“My name is Li Xue. I used all my points to upgrade my physique. I can’t be of much help, but at least I won’t be a burden,” the girl with the high ponytail said. “I can help out, and I don’t ask for much. Just let me follow along. If I get into danger, you don’t need to save me. I’ll just consider it bad luck.”

The short-haired, cool girl said: "Huolin's specialty is running away. She bought darts with points, and her aim is pretty good. Her fighting ability is also passable."

The man with the buzz cut: "Brother, my name is Liu Xin, just call me Xiao Liu. I've put all my points into defense, so my self-healing ability is top-notch. The only downside is that I can't stand being hungry. Just give me some food, I'll even test poison on you. I can be a meat shield that isn't too tough."

We're all new players, and we can't afford items that cost tens of millions of points, so we can only focus on improving our physical attributes.

Yu Ling used grilled fish to get closer to Du Wencheng and created a persona of a weak and vulnerable supporter, but she didn't take these three people seriously.

The fact that the two girls managed to get this far clearly shows they lacked confidence in completing the game on their own. The guy with the buzz cut was even worse; he was a complete slacker, only capable of a few clever tricks at most, and was definitely not a good teammate.

But Du Wencheng doesn't think so!

It's not like we're clearing a map with a big boss, and there's not much danger. If we find some food and stick together for warmth, it won't be a problem to get through three to five days. If we find a few teammates who are weaker than ourselves, wouldn't that make it easier for him to be the big brother?

Perhaps, just like with the previous mission maps, we can find an opportunity to extort them.

"Okay, let's form a group together then."

Du Wencheng took it upon himself to keep the three of them behind. And, acting like an elder brother, he arranged the team into groups.

The two girls worked with Yu Ling as logistics personnel. Yu Ling fished, while the two girls cooked and boiled water. Du Wencheng and the crew-cut man were responsible for going out to collect firewood and protecting the team from being bullied by other players, since not everyone was lucky enough to find food.

Fishing was a trick Yu Ling used with her sorcery. The small fish in the sea are very clever, and there are also piranhas lurking nearby. It's not without danger; going into the sea is a sure way to die.

The first night came quickly, and darkness gradually fell. Everyone's stomachs began to rumble, but having rested well in the space, their bodies could still hold on. Yu Ling grilled some more fish for them to share. Since there was no fresh water, they ate a few bites and went to sleep fully clothed.

As the temperature grew colder, the man with the buzz cut and Du Wencheng, who had initially kept their distance, somehow ended up huddled together. It's always warmer when there are more people around. Li Xue and Huo Lin did the same. But since men and women are different, the players weren't exactly relaxed, so they ended up in pairs occupying both sides of the campfire.

The wind is colder by the sea, and I wonder if some players will choose to spend the night in the woods because they can't stand the cold.

Although everyone here is a night owl accustomed to modern comforts, no one on this deserted island has any desire to stay up all night. They are all drowsy, except for Yu Ling, who volunteered to add firewood and keep watch. She hides from them and plays her own little game a little distance away from the fire.

Although I haven't claimed the rewards yet, I estimate they're not much. I'll save them up and withdraw them all at once, otherwise, withdrawing them in hundreds at a time won't be satisfying enough.

As night fell and the residual heat from the daytime sun on the sand dropped sharply, they would have definitely frozen to death if nothing had separated their bodies from the ground.

Although Du Wencheng had no prior knowledge of wilderness survival, he was physically strong and had a keen sense of temperature. Unlike the other guys who were already asleep and curled up in a ball, he actually woke up from his sleep.

He groggily got up from the ground, and when he looked again, he saw that the figure not far away who was staring blankly (playing a game without sharing) did not show any signs of dozing off.

This kid doesn't seem like a complete novice anymore. Could it be that I misjudged him?

Du Wencheng adjusted his clothes and asked, "Yu Ling? It's so cold now, why don't you sit closer?"

At least the fire is still burning brightly here.

"Why did you wake up, Brother Du? It's nothing. I'll warm up by moving around a bit every now and then. You guys are sleeping and must be cold if you don't move. This place isn't very big, so let me warm you up here."

What Yu Ling said was so reasonable that there was no fault in it. Indeed, moderate activity can mobilize the body's heat, but... who can resist exercising by a warm fire?

Although Du Wencheng didn't consider himself a completely good person, he was at least pragmatic and knew that Yu Ling was just showing him that she wasn't really that weak, so as not to have any bad intentions towards him. He smiled even more sincerely.

Isn't this kid just trying to play dumb to get what he wants? Well, that kind of image is perfect for entrapment. Luckily, he didn't give himself away and has always been easy to talk to.

“You’re right, then I’ll get up and stretch too.” Du Wencheng nodded and stood up. As he passed by, he patted Yu Ling on the shoulder. “It’s quite cold here. I’ll go pick some leaves and bring some back for you.”

"Oh? Then I'll thank you in advance, Brother Du."

Little did Yu Ling know that this person had already conjured up some exciting scenarios in his mind simply because he wasn't afraid of the cold. He had been wandering around the mission world for too long and had long forgotten that for a weakling like him, even such a small anomaly could be considered that of a skilled player.

Yu Ling completely forgot about Du Wencheng's overtures and continued playing the game. He could guarantee that he had never played video games for so long in his life. He couldn't help it; even though these things were boring, he was making money!

As long as there's money to be made, whether it's fun or not is secondary. Yu Ling was focused on playing the game, but to Du Wencheng, who returned with a pile of relatively dry leaves, he appeared to be a cunning and shrewd strategist, deeply considering how to complete the player's mission.

As expected of a big shot, he acted quite convincingly. When he first woke up, he thought this guy was just spacing out like an idiot. Luckily, he realized it in time!

Du Wen, in order to cooperate with Yu Ling, whom he regarded as a big shot, didn't say much. He put a thick layer of leaves under himself and under Yu Ling, and then turned over and went to sleep again.

They needed to conserve their energy for tomorrow's challenges, when the players' mental state would crumble after learning the harshness of the mission. He had secretly tried to light the branches here; they were difficult to ignite, and he hadn't seen any other sparks while collecting leaves. It seemed the other players were far less capable than them that night.

On their first day on the deserted island, the players were all teaming up to familiarize themselves with the environment, and things were generally peaceful. On the second day, as the warm sunlight shone on the few people by the extinguished campfire, the bone-chilling cold finally eased.

Du Wencheng was still the first to get up. The first thing he did after opening his eyes was to turn his head and look at Yu Ling.

Wait, if he's not mistaken... this guy was in this position and spot last night, right? He really didn't move an inch?