"This clone copies everything I do perfectly," he said, narrowing his eyes as he watched it closely.
A quiet tension filled the space as he tried to understand how it mimicked him so well.
Lucen did not focus on the question showing on the screen or the countdown clock.
Instead, he began to run.
And the clone ran perfectly in step with him.
There are just 25 minutes left. I think I finally get it, the moment of death is set, and it will only happen when the timer runs out. The reason the system rejects my answers isn't because of my bad reasoning. The signs clearly show that there is interference coming from the clone. If that's the case, then the instruction "Answer 100 questions correctly, working together with your clone" is misleading.
It makes sense that working together isn't the answer because the clone doesn't think for itself. It just copies me. It doesn't help at all. The mistakes come from that copying. Working together was never the right way, getting rid of the clone is.
Lucen slowly reached out his hand, his fingers shaking as they got close to the clone's face.
The clone copied him exactly, lifting its hand to match the movement.
But when Lucen's fingers touched the clone's skin, he stopped moving.
It was really cold, a strange kind of cold.
Not like a winter wind or a cold stone, but a deep, metal-like chill that felt like it was coming from inside, as if something mechanical was moving below the surface.
Lucen held the clone's wrists.
The clone copied him exactly, its fingers squeezing his wrists in an unsettlingly perfect way.
Then Lucen noticed something below the surface, where he expected soft flesh, there was just unyielding hardness.
It wasn't the strength of muscle or bone, but something heavier and colder, like steel under fake skin.
Lucen stared at the figure before him, tension coiling in his chest.
"So... you're just a perfect robot copy?" he asked slowly, his voice tight with doubt.
"If that's the case, then you must have a way to be controlled."
But before he could move, the clone copied everything he said, how he said it, and even his look and pace, exactly.
"If that's the case, then you must have a way to be controlled."
Lucen stood still and looked at the clock, only 22 minutes were left, and time was running out.
Lucen moved carefully, trying to go around the clone while looking for any sign of a switch or anything that might show how it was controlled.
But the clone copied him exactly, moving in the same way and turning at the same time.
Feeling increasingly frustrated, Lucen stopped.
Then, without warning, he moved closer and hugged the clone.
The clone hugged him back, wrapping its arms around him in a way that felt strangely familiar.
Lucen's heart raced in his chest while his hands quietly searched along the clone's back, feeling for a button, a panel, or anything else.
Lucen noticed a small dip, a round shape near the lower back of the clone.
His fingers stopped there, his heart racing.
That had to be what he was looking for.
Even though the discovery filled him with hope, another feeling started to come in that was strange and a bit confusing.
The clone's body was just like his, right down to the tightness in its shoulders and its skin.
And it was hugging him back with the same pressure and the same natural rhythm.
"This is... strange," Lucen whispered to himself, trying to push away the unexpected shiver that went up his back.
"You're making me laugh, come on..."
His voice shook with both unease and resolve as he tried to keep his hand still.
He had to keep going, no matter how awkward it felt.
When Lucen's shaking finger finally hit the button, the clone fell to the ground, its eyes closed and completely still.
He stepped back, breathing heavily and unevenly, with his heartbeat thudding in his ears.
20 minutes remained.
He looked at the clock, but before he could feel any relief, the screen flashed a new message:
"The clone has stopped all activity. Now, the real test begins with the actual 100 questions."
A cold feeling went through him, the challenge had just started.
Suddenly, the first question felt much harder than it should have.
Knowing that the next questions would be even tougher made this feeling worse.
1. How does the interplay between non-equilibrium thermodynamic fluctuations and quantum decoherence in open quantum systems influence the emergent behavior of macroscopic irreversibility in complex adaptive matter?
Lucen looked over the second challenge, and a shiver ran down his back as he realized what it meant.
His face changed, showing surprise, as he saw that this problem was much harder than anything he had been ready for.
"A problem that feels like it's from a PhD level... here?" he whispered to himself, trying to clear his mind.
The heaviness of it felt like a heavy rock on his chest, it was unfairly overwhelming.
After a short, deep think, his eyes focused with understanding.
The question repeated in his head, each word carefully considered.
Then, with calm confidence, he said, "Entropy."
There was a tense pause, and then the screen in front of him lit up bright green.
"Correct Answer."
A wave of relief washed over him, mixed with a strong feeling of pride for figuring it out.
After answering the first question, Lucen looked at the timer and saw that only 18 minutes were left.
He realized that this time was not enough.
The screen in front of him, cold and impersonal, started showing a constant flow of tough questions meant for Doctors of Philosophy.
These questions weren't easy, they were meant to confuse and stress him out.
But Lucen didn't give up.
He stayed strong, staring at the bright screen, using everything he knew.
He pushed through tiredness and doubt, thinking clearly and quickly, breaking down complicated ideas faster than anyone would expect.
Every moment mattered, and each answer could lead him to success or failure.
He solved each one after the other, not by guessing or relying on luck, but by clear thinking and determination, answering a hundred questions correctly.
When the last question was over and everything went quiet, time was up, but Lucen was still standing, he had done what seemed impossible.
The screen showed a message:
Well done to everyone who finished the 2nd challenge of Section 1 in an hour. You did a great job figuring out that the clone was a trap and that shutting it down was the only way to win. If you got all 100 doctorate-level questions right without any mistakes, you have passed this challenge and you will live.
Lucen and the other survivors were surrounded by a bright light again, and in an instant, they were back in the familiar white.
Now, all who had made it were together, their faces lit up by the cold light.
Some had soft smiles, feeling relieved or quietly proud.
Others stayed quiet, their faces showing little, and their eyes filled with heavy thoughts they couldn't express.
The crowd started to mumble, voices getting louder in worried whispers as survivors shouted out, looking for their friends and hoping they were okay, while fearing they weren't.
"Lukas! Where are you?" Lucen called out louder than the crowd, his voice full of worry as he looked at every person, trying to find any proof that Lukas had made it through the second challenge.
Fear gripped his heart as he moved quickly through the crowd, feeling more and more anxious.
In his rush, he bumped into someone, making them wobble.
"Ah!" a girl shouted, losing her balance.
Lucen quickly grabbed her around the waist to stop her from falling.
The movement brought them together, so near that their faces were only a few inches away.
For a moment, it felt like time stopped, and the sounds of the crowd faded away.
The girl, held in Lucen's arms, looked deeply into his eyes.
Her face was very close to his, so close that she could see his lips slightly apart.
His bright blue eyes kept her focused, clear, deep, and incredibly beautiful.
For a brief time, everything else disappeared.
His good-looking face was right in front of her, and it brought up feelings inside her that she couldn't identify.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to run into you," Lucen said gently, his voice filled with worry as he looked down at her, still in his arms.
They had a brief pause, the moment quiet and tense, before he carefully lifted her, helping her stand on her own.
"It's... fine," the girl said softly, her voice unsure.
She stood with her hands softly against her chest, a shy smile appearing as she looked up at Lucen.
The warmth in her eyes showed the mix of feelings she was trying to hold back.
Lucen looked back at the girl with a soft smile, captivated by the calm beauty of her eyes.
Just as they shared the moment, he felt a sudden pressure on his shoulders.
He turned his head, and beside him was Lukas, who had a knowing look on his face.
"I've been looking for you all over, Lucen," Lukas said quietly, a playful spark in his eyes.
His voice was easygoing, but the smile on his face showed a bit of mischief.
"And here I find you talking to a girl instead of looking for me?" He chuckled softly, glancing meaningfully between Lucen and the girl next to him.
The girl's cheeks turned a light shade of pink, and Lucen, not able to look at anyone, stared at the ground quietly.
The girl then looked away, trying to act like she didn't care, but the small shake of her eyelashes showed she was nervous.
But then a loud bang shook the air, quieting the whispers of the crowd.
Up above, bright letters suddenly appeared, lighting up the surprised faces below:
Section 1 — 2nd Challenge
Survivors Remaining: 4,971,285,559
Total Participants: 4,986,244,292
Confirmed Deaths: 14,958,733
As the bright numbers above changed, showing the latest death count, the crowd moved again.
Soft voices filled the quiet, expressing shock, fear, and acceptance.
"The second challenge was tougher than the first," someone quietly said.
"But at least the first one helped us get ready."
"Still… with so many people already dead, how can anyone make it through the thousands more?"
"I was nervous the whole time. The questions just kept getting harder… I thought I might pass out."
In the quiet crowd, Lukas, Lucen, and the girl stood still, staring at the bright sky.
A heavy silence hung in the air as the light from above shone in their eyes.
Lucen's voice finally cut through the silence, calm and even.
"Now I see how cruel this place really is. In the end... only a few will make it."