The students stood up one after another, leaving the gym in small groups.

Some excitedly discussed no longer having to attend classes, some called their families with worried expressions, and others sat blankly in place, seemingly yet to recover from the shock.

Lin Feng followed the crowd out of the gymnasium, the morning sun stinging his eyes and making him squint.

Everything was as familiar as it had been yesterday. However, he knew that from this day forward, he was no longer just a senior high school student worrying about monthly exam rankings and what to eat for dinner.

Su Yurou's voice came from behind him: "Lin Feng."

He turned around. Su Yurou caught up to him at a light jog, breathing slightly hard: "What... are your plans?"

"Go home first, prepare a bit, and then enter," Lin Feng answered simply.

"I mean long-term," Su Yurou looked at him. "Where you'll be teleported, what plans you have... My father said that if newcomers can form a team, their survival rate will be much higher."

Lin Feng understood her meaning. Su Yurou's father was a retired lord; though his territory was gone, his experience and connections remained.

She was looking for potential partners.

"I haven't thought that far ahead yet," Lin Feng said honestly. "Besides, the teleportation location is random. We might not even run into each other."

"True..." Su Yurou nodded and handed over an electronic business card. "Then if you need advice, or... if there's a chance to cooperate in the future, you can contact me.

My father has some connections in the bureau; maybe he can help."

Lin Feng took the card. It only had a string of numbers and a name: Su Mingyuan (Consultant of Rongcheng Nightmare Affairs Bureau).

"Thank you."

The two parted at the school gate. Zhao Kai had already gotten into a luxury hovercar. Before leaving, he deliberately rolled down the window and glanced toward Lin Feng with a look of scrutiny and... superiority.

Lin Feng ignored him, found his old-fashioned bicycle, unlocked it, and rode off.

On the way home, the billboards on both sides of the street were almost entirely about the Nightmare World:

"Dream Net Live: Subscribe to the Lord Channel and cheer for the national fortune!"

"Wang Group is recruiting Nightmare World gathering teams, monthly salary starting at 50,000!"

"National Fortune Cauldron Real-time Status Inquiry APP, latest version online!"

Even when passing a pharmacy, there was a poster in the window: "'Dream-Settle'—Helps the Awakened stabilize their first connection and reduces dizziness. Government certified, safe and effective."

A brand-new world, a world closely linked to everyone.

Lin Feng arrived home nearly at eleven o'clock. His parents had specifically taken the day off and were both waiting at home.

"Xiao Feng!" His mother rushed up and grabbed his arm, looking him up and down. "How was it? Did you awaken?"

Lin Feng nodded.

His mother's eyes instantly reddened, whether from joy or worry. His father patted his shoulder heavily: "Good lad! You've done our family proud!"

"It's just awakening, it's hard to say what happens next," Lin Feng said with a bitter smile.

"Don't be afraid." His father pulled him to sit on the sofa. "We won't be greedy; we'll take it steady.

I've asked around. When you go in for the first time, try to find a safe corner, watch and learn more, and don't try to be a hero. Even if you're assigned the hardest and most tiring work, grit your teeth and do it. Staying alive is the most important thing."

"I know."

His mother brought out a sumptuous lunch from the kitchen—all of Lin Feng's favorite dishes. During the meal, his parents kept piling food onto his plate and giving him advice, but they never mentioned the dangers of the Nightmare World.

However, Lin Feng noticed that his father would occasionally glance at the projection of the National Fortune Cauldron hanging °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° on the living room wall.

The three cracks on the tripod's body were particularly glaring in the midday sun.

After lunch, Lin Feng returned to his room. He locked the door, sat at his desk, and began to plan seriously.

First, he had learned in class that ordinary items could not be brought into the Nightmare World, but some tools made of special materials could be carried through "soul binding," though Lin Feng didn't have any.

Then, he began to think about the timing for using his Awakened talent.

Eye of Probability, once every thirty days.

The time flow in the Nightmare World is three times that of Blue Star. In other words, if he stayed in the Nightmare World, his usage opportunity would refresh every ten days of Blue Star time.

The Village Establishment Order was not to be considered for now; it was too far off. What he needed now were things that could immediately improve his survival capability.

Equipment drops in the Nightmare World... He had learned in class that ordinary nightmare creatures might drop "Crude Weapons" or "Simple Armor," with a probability of around 10% to 15%.

Elite monsters might drop "Excellent Grade" items, with an even lower probability. If he specified a drop, he could definitely obtain an Excellent Grade or even better piece of equipment.

But the problem returned to the starting point: he had to be capable of killing the monster.

"Survive first, then think about other things," Lin Feng murmured, repeating Chen Weiguo's words.

He decided: After the first entry, his primary goal would be to gain a foothold in the safe Great Xia territory.

Then, he would increase his strength as quickly as possible, look for isolated and weaker nightmare creatures, and use his first opportunity to obtain a practical piece of equipment or a skill book.

As for the Village Establishment Order... that required long-term planning.

But occasionally, his thoughts would drift for a moment—if he really could survive and make a name for himself... could he also buy a house with a small courtyard in the provincial capital?

It wouldn't need to be big, just enough to keep a dog. Maybe one day, he could even meet a girl who loved to talk and laugh, and they could watch the sunset together in the courtyard.

He shook his head, tossing aside these untimely fantasies.

With his planning complete, Lin Feng checked the time: two in the afternoon.

It was still early before the twenty-four-hour deadline, but he didn't plan to wait any longer. The sooner he entered, the sooner he would adapt.

He changed into gray cloth clothes that were easy to move in and then lay down on the bed.

"Dad, Mom, I'm going in now," he shouted toward the door.

His mother's suppressed sobbing came from outside the door, followed by his father's steady response: "Xiao Feng, be careful. Don't worry about things at home."

Lin Feng took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

He muttered under his breath: "Connect to Nightmare."

In an instant, a sense of weightlessness hit him.

It was like falling from a height of ten thousand feet, yet also like sinking into the deep sea. Countless fragmented images flashed before his eyes:

Burning cities, charging ancient soldiers, the National Fortune Cauldron floating in the air, and... pairs of eyes watching him.

He didn't know how much time had passed; perhaps it was a second, perhaps an eternity.

The feeling of solid ground returned.

Lin Feng opened his eyes.

He found himself standing in a desolate wilderness. The Blue Star clothing on his body had been replaced by a set of coarse gray cloth clothes.

On his feet were simple cloth shoes, and in his hand, he held a solid hardwood staff; this was everything the Nightmare World gave to newcomers.

Withered yellow weeds swayed in the wind, and in the distance were continuous gray-black mountain ranges. The sky was an eerie dark red, with no sun, only clusters of writhing halos.

And around him—

There was not a single person.

No city walls, no companions, no territorial flags.

There was only the wailing of the wind across the wilderness and the howling of some beast coming from the far distance.

Lin Feng's heart sank.

The 10% probability, and it was the wilderness! (PS: There are only a few dozen wilderness spawn points.)

He had hit the jackpot.

"Where the hell did this send me?"