Survival on the Internet: A Bizarre Start at Sea

The cold rain had long since stopped, and the midday sun, unusually, pierced through the clouds, casting dappled light and shadow on the dark red sea.

Su Zhisu stood on the deck of the "Redemption" and looked at the scattered skeletal arms along the edge of the ship's side. They gleamed white in the sunlight, their fingers bent as if still grasping at the hope that had long since vanished.

He walked to the stern, where the pale sunfish was still lying on the deck, its monkey-face-like head slightly open, revealing fine, sharp teeth.

Su Zhisu squatted down, her fingertips lightly touching the fish's belly, pondering how to deal with it.

Pale Sunfish

[Information: A common sea fish in the strange and mysterious sea. Don't let its ugly appearance fool you; its flesh is delicious, and it's at the bottom of the food chain.]

[Hidden Information: After its swim bladder is cleaned, it can hold a large amount of seawater and purify the seawater within 24 hours.]

"Let's deal with the fish bladders first. The water in the earthenware pot is enough for now, but it's not unlimited. In this environment, items that can sustainably provide pure water are obviously the most important."

Su Zhisu drew the rusty harpoon from his waist, aimed the blade at the fish's belly, and precisely made a cut. Innards and blood gushed out, emitting a strong fishy smell, but he didn't care. He inserted his fingers into the fish's belly and carefully removed a translucent swim bladder.

He found a ceramic jar in the cabin and carefully rinsed the inside of the fish bladder with pure water. In the sunlight, the fish bladder gradually became crystal clear, like a flawless piece of amber.

"It still needs to be stitched up..." Su Zhisu's gaze swept across the cabin, and finally found a bone needle and a few strands of linen thread in the corner of the captain's bedroom.

One can imagine the needlework skills of a grown man; in the end, a simple yet practical water bag took shape in his hands. He threaded a bone needle and sewed the opening shut, leaving only a small inlet for water.

Pale Water Bag (24h)

[Information: A water bag made from the swim bladder of the pale sunfish. Despite the poor tailoring, it is still effective. Within 24 hours, seawater placed in its mouth can be purified into drinkable water within 3 minutes, making it an essential survival item for the ocean.]

After removing the swim bladder, all that's left is the delicious flesh of the pale sunfish, provided you don't mind its ugly appearance.

Su Zhisu hung the pale water bag on the inner wall of the cabin, picked up the white polishing stone, and strengthened the rusty fishing spear. The white polishing stone turned into a white stream of light and enveloped the rusty fishing spear.

As the white light dissipated, the rust on the harpoon's surface was completely removed, and the pus and blood of the Deep One (juvenile) that had been there also disappeared. The sharp harpoon gleamed with a cold light.

【Cold-Eyed Fishing Fork (White Common Item)】

[Durability]: 100%

[Additional]: Sharpness +3 (When engaging in physical damage combat, the Frostfire Harpoon of the same quality provides an additional 3 points of sharpness).

[Information]: The fishing spear, which was originally in danger of being damaged at any time, has been restored to its original form after being strengthened by its owner.

[Hidden message: Now, it can't wait to drink its fill of enemy blood!]

Su Zhisu looked at the brand-new, gleaming harpoon in his hand; its weight and balance were just right. He stood up, his gaze falling on the arrow tower blueprint he had obtained from the treasure chest. This thing was useless at sea, but on the online forum, it might be able to be exchanged for the resources he currently needed to survive.

"It's time to get rid of it. No matter how good something is, if it's useless to me, it's worthless."

His consciousness sank into the interface of the online world and opened the online world forum that he had just unlocked.

Countless streams of information flooded his field of vision. Su Zhixu filtered through irrelevant content, trying to find potential trading partners. However, the number of players in the entire multiverse was beyond anyone's imagination.

After looking at it for a while, Su Zhisu, who was still clueless, shook her head. "I'll just post something."

General Forum Post: [Seeking Trade] Arrow Tower Blueprint (Blue, Excellent, Can Be Modified)

Posted by: [夙]

[Arrow Tower Blueprint (Blue, Excellent) (Modifiable)] (Click to view details)

—This is the arrow tower blueprint that the poster obtained from the treasure chest (see attached image 1). Since the poster is currently at sea (see attached image 2) and cannot build the arrow tower, they are seeking to barter for it.

—Requirements: wood, iron, fire source, and other special materials.

—Note: Barter is only accepted; disaster relief currency is not accepted. Goods must be inspected before the transaction, and delivery shall be made only after both parties confirm the transaction.

—Warning: Attached image 2 may be disturbing; those with low sanity are advised not to view it.

[Attached image 1: A rusty iron treasure chest (white, common item), the lid is half open, revealing yellowed blueprints inside]

[Attached Figure 2: Dark red sea, overcast sky, a ray of sunlight piercing through the clouds, blurred horizon, and in the distance, a dark shadow resembling a sunken city; tiny black particles floating in the sea]

Comment area:

Treant Druid:

"Bro, you've hit the jackpot!!! This is an arrow tower blueprint with the 'modifiable' attribute! I've seen ordinary blue arrow tower blueprints sell for 3000 Calamity Coins in the mage area, yours is definitely worth 5000+! Can we be friends? I have some Water Purification Plant seeds, can we trade?"

[Abyss Watcher]:

(This user is editing...)

(This user is editing...)

"Don't look at that nautical chart...don't look...they're underwater...those black particles are..."

(Network notification: User [Abyss Observer]'s sanity has dropped below 20, and their posts have been automatically muted.)

(Latest reply, text distorted): "Don't believe it... the eyes in the sea... are watching us... save us..."

【Lucky Kitten】:

"Ahhh, the poster is so lucky!! I only have a gray wooden chest so far! Please share some of the poster's good fortune! Could you post a video of opening the chest? I'll buy it with 100 Disaster Coins!"

[Shelter Veteran]:

"OP, you're currently at sea. I suggest you prioritize changing your fire source. However, your needs are too numerous, and I only have 200 pieces of wood. Do you want to exchange them?"

[Fireball Maniac]:

(Private message request has been sent)

Private message conversation:

[Fireball Maniac]:

"Brother, let me introduce myself first: ID [Fireball Maniac], mage class, currently in the world [Eternal Icefield] (attached image: icy landscape). After reading your post, I want that blueprint."

"To be honest, you may be underestimating its value. Treant Druids don't know the market. A regular blue arrow tower blueprint is worth 5000 Cataclysm Coins, but yours, with the 'modifiable' attribute, is a strategic resource in the mage community."

"It can be transformed into a fireball tower, an ice tower, a lightning tower... This means that the transformed special building will be of blue quality. You're not a mage, so I won't explain it in detail, but in short, it's very valuable. There are no blueprints with the 'can be transformed' attribute in the online store; they're priceless."

"I have a [Fire Seed (Purple Epic)] here. How about it? It's definitely enough to exchange for your [Arrow Tower Blueprint (Blue Excellent) (Can be Modified)]."

【Fire Seed (Purple Epic)】

[Information: The Seedling of Flame, when used directly, grants a random, purple epic-quality adapted flame. It can also be used for other purposes.]

[Hidden message: The Redemption is eager to devour this spark.]

Looking at the spark, Su Zhixu was very tempted. This spark directly solved his problem of starting a fire on the sea. And that was just the most basic thing. Looking at the hidden information in the talent prompt, Su Zhixu became even more determined to exchange for this spark.

The decision to change has been made, but how to change it and what the best course of action is still subject to careful negotiation between the two parties.

(System message: The other party is typing...)

(System notification: The other party has stopped typing)

Seeing that Su hadn't replied to the message, the Fireball Maniac thought that Su Zhisu was unaware of the value of the fire seed.

[Fireball Maniac]:

"Brother, do you think I'm kidding you? This spark is no ordinary item! In this server update, most of us veteran players only retained our talents and classes. This is one of the few resources I managed to preserve after a lot of effort. You're a new player, right? I see you even marked that you need basic resources like wood. The [Arrow Tower Blueprint (Blue Excellent) (Can be Modified)] is indeed valuable. How much do you need, brother? I'll make it up to you."

[Su]:

"Thanks for your honesty, bro. I understand the value of the [Fire Seed (Purple Epic)], but I am indeed a new player and lack basic resources. So, bro, here's what you'll get: 400 wood, 100 iron, and the [Arrow Tower Blueprint (Blue Excellent) (Can be Modified)]. You can take it."

[Fireball Maniac]:

(The other party is typing furiously...)

(The other party is deleting messages...)

(The other party is retyping...)

"Brother, your price is outrageous! I've been pushed back to level 1 by the online community, and besides, I'm in this freezing cold, so I don't have many basic supplies. How about we split the price in half?"

[Su]:

"Deal! Thanks for the basic supplies, bro. I admit I asked for a bit too much this time. Let's add each other as friends and keep in touch."

(System notification: You are now friends with this person)

[Fireball Maniac]:

"Alright! Thanks a lot, bro. We're friends now. Don't forget me if you ever get anything good!"

[Su]:

"Okay! Definitely, bro!"

(System prompt: Please confirm the transaction details between both parties. [Su]: [Arrow Tower Blueprint (Blue Excellent) (Can be modified)]. [Fireball Maniac]: [Fire Seed (Purple Epic)], Wood x200, Iron x50)

[Su], [Fireball Maniac]: "Confirmed."

(System notification: Transaction completed)

What a cunning old fox! As the deal was completed and the desired items were in their hands, [Su] and [Fireball Maniac] secretly scoffed at each other.

"What a sly old fox. Where can you find such fresh wood and iron in this freezing weather? It must be one of Brother Fireball's hidden treasures. I guess I should try to get closer to him in the future. After all, it's easier to take advantage of someone you know."

Seeing the supplies on the bow deck, Su Zhisu was very happy. This meant that on his first day of survival, he had gathered enough upgrade resources for the Redemption in just a few hours. The special resource [Fire Seed (Purple Epic)] was even more precious.

"Let's upgrade the Redemption first. Now that we have a fire source, there's no rush to deal with this pale sunfish."

[Network Notice: A successful survival resource transaction will earn you 20% of your current level's experience.]

Su Zhixu glanced at his current level's experience progress: [lv1:32%/100%].

Entering the cabin, open a wooden plank in the corner of the cabin to reveal a wooden staircase leading to the lower deck of the Redemption. Below the staircase is the Redemption's warehouse. On the front wall of the warehouse is a door leading directly below the bow deck, which is the captain's cabin and also the location of the [Soul Offering Altar].

Name: Redemption

[Level: lv1]

[Sailing speed: 20 knots (auto-navigation) / 40 knots (with resource sacrifice)]

【Durability: 300/500】

【仓库容量：350/500】（物资：木料×250，铁料×60，综网灾币×200（不占用容量），【火种（紫色史诗）】×1（占用10），待处理的苍白翻车鱼×1（占用30））

[Special Structures: Bizarre Fishing Rod, Spirit Offering Altar]

[Upgrade Required Resources: 150 Wood, 50 Iron, 1 Any Special Resource]

As if sensing that it was about to level up, the complex array patterns on the [Spirit Offering Altar] in front of it shimmered with a faint blue light.

[Prompt: Upgrade to automatically replenish ship durability. Upgrade now?]

The upgrade of the Redemption was of great significance, meaning that he had truly become stronger in this strange and bizarre world after his transmigration. It gave him a sense of reality, as if he had truly integrated into the [Multiverse Integrated Game Network]. He now recognized himself as a player in this multiverse, no longer the orphan Su Zhixu from that ordinary world.

Su Zhisu took a small breath.

"confirm!"

[Note: Upgrade successful. Resources consumed: Wood x150, Iron x50, Fire starter x1]

Name: Redemption

[Level: lv2]

[Sailing speed: 30 knots (auto-navigation) / 60 knots (with resource sacrifice)]

【Durability: 1100/1100】

【仓库容量：140/800】（物资：木料×100，铁料×10，综网灾币×200（不占用容量），待处理的苍白翻车鱼×1（占用30））

[Special Structures: Bizarre Fishing Rod, Spirit Offering Altar, Night Watch Lamp, Eerie Bone Arm]