The sky was gradually darkening, marking the end of the first day of the second round of the competition.
Su Chen found the second round to be far less difficult than he had imagined. Now that he'd experienced it firsthand, it actually felt quite manageable.
His stomach had started growling, and he decided to make do with a simple dinner. After all, eating lavishly every meal with meat and fish was just a huge waste of time. Preparing elaborate dishes every day would easily take two to three hours—time and energy he'd rather spend gathering supplies.
Wouldn't it be better to use that time to scavenge more resources?
Tonight's dinner would just be some fruits and vegetables. Luckily, Su Chen's RV had plenty of entertainment options. There was even a television now, with endless channels and shows. Staying holed up inside the RV, munching on snacks while watching movies—wasn't that the dream?
He picked up a stealth drone he had found earlier and studied it with curiosity. It seemed to be a type of aerial photography drone, probably similar to the ones used in media production. Unlike the smart surveillance systems he'd seen before, this one was clearly more practical—and best of all, it was invisible to the naked eye.
There were several buttons on the drone's remote, and though he wasn't entirely sure how it worked, he pressed a few at random.
To his surprise, the stealth drone instantly launched into the air.
"Whoa, this thing's actually really easy to operate."
Su Chen couldn't help but marvel. Modern technology was becoming more and more advanced, and it was clear that people's lives were evolving because of it.
He had never actually used a drone before, but he'd often seen them featured in variety shows—those sweeping top-down shots were always done with aerial drones.
Su Chen had always loved photography. He was passionate and driven when it came to that field. Back when he was applying for college, he'd wanted to major in photography or media studies. Unfortunately, his family strongly opposed the idea.
They believed that if he made it to college, he should pursue something more "respectable"—becoming a teacher, a doctor, working at a bank, or becoming a civil servant. These were the careers his parents had envisioned for him.
But Su Chen had no interest in those paths. They were far too rigid and conventional.
He knew he wasn't alone—plenty of people had their futures decided by their parents.
He wasn't an exception. The major he ended up choosing had nothing to do with his interests. It was simply the result of giving in to his parents' wishes. Throughout college, he'd thought about switching majors several times—but he always gave up in the end.
Now, though, he finally had a chance to make up for that lost dream. With this drone, he could finally enjoy his old hobby. He could take photos of whatever he wanted, without restrictions, without rules. It felt freeing.
It was nearly midnight, and the drone didn't have a light source, so using it at night wasn't a smart idea. Su Chen decided to wait until morning to test it properly.
He almost forgot—he'd also obtained a chicken Egg earlier.
He held it in his hand. It looked just like a regular chicken egg. He couldn't tell what was special about it. Maybe it just hatched faster than normal, helping speed up the process to eating chicken?
That was just a guess. If this egg ended up being a pet instead, and not edible, then it would feel like a loss. Raising a pet took time and energy.
But Su Chen didn't plan on selling it. He already had plenty of supplies—he wasn't really lacking anything.
If he was missing anything... maybe a beautiful woman? Heh, just kidding.
This was only the first day of the second round. Su Chen was curious how others were doing.
He opened the [World Chat Channel].
("This second round isn't kidding around. I didn't see a single airdrop today."
"Just because you didn't see one doesn't mean no one did."
"I saw two guys get chased by a whole pack of wolves. I was hiding in the bushes, didn't even dare to breathe."
"One of my allies went into a no-man's zone. He told us to wait for him... but now he's just gone."
"So scary. Good thing I didn't run into any monsters today, or I'd be dead meat.")
It seemed like most people were still struggling to adapt to the second round. This was the perfect time to gather more supplies.
Su Chen checked the [Honors and Achievements] section. Most of the records were his. Beneath them were tons of comments.
People were saying they wanted to be like him—slaying monsters, winning the championship for humanity.
Reading those comments made him chuckle.
Were these people... elementary schoolers?
It was getting late. Time to sleep. Who knew what tomorrow would bring—he couldn't afford to let his guard down.
It was already close to midnight, yet the eerie children's rhyme hadn't started playing. Maybe it had been canceled for the second round, or maybe someone had just forgotten.
Either way, the silence was great. At least tonight, he'd get a good night's rest.
Su Chen's sleep had improved drastically these past few days, all thanks to the memory foam latex mattress in his RV. After a whole day of hard work, collapsing into that bed made it all feel worth it.
He peeked outside—it was pitch black.
It felt like more and more monsters were lurking in the darkness, watching from all directions.
They seemed even fiercer than the ones from the first round—enough to make his jaw drop.
Still, the RV was safe.
It was now late into the night.
Su Chen lay in bed, ready to sleep.
Outside, a wild storm had kicked up—gale-force winds were howling, snapping tree branches, and the rain was pouring down.
The violent weather made the contrast between the inside and outside of the RV even more pronounced.
Lately, the temperature had dropped sharply. Even wearing a thick coat wasn't enough to stay warm.
Who knew when things would start to warm up again?
Su Chen often went out scavenging, and his hands had gotten so cold they were almost numb. But there was nothing he could do—it wasn't like he could choose where he spawned.
Thankfully, the RV's heater was running, keeping the inside toasty and comfortable. The cold outside made him appreciate it even more.
He shut the windows and settled in for the night.
The second day of the second round had begun.
In the morning, sunlight warmed Su Chen's backside, but he still didn't feel like getting up. Half-awake, he thought he heard someone knocking on the door. Reluctantly, he got up to check.
But outside... there was nothing.
"Damn it, playing games with me!"
He placed the Chicken Egg into the greenhouse chamber inside the storage unit, where the temperature was ideal for hatching.
Hopefully, the chick and his planted seeds would both flourish.
That's what Su Chen hoped to see. After all, anything he had created himself held more meaning than random supplies he'd scavenged.
The food or tools he found were just for use.
But the things he made—those carried a personal touch.
Remembering the stealth drone from yesterday, l seeing that the weather was clear and sunny today, he figured it was the perfect time to head out.