Chapter One: Survival Game—Activation!
A gentle breeze brushed his face, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, falling across the features of a man lying on the forest floor. Slowly, his body quivered, as though on the verge of waking.
"Not again... a familiar ceiling? Huh!? Wait—where am I? I clearly remember being in my dorm room!"
Leo Chen pushed himself up from the ground, blinking at the sky peeking through a thick canopy of leaves. Towering trees rose dozens—perhaps hundreds—of meters above him. His mind felt knotted, unsure where to begin unknotting.
"Has the universe gone off the rails? One moment I'm asleep in my dorm, the next I'm in a primeval jungle. And whoever did this clearly didn't do their job right—look at me, I can still stand. Did they just half-finish the job and call it a day?"
Before Leo could fully process the scene, an agonizing headache struck. Memories swarmed into his mind all at once, and only after several heartbeats did they settle. A wry smile tugged at his lips.
He had no idea which deity or cosmic prankster was responsible, but in one instant he'd been torn from his dorm bed and thrust into another world. In this reality, around the year 2000, humanity's reckless release of nuclear-contaminated water—despite global protests—poisoned every water source. Crop yields collapsed; pollution outstripped the planet's ability to cleanse itself. Climate spiraled into extremes. People struggled merely to survive.
As punishment—or perhaps karma—the region around Japan suffered unprecedented natural disasters: tsunamis, typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions. Within a few years, the island nation vanished without a trace.
For over a decade, the world teetered on collapse. Then a chime rang out: a game notification. A new program called Survival Game appeared, randomly selecting individuals aged 18 to 60 from every nation at a rate of one in ten thousand. With outdoor spaces poisoned and society fractured, most participants never returned. Panic spread.
Until the first contestant emerged alive and well, humanity knew nothing of the game's true nature. In the Survival Game, players encountered supernatural phenomena and could purchase rare items in an in-game shop—miracle cures, technology accelerators, even pollution-neutralizers. Suddenly, people clamored to be selected, dreaming of crossing social barriers and saving the world. Nations formed elite teams to cleanse the planet through the game.
Leo realized he was one of the newly chosen. This world mirrored his own: the same family, the same university, even the same roommates—except for one deadly difference: he'd been drafted into the Survival Game.
"Alright," he muttered, gathering his thoughts. "Two choices:
Write a farewell letter, dig a grave, and shorten life's detours.
Survive this damn game and reunite with Mom and Dad."
Determination glinted in his eyes as he whispered, "I know which one I'm picking."
"Ding! Player panel initialized. Accessible at any time."
He activated the in-mind interface. A pale blue display floated before him, listing three options: Profile, Quests, Shop. The Shop was locked. Leo tapped Profile first.
Profile
Name: Leo Chen
Age: 21
Height: 180 cm
Strength: 6
Constitution: 8
Agility: 6
Spirit: 13
(Note: average values for a healthy male are 10)
Items: None
Profession: None
Skills: None
Talent: Apex Predator
Overall Rating: Freshly minted survival rookie—no experience, but unlimited potential.
Most fields read None, as expected at the game's start. But one entry piqued Leo's curiosity: Talent: Apex Predator. He didn't recall having any talent so formidable back in his old life—otherwise, he wouldn't have slogged through college. He opened the Talent details:
Apex Predator(Talent Skill)Description: As an apex predator, you move through nature with ease. Wilderness hardships merely add flavor to your survival, and you always find a way through adversity—you are the ruler of the wild.
Effects:
Survival Expertise: Learning speed for all survival techniques +100%.
Protein Mastery: Every prey you hunt is guaranteed edible and exceptionally nutritious—six times the protein of ordinary meat.
Fortified Physique: Your physical stats can improve steadily through training.
Overall Note: Young adventurer, my journey ends here—yours begins now.
"Bear Grylls?!" Leo's heart skipped. Bear Grylls had been his childhood hero—he never missed an episode whenever that man appeared on TV. The last time Leo saw him was during a New Year's greeting to China back at university. Sadly, in this world, Bear Grylls had vanished from broadcasts after the nuclear water crisis. He never expected to find a trace of his hero here.
"Well, at least I've got Bear Grylls' blessing," Leo thought, a flicker of comfort in his chest. "All those years of watching survival shows can't be wasted. I just need to stay calm and sharp, and I'll clear this beginner quest."
Leo sorted through his memories of survival tips, took a steadying breath, and readied himself to face the challenge ahead. The ultimate survival game had begun.