Chapter 41 The Fourth Rule of the Apocalypse
For the next two days, due to the limited time, Guan Tong didn't open any new pages of the [Wordless Book], but instead focused on testing the shadow's ability to shift between reality and illusion.
During the testing, he discovered a flaw:
the issue of vision.
The shadow itself lacked the five senses; its movements required Guan Tong's command.
This meant that if Guan Tong wanted it to go somewhere he couldn't see, it was completely unable to.
Guan Tong was still considering how to solve this problem. He could either leave it alone or try to add sensory abilities to the shadow, but not full perception.
If it had full perception, its advantage of being immune to pain would be lost.
Guan Tong considered giving it a hidden camera on his body, with a receiver constantly transmitting the image. However, this might be subject to interference, and besides, once the shadow blurred, the camera would immediately fall to the ground.
Working on the [Wordless Book] again, that is, "adding words," might be useful, but Guan Tong didn't have time to try it right now.
He had to put this problem aside for the time being.
He also tested the possibility of the blurred shadow materializing when merging with other shadows.
He conducted an experiment in a secluded outdoor location, controlling a blurred shadow to connect with the shadow of a car, and then commanding it to materialize.
The moment he gave the command, all his mental energy was drained, and the conversion failed.
This made him realize that if he had enough mental energy, he might actually be able to materialize the "shadow car" as a whole.
However, the failure was expected.
With his current mental energy limit, he could only manipulate ordinary physical shadows for no more than two minutes, let alone manipulate the materialization of a shadow fused with a large object.
Finally, he also tested the manipulation distance.
The first time, he stood on the roof of an abandoned building, manipulating the blurred shadow to move along the road until it almost reached the end of his vision, then commanded it to materialize, but failed.
After that, he reduced the distance in each test, finally succeeding at around one kilometer. This meant that the distance he could manipulate a physical shadow currently could not exceed one kilometer; exceeding that distance would automatically blur it.
Understanding the limitations of shadows would give Guan Tong a better understanding of different situations in the future.
Two days passed quickly during his development and testing.
On the third day, he stopped expending his mental energy, saving it to prepare for the new rules the next day.
In the morning, he went downstairs to pick up the food delivery provided by the Bureau of Sustainability. Passing the hotel reception, Guan Tong noticed that there were very few room cards left on the table.
It seemed that quite a few people had checked into the Limei Hotel in the past few days. This hotel had a total of 150 rooms, and if all were full, there would indeed be a lot of people.
[Please enter verification code]
A prompt appeared on the unmanned delivery vehicle parked at the hotel entrance. Guan Tong entered the verification code received on his phone, and the side door of the vehicle opened automatically, with a robotic arm delivering a small plastic box.
After Guan Tong took it, the unmanned vehicle automatically drove away to the next registered delivery location.
Back in his room, he opened the plastic box. Inside were two cartons of fresh milk, a fruit bread, a meat floss bread, two hams, some snacks, etc., a rather generous breakfast for one person.
Although the food was currently being distributed for free, the amount each person could receive each day was limited; it was impossible for someone to order a ton of supplies and have them delivered.
After eating, Guan Tong's remaining time was to wait until 9 a.m. the next day for the Firebringers to release the new rules.
Out of boredom, he went to the Countermeasures Research Lab's website and glanced at the updated "Apocalypse Rules White Paper."
The third rule, "Fasting Therapy," listed the use of food boxes to assist in challenges and the limited quantity of boxes.
It also noted a hidden setting where personal terminals would automatically shut down and become unusable when mental energy reached zero.
To Guan Tong's surprise, the Countermeasures Lab had thoroughly tested all three newly added items in the shop.
[Multi-terrain marching boots]: Tested, these boots allow for normal walking on sand, mud, ice, and water, and even in swamps.
[Thermostatic Technology Underwear - Basic Model]: Tested, wearing only this underwear, with the thermostatic function activated, allowed testers to maintain a comfortable body temperature in rooms with temperatures ranging from 75 degrees Celsius to -30 degrees Celsius.
[Gene Optimization Fluid - Inferior Quality]: After multiple rounds of complex testing, each tester experienced a 1-4 point increase in their maximum mental strength. Differences depended on individual genetic defects, which were randomly addressed.
Tester A (Congenital color blindness): Reported a suspected improvement in color blindness 28 hours after consumption, which was confirmed by testing.
Tester B (Congenital albinism): Developed a high fever 19 hours after consumption; examination showed improvement in melanin production, with the possibility of returning to normal levels within the next 2-3 years.
Tester C…
Guan Tong looked at the densely packed dozen or so test reports and thought, "No wonder the most buyers of the gene optimization fluid are the Sublimators."
This kind of thing, which alters physical defects and is beneficial in the long run, is naturally the most popular. Even normally healthy people have some unknown genetic defects, and it's good to be able to improve them.
…
The next day, June 1st.
Around 8 o'clock, Guan Tong was in his room when he suddenly heard a lot of noise outside.
He went downstairs and found more than a hundred people gathered in the lobby; it seemed that most of the hotel guests had come down.
Some were standing, some were sitting in chairs, and many were sitting on the floor. Everyone was gathered together, making a commotion, seemingly waiting for the new rules to be announced at 9 o'clock.
Guan Tong looked at it for a moment and then went back to his room. He preferred to be alone during rule announcements. That way, he could calm down and think about the challenge method after the announcement.
At 9 o'clock sharp, the Fire Stealer arrived on time with the new rules.
[The Fourth Rule of the Apocalypse Has Been Issued]
[Apocalypse Rule Four: Snow in June]
[Rule Content: From the date of this rule's issuance, continuous snowfall will occur globally, lasting throughout June]
[Success Reward: 150 Ascension Coins, Bronze-Level Survival Chest]
[Failure Penalty: None]
[Note: Extreme environments are one of the best ways to test a creature's survival ability. Please strive to survive this month.]
The moment the Firebringer's voice faded, Guan Tong walked to the window and looked up.
Today had been sunny and cloudless. But at this moment, he witnessed the sky suddenly change, the sunlight vanishing. In its
place were thick, leaden, opaque clouds,
and heavy, fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky.
Guan Tong opened the window and stretched out his hand.
He saw a snowflake, nearly half the size of his palm, fall into his hand, and his expression changed slightly.
"Such heavy snow, and it's going to keep falling for a whole month..."
"No wonder there's a survival chest in the rewards, and no penalty for failure. Because failure means... death."
Guan Tong felt a heaviness in his heart.
He knew that unlike the previous [Ultimate Marathon] and [Fasting Therapy]... this [June Snow] was more like the first [Sleep Deprivation] rule—the kind where you couldn't simply give up and survive!
Chapter 42 The Grim Situation
"The emergency seminar on the fourth apocalyptic rule is now beginning!"
In the conference room of the Apocalyptic Rule Countermeasures Research Office, the person in charge, Gao Liangwei, announced solemnly.
"This time it's a survival rule similar to the first one, [Sleep Deprivation], which is extremely dangerous! If we don't prepare properly, many people may die!"
"That's right, this [June Snow] rule seems like all you need to do is stay indoors, but in reality, transporting food and other supplies is a major problem!" a meteorological expert said. "
As you may know from watching weather forecasts, snowfall is divided into six levels: light snow, moderate snow, heavy snow, blizzard, heavy blizzard, and extremely heavy blizzard. My assistants and I just used instruments to observe for a period of time and confirmed that this snowfall will reach the level of an extremely heavy blizzard of 30 millimeters within 24 hours!"
"It might even exceed an extremely heavy blizzard! Because this is an extremely heavy blizzard under the apocalyptic rule, the snowfall will not decrease within a month!"
The meteorological expert's voice trembled slightly.
"This means that without human intervention, the snow depth on the streets will exceed 50 centimeters by this time tomorrow!"
The meteorologist's words caused everyone present to gasp in shock.
Over 50 centimeters of snow in just one day—what does that mean? It means knee-deep snow!
And this is just the snow accumulation for one day; the entire rule will last for thirty days…
"This kind of massive blizzard will severely impact public transportation!" a transportation expert said. "I'm afraid transportation in various places will have to be suspended, with only a very small number of underground rail lines still operational." A logistics expert
chimed in, "Have you all considered how to transport essential supplies to the public when the snow gets too deep and transport vehicles can't move? Currently, a large number of people are relying on the Bureau of Livelihood to provide free food and other supplies. If transportation stops, they may starve to death!"
"We can't ignore the temperature issue either," a temperature expert said with a worried expression. "The continuous massive blizzard will soon cause the temperature to plummet below zero, but don't forget it's June! It's usually the time when the weather is gradually getting warmer, and preparations for winter insulation in various places are severely inadequate."
"Mental health issues also deserve attention. When people face such extreme environments for a long time, their mental state will deteriorate rapidly, and they may engage in self-harm or harm others…"
"Damn Firebringers, did they deliberately choose this time to introduce this rule?!"
"Transportation, logistics, temperature, supplies… there are just too many problems! This rule is probably…"
The discussion gradually became chaotic, with everyone talking at once.
Moreover, due to the pessimistic assessment of the situation by many experts, a pessimistic atmosphere permeated the entire meeting room.
"Stop!" The person in charge, Gao Liangwei, declared firmly. "It's not time to give up yet!"
His words immediately silenced everyone.
"I know the situation is very serious, but don't forget where you are. This is a policy research center built with enormous national resources. Its purpose is to help the public cope with the challenges posed by the rules. If even you panic, what will happen to the people?"
Gao Liangwei's words were met with nods of agreement, boosting morale. The pessimistic atmosphere in the meeting room vanished, and the experts began to offer practical and effective advice.
A logistics expert said, "Based on my many years of experience in logistics, the best way to ensure high logistics efficiency is to concentrate resources."
Another disaster relief expert agreed: "That's right. In this situation, dispersing transportation capacity will only delay rescue efforts. The most urgent task is to concentrate people in large buildings as much as possible. Only by transporting large quantities of survival resources in a unified manner can we maximize the reach of the rescue efforts."
Someone mentioned, "What about remote villages and other places... I'm afraid..."
The disaster relief experts and logistics experts fell silent.
In this situation, silence was tantamount to giving up.
Everyone knew that, given the current situation, ensuring rescue efforts in major densely populated cities was already difficult, let alone remote areas with poor road access.
Gao Liangwei said, "Continue."
The experts continued to offer constructive suggestions.
"To minimize the impact of snow accumulation on roads, I believe we must deploy a large number of snowplows 24 hours a day."
"Although it's a severe blizzard, the wind isn't very strong. Perhaps we could send helicopters to attempt low-altitude flights, continuously spraying large amounts of salt and de-icing agents onto the ground to assist in clearing and reducing snow accumulation."
"Don't forget to consider the power situation!" an electricity expert said seriously. "With the sudden drop in temperature, people will use air conditioners, electric blankets, water heaters, and other devices extensively for heating, causing a surge in electricity consumption across the country, potentially overloading power plants! Furthermore, over time, the thick snow may collapse some power cables… If, under these circumstances, the weight causes a power outage, the consequences would be unimaginable!"
Everyone nodded deeply in agreement. Indeed, in modern society, a prolonged power outage can cause public panic no less severe than some disasters.
"The same goes for water," another expert said. "A sudden drop in temperature could cause many water pipes to freeze and burst. If the water supply is cut off, it will cause a major problem."
"And then there are the cold-weather items. It's June now, and many people probably haven't prepared warm clothing. In addition to food, relief supplies should also include these kinds of items."
"The Ascension Shop does have a [Constant Temperature Technology Underwear]…"
"Most Ascension users have already purchased [Gene Optimization Fluid], and they don't have enough Ascension Coins to buy underwear. Besides, that underwear can only provide constant temperature for a maximum of 6 hours a day, but there are still 18 hours left! It can only be used as an emergency."
After the experts gave their opinions and proposed solutions to some specific problems, they all looked at the person in charge, Gao Liangwei, waiting for his final decision.
Gao Liangwei said in a deep voice, "Time is of the essence. Everyone, immediately input all relevant information and response methods regarding personnel gathering, road clearing, material transportation, water and electricity management, and cold-weather protection into the computer. The recorder will compile this into an electronic manual and distribute it to emergency response departments in various locations so they can conduct rescue operations according to the manual."
He paused, then added, "As the military representative and head of this research lab, I'd like to add one more rule. An armed squad equipped with military gear must be stationed in each building where civilians are being housed."
Everyone was startled and looked at Gao Liangwei.
Gao Liangwei's face was cold, his gaze sharp, and he said, "Have you all forgotten what happened during the period covered by the first rule? Don't overestimate human nature. Back then, some people dared to harm others for [Sobering Peppermints], and now they'll do the same for survival supplies. At critical moments, having an armed squad present will suppress these people's restless, murderous intentions."
Chapter 43 Hidden Rule Four
. Limi Hotel, Room 306.
After the Firebringer announced the rules, Guan Tong quickly heard a commotion in the lobby.
Over a hundred people were gathered there, and a heated discussion about the new rules was likely brewing immediately.
Guan Tong silently thought,
"Personal terminal."
He needed to see what the hidden rule was.
Focusing his attention on the fourth rule, the hidden rule quickly appeared.
[Hidden Rule Four: A Difficult Choice]
[Hidden Rule Content: In this rule, regional snowfall and population density are positively correlated. Areas with higher populations experience higher snowfall. Areas with lower populations experience lower snowfall.]
[Note: Faced with extreme environments, humans instinctively choose to band together for survival. But after learning this hidden rule, do you have the courage to live in isolation and face natural disasters alone?]
…What?
After reading this hidden rule, Guan Tong subconsciously looked out the window at the swirling snowflakes.
The more populated an area, the more snowfall it receives… The less populated an area, the less snowfall it receives…
Living in isolation, facing natural disasters alone…
This is truly a 'difficult choice'.
Guan Tong hadn't expected the hidden rule of the fourth apocalyptic rule to be like this.
This meant that large cities like the capital Yong'an and his own city, Yunhua, would receive the most snowfall!
Meanwhile, remote rural areas and even uninhabited areas in the northwest would likely receive very little snowfall, perhaps only a normal snowfall like in winter.
"Large cities have well-developed roads and transportation, ample resources, and high-level emergency response capabilities, so they receive the most snowfall. Remote areas lack facilities and resources, so they receive the least snowfall…"
"Is this the Fire Stealers' kindness towards people in remote areas… or malice towards densely populated areas?"
Guan Tong even had a ridiculous thought: were the Fire Stealers also thinking about the wildlife on this planet?
After all, with such a uniformly large amount of snowfall globally, not to mention how many humans could survive a month, many wild animals would likely suffer heavy casualties and extinction.
But back in reality, what should he choose?
Knowing this hidden rule, should he stay at the Limei Hotel?
The hotel is located right next to a major city thoroughfare, in an excellent location, and the authorities will surely send a large amount of supplies soon. Moreover, with so many people around, they might be able to help each other in case of trouble… these
should all be advantages. But the downside is facing a month of extremely heavy snowfall, during which time water and power outages, low temperatures, and anything else could happen. What
if he chose to leave? Go alone to a sparsely populated area?
But facing a natural disaster of this magnitude, is it really okay to be alone and helpless?
Guan Tong looked at the increasingly dense snow outside the window and knew he had to make a decision quickly.
If he delayed for several more hours, and the snow blocked all the roads out of the city, he wouldn't be able to leave even if he wanted to!
"Knock, knock, knock."
A knocking sound suddenly rang out, followed by Xu Xiaotian's voice.
"Brother Tong! What are you doing in the room? Come out quickly, everyone is in the lobby!"
Guan Tong heard Xu Xiaotian's voice and went to open the door.
"Tong-ge, why aren't you going down?" Xu Xiaotian asked curiously. "There are so many more people coming to the hotel."
"Really? Let's go take a look."
Guan Tong and Xu Xiaotian went down to the lobby on the first floor. Sure enough, the lobby, which originally had over a hundred people, was now almost double that size. More than a hundred more people had arrived from outside, carrying large bags and small packages.
Some of the long-time guests couldn't help but complain, "All 150 rooms are full. What are these people doing squeezing in? Where are we supposed to stay?"
The newcomers immediately joined in the argument upon hearing the complaints.
"Why is there nowhere to stay? The hotel has only double rooms, one double bed can sleep two people! 150 rooms can sleep at least 300 people! And some rooms have more than one double bed, so there can be even more people sleeping."
"Can't those who got here first sleep in the beds? I'm here later, I won't fight with you, I
'll just sleep on the floor!" "This hotel doesn't belong to you, everyone's here for free! If you ask me, there shouldn't be any first-come, first-served rule. If there aren't enough beds, we should take turns sleeping."
"Everyone, please calm down. The hotel is so big, besides the guest rooms, there's a bar, gym, restaurant, and other spacious areas. Actually, if we clean it up, we could sleep quite a few people."
"It was the government that started calling for people to gather together so that it would be easier to transport supplies. My home happens to be close by, so I came here, otherwise I wouldn't have come."
"That makes a lot of sense. With such heavy snow, how deep will the snow be on the roads after a few days? The authorities can't possibly deliver supplies to every household, they'll just have to gather everyone together!"
Guan Tong frowned as he watched the people arguing and making a ruckus.
Xu Xiaotian, standing nearby, looked dejected: "This rule is so annoying, it's going on for the whole of June. I was planning to go to the college in the capital to register this month, but now I definitely can't… But because of this rule, the college will probably postpone its opening, right?"
Xu Xiaotian turned to Guan Tong: "What do you think, Tong-ge?"
Guan Tong's words completely surprised him: "Xiaotian, I'm planning to leave."
"Oh. Huh? What???"
It took Xu Xiaotian several seconds to realize what Guan Tong had said, his eyes widening as he stared at him.
"Tong-ge! What did you say? You're leaving?"
"Yeah."
"No, with all this snow outside, where are we going? And didn't that person just say the authorities are calling for everyone to gather together?"
Guan Tong couldn't tell Xu Xiaotian that he knew the hidden rules, so he just said, "I feel like if there are too many people, it'll get chaotic. So I've decided to leave."
"This... Tong-ge..."
"I'll go back and grab my backpack, and I'll leave right away."
Xu Xiaotian hadn't expected Guan Tong to make such a decision so suddenly. He was shocked, and also felt an urge to say, "I'll go with you, Tong-ge!"
But looking at the heavy snow outside, he hesitated.
He really didn't know where they could go with all this snow. And wouldn't they quickly suffer from hypothermia if they stayed outside in this weather?
While Xu Xiaotian hesitated, Guan Tong had already gone upstairs to his room.
He opened the cabinet in his room, where he had previously stored some high-energy food, fast-acting medicine, and other emergency supplies.
He took these things out and packed them into his small backpack.
Xu Xiaotian followed him over, standing at the door watching Guan Tong pack his things, his face full of worry.
"Tong-ge, are you really decided?"
"Yeah."
Guan Tong slung his bag over his shoulder, went out, and handed the room key for 306 to Xu Xiaotian.
"Give this room key to someone you like."
"Tong-ge, you're in such a hurry, I wasn't mentally prepared..."
"Time waits for no one, and neither does the heavy snow." Guan Tong patted Xu Xiaotian's shoulder, "Live well, we'll meet again."
"...Yeah! Then Tong-ge, you must be careful! Although I don't know where you're going, please be careful!"
"Okay."
Guan Tong said goodbye to Xu Xiaotian, went down to the lobby on the first floor, and walked out.
Because he had lived here for a while, some of the old residents recognized him, and they were surprised to see him carrying a bag and walking out.
"Guan Tong, are you leaving?"
"Yeah."
"Are you crazy! With so much snow outside, going out is just asking for trouble!"
Guan Tong didn't answer and walked straight out the door.
"...This kid must be crazy, completely crazy!"
"Never mind him, let's call the logistics department together and have them send over food! So many people, how much food will they consume every day!"
"And thick clothes, thick blankets! It's not too cold yet since it just started snowing, but it'll definitely get really cold later!"
Guan Tong walked out of the Limei Hotel, looking at the swirling snowflakes, and took a deep breath of the cold air.
"With this [Thermostatic Technology Underwear] I don't need to worry about hypothermia for six hours while I'm outside. I must get the necessary supplies during this time, then leave Yunhua City and head to Mingdao Mountain, more than 700 miles south of the city. It's sparsely populated there, and the snowfall shouldn't be too heavy!"
Chapter 44 Conflict at Supply Points
In the Qingmei Society group chat.
After the fourth apocalyptic rule was announced, everyone was unusually happy.
"Finally, a rule that doesn't torture us!"
"Yeah, with my old bones, I can't run a marathon or starve myself. This snow rule is great."
"It's perfect timing; the small courtyard I spent hundreds of millions on two years ago comes in handy. I have everything I need—food, drink, and supplies—and there's even my own generator in the warehouse, so no worries about power outages. Anyone in the group without a place to go is welcome to come here."
"Look at you, everyone in the group has a place to take refuge."
Liu Yuqiang nodded slightly, looking at the messages in the group.
Undoubtedly, every billionaire, after achieving financial freedom, would begin to consider refuge and other unforeseen issues.
Besides asset protection, personal safety is equally important.
Therefore, most people in the group not only have their own shelters but also hold multiple passports, ready to relocate immediately if anything goes wrong.
This fourth rule is exactly what these people want to see.
Because it no longer tests an individual's physical or mental strength, but rather their ability to mobilize resources.
Under the heavy snow, whoever has more power and can mobilize more resources has a higher chance of survival.
Even though the money in the Qingmei Society is useless, its members, with their years of accumulated connections across various sectors, substantial assets like gold, and the manpower of numerous company employees, can still form a vast resource pool through mutual support.
Indeed, even though many companies' services are now free, they continue to operate, continue to provide services, and are still officially prohibited from closing.
In this way, the leaders of these large companies still retain power. Many of their employees choose to stay with their companies because they believe that sticking together is the best option in this situation.
For example, Liu Yuqiang, the CEO of Jule Group, has hundreds of employees who have chosen to stay at his headquarters in Yong'an, the capital, banding together for survival.
Many people in a post-apocalyptic environment develop a desire to gravitate towards the strong, hoping to stay by their side, receive their protection, and obey their commands.
Liu Yuqiang, a self-made man who built a vast business empire, is undoubtedly a figure of strength in the eyes of ordinary people. His employees felt far safer working alongside their iron-willed boss than haphazardly trying to succeed on their own. It
wasn't just Liu Yuqiang; many large company bosses possess a certain charisma that inspires others to work tirelessly for them.
This is why, even in a post-apocalyptic world, the bosses of these industry leaders still wield considerable influence. This is especially
true in highly competitive sectors where ruthlessness is paramount, such as coal mining, earthmoving, real estate, and logistics. Bosses who achieve leadership in these fields often possess the qualities of a "chairman in prosperous times, a bandit king in chaotic times."
Having fought his way up over the years, Liu Yuqiang naturally possessed a touch of ruthlessness. As soon as the rules were announced, he gathered the hundreds of employees holding his company for a meeting.
He loudly proclaimed, "As long as we all stand united, I, Liu Yuqiang, will not let any of my brothers get hurt! I guarantee that every brother will survive these new rules!"
The employees naturally thronged around him, cheering enthusiastically.
The company currently has no shortage of various survival resources, and there are diesel generators on standby for electricity. Liu Yuqiang even specially sent a group of employees to get more diesel fuel for backup.
He took a moment to relax and looked at the messages in the group chat when a message suddenly popped up and caught his attention.
Hengyun Real Estate Chairman - Zhao Jiping: "Brothers and sisters, someone is investigating me. It seems like I'm being watched by the authorities. Anyone with connections, please help me find out what's going on!"
...
Snowflakes were falling heavily, and the cold air was spreading.
Guan Tong, wearing a hooded scarf, walked along the road, heading towards a supply point not far away.
Around the time of the second apocalyptic rule, the authorities announced the establishment of supply points throughout the city for people to obtain emergency supplies themselves in case of an emergency.
Guan Tong planned to go to the supply point to get more high-energy food and some commonly used items such as windproof lighters, and then find a car to leave the city. He
could see many people on the road, all following the official advice and responding to the call to go to nearby large buildings that could accommodate many people to survive.
The Limei Hotel, which Guan Tong left, was already overcrowded. Other places like libraries, schools, and stadiums must also be crowded with people.
However, according to the hidden rules, the more people gather, the heavier the snowfall. It seems that everyone should disperse.
But will that really work?
Guan Tong wasn't sure.
He himself had the powerful assistance of his "Shadow," which gave him the courage to leave the crowd and venture alone to remote areas to survive.
But what about those without useful mental tools, or those who had even shut down their personal terminals? Were they really suited to follow the hidden rules?
Is it possible that sticking together is actually more conducive to survival for them?
Like Xu Xiaotian, whose tool is the ability to generate a box of instant noodles every day using his mental power. Can that alone really support him to survive alone? The risks are enormous.
Guan Tong believes that even if the authorities know this hidden rule, they will most likely still stick to the centralized rescue strategy. However, they might evacuate a small number of more important people to remote areas.
This may be unfair, but there is no such thing as fairness in this world.
Like those who were sleeping when the first [Sleep Deprivation] apocalyptic rule was issued, those who had just worked the night shift the day before, those undergoing surgery under anesthesia, infants who don't understand the rules at all… where is the fairness in this world for them?
However, Guan Tong believes the hidden rule will be discovered soon.
Because just because some people live in remote villages doesn't mean they live a primitive life.
They still go online, play games, and have the same online life as city dwellers.
When these people go online and see that the snow is falling heavily in densely populated big cities while the snow is light in their small villages, they will definitely post about it online.
Once official departments notice differences in snowfall across regions, the astute researchers in the countermeasures research office will quickly deduce the hidden rules.
This is similar to the three hidden rules corresponding to the previous three: [Plunder Awakening], [Mind Overcomes], and [Paying to Avoid Disaster]. Although the authorities didn't know these names, they quickly uncovered their contents and included them in the white paper.
Guan Tong's advantage lies in his ability to personally witness the hidden rules, giving him timeliness and firsthand knowledge.
He considers this crucial.
The [Plunder Awakening] rule demonstrates that the authorities might discover hidden rules under certain circumstances but choose not to disclose them due to various factors.
What has happened before will happen again. The
practice of withholding information or selectively disclosing parts will inevitably continue,
creating an information gap between the inside and outside.
Guan Tong's ability to see the hidden rules firsthand means he doesn't rely on secondhand information already processed by others; he gains firsthand knowledge quickly, giving him a significant advantage.
After clearing his mind, Guan Tong quickened his pace and soon arrived at the nearest supply point.
He saw dozens of people crowded in front of the warehouse gate, their faces filled with resentment, yet also with fear, hesitant to enter.
What was going on?
Guan Tong sensed something was wrong and went to investigate.
Upon closer inspection, he immediately noticed a group of people dressed in matching blue work clothes guarding the warehouse entrance. They were holding wrenches, pliers, fire axes, and other weapons, threatening to prevent anyone from entering.
"These supplies are ours! You all go get them elsewhere!"
"Why?" someone couldn't help but ask, "Seven or eight of you taking so many supplies?!"
"Because of the pliers in my hand!" A fierce-looking man brandished the pliers, "Come on, try and take a hit!"
"You dare hit someone? Believe me, we'll call the sheriff!"
"With this much snow, it's a miracle the sheriff even came! Besides, what's a little bit of supplies for the workers of 'Longxiang Pharmaceutical'? Believe me, one phone call and I can get dozens more brothers from the factory!"
The others shrank back upon hearing this. These factory workers were banded together and armed; if they really clashed with them, they would definitely be the ones who suffered. For
a moment, many people had no choice but to leave, but some stubborn ones refused to go and continued to confront the factory workers.
Guan Tong silently retreated to the back and hid in a milk tea shop that had long been deserted.
He didn't want to leave; in fact, he couldn't leave. Going to other supply points would waste too much time, which he couldn't accept.
He slightly raised his hand, and a wordless book appeared in his palm.
He then removed his coat, trousers, shoes, gloves, scarf, mask, and so on, leaving only a [Thermostatic Technology Underwear] on his body.
"Shadow, come out."
The next moment, Shadow stood before him.
"Put these clothes on," Guan Tong commanded telepathically, looking towards the supply depot warehouse, "Then go and take down those people."
Chapter 45 The Road Out of the City
"Call the people at the factory later and tell them to come quickly and move all the supplies away."
Several pharmaceutical factory workers guarding the warehouse entrance discussed.
"With the supplies in this warehouse, even without rescue, we can definitely survive this month!"
"Team leader, do you think the sheriff will come after us?"
"So what! This is an emergency! I've read the law; this is called emergency avoidance, it's not illegal at all!"
"Huh? Really?"
"I see! Then—"
Thump!
Before the pharmaceutical factory worker could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a sharp pain on his cheek, a powerful impact struck him, and then he collapsed to the ground with a thud, falling into a childlike sleep.
The other pharmaceutical factory workers were stunned, only then realizing that a person wearing a hood, scarf, and mask had punched their colleague to the ground.
"Who the hell are you!
You want to die?!" "Damn it, beat him up!"
"How dare you hit someone?!"
These pharmaceutical factory workers didn't expect anyone to dare to fight them, and they were instantly enraged. The passersby who hadn't left yet were also astonished, never expecting that a true hero would dare to step forward and teach these thugs who were hoarding supplies a lesson.
In an instant, six or seven factory workers surrounded them. However, to everyone's surprise, the man who made the move seemed to have eyes in the back of his head; two men attacked from behind, but he dodged them all.
His speed and strength were astonishing; his attacks were swift and decisive, knocking five men unconscious with just a few punches and kicks. The remaining three or four panicked, thinking that this masked man might be a trained fighter and that they were no match for him.
The foreman, whom the other workers called "team leader," had a fierce glint in his eyes and swung his iron pliers, aiming forcefully at the man's head!
A gasp rippled through the crowd; if that hit, it would be fatal!
Thud!
The man dodged in time, avoiding his head; the pliers only struck his shoulder.
The team leader's face lit up with joy; such heavy pliers would be unbearable even for a shoulder!
However, the next moment, his face was filled with terror.
The man who had taken a heavy blow to the shoulder with the pliers showed no signs of injury whatsoever. He didn't flinch, nor even utter a groan; he remained completely silent.
This eerie silence instilled a profound panic in the team leader. Suddenly, the gloved man snatched the pliers from his hand and swung them back, slamming him to the ground. Seeing their team leader fall and bleed, the surrounding people were terrified, shouting, "Something's happened! Someone's dead!
"
People
scattered
and fled. The two remaining pharmaceutical factory workers also dropped their weapons in fear and ran for their lives. Moments later, only "Warrior" remained.
The shadow returned to the milk tea shop where Guan Tong was hiding, and as it blurred, its clothes fell off. Guan Tong dressed, entered the supply depot warehouse, and quickly found and retrieved what she needed.
Food, flashlight, batteries, sleeping bag, multi-tool, windproof lighter, electrical tape, small stove gas canister, small filter, portable first aid kit, personal hygiene items, etc.
Guan Tong packed these items into two backpacks, tied them together with the sleeping bag, and carried them on his back. Then he thought for a moment and picked up the team leader's "iron pliers," which Shadow had used quite well earlier, so he could take it with him.
He then immediately left the supply point and went to a nearby shared transportation station.
In the world Guan Tong had traveled to, the sharing economy was already very developed. In this world, the sharing economy was even more developed, with the station offering everything from bicycles and balance bikes to cars.
He randomly picked a black SUV, scanned the code to get in, and placed his backpack in the back seat. He sat in the front, took off his snow-covered hood, opened the navigation map, and set it to a point on the edge of the city.
After pressing the "Go to Destination" option, the shared SUV automatically started moving according to the navigation.
Guan Tong sensed that this world's technology was about ten or twenty years ahead of the original world. Autonomous driving technology was already functioning normally in cities with detailed electronic maps.
Therefore, he didn't need to drive himself; after setting the city's edge, it would automatically drive there. Once they reached the outskirts of the city where autonomous driving was no longer possible, he would take over and drive to his destination, Mingdao Mountain.
The vehicles began to move. The rules had only been in effect for about half an hour; although the snow was heavy, there wasn't much accumulated on the roads, so vehicles and pedestrians could still drive without problems.
Many vehicles were still on the street, presumably people heading to their desired gathering points.
About ten minutes later, Guan Tong suddenly heard the "beep beep beep beep beep" of a helicopter propeller. Peeking out the window, he saw a helicopter circling overhead, spraying something onto the road below.
"Is it de-icing agent or some chemical to slow snow accumulation?"
Guan Tong wondered. Then he saw a convoy approaching from the opposite lane—an open-air armed convoy!
Through the windows, he saw that these vehicles were filled with fully armed soldiers, their backs straight, gripping their rifles tightly, as if they had received orders to carry out a mission.
Guan Tong quickly understood. This large gathering of people could easily lead to chaos; a large-scale conflict would only cause many unnecessary casualties.
If each gathering point were guarded by armed personnel, at least no one would dare to cause trouble openly.
Like the self-service supply depot just now, if there were armed guards, even if each of those pharmaceutical factory workers had two lives, they wouldn't dare to take wrenches and axes and seize all the supplies.
Guan Tong thought, took out his phone, and went online.
He searched for the keyword "snowfall." Sure enough, in just over half an hour, someone had already discovered the hidden rule.
A user with the IP address "Nargemu" posted a short video showing the snowfall in his area.
The ground was a vast expanse of gray, with snowflakes drifting weakly, looking listless. Compared to the overwhelming blizzards in major cities like Yong'an and Yunhua, it was a picture of utter tranquility.
The netizen filming the video said, "Wait, is the snow this heavy in your inland areas? It seems pretty average here, not even as heavy as usual in winter."
The video already had tens of thousands of comments, and they were still rising rapidly.
"Is this a fake video???"
"Really?! Does anyone know where Nargemu is?"
"I remember Nargemu is the uninhabited area in southern Xinjiang... Wasn't there a news story last year about a hiking group trying to cross Nargemu and getting lost..."
"What the hell? Some places have heavy snow, some places have light snow?!"
"Holy crap! How could the Fire Stealers be so mean (crying loudly), giving us so much snow and so little over there!"
"Is there a difference in snowfall in different regions? Has the authorities confirmed this?!"
"I just called the official inquiry hotline! The staff replied that they were aware of the situation beforehand and are currently conducting an urgent investigation!"
Guan Tong turned off his phone screen to save battery.
He knew that the authorities were definitely aware of the situation. He just didn't know what they would do.
Should the policy of immediately changing from mass gatherings to separate evacuations be reversed, or should the original policy be firmly maintained?
Regardless of the official decision, Guan Tong knew he had made his choice.
He glanced at the battery level of his shared car; at full range, it could travel up to 1000 kilometers. From here to his destination, Mingdao Mountain, was over 700 kilometers. Considering the battery depletion due to the temperature drop, it was definitely enough, and he wouldn't need to recharge midway. He
just didn't know what the situation was like at Mingdao Mountain.
Guan Tong thought to himself. He chose Mingdao Mountain because it was an undeveloped, wild mountain, rarely visited except by hikers.
After the apocalypse, even fewer people would go there.
Therefore, within the radius Guan Tong could drive to, centered on Yunhua City, Mingdao Mountain was definitely the least densely populated area; other counties and villages had much higher population densities.
"Hopefully the snow there won't be too heavy," Guan Tong thought. "That way, there will be enough food, and if water is really scarce, we can filter snow water to drink. And with Shadow, this 'labor force with finite existence time but infinite stamina,' surviving for a month shouldn't be a big problem."