Just as Zhou Bai was walking towards death, the gemstone hanging around Christina's neck emitted a dazzling light.
In an instant, Zhou Bai felt that everything around him had frozen, and then, as if a video were being played in reverse, his body began to reassemble and heal, with the blood on the ground flowing back into his body.
Ban Du, Alice, Elsa, and the others also had their blood flow back into them, and they stood up.
The serpent-like Heavenly Demon retreated as well, transforming into a puff of black smoke and withdrawing into the ventilation shaft.
Everything in the world rapidly rolled back to the state it was five minutes ago.
When Zhou Bai again sensed the normal flow of time, what appeared before him was an unharmed Ban Du, with Alice behind him: "No, it's already the end of the world outside. We'll die if we go out."
"Lies! All lies!" Ban Du said excitedly, "The professor is lying! Humanity already researched a way to counter the apocalypse ages ago! He kept us here for his own selfish desires."
Seeing the two still talking, Zhou Bai snapped back to reality and shouted in his mind, "What's going on? Christina! What just happened?"
Christina also screamed in surprise, "Time Reverse? Or was it us seeing the future? I told you, I told you this gemstone was important! I knew it!"
Zhou Bai looked at the gemstone hanging around Christina's neck. The gemstone was now completely dim and covered with tiny cracks, looking as if it had exhausted its power.
Christina was almost in tears, "Ah! My gemstone! My gemstone is broken!"
Zhou Bai: "There's no time."
Recalling the recent future, Zhou Bai's face changed. The power of his Primordial Spirit reversed, and he lifted Ban Du, disregarding his resistance.
"Follow me, quickly!" Seeing the others hesitating, Zhou Bai hurriedly said, "The professor set up a secret chamber here. Everyone, come."
Zhou Bai rapidly thought about what he could do at that moment.
'If that future is real, the main door isn't broken or open. It means that the creature will come through the ventilation ducts. Neither Ban Du nor I can fight that creature... Damn.'
Then, under Ban Du's surprised gaze, Zhou Bai led everyone to the laboratory and opened the secret door familiarly.
'There's no choice. The entire underground fifth level is a dead end. Escaping through the ventilation shafts will lead to that creature, and the main door needs Dr. Zhuang's fingerprints to open... Damn it.'
All their faces revealed shock when they saw rows of bodies in the secret chamber.
Alice squatted down, tears streaming down her face: "What... what's going on?"
Elsa: "What's happening? Am I dreaming?"
Ban Du sneered, wanting to say something, but Zhou Bai didn't want him to make the already fearful people even more panicked and shut his mouth with the power of the Primordial Spirit.
Zhou Bai silently thought: 'The situation in the secret chamber is real, which means the Heavenly Demon appearing next is also real...' He quickly lay down to gain a bit of Lazy Points.
Lying down, Zhou Bai looked at the children beside him and said, "The enemy might attack us next. Everyone hide in the secret chamber... and mingle with these corpses."
Saying this, he ignored some children who were still protesting, directly using the power of his Primordial Spirit to sweep everyone into the chamber and closed the secret door.
At that moment, Zhou Bai's Primordial Spirit Power had reached 30 points. Although it still had a range of ten meters, it equaled the strength of dozens of adults, enough to control everyone here.
Facing rows of corpses in the secret chamber, especially those who looked almost identical to themselves, there was no way these teenagers could remain calm.
No matter what Zhou Bai said, most people were plunged into despair, fear, and hysteria.
Christina: "It's hopeless, Zhou Bai. Their worldview, the world they relied on, has been shattered. There's no way they can stay calm. Knock them out."
Zhou Bai sighed, and controlled the power of his Primordial Spirit to knock out each child, including Ban Du.
Only a tearful Alice and a bewildered Elsa were left.
Alice, crying, with her nose constantly sniffing, said, "Zhou Bai... knock me out too. I'm scared I can't control myself."
Zhou Bai nodded and knocked Alice out, tucking her among the bodies. Then he turned to a confused Elsa.
Elsa held her head, looking distressed: "What's going on? Did everyone starve to death?!"
Elsa was also knocked out, and Zhou Bai tucked her in among the bodies and found a place for himself to lie down.
Zhou Bai: "Christina, can we deceive the Heavenly Demon this way?"
Christina: "It depends on the type of Heavenly Demon. If it's a stronger one, probably not."
Zhou Bai said nothing more, his ears twitching slightly as he heard a dull sound from afar, knowing that the Heavenly Demon had probably emerged from the ventilation duct.
'The only one we can rely on is probably Dr. Zhuang. Let's hope he can hold out until he comes to save us.'
'If I go out now to distract the Heavenly Demon, maybe I can give everyone more chances to survive?'
'But I'm scared... I'm so afraid... I don't want to die...'
Zhou Bai gritted his teeth. He hated the situation he was in and desperately wanted to live, but he had no power to do so. He lacked the courage, wisdom, and strength...
This helpless feeling was the worst.
The sound of tables and chairs being overturned came from outside the door. Zhou Bai's heart tightened, and he controlled his breathing, pretending to be a corpse...
As seconds ticked by, Zhou Bai's anxiety made it nearly impossible to feel the passage of time.
Only the sound of rummaging continued for a while, then receded with the sounds of crashing and roaring.
Zhou Bai breathed a sigh of relief: "Phew... it's finally gone."
Christina: "I almost died of fright. My fur is gonna fall off. I thought we were doomed again. It seems this Heavenly Demon isn't too strong..."
Before Christina could finish speaking, a loud bang broke the secret chamber's door open. The serpent-like Heavenly Demon slowly crawled in, black mist spreading throughout the chamber, and the murderous chill almost made Zhou Bai's whole body break out in goosebumps.
The Heavenly Demon chuckled softly, "Does hiding work? Your heartbeats and warmth are as noticeable as flames to me."
"Not good!" Zhou Bai was startled. He immediately used all the Lazy Points he had just accumulated and added them to his Primordial Spirit Value.
Having been lying down for several minutes, Zhou Bai accumulated 200 Lazy Points, the maximum for that day.
Zhou Bai used all the Lazy Points instantly, his Primordial Spirit Value breaking through from 30 and rapidly reaching 50 points.
Suddenly gaining 20 more Primordial Spirit Power, Zhou Bai couldn't adapt. Blood began flowing from his nose, and his head felt like it was being pricked by needles.
Meanwhile, the black mist in the chamber fluctuated and transformed into countless black blades, stabbing at the people hiding among the bodies.
The sound of piercing flesh filled the room as one by one, the unconscious lives were snuffed out.