Nightmare Trial, the Correct Path to Awakening!

On the first day, the apocalypse arrived as scheduled. You chose Aobo Community as your starting point for the apocalypse...

There was not much food stored at home. Although the news urged the public to remain calm and not panic-buy or hoard food, Chen Keqing chose to trust her own judgment. She dragged you out shopping, but there were too many people scrambling for food, and you only managed to grab a handful of vegetables.

On the second day, the temperature plummeted. Though it was unbearably cold outside, Chen Keqing still wanted to drag you out to stock up on food...

You went out with her, but returned empty-handed. Chen Keqing was furious. You comforted her, telling her that as long as you had a bite to eat, you would never let her go hungry. She was touched by your sincerity...

On the third day, all sorts of terrifying news came in. Chen Keqing was panicking inside, but she still maintained an optimistic attitude on the surface...

She sorted through all the food at home. Even if you rationed it carefully, it would only last three days. Fortunately, the residential complex found some supplies, and you bought some food at a high price.

On the fourth day, the water and electricity were cut off. You were being a real schemer, deliberately watching Chen Keqing bustle around...

On the fifth day, many refugees arrived in the Safe Zone. The residential complex organized people to help them, while you watched coldly from the sidelines.

On the sixth day, Chen Keqing's homemaking skills were maxed out. She built a wood-fired stove at home and cooked two hot meals. When you heard that she wanted to steal the neighbor's Gas Canister, you found her adorable...

You slept together.

On the seventh day, you got hold of a Gas Canister from outside and installed it on your stove. Chen Keqing was delighted...

To celebrate being able to eat hot food, you rolled in the sheets.

On the eighth day, an Awakened appeared in the residential complex...

The simulation content left Su Ze speechless with laughter.

Wait...

Was his simulated self testing Chen Keqing?

Like a wealthy father pretending the family was destitute in order to cultivate his children's admirable qualities of hardship and diligence?

Hmm...

It did seem like something he would do.

"Come to think of it, Chen Keqing was the only one in this simulation..."

Su Ze revealed a thoughtful expression.

He had only met Chen Keqing last night.

Yet when he returned and started the simulation, Chen Keqing immediately appeared in its contents.

This showed that the simulation content actually included the events of the days before the apocalypse.

Because he had already decided to put a sack over Chen Keqing's head back then, she appeared in the simulation...

By the same logic, Wang Zixin had mentioned a beautiful woman today, and Su Ze had been interested too.

Though he had not met her yet, he had already begun preparing to put a sack over her head.

Yet that so-called beauty did not appear in the simulation content.

Therefore, the answer was most likely...

That bastard Wang Zixin had fed him made-up information.

That so-called beauty might not even exist...

On the ninth day, everyone in the Safe Zone was anxious and unsettled. Someone gave a speech to stabilize morale...

Chen Keqing went with you to watch the Awakened. She remarked that the person had probably unlocked their Gene Lock.

On the tenth day, bad news came in from time to time, but no one knew whether it was true or false. With the Awakened's help, the residential complex's security and order were barely maintained.

On the eleventh day, incidents of moral collapse erupted throughout the residential complex. You deliberately frightened Chen Keqing, telling her never to go outside...

Since she was good at taking advice, Chen Keqing decided not to leave the house or show her face again.

On the twelfth day, the number of Awakened in the Safe Zone increased. You began systematically gathering intelligence. You needed to confirm at least one reliable path to becoming Awakened...

On the thirteenth day, you continued gathering intelligence.

On the fourteenth day, the number of Awakened continued to rise, and you quietly gathered intelligence...

When Chen Keqing asked, you told her some of the information about the Awakened and asked whether she wanted to try becoming one. Chen Keqing was afraid of death, so she refused.

On the fifteenth day, the number of Awakened continued to increase, and some of them began to stir restlessly.

On the sixteenth day, Awakened clashed, and several people died.

On the seventeenth day, an Awakened came to your door, intending to take Chen Keqing away. She was terrified...

You calmly made your move, and flames burned the intruder to ashes. Although controlling flames consumed enormous energy, you coordinated it perfectly with the Fallen Gift talent. As long as you kept killing enemies, you could continuously use your talent to restore your stamina—an endless refill.

Chen Keqing worshipped the power you displayed.

On the eighteenth day, you became famous in a single battle. Chosen by the people, you became the leader of this Safe Zone...

You immediately announced the path to becoming Awakened, encouraging more people to become Awakened.

On the nineteenth day, quite a few people attempted to become Awakened, and the death toll surged. You took the opportunity to gather intelligence and continuously refined the path to becoming Awakened.

On the twentieth day, you acted with swift decisiveness and eliminated some of those who opposed you.

On the twenty-first day, you rewarded and punished fairly, maintaining the Safe Zone's order as though life were peaceful and ordinary.

On the twenty-second day, becoming Awakened was too dangerous, and fewer people were willing to try. Fortunately, you had already gathered enough intelligence...

Now, you were confident that you could help others become Awakened with a one hundred percent success rate.

On the twenty-third day, you told Chen Keqing the path to becoming Awakened. The conditions were exactly as you knew them—an incantation, contact with a Pollution Source, and passing the Nightmare Trial...

The key lay in the Nightmare Trial. You knew that the Nightmare Trials generated by the same Contamination Zone were broadly similar. Therefore, as long as you told Chen Keqing the contents of the Nightmare Trial, you could easily help her become Awakened.

On the twenty-fourth day,...

The information on becoming Awakened...

Seemed to become completely clear at this moment.

It was basically the same as Su Ze's earlier guess.

Every Contamination Zone could be regarded as a dungeon in a game.

There might be slight differences in the dungeon's contents, but the core content would not change much.

Therefore, if someone possessed enough intelligence and was generous enough to make all of it public...

Then, in theory, Awakened could be mass-produced...

"Still, it probably wouldn't be easy to put into practice."

"There are so many Contamination Zones, and every one is different. Even figuring out the Nightmare Trial of a single Contamination Zone isn't easy. After all, many Awakened forget the contents of their dreams after waking up."

He could imagine how much effort his simulated self had put into piecing together complete intelligence.

To put it more concretely.

Suppose the Nightmare Trial lasted sixty minutes, but after waking up, an Awakened might only remember three minutes of it.

Even without counting overlapping portions, Su Ze would have to investigate the experiences of twenty Awakened before he could piece together the complete intelligence...

In actual execution, he would also have to consider whether others were willing to cooperate and whether they would tell the truth.

Only Su Ze possessed the talent Father God's Listening.

If someone else were gathering intelligence, it would be almost impossible to figure out the whole story in just a few days.

"So why... can't I become Awakened?"

Drawing in a sharp breath, Su Ze's face showed a trace of helplessness.

Still, he had come to terms with it now.

He was no longer fixated on becoming Awakened.

As long as he possessed enough power to crush Awakened, the sky would remain just as bright.

On the twenty-sixth day, order in the Safe Zone was extremely stable. You once again asked Chen Keqing whether she wanted to become Awakened...

She did not want to, because she was afraid of death...