Five Frozen Centuries

Chapter 312: Journey Problem

Chapter 312: Journey Problem

As the administrator explained the rules, Wei Huo checked the two shafts and the two black ropes. The two shafts were very hard and technologically advanced, but the two black ropes were stronger.

Wei Huo touched a black rope with his hand and felt as if he was touching a glass surface. The black rope was very smooth and straight. Wei Huo knocked it lightly, but it did not shake at all.

He understood at that moment. This was a black rope made of materials with an asymptotically zero friction force. The wheel would not make any sound when it slid on the rope. As long as a slight force was exerted on the wheel, it would move forward without end until it hit the pole on another platform.

This meant that if someone slid over from the other end of the black rope, it would be difficult for the person on the other end to discover them.

However, given Wei Huo’s current strength, he could naturally destroy the black rope. He could see the platform in the distance with his Eye of Illusion Destruction, but he did not do that.

He wanted to know the real reason the Volcano King was whistleblowing this deathly game. If it was just to enjoy watching low-level people survive, these Legendary creatures would be too bored.

Of course, he could not rule out the possibility that the higher-ups were looking for stimulation. After all, it had been over 10,000 years, and the Atlanteans had not encountered any powerful opponents. Under the circumstances, how could he let the higher-ups vent their excess energy?

Anyway, bottom-level Atlanteans did not need to vent their anger, as they got tired just by trying to survive. They did not need any additional stimulation.

Boom!

At that moment, a deafening sound came from Wei Huo’s left. Soon, the black rope on his left snapped.

The administrator’s voice came on cue. “Hmm? Someone has successfully arrived at someone else’s platform. He’s very brave, as he triggered the hidden rules.”

The administrator’s voice served as a notification. The others had yet to understand what had happened, but Wei Huo instantly understood that someone had successfully arrived at someone else’s platform and triggered the hidden rules.

The so-called hidden rules should dictate that once someone successfully reached another platform, the two black ropes connected to the platform would immediately break.

Simply put, if one didn’t leave before someone else reached one’s platform, one would be doomed.

“Ah!”

Another shout came from the bottom left. It seemed like someone had fallen into the abyss.

One person had survived, but the other person had been eliminated.

At that moment, a person on Wei Huo’s right quickly approached while pulling on a pulley.

Wei Huo saw him. He was a bald middle-aged man covered in fat. The man told Wei Huo arrogantly, “You’re finished. As long as I step onto your platform, I’ll survive and you’ll immediately fall into the abyss!”

Wei Huo walked to the edge of the platform and waited quietly for the bald middle-aged man to approach. Upon seeing this, the middle-aged man said, “Are you trying to stop me? Don’t be naive. As long as you touch me, the ‘collision’ condition will be met. Then, the black rope will immediately break!”

Wei Huo smiled. “So what?”

So what if the black rope broke? Wei Huo could disguise himself as an Atlantean. He could jump into the abyss and forge a path through the pile of the dead.

Wei Huo’s expression made the middle-aged man panic. The middle-aged man said, “Are you going to die with me? No, you can choose another black rope. You...”

At that moment, he suddenly saw that there were no longer any black ropes on the other side of the platform. The black ropes had already broken.

The middle-aged man immediately reacted. “This is the hidden rule mentioned by the administrator!”

Meanwhile, Wei Huo had launched a kick. However, the kick was not aimed at the middle-aged man. Instead, it was aimed at the platform that the middle-aged man was about to land on. The platform collapsed in half when Wei Huo kicked it.

When the middle-aged man saw that there was no foothold, he cursed. “F*ck!”

The middle-aged man did not let go, as his landing spot had collapsed thanks to Wei Huo’s kick. He could not jump further due to the inertia, so he did not let go of the triangular handle in his hand.

Then, the pulley above the middle-aged man’s head hit the top. As the friction of the black rope neared zero, he bounced back due to the rebound.

In the meantime, the middle-aged man was still talking harshly. “You’re ruthless. You can even crush a platform made of diamonds. I’ll go back and walk to the other side.”

However, at that moment, Wei Huo leaped up and grabbed the triangular handle. He slid in another direction at the same speed as the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man was shocked. “How could this be?”

Yes, this was the simplest problem of this journey. If one walked in the same direction in parallel, one would commit a faux pas. If one walked toward each other at the same speed, one would never commit a faux pas.

Wei Huo was only three meters away from the middle-aged man. Neither of them could reach the other. They slid to the other side at the same speed.

The middle-aged man could not do anything. He just turned back at a constant speed. Although he had lost some kinetic energy when he had hit the shaft, his speed had not decreased at all because the friction of the black rope was infinitely close to zero.

The same applied to Wei Huo, who was following him. If this continued, Wei Huo would reach the platform after the middle-aged man returned to his previous platform. Then, Wei Huo would win and the man would be forced to fall into the abyss.

As long as the two of them kept moving forward at a distance of three meters, the conditions for the faux pas would not be triggered. As a result, Wei Huo would survive while he would die!

The middle-aged man spent over 10 seconds thinking about this problem. However, he did not curse or beg for mercy. Instead, he said in a deep voice, “Brother, don’t be too ruthless. If this goes on, I’ll die with you. If you let me go, we can both live.”

Wei Huo instantly understood the middle-aged man’s plan. He was indeed qualified to die with Wei Huo. As long as he did not jump off the platform, remove the handle, or turn back to collide with Wei Huo, everything would be fine.

Wei Huo smiled. “You want to die together? You can try!”

The middle-aged man’s expression darkened. “Young man, you should appreciate my kindness. There is no eternal friendship or hatred in this world. In order to survive, one should choose to cooperate when it’s time to do so. This is my first lesson for you!”

Wei Huo did not speak, as though he did not care if they died together.

The middle-aged man frowned. Could this person have something to rely on? That’s not right. He’s just trying to scare me. He knows that I wouldn’t dare die with him. However, I would drag him along with me if I had to die. Young man, don’t be so naive!

At that moment, another platform appeared before their eyes. The middle-aged man lifted one foot. He was ready to turn around and die with Wei Huo!

A classic journey problem had appeared. Xiao Ming and Xiao Mei were riding at the same speed from point A to point B. When Xiao Ming reached point B, he would turn back. Question: At what point in time would the two of them collide?

The answer was: Never!

The road was very wide, and Xiao Ming and Xiao Mei were not blind. How could they collide and commit a faux pas? Yes, this was the legendary elementary math question that had stumped parents with a university degree.

Just as the middle-aged man kicked the shaft and used the rebound force to collide with Wei Huo, Wei Huo pulled the triangular handle in his hand and leaped up. He stepped on the middle-aged man’s bald, shiny, smooth head and used his head as a stepping stone to land on the platform.

The middle-aged man was shocked. “How is that possible?”

However, he could not hear Wei Huo’s answer, as the ‘faux pas’ condition had been triggered. The black rope broke as a result.