At exactly 8 PM, all 100 gang members had gathered.
The expressions on everyone's faces were unusually excited. Although there had been occasional group dinners since arriving on Survival Highway, they had always been held at Little Hedgehog's buffet. There hadn't been a strong sense of belonging, but today was different! Today, they were on their own gang's turf!
Even though this territory was still barren—just a patch of yellow earth with no bright houses, no neat tables and chairs, not even a shelter from wind and rain—everyone still gathered around the temporary campfire, their eyes shining with light.
Qi Xu also looked at the campfire before him, feeling a bit dazed.
He couldn't shake the eerie familiarity of the scene, naturally associating it with when he first arrived in Sector 01. The figures behind the campfire overlapped with the silhouettes of those players from Sector 01...
Suddenly, a sharp pain thrummed in his head.
Having witnessed Sister Amin's severed leg, Ah Snake being struck by lightning, Xiao Hei coughing blood, and Qiuqiu disconnecting, how could Qi Xu still not understand?
He immediately stopped the train of thought, and the ache in his head subsided.
Then he focused his gaze seriously on the ninety-nine members present.
Everyone sat in small clusters around the circle, their faces brimming with happiness. Someone raised a canteen filled with clean water, clinking it with a crisp sound. Someone used a lit branch to draw the gang's future on the yellow earth...
No one mentioned the current deprivation. All they felt was the warmth of this gathering on their own turf—heartwarming.
What did it mean to be a true Noah's Ark? Not just isolating the dangers outside, but bringing warmth to a barren wasteland, treating a patch of yellow earth as a place where you can put down roots. Even without a proper roof, if hearts are together, there's no fear of wind or rain.
Before Qi Xu could even speak, his emotions nearly overwhelmed him. He smiled, suppressing it for a while, before reclaiming his authority as the boss.
Those closest to Qi Xu felt his vulnerability and deliberately cracked jokes to lighten the mood, while their own hearts were just as stirred.
Once Qi Xu had composed himself, he stood up to speak. Instantly, the crowd fell silent, all eyes fixed on him.
Old White Dragon in the Waves bellowed, "Let's give a round of applause to welcome the boss's speech!"
Immediately, applause and laughter erupted, even the flames of the campfire seeming to leap with the energy.
Qi Xu pressed his hands down, and silence returned.
"Today is our gang's first big assembly."
Qi Xu's firm, spirited gaze swept across every illuminated face by the fire, his voice warm and sincere.
"This ground beneath us is barren, but the hearts of all one hundred of us are united. Eating at the self-service cafeteria always felt like there was something in between. But today, on our own turf, even if it's just a campfire, this is our true 'family feast.'"
Our gang is named 'Cutting Path.' It means to cut through the thorns and dangers of Survival Highway, to carve a way through the fog and obstacles ahead, and most importantly, to slice away the fear and confusion each of us carries when walking alone. Let the gang be our blade, let all of us be the edge. In the direst circumstances, we will carve out a path of life for Cutting Path.
From now on, all of us will not only guard this land but also ensure that every one of us has a home to return to on this Survival Highway. Let's move forward together, as far as we can go—what do you say?"
Qi Xu had actually been thinking during the day about his opening remarks for the evening, not forgetting to prepare, because he was a bit excited himself.
He had considered many versions and even sent a few to Bian for a look.
Bian replied with a single sentence: "What matters isn't the words, but the person who speaks them. As long as you, Unstoppable Black Whirlwind, are here, Cutting Path will always be the strongest."
At that, Qi Xu understood. He deleted all the ornate phrases he had come up with, speaking directly from his heart with plain, straightforward language.
Right then and there, it ignited an unstoppable wave of passion and resonance in everyone.
Everyone shouted "Yeah!" in unison, the sound tearing through the night. Even the quieter members like Muzi Li, Shaved Ice Little Lamb, and Happy Da Niu joined the crowd in excited cheers.
After the cheering died down, Qi Xu spoke again, "You may have noticed that our gang is currently Level 1, with a cap of 100 members. To upgrade, we need every member to reach 100 contribution points and complete three gang dungeons.
Next, let's invite our vice leader, Bian—who never says a word too many—to explain exactly how to earn contribution points."
Luo Xinpan rose gracefully amid the sound of applause.
"Thank you for your trust, Boss. I'll give my all to be a capable right hand. No fluff—let's jump straight into it.
After researching today, I found that since we're Level 1 and have no buildings yet, upgrades don't require resources. However, the gang can assign a daily material collection quest, which will definitely be needed for future upgrades.
Starting tomorrow, a fixed gang task will be issued at 10 AM every day. Each person is required to upload 20 basic supplies daily. Upon completion, you'll receive contribution points.
Second, since we're Level 1, we have only one gang dungeon, which also refreshes every day at 10 AM. Five-person teams can run it together. If you clear the dungeon, you'll earn contribution points.
The boss will post the team leader list in the gang group. Everyone can contact the leaders directly to join. I hope everyone participates actively.
For now, these are the only two ways to earn contribution points, but I believe there will be more opportunities in the future..."
Qi Xu watched Bian with immense admiration. Not only was she completely unflappable, but she also spoke with clear logic. Meeting her felt like pure luck. No—not just her, but everyone here.
After Bian finished, Qi Xu stood up again to announce the gang's various positions.
"Combat Leader: Watch Me Cut You Down, Deputy Leader: War Wolf 009. Resource Leader: Wealth Comes from All Directions, Deputy Leader: Blessed by Luck. Defense Leader: Golden Bell Armor Iron Shirt, Deputy Leader: Breaking Cocoon into Butterfly. Logistics Leader: Chinese Master Chef. Medical Leader: Melon Loves Eating Melon. Discipline Leader: Muzi Li, Deputy Leader: War Wolf 006.
We'll finalize the specific duties and details after the meeting."
This list was carefully chosen by Qi Xu. Each team leader and deputy complemented the other's strengths and weaknesses.
For example, Sister Yuan had exceptional combat skills but hated dealing with tedious matters, while Old Nine was great at management. They would work well together.
Another example: Muzi Li, who was warm and emotionally intelligent, paired with War Wolf 006, who had zero social grace and treated everyone exactly the same, no matter who they were.
