[Crow Takes Flight]: No dietary restrictions.
Cheng Shuili clicked to claim the gift, and another one popped up from the other side.
"You have received a gift from player Wan Yi: Tea Eggs x8."
[Wan Yi]: It's too late to say anything now; the porridge is already cooked. I simmered these tea eggs overnight. Eat as many as you can, and store the rest in the fridge.
[Crow Takes Flight]: Mm.
For Cheng Shuili, if a problem could be solved with one word, she'd never use two.
Evening One seemed used to her laconic nature and didn't send another reply.
Cheng Shuili held the tea eggs that had materialized before her. With practiced ease, she peeled one open. The cracked surface, soaked in tea broth, revealed amber threads as the shell came away.
It was almost too pretty to eat.
The egg white bore a faint, sandalwood-like tea hue, its texture infused with the fragrance of tea, glistening like polished agate in the morning light.
The moment Cheng Shuili bit into it, amber-hued brine seeped from the bite mark.
The rich aroma of star anise and dried tangerine peel, intertwined with the crisp clarity of tea, hit her senses. A subtle, medicinal bitterness from the bay leaves rose with the steam, blending with the savory depth of soy sauce to linger on her tongue in a smooth, enduring sweetness.
Wan Yi's cooking was nothing short of extraordinary.
For Cheng Shuili, the food she ate now was leaps and bounds better than anything from her past life.
[Crow Takes Flight]: You even found tea leaves?
[Wan Yi]: Dragon Well, no less—only 100 grams. The guy traded it for just 500 ml of water. I snapped it up the moment I saw it.
Cheng Shuili paused, recalling the person Wan Yi mentioned. No wonder the tea eggs weren't as dark as expected—they were made with green tea.
Wait.
Something clicked in Cheng Shuili's mind. Her focus was off.
[Crow Takes Flight]: You used Dragon Well to make tea eggs?
Cheng Shuili didn't know much about tea, but even she had heard of Dragon Well—one of the top ten teas in Dragon Country. And Wan Yi had just… thrown it into a pot?
[Wan Yi]: Want some to brew and drink? There's a bit left.
Cheng Shuili fell silent. Another message came through.
[Wan Yi]: Just tell me if the tea eggs are good or not.
[Crow Takes Flight]: They're good.
That was an undeniable truth.
Cheng Shuili paused, then remembered the fried chicken and cola combo she'd tossed into the fridge yesterday. She opened the fridge, grabbed a can of cola, and sent it to Evening One.
"You have gifted player [Wan Yi] an item: Cola, 330 ml x1."
[Wan Yi: !!!!!
[Wan Yi]: Crow! You're my savior!
[Crow Takes Flight]: Don't cook next time. We're low on seasonings.
[Wan Yi]: …
[Wan Yi]: Can you at least let me finish celebrating first?
[Crow Takes Flight]: Sure.
[Wan Yi], seeing the deadpan response, burst into laughter at her screen.
Cheng Shuili stood and rummaged through her pile of supplies for the premium resource pack, checking today's refresh as usual.
Her eyes lit up. Today's items were perfect for keeping her well-fed.
Options: Full Kitchenware Set x1 or Full Seasoning Set x1
Without hesitation, Cheng Shuili sent the pack to Wan Yi. The chef could decide what was needed.
"You have gifted player [Wan Yi] an item: Premium Resource Selection Pack."
[Wan Yi]: !!!
[Wan Yi]: Crow, this is too much! Why'd you send this out of nowhere?
Cheng Shuili patiently explained, and Evening One quickly made her choice.
[Wan Yi]: My vehicle's a food truck, so I've got kitchenware covered. Plus, it refreshes disposable meal boxes daily. I'll take the seasonings.
Cheng Shuili: "…"
No wonder every meal came in a disposable box. They refreshed daily.
It wasn't until Wan Yi sent a voice message that Cheng Shuili realized she was a girl. Blinking, she decided no reply was needed and closed the chat. She savored her breakfast with leisurely elegance, scrolling through the regional channel's messages and skimming upward.
She'd meant to check on the argument between two players from last night.
But when she reached the latest message from Moon, she froze. His avatar had turned gray.
The message read:
[Moon]: Someone save me. I'm really going to freeze to death.
A chill ran through Cheng Shuili, seeping through her short-sleeved shirt and sinking into her heart.
Scrolling further, she saw that most of the avatars from last night's pleas for help had gone gray. Only a few lucky ones still clung to life.
She sighed, glancing at the thriving, peaceful interior of her vehicle. Tossing the empty meal box into the trash, she headed straight for the driver's seat.
The first day after the novice protection period had ended. Who knew what resources—or dangers—awaited on the road?
She'd make sure to survive, no matter what.
At exactly 8:00 AM, the system's announcement blared.
[Today marks the official start of the game. Many perished silently in the night, while others will rise to meet a new dawn.]
[Last night's blizzard claimed the weak. Those of you still reading these words have proven, through sheer will, that you deserve the title of "Player."]
[But this is only the beginning.]
[Each day henceforth, the world will test survivors with harsher trials. Resources will always come with risks. The weather will grow more extreme. And the threats you face won't just be danger and hunger—beware the fangs lurking in the shadows of human nature.]
[A solemn reminder:]
[Show no pity! Every act of charity could become a blade turned against you. Trust no one—not even the dialog box you're reading now. Keep moving! Your vehicle's fuel tank won't fill itself.]
[To all who still live, a final gift: Hope is nothing more than the courage to press the gas pedal after staring despair in the face.]
[The Highway Survival Game has officially begun. This is Dragon Country's Third Major District, Sector 1000. The leaderboard function is now active, ranking players in this sector only. The top 100 will receive mysterious rewards prepared by the system!]
A clear, melodious chime echoed through the void, and every player looked up in unison.
A dazzling golden light descended from the sky, unfurling before their eyes into a radiant, golden leaderboard.
Cheng Shuili: "…"
Did the system really think the players who didn't make the list weren't cursing it in their hearts?
The leaderboard shimmered with brilliance, its edges adorned with intricate, ornate patterns, floating lightly in the air.
At the top, in bold, gilded letters, it read: Dragon Country Third Major District, Sector 1000—Novice Protection Period Leaderboard: Mileage
1st Place: Crow Takes Flight (Mileage: 2,324 km)
2nd Place: Silent Fortune (Mileage: 1,364 km)
3rd Place: Green Mountain Trek (Mileage: 1,289 km)
…
54th Place: Wan Yi (Mileage: 932 km)
…
100th Place: Liang Shanbo & Zhu Yinglai (Mileage: 746 km)