Fatal Escape: The Ultimate Survival Challenge

A moment ago, I was running on the track field; the next second, I find myself standing in a completely unfamiliar place. Alongside me are other students from the track field, now assembled on a vast plain with no buildings in sight, just endless fields under a deep starry sky.

"Players, welcome to 'Fatal Escape: The Ultimate Survival Challenge' ," a mechanical voice announces from the sky, "This is a test of wit and courage. Now, please choose your partners. Attention, you cannot select from the 100 people present or a partner already chosen by another player. Each of you has one minute to make your decision. Player number 1, please demonstrate."

I look around, noticing that everyone has numbers displayed on them; mine is 32.

"Timing begins now."

I lift my head and see a one-minute countdown appear in the sky, while a virtual screen with a soft keyboard materializes in front of player number 1, presumably for typing in a partner's name.

As the countdown ends, player number 1 has not made a choice. He looks up to the sky and asks, "May I abstain?"

However, the only response is the emotionless mechanical voice: "Any attempt to interfere with the game process or violate the rules will be punished. Player number 1, you have failed to select a partner within the allotted time. According to the game rules, you will be eliminated."

No sooner has the voice spoken than flames erupt from beneath player number 1, engulfing him completely as he screams in agony, clutching his head and rolling on the ground, yet the flames only grow more intense..

I want to help him, but I fear that intervening would be seen as tampering with the game, making me the next to burn.

In the end, I am a selfish person; I would not risk my life for another. All I can do is silently pray for him, hoping someone else will step forward.

Yet, no one does, and he is reduced to ashes.

Silence falls over the field until the mechanical voice announces, "Player number 1 is eliminated. player number 2, please demonstrate." Then, bursts of screams erupt from the crowd.

Player number 2, clearly terrified, faces the virtual screen, trembling. The relentlessly ticking countdown does not allow much time for composure, and with only three seconds left, he types in the president's name.

In such circumstances, it seems nobody wants their loved ones or friends in jeopardy. I sigh, realizing tonight, many will inexplicably suffer.

Whom do I choose as my partner? Parents, teachers, classmates are off-limits, and as for others... how could I know their names?

What do I do?

I take a deep breath, telling myself, "Alia, do not panic. You are number 32. You have half an hour to think."

I assume we will choose partners in numerical order. But the next second, the mechanical voice shatters my illusion.

"Player number 3 to 100, please select your partners following the demonstration within one minute. Timing begins now."

As soon as the announcement ends, a virtual screen appears before me. Panic sets in, with the countdown rapidly decreasing. The more I hurry, the less I can think, and the less I can think, the more I hurry.

30, 29, 28...

I glance at the countdown, and my back is soaked with cold sweat. What do I do? If all else fails, I will choose my parents, but my mom or my dad?

20, 19, 18...

My mind goes blank; I cannot even remember their names. What do I do?

10, 9, 8...

Clarity begins to return to my mind. The evening news from yesterday plays back in my head-

"We begin the day with what could be the ultimate M Company challenge that M Company will probably lose today. M Company's CEO Bai-Wan Chee went to Washington to tell lawmakers that they have nothing to fear ..."

Bai-Wan Chee, it is you.

I type Bai-Wan Chee on the screen, mentally apologizing, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I had no choice."

3, 2, 1.

The countdown ends.

I watch the screen display "Pairing successful," and collapse to the ground, drained.

"Players number 18, 25, and 97, you have failed to select a partner within the allotted time. According to game rules, you will be eliminated. Congratulations to the remaining players for completing the task. Please wait in place for your partners."

Three pillars of flame consume the three people the next second. This time, there are no screams, just averted gazes, including mine.

Then, a man in a business suit appears before me. He is the CEO of M Company, Bai-Wan Chee, who is a frequent figure on TV and newspapers, so I instantly recognize him.

He looks much younger in person, without the greying hair or prominent forehead wrinkles-could those have been added in post-production for his news appearances? How disliked must he be in the media?

Holding a pen, still in the posture of writing, he is visibly shocked by his surroundings, "What's going on? Where's my desk? What place is this?"

As he turns to see the fireballs, he lets out a massive scream, "Oh my God, there are bodies!"

Panicked, he tries to call the police on his phone, but his hands tremble so much that the phone drops to the ground.

I pick up his phone, instantly captivated by its design-the streamlined shape, the aluminum body, the 4.7-inch screen, and the round Home button- this is a style from ten years ago.

Who would have thought the CEO of M Company would be so frugal, using a phone for ten years?

Now, pale and disheveled, his red tie fluttering in the wind, he loses the composed demeanor he displays in front of reporters and congress, appearing weak, pitiful, and helpless. I feel a twinge of guilt and hand him his phone back, cautioning, "Give up, there's no signal here. And don't think about helping them; watch out for your own life."

The mechanical voice announces again: "Welcome, new players, to 'Fatal Escape: The Ultimate Survival Challenge'. This is a test of wit and courage. Please find your designated partner according to your number. Teams will face challenges together."

A number 32 badge appears on the man. I extend my hand, "Hello, I'm Alita Black, your teammate."

In reality, I am not Alita Black; I am Alia White. But when you are out and about, it is good to have an alias. That way, if he finds out he was tricked into this situation and seeks revenge, he will not be able to find me.

He gives me a bewildered look, shakingly taking my hand, "Bai-Wan Chee."

"The game rules are as follows:

1. This game pairs players in teams of two, with intra-team violence prohibited. If one player dies, their partner is automatically out of the game.

2. The game features several missions, with inter-team violence prohibited outside of missions.

3. All missions are timed. Teams failing to complete a mission within the allotted time will be eliminated.

The game is about to start. Please prepare."

If "Elimination" means death, then "out of the game" must means returning to the real world. I wonder if Bai-Wan dies in the game, could I leave this dreadful place?

Seeing me look at him, Bai-Wan Chee offers me a naive smile.

I feel an immense wave of shame and quickly discard the thought.

It takes me a while to realize something is not right. How does a CEO of a public company manage to look more innocent than a college student like me?

Capitalists, it seems, are masters of disguise.

Suddenly, the scene before my eyes shifts rapidly, leaving me dizzy. When I open my eyes again, I am back on the school's track field.

The sun gently bathes the field in golden light through scattered clouds. A breeze stirs the leaves, creating a soft rustling sound. Students are scattered across the field, some chatting leisurely, others lost in their own worlds of books. The scene is harmonious and peaceful.

Overjoyed at this familiar sight, I look around at my school mates, who are also visibly happy.

"Where is this? Why does it feel so creepy despite the bright sunshine?" Bai-Wan wraps his arms around himself, instinctively seeking comfort.

"This is Y University's new campus. Legend has it that about four hundred years ago, this area was a noble's estate. After a slave uprising overthrew the brutal nobility, it became a mass burial ground. Since then, people have reported hearing weeping sounds here, supposedly the wails of the noble family's ghosts. Later, Y University bought the land for its low price to build this new campus. It's said that when the new campus was first built, someone saw a ghost in a mirror of one of the buildings. So the university authorities had all mirrors in that building removed," I explain.

Hearing this, Bai-Wan's face turns even paler. I quickly add, "But you don't need to worry. I've been studying here for two years, and it's very safe..."

Before I can finish, the mechanical voice rings out again from the sky.

"Players, welcome to the first challenge of 'Fatal Escape: The Ultimate Survival Challenge'-Campus Haunts and Rules. You have one week to escape Y University. Remember, in this place, following the rules is the only law of survival."

Simultaneously, a huge prompt appears in the sky:

"Fatal Escape" Challenge One

Objective: Leave Y University

Time Limit: 7 days

Welcome to Y University. Please adhere to the following rules:

1. Attend classes according to the timetable; no skipping.

2. All requests made by the professor must be fulfilled.

3. All classroom assessments are conducted in pairs. The team with the lowest score in each assessment will be eliminated.

4. There are no mirrors in any building of Y University. If you see a mirror, immediately destroy it.

5. Curfew is from 11 PM to 6 AM. You must stay in your dorm and cannot open the door during curfew.

6. The campus gates are only open on weekends. A pass is required to enter or exit.

Everyone suddenly finds a timetable in their hand. My schedule is not too busy: three calculus classes, two microeconomics classes, and one boxing class a week.

Bai-Wan and I check each other's timetables; they are identical, meaning we will have to stick together.

Bai-Wan checks his vintage phone: "It says it's 8 PM, but it's clearly daylight. Time here doesn't sync with the real world."

I check my phone too. Oddly, it shows 7 PM. Are Bai-Wan and I in different time zones?

Remembering a display at the entrance to the track field, I drag Bai-Wan there. It reads, "September 20th, Friday, 10:26 AM."

At Y University, the first and second morning classes run from 8:30 AM to 10:10 AM, and the third and fourth from 10:30 AM to 12:10 PM. My timetable reminds me I have microeconomics on Friday mornings during the third and fourth periods.

Without a moment to waste, I grab Bai-Wan's hand and sprint towards the academic building. Luckily, my two years at Y University have made me familiar with the campus, and we burst into the classroom just as the bell rings.

As the bell stops ringing, the familiar mechanical voice announces, "Players 6, 8, 13, 48, and 52 are absent. According to the game rules, you will be eliminated."

Screams echo from outside the classroom. The professor, expressionless, closes the door, blocking out the screams, and begins the lecture.

"So let's start with a review of the supply and demand framework that we introduced in the previous lecture..."

I struggle to stay awake.

It is not that I do not want to listen; it is just that I cannot understand. As an information technology major, economics might as well be written in an alien language.

Suddenly, the professor taps the desk, "No sleeping."

Rule number 2: "All requests made by the professor must be fulfilled."

Looks like sleep is off the table. I straighten up, resting my chin on my hand, and turn to Bai-Wan.

He sits upright, holding the high-end custom pen he brought with him through time, his gaze fixed intently on the whiteboard. His brow is slightly furrowed, the sunlight casting his features in sharp relief, as if he were a perfectly sculpted statue.

Truly, the only CEO in the beauty industry, and the only beauty in the CEO industry. His face alone is enough to dispel any drowsiness.

Since the professor only said no sleeping, not that we must listen, I decide to spend the class admiring his face.

"...please answer this question."

Bai-Wan suddenly nudges me with his foot. I am about to scold him when I see his urgent expression, silently gesturing towards the professor with his eyes.

I am puzzled, "Are your eyes twitching?"

He does not answer, instead stomping on my foot again while gesturing towards the professor with his eyes.

I finally turn to the professor, noticing he's pointing at me with his teaching stick, clearly angry.

It turns out he had called on me to answer a question. Why Bai-Wan chose to signal with his eyes instead of whispering is beyond me. Maybe good students never whisper in class?

I quickly stand up, "Sorry, professor, my foot hurt, and I couldn't stand up right away."

The professor's expression softens, and he points to the screen, "Answer this question."

I look at the screen to see a question:

Given the price of good X is $10 per unit and good Y is $3 per unit, and assuming a consumer has $100, he plans to buy 7 units of X and 10 units of Y. At this point, the marginal utilities of goods X and Y are 50 and 18, respectively. To maximize utility, he should:

A) Stop purchasing

B) Buy more of Y and less of X

C) Increase the purchase of both X and Y

D) Buy less of Y and more of X

Although I am clueless, my partner here must know.

I glance at Bai-Wan, who silently raises two fingers.

I get the hint, "B."

The professor nods, but then demands, "Explain your reasoning."

How could I possibly explain?

Perhaps I could just make something up; fulfilling the professor's request without breaking the rules, right?

As if reading my thoughts, the professor, who looks to be in his sixties, suddenly lets out a childlike giggle, his mouth stretches unnaturally wide, distorting his face into a grotesque mask of glee, "Making things up will be punished."

The sound chills the marrow of my bones, and cold sweat runs down my face. Unable to think of an answer, I stall, "Professor... I need a moment to think... to organize my thoughts..."

The professor does not stop me, seemingly granting permission.

Y University does not allow classes to run over. Theoretically, as long as I make it to the end of class, the crisis is averted. But with about half an hour left, would the professor let me ponder that long?

Just then, Bai-Wan tugs at my sleeve. I look at him to find he has removed his suit jacket, revealing a shirt sleeve covered in dense formulas.

They are the solution to the problem.

After reading the formulas, the professor finally waves me to sit down.

Finally, the class ends, and as soon as the bell rings, I quickly drag Bai-Wan out of the classroom.

"We don't have classes this afternoon. Where should we go?" I ask.

"The objective of this challenge is to leave Y University. To do that, we need to exit through the school gates, which requires a pass. Do you know where we can get one?"

I shake my head, "We usually just come and go as we please. I have never heard of a 'pass' before. But there is a student service center on the first floor of the library. We could ask there."

As soon as we enter the library, the student service center is immediately to the right. I rush to the desk, "Excuse me, do you know where we can get a pass?"

The staff member lifts her head stiffly, her gaze hollow as she looks at me, "A pass requires a book containing your name as exchange."

"What? I do not understand."

"A pass requires a book containing your name as exchange. A pass requires a book containing your name as exchange. A pass requires a book containing your name as exchange..."

She repeats herself, her speech accelerating. As she speaks faster, her hair undergoes a bizarre transformation: from deep black to fiery red, then to burning orange, and finally to dazzling gold. The air around her seems to react to this change, the temperature rising sharply, filling with an oppressive heatwave.

Suddenly, golden liquid bursts from her head, hitting the floor tiles, which hiss and begin to melt, releasing steam and a smell of burning. Holes form rapidly in the floor, their edges blurred as if eaten away by the high temperature.

Oh my God, this is... this is lava!

I am about to scream when Bai-Wan pulls me behind him. He nods slightly at the staff member, "I understand, thank you."

The staff member stops speaking instantly, the lava ceasing its flow, and her hair returns to its original black color. She gives Bai-Wan a hollow glance before lowering her head again.

My legs are weak; I am only standing by clinging to Bai-Wan's arm.

"Did you understand what she said?" I ask.

"I guess she means we each need to find a book in the library that contains all the words of our names."

"What if I just write my name in a book?"

He ponders for a moment, "It's probably not that simple, but you could try."

Remembering the erupting lava, I quickly shake my head, "Never mind, never mind."

I do not want to witness another lava eruption. Besides, my name is Alia White, and both of the two words are not rare, especially 'white,' which appears many times in almost every book. So, I only need to find a book containing the word 'alia.'

I worry about Bai-Wan Chee, though. Even the Oxford dictionary might not compile his full name.

Then it hits me, the dictionary! A dictionary would surely contain my name, and it is also the most likely to include Bai-Wan's name.

I rush to the reference section immediately, only to find it empty.

"Those who didn't have classes in the third and fourth periods must have already taken all the dictionaries to exchange for passes," I say dejectedly to Bai-Wan, "What will you do now?"

He seems unfazed, "Are there Chinese books in the library?"

"I think so. Foreign books are on the third floor."

He heads to the stairs, "I'll go to the third floor. You hurry and find a book with your name."

Almost forgetting, he is Chinese and can look for books containing Chinese characters of his name. The library's selection of Chinese books is not large, but I hope he finds something.

I start my search in the fiction section. 'Alia' does not have any particular meaning other than as a name. It is more likely to be found in novels.

However, after browsing nearly an entire shelf of novels, I still cannot find a character sharing my name and I accidentally touch gum someone stuck on the shelf.

I grimace, "How disgusting!"

I head to the restroom to wash my hands meticulously until they feel completely clean. As the hand dryer blows hot air, I notice my slightly disheveled hair in the mirror and decide to tidy it up.

As I untie my hair to retie it, I suddenly see a figure in a blue dress behind me in the mirror.

Is she another player?

I shift my gaze to her face, only to discover in horror that the woman, or rather, the creature, is a skeleton dressed in clothes. Blood tears continuously flow from its hollow eye sockets, and it seems to be chewing on something.

I stiffen and turn around to find it spitting out a bloody finger, which lands right next to my foot.

"Aaaah!"

I cannot help but scream. The terrifying presence seems startled by my scream, pausing for a few seconds before lunging at me with its gaping maw.

I want to run, but fear paralyzes me.

Just then, I am pulled aside by a strong force.

It is Bai-Wan, emerging like a guardian from the shadows. He has come to my rescue!

The creature lunges at empty air, enraged, and opens its mouth wide to attack again. But in the next second, Bai-Wan punches the mirror and shatters it. The sound of shattering glass pierces the air and as the fragments of the mirror cascade to the ground, the creature gives one final, agonized shriek before dissolving into nothingness.

Rule number 4: "There are no mirrors in any building of Y University. If you see a mirror, immediately destroy it."

Ah, such a crucial rule, and I had forgotten it.

I hold Bai-Wan's hand, which is now bleeding from breaking the mirror, and say, "Let's go back to the dorm. I have iodine and bandages there to treat your wound."