words "Test Start" he had seen in the sky outside his classroom window.
The text of this rule also began to slowly shimmer before his eyes.
The shimmering particles of light were gradually re-forming into different words.
Soon, the first line of new text took shape.
[Hidden Rule 1]
Guan Tong shot up from his chair and rubbed his eyes forcefully.
When he opened them again, the words were still there.
It wasn't a hallucination!
The particles continued to coalesce into words.
[Hidden Rule 1: Steal Wakefulness]
[Hidden Rule Details: After the first Apocalypse Rule is announced, if you cause another person to fall asleep by any means, you will obtain one "Sober Mint Candy." Using this item will keep you absolutely awake for 3 hours.]
[Note: To increase your own chances of survival, will you choose to plunder another's right to survive?]
'I can see... a hidden rule?'
Guan Tong, his expression a mixture of shock and disbelief, rushed back to his computer.
He tried searching for keywords, but the results were all unrelated.
Evidently, no one on the internet had mentioned anything about a hidden rule. This likely meant that he was the only one who could see it.
This should have been a reason to celebrate.
But the content of this hidden rule, and the kind of behavior it encouraged, made it impossible for Guan Tong to feel any joy at all...