Novel Lived
Chapter 1 - Arriving in the Apocalypse, Binding the Attribute System
Chapter 1: Arriving in the Apocalypse, Binding the Attribute System
Darkness blanketed the land. The wilderness lay silent, with only a vast ruin breaking the stillness. In the middle of this desolate space, a lone bonfire flickered, the only source of light and warmth.
Su Mu stood in the ruins, utterly stunned. Just moments ago, he’d been at a banquet, savouring fine wine and chatting with the city’s most beautiful woman—her fair skin, long legs, and striking looks unforgettable. And now, he was here, in this desolate ruin?n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
What had happened?
Suddenly, an emotionless, mechanical voice echoed from above:
“Welcome to the Yin Qi Revival World. The Wasteland Apocalypse is about to begin. This is Blue Star’s only chance for survival. Two billion people from Blue Star have arrived at the same time. You must survive here for a long time.
“In this world of revived Yin Qi, where ghosts roam freely, protect your shelter and endure this apocalyptic realm. Become the eternal ruler of this dark night!”
Taking a deep breath, Su Mu looked around. Ruins stretched in all directions, their walls crumbling, with no safe place in sight. The only relatively intact structure was a wall enclosing a small dungeon-like area. Everything else seemed so fragile it might collapse at a touch.
Beyond the shelter lay an open wasteland, filled with faint sounds—wolves howling and ghostly wails drifting through the air.
A sense of helplessness crept over him. Just when he’d achieved a comfortable life among the upper class, this sudden twist of fate had snatched it all away.
At that moment, the eerie voice from above resumed.
“Shelter Owner, you have a three-day novice protection period. During this time, there will be no threats inside your shelter, and all structures within it will be invincible.
“Once this period ends, wild beasts and Yin spirits will descend upon you. If your shelter falls to these creatures, you will lose your chance at immortality, facing uncontrollable changes.”
Suddenly, a blinding blue light appeared overhead, growing brighter and spreading until it enveloped the entire shelter.
The barrier’s thin glow offered a momentary sense of security but also brought a sense of urgency. Three days of protection—neither long nor short. In this world, stripped of civilization and overrun by spirits, building a proper shelter in such a short time was nearly impossible.
Right now, Su Mu’s “shelter” consisted of a bonfire, a ring of unstable walls, and a wooden hut that looked ready to collapse at any moment. He wondered how the others were managing—two billion people scattered across this barren land, yet not a single one in sight. This world’s size must be beyond imagination.
As he mused, Su Mu noticed a faint blue screen glowing not far from the bonfire. Approaching, he saw several items displayed:
[Shelter Information], [Friend Information], [World Information], [Trade Space]…
Curious, he selected his personal information.
[Shelter Owner: Su Mu]
[Shelter Level: Level 0]
[Shelter Buildings: Walls, Campfire, Wooden Hut (Buildings can be constructed or upgraded by consuming resources)]
[Personal Strength: 0]
[Special Abilities: None]
[Equipment: None]
[Energy Stones: None]
[Food: None]
[Wood: None]
[Stone: None]
…
“Strength: zero, special abilities: none?!” he muttered.
He’d hoped that, as a transmigrator, he might have gained some advantage. But, apparently, he was starting out with nothing.
How was he supposed to survive with zero strength and no resources? To gather supplies, he would have to venture outside and face the beasts and ghosts in the wasteland. But without any strength or equipment, he was as vulnerable as anyone.
Shaking his head, Su Mu explored the other tabs. The friend information and trade space were both empty, but the world information section was filled with messages from others
[World Announcement:
To the two billion shelter owners from Blue Star, welcome to the Yin Qi Revival World. Here, you will face fair and just competition. Here, you may achieve power, even immortality.]
Messages flooded in:
[User 1: What is this place? Why am I here?!]
[User 2: To hell with immortality! They left me with a broken wall, and there are dozens of tigers outside! Won’t they eat me alive in three days?!]
[User 3: My fire went out, and the tide’s rising over here on the coast!]
[User 4: You think that’s bad? I’ve got over ten vampires outside! I’m scared!]
Scanning the messages, Su Mu could see that some were already in trouble. Temporary safety was an illusion; if he didn’t upgrade his shelter soon, he would face disaster in three days.
Then one message caught his attention:
[User 5: Brothers, don’t go outside. I took a single step out, and skeletons nearly tore me apart!]
[User 5: The outside is a death trap! I tried to scout the area, but the moment I stepped out, skeletons began crawling up from the ground!]
Su Mu frowned, gazing into the wasteland. If there were skeletons just beyond his shelter, any attempt to gather resources would be a risk. Yet, staying put would also mean certain death when the protection period ended.
A heavy despair pressed down on him. Waiting here guaranteed doom, but stepping outside seemed equally deadly.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind:
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for binding the attribute system.]