Chapter 392 - 358: The 16th Apocalypse Rule

Chapter 392: Chapter 358: The 16th Apocalypse Rule

Terra Star.

Several days had passed since the landings of the two manned rockets, *Dream Ship One* and the *Imperial Pioneers*.

During this time, the astronauts had followed their mission objectives, gradually using the various devices and equipment carried on the rockets to establish their survival bases.

By the end of the fifteenth rule, both temporary survival bases had been completed.

These two bases were still heavily dependent on resource drops from Celestial Water Star. They required regular rocket launches carrying supplies to stay operational, and they were still a long way from self-sufficiency.

But you have to take things one step at a time. Simply establishing a foothold was already a great leap for humanity.

The next step after establishing a foothold was to begin field exploration of the planet using various professional instruments and equipment.

Although several of Celestial Water Star’s superpowers had launched probes in previous years, most of those efforts were cursory at best.

Now, humanity had pivoted completely, pouring massive resources into the space sector. Combined with the information about a "special substance" obtained from the Nanomite Swarm Intelligence, humanity’s enthusiasm for space exploration was at an all-time high.

Inside the oxygenated environment of the *Dream Ship One* survival base, the astronauts were currently in a discussion.

Here, they didn’t need to wear their bulky spacesuits. They just wore a set of Thermoregulating Technology Underwear purchased from the Sublimation Store, with a layer of special insulated space clothing from the Aerospace Agency over it.

"This Rule Stage is so short, only seven days," an astronaut said worriedly. "We definitely can’t make it back. We’ll have to face the next rule here. What if..."

The other astronauts also wore grave expressions.

When the previous rule ended, the Fire Thief’s notification had sounded in their minds.

This undoubtedly meant that even on Terra Star, they were still bound by the Apocalypse Rules and the Fire Thief.

The Aerospace Agency’s original plan was to consider bringing them back during the interval after the fifteenth rule.

Now, there was no need to consider it. A mere seven days was simply not enough time.

"I hope it’s a simpler rule."

"Yeah, we don’t have that many resources to spare here."

"I doubt it. The last rule had no penalties and no rewards. Knowing the Fire Thief’s style, this next one could be a high-risk rule."

"..."

The group fell silent. Then, team leader Wei Xuan spoke up. "Don’t be pessimistic. No matter what the next rule is, we have to hold on to the end. Our country didn’t spend all these resources to send us here just so we could sigh and mope."

"The leader’s right."

"We’re the pioneers shouldering humanity’s future, haha. We can’t just give up!"

These astronauts were the best of the best, with far more resilience than ordinary people. Even if they felt down for a moment, they quickly regained their fighting spirit.

BEEP BEEP.

Just then, the team leader’s communicator rang. He picked it up to answer, but just as he was about to speak, a blood-curdling scream erupted from the device.

"AHHH!!!"

The sudden scream startled team leader Wei Xuan and the other astronauts. They immediately realized it came from an astronaut on the *Imperial Pioneers*.

"What’s going on!" Wei Xuan calmed himself and shouted into the comms. "Robert! Are you there? Respond if you can hear me!"

Robert was the team leader of the *Imperial Pioneers*. Although the two astronaut teams had built their survival bases in different locations, they communicated daily to exchange information.

"ARGH! Help me!!!"

The screams from the communicator continued relentlessly. Wei Xuan yelled anxiously, "This is Wei Xuan! Respond if you hear me!!"

The only response was a series of agonizing screams. Then, a rushed voice spoke. Wei Xuan could tell it was Robert, but he couldn’t make out the words over the screaming.

Then, the communication abruptly cut off. Wei Xuan immediately tried to call back, but he couldn’t get through.

The room fell deathly silent. Every astronaut looked at each other in terror.

They didn’t know what had happened at the other survival base, but the screams coming from the communicator were the kind people only make in a state of extreme panic and despair.

However, every astronaut selected for this mission was a top-tier human elite. Back on Celestial Water Star, each had undergone detailed and complex psychological tests to ensure only the most mentally steadfast were chosen.

So what could have possibly happened to make these resilient elites scream like that?

An unspeakable atmosphere of fear spread through the room. Everyone’s expression was incredibly grim.

Team leader Wei Xuan took a deep breath and immediately contacted the Aerospace Agency on Celestial Water Star to report the situation.

Soon, a reply came back from the Aerospace Agency.

"After dual verification with the Soloma Aerospace Agency, we can confirm that we have lost contact with the astronauts of the *Imperial Pioneers*. But please note! According to the remote life-monitoring systems on their rocket, their vital signs have not disappeared."

Wei Xuan and the others were shocked when they saw the Aerospace Agency’s reply.

After hearing those horrific screams, they had assumed the *Imperial Pioneers* astronauts were in mortal danger. But if their vital signs hadn’t disappeared, it meant they were still alive.

Before long, a new order arrived from the Aerospace Agency.

"An emergency decision has been made. Team Leader Wei Xuan, you are to lead your team members to the other survival base, either by probe or in person, to investigate the situation with the *Imperial Pioneers* astronauts. If you go in person, you must carry lethal weapons."

...

After the end of the fifteenth rule, humanity’s path forward had become clear.

One path was the exploration of space for colonization and the search for the special energy substance mentioned by the Nanomite Swarm.

The other was to create digital backups of human memories, thereby achieving digital life technology.

These two paths were not mutually exclusive; they could be pursued simultaneously as mutual insurance. However, both paths were like two gluttonous beasts, with an insatiable demand for resources.

Space technology, needless to say, had always been a massive resource drain. But the energy required for digital life was even greater.

Human memory is incredibly complex, like an iceberg. Conscious memories are just the tip showing above the water; the real bulk lies hidden beneath the surface, in the subconscious mind.

To truly back up a human’s memory, all of these incredibly complex subconscious activities would need to be converted and stored. Computer projections estimated that the processing power and electricity required for even a single person would be astronomical.

The Human Federation quickly concluded that the resources required to convert and store the subconscious minds of the entire current human population would be on an astronomical scale.

Thus, an uncomfortable but unavoidable question would arise once the technology was successfully developed.

If there weren’t enough resources to back up everyone’s memories, who would get priority? How would the queue be managed?

If not handled properly, such a problem would inevitably lead to a global civil war. Therefore, the Human Federation decided to keep it under wraps for now, waiting until the technology was actually implemented.

What if, before the technology was ready, humanity managed to find that special substance in the universe, thereby achieving a near-infinite energy source? The hope was slim, but not impossible.

Meanwhile, the Human Federation also swiftly passed a resolution.

Previous rules had caused numerous nations to perish, leaving their lands virtually uninhabited and their cities as little more than ghost towns.

Rather than letting this land lie vacant, it was better to put it to its greatest possible use.

This resolution was to utilize the vast, uninhabited lands by covering them with massive arrays of photovoltaic panels to generate the immense electrical power needed for the digital life project.

After defining these two paths, besides shifting resources to related fields, the Human Federation had two other urgent matters to address.

The first was to find and eliminate the leader of the Parasites, the "Prophet." The surprise landing site tactics it had devised already showed that leaving it unchecked would pose a huge threat to humanity.

The second was to completely eradicate the Fire Worship Cult. These Cultists, despite being human, had secretly collaborated with the Parasites during the last Rule Stage, acting as traitors to their own kind. This had crossed a line that humanity could not tolerate.

These two paths and two urgent tasks became the action plan for all member nations, as determined in the Human Federation’s latest meeting. Everything else had to be deprioritized.

However, beyond this high-level strategy, each nation also had its own domestic problems to deal with.

After the "Annihilator" was revealed, Soloma began manufacturing more smart war machines in full preparation for an attack on Fahe.

North Star, on the other hand, was conducting a comprehensive census and updating personnel information to maximize the potential of its human resources, ensuring that every individual was placed in the most suitable position to improve the nation’s overall efficiency.

Due to the downfall of many personnel connected to the Mizusawa Clan, Sakura Prayer was still slowly recovering. In the short term, its only goal was self-preservation and stability; it had neither the desire nor the ability to pursue anything more.

In Sisiya, Governor Yelena had to address the irreconcilable conflict between her own weak political foundation and the strong opposition from the Rijeka Faction.

As for the other small nations, with their severe shortages of population and production capacity, they could only strive to maintain stability and cooperate on the industrial tasks assigned by the major powers.

Beyond these nations, there were also many reclusive survivalists who revered nature, as well as unaffiliated Ascender mercenaries who lived on the edge. They too had to fight for their survival in their own ways.

The once-mighty Tulip Alliance had long since fallen into decay due to internal strife. After the "Outer Heaven Parasite" rule, its various warlord factions completely collapsed. Now, it had degenerated into a collection of mercenary groups specializing in illicit contracts, despised by all.

This was a world scarred and battered, but it had not yet completely lost hope. Even while suffering setback after setback, humanity was still fighting for survival, moving forward unwaveringly along its chosen path.

And so, the seven-day interval between rules passed in a flash. When the time came, the Fire Thief’s voice echoed punctually in the mind of every human.

[The sixteenth Apocalypse Rule has been issued.]

[Apocalypse Rule Sixteen: Death Race]

[Rule Content: Three hours after this rule is issued, all Ascenders holding the "Second Ascender Challenge Invitation Letter" item will receive the temporary special title "Contestant." Ascenders with this title are hostile to one another. They can see each other’s nicknames and point totals displayed above their heads. Killing another Contestant grants 1 point plus all of the victim’s points. The rule will last for seven days.]

[Success Reward: Those ranked in the top 10,000 in points will receive tiered rewards.]

[Failure Penalty: Those who abstain will suffer a decay of their Psychic Power.]

[Note: This is a game for the brave. The weak and the cowardly should retreat, discard their Invitation Letters, and stay away from the conflict.]