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Ninety-five percent of humanity got yanked into a survival world. The place is a nightmare—harsh terrain, no resources, people throwing punches over a single piece of bread. And death? Always one step away. But me? I've got serious real-world survival skills. Take that toxic Emerald Fungus, for example. Everyone else thought it was certain death. Me? I just stir-fried it in oil. Crunchy, delicious, no regrets. Then I fed some to a ten-meter-long python. Boom—first kill. Got a bronze chest out of it, packed with loot. While people were running for their lives from mutant beasts, I'd already built myself a massive floating villa, a sky garden, and a whole empire of fluffy pets. -------------------------------------- Chapter 1 Welcome to The Sundered Realms Cynthia Ford had been having a rough time lately. First, her advisor called her in the middle of her vacation and sent her deep into the mountains. Then she got caught in a sudden storm at the summit and ended up trapped there for two days. After pushing through one hardship after another, she finally set up the equipment at the designated spot. The moment she turned around, her advisor, her classmates, and even the muddy ground behind them flickered like a glitch and disappeared. Before she could even react, a dense, green forest filled her vision. Already on the verge of collapse, Cynthia snapped. She thought, 'Did I push myself too far? No sleep and all that hiking—am I seeing things? Or is this a dream? 'But it feels way too real. I can smell the dirt, grass, and wood. And wait, wasn't my equipment right behind me? How did it turn into a creek? That's the lab's most expensive portable instrument.' Almost on instinct, she reached into the pocket of her windbreaker for her phone. But there was nothing. She immediately reached back for her backpack, only to feel the thick fabric of her jacket instead. [Ding-dong!] A cold, mechanical voice rang out. Cynthia froze. She glanced around, heart pounding, but there was no one there. [The Sundered Realms loading complete. Current survival version: Blue Star Edition.] [Five billion Survivors deployed. The remaining Survivors were temporarily sealed due to not meeting current deployment conditions. They will be deployed as survival progress advances. Deployment rules will be released later.] [The Sundered Realms Official Statement: In this world, all sensations and feedback are real. Death in this world is permanent. Survivors have only one life. You cannot reload saves.] [This is a trial version. Complete the beginner tasks to unlock more features.] [Beginner task released.] A half-transparent notification suddenly popped up right in front of her. [Beginner Task: Place Shelter. [Task Description: In The Sundered Realms, a Shelter is necessary for survival. The location you choose will determine your future development potential. Please choose carefully. [Time Remaining: 1:57:40.] Cynthia lifted her hand and waved it in front of her face. Even when her palm was almost touching her eyes, the notification didn't move. She shook her head from side to side, but it stayed fixed in the center of her vision. She even shut her eyes. It was still there. Hesitating, she said, "Close notification." The notification instantly broke apart like dust and vanished. But when she murmured to herself, it came back. It was mind-controlled. Cynthia's thoughts were a complete mess. She thought that either something in this place had poisoned her, or maybe the pressure had finally cracked her mind, and she was starting to lose it. There was no way she had actually entered a place called The Sundered Realms. That was insane. But she couldn't laugh it off. Deep down, she already knew. From the moment the forest came into view, something had felt off. Broadleaf trees stood mixed with cypress. Thick ferns grew beneath jagged shrubs. Plants from high altitudes were tangled with lowland species. Things that belonged in tropical climates sat right next to plants that should only exist in temperate zones. Even if she were hallucinating, she couldn't have imagined something that broke the rules of nature. Trying to steady herself, Cynthia opened the Menu. A shadowy outline appeared in front of her. She instinctively stepped back a few paces, letting the shadow fall fully across the flat ground by the creek. [Confirm Shelter placement location. Yes/No.] Cynthia chose no. It wasn't a bad spot. The ground was level, there was water nearby, and the forest and shrubs behind it offered cover. But she still had time. She decided to follow the creek upstream for an hour. If she couldn't find something better, she could always run back and make it before the timer ran out. What she hadn't expected was how hard the path would be. The flat ground didn't last long. After a short distance and a turn, she found herself on a stretch of rocky shoreline. She struggled across it, the sound of water splashing against stone echoing around her. Then, all at once, a cliff rose up ahead—nearly 30 feet high—with a waterfall crashing down its face. Cynthia glanced to both sides, then stopped in front of a gentler route and studied it. The rock face looked like granite and slanted slightly backward. Unlike most natural cliffs, it was full of small pits that made easy footholds and handholds. There was no wet mud, nothing that might make her slip. It reminded her more of the climbing walls in some of the open-world games she used to play. Before entering The Sundered Realms, she had gone through field training. Her hair was tied back so it wouldn't block her vision. Her clothes were easy to move in. She wore high-top hiking boots and a pair of non-slip gloves. With all that, and considering the height of the cliff, the climb wasn't too dangerous. It was time to move. Cynthia had some experience with outdoor climbing. By the time she neared the top, she still had almost ten minutes left before her planned return. For the last stretch, she bent one leg and stepped onto a jutting rock, rose slightly on the toes of her other foot, and grabbed the edge of the cliff with one hand. She tightened her core, pushed hard, and pulled herself up and over. Cynthia landed cleanly. She brushed the dust off her clothes and took a moment to steady her breathing, then turned to look around. She had come up about 30 feet away from the waterfall. On the side opposite the cliff was a flat stretch of forest, thick with trees and bushes. Above the waterfall ran a river, much wider than the creek below. She pushed through the bushes toward it. When her view finally opened up, she froze. There was no winding river ahead. Instead, she saw a shallow pond, surrounded by trees on three sides. The pond was about the size of a standard soccer field. At its deepest point, the water only reached her calf. In the middle was a small, raised "island" of about five thousand square feet. On the right side of the "island" stood a tree. Unlike the tall, towering trees she had seen along the way, this one was only about 15 feet high. Its trunk twisted slightly, and its branches were bare. Cynthia had sharp eyesight. If she wasn't mistaken, there were faint, glowing green strips on the trunk. She took off her shoes and socks, rolled up her pants, and stepped into the pond. The water was clear. Looking down, she could easily see pebbles and water plants at the bottom. It was warmer than she expected, and there were no signs of fish or any other aquatic life. When she stepped onto a stone at the very edge of the "island," the tree came into clearer view. The silver-green strips on the trunk weren't strips at all. They were thin green crystals. Some were embedded in the trunk, and even finer ones dotted the branches above. They caught the light and sparkled when she looked up. Cynthia reached out and touched one. [Warning: Survivor has not yet placed Shelter. Cannot appraise.] Cynthia raised an eyebrow. Compared to her spawn point, this "island" would be harder to leave. It was surrounded by water and sat farther from the trees. But it also had its advantages. The cliff stood behind it. Freshwater was right here. And most important of all, this tree was clearly not ordinary. The travel problem could be solved. She could move a few larger stones and make a simple path across. The distance wasn't a big issue either. At worst, she'd just have to walk a little more. In all the games and stories she knew, the unknown didn't just mean danger. It usually meant opportunity. And Cynthia had always liked a bit of adventure. She stepped back a few paces and chose a spot on the right side of the "island," about three feet from the tree. [Confirm Shelter placement location. Yes/No.] [Yes.] A thin mist spread over the chosen spot. Cynthia reached out, trying to push her hand into it, but it stopped her like thick, solid slime. [Shelter placement successful. Survivor ID: 46-95083 officially logged in.] As the mist slowly faded, a thatched hut took shape in front of her. At the same time, several clusters of faint green lights dropped into view. Cynthia looked up and saw something glowing among the twisted branches. Then a clear, lively voice rang out. [Survival Year 15400, Gentle Wind Season. Current location: Emerald Sea (District 46). Weather: Clear. Feels like temperature: 70°F. The Astral Society recommended activity: Logging (wood gathering efficiency slightly increased today).] [Special Warning: Night hides unknown risks. Please return to Shelter before dark.] [Survivor Menu opened. Resources officially deployed.] [Beginner task rewards distributed. Random building draw successful. Congratulations! Survivor has obtained Basic Appraisal×1; Wooden Chest×1; Evolving Pier×1.] [Talent unlocked. Congratulations! Survivor has activated the Talent, Surveying Engineer (Beginner).] [Surveying Engineer (Beginner): A qualified surveying engineer should have a special map. [Effect 1: Areas explored by Survivor will be displayed on the map. Survivor may freely mark and annotate it. After special Resource Nodes are collected, their remaining refresh time will be shown. [Effect 2: Every three survival days, the map automatically marks the nearest treasure chest to the Survivor (Current cooldown: 2:14:53:59). [Advancement: To be unlocked.] [Novice Period activated. During this time, gathering efficiency is increased, more treasure chests will appear, and Shelter cannot be attacked. Time remaining: 2:14:53:01.] [You are neither the first pioneer nor the last lone traveler. Countless footprints have sunk into the mire, and scattered starlight has brushed the sky. The journey that begins here will leave a new mark. The road behind stretches farther than the one ahead.] The pale blue Menu spread open before her, lighting up Cynthia's eyes. [Welcome to The Sundered Realms.] Chapter 2 Cynthia Was Lucky Cynthia stared at the Survivor Menu laid out in front of her. On the left was her personal information. [Survivor Profile [Name: Cynthia Ford [ID: 46-95083. Name Change Card 1/1 (Display Mandatory) [Current Region: Emerald Sea (Exploration Progress 1%) [Shelter: Dilapidated Thatched Hut (Unnamed) [Talent: Surveying Engineer (Beginner) [Health: 95/100 (You only got minor scratches after all that walking?) [Stamina: 51/100 (Given how much you've been moving, your stamina is impressive.) [Hunger: 75/100 (Did you eat something before logging into The Sundered Realms?) [Strength: 6 [Agility: 7 [Intelligence: 8 [Luck: 0 (Why do you think you spawned so close to your Shelter?) [Charisma: 0 [Current Skills: Universal Appraisal (Can appraise most items in The Sundered Realms)] On the right was the chat channel. The world channel was grayed out. Only private chat and the area channel were active. [Current District: District 46, Emerald Sea (99458/100000)] Everyone had just been thrown into The Sundered Realms from Blue Star without warning. Panic was everywhere. Messages rushed past so fast that they blurred together. Cynthia skipped over most of the emotional outbursts and focused on anything useful. [Didn't we just lose more people?] [What does it mean that my random building is a dried-up well?] [Even the paper in my pocket didn't come with me. And you're asking about your lighter and necklace, huh? Dream on.] [The Wooden Chest only gave me two bottles of water. Is that normal?] [I chopped trees for an hour and a half and only got two units of wood. Is the drop rate broken?] [Trading freshwater for equal food. Check the marketplace.] Below the chat were several buttons, but only two were lit. One was the inventory. It only had five slots. Right now, it held the Wooden Chest and the Evolving Pier from the beginner rewards. [Wooden Chest: The first chest obtained by a Survivor in The Sundered Realms. Opening guarantees Survivor Starter Kit ×1] [Chest opened. Congratulations! You obtained dried rye bread ×2, bottled water ×2, Survivor Starter Kit ×1] Each piece of bread was about the size of two fists. The water bottles were 17 ounces. The kit included a wooden axe, a wooden pickaxe, and a wooden shovel. All of them looked crude, like they might break before the trees or rocks did. Still, someone in chat had been asking about wood drops. That meant the tools had to work. After opening the chest, it didn't disappear. It stood about as high as Cynthia's calf and felt heavy. When she touched it, a prompt appeared. [Dismantle chest. Yes/No.] Cynthia planned to use it for storage, so she chose "No" and placed the water and rye bread inside. The other button was the marketplace. A hundred thousand people had entered District 46. Some people had already placed their Shelters ahead of time, so there were already plenty of listings, though the prices were all over the place. [Hay ×1 for any food] [Berries ×20 for Plank ×20] [Plank ×1 for rye bread ×2] Food was clearly the scarcest thing right now. Cynthia kept up a regular fitness routine. Her advisor was strict, and she often had to do field surveys, so she was used to staying active and eating well. One piece of rye bread wasn't even enough for a single meal. She needed to head out and explore as soon as possible. But before that, there was something else she had to do. Cynthia turned toward the tree and used her appraisal skill. [Unknown: At first glance, it's a tree that seems a little more special than the others. It might have other uses, but you'll need to look deeper to find out.] Cynthia felt like she'd just been messed with. Still, she forced herself to think positively. In a place like this, "unknown" usually meant something valuable with great potential and power. With that, she ignored the tree for now and turned toward the hut. From the outside, the Shelter already looked run-down. Inside, it was even worse. It was completely empty. The space was barely one hundred square feet. There was an opening where a window should be, but there was no glass. Even when she shut the door, light slipped through every gap. She didn't need to test it to know how cold it would get at night. Luckily, she was dressed warm enough. Honestly, a little too warm. The long walk over had left her sweating. She untied the hard-shell windbreaker from around her waist, then took off the thin down liner and the inner quick-dry pants. Now she was just wearing a wool quick-dry shirt and windbreaker pants. After that, she checked the new notification that had popped up. [Current Shelter: Dilapidated Thatched Hut (Unnamed) [Level: Level 1 [Durability: 10/10 (No durability loss during Novice Period) [Prosperity: 10 (Even mice would sneak away at night) [Shelter Rating: A basic thatched hut for beginner Survivors. Can block some wind and rain and meets the most basic survival needs. As for defense... Well, at least the Shelter can't be attacked during the Novice Period. [Upgrade Requirements: wood ×50, nails ×5, glass ×5] Cynthia gave the Shelter a name: Island. She stepped outside and stood at the edge of her Island. To her surprise, the pond that had been empty before now had silver fish swimming in it. She remembered the system message about "resources officially deployed" and the berries she had seen in the marketplace. She understood. Resources didn't just mean chests. They included natural resources. Cynthia let out a quiet breath. She knew how to spear fish, and her aim was good. There was a small triangular metal badge pinned inside the left chest of her windbreaker. If she ground it thin and tied it to a sharpened wooden stick, it could work as a spearhead. As long as the fish weren't poisonous, she wouldn't have to worry about starving. She tapped on the Evolving Pier in her inventory and placed it right in front of the hut. A thin layer of mist spread out, and when it cleared, a narrow pier about three feet wide stretched from the door straight to the edge of the pond. Cynthia stepped onto it to test it. It felt solid under her feet. [Shelter Building: Basic Evolving Pier [Building Description: A pier that grows along with the Shelter. There is a small chance it will mutate to match the Shelter's development. In short, it may seem useless now, but you've actually found something valuable. [Advancement Requirements: wood ×20] Cynthia was lucky. She walked along the pier, watching the water as she went. Besides the silver fish, she also spotted gray shrimp. Just before reaching the shore, something under the water caught her eye in the distance. It looked like a four-sided pyramid. She looked closer. It was a Wooden Chest, half-buried in the mud at the bottom of the pond, not far from the shore. It looked like it had been there for a long time, its surface covered in moss and water plants. Cynthia took off her shoes, rolled up her pants, and stepped into the water to get it. While she was at it, she quickly grabbed a crab that was waving its claws around nearby. She stored the chest in her inventory. As for the crab, she tied it up with some grass and shoved it into her pocket so it wouldn't take up an inventory slot. Her windbreaker pants had six pockets in total, top and bottom. Before all this, they had held marker rope, chocolate, a multi-tool knife, a portable flashlight, and a windproof lighter. When she entered The Sundered Realms, all of those had disappeared along with her backpack. Cynthia took out the wooden axe from the Survivor Starter Kit. [Wooden Axe: A must-have for beginner Survivors. It has terrible reviews, but you can't live without it. [Current Durability: 10/10 (Lose one durability for every ten units of wood collected)] Cynthia stood in front of a thick, straight tree and raised the axe. Half an hour later, she stared at the single unit of wood in her inventory, then at her stamina, which had dropped by four points. She held the axe in silence and realized this wasn't going to work. Right now, her biggest priorities were getting food and upgrading her Shelter. The sun was directly overhead. Even if it was exactly noon, she only had six or seven hours before dark. At this pace, even if she worked nonstop, she'd get maybe fifteen units of wood. That was assuming her stamina could hold up, but she only had 45 points left. She didn't know how her Strength of six compared to other Survivors. She only knew it was the lowest of her three stats. Maybe chopping trees wasn't the right move for her. Cynthia put the wooden axe away. She decided to spend two hours exploring deeper into the forest. The return trip should be faster, maybe an hour. That would leave her some time to fish. She was still uneasy about the system's warning. [Night hides unknown risks. Please return to Shelter before dark.] She had no intention of staying out after dark. It was time to move. Before leaving, she activated her Talent. A map appeared in front of her eyes, most of it still covered in fog. A small blue dot flickered near the mark that showed her Shelter's location. That was her best guarantee she could find her way back. Still, she didn't want to take chances. She pulled up several handfuls of long, flexible grass and stuffed them into the pocket by her knee. She planned to tie knots along the way as markers. Then she grabbed the wooden pickaxe, the one that looked the strongest, and headed into the forest. Chapter 3 Stormscale Python Resources really did get redistributed after Survivors placed the Shelter. The forest had way more to offer now than it did when Cynthia had first been hiking around looking for a place to camp. She picked a few thick, wide leaves and used them like a barrier to pull a grayish-white mushroom out of the ground. The moment the cut surface hit the air, it oxidized fast, turning blue-green. [Emerald Fungus: Native to the Emerald Sea. Thick, delicious flesh. Only grows in the center of the Emerald Sea. Companion species to the pine. Favorite of the Whitecap. Highly poisonous.] Cynthia had eaten something similar a few times before, back when she went on a research trip to Yurania with her senior. That mushroom had been almost the same as Emerald Fungus. This kind needed steady, even high heat to break down the toxins. The usual way to cook it was to stir-fry it in plenty of oil. Anyone without experience could easily mess it up. Right now, she had no fire, no oil, and no experience. She also couldn't be sure the two mushrooms needed the same method. Still, after picking all the Emerald Fungus nearby, she couldn't help but feel a little hopeful. They really did taste amazing. Just thinking about them made her mouth water. [Congratulations! Survivor obtained Emerald Fungus ×7] Cynthia opened the map. A long line stretched from the Shelter to where she stood now, marking the path she'd explored. She placed a marker at her current spot. It must have rained here last night. The ground was slick, and mushrooms were popping up everywhere. She hadn't gone far before she found another kind she could eat. [Plumpcap: Native to The Pigeon Federation. Delicious taste with distinctive flavor. Can be eaten raw.] Plumpcap looked nothing like anything from Blue Star. It grew on tree trunks and was pretty big, with an oval cap and a creamy yellow color. It looked like a large orange with a stem. Cynthia took off her gloves, broke off a piece, and popped it into her mouth. Before she even chewed, her eyes lit up. It felt like a white button mushroom when she broke it, but in her mouth, it turned smooth and soft, almost like yogurt jelly. The taste was hard to pin down. After a moment, she decided it tasted like mild soy sauce. It wasn't bad. It could replace salt and might even work as a seasoning. It'd probably be good in a stew. Since Plumpcap wasn't poisonous, she didn't need to store it like the Emerald Fungus. Cynthia used grass to string them together and hung them around her neck. [Congratulations! Survivor obtained Plumpcap ×15] Cynthia figured fifteen of them would last her two or three days. She kept moving deeper into the forest and soon found a patch of deep purple berries. They looked like a mix between blueberries and raspberries, about the size of pistachios. There were so many that the branches sagged under the weight. Picking them one by one would take forever, so she pulled out her wooden shovel and dug up the whole bush. [Congratulations! Survivor obtained Deepberry Bush ×1] [Deepberry Bush: Common berry shrub. Root system damaged by rough excavation. Transplant success rate reduced by 10%] Still, a 10% drop didn't mean failure. It could still survive. Cynthia crouched down and checked the hole where the bush had been. As expected, plenty of broken roots were left behind. Most shrubs could grow again as long as they still had roots. The method was simple: just plant them back in the soil. She planned to take some later and try planting them by the pond. As for planting near the Shelter in the middle of the pond, that wouldn't work. Normally, land like that was just sediment, not real soil. Surrounded by water, it didn't hold nutrients well. Anything useful would wash away too easily. If her Island followed normal rules, it wouldn't be good for growing anything. However, The Sundered Realms didn't seem to care much about normal rules. Cynthia swung her shovel again. This time, she planned to take all the remaining roots and try planting them on her Island later. When she dug all the way down, the shovel hit something hard with a dull thud. She cleared the dirt and found a Wooden Chest. It had been hidden well. After she stored it in her inventory, it didn't take up a new slot. Instead, it stacked with the one she'd found in the pond, showing a small "2" in the corner. That left her with one slot free. Cynthia bundled up the Deepberry roots and carried them in her hand. She had exactly ten more minutes before she needed to head back. Ten minutes later, when she should have turned around, she stood among trees shorter than the ones near the pond. Through the trunks, she spotted the curved tips of bamboo in the distance. In the wild, bamboo was incredibly useful. Bamboo shoots were food. Fresh-cut bamboo often held drinkable sap. The hollow sections could be used to carry water or even boil it. Bamboo poles could be used to build shelters or block rain. Split into strips, it could be woven into baskets. Sharpened pieces could serve as knives, arrowheads, or even harpoons. Cynthia immediately decided to give up some of her fishing time. But when she got closer, she realized something was off. The bamboo wasn't green. It was blue-purple, with black streaks across it like lightning marks. [Congratulations! Survivor discovered Stormreed Resource Node.] [Stormreed: Lightning-altered bamboo that is far less flexible than normal. Cannot be used for crafting or as firewood. Absolutely not recommended for construction. An important alchemical ingredient.] Cynthia took out her wooden axe. Stormreed was much more brittle than normal bamboo. Once she got the angle right, each swing cut down a stalk. In ten minutes, she had chopped down ten stalks of Stormreed, and her wooden axe had lost one durability point. So it wasn't just regular wood that wore tools down. Stormreed did too. She glanced over the patch. About four-fifths of it was still standing, and her wooden axe could probably handle it. She broke off a small piece of Plumpcap and tossed it into her mouth. Just as she was about to keep going, a faint rustling sound cut through the air. Her grip tightened on the wooden axe. She turned toward the noise, then quickly checked the map. Other than herself and the Stormreed, nothing showed up. Then she looked up. A cluster of bushes was shaking harder and harder. Back in college, she'd practiced disc shooting. Her reaction time and moving vision were both sharp. So when something blue-black shot straight at her face, she dropped her stance and swung her right arm forward in one clean motion. The wooden axe struck it dead on. The thing flew before slamming into a tree with a wet splat. At the same time, a tiny red dot appeared on the map. She'd played baseball in high school. Her aim was still solid. But there was no time to feel proud. Frowning, Cynthia kept her distance and got a better look. It was a snake, about two fingers wide, blue-black with a triangular head. It wasn't dead yet. It coiled tightly, hissing and thrashing. Sparks crackled all over its body. The voltage didn't look low. The wooden axe had only touched it for a moment, but it already carried scorched, lightning-like marks, faint sparks still flickering along them. [Stormscale Hatchling: Stormreed Resource Node companion monster. Talent skills: Venom, Constrict, Electrocution. Lives in groups.] Cynthia's eyes stopped on the last three words, and her heart skipped a beat. She shoved the wooden axe back into her tool pack. Then a louder, far more terrifying sound echoed through the forest. [Warning! Warning! Survivor encountered Stormreed Resource Node Guardian Boss Stormscale Python. Warning! Warning! Survivor encountered Stormreed Resource Node Guardian Boss Stormscale Python.] [Current Survivor attributes too low. Current Survivor attributes too low.] Before Cynthia could turn and run, she saw something that froze her in place: a wide-open mouth dripping with bright green saliva. Chapter 4 A Personal First Kill Cynthia felt like she had never run this fast in her life. The forest that had seemed calm on the way in now felt like something invisible was choking the air out of it. Every bush felt like a trap. Every rustle of leaves sounded like a warning of death. On the map, the blue dot and the red dot were almost on top of each other. Cynthia's breathing came out in harsh gasps, loud as wind in her ears, but the hissing behind her was even louder. It was wet and dragging, scales scraping over rotten wood, getting closer and closer. She dropped low and slid under a fallen tree, rolled twice, then pushed herself up in one smooth motion. A split second later, a heavy crash exploded behind her. Pieces of the dead tree shattered and flew past her ear. She spun and dove toward a thick cluster of buttress roots. A massive black shadow swept past her ankle, so close that she could feel the air shift. A foul, damp smell hit her nose. Bang! The snake's head slammed into a tree. Cynthia didn't hesitate. She twisted, kicked off the ground, and sprinted again. For a split second, her eyes flicked to the map. In two quick steps, she adjusted her direction, lining herself back up with her original path, and kept running. She couldn't fight it. Not even close. And she didn't have the stamina to outrun it in a straight race. Speed had never been her strength. The only reason she was still alive was that she could weave through the trees better than it could. But this chase couldn't last forever. It felt like a slow death was closing in. But this was still the Novice Period. Her Shelter couldn't be attacked. The sound of the python sliding over the ground came closer again. Ahead, she saw light breaking through the trees. Right as she burst out of the forest, her foot slipped. She was moving too fast. Her body skidded sideways across wet stone and mud. She couldn't stop herself until she crashed straight into the pond. In that split second, she saw the python right behind her. There was no time to reach the pier. She scrambled forward, stomping through the shallow water, slipping, crawling, half-running, until she threw herself into the thatched hut. Behind her, the python's head slammed into something in midair. A round, faintly glowing shield flashed into view, rippling like water as it blocked the impact. Cynthia collapsed at the entrance of the hut, her heart still pounding hard in her chest. The edge of the shield was barely a foot from her toes. The python lay just beyond it, its body slowly shifting. Just its head was as tall as an adult's thigh. Sharp fangs dripped bright green saliva. Its amber eyes, with narrow vertical pupils, locked straight onto her. Its scales were blue-purple, shining with a metallic sheen under the light. Its body stretched long, more than half of it still dragging through the pond. All the strength drained out of Cynthia. She fell flat onto her back. Only then did she realize she had been clutching the Deepberry roots the entire time. The string of Plumpcaps around her neck was a mess. Maybe eight or nine were still good. She opened the Menu. Her Stamina had dropped to the bottom. [Survivor Profile [Name: Cynthia Ford [ID: 46-95083. Name Change Card 1/1 (Display Mandatory) [Current Region: Emerald Sea (Exploration Progress 1%) [Shelter: Island (Dilapidated Thatched Hut) [Talent: Surveying Engineer (Beginner) (Cooling Down) [Health: 80/100 (Scrapes with bruising; given your physical condition, no special treatment needed) [Stamina: 8/100 (If you'd gotten back any later, you would've collapsed on the ground) [Hunger: 40/100 (You will barely survive if you don't eat anything today) [Strength: 6 [Agility: 7 [Intelligence: 8 [Luck: 0 (Why do you think you spawned so close to your Shelter?) [Charisma: 0 [Current Skills: Universal Appraisal (Can appraise most items in The Sundered Realms)] Cynthia ignored the python's hissing outside. Pulling off her gloves, she grabbed a damaged Plumpcap, tore away the outer layer, and bit into it. Only then did the pain hit. Her shoulder throbbed from when she had thrown herself sideways to dodge the python. The scrape on her right forearm had broken skin, tiny beads of blood forming along it. Her legs were fine, thanks to her tough pants. She had almost died. The fear came rushing in all at once, hitting her after everything was over. If it weren't for the bushes, trees, and rocks slowing it down now and then, the python would've crushed her skull with a single bite a long time ago. Outside the protective shield, the python grew furious. The "food" was right there, but it couldn't see it or touch it. Its tail slammed against the water, and the low, threatening sound in its throat grew louder and louder. Out of sight, out of mind. Cynthia pulled off the Plumpcap necklace, forced her tired body to stand, and walked into the wooden house. She shut the door behind her and started taking care of her wounds. She took a bottle of water from the Wooden Chest and poured half of it over her injury. It wasn't serious enough to need medicine, and it wasn't on a joint that moved a lot. As long as she rinsed out dirt and bits of grass, she didn't need to bandage it. Cynthia tilted her head back and drank the rest of the water, then got ready to clean up. First, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the crab she had tightly tied up with grass. She and the crab stared at each other. She felt a little regret. Through the window, the sky was still bright. It was late afternoon, the sun not quite down yet. If that python hadn't been outside staring at her like she was dinner, she would've gone to spear some fish. Right then, something felt off. The python had gone quiet, as if it had left. Cynthia stood up, walked to the door, and pushed it open. She froze. Her eyes widened. The python, which had been full of energy even after smashing through trees and rocks, was now lying on the ground, barely moving. She hadn't been inside for very long, no more than twenty minutes. Snakes were tough. Even dead ones could still twitch and bite. She wasn't about to take chances. Keeping the protective shield between them, she crouched down and used appraisal. [Stormscale Python: Stormreed Resource Node Guardian Boss. Enormous body. Extremely destructive. Talent skills: Venom, Constrict, Electrocution. [Note 1: This Stormscale Python is currently in the molting phase and is temporarily unable to use the Electrocution talent. Note 2: It is currently in a severe state of poisoning.] Cynthia blinked and understood why it hadn't used any electricity like the Stormscale Hatchling while chasing her. It had been stuck in a molting phase. But the poisoning surprised her even more. She thought back carefully, step by step. Her escape path had almost completely overlapped with the route she'd explored earlier. The only poisonous thing along that path had been the Emerald Fungus she'd picked clean. 'Was there some other hidden poison?' she thought. Her expression turned serious. She pulled out her wooden pickaxe, the tool that looked like it could do the most damage, and brought it down hard on the python's head through the shield. It felt like hitting solid metal. The recoil almost knocked the wooden pickaxe out of her hands. The two points of stamina she had just recovered dropped right back down. The python didn't react at all. Only the faint rise and fall of its body showed it was still alive. It probably wasn't going to suddenly lunge at her. Cynthia grew a little bolder. She used the wooden pickaxe to pry open the python's mouth, then tossed in two Emerald Fungi. By now, the sky had darkened. She stood there and waited for it to die, still trying to figure out what had poisoned it. Then she happened to look up. Something bright was moving across the surface of the pond in the distance. Cynthia narrowed her eyes. Before she could see clearly what it was, a crisp system voice rang out. [Congratulations! Survivor killed Stormreed Resource Node Guardian Boss—Stormscale Python. Dropped: Stormscale python meat ×10, Stormscale python gall ×1, Stormscale python hide ×1, Stormscale python bones ×1, Stormscale python eyes ×2, Stormscale python venom ×3, Bronze Chest ×1] [Congratulations! Survivor achieved a personal first kill and obtained a Bronze Chest.] Her inventory was already full. When the Stormscale Python disappeared, all the drops and rewards fell to the ground with a clatter. But Cynthia didn't even look at them. She walked to the edge of the pond, crouched down, and reached out. Her fingers touched the surface of the water. Light flowed around them, glittering like a river of stars. She saw them clearly now. They were small silver fish with tail fins thin and soft like gauze. [Moonlight Shoal (Juvenile): One of the endangered species of The Sundered Realms. Only grows in the unknown and lives in groups. Rare guardian fish species. Extremely prone to mutation during growth. [Current Talent Skills: Venom, Gnaw. [Note: You should be grateful that resources hadn't been deployed yet when you placed your Shelter. They seem to have accepted you as a rare land-dwelling neighbor after discovering you right in the middle of them the moment they were born.] Cynthia let out a slow breath. Getting dragged into The Sundered Realms had been terrible luck. But after that, it felt like everything had somehow gone her way. In her heart, she silently thanked her workaholic advisor who dragged her on field trips year after year. She thanked her classmates who had gone exploring with her. She even thanked herself for giving up her breaks and pushing through long, rough days out in the wild. Maybe everything she had paid for back then had already been turned into a gift. Cynthia decided she would forgive this world for one minute. Chapter 5 Hoping for the Best The Stormscale Python had dropped a huge haul. Cynthia decided to dump everything from her inventory into the Shelter and make two trips to carry everything back. By the time she finished, only a faint glow was left in the sky. She stood in the doorway a little longer on purpose, waiting for the system message: [Night has fallen. All Survivors must return to their Shelters.] The moment the words faded, pairs of glowing red eyes appeared deep in the woods. A chill ran down Cynthia's spine. She stepped back without thinking and slammed the shaky door shut. Right away, she felt like she could breathe again. She leaned against the doorframe, taking slow, deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart. She thought, 'What were those eyes? Are they monsters like the Stormscale Python? They're just watching from outside now, but what happens when my Novice Period ends?' She had no answer. All she could do was use every minute of her Novice Period as best as she could. With barely any light left, she took out the two Stormscale python eyes from her inventory. Each one was about the size of her fist. They felt soft, almost like glass, and gave off a warm, gentle glow. [Stormscale python eyes: The eyes of the Guardian Boss Stormscale Python from the Stormreed Resource Node. Aside from emitting light, they serve no other purpose.] Cynthia smiled. To her, they were perfect natural desk lamps. She climbed onto the Wooden Chest and pushed the two glowing eyes into the thatched roof. Warm light spread down, making the run-down Shelter feel almost cozy—if she ignored the big hole where the window should be. The night breeze coming through was cold. She put on her windbreaker, sat cross-legged, and started going through everything she'd collected today. There was the single piece of wood that had taken her half an hour to chop; the two Wooden Chests she'd dug up—one from the pond and one from under the Deepberry roots. One full Deepberry Bush; five Emerald Fungus left after using two; five intact Plumpcaps and seven damaged ones she'd picked up during that terrifying chase; ten stalks of Stormreed; a bundle of Deepberry roots; and one crab tied up with woven grass rope. Then there was everything from the Stormscale Python: two pieces of meat, one gall, one hide, one full set of bones, three vials of venom, and two Bronze Chests from the boss drop and the first-kill reward. The eyes were already in the ceiling, lighting the room. From the starter Wooden Chest, she'd gotten two bottles of water. She'd drunk half a bottle and used the other half, leaving her with one full bottle. Those two pieces of dried rye bread looked too unappetizing to eat. Plus, there was one Survivor Starter Kit and her wooden axe that had been struck by the Stormscale Hatchling. Cynthia pulled out the wooden axe. To her surprise, faint sparks still flickered inside the scorched marks left by the lightning. It could work as kindling. Logically, the sparks should've gone out long ago. Maybe the Stormscale Hatchling's electricity was special. Or maybe time didn't pass inside the inventory. Either way, the sparks were still there. That gave her an idea. She put the wooden axe back and checked the Emerald Fungus she'd left in the corner. She'd snapped them off and stuffed them into her inventory after only brief exposure to air. Now that she'd taken them out again, the oxidation marks were still light. That pretty much confirmed it. Time stopped inside the inventory. That meant she didn't have to worry much about food going bad. And she had a way to start a fire. The Stormscale python meat was still inside her inventory. [Stormscale python meat: Meat dropped from the Guardian Boss Stormscale Python at the Stormreed Resource Node. Each piece weighs 10 pounds. [Already specially treated to remove toxins and parasites. First consumption grants Strength +1. Note: Trading this item after dividing it will not grant the attribute bonus.] Cynthia's eyes lit up. She had complained earlier that such a huge python only dropped ten pieces of meat. But now, she didn't care. They were valuable. Using attribute-boosting food on herself alone felt like a waste. She decided to keep one piece and put the other up on the marketplace, trading it for other foods that could also boost base stats. In such a huge area, she couldn't be the only one who'd found a boss, or the only one who had been lucky enough to kill one. Next, she looked at the Stormscale python gall. It didn't look like any gallbladder she'd ever seen. It looked more like a stone crackling with electricity. Arcs of lightning danced across its surface. It looked dangerous, but when she touched it, it didn't hurt at all. [Stormscale python gall: A key ingredient for Disintegration Potion and Revelation Potion. Requires special preparation before use.] She couldn't use it right now, and it didn't need to stay fresh. She tossed it into the Wooden Chest at the bottom. Then came the Stormscale python bones. It was a complete skeleton, massive in size—too big to even take out inside the Shelter. [Stormscale python bones: Possesses a hard texture and excellent electrical conductivity. [Perhaps many, many years ago, a dwarven weaponsmith would have appreciated it, but since there are now many superior alternatives, its main value is as a display piece to show off status and wealth.] In other words, it was expensive, very expensive, but basically useless. It was another thing she couldn't use right now. After thinking it over, she decided she'd place it on her Island tomorrow as decoration. Speaking of decoration, the Stormscale python venom came in a beautifully made long-necked bottle. The material looked like colored glass. The last time Cynthia had seen bottles this pretty was on her mother's vanity table. Just from the look of it, one would never guess how dangerous it was. [Stormscale python venom: Highly corrosive and electrically charged poison. Use with extreme caution.] After making sure the stoppers were tight and wouldn't come loose, she placed the bottles in the Wooden Chest. Next was the Stormscale python hide. It was a large sheet, about ten feet by ten feet. For such a huge python, this was all it dropped. Cynthia couldn't help but complain about the system again. [Stormscale python hide: Excellent defensive material. Because the scales grow irregularly, there's considerable waste during processing.] She spread it out and hung it over the wall, covering the empty window hole. Each unit of Stormreed was about six feet long. They wouldn't fit in the Wooden Chest, so Cynthia tied them together with grass ropes and stacked them in the corner. She hung the Emerald Fungus and Plumpcaps on the wall with rope. Then she picked the berries from the Deepberry Bush and wrapped them in large leaves she'd gathered earlier, packing twenty berries into each bundle—fourteen bundles total. Normally, berries spoiled easily and should be stored in the inventory. But she planned to go out exploring tomorrow. The toolkit would take up one slot. The Stormscale python meat would take another. If the berries took a third slot, she'd have less space to carry things. That didn't feel worth it. Still, berries were her only source of vitamins. After thinking it through, she set aside seven bundles to sell on the marketplace later and decided to dry the rest into preserved fruit. Finally, there was the biggest haul of the day: two Wooden Chests and two Bronze Chests. The Wooden Chests looked just like the starter one and could be used for storage after opening. One Bronze Chest had a small snake pattern on it. The other didn't. Both were heavy because of the material. If she could take them apart later, that would be ideal. Cynthia had always been pretty lucky. Before opening them, she rubbed her hands together, almost like a ritual, quietly hoping for the best. Chapter 6 Golden Chest [Open Wooden Chest x2? Yes/No.] [Chests opened. Congratulations! Survivor has received bottled water x5, dried rye bread x3, cotton-linen loungewear set x1, athletic shoes x1, cotton socks x5] The bottled water and dried rye bread were probably standard loot for Wooden Chests. The cotton-linen loungewear had long sleeves. The athletic shoes looked light and easy to move in. The cotton socks felt soft—perfect for this kind of weather. Cynthia's current outfit was a wool moisture-wicking shirt, high-top hiking boots, and wool socks. After everything she'd gone through today, she'd actually felt a little too warm. Thinking that, Cynthia reached for the Bronze Chest dropped by the Stormscale Python. [Chest opened. Congratulations! Survivor has received Stormscale python heart x1, Stormscale python fang x1, Stormscale leather armor blueprint x1, Skill Tome: Venom Coating x1] Cynthia raised her eyebrows. The blueprint and skill tome sounded valuable, and the other two items looked solid. [Stormscale python heart: Pendant. When worn, Agility +3, Intelligence +1, and slightly increases perception of hostile monsters.] [Stormscale python fang: Dagger. When equipped, Agility +1. Has a chance to trigger Electrocution or Venom when hitting enemies.] The Stormscale python heart was a blue-black pendant shaped like a snake, about half the size of her palm. The chain looked like linked bones. It wasn't ugly, something one would see in dark or gothic fashion. Cynthia put it on right away. The Stormscale python fang was a curved dagger, about as long as her forearm. It gleamed coldly and looked razor sharp. It came with a sheath. She tested the length and figured she could strap it to her waist. Cynthia had never used a dagger before, but from using multi-tools and kitchen knives, she figured it would at least help with cutting meat. She learned both the blueprint and the skill tome right away. [Stormscale leather armor blueprint: Requires Stormscale python hide x1, Metal Ingot x2, Sinew Rope x2. Can only be crafted at a Crafting Bench.] [Skill: Venom Coating. Coats your current weapon with poison. Consumes 5 Energy per minute.] Cynthia frowned. She had no idea what Metal Ingot, Sinew Rope, Crafting Bench, and Energy were. Only then did it hit her—most of the items from the Stormscale Python couldn't be used yet. She couldn't help wondering if the Stormscale Python wasn't meant to be a boss for the Novice Period at all. But the Stormreed Resource Node wasn't far from her Shelter. If she wasn't supposed to run into it, the system should've placed it farther away. Cynthia couldn't figure it out for now, so she moved on to the last Bronze Chest. [Open Bronze Chest x1? Yes/No.] [Chest opened. Congratulations! Survivor has received Crafting Bench x1, Warding Lantern Schematic x1, Barren Farmland x1, Bottled Water x4, Copper Pot x1, Milk Soufflé x1, Basic Nutrient Solution x1] Cynthia's eyes went straight to the words "Crafting Bench." This was exactly what she needed. The Crafting Bench was listed as a building. She dragged it out and placed it against the right wall of the hut. A swirl of mist passed, and a wooden table appeared. It wasn't an ordinary table. The surface was carved with many grooves. When she stepped closer and touched it, blue light ran through the lines, and a Menu popped up in front of her. Only one blueprint was lit—the Stormscale leather armor. Cynthia quickly learned the Warding Lantern Schematic. [Warding Lantern: A classic product from the Hermes Alchemy Society. Applies Intimidation to some nearby monsters when used while traveling at night. Range and effect depend on the materials used.] The required crafting materials were two Metal Ingots, four glass, one Luminary, and one Rune Stone. Both the Luminary and Rune Stone slots had little plus signs under them, showing there were different options. When Cynthia clicked on Luminary, the only option was Stormscale python eyes. The Rune Stone section was empty. To Cynthia, the Warding Lantern was important. She didn't plan to go out at night, but once the Novice Period ended and the Shelter lost its protection, the Warding Lantern might help keep monsters away. She made a mental note to look for Metal Ingots, glass, and Rune Stones, then moved on. [Barren Farmland: Essential for planting. Each unit of farmland can only grow one unit of plants. No extra bonuses.] Barren Farmland had to be placed outside. She could use it to grow the Deepberry Bush. As for the Deepberry roots, she decided to stick to her earlier plan—bury some on her Island and some near the pond to see if they'd grow. The Copper Pot could be used to boil water, which meant bottled water wouldn't be as important anymore. She could trade some of it. As for the Milk Soufflé, she loved it and planned to eat it tonight. [Basic Nutrient Solution: Temporarily speeds up plant growth. Has a very small chance to increase yield.] It seemed meant to be used with the Barren Farmland, but Cynthia had a few other ideas. For now, she put it away. Done sorting everything, Cynthia crouched in front of the two Bronze Chests and chose to break them down. [Disassembly successful. Congratulations! Survivor has received Metal Ingot x4] So that was how one got Metal Ingots. An idea crossed Cynthia's mind. She walked over to the Crafting Bench and placed one Metal Ingot on it. A notification popped up: [Craft Metal Ingot x1 into nails x2? Yes/No.] So she could use the Crafting Bench even without a blueprint. Nails were important for upgrading the Shelter. Cynthia wasn't about to waste the chance. She placed three Metal Ingots on the bench and got six nails. Then, curious, she started placing nearby items on the bench one by one. No more notifications showed up. Instead, the system gave a chime. [The Sundered Realms announcement: Congratulations to Survivor Farmer in District 97 for being the first to upgrade the Shelter to Level 2. Reward: Golden Chest x1] Leaning against a chest, Cynthia opened the chat. People were already talking about it. [Current District: District 46, Emerald Sea (99,071/100,000)] Over nine hundred people gone in a single day. [Selling wood on the marketplace for any resources. Come check it out!] [What the hell are those things outside?] [Where do you even find glass and nails?] [Isn't anyone curious what's inside a Golden Chest?] [This is the second world announcement, right? The last one was about someone from District 7 getting the first boss kill.] More people chimed in. Some said they hadn't heard the last announcement. Some said they had. Even more were shocked by the idea of a boss. Cynthia pieced it together. The last announcement had happened very early—probably within half an hour of entering The Sundered Realms. Back then, most people hadn't even set up their Shelters yet. The Survivor Menu probably wasn't active, so they never heard the announcement. Many people had died in The Sundered Realms. But there were also strong players. Someone had already killed a boss in half an hour. Now someone else had upgraded their Shelter in a single day. Cynthia didn't feel jealous. She stayed calm. Today's haul had been good. She had fire, food, weapons, and nails for upgrading her Shelter. All she needed now was wood and glass. Cutting wood had been exhausting. Maybe it was because her Strength was only 6. Or maybe the long search for her Shelter had drained her Stamina. She just hoped her food would be valuable enough to trade. With that thought, she opened the marketplace. 👇👇👇 There are limited chapters to put here, click “learn more” to open App to continue reading (It will automatically jump to the book)

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First, her advisor called her in the middle of her vacation and sent her deep into the mountains. Then she got caught in a sudden storm at the summit and ended up trapped there for two days.

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Literie-A Thousand Lifetimes-ct

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