Gao Wu: After holding back for eighteen years, my words are divine.

The Wilderness Realm, the third day of the entire population's journey.

The time is 5:55 a.m.

The Second Base of the Huaxia Nation, Central Command Building.

Inside the highest-level office.

Although the sky outside was already turning light, the two people in the room had clearly not slept all night.

Wan Changzheng sat in the main seat, with a bowl of white porridge and a plate of pickled vegetables in front of him.

Both of them had dark circles under their eyes and were staring intently at the tactical map on the wall while drinking porridge.

"Sir, there are ten minutes left."

Zhao Yan glanced at the time, swallowed the porridge in his mouth, and said with some indignation.

"The leaderboard is about to be updated today."

"I wonder if that guy who needs no further explanation can hold onto first place."

At this point, Zhao Yan slammed his chopsticks down, his face showing anger.

"Those guys in the think tank, all they do is pour cold water on things!"

"Have you read the analysis report that was just sent over?"

"To say that this 'no need for further explanation' achievement was just pure luck!"

"Some even speculate that he stumbled upon a battle between two major monster clans and managed to pick up the pieces!"

"Listen to this! Is that even human language? Is it so hard to admit that China has produced a genius?"

"Sometimes I get so angry I just want to chop them up with a knife!"

"Cough cough..."

As Zhao Yan spoke, he became more and more agitated, choking on a mouthful of porridge and coughing until his face turned red.

Wan Changzheng shook his head helplessly and patted his old partner on the back.

"Alright, alright, Lao Zhao, calm down."

"While the think tank's words may be harsh, they are not entirely without merit."

"This kind of 'flash in the pan' has happened before during small-scale time travel."

Wan Changzheng picked up a piece of pickled vegetable and reminisced about the past.

"Do you remember those time travelers from five years ago?"

"A ruthless individual has emerged from the United States, scoring over 10,000 points on the first day, shocking the world."

"Later, after investigating, I found out that he was actually a real talent."

"He's a black market arms dealer; he and his underground gunpowder workshop were teleported here together."

"But he was unlucky; he encountered a beast tide as soon as he landed."

"Based on the investigation, he likely detonated the entire powder depot directly."

Wan Changzheng sighed.

"That explosion killed over a thousand monsters, and I racked up the highest score in the entire server."

"But what was the result?"

"The next day, that name never lit up again."

"He's gone; that outburst was his swan song."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yan fell silent.

He nodded, his anger subsiding considerably.

"Commander, you're right. I was too excited. I really wanted to see China outdo those foreign devils."

"Let's wait and see. We'll find out at six o'clock whether it's a dragon or a worm."

……

Time passed by, second by second.

The digital clock on the wall ticked to 6 o'clock.

"Buzz!"

At that moment, a huge light screen lit up in the sky outside the window right on time.

Accompanied by that playful yet grand voice.

Hello! Newlyweds! We meet again!

Congratulations! You've successfully survived your second night in the Wilderness!

[Lots of fun things happened last night! This place is full of surprises, of course...]

Sadly, many warriors have left us forever.

Before announcing the rankings, I have one more important announcement to share.

Upon hearing this, Wan Changzheng and Zhao Yan sat up straight at the same time.

Normally, no new features will be released on the third day, unless...

[You must be struggling with resource allocation and trust issues within your team right now, right?]

[Don't worry! Starting today, the 'Shelter System' is officially online!]

The rules are as follows:

[1. As long as you meet the requirements (having a fixed base/sufficient number of people), you can apply to establish a shelter and build your own power!]

2. The system will provide a comprehensive score based on the shelter's level, number of residents, defense capabilities, and characteristics.

[3. Monthly settlement! The higher your score, the more abundant the system-dropped supplies you'll receive! Even blueprints for firearms!]

4. The shelter operates on a hierarchical system: leader, administrator, and members. Initially, the leader is elected by a vote of all members!

Just as the two were still processing this bombshell news, the voice from the sky suddenly took on a playful tone.

Of course! There are always exceptions.

If you are lucky enough to possess a rare 'Mobile Shelter,' you will automatically become the lifelong leader of that shelter without needing to vote!

Even if you're all alone, you are still a king!

[This is about you, the one rushing through traffic! Slow down, don't damage the road!]

……

The words on the light screen slowly faded away.

Inside the office, Wan Changzheng and Zhao Yan looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock.

"The shelter system... it's been released ahead of schedule?"

Wan Changzheng put down his bowl of porridge, his expression becoming extremely solemn.

"Even this has been brought forward... It seems the number of people who died last night was exceptionally high."

"yes."

Zhao Yan took a deep breath, his tone heavy.

"Based on our understanding of the rules of the Wilderness over the years, there is a threshold for activating the Sanctuary system."

"It's determined entirely by the mortality rate."

"Only when the mortality rate of that group reaches the 30% threshold..."

"In order to protect the remaining people from extinction, the Sky Screen will not open the shelter function until the next day at the latest, encouraging people to stick together."

"In previous years, it would open on the seventh or tenth day, but this time..."

Zhao Yan glanced at the calendar: "Only the third day."

"The number of deaths must also be significant..."

Zhao Yan dared not reveal that number.

Billions of people were born, with a 30% mortality rate…

That means that overnight, a billion people or more turned into monster excrement.

"Alas, life is unpredictable."

Wan Changzheng sighed, stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the densely packed refugee camps outside the base.

"We just need to do our best."

"Yesterday, the base forcibly took in more than a thousand of our compatriots who landed nearby, and supplies are already running low."

"Hopefully there will be fewer cases today... It's not that I don't want to save them, it's that I really can't afford to."

This is not because he is cold-blooded.

As the top leaders of the base, Wan Changzheng and Zhao Yan now only have plain porridge and pickled vegetables for breakfast.

It's exactly the same food as what you eat in the refugee camps outside.

"In the Wilderness Realm, only true strength lies in one's own power."

Wan Changzheng looked at the sky and said, "The country can only provide a safe haven as much as possible, but it cannot protect everyone for a lifetime."

"Um."

Zhao Yan nodded, then he remembered the last sentence in the announcement and stroked his chin in confusion.

"Sir, what was the meaning of the last sentence in the sky?"

"Rush B? That sounds like a tactical term from a game? Does it mean... charge?"

"Is someone carrying out some kind of special operations operation?"

Upon hearing this, Wan Changzheng frowned.

"Maybe."

"After all, special forces from all over the world have come here, and some elites can indeed do things that ordinary people cannot."

"I suspect... it's most likely the group on the Mysterious Island who caused this commotion."

When the "mysterious island" and "special operations" were mentioned, Wan Changzheng seemed to think of something, and his tone suddenly became somewhat gloomy.

"Speaking of which, Lao Zhao, yesterday there was a encrypted message coming from the central base."

"Our ace agent, 'Falcon,' sent back a top-secret intelligence before he sacrificed himself."

"What intelligence?" Zhao Yan asked.

"The reasons why the United States and Japan dominate the top 20."

Wan Changzheng clenched his fist and slammed it hard on the windowsill:

"They had incredible luck during their polar ice exploration last month."

"I managed to snag an S-rank one-time use scroll near the dragon's nest."

"The function of the reel is..."

"It allows a designated number of novices to carry a full set of modern firearms and choose their own landing location!"

"What?!"

Zhao Yan was so shocked that he stood up abruptly, his face filled with disbelief.

"They actually got this kind of incredible luck?!"

"This...this is cheating?!"

He knew all too well what this meant.

During the early stages of the game, when everyone was fighting monsters hand-to-hand with sticks and stones.

The elite squads from the Eagle Nation and the Cherry Blossom Nation are armed with assault rifles, sniper rifles, and even rocket launchers!

We landed on a strange island that was both the richest in resources and the most dangerous!

This is practically a max-level character slaughtering newbies in the starting village!

"Not only that."

Wan Changzheng gritted his teeth.

Even if you're unlucky and don't awaken your special abilities.

"With firearms at the start, they can rack up points, earn rewards, and build shelters..."

"The Wildlands is a world where the snowball keeps getting bigger and bigger."

"A winning game is so comfortable, you can collect resources like crazy!"

"And in a losing situation... if you fall behind one step at a time, you'll fall behind every step at a time, and in the end you'll only become food for monsters."

"If they manage to establish a foothold on the Mysterious Island and build the first S-class shelter..."

Wan Changzheng did not continue speaking.

But Zhao Yan already understood what he meant.

That was a strategic disaster.

"Although plans for a team to go to the Mysterious Island are already being made, I still hope..."

Wan Changzheng raised his head, his gaze fixed on the screen that was about to update the rankings, and on the one who was still in first place and needed no further explanation.

"Hopefully he... can give us another miracle."