56: Chapter 56 Branching Paths

After instructing the three girls, Fang Che turned and pulled open the door.

In the corridor outside, several girls who had been awakened were peeking around. Seeing Fang Che emerge from the room that had broadcasted the system announcement four times, their eyes were filled with a complex mix of jealousy, fear, and an intense, overwhelming desire.

Fang Che ignored them.

He walked straight toward the front of the Train.

An endless supply of strength surged through his limbs and body; the exhaustion from last night had vanished without a trace, replaced by an unprecedented sense of power.

He was now extremely energetic, his body brimming with energy to an almost ridiculous extent.

Yet, this power did not make him feel the slightest bit arrogant; instead, it made his mind even clearer.

Every word of the global broadcast reeked of danger.

The path ahead would only become more difficult and perilous.

Soon, Fang Che arrived at the front of the Train.

The atmosphere in the front of the Train was suffocatingly oppressive.

Su Qingxue, Mu Waner, Gu Nanzhi, and several core members of the team were all present, their faces etched with worry and unease about the future.

A tense atmosphere hung in the air.

Teacher Qin Bing was standing right next to Su Qingxue; seeing Fang Che enter, her tense expression softened slightly.

She walked over quickly and lowered her voice.

"You're here."

Fang Che nodded.

Teacher Qin Bing didn't waste any more words and turned directly to face everyone.

"Since you're here, let's start the meeting."

Everyone's gaze instantly focused on them.

Su Qingxue walked to the control console in the center of the Train.

"Everyone should have heard the global broadcast."

"You all understand the situation, so I won't waste any more time."

Su Qingxue reached out and quickly operated the control panel.

A screen of light projected from above the control console, forming two clear images in mid-air, accompanied by detailed text descriptions.

Everyone in the carriage shut their mouths and stared intently at the light screen.

That was the fate they had to choose to face next.

[Divergent Path I]

[Station Name: C-Rank: Gold Coast Resort]

[Route Introduction: Sunshine, beaches, waves... and terrifying creatures lurking in the deep blue sea that have mutated for unknown reasons. The environment here is extremely open with good visibility, but this also means that once you are targeted, there is nowhere to hide.]

On the light screen was a beautiful beach with golden sand and blue water—a picturesque resort destination.

Yet everyone knew that beneath that calm sea surface hid monsters capable of tearing people to shreds.

Immediately after, another image appeared.

[Divergent Path II]

[Station Name: C-Rank: Qingshan High School]

[Route Introduction: An abandoned campus that is now a rule-based survival dungeon. After entering this area, you will be randomly assigned the identity of a student or teacher. The only thing you must do is strictly follow the school rules. Please note that any behavior that violates the school rules will lead to unpredictable consequences.]

This image showed a campus bathed in sunlight, with neat and bright Teaching Buildings, lush green grass on the playground, and blooming flowers adorning the flower beds, exuding an atmosphere of warmth, tranquility, and vitality everywhere.

Two routes.

Two completely different worlds.

One represents pure combat of strength, the other represents unknown rule-based killing.

When these two routes were clearly displayed before everyone, the oppressive atmosphere was instantly broken, and the carriage erupted into a buzz of discussion.

"Let's go with the Gold Coast! I choose the Gold Coast!" a rather impulsive girl shouted immediately. "Even though there are monsters, at least they come at you openly!"

"Exactly! That so-called Qingshan High School sounds wicked!" another person immediately chimed in. "Rule-based survival? What the hell is that? What if I accidentally sneeze, violate some rule about staying quiet, and then I'm gone? That would be such a frustrating way to die!"

"I agree! Fighting monsters, we can at least fight together! This kind of rule-based killing is entirely dependent on luck; it's just too unreliable!"

For a moment, the majority of people tended toward choosing the Gold Coast.

In their view, visible danger was always easier to deal with than an invisible curse.

"I feel like we should choose the school."

A girl wearing glasses retorted with a trembling voice.

"The introduction says deep-sea mutated creatures! Nowhere to hide! Do you know what that means? Most of us don't have high attributes. In that kind of open area, facing things emerging from the sea, we might not even be enough to fill their teeth!"

"That's still better than going to that haunted school!"

"Right! I'd rather fight a monster and die than die senselessly because of some bullshit school rule!"

For the first time, such a clear disagreement had emerged within the team.

The voices of argument grew louder and louder; everyone wanted to convince the other side, but no one could convince anyone.

Just then, a gentle voice rang out—not loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.

"Everyone, please stop arguing for a moment."

It was Gu Nanzhi.

She walked into the middle of the crowd with a smile, her voice so soft it seemed to calm everyone completely, instantly quieting the noisy atmosphere significantly.

"Actually, both paths have dangers, and both have opportunities."

She began to analyze the situation in a measured, unhurried manner.

"The danger of the Gold Coast lies in direct combat power. Just as everyone said, the environment is open and the enemies are strong. But looking at it from another perspective, this also means our reconnaissance and team combat capabilities can be maximized. As long as we make preparations in advance, we might not be without the strength to fight."

She paused, then looked toward the other route.

"And for Qingshan High School, the danger lies in the unknown nature of the rules. This is indeed terrifying. But it also means that as long as we are smart and cautious enough to find and follow all the rules, we might be able to clear the level without shedding blood."

Her analysis was logical and sounded incredibly objective.

But Fang Che noticed that as she spoke, her gaze kept glancing toward him, whether intentionally or not.

This woman is testing my thoughts.

"And..."

Gu Nanzhi suddenly changed the subject, a look of longing appearing on her face.

"The Gold Coast... sunshine, beaches... even though there is danger, it sounds much more cheerful than an abandoned school that only looks sunny on the surface, doesn't it?"

After she finished speaking, her gaze landed on Fang Che's face, seemingly casual, yet carrying a hint of inquiry.

The argument continued, but it was no longer as intense as before.

Everyone's analysis had its own merits.

Su Qingxue and Teacher Qin Bing exchanged a glance, both seeing the dilemma in the other's eyes.

The team's inability to reach a consensus was extremely fatal.