Chapter 7: Exploring the Cave
[Intimate Touch]
One of Li En's earliest talents, its function was simple: copy skills and abilities from others.
A kiss could copy a target's skills and hidden racial traits, while deeper intimacy allowed him to replicate their talents.
However, he could only hold one copied skill or talent at a time. Each new copy would overwrite the previous one.
If Li En copied Shir's [Accelerated Construction], he could stack the 80% time reduction, achieving near-instant builds.
"Right now, resources are the bottleneck. Shir's talent alone is enough for construction."
Instead, he chose to copy her healing skill—
[Pain, Go Away!]
Now lying in bed with Shir asleep beside him, her tear-streaked face peaceful, Li En reopened the chat channels to gather more intel.
With the snowfall and dropping temperatures, the death toll was skyrocketing.
The population counter flickered relentlessly—every five seconds, another life vanished.
The regional chat was flooded with pleas:
"I want to go home!"
"Please, I need warm clothes!"
Thankfully, the starter packs included medical kits and bread, preventing immediate catastrophe.
But surviving this world wouldn't be easy.
Amid the chaos, some savvy players had already begun forming factions, sending Li En countless invites:
Wang Xiong: "I'm Wang Xiong of Wang Corp. Join our elite team for maximum growth opportunities."
Pro Gamer: "Only accepting top-tier players. No scrubs."
Cao Qing: "Join us, and your family's safety is guaranteed. Focus on exploration—we'll handle security."
Warm Lamb: "Sisters, unite! Let's overcome this together in our Love Collective~"
Teaming up was a smart move for struggling survivors, though Li En had no interest yet.
Most players had built their lord's huts and were surviving on starter bread.
Groups with family or friends progressed faster, while those hoarding food instead of hiring workers lagged behind.
The [Trading] function had only a handful of listings, mostly absurdly priced due to first-day desperation.
Some were trading basic resources for food—a surefire way to stunt their growth.
Still, the system's instant exchange was revolutionary. Once the economy stabilizes, this will be invaluable.
Finding no critical updates, Li En closed the interface and drifted into sleep beside Shir.
---
Next morning.
Sunlight filtered through the cabin windows as Shir adjusted Li En's new wolf-fur attire—modified overnight for warmth and mobility.
Her B-Rank [Maid] talent handled daily needs flawlessly, though mass-producing gear or gourmet meals remained beyond her.
Once ready, Li En kissed her cheek, and they stepped outside.
The yak-men greeted them enthusiastically:
"Good morning, Lord! Lady Shir!"
Li En checked the system:
[Newbie Protection Period Remaining: 5 days 16 hours]
[Temperature: -10°C]
[Resources: Raw Meat ×17, Food ×4, Wood ×40, Stone ×13]
[Warning: Night snowfall will further lower temperatures.]
Territory Status:
- Campfire Lv. 3
- Lord's Cabin Lv. 1
- Worker's Hut Lv. 1
- Cafeteria Lv. 1
- Infirmary Lv. 1
- Dormitory Lv. 1
- Hunter's Cabin Lv. 1
Shelter and food were stable—now, they needed more workers and upgrade materials.
Normally, recruits came from:
- Slave traders
- City hires
- Rescued captives
- Refugees drawn by territory upgrades
But in this frozen wasteland, those options were scarce.
He inspected the campfire:
[Campfire: Lv. 3]
[Effect: +10°C to +20°C within 20m]
[Current Population: 6/12]
[Consumption: 3 Wood / 15 minutes]
[Upgrade Requirements: Coal Mine, Wood ×40, Stone ×20, Coal ×10]
[Post-upgrade: Attracts nearby refugees.]
Coal was the missing resource.
Time to hunt some down.
"Aminos!" Li En called.
The yak-man hurried over. "Yes, Lord?"
"Take us to the cave you found yesterday."
---
The cave entrance wasn't far.
No monsters guarded it—just a gaping maw in the mountainside.
[Resource Node: Coal Mine (Unclaimable)]
Perfect. Securing this would provide the coal needed for the campfire upgrade.
Wind howled from within, but the system showed no danger warnings.
"If there are monsters, they can't be high-level."
As a veteran player, Li En wasn't worried.
Do you know who I am?
The King of the Shadow Abyss!
The OG beta tester!
Come at me, monsters.
1v1 me.
I'm not scared.
He patted Aminos' shoulder with a thumbs-up.
"Aminos, you're up."
Aminos: "Huh?"