Chapter 184: Level III 8
“It’s nothing.”
Chu Yian shook her head, looking at the severed arm she had stepped on. She quietly recited Amitabha and then kicked the arm far away.
Jie Yan, who had witnessed the entire scene, was stunned by her actions.
He had lived for so long, but this was truly the first time he had seen a girl like her. By the time he recovered, Chu Yian had already walked to the very front, moving with surprising speed.
The speed of legs, after all, could not compare to the speed of a car.
They walked for almost two hours before reaching the nearest urban area. Some people on the road couldn’t take it anymore and simply sat down.
“I’m not walking anymore. Anyway, the collapse isn’t happening here.”
“Ah, I’m really so tired.”
“I’m out of strength too, truly too, too tired…”
One after another, voices of complaint arose.
Eight hours of fear and fleeing had left people utterly exhausted. It wasn’t just one or two people who couldn’t walk; more and more refugees stopped, even comforting themselves.
“We’re an odd number, so the next collapse won’t be our turn.”
“District 13 has a total of over 1,300 districts. Even if it’s the collapse after next, the probability of District 63 being affected is still very small.”
“Right, no big deal.”
…They were frantically comforting themselves, almost believing it.
But with a simple calculation, the first three collapses were over, and the fourth was about to begin. When the fourth collapse finished, how many districts would be left?
According to the pattern of previous collapses, 1324 – 32 – 64 – 128 – 256 = 844.
Over eight hundred districts remaining seemed okay, but the number of collapses in the next round should be 512! These surviving districts weren’t even half.
Wait!
Chu Yian realized a problem and looked at Jie Yan.
“Brother Jie, I remember you seemed to have a pen and paper?”
Jie Yan didn’t know what she wanted to do, but he immediately handed them to her.
Chu Yian didn’t explain and began to calculate on the paper.
District 13 had a total of 1324 districts. The number of even-numbered districts and odd-numbered districts was the same, both having 662.
Now, the fourth collapse had not yet begun.
Even-numbered districts remaining: 662 – 32 – 128 = 502.
Odd-numbered districts remaining: 662 – 64 = 598.
When the fourth collapse began, odd-numbered districts would be left with 598 – 256 = 342.
This made it seem like there were slightly more even-numbered districts, but the number of collapses in the fifth round was 512! If the collapses continued to follow this pattern, then all even-numbered districts would be gone in the fifth round!
So they should stay in an odd-numbered district’s location and try to move closer to the odd-numbered districts adjacent to District 63.
“We can’t go to District 118!”
Chu Yian looked at Jie Yan, handing him the calculations.
She had never expected this game to involve elementary arithmetic. Only after completing this pattern problem did Chu Yian feel she had grasped most of the rules.
Jie Yan turned the page; the first page had a map drawn on it.
This map differed from the one in the sky in that it had crude and incomplete annotations. Incomplete annotations were fine; at least they could confirm that some places had definitely collapsed.
After the third collapse, the network only lasted for a dozen minutes.
Now they had no way to gather information about which areas had collapsed.
District 63 was marked separately with a red pen, and the surrounding odd-numbered locations near District 63 were also marked. After some research, their goal shifted from heading to District 118 to heading north of District 63.
Because there were three odd-numbered locations connected to District 63 there.
Although not particularly close, it was enough for them to gain an advantage.
“Two hours, I’m afraid we won’t be able to get there.”
After all, reaching that area by foot alone was too difficult. You Che was the weakest among them physically, and especially after running for so long, his legs felt like they no longer belonged to him.
“Actually, besides cars, bicycles and electric scooters are very suitable for the current traffic jam.”
Chu Yian glanced at him, then suggested this method.
The countdown in the sky reached 0:00:00 again.
Having learned from previous losses, people had spontaneously dispersed to both sides of the highway a few minutes earlier. They watched from a distance as the surviving vehicles on the road swayed and collided, erupting into flames bright enough to illuminate the night sky.
A dark sky, an avenue like a fiery dragon.
The night was stained red, and within the raging inferno, humans moved slowly like ants.
“The fourth round of collapse has ended, and the fifth round of collapse is about to begin.”
“Countdown 1:59:59”
Just as Chu Yian expected, all the even-numbered districts turned red the moment the announcement sounded. Without anything to exchange information, the people in these areas scurried around like headless chickens.
Inside District 63, things weren’t much better.
The city had become ruins, with large numbers of unescaped bodies crushed under concrete and bricks. The once vibrant city was now lifeless; everyone was heading out, while only Jie Yan and Chu Yian’s group were still venturing into the urban area.
The streets were already buried by the surrounding buildings or had massive cracks. The shared bicycles that were once everywhere were now gone, and electric scooters were out of the question.
What they could think of, others could naturally think of too. Such good escape tools, why would they be left for them?
Oh, there were some.
Broken ones.
Chu Yian discovered a row of bicycles crushed underground. She then looked at You Che, “I remember you seemed to know how to fix cars?”
You Che naturally understood her meaning. He put down his backpack, took out his repair tools, “Yes, I do, but I’m not that skilled. I’ll have to try.”
He said, observing the row of bikes below, “Most of these bikes have their levers crushed, or their hinges and tires are broken. Everyone, find more bicycles or bicycle parts, and we should be able to piece together a few good bikes.”
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately dispersed.
You Che was sometimes very useful.
For instance, at this moment, while fumbling and teaching others, he managed to fix six bicycles within 20 minutes. The speed of the eight people instantly increased, and they pedaled fiercely along the congested highway towards their target location.
Two hours flew by.
They had not yet reached the edge of District 63 when the fifth round of collapse began.
In the fifth collapse, all even-numbered districts on the recorder turned gray; only over three hundred odd-numbered safe zones remained.
There were no more, right?
It’s enough, right?!
Chu Yian stopped on the road, sweat dampening her hair and sticking to her face. Under her anxious prayers, the childish voice sounded again…
