Chapter 821 - 24: End, But Not Completely Finished (2)

Chapter 821: Chapter 24: End, But Not Completely Finished (2)

I think, the real reason the challenge isn’t over yet is—

I’m still alive."

"I don’t want things to get to the point where you and I tear each other apart.

You’re my good brother, and Bi Kai’s a good guy too. I believe you two will see even more beautiful landscapes and a more colorful future for me..."

As Paul spoke, he clenched his teeth and actually raised the knife to slash his own throat.

On the other side, before Chen Zhou could even explain he wasn’t the challenger, he saw Paul getting more and more agitated, and then suddenly trying to kill himself. Immediately, he jumped up to grab the knife.

Bi Kai, who couldn’t really follow Russian, and with Paul speaking so fast, had no idea what Paul was saying. He just saw Paul about to commit suicide and rushed forward to stop him as well.

Luckily, the three weren’t too far apart—less than two meters—Chen Zhou’s full-speed burst was so fast it was nearly beyond the eye’s ability to track.

Paul only saw a flash of light, and the wrist holding the knife was already firmly gripped by Chen Zhou. No matter how he tried to struggle, even dragging with his whole body, that arm was like it was welded in midair—utterly immovable.

"Are you fucking crazy?

I haven’t even spoken yet, and you’re already doing this? Who told you all your guesses are right?"

Forcing Paul to let go of the Military Saber, pressing him down onto the bench by the shoulders, Chen Zhou scratched his head helplessly as he looked at this bullheaded Russian—unsure whether to be angry or touched.

Telling Paul and Bi Kai to both calm down, he added some firewood to the stove. Only once the atmosphere relaxed a little did Chen Zhou finally offer his explanation.

When they heard Chen Zhou say he wasn’t a challenger, both Paul and Bi Kai were shocked.

Bi Kai had known from the start that Chen Zhou was remarkable—having seen his skills and martial talent. He quickly accepted this explanation.

But Paul was doubtful, always suspecting this was a lie Chen Zhou made up just to trick him.

After all, it was truly unbelievable. Since the Soviet Union started the "Rust" project, nearly a hundred people had completed the challenge; most solo, but some had managed group challenges too.

As a participant in this "Rust" project, Paul had done his homework during training.

From what he’d read, across all past challenges and various projects, there simply weren’t any so-called "intruders." Why, after joining just once, would he happen to meet someone who’d randomly stumbled into a challenge?

Not to mention, Bi Kai and Chen Zhou were from the same country, and conveniently, Bi Kai had been saved by Chen Zhou. It all seemed too much of a coincidence.

All these doubts added up made it impossible for Paul to believe what Chen Zhou said was true.

This was exactly what Chen Zhou feared most—

Once you’ve lied to someone, even if everything you say after is true, they’ll never believe you again. Once the seed of doubt is sown, it can’t be erased.

Of course, Paul’s way of thinking really was different from most.

"Intruders" to the challenges might be rare, but the lack of documented cases didn’t mean they didn’t exist.

On the one hand, intruders wouldn’t reveal themselves; on the other, first-time challengers might not encounter intruders at all. Even in the same world, they might have separate missions.

Challenge participants had to complete tasks assigned by the Space-Time Administration Bureau, while intruders searched for ways to leave the world. Their paths were fundamentally different—crossing paths was painfully unlikely.

...

In an air thick with suspicion and vigilance, another six days quietly slipped by.

During the last three of those days, Paul more than once protested to Chen Zhou, stating outright that there was no need for this stalemate—he could sacrifice himself.

But every time, Chen Zhou flatly refused Paul’s offer.

He trusted his own judgment, believing that one day, the survivors outside would be exhausted by their patience, and then it would finally be over for real.

But Paul kept trying to kill himself, and Chen Zhou and Bi Kai couldn’t possibly watch him every second.

Helpless, Chen Zhou finally made Paul a promise—

When the firewood was nearly gone, and food almost run out, the three of them would hold a vote. One would be sacrificed so the other two could survive.

Only then did Paul settle down. Even so, he insisted Chen Zhou carve the promise into a wooden plank, to guard against future regrets.

As for who would be voted to sacrifice themselves, Paul already had his decision—when the time came, he’d vote for himself, no hesitation, just as he’d refused to call for help back in the Black Forest.

Like the warriors in Moscow who fell on the front lines, the spirit of sacrifice was already carved deep into his soul. If one of them had to die, he wanted it to be himself.

During those final days, it could be said, Paul spent every day reminiscing about the past.

He believed in his own judgment, and so believed his life was now in countdown—eventually, he’d die.

Waiting for death was pure agony. Maybe you can screw up your courage to kill yourself once, but after failing, it’s hard to try again, let alone in such a dark, oppressive place.

And each time you’re face-to-face with death, with the unknown world beyond, with everything becoming nothingness, fear only grows heavier, and your will to die begins to waver—

After all, the urge to survive is hardwired into every living creature.

As days slipped past, Paul became more and more afraid. He didn’t fear death—he feared that by the day it finally arrived, he’d be too scared to face it.

Thankfully, before that day came, everything finally ended.

...

On the sixteenth night after "Paul’s first suicide attempt," the cave was filled as usual with the howl of wind and crackling firewood.

Paul, lying sleepless on the kang, stared at the pitch-dark cave roof, when suddenly a line of blue-glowing Russian appeared before his eyes—

Вызов завершен, ты — окончательный победитель.

At the same moment, Bi Kai—sitting by the hearth wall—leapt up in excitement.

"Challenge over. You are the final victor!"

The two exchanged glances, emotions tangled in their eyes.

It was the result of long persistence, the relief after torment, the remembrance of dead comrades, the sorrow of imminent separation...

But unlike those two, Chen Zhou, sitting at the stove, showed no reaction—until he was told of the outcome, only then did he realize—

"For fuck’s sake, you guys are done—how come I didn’t get any notification?"

...

Paul and Bi Kai had only thirty minutes to gather their belongings. When the countdown ended, they’d receive the "final grand prize" and return to their own worlds.

But by now, aside from the remaining supply of injectors, the two had nothing of value left.

What they wanted most now was to properly say goodbye to Chen Zhou—the backbone, the true core of this team. Once they parted ways, they might never meet again.