Thinking about his "special abilities," Jiang Yuan felt both anxious and curious.
People always have a strong desire to explore the unknown, especially when it's a world where they can enjoy pioneering and make money as well. He immediately returned to his room, locked the door, exited the text message interface, and prepared to enter the game again to make some money.
A few seconds later, his hands trembled slightly as he kept searching on his phone over and over again, "Where's my game with a golden touch? Why is it gone?!"
The majestic icon on the phone interface had disappeared.
After checking the file explorer and phone manager numerous times, he was sure that there were no traces of the game left; it couldn't be found in the software store or gaming platform either.
Only the withdrawal text message proved he wasn't dreaming.
It's over; withdrawal is equivalent to receiving a salary? Knocked the game out of business in one go...
Jiang Yuan lay on the bed in frustration and regret; although pioneering and farming were a bit exhausting, they genuinely paid money!
If he had known earlier, he would've earned a few million before withdrawing, eliminating the need to beg for a job and allowing him to return home, tidy the yard, plant flowers and vegetables, keep cats and dogs, and enjoy retirement life in advance.
But now...
Looking at his bank card balance, he got up, washed his face, and perked himself up before going downstairs to order a bowl of ramen.
After working in the game for over an hour solidly, he noticed his arms and legs were aching; thinking about the 800 yuan he earned, he asked the boss to add an extra five yuan of meat.
Pouring chili oil into the steaming fragrant bowl of noodles, he quickly filled his stomach.
"When it's meant to be, it will happen; when it's not meant to be, don't force it. Just consider it a lucky find," Jiang Yuan adjusted his mindset after filling his belly, ready to continue job hunting back in the shared apartment.
[The cherries by the homestead river have ripened; they can be picked and stored for consumption or used as raw materials for food preparation.]
Just as he lay on the bed, a familiar dialog box sprang up in his view, instantly lifting him up; the reminder to pick fruits suggested the game's existence, maybe it's been updated backstage?
Looking at that prompt, his heart, which had just cooled after an emotional rollercoaster, heated up again.
Forcing himself to calm down, Jiang Yuan didn't find the game on his phone but instead, closed his eyes to rest, and suddenly discovered the icon floating in his mind!
What?!
Did the game transfer to my brain? Does this mean the game invaded my mind?
Could this thing contain viruses?
With over ten thousand question marks in his mind, Jiang Yuan couldn't resist the temptation of game withdrawal and opened the game with a thought.
His vision brightened, and he indeed reappeared in the game world!
"Phew..." He finally let go of a sigh of relief; the golden touch wasn't so fragile, it survived his damage, and could still be used, which was really wonderful!
[The beginner tutorial is completed, unlocking personal panel, broken storage bag, and other functions]
[Main task: Build Level One homestead. Reward: ???]
[Task 1: Clear the weeds, trees, and stones in the courtyard. Reward: Level 0 house]
The previous quick exit caused him to miss seeing the system information; Jiang Yuan observed seriously for a while and found everything around him was exactly the same as before he left the game. A gentle breeze blew through the tall trees and overgrown weeds in the "courtyard," and the crisp chirping of birds faintly echoed the gentle sound of flowing river.
He picked up a wooden stick from the ground to make his way, exploring toward the direction of the water sounds.
"It turns out this is my 'courtyard,' the place is really quite large." After finding the river, he circled around it and finally figured out the initial configuration.
The courtyard faced south from the north; the northernmost part was a cliff covered with vines, surrounded on three sides by broad and clear rivers. Only to the south, there was a worn-out wooden bridge over the river as the only entrance and exit. Standing on the shaky wooden bridge, he looked at the chaotic "forest" outside and cautiously didn't take a step forward.
Indeed, by the river, there were two cherry trees full of large, red fruits; the bright fruit, bathed in the warm sunlight, emitted the unique glow and fragrance of fresh fruit, appearing very appetizing.
[Wilderness Cherry, edible. Sweet and juicy, unlike ordinary products, matures once a day in spring. Regular shelf life is seven days; can be stored in a storage bag for three months; in a storage box for a year]
When Jiang Yuan picked a large cherry from the tree and held it in his hand, the basic information of the item immediately popped up.
The large fruit was truly tempting; he casually washed it with river water and put it in his mouth, his eyes lit up instantly, "It's so delicious!"
The taste was different from all the cherries he had eaten before; the full, solid texture burst with sweet juice in every bite, accompanied by the intense cherry fragrance instantly filling the mouth, stimulating the taste buds.
If he could take it out, it would definitely outshine the expensive varieties of cherries sold at fruit stands.
Picking in the game was relatively easier; with the default pickup enabled, he climbed up the tree and quickly picked a batch, and the large, perfect cherries all went into the storage bag.
After harvesting the cherries from the two trees, the Wilderness Cherry occupied exactly one cell of the storage bag with a complete weight of one hundred pounds.
Jiang Yuan then opened the store, finding the farming tools needed for the task from the toolbox section.
The prices weren't expensive, all were damaged versions; each tool cost 50 Gold Coins and could collect materials for upgrades, but each tool had a single purpose. To complete tasks and clear the entire courtyard, he needed axes for chopping trees, sickles for cutting grass, shovels for removing debris, and pickaxes for clearing stones.
After withdrawing the beginner tutorial reward Gold Coins, Jiang Yuan's account balance was now 0. After a few seconds of deliberation, he decided to humbly deposit two hundred to buy the farming tools and start clearing land.
He worked tirelessly until sunset when the large yard was left with only the two cherry trees by the river, neat and flat. Jiang Yuan, who never had a smooth career, felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and achievement.
[Task 1 complete, Level 0 house reward issued]
Accompanied by a prompt, a flash of light birthed a thatched cottage near the cherry trees, modest in size with only a wooden bed covered with straw placed in the corner.
"Level 0 is so crude, how would one upgrade it?" Before he could find a way to upgrade the house, large words suddenly appeared in his view: [Dusk has arrived, wilderness is descending]
Jiang Yuan found the sky suddenly darkening; looking up, he was instantly shocked and inhaled sharply!
Above the sky was an endless expanse of rolling black clouds, faintly visible were mountain ridges layered and stacked, and the vast Black Forest.
It felt like a scene where the Otherworld invaded, even with system reminders and psychological preparation, he felt parched and his heart racing.
If someone had a phobia of huge objects, wouldn't they be scared to death on the spot?
The sky grew increasingly ominous, with the black clouds pressing down at lightning speed.
"Boom!"
A sound wave rippled out, and in the blink of an eye, the clean bright courtyard vanished, replaced by shadows of mountains and deep forests; his newly acquired thatched cottage and two cherry trees weakly and pitifully nestled at the foot of a towering mountain.
"Roar!"
Unknown wild beasts roared on the mountain, causing Jiang Yuan's heart to feel numb.
"Damn! The wilderness descends so spectacularly!" He instinctively clenched the axe in his hand, thinking that the two cherry trees were wilderness products, and the background introduction mentioned that the wilderness had Spiritual Energy for cultivation and powerful races.
This means daytime is relatively safe for production, while nighttime demands adventure amidst wealth and danger?
"Roar!" Another more savage roar was heard, and simultaneously the ground shook, startling flocks of birds into flight, seemingly scared off by some terrifying large creature in contention.
A brand-new vast Otherworld stretched ahead; Jiang Yuan glanced at the fragile thatched cottage without daring to linger, quickly stowed away the axe into the storage bag and clicked exit.
"So tired, hungry, and exhausted..." Instantly returning to the familiar room filled him with a sense of safety, and though adventure was interesting, it should only be pursued when well-fed and well-rested; otherwise, it's akin to courting death actively.
Nevertheless, what happens if one dies in the wilderness game? Can they be resurrected?
The game didn't provide detailed information, leaving Jiang Yuan a bit curious.