[The Eighth Doomsday Rule has been issued]

[Doomsday Rule Eight: World's First]

[Rule Content: From the moment this rule is issued, everyone can create any type of challenge and can view and participate in challenges created by others via the terminal panel. Obtain and maintain a world's first ranking in one challenge until the rule ends. This rule lasts for 15 days.]

[Success Reward: 400 Ascension Coins]

[Failure Penalty: Mind Power Upper Limit decay]

[Note: Have you ever imagined yourself achieving a world's first in a challenge with specific constraints? Try to create a challenge only you can dominate, or you can also enter challenges set by others and snatch away their assured victory.]

The moment the Eighth Doomsday Rule was announced, Ascendants all over the world were stunned.

Only achieving a "world's first" ranking counts as passing?

If it were another rule, it might mean only one winner. But in this rule, since everyone can create challenge scenarios and content, it means everyone has a chance to achieve a world's first and pass the challenge.

After a brief moment of astonishment, people everywhere began discussing it enthusiastically online or with others.

"Create any challenge freely? I'm good at eating cake, I'll create an eating cake challenge, I'm sure to get world's first!"

"I'm good at spacing out, I even won a spacing-out competition held by a mall. If I just create a spacing-out competition, I should be able to get first place and succeed, right?"

"To the person who mentioned creating a cake challenge earlier, after you create it, I'll challenge your scenario. Competing in eating in front of my big stomach, I think you're overestimating yourself. I can eat more cake in one day than you eat in half a month, believe it or not?"

"Since anyone can create a challenge and also participate in challenges created by others, if everyone just does their own thing and doesn't interfere with others, wouldn't everyone pass without interference?"

"You might not interfere with others, but others might not leave you alone. I think I'm pretty good at sprinting, I got first place in high school, but I'm nowhere near professional athletes. If I create a 100-meter dash challenge, wouldn't a professional instantly crush me?"

"Afraid of competition? Easy! I'll create an eating poop challenge, let's see who competes with me!"

"To the person above, if you don't eat enough, I'll really compete with you. Having my Mind Power decay is more unbearable to me than eating poop."

"You guys are really perverted..."

With the announcement of the Eighth Rule, the whole world began to descend into chaos.

However, everyone's mood was visibly much more relaxed.

The reason was simple. After consecutively experiencing the two survival-type rules, [Fatal Blood Plague] and [Silent Hour], everyone was physically and mentally exhausted.

Now, the Eighth Rule finally brought a non-survival-type rule where failure doesn't lead to death. The nerves that had been tightly strung finally got a chance to relax a little.

Although failure still meant decay of the Mind Power upper limit, at least there was no life-threatening danger. Moreover, everyone was quite confident about this rule, believing they could definitely find a challenge where only they could get first place.

...

Doomsday Rules Countermeasures Research Office.

After the Eighth Rule was issued, a countermeasures discussion meeting was immediately convened.

Similar to the relaxed mood among the populace, this meeting in the research office wasn't like the previous two rules where everyone looked tense and worried.

Since this rule appeared relatively lenient and carried no life-threatening danger, most experts attended the meeting with a relatively relaxed mindset.

The only serious and solemn one was the director, Gao Liangwei.

Ever since he became the director of the research office, whether the rules were "simple" or "difficult," his expression during discussion meetings had always been extremely grave. This time was no exception.

After the meeting began, the experts started discussing spontaneously.

"This rule finally lets everyone catch their breath. To be honest, if another survival-type rule came, I feel like many people would really be crushed by the pressure."

"Indeed. However, this rule shouldn't be underestimated either. Failing and having Mind Power decay is no small matter."

"Correct. This rule seems like everyone can create a challenge, but in reality, what kind of challenges can most people think of? Eating, drinking, special skills, etc. They might be unique within a small circle, but on a global scale, even the most niche specialty becomes common."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

Currently, the recorded population of Beixing Country is over 700 million. Worldwide, there might be another three to four billion.

With so many people, even if you excel in a niche field, there will always be others with similar interests and hobbies, and their level might far surpass yours.

Therefore, to ensure getting a world's first in a challenge, one really has to put a lot of thought into it.

"I think there's one point worth noting," one person said. "Based on the previous several rules, abilities and items related to Mind Power are considered extensions of the Ascendant themselves.

So, even if an Ascendant doesn't have any special talent that can achieve a world's first, using an item or ability to accomplish it would also count. We can publicly encourage the masses to try using their own exclusive items or abilities to help design challenges."

Upon hearing this, Dr. Zhang said, "That makes sense. However, considering some abilities and items have 'superior-inferior' relationships, I'm afraid there will still be situations where challenges overlap."

Another analyst said, "The troublesome aspect of this rule is the time limit. Creating a challenge and getting world's first isn't enough; you have to maintain it until the rule ends. This gives others the possibility of snatching the first place midway."

Someone had a brainstorm and said, "If we have everyone create their challenge on the last day of the rule, or even the last minute, wouldn't that guarantee first place?"

"What if the challenges overlap?" someone immediately retorted. "What if the challenge you create then has already been created by someone else? There wouldn't be any extra time to adjust."

"That's true..."

"I believe there isn't much our research office can do about this rule. It still depends on each individual to discover or create a challenge suitable for themselves."

"Yeah. And you can't be sure you'll pass safely until the very last second before the rule's effective period ends. What if someone suddenly pops up in the last second and snatches your first place? That would be the most despairing thing."

"I remember a teacher saying back in school that every child, regardless of good or bad grades, must have some aspect that is unique in the world. If that were really true, then everyone could pass this rule."

Upon hearing this, everyone showed faint smiles, their faces glowing with nostalgia.

Perhaps not everyone present had a wonderful school era, but compared to the Doomsday Rules era, even the most garbage times could be considered a golden age worth missing.

In the eyes of the general public, those who might think the Doomsday Rules era is good are probably only misanthropes, ambitious schemers, anarchists, or those few among the few who find the real world boring and yearn for a fantastical new world.

At this point, Director Gao Liangwei announced, "For the next few days, focus on data collection. Also, everyone must strive to pass the rule. As experts in your respective fields, I believe creating a challenge in your own domain and achieving a world's first should be well within your capabilities."

Everyone nodded repeatedly. They were still confident in their accumulated expertise within their professional fields.

Especially some physicists and mathematicians; many of the things they research in their specialized fields are unheard of by the general public, let alone competing with them.

...

Yong'an, Mind Power Development Academy.

One week after the end of the Seventh Rule, normal classes resumed.

Since the academy's students were all considered talents in the eyes of the authorities and future pillars of society, their protection was very thorough.

Whether it was being among the first to receive professional-grade protective gear and oxygen masks during the Blood Plague rule, or being among the first to receive officially designed anti-speech masks during the no-talking rule... it all showed the care and protection they received.

And at this moment, students and academy lecturers were gathered in the grand auditorium, collectively awaiting the announcement of the new rule.

After the Eighth Rule was issued, intense reactions erupted among the students.

"I like this rule! Finally, no one dies!"

"It's pretty good indeed. Mainly because the previous two rules were too oppressive; I almost developed depression."

"Me too... Do any of you have ideas? About creating challenges?"

"I don't seem to have any particular strengths. I plan to first look at the challenges others create to see if I can get some inspiration."

"The few challenges I can think of definitely have people stronger than me. Creating them would be pointless..."

"I think we need to take an unconventional path, come up with some disgusting challenges that no one wants to compete with you in."

"Like what?"

"Like..." The speaking boy looked at his roommate beside him. "Like the two of us French kissing for an hour?"

"?????"

"Right!" Another person clapped. "We can totally initiate challenges with people around us, so others who want to challenge can't!"

"You mean, I create a challenge, the content being, for example, the number of times I high-five you. If I high-five you 100 times, then as long as you don't high-five others more than 100 times during the rule period, I'm guaranteed to get world's first?"

"That's the idea! Can't we exploit a loophole like this?"

"...Not bad, but I always feel it won't be that easy."

"You're right," the person in the front row turned around and said. "You'll know if you try. The content of the created challenge cannot include other people, or perhaps cannot specify a particular person."

"Huh?"

"So that means you can create a high-five count challenge. But you can't specify high-fiving with a specific person? Then what's the point of exploiting a loophole!"

"Anyway, the challenges I tried to create that specified a person's name all failed. I could only create those without specific personnel restrictions."

"Sigh... I thought we could pass easily, but it seems we still have to put in a lot of effort..."

Although the students complained, none showed great pressure.

Because their ability to enroll meant their Mind Power upper limit was above 80 points. Even if they just passed 80, they didn't have to worry about being completely depleted by failing one challenge.

Many students believed that even if they failed and lost a dozen or even over twenty points, they could just naturally increase it back later.

For them, they didn't have to worry yet about facing the situation where their Mind Power drops to zero after failing a challenge and their Personal Terminal is forcibly shut down.

While the students were discussing, the dean and the three main lecturers around the podium were also discussing the rule.

The old dean, Zhou Qinfeng, with a full head of white hair, said, "All three teachers should be able to pass this rule easily, right?"

The lecturer responsible for the course "Research on Mind Power Items," Zheng Kexue, nodded first. "I consider myself to have the most knowledge regarding Mind Power items. Creating a challenge related to item knowledge, no one should surpass my information reserves."

Ouyang Shanyue, responsible for "Philosophical Reflections on Mind Power," also smiled slightly. "I am confident as well."

After saying that, he looked at the youngest among them, Shi Jingyi, and said, "Our highly skilled martial arts master here need not even be mentioned. Just the application of Mind Power Flow alone, no one in the world can surpass her, right?"

Zhou Qinfeng and Zheng Kexue both nodded in agreement. They didn't look down on Shi Jingyi because of her age. On the contrary, after interacting with her during this period, they were both amazed at how Shi Jingyi's application of Mind Power had almost reached the point of being at her will.

Shi Jingyi herself said, "There are always higher mountains beyond mountains, and greater people beyond people. Perhaps somewhere in the world, there is someone more skilled in this than I am."

"Too modest..."

"By the way," Dean Zhou Qinfeng remembered something and asked, "Last time, I remember you said you had identified a candidate for a teaching assistant for your course? Has this person not reported to the academy yet?"

Shi Jingyi shook her head gently. "He temporarily declined my invitation. The teaching assistant position will remain vacant for now."

Ouyang Shanyue was surprised upon hearing this. "He actually refused? It seems that candidate must be quite an extraordinary figure."

Shi Jingyi smiled. "That is indeed correct."