This time, Lin Qingsnow only stayed in the small world for a little over a decade, mainly because her previous body didn't have a long lifespan.
That worked out well—after all, that world didn't have much of value, and the greatest treasure had already been absorbed by Xiao Tian.
"Host has returned. The task issuer is very satisfied with your completed tasks and has directly given you the highest-level rating," the system said, smiling obsequiously at Lin Qingsnow.
The system had no choice but to flatter her—Lin Qingsnow was now its breadwinner. The better she performed, the more points the system received from higher-ups. The system's gaze at Lin Qingsnow had grown noticeably warmer.
"I helped you collect the rewards from the wild system before. Did you add them to my points?" Lin Qingsnow was sharp, especially when it came to the points she had painstakingly earned.
"Don't worry. I promised you, and I never break my promises. Your current points total 7.49 million, already reduced by the points spent purchasing the guidance device," the system quickly replied. It didn't want its host scrutinizing it too closely.
"Also, I have good news. Since you completed the previous eleven tasks with high quality, the system headquarters is very satisfied and decided to grant you a one-time quarterly bonus of 500,000 points."
This was an unexpected windfall. Lin Qingsnow was pleased—she hadn't expected the system headquarters to be so generous. A quarterly bonus was better than none.
"All right, I won't rest this time. I'll immediately draw the next task world!"
After receiving her rewards, Lin Qingsnow's enthusiasm for missions surged. Plus, she hadn't spent much time in the previous world, so her energy remained high.
The system felt pleased— it liked this kind of drive in its host, even though it lacked the quality itself.
A few seconds later, Lin Qingsnow saw the wheel land on the "National Fate World." This seemed novel, somewhat similar to previous survival worlds—but this time, the battles were for the nation.
The system quickly brought over this world's task client. Seeing the client walking with a cane, Lin Qingsnow instantly felt a bad premonition.
"No way… I actually have to perform a mission with such a frail body?"
"Hello. I hope you can help me survive in the harsh National Fate World and bring some resources to my country. That alone will make me satisfied," the client said.
Hearing this, Lin Qingsnow thought: She's not greedy. Her task requirements aren't unreasonable.
"All right, I understand your requirements."
Soon, An Xiaomei received the full memory of this body, learning she had just been placed in the National Fate survival world. The original owner had, like in the previous life, just acquired an S-grade item—Master Thief's Hand.
The item itself was excellent, allowing an adventurer to steal 5% of another adventurer's resources.
However, it only worked if the adventurer actively wore the item and physically contacted other adventurers—which was disastrous for a slow, elderly body.
Due to her body's limitations, the item had been useless for the previous owner. While scavenging for resources, she was killed by a man from an island nation, inadvertently helping him thrive.
Even if other Dragon Nation adventurers tried to avenge her later, they failed. By the time they captured him, he had already helped his island nation acquire substantial resources, elevating his small country's status.
This infuriated the Dragon Nation, which had a blood feud with the island nation, and in later games, they always tried to target them.
Thinking of this outcome, An Xiaomei clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.
At this point, all adventurers from all countries had been deployed: 400 countries, each sending 50 adventurers, fighting for their nations' dwindling resources.
"Ding! Adventurers, please pay attention to the rules. Each of you has received a talent item. If you die, there's a 10% chance it will drop. Each task and exploration affects not only your life but also your nation's resources…"
At the same time, on Bluewater Star, everyone could see a transparent screen displaying each adventurer's exploration process. Private details were pixelated for privacy.
The screen also had text prompts for easy understanding.
When Dragon Nation people saw a middle-aged woman with a cane standing on a 10-square-meter ice island, they were shocked.
"What? What's going on? Is the official game targeting Dragon Nation? Why send an old lady?"
"Yeah, it should be strong men like us going, that's only fair."
"I don't have much hope for her. In previous streams, it was mostly soldiers, coaches, athletes… now suddenly there's an elderly housewife?"
Meanwhile, a man in a military district recognized the face: Wait, that's my 60-year-old mother who just had a fracture. How did she get into the National Fate World? He immediately wanted to ask superiors if he could send her back and go in her place.
An Xiaomei, meanwhile, was planning how to expand the ice island to claim her first reward: the Longevity Pill. For her, this was the best reward, granting 10 extra years of life, improving her constitution, and extending the lifespan of all Dragon Nation citizens by one month.