82: Below Chapter 82, Above

Gu Changming's gaze rested on the blank space following the Hidden Rule.

[Hidden Rule: Equivalent Compensation: By voluntarily triggering a controllable manipulation of fate and enduring minor damage or paying a corresponding price, one can obtain a six-hour 'favor' exemption period.]

Seeing this, his expression froze for a moment.

Looking at it this way, he didn't need to panic too much?

Even with a Mimic Beast that had yet to emerge from its cocoon, as long as he took the initiative to pay some price, he could buy himself some breathing room.

Without the influence of that 'Gift of Fate,' Gu Changming believed his strength was enough—forget about protecting the Mimic Beast's giant cocoon, sweeping through all the ability users in this area wouldn't be a problem.

But soon, his gaze shifted downward, falling onto the scoring criteria that appeared immediately after.

[Scoring Criteria: The more Gifts of Fate you accept, the richer the rewards you will receive during the final settlement.]

Gu Changming's eyes flashed; unlike previous Assessments with clear rating standards...

This description... did it mean that if he used the 'Equivalent Compensation' Hidden Rule to evade the 'Gifts' of fate, it also meant giving up the chance to obtain more rewards?

Gu Changming narrowed his eyes as certain blurry images from deep in his memory were stirred up.

In his previous life... what was the score he had received in this Assessment?

Oh, he remembered now.

D-rank: Resister. The rewards had been quite pathetic.

So that's what 'Resister' meant.

Back then, after being caught up in two 'accidents' by chance, he had hidden away cautiously, not daring to contact anyone else again.

After staring at the scoring criteria for a few seconds, Gu Changming quickly made a decision.

With the 'Equivalent Compensation' Hidden Rule as a safety net, perhaps he could give it a try.

Even if an accident occurred, he could still actively trigger the rule and pay a price to clear all the negative effects brought by the 'Gifts.'

At worst, he could forgo the rewards for this Assessment to ensure the safety of the Mimic Beast's giant cocoon.

While thinking, Gu Changming picked up a half-bottle of water by his feet and took a sip.

But the moment the water hit his throat, his face suddenly flushed red. He choked violently, uncontrollably staggering to his feet and coughing intensely.

Although his body reacted instinctively, Gu Changming's mind remained very clear. He immediately focused his Mental Power, attempting to wrap his Psychokinesis around the mouthful of water in his throat to draw it out.

Just as the water was enveloped by Mental Power, his heel, moving as he stood up, happened to step into a hollow cavity in the ground that showed no outward signs of trouble.

His foot sank, and he lost his balance, falling straight backward.

However, Gu Changming still reacted extremely quickly, immediately using Psychokinesis to instantly support his reclining body.

His figure froze in mid-air for a split second.

At the same time, the mass of water in his throat was forcibly extracted and spat onto the ground beside him with a 'pfft' sound.

He manipulated his body to slowly straighten up, his gaze falling downward.

As expected, at the spot where the back of his head was about to hit, a piece of broken metal of unknown properties stood abruptly, its sharp point facing upward.

Gu Changming stared at the object, his expression unchanging.

He reached out, lightly clenching the air, and then gave a twist.

"Puff, puff, puff..."

Within a radius of over ten meters, all sharp-edged stones and broken metal turned silently into powder at the same instant, scattered by the wind.

He had specifically run to such an open area, yet he still couldn't avoid it.

That's right, that chain of 'accidents' just now was the so-called 'Gift of Fate.'

This was also why Gu Changming had just said this Assessment messed with one's state of mind.

It would bestow 'Gifts' upon you at every moment when you least expected it, causing you to be taken away by some 'accident' amidst various absurd yet lethal 'coincidences.'

This was the content of this Assessment: the 'Gifts' given by fate, which already had a price tag attached.

...

Hujiang City.

Near the city's edge, inside a three-story research institute with relatively intact outer walls.

Half an hour after the rules were announced.

The various researchers emerged from their respective 'safe rooms.' Most of them wore research coats or protective gear, their faces tense and their eyes filled with anxiety.

The so-called 'safe rooms' were merely alloy rooms that temporarily isolated them. Because they didn't know what the Assessment content would be, for the safety of these researchers, they could only be scattered and placed in different rooms.

This way, even if some accident occurred, some personnel could still be preserved.

Now, after the Assessment content had been announced.

With an extra half hour to collect intelligence and materials, they could finally come out to discuss how to pass this Assessment.

No one spoke. Only the sound of deliberately softened footsteps echoed in the corridor.

Following the information and locations sent to their panels, they walked toward specific floors and rooms.

Everyone stared fixedly at their feet, avoiding floor seams, protruding edges, and anything that might trigger an 'accident.'

Fortunately, no accidents occurred along the way.

Zhou Tunan successfully arrived at the designated meeting room.

Pushing the door open, several people were already seated inside. His gaze swept quickly, lingering for a moment on the familiar face of Tang Ningfei. They gave each other an imperceptible nod, and then he walked to an empty seat.

Less than half a minute after he sat down, the seats on both sides of the long table were nearly full, with only one empty seat remaining.

Shen Jianping, standing in the center, glanced at the information on his panel, looked up, and said in a steady voice, "Don't wait for him. He met with an accident."

As his voice fell, the meeting room fell silent for a moment. People's expressions changed slightly, but they all tacitly refrained from asking further.

"The intelligence and information have been sent to you. If you have any opinions, speak quickly," Shen Jianping said without redundant pleasantries, cutting straight to the point.

Under this kind of special Assessment, things indeed couldn't move slowly.

As soon as he finished speaking, a researcher wearing glasses immediately followed up: "There are two supplementary rules this time. The second one points very clearly. Whether it's us or the messages being pushed out, we should require people to scatter and avoid gatherings. Contact may trigger a chain reaction, leading to uncontrollable risks."

Shen Jianping's gaze swept over the crowd, and everyone else nodded in silence.

The meaning of this rule was almost laid out on the surface; there wasn't much to discuss.

"Anything else?" Shen Jianping spoke very quickly, clearly wanting to end this temporary meeting as soon as possible.

Zhou Tunan raised his hand.

"I want to study the first rule. After a single participant is graced, they won't be graced again within a short period. In that case, can we actively trigger it... This might be a way to break the situation."

He paused and looked at Shen Jianping. "I hope the higher-ups can allocate some resources to me, and... personnel willing to take risks. I want to design several sets of experiments to verify this hypothesis..."

Hearing Zhou Tunan's words, Shen Jianping's expression became complicated, and he remained silent for a moment.

"I will apply to the higher-ups. Dismissed for now."

Everyone stood up silently, keeping their distance from one another, and left the meeting room quickly and quietly.

Shen Jianping sat alone at the end of the now-empty long table, not leaving immediately.

His brow was tightly furrowed.

During the previous Assessments, they had barely managed to maintain a surface level of order.

But the fourth 'Civilization Spark' Assessment, with its three months of monster invasions and survival struggles, had not only destroyed cities but also completely shattered the order upon which old-era human society relied to function.

The communication networks had long since been paralyzed, and different regions had become isolated islands.

They weren't even sure how much of the information they sent out now could be received by the various regions below.

They were even less sure how much obedience those organizations and groups struggling for survival in the wilderness and ruins would still retain for their so-called 'higher-ups.'

So... at this moment.

He didn't know if these 'higher-ups,' who existed in name but were actually long since fragmented, would still waste resources to approve a project aimed at finding a 'way to break the situation' and intended to help 'all of humanity' pass the Assessment.

Or would the higher-ups be more inclined to concentrate resources to ensure only the safety of a few core personnel and key facilities, ensuring they wouldn't be swallowed up in the subsequent competition.

...

Just as I wrote to this point, let me mention something. Why would anyone think points can be transferred, or that points would be concentrated? The state asks you to have more children or buy a house, and not many people respond. How is it that in the apocalypse, when it comes to points that can save lives, people would be willing to hand them over?

Of course, there certainly will be some, but that won't be the choice of the majority.