Day two:Still Not Dead (Yet)

I woke up to the sound of rustling leaves, with sunlight barely filtering through the dense canopy overhead. The ache from the wolf attack still lingered, but thanks to my new skill, Everlasting Renewal, the wound on my hand was completely healed. The memory of the pain, however? Yeah, that wasn't going anywhere.

I stretched out my arms. "Well, I'm basically Wolverine but 10x better now, minus the claws and the cool jacket."

It's weird how most people cultivate for longevity, and here I am with eternal youth.

One thing was clear: I had to take this world seriously. It was survival of the fittest, and right now, I wasn't exactly starring in a "survival expert" documentary.

"Okay, Michael. Time to get serious," I muttered, rubbing my eyes. "No more almost getting killed by a wolve today. Let's aim higher."

I had survived one day in this forest, but that was nothing. The wolf attack had been a wake-up call—there were far bigger threats out there than me, and most of them wouldn't be stopped by a few rounds of gunfire. I had to prepare, plan, and—God help me—figure out how to get stronger if I ever wanted to get back home.

My stomach growled. Loudly. Great. "Fantastic, now I also have to direct my energy to find food." I exclaimed.

After a short search, I found some strange-looking fruit hanging from a nearby tree. It was bright orange with a faint glow, almost like it had a built-in nightlight. Probably radioactive. I hesitated for a moment—was this going to be my downfall? Taken out by a fruit? I mean, I could shoot it, but that seemed… excessive.

Screw it, I took a cautious bite. If I was going to die, at least I'd die with a full stomach.

To my surprise, the fruit was sweet and refreshing. Even better, I didn't die.

"Not poisoned,? Fan-fucking-tastic, That's a win," I said, finishing the fruit quickly. "Michael: 1, Weird Fruit: 0."

With food handled, I turned my attention to gathering materials. I needed to create a better shelter and—more importantly—a proper weapon. The Desert Eagle had been useful, but the noise it made was like ringing the dinner bell for every predator in a five-mile radius. I wasn't keen on finding out what else lived here.

As I gathered wood and leaves for a makeshift camp, the familiar system interface blinked into existence before me, glowing faintly in the air.

You have 6 days until your next wish.

"Great. So I'll just have to not die for six more days," I muttered. "Should be easy, right? Right…?"

I glanced at the system panel again. Wishes were great and all, but I couldn't rely on them forever. This wasn't just about surviving a few days; I had to start planning for my eventual return home. Preferably alive. Preferably not half-eaten by something with too many teeth.

But the more I thought about it, the more a realization sank in—I couldn't just wish my way out of this. I needed to cultivate, get stronger, level up like a video game character in one of those stories where everything's conveniently spelled out for you. Except here, I didn't even have a tutorial. I had to figure out cultivation… somehow.

"System, is there a way I can increase my cultivation talent?" I asked, hoping for a miracle.

You can increase your talent through a wish.

Oh, why didn't I think of. "Gee, thanks. Really helpful."

You will need to use a wish to get knowledge about the question asked.

"That's just stupid."

Please refrain from calling the system stupid.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, fine. You're brilliant."

More wishes, huh? Easier said than done. I needed to survive another six days first.

Just as I was about to contemplate my next genius move, I heard it: footsteps. Soft, deliberate, approaching from behind one of the massive trees. My heart jumped into my throat. Maybe it was another wolf. Or worse. A wolf with friends, I need to stop with this wolf thing, crap, hide.

I ducked behind a bush, peeking through the leaves.

A man in dark robes appeared, covered in black from head to toe, his clothes fluttering with each step like he was trying to cosplay as a mysterious anime character. Sword? Check. Intensity? Double check. Bad guy vibes? Oh, absolutely.

Definitely a cultivator. Just my luck.

I stayed perfectly still, trying to avoid making a sound. This could go very wrong, very fast. Should I approach him,? Better fucking not.

Before I could decide what to do, the man stopped, turning his head slightly in my direction. My heart hammered as he unsheathed his sword with a motion so smooth it almost made me jealous. Almost.

"Show yourself," he called out, his voice low and authoritative. Yeah, the mysterious anime guy vibe was strong with this one.

Crap.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out from behind the bush, raising my hands in what I hoped was a "don't kill me" gesture. "Uh, hey…sir," I said awkwardly. "I'm, uh, kind of new around here."

His eyes widened slightly, and he lowered his sword, but not by much. "A mortal?" he muttered, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Yeah, something like that. Definitely not an ageless being," I replied. "Look, I don't want any trouble. I'm just trying to… not die."

He regarded me for a long moment. Then, slowly, he sheathed his sword. "You won't survive for long," he said flatly. "Not in this forest."

"Wow, motivational poster right there," I muttered. "Really appreciate the pep talk."

He didn't seem to appreciate my sarcasm. "This place is crawling withbeasts far worse than what you've encountered. You should leave while you still can."

"No shit, Sherlock," I muttered under my breath, then louder, "Yeah, I figured."

Without another word, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the trees like the mysterious figure he clearly prided himself on being, ah, yes, definitely abClassic.

I stood there for a moment, processing. "Okay," I said aloud to the empty forest. "That was… something."

But his words stuck with me. This forest wasn't safe, and staying here much longer wasn't a great plan. I had to get stronger, find a way out, and figure out what the hell I was going to do next. At the very least, I needed to survive until I could make another wish.

Taking a deep breath, I glanced around at my makeshift camp. The forest was quiet again, the towering trees casting long shadows over everything. I had a plan—or at least, I told myself I did. I just needed to stick to it. Play it smart. Not get mauled.

"Alright," I muttered, steeling myself for the next few days. "Let's just make it through this week without dying."

"Yes, Michael, only six days remaining until you get another wish," I said, slapping my cheeks. "Don't lose focus now."