Until noon the next day, Yining kept a close eye on the game forums and chat channels, waiting for players who had already expanded their territories to appear so they could exchange information.

Precisely because he was so focused on the chat channels, Yining frequently saw people discussing the 【Natural Disaster Card】. After all, since it happened yesterday, the game announcement had been sent to six-digit-level players, and people were still mentioning him, demanding he come forward and reveal information about the natural disaster card.

“Really want to know? Pay up to get in touch. No one’s gonna give you the time of day if you’re freeloading.” 

“The guy above is brave—doesn’t he fear dying at his hands one day?”

“He has an obligation to share the intel anyway. Otherwise, what does he plan to do? Use the natural disaster card to kill people and loot their bodies?” 

“Yining was never on our side to begin with. None of us is getting out of here.”

“@Yining @Yining @Yining, is he dead?”

Yining had already enabled the 【Block Private Messages from Strangers】 setting yesterday; otherwise, he’d have been bombarded with messages.

Back when he was a streamer, he dealt with plenty of weirdos—a few taunts from players now are nothing.

Hmm.

Player ID: 364347 

Player ID: 225436

Player Nickname: Shenshen

Player Nickname: One Pair of Pants

He saved screenshots of two of them earlier.

Player Nickname: Laughing Out Loud. 

Player ID: 754341

It’s really come to the point where they have to compete for territory. Having a history with someone makes the psychological burden a bit lighter than starting from scratch. Still, Yining hopes everyone can develop peacefully.

What he was really waiting for was the scattered expansion intel mixed in with casual chatter. If he didn’t keep a close eye on it, it would easily get scrolled past, and he wouldn’t even be able to find a record of it.

Over the course of the morning, by piecing together fragments of chat, Yining managed to extract a few key pieces of information:

1.  After expanding a territory, its diameter becomes a 20-meter radius, and its level increases to 2.

2.  Building blueprints must be constructed on Level 3 territories.

3.  Upgrading a Level 3 territory requires higher-tier materials: rope, planks, and stone;

4.  Monsters may appear after expanding the domain, but they won’t attack players immediately; instead, they’ll try to hide in the darkness as much as possible. So if you want to fight them, you must prepare your weapons in advance, or the monsters will run away.

And the most important point: the top 10, 100, and 1,000 players to expand their territories will receive different rewards.

Just as Yining was convinced everything was under control and was about to place the resources in the expansion area’s slots, a private message interrupted him.

【Fanfan】: Hey, handsome, here’s some intel for you.

【Yining】: Name your price, or I’ll block you.

【Fanfan】: I’ve got news on how to fix your 【Contaminated】 status. Did you know there are players in this world who are clergy? This…

There’s no such thing as a free lunch; what’s free often ends up being the most expensive.

But this intel was indeed crucial to Yining.

【Yining】: Excuse me, who are you?

【Fanfan】: We traded gunpowder before. That’s not important. The information I’m giving you is accurate and reliable. Clerics are subject to certain restrictions, so we can’t find them in chat or on the forums.

Previously, a player tried to trade their 【Skill】 for another player’s 【Domain】. Since that transaction was unusual, the game system prompted a 【Theologian】 to step in and adjudicate. And since that theologian has the player’s digital ID… well, you get the picture.

Fanfan rattled off the explanation in one go, as if genuinely afraid of being blocked.

【Yining】: Thanks, that info is really helpful. What do you want?

【Fanfan】: Let’s add each other as friends.

Until noon the next day, Yining kept an eye on the game forums and chat channels, waiting for players who had already expanded their territories to show up so they could exchange information.

Yining sent a friend request, and the other player accepted it instantly.

【Yining】: So, what’s your goal?

【Fanfan】: What do you think?

Yining was amused by Fanfan’s retort, letting out a helpless laugh.

【Fanfan】: Alright, alright, don’t ignore me.

【Fanfan】: Of course, I’m pursuing you.

【Yining】: Alright, young master, don’t waste your time on me. Everyone’s struggling to survive. I’ll give you intelligence of equal value in exchange later.

【Fanfan】: Why do you think I’m a little master?

【Yining】: Intuition.

Fanfan considered himself a smart guy: “No wonder you’re never short of suitors—you’ve seen it all.”

【Yining】: Anything else?

【Fanfan】: Then I’ll be the first person in this world to pursue you—just to stake my claim.

【Fanfan】: According to the 80/20 rule, only a few players will ultimately stand out. Only those on the same wavelength can form a circle, so we’re bound to cross paths eventually. Hmm… you really are quite charming.

【Yining】: Thanks. I’ll take that as your blessing that I’ll make it to the end.

The conversation ended, and Yining pressed his temples. What was his goal for today again?

Oh, right, it was to expand his territory.

How did he end up, for some inexplicable reason, back on the old path of dealing with interpersonal issues again?

Fanfan’s approach to making friends is truly unique.

He might not actually be interested in me; he could just be laying the groundwork, planning to use me as a networking resource.

Yining immediately sent a private message to Yunzhou, who was also affected by the 【Contamination】 effect: “Keep an eye on the trading market to see if anyone is selling holy water, a Bible cross, rosary beads, talismans, or exorcism services. That might be the key to removing the contamination.”

【Yunzhou】: Got it.

【Yunzhou】: Have you finished expanding your domain yet?

【Yining】: Not yet, I’m waiting to see how things go.

【Yunzhou】: I’m not sure if I’ll encounter monsters after expanding. If anything goes wrong, I’ll send the resources I have to your email.

【Yining】: You don’t need to be so pessimistic.

【Yunzhou】: It’s better than trusting a stranger. I’ll contact you this afternoon to rent some gear—around 3 PM. It’s best if we avoid overlapping schedules. Here, take this strength-boosting gold coin as a loan.

Yining’s decision to share intelligence with Yunzhou certainly wasn’t driven by ulterior motives like Fanfan’s; he simply saw her as a suitable partner. Coincidentally, Yunzhou felt the same way. She was thorough in her thinking, and the two shared a natural rapport.

Most importantly, they’ve both been afflicted by 【Contamination】, sharing a common predicament that makes their partnership all the more natural.

【Yunzhou】: Actually, the more cooperation there is, the fiercer the competition becomes. Others have already formed teams.

【Yining】: Yes, some players are buying and selling territories and personal skills.

【Yunzhou】: That’s a bit scary. 

Yining looked helpless.

Checking the stats panel, everything is still within manageable limits.

He grabbed the machete and placed all his gems and gold coins into his skill slots.

Actually, gems and gold coins can boost stats even when stored in regular inventory slots, but each coin or gem takes up a single slot and cannot be stacked—that’s the biggest drawback. Yining’s skill can overcome this limitation.

Time: 12:30 PM. 

Health: 44/101

Fullness: 35/100 Spirit: 

48/100 Strength: 3

Defense: 2 

Critical Hit: 1

Attack: 2+3 (Weapon Bonus)

Luck: 4 

Benevolence: 5 

Clairvoyance: 1

Status: 【Contaminated】

【Contamination: -3 Spirit, -2 Health, -2 Satiety per hour】

Yining readies himself, only to realize he lacks any gear that restores health during combat—a clear weakness. As he approaches the edge of the domain, the game pops up an expansion panel.

【Settlement Expansion: Planks ×4, Wood ×10, Stone ×10, Hemp ×10】

【Expand?】

As Yining tapped 【Yes】, he realized that if an express blind box were opened every half hour, and his luck stat was 4—excluding the resources players naturally possess within their territories—then the exact timing when players as a whole would complete their first expansion had all been predetermined by the game system.

Most players, following the game’s guidance, can start from a similar starting point. It seems the early game is indeed quite gentle.

During this period, the greatest threats to players are merely food, water, monsters, and that all-consuming darkness. The light circle slowly expands outward, revealing more land, as rocks, vegetation, and buildings are gradually colored in.

【Territory Expansion Complete】

【Yining’s territory level: 2】

【Territory Population: 2】

【Expansion Rank: 647】

【Map Exploration: 0.01%】

【Reward Received: Expansion Gift Box ×1】

【Ranking Reward: Grave Gift Box (Brown) ×1】

Before Yining could finish reading the entire message, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye of a dark shadow darting past his feet, heading straight for the nearby Dark Realm. Yining reacted with lightning speed, catching up to the shadow in a few strides and thrusting his weapon downward with all his might.

“Thud—”

The shadow seemed to be pinned to the ground. Realizing its movement was restricted, it “grew” out of the ground and spread along the blade toward Yining’s arm.

Seeing this, Yining drew his sword decisively. The black figure seemed to have suffered a severe blow; its movements suddenly slowed, and it quickly shrank to the size of a soccer ball. After a moment, it fell completely still.

【Shadow phantom: No level, a common graveyard monster, skilled in stealth, feeds on the spirit of living beings by possessing their shadows.】

【You have slain the shadow phantom】

【Obtained: Shadow Skin ×1, Bone Meal ×1, Your Spirit ×2】

Yining looked at the expanded territory, the loot from the shadow phantom, and the game rewards he had received, realizing that the much-anticipated exploration phase was about to begin.

【Your Spirit】 Automatically converts to 2 Spirit points upon pickup. That’s actually kind of interesting.

Bone Meal: A fertilizer that accelerates crop growth.

Shadow Skin: The description says it’s a building material, though it’s unclear what exactly can be built with it. As expected, killing monsters yields the best rewards for Yining.

Next up were two gift packs. Yining rubbed his hands together, thinking about washing his face to turn his luck around, but water…

expensive.

【Expansion Pack: The contents of all expansion boxes are similar; the difference is that your destiny will determine where it leads you.】 Sounds pretty mysterious.

Yining set about opening the box, pulling it out of the game interface—it was a full-size larger than a standard shipping box. Excitedly, he tore off the wrapping paper and lifted the lid to reveal…

A pair of handcuffs. 

Yining:?

【Bracelet (Gray): Adjustable size; wearing it grants 1 Defense】

The design of this bracelet is truly unique.

He grumbled inwardly—how could he possibly give up that one point of defense? Without a second thought, Yining slipped the bracelet onto his non-dominant hand.

Below that, a set of dark red work clothes—made of the same material as a down jacket—waterproof, abrasion-resistant, and heat-insulating. It doesn’t grant any extra stats, but the upside is that Yining now has a change of clothes!

That said, it seems there is no underwear…

Beneath the clothes was a shoe box containing tactical boots, suitable for trekking in the wild. They fit Yining perfectly—black, and likewise without any attribute bonuses. With that, a standard beginner’s survival kit was complete; it truly was a gift box suitable for all players.

Finally, there’s the Grave Gift Box.

【Grave Gift Box (Brown): A terrain-specific gift box that usually provides some useful items, but don’t expect it to bring a qualitative leap to your strength.】

The Grave Gift Box is a bit small. Yining held it up to his ear and shook it; there’s probably only one item inside.

【Obtained: Bloody Cassette Tape (Brown) ×1】

【Bloody Cassette Tape: Contains a recording of a ghost. When played, it reduces the enemy’s Spirit by 80 and Stamina by 20. Requires a playback device.】

This is an anti-enemy Noble Phantasm. A tool meant for killing.