As soon as Qi Xu received the items, a notification flashed across the holographic screen.
["The upgrade conditions for a Level 5 vehicle have been met. Would you like to proceed with the upgrade now? The process will take 30 minutes."]
Without hesitation, Qi Xu immediately responded, "Upgrade!"
Though it was already 6 PM, upgrading sooner rather than later was crucial. If he lost the title of "Server First" by even a second, it would be a huge loss—most of his top-tier loot had come from securing that rank.
Still, another 30-minute wait...
Qi Xu pondered where he could scavenge more energy stones. While he’d already gathered all the materials needed for the upgrade, he’d have to repay the borrowed resources—and then some.
He suspected Old White Dragon in the Waves had also stockpiled 1,000 vehicle upgrade fragments. The tavern offered plenty of rewards and opportunities, and Old White Dragon was tight with Drunken Monkey.
So not only did he need to repay, but he also had to do it quickly.
Starting from Level 5 vehicles, the top ten players to upgrade would receive rewards, though only the top three would get a server-wide announcement.
After racking his brain, he recalled a four-star dungeon called "The Miner’s Mission," where energy stones could be mined in the mountains—though it was exhausting work.
Otherwise, he’d have to rely on dungeon ranking rewards or monthly leaderboard prizes.
The dungeon reset only once every 10 days, but tonight marked the end of the month. Once the upgrade finished, he’d use a fuel pack to boost his mileage and secure the top spot in the region.
With 30 minutes to kill, Qi Xu took his time eating. Chinese Master Chef’s skills were unreal—how could something as simple as an egg pancake and millet porridge taste so divine?
He drank every last drop, still craving more.
Pulling out two sticks of beef jerky, he chewed lazily to pass the time.
Noticing the chat lobby had only lost about 1,000 players, Qi Xu was surprised.
Last time, by the end of the first month, Server 666’s population had been halved, dropping to just over 4,000.
Now, there were 2,000 more survivors. It dawned on him that even though he was the only one who’d relived this timeline, his actions had altered countless fates.
Players like Warwolf 009 and Old White Dragon in the Waves were already powerhouses in the previous run, consistently ranking in the top 10.
But elite specialists like Chinese Master Chef and Watch Me Cut You Down? Qi Xu had never even heard of them before...
Scrolling through the chat logs, he saw despair and frustration everywhere.
Player 0202: "What’s the point of this? Wake up, drive, fight monsters for our lives—rinse and repeat. Is there even an end to this highway? Are we just supposed to drive until we die? Why not just die now and get it over with?"
Zhuang Zhou’s Dream: "I feel the same. My life has no meaning anymore. I spent my early years grinding to get into a top university, only to end up here where none of that knowledge matters."
Player 1129: "I just finished paying off my mortgage. The damn house was finally built after years of delays—never even got to live in it. Now I’m homeless again."
Strawberry with Orange Flavor: "Ugh... I’m done. I’m going to die. Maybe I’ll finally see what’s inside the black fog."
Three seconds later, their avatar turned gray, and Server 666’s count dropped by one.
The chat grew even heavier.
Reading the bleak messages, Qi Xu sighed. Everyone hit this wall eventually...
After a long pause, he typed a response.
Invincible Black Whirlwind: "Stop obsessing over what happens two hours or eight kilometers from now. Even without this survival game, would your life be free of problems? Would you be living carefree?
Students drown in academic pressure. Adults struggle with money, marriage pressure, mortgages, medical bills, kids’ tuition, office politics, in-law drama, midlife layoffs, unemployment, forced reliance on parents—or worse, having no safety net at all.
You think that’s easier? If you’re just going to wallow, you might as well off yourself now. Every era has its losers."
Cursed by Bad Luck: "I agree with Whirlwind. I was terminally ill before this game. Now? My cancer’s gone.
For me, this game is salvation. My parents don’t have to kill themselves working to pay my medical bills anymore. Being healthy... it’s a gift."
Reborn: "Honestly? I’m thriving. No more dealing with my idiot husband or his mom. The sky’s never looked brighter."
Retired Magical Boy: "You’ve got to stay alive to find out if there’s hope."
More players began sharing their stories, and Qi Xu felt a warmth in his chest...
Until Watch Me Cut You Down barged in, shifting the tone entirely.
Watch Me Cut You Down: "Good riddance to these whiny crybabies. They’ve got too much free time. Step on the gas and loot some damn boxes instead of yapping uselessly! Only one suicide? Disappointing. Give me a show!"
Qi Xu burst out laughing.
Invincible Black Whirlwind: "Spitting facts, Cut You!"
The chat was about to erupt in outrage—until Invincible Black Whirlwind’s endorsement silenced them.
Strangely, the harsh words snapped people out of their funk. Looking back at their own despairing rants, they felt a little embarrassed...
Maybe this survival game wasn’t so bad. Without the usual backstabbing, supporting each other made the journey feel a bit more hopeful.
Dongfang Yuan had just been venting, but her outburst somehow summoned a golden supply crate—a rare, monster-free one at that.
Ecstatic, she cackled like a maniac.
Then she teleported it straight to Qi Xu.
Watch Me Cut You Down: "Here. My first golden crate! Guess my luck’s finally turning."
Invincible Black Whirlwind: "Why give it to me? Open it yourself!"
Watch Me Cut You Down: "Nah, with my luck? You do it. If there’s food inside, just toss me some."
Qi Xu equipped the [I Have X-Ray Vision] title to inspect the crate.
Contents:
- 3× Taro Milk Buns
- 3× 300g Pure Brown Sugar
- 3× Camel Milk Powder
- 3× Almond, Pear, and Loquat Paste
- 3× Kids’ Cheese Sticks
- 1× Table and Two Chairs Set
- 3× High-Fat Pure Milk
Pathetic. A golden crate, and this is all it had? Was this even worthy of the "golden" label?
.........
