Chapter 1: The Advent of the Rules

Night.

A full moon hung high in the sky. The entire earth was shrouded in darkness, save for the faint threads of moonlight that fell from above. Even that moonlight was not the usual silver-white, but tinged with a subtle crimson, lending the world an especially terrifying air.

The dazzling neon lights, the bustling streets—none of it remained. All that was left was the blood-red glow and a suffocating silence.

It was spring.

Wrapped in a thick down jacket, Ye Luo buried herself beneath her quilt, but even so, she shivered uncontrollably with cold.

Ten days earlier.

April 1st, 2025—April Fool’s Day.

On that day, a voice echoed in the minds of every human being.

“E-level civilization detected. Initiating civilization assessment.”

“Assessment commencing.”

“The following are the rules for the first round.”

“1. Daylight will vanish, leaving only night. Only moonlight is pure. Avoid all other sources of light to prevent contamination.

2. The global temperature is set to a uniform 30 degrees Celsius. From now on, the temperature will drop by five degrees each day.

3. Humans are prohibited from communicating with one another by any means.

The rules will take effect in three minutes. Please prepare yourselves.”

The voice faded. Three minutes later, the blood moon rose, and the entire world was plunged into a crimson haze.

Terror arrived with the night. Many people had their lights on or were lying in bed, idly scrolling through their phones.

When the blood moon appeared, panic swept the world.

Those who reacted quickly turned off their lights at once. After all, the first rule was to avoid other sources of light!

Some, slower to realize, went mad after just a few seconds of exposure to artificial light. Continued exposure made the madness more acute. Many died with not a patch of intact skin left on their bodies—the result of tearing at themselves in a frenzy.

Beyond electric lights, all manner of artificial light was forbidden: the glow from screens, the flames of stoves, and so on.

Each lesson was paid for with a precious life.

According to statistics,

On the first day alone, more than 300 million people perished under the first rule.

And, as if that wasn’t enough, the third rule forbade all human communication.

On the day the rules descended, countless people screamed in terror. If anyone nearby responded, that counted as communication. Both parties would drop dead on the spot for breaking the rule.

On the first day, over 200 million more died because of the third rule.

Gradually, as people learned to adapt, the number of deaths from these two rules began to decrease slowly.

As time passed,

The third rule’s power became apparent.

The temperature dropped by five degrees each day. With an initial 30 degrees, the first few days were bearable.

Six days later.

Once the temperature fell below zero, it was no longer so easy to endure.

Now ten days had passed.

The temperature had already plummeted to minus twenty degrees. No one ventured onto the streets anymore.

Everyone wore the thickest clothes they owned, cocooned in their blankets day and night.

And the temperature... would continue to fall.

Despair hung heavy over the world.

How much longer could humanity endure?

Midnight. Though exhausted, Ye Luo lay awake with her eyes closed.

She mentally tallied her supplies. For now, there was enough food. To avoid violating the first rule, the government had cut power to most areas days ago. But she had a generator and diesel fuel in reserve. If the temperature kept dropping, she could run the generator and keep the heater going a while longer.

Ye Luo thought about the voice.

It had said, “First round of rules.”

Would there be a second round? A third?

Would the situation become even more dire?

She had always been emotionally detached. While most people were paralyzed by terror in the face of this horror, she felt no such panic, but she understood one thing:

She had to survive.

But given the circumstances, how much longer could she last?

Or rather, how much longer could humanity last?

At that moment,

The voice from ten days ago echoed once more in her mind.

Ye Luo’s eyes flew open.

“Congratulations on surviving ten days. The initial scenario is prepared. Scenario name: Dark Forest. Scenario mortality rate: 77%.”

“Those who clear the scenario will gain resistance to cold and a random supernatural ability.”

“Now, please choose: participate in the scenario, or not. To make your choice, repeat it silently in your mind.”

A scenario!

The Dark Forest!

Reality was already shrouded in darkness, and now this scenario was to be dark as well!

Ye Luo’s pupils contracted. She did not hesitate, immediately responding in her heart:

“Participate in the scenario!”

Leaving aside the random ability, the cold resistance alone was worth the gamble. The rule of ever-dropping temperatures might last who knew how long.

Ye Luo could not count on the rules changing in her favor; she had to seize every opportunity to survive.

That resistance to cold

might well be the key.

“Countdown to selection.”

“Ten... nine...”

“Three... two... one...”

“Time’s up. The total number of participants: 2,080,003,240.”

Ye Luo did a quick calculation—about two billion, nearly 2.1 billion people. Clearly, many others were willing to take the gamble as she was.

“Before entering the scenario, each person may make one choice.

Please choose:

1. A doll that can take a lethal blow on your behalf.

2. An ordinary flashlight.

3. Knowledge of one scenario rule in advance. (All who choose this will learn the same rule, and it cannot be shared with others.)”

Then,

the voice in her mind began a new countdown.

Ye Luo raced through her thoughts.

A mortality rate of 77%—this scenario was sure to be deadly.

The first option, immunity from one fatal injury, was a powerful temptation.

The third option, knowledge of a rule in advance, implied the scenario would have rules, hidden ones, just like the real world.

In that case, knowing a rule ahead of time might help her avoid multiple dangers.

But the problem was,

she could only learn one rule.

And from the sound of it, there would be more than one.

Too limited.

At last, Ye Luo considered the second option.

An ordinary flashlight.

She narrowed her eyes.

Because of the first rule in the real world, items like flashlights had been banished to the farthest corners. For ten days, she had seen nothing but moonlight.

Now, suddenly, the option of a flashlight appeared...

Her thoughts flashed by in an instant.

The countdown was nearly over.

At the very last moment, Ye Luo silently repeated, “Option two.”

She chose the flashlight.

“Scenario commencing. Welcome to Scenario No. 187663: The Dark Forest. This scenario is for one thousand participants. It is filled with laughter and joy. May you have a delightful time.”

When it spoke of laughter and joy, the previously mechanical voice acquired a hint of malice.

In the next instant,

a wave of dizziness swept over her. Ye Luo found herself standing in a vast plaza.