Chapter 4

[Ding! The player is now on the Rainforest map. The danger factor is low risk. During tutorial mode, players can choose to abort the exploration task at any time. Aborting the exploration task returns the player to the shelter immediately. Aborting the task forfeits everything in the player's backpack. Player, please take care of your safety.]

"!"

Another bait by the game system.

If Xu Xin wasn't preempted by the guide system, he might be the same as the other players. Only daring to explore the edges of the map while collecting resources.

Some timid players might even choose to return to the shelter immediately!

Not all players would dare to explore a rainforest without preparation.

The small rainforest in front of his eyes was lush and rich in resources. But there were no animal sounds and no bird cries. It sounded very peaceful.

One would only hear the gentle rustling of leaves as they sway.

To some players, this was discerning. It was too quiet. Eerie and unpredictable. There is no telling when danger will strike.

Xu Xin let out a wry smile.

"System, where should I start?"

[Host, if you walk ahead for 20 minutes, you will reach the lake. There is all sort of resources on the way there. Host, please collect at least 40 wood planks and 20 stones for tomorrow's mandatory task! Host will also need branches and leaves to build a bonfire.]

Wood planks, stones, branches, and leaf.

And Xu Xin needs to at least collect a few stacks of food.

Xu Xin touched the nearest tree.

"Decompose!"

[System notification: -1 energy, +1 fatigue, +5 wood planks]

It seems that even with the backpack equipped, you had to store the wood planks yourself. There was no handy auto-collect system.

[System notification: -5 energy, +5 fatigue]

1 stack [Wood Plank 5/5]

And 1 backpack slot was full. All it took was less than 1 minute to decompose and store. It seems like the stack took into consideration the size of an item stored.

Xu Xin looked around to see if he could find any food source.

[Host can collect the wild berries from the bush ahead. Decompose the mango tree five steps away for wood plank, branch, and mango. Host can consume wild berries and fruits to recover energy.]

"OK, try it."

[System notification: +2 energy, -1 fatigue, -1 wild berry]

[System notification: -1 energy, +1 fatigue, +3 wood plank, +2 branch, +5 mango]

[System notification: +3 energy, -1 fatigue, -1 mango]

[System notification: -1 energy, +1 fatigue, +3 wood plank, +5 leaf, +10 banana]

[System notification: +3 energy, -1 fatigue, -1 banana]

"..."

The recovery rate was pretty low. But the decompose rate was terrific. Consuming fruits could not catch up to energy usage.

[Host can learn some recipes and cook. Cooked food recovers more energy.]

Alright. That was also an option.

At least he couldn't get full in the game. If he had to consume hundreds of fruits in a day, it would have been impossible. Only in a game, it was possible.

It was time to make do.

This started a vicious cycle for Xu Xin. Decompose, store, collect fruits, eat to recover energy.

The good news was that Xu Xin didn't have to store all the fruits. He could carry a few of them in his arms.

Despite that, Xu Xin did store a few stacks of fruits, those that give the highest energy recovery.

1 stack [Coconut 10/10] +5 energy, -2 fatigue

1 stack [Banana 20/20] +3 energy, -1 fatigue

1 stack [Mango 20/20] +3 energy, -1 fatigue

As for the coconut, every consumption would result in 1 coconut husk. The husk was very useful. It can replace a pot and cook a simple meal over the fire. It wouldn't last long, at a rate of one husk one meal, but Xu Xin has stored 10 coconuts!

By the time Xu Xin had reached the lake, his backpack was almost full!

8 stack [Wood Plank 40/40]

2 stack [Stones 20/20]

1 stack [Leaf 20/20]

1 stack [Branches 20/20]

1 stack [Coconut 10/10]

1 stack [Banana 20/20]

1 stack [Mango 20/20]

1 empty waterskin.

That was a full 16/20 slots consumed! There were only 4 empty slots left.

Xu Xin's heart was bleeding. The resources were too rich. He couldn't bear to leave behind anything! But the storage space was too limited!

There was nothing he could do!

He concentrated on the lake. The lake water was pure and clear.

[Host, the lake is the only water source. You can store some water using the empty water skin and consume water to lower fatigue. Reminder, Host can carry the water skin by hand to free up one storage slot.]

"!"

That was a useful reminder!

[System notification: +2 energy, -5 fatigue, -1 water]

Drinking water decreased fatigue levels. Xu Xin could maintain a high energy count by consuming fruit, but the fatigue count was still quite high.

With the lake, he could lower the fatigue count.

By now, one hour has passed.

[Ding! Mandatory task completed. Punishment: None. Rewards: 500 coins.] [Collect reward?] [Return to the shelter?]

[Ding! Optional task 1 completed. Punishment: None. Rewards: 1 space crystal.] [Collect reward?]

Xu Xin has completed both the mandatory task and optional task 1. He could opt to return to his shelter. But the backpack was not yet full. Xu Xin had collected five different types of resources, but the 20 slots were not filled up.

There were still 5 empty slots to fill up.

[Host, please collect at least 60 reeds and 10 vines. The resources will be useful for tomorrow's optional task.]

Luckily the lake was flush with reeds and vines.

3 stack [Reed 60/60]

2 stack [Vines 10/10]

That didn't take long. All 20/20 slot of the backpack was now filled up. Xu Xin even made sure his fatigue count was in single digits, his energy count was full.

[Ding! Optional task 2 completed. Punishment: None. Rewards: 200 coins]

[Collect reward?]

He had a full waterskin in one hand and collected one vine in the other.

"Return to the shelter!"