Chapter 1: Hellish Start with a Bonus Sharp-Tongued Navigation System...
When Lin Yue woke up, his first thought was, "Which damn client has moved the construction site to the head of my bed again?"
A sharp, stabbing pain shot through the back of my head. The air was thick with a mixture of earthy, decaying plant odors and something else... well, let's just call it a pristine, organic fragrance. If I had to rate it, it would be somewhere between a compost plant and a sewer.
He struggled to open his eyes, and it took him half a minute to refocus.
What came into view was not the familiar plaster ceiling, nor the buzzing computer tower, nor the potted green ivy on the corner of the table that he had ravaged and was now barely alive.
Instead, there is an extremely pristine, high-definition, uncensored primeval jungle, as if it were directly taken from a Discovery Channel documentary.
Towering trees with gnarled vines intertwined, and the ground was covered with thick, slippery moss and fallen leaves, making a squelching sound when stepped on.
Sunlight filtered through the layers of tree canopy, casting dappled patterns of light that barely dispelled the gloom. This... this is not Earth!
Lin Yue fell silent.
He pinched his thigh.
Ouch—it hurts!
It's not a dream.
So here's the question: Wasn't he still at the company last night, working on CAD drawings, burning the midnight oil for some damn project milestone for 36 hours straight, and then gloriously slamming his face on the keyboard and passing out?
How come the scene changes faster than the client's requirements when I wake up? The latest employee benefit is an immersive wilderness survival experience? Or... after his glorious death, did he cross the Bridge of Helplessness instead of the Bridge of Helplessness, but Bear Grylls' adventure route?
"My '996 blessing' has been directly upgraded to an otherworldly gift package?" Lin Yue looked down at himself.
He was still wearing the same pilling T-shirt with a certain anime logo printed on it as yesterday, a pair of faded jeans, and sneakers with almost worn-out soles.
This equipment seems, might, and definitely isn't suitable for wilderness survival.
He struggled to stand up, but his limbs felt as heavy as lead. The slightest movement caused his bones to creak and groan in pain, as if in a collective protest strike. The sub-health conditions resulting from years of desk work were laid bare at that moment.
"Well, forget about wilderness survival, I'm afraid I can't even keep up with the old men doing their morning exercises in the neighborhood." Lin Yue leaned against a rough tree trunk and barely managed to stand up steadily.
Looking around, there were only trees, and not even a single animal to ask for directions. Oh, wait, just now a brightly colored insect, like a spilled palette, flew past him; clearly, it didn't have the ability to communicate across species.
Okay, calm down, let's first determine what's the most urgent task?
First, determine the current safety level of the environment. The environment is unknown, and the risk level is tentatively set at the highest. A relatively safe temporary shelter needs to be found.
Next, assess your own condition. You are weak and extremely thirsty. You urgently need to replenish fluids and energy.
Finally, gather information. Figure out where we are, whether there are other intelligent beings, and whether there is any possibility of returning.
Lin Yue dragged his heavy steps and began to move unsteadily around the area. He was preparing to find a place that could shelter him from the wind and rain, and preferably also offer some protection against potential wild animals.
He finally found a decent crevice in the rocks. The space wasn't large, just enough for him to curl up inside, and there were several clumps of dense bushes outside that could serve as natural cover. Although it was rudimentary, it was still better than being in the open.
"Five-star review, upgraded from a deluxe open-air suite to a rock wall single room." Lin Yue slumped on the cold stone floor, making a self-comforting complaint.
Having temporarily solved the accommodation problem, the more pressing issue of food and drink is now at hand.
But a problem soon arose: thirst.
His throat was as dry as if a mine had been opened in the Sahara Desert, and his stomach was so empty it could run a train. He licked his chapped lips and began searching for water nearby.
Nine years of compulsory education taught him that water flows downhill, and places with lush vegetation usually have relatively abundant water sources. Following the terrain downhill, he indeed found a murky stream not far away.
The stream water had an eerie yellowish-brown hue, mixed with various unidentified sediments, fallen leaves, and decaying branches. You could even see a few strangely shaped insects swimming on the surface.
Lin Yue: "..."
Lin Yue stared at the water, his reason and thirst pulling him in a fierce battle.
Just then, a pale blue halo flashed before his eyes without warning, followed by a semi-transparent text box popping up:
[Warning! Host's vital signs are below the average for office workers]
[Basic environment scan initiated...]
[Water source testing in progress... Composition analysis: Unknown organic pollutant levels exceed standards, multiple parasite eggs present, suspected presence of neurotoxins. Drinking recommendation: Those who want to experience instant death or severe intestinal perforation can drink directly.]
[Physical condition monitoring: Mild dehydration, low blood sugar, severe exhaustion. Overall assessment: Extremely weak. Probability of survival: Very low.]
Lin Yue: "???"
He blinked and rubbed his eyes, but the translucent frame still stubbornly hovered in front of his vision.
Hallucination? Neurosis caused by overwork? Or is this the legendary cheat code? It's just that this cheat code seems to be a bit sarcastic, immediately stamping him with a "weakling" certification.
"Hello? System? Grandpa? Or some strange app? Can you explain what's going on?" Lin Yue tried to communicate using his thoughts or by muttering to himself.
There was no reaction. The box simply sat there quietly, as if mocking his foolishness.
Okay, it seems that this system currently only provides basic information broadcasting and commentary services.
But at least it confirmed that the water was undrinkable. In a way, it saved his life, or at least delayed his death.
If it's not drinkable, then we can only try to purify it.
Filtration, that's right, physical filtration, a simple water purification device.
What do we need? Sand, pebbles, charcoal, cloth...
Lin Yue looked around, then at the T-shirt he was wearing, and subconsciously covered the hem.
He sighed silently. Fine, what does integrity matter when it comes to survival?
He began collecting materials, using sand and gravel from the ground and tearing off pieces of cloth, but he still needed to start a fire to make charcoal.
Start a fire?
Lin Yue stared at his empty hands and fell silent once more. Starting a fire by friction? He'd only ever seen it on TV; the practical difficulty far outweighed the theory. A flint and steel? Where in this godforsaken place could he find one?
His thirst intensified, and his strength was rapidly waning. He even began to feel dizzy.
"I'm dying before I even get started..." Lin Yue leaned against a tree, feeling the scene before him begin to spin. "I, a top student from a prestigious 985 university with three years of experience as a laborer, finally caught this wave of transmigration. I was just preparing to fight like the protagonist in a novel, making a name for myself in the new world, but... but I can't even find a sip of clean water, and I'm going to die of thirst and hunger here first? This plot isn't right! What happened to the overpowered protagonist script?!"
He gritted his teeth and tried to find edible wild fruits, but was repeatedly interrupted by the system:
[Plant Scan: Scarlet Poison Fruit. Effect: Ingestion causes intense hallucinations, with a chance of seeing one's deceased great-grandmother, accompanied by bleeding from all seven orifices. Do not attempt.]
[Plant Scan: Itchy Konjac. Effects: Causes intense itching upon skin contact, lasting for three days and three nights, a truly unbearable experience. Avoid contact with the skin.]
[Plant Scan: ...]
A series of warnings ruled out almost everything in the vicinity that looked edible.
Lin Yue was utterly desperate: "So, apart from rocks and dirt, there's nothing here that's safe to enter?"
As darkness fell, the light in the jungle grew increasingly dim. The temperature also began to drop, bringing a biting chill.
Exhaustion, hunger, thirst, cold, and fear of the unknown surged towards Lin Yue like a tide.
Just as his consciousness began to fade and he was about to give up struggling, a low, threatening howl suddenly came from the depths of the jungle.
The sound was something no known creature on Earth could produce; it was filled with wildness and brutality, as if some large predator was announcing the start of its hunt.
The system interface is flashing wildly: [Detected a young winged lizard: Its diet is extensive, including bipeds. It is recommended to immediately stop emitting resentment.]
Lin Yue: "......"
With a jolt, he instantly snapped back to reality, and the hairs on his body stood on end.
He instinctively retreated into the depths of the rock crevice, his heart pounding, and he even held his breath.
On the system interface, the various values representing his physical condition were plummeting, and the words "extremely low probability of survival" seemed incredibly glaring at that moment.
Night finally fell. But the danger lurking in the darkness was only just beginning to show its fangs.
Lin Yue curled up on the cold stone, with only one thought in his mind:
"Where's the newbie protection period? Where's the newbie gift pack? I'm complaining! I have to give this a bad review!"
A note from the author:
----------------------
Lin Yue (hugging the stone): System, I want the newbie gift pack!
System (indifferent): Gift pack = Poisonous Mushroom + Wild Boar Chase Ticket, which one do you want?
Lin Yue: ...Never mind what I said.
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