Chapter 391
, Rule 7 of the Apocalypse
Chapter 391, Rule Seventeen of the Apocalypse
Guan Tong walked out of the shelter and saw Shi Jingyi gently patting Coal Ball's head.
Perhaps because Coal Ball had seen her many times and was familiar with her scent, he behaved very docilely in front of her.
Hearing footsteps, Shi Jingyi turned to look at Guan Tong and smiled, "Congratulations."
Guan Tong touched her cheek: "Has my appearance changed at all?"
"It's a change in temperament. Although it's hard to put into words, you can clearly feel that it's changed a lot from before."
"……indeed."
Guan Tong had the same feeling when she first met Shi Jingyi after her breakthrough.
Those who enter the second stage of sublimation will experience certain changes in their temperament.
Guan Tong glanced at the time; it was 8:30, half an hour before the new rules were to be released.
He suggested, "Shall we try building a mental network?"
I tried it before, but it failed.
Both of them have now entered the second stage of sublimation, and the outcome may be different.
"Okay."
Shi Jingyi patted the coal ball on the back: "Go play."
Coal Ball yelled and ran away. Shi Jingyi walked over and extended her right hand.
Guan Tong extended her left hand and clasped it with her right hand.
The two simultaneously activated their mental connection, silently chanting in their hearts: "Establish a mental network."
In an instant, a tingling sensation, like an electric current, swept through their bodies, and an invisible connection, rooted in their minds and nerves, was established between them.
Shi Jingyi: Can you hear me?
She didn't speak, but her voice resonated in Guan Tong's heart.
Guan Tong: I can hear you... We've successfully established a telepathic network!
At this moment, both of them were very happy. The establishment and connection of the spiritual network meant that they could now communicate directly on a spiritual level.
This kind of communication is not affected by the environment or limited by conditions. It cannot be eavesdropped on or interfered with, making it one of the best ways to communicate.
Its only drawback is that it consumes resources.
Shi Jingyi said, "Did you notice? We only used the mental network to say one sentence, and it consumed ten points of mental energy."
"I've discovered it." Guan Tong nodded. "This consumes a lot of energy, and I wonder if it's affected by distance. Will the energy consumption increase the farther away we are?"
“Possibly,” Shi Jingyi said with a smile. “During the period of the [Digital Abstinence] rule, every ascendant could use the mental network to communicate, and there was no consumption except for a large number of short-term exchanges… Thinking about it now, it was just like a ‘limited-time free use of the function’.”
"I feel the same way."
Even after they let go of each other's hands, they could still feel the invisible connection.
Shi Jingyi checked the time and said, "I don't know what the new rules are, I have to go back to the academy first."
With new rules about to be released, if they are rules that make it inconvenient to go out, the college will definitely close the campus immediately. At that time, it would not be good for Shi Jingyi, as a lecturer, to still be outside.
"Yes. Thank you for your help these past few days."
Guan Tong knew that without Shi Jingyi's external guidance and help in nurturing his inner essence over the past few days, he would not have been able to break through before the new rules were released.
"It's nothing... By the way, I'm very sorry about what happened to your friend."
Shi Jingyi was referring to Suzuki. Guan Tong's expression turned serious: "I will not give up investigating that matter. Also, I will use the mind network to test and identify the parasite as soon as possible, and I will let you know the results."
“Okay, then we can use the telepathic network to stay in touch from now on. As long as we don’t actively cut each other off, it can stay connected.”
After watching Shi Jingyi leave, Guan Tong sat down at the entrance of the shelter.
Even if the latter breaks through first, it's still more appropriate for him to do the work of verifying and identifying the parasite.
Even if he is exposed as a result, or even becomes a target of the parasite's hatred, it doesn't matter, since he has no fixed abode anyway.
Shi Jingyi is different. If she were exposed, her routine of going between the college and her dormitory would make her an easy target.
"Investigating Suzuki, trying to identify the parasite, leading a team to France and carrying out a decapitation operation against the high-ranking members of the Fire Thief Cult... these are the things I need to do next. In addition, I also need to continue collecting mental energy and researching the second stage of sublimation."
Guan Tong breathed a sigh of relief; he had a lot to do.
At nine o'clock sharp, the fire thief's voice rang out.
[The Seventeenth Rule of the Apocalypse Has Been Released] [Apocalyptic Rule Seventeen: Crimson Gaze]
[Rules: During this period, Terra will be transformed into an ominous crimson color by a special force. Anyone who looks directly at it will experience an irrational and intense fear that will manifest as auditory and visual hallucinations, revealing their deepest inner fears. This fear will accumulate until it destroys their reason. The rules will last for thirty days.]
[Success Reward: 1000 Ascension Coins; Survival Chest - Silver Level]
[Failure Penalty: None]
[Note: If deadly threats lurk deep within the stars, would gazing at them become a taboo?]
……
After the new rules were released, a wave of discussion instantly swept the world.
"Survival category! It's a survival category rule!"
"The terror of being dominated by these rules has returned..."
"Yes. The first few rules allow those who have no interest in competing to stay out of it and take a break, but this one..."
"Is this rule really that difficult? Even for survival-related situations—wouldn't it be enough to just stay indoors for a whole month?"
"It doesn't seem difficult, as long as you don't look at the reddened stars."
On various platforms, people are both remarking on the return of survival-themed rules and believing that these new rules are not difficult.
The safest option is to stay home for a month. If you absolutely must go out, choose to do so during the day. If you must go out at night, keep your head down and look at the ground the whole time; this might help you avoid the risk.
However, many people do not believe that this rule will be easy to get through.
Every country or organization immediately held serious discussions on countermeasures.
In the Beixing Countermeasures Research Office, Gao Liangwei convened a meeting immediately.
"The top leadership has made a decision immediately: the official rules will be a 'curfew,' which will prohibit people from leaving the shelter after nightfall."
After Gao Liangwei finished speaking, everyone present nodded in agreement.
This is the simplest and most direct solution, seemingly confirming the rule notes that looking up at the stars has become taboo.
“However, based on past experience, the rules don't reveal all the information explicitly,” Gao Liangwei added. “Especially for survival-related rules, the hidden information is extremely important, so—”
He looked at the head of the information department, who immediately understood: "I will keep a close eye on the House of Ascended, and if the station manager sells hidden information, I will follow up immediately."
"Ah."
"Manager, I have a question."
A new face spoke up in the conference room, and everyone looked over.
Gao Liangwei said, "Section Chief Li, please speak."
This new face is none other than Lee Meng, who recently joined the Countermeasures Research Office. His current position is still "Head of the Special Cases Investigation Section," the same position he held when investigating the Qingmei Association kidnapping case.
Li Meng asked, "Given that this is a dangerous survival-related rule, should we still take action against the Fire-Stealers Cult during the rule period?"
"I cannot answer that question right now. The action is a joint action of the FIPPEC and needs to be coordinated and discussed with the members of each country at the subsequent FIPPEC meeting. A decision will be made after we get the results."
"clear."
"report!"
At that moment, an employee knocked on the door and came in to report.
"In countries located in the night zone, some people have already experienced problems after gazing at the crimson planet Terra!"
The attendees felt a chill run down their spines; the rules had only just been announced, and some people had already fallen victim to them.
"How stupid is this person? Or are they deliberately trying to die?" someone couldn't help but say. "The rules are so clearly stated in the text, how could they even bother to read them?"
"Maybe when the rules were announced, some people happened to be outdoors gazing at the stars, and then..."
Zhang Minglu then asked the reporter anxiously, "What changes have occurred in the people who are looking up?"
He was more concerned about the consequences than why these people broke the rules.
The employee looked down at the summary information on the tablet: "According to the information collected by the intelligence department: after looking up at Crimson Terra, some people immediately fainted, some showed signs of mania, and some... exhibited strong aggression towards others and forced others to look up at Crimson Terra as well."
(End of this chapter)