Fang Qian's Choice

"Let's go together!"

"That's right, get in my car! I'll drive!"

"Why should we sit at home and wait to die?!"

"Exactly! Those rich people can definitely buy Sobering Medicine and get Sobering Injections at the hospital!"

The commotion outside grew louder and louder. Guan Tong and Fang Qian went out onto the balcony and looked down, only to see twenty or thirty people already gathered at the entrance to the residential complex.

Every one of them was frantic, shouting that they wanted to go to the hospital.

"Looks like they're all close to their limits," Guan Tong said. "A lot of people can't take it anymore."

Fang Qian said, "Are they planning to go to the hospital and steal medicine? Can they really do that? The Security Team should be patrolling the streets, right?"

"They probably feel like they can't hold on any longer and are making one last desperate gamble."

Guan Tong could actually understand. If he were truly on the verge of collapse, he did not know what he might do either.

"So is the reason the internet went down because too many people made plans like this to go to the hospital?"

"Very likely."

Guan Tong thought Fang Qian's guess made sense.

After the authorities discovered the existence of the Hidden Rules, they had not shut down the internet. Now that they had suddenly done so, it was possible that too many people had arranged to go out.

The more people went outside, the more conflicts there would inevitably be on the streets. The more street conflicts there were, the more people would be knocked unconscious... and the more people would discover the existence of the Hidden Rules.

Order would only become more and more chaotic.

The people gathered downstairs soon left the residential complex.

They were neither the first wave nor the last.

More and more people who had held on until now but could no longer bear staying at home began ignoring the official ban and choosing to leave their homes.

Even Fang Qian, watching the increasingly dense crowds in the distance, felt restless herself.

"Guan Tong, don't you want to go out?"

"No." Guan Tong answered without hesitation.

"Why?"

"Think about it. After being awake this long, everyone is probably like a powder keg right now, ready to explode at the slightest spark. Going somewhere crowded at a time like this could easily trigger a large-scale conflict and drag us into it."

Hearing the word "conflict," Fang Qian could not help thinking of being "knocked unconscious" and the Sobering Mint Candy. Her eyes widened.

Guan Tong looked up at the sky.

The red countdown was still ticking.

30:18:06

"Only thirty hours left. Hold on a little longer, and we'll make it through."

After saying that, Guan Tong sat back down and fought off his drowsiness by reading.

Fang Qian also made up her mind to endure the final thirty hours. She put away her phone and stopped refreshing the internet over and over.

Constantly checking online updates had only made her more anxious. She decided to follow Guan Tong's example and went to the study to pick out a book.

One hour, two hours, three hours.

In those final thirty hours, every hour felt like an eternity.

At this point, Guan Tong no longer cared what was happening outside. He knew that his only enemy now was himself.

He kept telling himself: Seventy-two hours without sleep is still far from the known limit of human endurance. I can definitely hold on.

Fang Qian, in the same room as him, was suffering just as much.

She was so afraid that she did not dare look at how much time remained on the countdown. The stronger her drowsiness became, the more uncontrollably she thought about the phone call from her father.

At the time, her father had asked whether Guan Tong was by her side. His meaning could not have been clearer: when she was about to collapse, she could do whatever it took to survive and make a move against Guan Tong, her classmate.

At first, she absolutely could not accept such an act. But now, as exhaustion grew worse and worse, her resolve was beginning to waver.

I'm too sleepy. I really can't keep going...

Maybe in another hour—no, another ten minutes—I might fall asleep the very next second...

I don't want to die. What will happen to Mom and Dad...

Fang Qian struggled internally. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, to the point where she could barely keep them open.

If not for her parents, she might have chosen to give up.

But...

Fang Qian looked at Guan Tong.

Guan Tong was an orphan.

Yes, that's right. He's an orphan. If... if only one of us can survive, wouldn't it be better for me, someone with parents, to live...

The instant that thought surfaced, Fang Qian herself was startled by it.

She had never imagined that she could harbor such a thought. Was she truly evil by nature?

No, I'm not!

It's just... just the instinct to survive...

Fang Qian's gaze gradually hardened, as though she had made a decision.

She stood and walked toward the kitchen. As she passed Guan Tong, she asked, "Guan Tong, do you... want some coffee?"

Guan Tong nodded. "Sure, thanks."

By now, he was starting to struggle too. He had no choice but to rely on outside help to stay awake as much as possible.

"Then I'll make some."

Fang Qian entered the kitchen and made coffee.

She carried it out and handed one of the cups to Guan Tong.

If I strike while he lowers his head to drink, using the glass in my hand...

Fang Qian felt her heart pound wildly, as though it might leap out through her throat.

Guan Tong took the coffee, but instead of drinking it immediately, he stood and stared at Fang Qian.

"Fang Qian, what are you trying to do?"

"Ah..."

"There's no water in your cup," Guan Tong said.

Fang Qian froze at his words. Looking down, she saw that her cup indeed contained only coffee grounds, with no water.

She had been so focused on her plan that she had forgotten to pour in water!

"And the way you're holding the handle... Were you planning to attack me while I drank, using it to knock me unconscious?"

Fang Qian's right hand clenched the glass handle tightly, her wrist lowered and turned outward. No matter how one looked at it, it was not the posture of someone about to drink. It looked more like she was about to use the glass in her hand as a blunt weapon.

"G-Guan Tong... I... how did you..."

Fang Qian had not expected her plan to be seen through. She stood frozen in place, at a complete loss.

Guan Tong's gaze was cold.

"You know about the Hidden Rules, don't you?" he said. "Your parents are both well-known researchers. Earlier, you said the authorities had gathered them to research countermeasures against the Apocalypse Rules. Then the authorities most likely told them about the Hidden Rules."

"After that, your parents informed you through the phone... so you wanted to obtain an item to keep yourself awake by knocking me unconscious? Fang Qian, I never thought you were this kind of person."

Hearing Guan Tong's words and seeing his cold expression, Fang Qian suddenly became much more clear-headed.

"You already knew about the Hidden Rules, Guan Tong? How did you know... Then why didn't you use them to..."

"How I found out is none of your business," Guan Tong cut her off. "I don't use them because I don't want to kill innocent people for my own survival."

At his words, tears spilled from Fang Qian's eyes. "I'm sorry, Guan Tong... I was too sleepy. My head was muddled. I acted on impulse..."

"Fang Qian, leave my home right now."

Guan Tong did not want to hear any more of Fang Qian's explanations. In his eyes, she was no longer worthy of trust. The only reason he was letting her leave was that she had not attacked him just now. If she had truly made a move, Guan Tong would not have shown mercy.

"Leave immediately, or don't blame me for getting rough with you."