Long Tian leaned against the damp wall, his chest heaving and the wound on his arm burning. The tunnel was narrow, barely lit by the faint glow of the system interface floating in front of him.
[New mission: Find the exit of the tomb.]
[Reward: Local map activation (Level 1).]
"That's it? No help at all?" he whispered in frustration. But he already knew the answer. The system didn't speakonly assigned tasks and displayed rewards.
Gritting his teeth, he started moving. The passage was littered with rubble, roots hanging from the ceiling, and a faint, musty smell that seeped into his bones. Every step was uncertain, but his instinct told him he had to move.
After walking several meters, he found a fork in the path. To the right, the air smelled of dryness and decay. To the left, a faint current carried the scent of mossand something else… fresh air.
He chose the left path.
As he moved forward, the system marked a signal on the interface.
[Correct path detected.]
[Estimated distance to exit: 320 meters.]
"Thank heavens..."
But it wouldn't be that easy. Midway through, the ground began to tremble. Rocks fell from the ceiling, and a figure emerged from the stone: a skeleton wearing rusted armor, holding a broken spear in one hand.
[Hostile entity: Undead Warrior Low class.]
Long Tian instinctively backed away. He knew he couldn't face it head-on. However, he noticed something: the creature moved clumsily, its motions awkward, and the spear was more rust than weapon.
"Maybe… I can slip past it."
He waited until the skeleton advanced a bit more, then slipped through a crack along the side of the tunnel. His steps were silent, his breathing held. One mistake meant death.
He crept past the skeleton, heart pounding in his chest. The plan worked. Without detecting spiritual energy, the creature didn't react.
[Evasion successful.]
The system confirmed it, and Long Tian quickened his pace. After more minutes of walking through the shadows, he saw something shining at the end of the tunnel: sunlight filtering through an opening.
He ran, ignoring the pain in his arm, ignoring the fear. He crawled through the stones and collapsed onto the grass. He breathed deeply. The sky was covered in dark clouds, but compared to the tombit was freedom.
[Mission completed. Reward: Local map unlocked.]
[New objective available.]
Long Tian looked toward the horizon. He didn't know where he was, or what kind of world this was. But one thing was clear:
He was alone… and his only help was a silent system that demanded he survive at all costs.
Long Tian was still gasping for air, lying on the damp grass, when the system activated again in front of his eyes.
[Reward activated: Local map unlocked.]
A small three-dimensional map appeared, hovering in the air before him. It showed the mountain he had just escaped from—its jagged peak marked clearly in the center of a rugged terrain. At the base of the mountain, glowing faintly, was a village: a dozen scattered houses near what looked like a river.
"A village?" Long Tian murmured, studying the details. "If there are people there, maybe I can get help… or at least information about where I am."
He touched his wounded arm. The blood had clotted, but the pain throbbed constantly. His current body felt weaker than his original one. Though his mind and knowledge remained intact, he didn't know how long he could last in this state.
With effort, he got to his feet. His legs trembled, but his eyes held a flicker of determination. The mountain was steep, but a faint path showed signs of ancient footprints and worn trails. If he could reach the village before nightfall, he might have a chance.
[New sub-mission: Head to the village marked on the map.]
[Reward: General information about the region.]
Long Tian closed the map. The system, though silent, seemed to know exactly what he needed. It didn't answer his questions, but it guided him with eerie precision.
"Mysterious or not… if this system wants me to survive, I'll make full use of it."
Clenching his teeth, he began his descent down the slope, unaware that the real dangers had yet to begin.