Chapter 4: Exploring the Darkness

As soon as the clock struck six in the evening, the sun that had been hanging in the sky vanished instantly, plunging the outside of the thatched hut into complete darkness.

Inside the hut, without any lamps or torches, it was just as pitch black.

Ning Yun hadn’t experienced such utter darkness for a long time—reaching out her hand and seeing nothing at all.

The hut’s windows were merely decorative.

No, perhaps there truly was not a single glimmer of light outside—not even the moon.

The moon?

Ning Yun gave a self-mocking smile. She was no longer on Blue Star; how could there be a moon here?

Even the sun during the day was probably a virtual creation by the game system.

Still, she had long been accustomed to brightly lit nights, and the fear of darkness seemed engraved in her very DNA.

She was not the only one feeling this way.

During the day, everyone was busy searching for treasure chests, and few spoke in the chat channel.

Now, except for those courting death, everyone was holed up inside their huts. Since going to bed early wasn’t an option, the chat channel had become lively again.

“This is ridiculous, it’s too dark inside the hut. The system is so stingy it won’t even bother to install a single lamp?”

“Didn’t you get any torches?”

“Shut up! Nobody asked you!!!!”

Without a doubt, the player who received the torches was that same player, number 356.

“Such luck,” Ning Yun couldn’t help but sigh.

Little did anyone know, no matter how lucky that player was, they couldn’t compare to her critical hit talent—one chest was like opening two for others.

Among all the beta testers, she was by far the wealthiest.

Many players were also sharing survival tips.

“There’s plenty edible outdoors—wild fruits, bamboo shoots, and various mushrooms. I’ve tried the poisonous ones; they cause health loss but won’t kill you. If you’re desperate, it’s a gamble worth taking.”

“Haha, good thing I usually watch wilderness survival videos. Though I only found two chests, I managed to dig up taro! After a full day of digging, I won’t have to worry about food anymore.”

“I found shepherd’s purse, dandelion, noodles, locust flowers, fish mint, and purslane. I thought I was the biggest winner, but can someone tell me where to find a pot, fire, and water?”

On the first day, most players opened chests and mainly obtained water and food.

Very few, like her, managed to get weapons and daily supplies.

She organized her backpack: for food, there was toast, brown sugar steamed buns, rice balls, apples, mulberries, and raspberries; for drinks, only a 500ml bottle and a 250ml bottle of water remained.

At present, she had a stone axe, a dagger, goggles, and shoes.

Bandages were medical supplies, not yet needed.

Her first day’s haul was considerable—items were abundant and varied. By tomorrow, her backpack might not even hold everything.

Questions about this flooded the chat channel.

“This game isn’t like Minecraft; can’t we craft chests? There are too many items, and the backpack is far too small.”

“Same here, this game is unreasonable. The backpack is so small! I want to pay to unlock more slots.”

“How many chests have you opened? Even twenty slots aren’t enough?”

“I only opened two chests but gathered lots of wild vegetables. Each type takes one slot—definitely unreasonable.”

“I tried to keep a chest to store items, but it just disappeared. The system is too stingy.”

For a moment, everyone was complaining about how full their backpacks were—utterly insufficient.

Ning Yun thought for a moment and decided to speak in the chat channel for the first time.

“Player 666: Extra items can be stored inside your hut; the system won’t refresh or remove them.”

To convince others, she added,

“Player 666: If you don’t believe me, try putting some wild grass or similar items inside and check tomorrow.”

Because of her distinctive number, her message stood out in the chat.

“666, is that true?”

“Well, just try tomorrow and see. I don’t think 666 would lie.”

“Would anyone really believe that? There’s nothing inside the huts. If you throw things on the floor, won’t the system refresh and clear them? Sounds like a trap.”

“Hey, does 666 have any reason to lie? Besides, why not test it yourself with some junk?”

Some believed her, naturally, while others doubted.

Ning Yun wasn’t angry when she saw this.

She simply felt that, as fellow Blue Star natives inexplicably dragged into this game, sharing trivial tips cost her nothing.

On the contrary, the more survivors there were, the better it was for her.

Because this was not a game for one—it was about the survival of Blue Star itself.

Human beings were the foundation of all civilization.

If everyone else died and only she remained, what meaning would there be?

Attentive players, after seeing Ning Yun’s advice, tried taking unused small items out and placing them on the ground.

There was no need to wait until the next day; if the items weren’t refreshed tonight, it would prove Ning Yun’s words true.

Perhaps encouraged by her example, more players began sharing their own tips.

“Half-drunk bottled water can be refilled if you find a water source, but empty bottles will be refreshed by the system.”

“Upgrading the thatched hut requires wood. If you don’t have stones, you can dig up saplings to get wood.”

“I have lots of stones here; I’ve tried it. Tiny pebbles can’t upgrade the house. When you collect more than ten, the system will notify you to combine them into a single stone.”

...

Others in the chat taught how to find water sources, how to start fire by friction, and even shared how some players found gourds and fashioned them into water containers recognized by the system.

One message after another dazzled the readers.

Ning Yun cursed her lack of pen and paper, unable to record every detail.

Some in the channel sighed.

“Everyone here is so skilled; I don’t know anything and can only cheer you on.”

“There are still many good people in the world.”

“We’re all from Blue Star; we should help each other.”

For some reason, aside from a few clueless troublemakers at the start, everyone seemed to become rational and clever that first night.

Occasionally, a few agitators, realizing there was no trading in the game, had to abandon their schemes and focus on opening chests and gathering supplies to avoid starving.

When faced with the threat of survival, the mind naturally clears.

Ning Yun ate two rice balls and drank some water.

It was only seven o’clock; the remaining time was perfect for exercise.

Fortunately, she had taken Tai Chi as an elective in college for credits and had continued practicing with her grandfather, still remembering the routine.

Though unsure if it would help, it was a nice way to pass the time.

Elsewhere, a man emptied the food and water from his backpack, placing them inside his hut.

“Hmph, I want to see what kind of monsters are lurking outside tonight!”

He swung his long sword confidently in his hand.