Qi Xu checked the properties of the Clear Mind Pill.
[Quickly restores mental clarity. After use, it will put you in the optimal state for learning in the shortest time possible. Go, go!]
It was obvious that this item had been obtained by Vitality Brother from the bookstore. The "top student" vibe was too strong—it outright stated it was for studying. Still, its uses were quite broad.
The group had prepared thoroughly: death protection cards for the dungeon, various healing items, the Clear Mind Pill just given by Vitality Brother, and love-packed meals from Master Chef.
They’d brought everything they could think of. But who could’ve guessed? This dungeon turned out to be another one where personal inventory items couldn’t be used.
In other words, the only usable item was Bian’s Dungeon Escape Card...
Early in the morning, Qi Xu didn’t even bother fighting monsters. Starting at 6 a.m., he ran most of the day’s distance first, maxing out his stats and collecting three supply crates along the way.
They only contained common supplies and upgrade cards, but Qi Xu wasn’t picky. How could there be so many lucky encounters? Slow and steady was the norm.
Everyone had entered the dungeon ready for a fierce battle, only to receive a notification the moment they arrived:
"Friendly reminder: This dungeon prohibits the use of personal inventories or any spatial items!"
Then, Qi Xu’s vision went dark, and he found himself in a small, pitch-black room.
The room held only a table and a chair. A beam of light shone directly onto the table, where two buttons—one red, one blue—were placed. Beyond that, everything else was swallowed by darkness.
The atmosphere hit instantly. Qi Xu felt inexplicably excited, even catching a hint of the reckless, life-risking thrill from the previous round’s dungeon.
[Player, hello. Please sit in the chair within 10 seconds. Those who fail the countdown will die immediately.]
Qi Xu didn’t wait for the announcement to finish before springing into action.
The door was only three or four steps from the chair. Running there would take less than 10 seconds, but based on Qi Xu’s experience with survival games, there had to be a trap.
Sure enough, the moment he lifted his foot, something tightened around his ankle. In total darkness, it was downright terrifying.
But... as long as you had enough strength, anything could be broken.
He felt a tugging sensation, but after pushing forward with determination, the invisible rope around his ankle snapped.
In under three seconds, Qi Xu was seated in the chair.
[Hey, friend! Tell me—are you colorblind?]
Qi Xu: "......"
"I’m not colorblind."
[Got it. Let’s get to the main event.]
[This dungeon has 4,638 participants. Before you are two buttons: red and blue. If more than 50% of players choose the blue button, everyone lives.
If more than 50% choose the red button, only those who picked red survive, while those who chose blue will die.
You have 10 minutes to decide. Will you press the blue button or the red one?]
[Slap your choice hard—this decision is crucial, so choose carefully!]
Suddenly, Qi Xu understood why this dungeon was called "The Choice of Humanity." The name couldn’t be more fitting.
The moment he finished reading, he’d already made his decision. No hesitation—he slammed the red button the second he grasped the rules.
At first glance, the choice seemed agonizing.
If everyone chose blue, no one would die. That would be the ideal outcome.
But... human nature was complicated, especially in a survival game. The number of people choosing red would undoubtedly be high.
After spending so long here, Qi Xu was certain of one thing: nothing mattered more than surviving. Betting his life on the uncertain choices of others?
Even in peaceful times, he wouldn’t have taken that gamble. In a survival game? Absolutely not.
Besides, there was a loophole in the rules: if everyone chose red, no one would die either.
Choosing blue either meant excessive empathy or failing to see through this trick.
As he pressed the button, Qi Xu’s thoughts raced. This round, he’d met teammates who were sincere and kind, but none lacked intelligence.
Surely, they’d notice this wording loophole too?
[Player Invincible Black Whirlwind, congratulations on making your choice. Please wait 10 minutes.
As the first to decide, here’s a small reward: you can watch the real-time progress of all players’ choices! Happy?]
Qi Xu: "......" What kind of useless reward was this?
"Very happy. Thanks."
[Hehe, you’re welcome!]
The room remained the same, but the chair turned into a single sofa, the table into a footrest, and a screen appeared midair.
It displayed: "Blue (27), Red (32)"
The numbers in parentheses updated in real time...
The treatment wasn’t bad—definitely more comfortable than a hard chair.
Just as Qi Xu predicted, red consistently outnumbered blue, and the gap widened. Whatever the reason behind each red choice, the result matched his expectations perfectly.
Ten minutes passed.
The final tally:
Blue (1,339) vs. Red (3,299)
[Hey, players! Was this outcome what you expected? Those who chose blue, don’t worry—you won’t die immediately. The considerate and thoughtful survival game is giving you a chance to live!]
[Blue-button players, your role in this dungeon is now "Slayers." Red-button players, you are "Survivors."
All Slayers, here’s a perk: your spawn point guarantees a weapon. For this dungeon, each of your three core stats will instantly increase by 20 points, freely distributable.
To return safely at the end, you must take at least one life. More kills mean greater rewards.
As for Survivors, your task is simpler: stay alive. Avoid being killed by Slayers. But if you want a high ranking, you’ll need to fight back and kill Slayers!]
.........
