Upon opening the final treasure chest, Meng Hao discovered a tattered map.
"At least it's not some bizarre nonsense," he muttered.
[Fragmented Treasure Map: Rotten Wood Tier Item. Within the mist lie countless mysterious islands, each potentially harboring great treasure. Gather all the pieces, and you may unveil its location.]
[Ding! Divine Luck activated. Receive a 100x reward.]
Choose one of the following 100x reward options:
100 Fragmented Treasure Maps
1 Complete Treasure Map
Meng Hao glanced at the options and curled his lips in disdain.
Was this even a question?
Of course he chose Option 2.
[Treasure Map: Black Iron Tier Item. Countless mysterious islands lie veiled in mist, hiding untold riches. With this map, you can discover them.]
[Note: Upon use, the treasure island will be revealed automatically.]
[Would you like to use the Treasure Map now?]
The prompt in blue font made Meng Hao's eyes curve in delight.
An island brimming with treasure—could it be filled with treasure chests?
And with his 100x luck bonus, wouldn't this haul potentially complete the entire game?
Ha!
Overjoyed, Meng Hao cried out with anticipation:
"No!"
A swift and decisive refusal!
Was this a joke? He was still in the early stages of exploring this island.
He had only just arrived and hadn't even covered a quarter of its terrain.
If the treasure island appeared now, he wouldn't have time to reach it.
And if someone else got there first? That loss would be unbearable.
Besides, the map was in his possession. He could use it whenever he wished—no need to rush.
So, Meng Hao stashed the map and pressed forward with his trusty 98K.
As he advanced, the mist enshrouding the island dispersed rapidly, unveiling the land in its entirety.
It resembled the skeletal remains of a post-apocalyptic city.
More precisely, it looked like a ruined fragment of some once-thriving metropolis.
Meng Hao began to question: was this truly an island?
Or rather, a shattered remnant of a broken world?
This unsettling possibility made him more cautious and piqued his curiosity about the game's world.
"Behind the ruined convenience store, six hundred meters ahead, there's a zombie."
Meng Hao spotted the lurking figure and moved in with his 98K.
"Another one near the collapsed gas station to the northwest."
Having gained a bird's-eye view of the entire island, he confirmed the presence of four zombies—one fewer than on the first island.
Each of them was hidden deep within the mist, making this island far more dangerous than the first.
The zombie near the convenience store was over six hundred meters away.
That range, coupled with only a 2x scope, made hitting the target almost impossible.
He needed to lure it closer.
"Hey, buddy! Out for a stroll?"
Meng Hao shouted mockingly at the distant zombie.
To be honest, he didn't feel like walking all that way.
He hoped to bait the creature over and take it out with one shot.
Unfortunately, the game mechanics only allowed zombies to hear noises within a 500-meter radius, rendering his taunt futile.
With no other choice, Meng Hao advanced, eventually reaching an abandoned highway.
The road had been warped and shattered. Wrecked vehicles lay scattered in disarray, stained with blackened zombie blood.
Within many of the husks, desiccated corpses were still visible, emitting waves of foul stench.
Holding his breath against the reek, Meng Hao stepped over the ruined asphalt and slid down the slope.
Only about 400 meters remained between him and the broken convenience store.
He checked the ammo on his 98K, then found a raised rock to serve as a makeshift sniper perch.
Ready at last, Meng Hao curled a finger toward the wandering zombie and shouted:
"Come at me, then!"
Zombie: "???"
ROAR!
The zombie spotted its prey, contorted its face into a grotesque snarl, and charged forward with a bestial howl.
Meng Hao braced his 98K, his 2x scope tracking the charging monster.
As it drew nearer, the creature grew larger in the lens, its outline sharpening with each step.
Meng Hao, watching its frenzied sprint, found it almost… endearing.
Compared to earlier days, slaying zombies had become routine.
300 meters… 200… 100…
50 meters—
Bang!
-100 HP.
A clean headshot ended it instantly.
[Zombie slain. +1 Zombie Crystal Coin]
[Ding! Divine Luck activated. +100 Zombie Crystal Coins]
100 coins instantly credited.
Meng Hao stepped forward and scooped the chest into his storage ring without hesitation.
He didn't open it just yet. His eyes turned toward the final zombie.
Once all threats were eliminated, then he would reap his rewards.
Near the collapsed gas station, a hulking zombie paced aimlessly.
At times, it lifted its head as if pondering the cosmos.
Other times, it bowed low, lost in introspection.
Had Meng Hao not known better, he might have mistaken the creature for a philosophical scholar.
He climbed over a dirt mound, brushed through overgrown weeds, and approached the gas station.
Now less than 200 meters from his target.
This time, he didn't even bother finding cover.
He strode forward confidently, radiating the aura of a lone gunman who feared nothing.
His boots crunched on the cracked pavement, drawing the zombie's attention.
The creature roared and lunged.
Meng Hao raised his 98K, aimed for its chest, and fired.
Bang!
-100 HP.
The bullet tore a fist-sized hole through the zombie's torso. The massive body toppled to the ground with a deafening thud.
[Zombie slain. +1 Zombie Crystal Coin]
[Ding! Divine Luck activated. +100 Zombie Crystal Coins]
Another hundred coins acquired.
With a silver-tier weapon in hand, zombie hunting had become almost effortless.
Meng Hao retrieved the final chest near the collapsed station.
Today's expedition had been wildly successful—six treasure chests recovered in total.
"Wait… why haven't I received a system notification?"
He frowned. Something felt off.
Normally, eliminating all zombies would trigger a prompt confirming his capture of the uninhabited island.
But no message had appeared.
Could there be another hidden zombie?
Or… some other lurking danger?
The thought sent a chill through him.
He quickly stashed the chest, mounted the 98K on the wreckage of a car, and scanned the surroundings warily.
Suddenly, a line of blue text appeared:
[Beep. Metal detected. Can be dismantled to obtain iron ore. Collect now?]
Meng Hao: "???"
The alert stunned him.
These car wrecks… were they actually the iron ore he had been so desperately searching for?
He looked around. The entire area was littered with them.
Jackpot!
If that was the case—
He turned toward the nearby gas station.
Could it be… disassembled for gasoline?