Survival on the Internet: A Bizarre Start at Sea

It was in that very moment.

Su Zhisu's right hand finally moved.

I didn't draw my sword.

Instead, it whips upwards like an iron whip, precisely striking the weak point where the two sticks cross.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud.

The burly man felt an unimaginable force coming from the sticks, his arms trembled violently, and he felt numb and tingly. The crossed sticks were forcefully knocked apart, leaving him wide open.

Withdrawing her right hand, Su Zhisu's right foot, as if calculated in advance, silently took half a step forward, landing precisely on the instep of the burly man's right foot, which had shifted forward due to his unsteady center of gravity, and gently ground down.

"Hmm!"

The burly man groaned, the color draining from his face instantly, veins bulging on his forehead, and he froze on the spot, unable to move.

From the moment the tall, thin man launched his attack to the moment the two men knelt and froze, the entire process took less than two seconds.

The bald man's smile froze on his face, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

His force field disappeared without a trace, and his two capable henchmen were crippled in a single exchange, without the opponent even having to draw his formidable-looking scimitar.

What kind of strength is this?

Level 9? Or... Level 10?

He hadn't considered level 8, because they had dealt with level 8 before, and the level 8 one back then didn't have that kind of strength.

Cold sweat instantly soaked the bald man's back.

Su Zhisu released his grip on the tall, thin man's wrist, letting him collapse to the ground, clutching his wrist and convulsing in pain.

His gaze swept over the pale-faced, motionless burly man wielding the stick, before finally settling back on the bald man's face.

There was still no word.

But the invisible pressure permeating the air almost suffocated the bald man.

The scar on his face twitched violently a few times, and his throat was so dry that he couldn't make a sound.

After struggling for a while, he finally managed to squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth: "Misunderstanding... Brother, it's a misunderstanding! I was blind to your greatness! Please, please go ahead!"

He hurriedly stepped aside, clearing the wide road leading to the inner city, and even kicked the tall, thin man sprawled on the ground: "Useless! Get out of the way for your big brother!"

Su Zhisu's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, and that calm look made the bald man feel as if he were being scraped by a cold blade.

Then, Su Zhisu took a step, his steps steady and even, and walked through the cleared path. Throughout, his right hand was only casually resting on the hilt of the knife, never actually gripping it tightly.

Only when his figure completely disappeared at the street corner leading to the inner city's light did the bald man stagger as if his bones had been removed, leaning against the wall and panting heavily.

"Boss, boss..."

Despite the excruciating pain in his instep, the burly man wielding the stick spoke in a trembling voice.

"Shut up!"

The bald man growled, his face filled with lingering fear and disbelief.

"Damn it...where did this dragon from out to sea come from? It must have just come back from the high seas! From now on, keep your eyes peeled tenfold! No, a hundredfold!"

He glanced with lingering fear in the direction Su Zhisu had disappeared, then looked at the tall, thin man still groaning and the burly man barely managing to stand, and muttered under his breath, "Hurry up and help them up! Are they just going to stay here and wait to die?"

The three of them, supporting each other, disappeared into the depths of the reef area at an even faster pace than they had come.

In the shadows of the surrounding buildings and behind the window cracks, the ever-present prying eyes quietly subsided and retreated with apprehension.

The reef zone has its own rules of survival; as long as you demonstrate enough overwhelming power, most troubles will back down.

Leaving the reef area, crossing that invisible dividing line, and returning to the relatively safe and bright inner city area, the air seemed much fresher and warmer.

Su Zhisu went straight to Ms. Elena at the Foreign Guests Reception Office.

"Ms. Elena, I'd like to inquire about promotions and job changes."

Ms. Elena seemed to have just finished processing some documents. Upon hearing this, she looked up and gave a professional smile: "Mr. Su, have you met the requirements for advancement? Congratulations."

"Hydeland has a very comprehensive management system for professionals."

She took out a booklet and handed it to Su Zhisu.

"All survivors who arrive in Hydeland for the first time and complete the registration can advance their rank and change their class at the Adventurers' Guild after meeting the requirements."

"Our Hydeland class system is roughly divided into several stages: Survivor - Class Player - Watcher - and the legendary great beings."

Survivors, professionals, and watchers are collectively referred to as "adventurers," and are registered, managed, and supported by the official "Adventurers' Guild."

"Adventurers' Guild?" Su Zhisu took the booklet and flipped through it.

"Yes. The guild is responsible for issuing quests, assessing levels, providing training resources, and managing advancement ceremonies. After you complete the registration, you can enjoy the guild's basic services."

Ms. Elena continued, "According to regulations, you can stay at the Foreign Guests Reception Area for a maximum of three days."

"You will need to arrange your own accommodation in three days."

"But don't worry, with your conch shell badge and temporary pass, you will not be restricted in your activities within Hydeland, and you will also receive certain benefits within the Adventurers' Guild."

"If you need to contact official personnel later, you can still find me here."

"Three days...that's enough." Su Zhisu nodded.

"Thank you for sharing this information, Ms. Elena."

"You're welcome, it's our duty."

After leaving the reception area, Su Zhisu followed the signs and quickly found the Adventurers' Guild located near the city center square.

The guild building was magnificent, with a knight statue holding a sword and shield standing at the entrance.

The flow of people coming and going was endless, dressed in various armors and robes, with varying degrees of aura, but all exuding a sense of competence.

Su Zhisu walked into the hall, which was spacious and noisy yet orderly.

He went to the registration window and showed his temporary residence certificate.

After checking, the staff handed him a form.

"New here? Fill in your basic information and complete the basic checks to register as an adventurer in Hydeland."

"If you want to advance or change jobs, you need to meet the requirements and fill out a separate application form."

The form is more detailed than the one at the reception desk, including basic attributes, skills mastered, talents, etc.

Su Zhisu carefully filled in the information that could be made public.

He was then led to a room for basic testing, mainly to confirm his level and rank; the process was quick.

"Registration complete. Here is your adventurer's badge."

A badge made of black iron was handed to him, engraved with a pattern of intertwined sword and shield against a background of a golden sun and his number.

Regarding promotion and job change,

The staff explained, "All registered residents of Hydeland can obtain one free use of the 'Ascension Room' at the Adventurers' Guild upon their first promotion or job change."

"The Ascension Room is a special facility built by the guild using alchemy and rune technology. It provides a stable environment and gathers energy. Depending on the level, it can increase the success rate of ascension and job change to different degrees."

"The higher the level of the upgrade room, the better the effect, but the higher the cost of using it."

"Free access is only available for Standard Upgrade Rooms."

"Of course, the guild will not provide the ritual arrays, materials, etc. required for the upgrade; adventurers will need to prepare them themselves."

Su Zhisu listened attentively.

"The Ascension Room... can increase the success rate..."

"This saves me the trouble of finding a safe location and preparing for the ceremony."