[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-surviving-the-doomsday-apartment-with-infinite-c":3,"chapter-surviving-the-doomsday-apartment-with-infinite-c-surviving-the-doomsday-apartment-with-infinite-c-chapter-26":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Surviving the Doomsday Apartment—With Infinite Clones!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},949448,1242,"Chapter 26: Playing Against the Rules","surviving-the-doomsday-apartment-with-infinite-c-chapter-26",26,"\u003Cp>[But I think it’s probably a young girl. She was naive enough to worry about whether scamming people is immoral!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jingyao casually complained in her message.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To her surprise, Li Ran hesitated before replying:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[If she’s really just an innocent girl with no experience, wouldn’t it be a bit too cruel for us to scam her?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jingyao immediately responded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Sister Ran, think it through! The world has changed! And besides, since she agreed to a challenge, that means she wants to scam others too! If she loses money in the end, it’s her own greed to blame. She deserves it!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[And it’s just the Duel Room! It’s not like anyone’s actually dying!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Sister Ran, your job is to pretend to be a naive girl. Don’t actually start acting like one at the critical moment!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran didn’t reply after that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"See that girl over there in the white school uniform?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go over and ask if she’s willing to accept a challenge.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She’ll definitely ask about your combat power first. Don’t tell the truth. Just say it’s 1-point-something or 2-point-something, and that you haven’t learned any skills. She’ll fall for it and accept your challenge.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, and by the way, that schoolgirl lives in the same apartment as her family. Her parents gave her a lot of money.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When you challenge her, make sure to bet big—one or two thousand isn’t a problem!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye looked flustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t even have one or two thousand! I only have 500 total, and that’s from a loan from the Apartment Administrator. I already paid 100 for the Duel Room entry fee, so I only have 400 left!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, Xu Jingyao felt even more certain that this was a done deal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A loan limit of 500 meant even the Apartment Administrator didn’t think he had much potential!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after all that effort, scamming just 400…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even 400 was better than nothing. Random matchmaking could easily result in losing money instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She reassured Jiang Ye a bit more before urging him to go find Li Ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second-floor lobby was much larger than the first floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was laid out like a movie theater, packed with rows upon rows of seats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When a player sat down, a control panel automatically appeared in their mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This panel displayed maps of both the first and second floors, marking each player as a red dot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s when Jiang Ye realized—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In challenge mode, he didn’t even need to see his opponent in person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could simply issue a challenge directly through the map in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides that, players could also spectate ongoing battles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, spectating required an extra fee:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>100 Survival Points to watch battles in the Black Iron Duel Room\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1,000 Survival Points to watch battles in the Bronze Duel Room\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, whether or not a battle was available for public viewing depended on both fighters agreeing to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If either of them chose to keep it private, no one else could watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Additionally, players on the War God Ranking had the privilege of setting their own spectating fees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And 10% of the total spectating fees would go to the winner of the match!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If 100 people paid to watch a Black Iron-level battle, the winner of that fight would earn 1,000 Survival Points just from spectators!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On top of that, spectators could also tip the fighters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, only 50% of the tip actually went to the recipient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But considering most Beginner Players were probably broke, there likely weren’t many people willing to pay for spectating or tipping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For most regular players, their fights were unlikely to be watched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, for top-tier fighters on the War God Ranking or celebrity players with a fanbase, making money from spectators was definitely a viable strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reaching the second floor, Jiang Ye didn’t immediately go straight to the schoolgirl Xu Jingyao had pointed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he was going to scam, he had to do it professionally. He couldn’t make it too obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sat down in an empty seat first, carefully studying the control panel in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once he had figured it out, he scanned the massive second-floor lobby, pretending to be just another newbie looking around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after making it seem natural did he finally start walking toward the schoolgirl in uniform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Li Ran sent another message to Xu Jingyao:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Are you sure this bald guy is just a naive little girl? The way he’s scouting for a target doesn’t look like someone blindly following your instructions to come straight for me.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jingyao, still watching from the stairwell, had to admit—Jiang Ye didn’t seem as clueless as she initially thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hesitating for a moment, she replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Maybe he’s just naturally good at scamming?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Either way, don’t worry, Sister Ran. His loan limit is only 500, and he only has 400 left in hand.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran read this and finally relaxed a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the \"bald guy\" approaching her, she quickly pretended to be focused on her control panel, as if completely absorbed in studying it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t until Jiang Ye sat down next to her and actively struck up a conversation that she reacted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, which school are you from?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran blinked, putting on an innocent expression, and looked at Jiang Ye before nodding obediently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah, uncle, do you need something?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah.\" Jiang Ye casually made something up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My son is about your age—he’s in high school too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He’s not in the same Beginner Apartment as me, and I’m a little worried about how he’s doing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was him setting up a \"loving father\" persona—a responsible, concerned middle-aged man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran was momentarily stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She thought to herself—was this guy actually bald? Maybe he hadn’t used a Disguise Mask at all, and this was just his real appearance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even if his Bronze Treasure Chest had given him some other item, she was still confident she could beat him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Keeping up her sweet, innocent act, she reassured him,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uncle, don’t worry too much. The Beginner Apartments seem to group players within a set range.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It could be an entire class, an entire neighborhood, or even everyone from the same bus ride…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your son is probably in an apartment with his classmates, so they can look out for each other. He should be fine!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sigh…\" Jiang Ye let out a deep sigh, looking sorrowful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just hope he’s not as unlucky as me. Starting out on the 20th floor… I can’t even afford rent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t even know if I’ll ever get to reunite with my son again…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, Li Ran felt a slight pang of sympathy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she quickly reminded herself—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sympathizing with the weak will only make you weak!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What this \"uncle\" was saying might not even be true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even if it was, it was his bad luck. No one else’s fault!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had read a post on Little Green Book that said—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When you sympathize with someone, you take on their misfortune!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a girl who wanted to rise to the top, she couldn’t afford to be softhearted!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this mindset, she put on her most sympathetic expression and offered sweetly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uncle… how about you challenge me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I live with my parents in the same apartment, and with the Apartment Administrator’s loan, I can definitely afford rent. I’d like to help you if I can.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah?\" Jiang Ye put on an embarrassed look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That… that doesn’t seem right…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s fine! It’s just a challenge. I’m pretty weak, so who knows? Maybe I’ll even get lucky and beat you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran smiled warmly, like an innocent little angel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly went off-script and improvised,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You know what, little sister… let me be honest with you instead…\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1300,"2026-06-03T07:17:35.776Z","2026-06-03T07:17:41.145Z",1,"novelbin.me","9fd0124598aff1de0e29609c6af1a1922a71187bac8d98c0b1f38ec34caaa286","surviving-the-doomsday-apartment-with-infinite-c-chapter-27","surviving-the-doomsday-apartment-with-infinite-c-chapter-25",575,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-doomsday-apartment-with-infinite-c-cover.jpg"]