Game Rules: Cannot Fall Asleep!

This has no privacy at all!

As Chu He was silently complaining, a cold voice suddenly sounded from somewhere above the playground, completely drowning out everyone's chatter without any warning.

"Attention all survivors."

"The second stage of the trial officially begins."

The playground instantly fell silent. Everyone abruptly looked up, the sliver of relief they felt after surviving the ordeal freezing on their faces.

As the voice spoke, a figure materialized from nothingness.

Its appearance was bizarre and strange.

Its skin was a slick, dark green, like moss that had never seen the sun, giving it the feel of a green goblin.

It wasn't tall, even somewhat scrawny, but its head was disproportionately large.

Most striking were its eyes and ears.

Its eyes were huge, taking up almost half its face. The eyeballs were pure, pale gold, and as they moved, they gave the illusion of being able to pierce one's very soul.

Its ears were exaggeratedly large, flopping limply down the sides of its head. The ear flaps were as thin as cicada wings, covered in a spiderweb of blue veins that pulsed slightly, as if able to catch every subtle heartbeat in the crowd.

This grotesque appearance was as if someone had crudely stitched the ears of a "wind-listening" spirit and the eyes of a "thousand-mile-seeing" spirit onto a goblin.

He continued speaking!

"Trial content: Maintain consciousness."

"From now until the next announcement, all individuals are forbidden from entering a state of sleep in any form."

"Everyone, please lie down on the ground immediately! Your hands and feet should be shoulder-width apart."

"Duration: 2 hours."

"Judging criteria: If I detect any player entering a state of sleep, regardless of the duration..."

"...you will be erased."

As the words fell, the entire playground was plunged into a deathly silence.

All the survivors were stunned.

They had just endured a night of both physical and mental torment. Everyone had dark circles under their eyes, their eyeballs bloodshot, their bodies and minds on the verge of collapse.

What they needed most right now was sleep!

They could barely stay awake standing up!

And now they had to lie on the ground in a passive pose!

How the hell were they supposed to play this game!

"No sleeping... Are they trying to wear us down to death?" The beautiful female contestant from Kimchi Country said, her face pale, her body trembling slightly.

"My God, is it joking?"

"It's over... I feel like I could fall asleep just standing here..."

"Seriously, is this something a person would do?"

"Coincidentally, it's not human!"

Chu He listened to the cruel rules, his expression becoming remarkably complex.

Although he didn't experience the same fear and nausea as the others, the result was the same: his body was quite exhausted!

As soon as these inhuman rules were announced, the live streams of all the surviving countries worldwide were instantly overwhelmed by a tsunami of comments.

"FUCK! What kind of dogshit rule is this? No sleeping? Are they trying to force people to death!"

"They're crazy! The planner of this instance is definitely a psychological pervert! They just went through a night of terror, and now their minds are at their most vulnerable!"

"It's over, our contestants look like they're about to fall asleep standing up, and now they have to lie down!"

Dragon Country, USA, Cherry Blossom Country, Eagle Country, Gaul Country, Kimchi Country... Almost all the live streams were filled with anger, despair, and curses at the rules. Their contestants on camera all had ashen faces and vacant eyes, clearly dazed by this sudden trial.

Despite their complaints, everyone's bodies obeyed. They obediently lay down as instructed!

But it wasn't over yet. The judge with the big ears and big eyes somehow produced a portable speaker from somewhere on its body.

With a burst of ear-splitting static, a soothing, sleep-inducing melody began to play. It was the kind of music specifically used in therapy or hypnosis centers, a monotonous melody that repeated endlessly, a siren song to the ears.

Lying still was already torture, and with the music, it was even worse!

Sleepiness washed over Chu He's brain in waves.

His eyelids felt as heavy as if they were weighed down by iron, and the faces of the other players around him began to blur in his vision.

He could even hear the heavy breathing of the USA contestant next to him, which had turned into a faint snore before they jolted awake with a suppressed gasp.

Damn it.

Chu He cursed inwardly. If the situation weren't so dire, he could have fallen asleep right then and there.

His peripheral vision caught sight of the judge playing the music, and an uncontrollable thought popped into his head.

Should I... just use the Eye of Nirvana to erase it?

This Anomaly gave him a feeling similar to the sexy dorm supervisor; if it came down to it, he might not lose.

Moreover, even if he really did that, Xia Yao probably wouldn't blame him.

As soon as this thought arose, a cool and familiar scent quietly approached.

Chu He knew who it was without turning his head.

Xia Yao had appeared beside him at some unknown time, silently, as if she had always belonged there.

She had changed into a clean school uniform, the same style as before, but on her, it no longer held the cold, dead stillness of yesterday. Instead, it exuded a vibrant girlishness.

Her cheeks held a faint blush, and she looked refreshed, a stark contrast to the survivors on the field with their dark eye circles and gaunt appearances.

She stood there beside Chu He, looking down at him.

Even from this perspective, her beauty was flawless.

It was truly 360-degree beauty with no dead angles.

Her pure black eyes clearly reflected Chu He's current exhausted state.

Xia Yao frowned slightly, appearing displeased.

She slowly crouched down, her cool hair falling and gently brushing against Chu He's cheek.

"You're very tired."

Chu He didn't even have the energy to lift his eyelids, vaguely humming, "Mm."

Xia Yao's gaze then shifted to the referee not far away, who was blaring hypnotic music, the temperature in her eyes instantly dropping to freezing point.

The referee seemed to sense something and his body stiffened abruptly.

"I'm going to change the rules for you."

Her voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone present, as if it were resonating directly in their minds.

Upon hearing this, the referee practically scrambled over from the sound system, forcing a fawning smile, uglier than crying, onto his goblin-like face.

"Lord Xia Yao! You... you may change them as you please! This subordinate... this subordinate has absolutely no objections!"

His eyes, capable of seeing into people's hearts, didn't even have the courage to look at Xia Yao now.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Xia Yao knelt beside Chu He.

She extended her fair, jade-like hands, her movements incredibly gentle, and carefully lifted Chu He's head from the grass, then... settled it comfortably onto her lap.

Soft, cool, and carrying a unique maiden's fragrance.

What... what was she doing?

He could feel gazes from all directions, gazes that could have flayed him alive, instantly focusing on him.

Xia Yao, however, paid no mind.

She looked down at Chu He in her arms, who looked exhausted and somewhat bewildered. Her furrowed brow smoothed out, and then she raised her eyes to look at the entire venue, announcing the rules that no one had expected in her clear, cold voice.