Free-Range Plan!

Apocalypse Countdown: 2 days, 16 hours, 15 minutes

In the blink of an eye, it was nearly six in the morning.

Dawn had yet to break, and everything outside the window was shrouded in mist.

After eating a little, Su Ze used the Coffee Machine to make himself a hot cup of coffee to wake himself up.

After all, the Simulator's cooldown was about to end.

If his luck was poor and he kept failing to get a gold- or purple-tier talent, he might have to simulate for hours on end again...

"Creaaak."

Holding his coffee, Su Ze returned to his desk and sat down.

The computer screen on the desk was lit up, displaying a map of Suzhou City.

Once the map was enlarged, the notes Su Ze had made on it became visible.

During yesterday's simulation, he had roughly figured out the distribution of Safe Zones in Suzhou City after Apocalypse's Arrival.

It might not have been entirely accurate, but it should have been close enough...

Several Safe Zones had been specially marked by Su Ze.

Some of them were the starting points he currently chose most often, while the others represented Suzhou City's official Safe Zones.

At this moment,

Su Ze's gaze fell upon the latter.

Those Safe Zones representing Suzhou City's official forces after Apocalypse's Arrival.

It was nothing else...

He was considering one possibility—joining the authorities.

During yesterday's simulation, he had already joined them, but he had not participated deeply in their various operations.

Like the leaders of the other Safe Zones, he had merely been a specially recruited thug for the authorities.

Only when the authorities had major operations or encountered particularly difficult opponents would they summon those thugs...

Naturally, that level of involvement could not earn him enough trust from the authorities.

Therefore,

when the authorities acquired certain confidential intelligence, they would not simply share it with these local kings.

Yes...

Su Ze was only considering deeper participation in the authorities' various operations in order to obtain more intelligence.

Although he had reached the end of the apocalypse many times in simulations and witnessed the final scene of Stars Fall,

the apocalypse still held many unknowns...

For example, the mysterious Contained Objects.

Or whether the six incantations concealed some deeper meaning.

Just like in last night's simulation, it was only during the last few simulations that Su Ze learned that Pollution Sources were actually born from people's nightmares...

And by joining the authorities, perhaps he could obtain such intelligence...

"Doesn't seem very feasible."

After giving it some thought, Su Ze could not help shaking his head.

Because he remembered the information he had seen in the simulations.

The Safe Zones representing Suzhou City's authorities actually had very weak connections with the other Safe Zones.

Put simply, Suzhou City's official intelligence basically came only from local Safe Zones within Suzhou City. They did not truly exchange intelligence with the authorities of other cities...

Unless Su Ze had some way to connect all official forces...

No.

It should be something broader.

If there were a talent that could help Su Ze connect with any corner of the world, with any Safe Zone...

"That's a little difficult."

Even Su Ze felt that requirement was rather demanding.

He could only simulate as many times as possible first and hope to see more detailed intelligence in the simulation text...

Simulator cooldown has ended.

Very soon, the Simulator's cooldown completed its final stretch.

Su Ze, who had been waiting for a long time, quickly chose to begin the simulation.

Doomsday Simulation has begun...

Please select one of the following three talents as the innate talent for this simulation!

Bucket of Gluttony (White): ...

Ventriloquist (White): ...

Energy Share (Green): You can share your own energy with others. The power you share does not come from yourself, but from the Starry Sky.

Innate talent selected: Energy Share (Green)

Simulation begins...

Day 1: The apocalypse arrived as scheduled. You chose SC-35 as your apocalypse starting point...

Day 2: The temperature plummeted, and panic spread. Many people braved the cold wind to go out and purchase supplies. Chen Keqing dragged you outside, but because you could not compete with the other residents, you returned empty-handed...

Day 3: ...

A familiar beginning to the apocalypse.

Su Ze had seen himself choose SC-35 as the starting point of the apocalypse many times already.

There had originally been nothing new about it...

But...

"Where's Qin Yushi?"

A question surfaced in Su Ze's mind.

Logically speaking, with his current mindset, he would have tied Qin Yushi up and taken her along during the apocalypse.

Just as he had previously taken Chen Keqing with him.

Yet the simulation contained no information about Qin Yushi whatsoever.

It seemed that woman had not traveled with him during the apocalypse...

"Did I change my mind?"

Lowering his eyes, Su Ze looked thoughtful.

The simulation's content actually included the world's trajectory during the days before the apocalypse. Su Ze had known that for a long time.

In other words...

During these final two days before the apocalypse, something might happen that would make him change his mind and stop choosing to directly tie Qin Yushi up and bring her onto his Apocalypse War Vehicle...

"Not important."

Su Ze did not dwell on it and continued the simulation.

Day 4: The water and electricity were cut off. You remained perfectly composed, but Chen Keqing was run ragged, worrying over supplies...

Day 5: Many refugees arrived outside the residential complex...

Day 6: ...

...

Day 8: Awakened appeared within the residential complex...

Day 9: To stabilize people's hearts, someone in the residential complex gave a speech...

...

Day 13: You planned to help Chen Keqing become Awakened, so you gathered quite a bit of intelligence. During the process, you deliberately asked around and heard that an Awakened had also appeared at Su University...

That Awakened was named Qin Yushi.

Day 14: The news that Qin Yushi had become Awakened left you somewhat surprised...

Day 15: You took Chen Keqing out for a walk. Afraid of those Awakened who might harbor ill intentions, Chen Keqing trembled behind you...

Sure enough, an Awakened coveted Chen Keqing's beauty. You stopped pretending—you were an expert. You killed many people to establish your authority.

...

Well, damn...

So the first Awakened to appear at the university had been Qin Yushi.

Come to think of it...

He seemed to have seen similar simulation content many times before.

However, not once had those simulations directly stated Qin Yushi's name.

They had merely mentioned that "the first Awakened appeared"...

Aside from that noteworthy point,

Su Ze also keenly noticed a change in the simulation's content.

The simulated version of himself seemed to have made certain last-minute changes after learning that Qin Yushi had become Awakened.

It seemed he was heading straight for the throne of the Safe Zone...

And the reason for doing so...

Day 26: You continued maintaining order in SC-35. You cultivated several trusted followers and helped them become Awakened...

Day 27: You came into contact with Awakened who had come from the university. Because they spoke rudely, you killed one of them and let the others go...

...

Day 34: You heard that the Awakened at the university had also been consolidated. They now had a complete Security Team, and Qin Yushi was one of its leaders...