March 24. About one week remained until the end of this round of Rules.
Three weeks had passed, and people had gradually shifted from initial curiosity and fear toward the Rules to adapting to them.
Humans were highly adaptable creatures, one of the reasons they had risen to the top of the food chain.
As long as they stayed indoors at night, avoided the internet, and obediently entertained themselves offline, they could eliminate 99% of the chances of encountering Scarlet Fear. The remaining 1% would only occur in exceptionally unlucky circumstances.
As a result, attention toward this Rule had greatly declined. Pure audio devices such as vintage radios, however, saw a surge in popularity.
People still needed news, but they feared that watching television or using smart devices to go online would expose them to Scarlet Terra photos popping up in their faces, like that offline game that had previously been maliciously implanted. This created demand for "audio-only reception with no video display."
Officials in every country did their best to meet that demand. Shelters across North Star also distributed radios and other pure audio devices in bulk, allowing people to stay informed of the latest developments.
Inside one shelter, a young man picked up his radio after getting out of bed and brought it into the bathroom. He turned it on, tuned it to the Daily Hot News channel, and listened while brushing his teeth.
"Breaking news: The UHC joint forces base at the Black Flag Nation Front Line was attacked last night by a legion composed of large numbers of parasites. The base sustained severe damage, and the joint forces suffered heavy casualties..."
"Pfft!"
The young man sprayed a mouthful of toothpaste foam across the mirror before him. His shocked expression reflected in its surface.
"Now for the