Zhang Shi was awakened by the roar of a wild beast. Opening his eyes, he saw a drafty thatched hut and felt the hard wooden planks beneath him. Zhang Shi shuddered and instantly sobered up from his hangover.

"Damn! He must have been drunk last night, where did he go?"

Zhang Shi rubbed his slightly dizzy forehead, climbed up from the wooden plank, and realized that he was in a shack made of thatch. There was a wooden plank on the muddy ground, surrounded by some dry grass, which could barely be considered a bed. The style was as simple as it could be. Every now and then, a cool breeze would blow in from the gaps, making him sneeze.

"Did it wander into someone's watermelon field?"

Zhang Shi looked out of the shack; outside lay a vast open field, and it was already broad daylight. He instinctively reached for his phone to check the time, only to find his pockets empty, but a high-tech wristwatch now adorned his wrist.

"Huh?"

Zhang Shi grinned, immediately intrigued, and activated the interface to take a look, only to be startled by the sudden appearance of a semi-transparent panel.

"Holy crap, is this a holographic projection?!"

Zhang Shi was amazed by the watch's technological sophistication, his gaze sweeping over the system panel floating in mid-air. The top of the panel was divided into five modules:

[Regional Chat Channel] [World Channel] [Trade] [Build] [Backpack]

In the very center area, there is a red button that flashes red light, with the words "Start Game" written on it.

Zhang Shi noticed a bolded countdown timer below the button, which displayed...

00:20:54

Zhang Shi glanced at the time in the lower right corner: 7:40. He didn't know what would happen after the countdown ended, but as long as it wasn't a bomb, he could accept it.

With a try-it-out mentality, Zhang Shi clicked the red button.

Several lines of text were displayed on the system interface, which read:

Welcome to the Wilderness World! Here, there is no hierarchy; everything you possessed in your original world has been reshuffled. Wealth, fame, power, disease, and all other external possessions vanish upon your arrival in the Wilderness World.

Your only task in this wilderness is to survive. In this world, only shelter can protect you, shield you from the wind and rain, and protect you from the wild beasts that lurk after nightfall.

Survivors, bravely explore this unfamiliar world, gather resources, upgrade your shelter, and survive in this perilous world.

Zhang Shi had a rather unconventional way of thinking, and his thoughts jumped around quickly, allowing him to accept the fact that he had transmigrated into the game world. Noticing that the system said it could take away his illness, Zhang Shi carefully pinched his arm.

Feeling his body brimming with vitality and some hidden ailments healing themselves, Zhang Shi beamed with joy. His unrestrained laughter spilled out of the drafty thatched hut, echoing across the wild landscape, making him feel that his transmigration wasn't so bad after all.

After venting his frustrations for a while, Zhang Shi, feeling slightly dejected, reopened the system interface and continued reading the prompts.

Although the wilderness is fraught with danger, the risks decrease significantly after sunrise each day, making it a good time for survivors to venture out and explore.

[Daytime is a fixed 8 hours, and the system will remind you of the day and night times. Once night falls, wild beasts that have been lurking in the shadows will emerge to hunt. Please stay safely in your shelter, or these hungry beasts will tear you to pieces.]

Don't think you can be fearless just because it's a game. There are no resurrection coins here; you only have one life. Don't take any chances.

In the wilderness world, there exist many unexpected and magical items, listed in rarity as follows: Common (White) - High-grade (Blue) - Exquisite (Green) - Rare (Purple) - Artifact (Pink) - Legendary (Orange) - Epic (Gold) - Mythical (Rare). PS: Some special items are not listed here.

Please explore diligently. If you're lucky, you might find yourself living a more comfortable life here than before.

The initial shelter is insufficient to withstand wild beasts and natural disasters. Please gather resources as soon as possible to upgrade your shelter.

The initial seven days are the beginner period, during which some features are not yet unlocked. During this time, the climate around your shelter is favorable, making it difficult for wild animals to spot you. Make the most of this valuable time to develop your shelter and prepare for the natural disasters that will follow once the beginner period ends.

Zhang Shi let out a long sigh, digesting all this information in one go. He then turned his attention to the chat channel.

The world chat channel is not yet unlocked. Zhang Shi opened the regional chat channel. Although the chat content refreshed very quickly, it was still barely legible.

Zhu Dachang: Where exactly is this place? I just came out of a bathhouse and was inexplicably transported here.

Chen Guanxin: Um, where am I? I'm a big star. Is there anyone who can help me get back? I'll transfer 300 yuan to him on WeChat. I salute you.

Liu Ruanruan: Waaaaah, there are ghosts wailing and howling outside, I'm so scared, is there any brother who can take me home?

Ge Dalong: Everyone, since we're here, let's make the best of it. Check your backpacks; there's a newbie gift pack inside. Open it to get some supplies.

Duan Bi: Wow, there really are newbie supplies! Brother Ge, you're so kind, I like you so much.

Zhu Dachang: I tested it, and I thought it was a girl, but when I clicked on the profile picture, it was a guy. It disgusted me.

Zhang Shi discovered that all the people on the platform were verified with their real names. He clicked on Ge Dalong's profile picture, which showed a handsome young man of similar age who gave off the impression of an upright and caring older brother.

Zhang Shi opened his inventory, and as Ge Dalong had said, there was indeed a newbie gift pack inside. Without hesitation, he opened the pack.

System notification: Congratulations on obtaining:

[Broken Stone Axe (White) x1: Can be used for chopping wood, and can also serve as a weapon in emergencies, but its effectiveness is poor. If I had other options, I would definitely throw it away. Durability: 20]

[Worn-out Stone Pickaxe (White) x1: Can be used for quarrying, and can also serve as a weapon in emergencies, but its effectiveness is poor. If I had other options, I would probably dismantle it. Durability: 20]

[500ml (white) purified water x1: Ordinary bottled water, nothing special, but you just can't live without it. The bottle can be reused after the water is finished.]

[500g white bread x1: Ordinary bagged bread, nothing special, don't worry about the taste, it'll fill you up in a pinch.]

"Are they trying to make me do hard labor?"

Zhang Shi repeatedly took the items out of the backpack and put them back in. He found that the backpack compartment was like a private space, with no feeling of being burdened. However, the compartment had very few items, only 10.

Curious, Zhang Shi clicked on the trading interface again and found that it required survivors to set nicknames. Zhang Shi smiled.

"This system is quite user-friendly; it even knows how to protect traders' privacy."

Zhang Shi silently typed in his nickname: 【Regaining Manly Virility】