—Phantom Princess gains 2 survival points

No fur fell off; it probably died in a bad way after a free fall and rolling.

Xia Ning: (。﹏。*)

The game doesn't play by the rules.

Xia Ning silently opened the treasure chest.

[A simple blue treasure chest, just like you, so ordinary.]

[Standard Dagger (Attack value +3 when equipped)]

[Common Wood x3]

Xia Ning skillfully ignored the system's taunts, was in a good mood after unlocking the equipment, and immediately equipped it.

This fills all 6 equipment slots, so you'll have to replace the equipment the next time you open the game.

Xia Ning is currently quite satisfied with her attributes; level 2 monsters are no match for her, and she should be able to defeat level 3 monsters as well.

However, Xia Ning still prioritized survival, developing her strength cautiously. If she got injured, she would have to spend survival points to buy a medical kit, so it was better to win without taking any damage.

Xia Ning drove forward along the dried-up riverbed, and gradually the green plants came into view.

She had a feeling that she might see the oasis today.

The sun was getting increasingly scorching, so Xia Ning turned on the air conditioner and, in a good mood, played a heavy metal background music track on her phone.

Since we can't defy fate, let's enjoy it.

The words may be rough, but the principle is sound.

Xia Ning roared excitedly, "The vast horizon is my love~ Aiya hey, aiya ho, ants pressing down on a tree~ I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid anymore~"

She doesn't care if the lyrics are sung incorrectly or in a nutshell; her main focus is on expressing her true feelings directly. She sings without thinking, without any technique, just pure emotion.

-

3:16 PM.

Xia Ning arrived at the oasis.

The greenery I was tired of seeing in the rainforest instance felt incredibly welcoming at this moment.

A surge of joy welled up in Xia Ning's chest, almost uncontrollable. This verdant green seemed even more precious amidst the endless yellow sand.

Xia Ning rolled down the car window and took a deep breath of fresh air.

Lush trees surrounded a small lake. Animals drinking at the lakeside twitched their ears at the sound of a car, then hid in the bushes, warily eyeing the intruder.

The newcomer Xia Ning quickly lost interest in appreciating the oasis's ecosystem, because she saw several low wooden houses with a sign hanging in front of them—

Exchange

At the same time, the system's voice sounded inside the car.

—Congratulations on arriving at the Supply Station: Free Trade Zone. Players in this area can activate protection mode, move freely, and are protected from any attacks.

Xia Ning's eyes widened in surprise, wondering if she was hallucinating.

Unfortunately, the system only delivers important information once, giving users no chance to confirm it repeatedly.

Fortunately, Xia Ning still has the amazing tool of a car navigation system.

The next second, she saw that all the red dots within a three-kilometer radius had disappeared, clearly indicating that this was a trade zone.

Xia Ning, as usual, complained, "I thought the entire oasis was immune to damage, but it turns out there are still regional boundaries."

At the same time, she was also glad that she had exchanged her survival points for a car navigation system. If she hadn't known the distance and had accidentally crossed the red line, it would have been terrible.

There was only one narrow path in the oasis for people and camels to travel through. After thinking about it, Xia Ning decided not to drive in, but to get out of the car and walk.

Firstly, the car was inconvenient, and secondly, Xia Ning was really tired of riding in cars!

She never imagined that one day running and walking would be so restrictive.

The first thing Xia Ning did after getting off the bus was to do a set of radio calisthenics.

The animals hiding behind the trees watched the strange creatures' behavior with bewilderment. If it were a human, they would probably look at it with concern, as if it were mentally challenged.

Will there be others like them?

Xia Ning did her aerobics while keeping an eye on her surroundings.

To her, fellow players are not just people or humanoid creatures, but also other players.

Is the trade zone a transit point for players to meet?

Xia Ning was lost in thought. She had just sent a private message to her sister but hadn't replied yet.

Before long, Xia Ning's actions attracted the attention of the others in the oasis.

A man in a long robe walked up to Xia Ning. His skin was dark and covered with wrinkles. He looked the woman who was acting strangely up and down.

Xia Ning stopped and tried to recite the slogan.

"Heavenly King covers the Earth Tiger?"

"..."

"Odd changes, even remains the same?"

"..."

"Hello, I'm fine, and you?"

"..."

A silent standoff ensued for a moment.

The other party finally spoke.

The man in the long robe: "#@￥#@……%￥&%￥&!"

Xia Ning: I don't understand!

However, she was almost certain that the person on the other end was an NPC, not a player.

Xia Ning let out a long sigh of relief, unsure whether she felt more disappointed or relieved.