Qi Xu carried the box to the edge of the highway, stretching his legs slightly to adjust to his current physical condition.
Though it was a reward, the box always contained all sorts of monsters, appearing unpredictably regardless of the situation or setting, so he had to stay on high alert.
Once fully prepared, Qi Xu opened the box. Sure enough, the moment the lid lifted, a round, ghostly white head with bared teeth popped out, trying to leap free.
Reacting swiftly, Qi Xu kicked it straight into the endless darkness flanking the road the instant it emerged.
"Congratulations, Player Qi Xu, for achieving the First Kill milestone! You’ve earned the title 『Daredevil』. Would you like to announce this to the entire server?"
Without hesitation, Qi Xu replied, "Announce it—but wait. I need to change my nickname first."
"Understood. Please proceed to your personal data panel."
As a returning veteran player, Qi Xu wasn’t about to live meekly. Sometimes, sheer strength was the best disguise.
He opened his stats panel and couldn’t help but twitch his lips—his initial attributes were… impressively tragic.
[Player: Qi Xu, 24 years old
ID: 8866620010608
Nickname: Pending
Vehicle: Brand-new Electric Tricycle (Battery: 100%)
Health: 69 (Severe neck/shoulder issues, hand tendonitis, overall suboptimal health)
Fatigue: 9 (The only decent stat here)
Strength: 21 (Pathetic)
Stamina: 26 (Ever heard of exercise?)
Agility: 25 (Sluggish—can’t even run properly)
Combat Power: 35 (All style, no substance. Weird. Cheating much?)
Supplies: 6 packs of noodles, 20 eggs, 12 bottles of 550ml water, 1 portable cooking pot, 1 Silver Supply Crate.]
Qi Xu sighed. The sarcasm in the evaluation was off the charts. It’d been ages since he’d seen such blunt mockery—almost nostalgic.
He promptly set his nickname to "Invincible Black Whirlwind," hiding his real name. He’d used this alias before; it was familiar and intimidating, perfect for projecting an aura of authority.
To avoid targeted harassment, masking his name and gender was a necessary precaution.
The moment he updated his nickname, a bold, oversized banner flashed across the top of the screen:
[Congratulations to Player Invincible Black Whirlwind for securing the First Kill! Players, gear up and get moving!]
Qi Xu skimmed the public chat. Most were still utterly bewildered.
"Holy crap, is this for real or some joke?"
"The game started like a minute ago! I just picked my car, and someone’s already got a first kill? BS!"
Invincible big shot, say something!
"This game’s got no manners! I was mid-shower, still covered in soap, and it dragged me in without even letting me put clothes on!"
"Lucky me—I was in a supermarket. Just loaded a cart with snacks. Talk about a god-tier start, haha!"
Ahhh! Little sister, adopt me! I've got an eight-pack!
Bored of scrolling, Qi Xu checked his two titles’ attributes instead.
『Stubborn Mule』: "Why pick the sensible option when you can be a pain? Even donkeys bow to your obstinacy. +5 Strength when equipped."
『Daredevil』: "No matter how terrifying the monster, fear will never overwhelm you."
Since only one title could be active, Qi Xu chose 『Stubborn Mule』. Fearlessness against monsters was already his default. Clenching his fist, he finally felt a hint of actual strength.
Now, his attention turned to the Silver Supply Crate...
High hopes, don’t disappoint!
"Congratulations! You’ve obtained: Backpack ×1, seasonal clothing sets ×4, sterile underwear ×2, fresh meat buns ×8, self-heating rice ×4, self-heating hotpot ×4, metal ×5, gasoline ×5."
Ecstatic, Qi Xu grinned. This was a windfall—now this was a god-tier start.
He immediately equipped the backpack (10 slots for now, but ample for his current haul). The Silver Crate went into the tricycle as temporary storage. Later, with a workbench, he could dismantle it for materials.
In soaring spirits, Qi Xu mounted his beloved "steed" and hit the road.
As the vehicle started, a notification appeared: "Daily Travel Quota Remaining: 50 km."
During the 7-day newbie protection period, daily travel limits were lenient. With a functional vehicle and sound health, reaching the goal was practically guaranteed.
The highway stretched vast, making his electric tricycle seem tiny—but that made it easier to handle.
With no environmental disasters and fewer monsters in crates during the protection period, Qi Xu stayed relaxed, multitasking: driving, scanning for roadside supply crates, and browsing the chat hub for trade offers.
Most players, still fresh, were casually chatting. Few were trading, though beggars and freeloaders were plentiful.
Qi Xu filtered the chat to display only trade-related messages.
Soon, one caught his eye:
"Retired Magical Boy": "Anyone got gasoline? Trading 5 batteries! SOS, folks!"
Qi Xu opened a private chat. "I’ve got gas. Batteries accepted."
Before the reply came, he spotted another crate by the roadside and pulled over.
A wooden crate—lowest tier, but also lowest risk.
Opening it released a small rat. Seeing Qi Xu unfazed, it scurried away.
No point chasing. Though harmless, it was lightning-fast—far beyond his current agility.
"Congratulations! Obtained: Iron ×3, drinking water ×500ml."
Wooden crates paled next to Silver ones, but these were at least useful.
Back on the tricycle, Qi Xu noticed multiple private messages:
Retired Magical Boy: "Invincible Bigshot, 5 batteries for 3 units of gas?"
"Wait, scratch that—2 units? (^.^)!"
Hey, are you there? Two units too many? One unit for four batteries? Hello??
Qi Xu facepalmed. The guy had haggled himself into a corner without prompting.
He replied, "Busy earlier. 2 gas for all 5 batteries." Then sent a trade request, instantly accepted.
"Deal! Let’s trade again later. Add me?"
Qi Xu almost closed the chat… but hesitated. This guy’s lack of cunning might mean hidden luck—potential for rare items.
"Fine. Hit me up if you’ve got trades."
"Wuwuwu, Boss, you're really down-to-earth. So, uh... would you be interested in taking this off my hands?"
........
