Chapter 35

Chapter 35

By noon, the car finally reached a gas station. By then, Ji Xinghai had accumulated three fuel cards, but combined, they amounted to only ten gallons, or roughly 37.8 liters.

It was unclear if it was due to the game's settings or simply because the car was old, but this vehicle could only travel 21 miles (approximately 33.8 kilometers) per gallon of gasoline. After a morning of intermittent driving and the radio's power consumption, he had already used about three gallons of gasoline.

"Add three gallons, and fill the rest in portable fuel cans for me." The staff member dressed in gray-blue approached the window as Ji Xinghai handed over the three fuel cards.

The car was small, with a small tank that could hold only six gallons of gasoline. Therefore, he requested only three gallons to be added, leaving seven gallons to be stored in specialized fuel containers. Otherwise, he would have to keep an eye out for gas stations along the way.

The gas station attendant swiftly fueled his car using the fuel cards and brought over two 3.5-gallon fuel cans.

"Are there other ways to purchase gasoline besides using fuel cards?" Ji Xinghai asked.

The young man with brown curly hair grinned, tugging at his cap. "You can use points; one point equals one gallon of gasoline."

Ji Xinghai, who only had one point left: ...

"Is the gas station busy?" He quickly changed the subject. "How's business?"

"It's alright."

"Really? Are there many travelers like me? Those who think they can conquer the world in a broken-down car."

The young man's attitude became increasingly relaxed. He shrugged. "Dude, that's pretty cool, traveling the world in your own car."

They chatted for a long time, their rapport growing stronger.

When the gasoline was fully pumped, the young man glanced back at the automatic fuel pump that beeped, suddenly lowering his voice. "Hey, listen, I mean, while it's cool to travel the world by car, the wilderness at night is still somewhat dangerous. Try to stay at nearby motels, and also, stay away from the forest."

"What happened?" Ji Xinghai asked.

"Hey!" At that moment, a stocky staff member from the store behind them shouted, "The machine is beeping, kid."

"I'll take care of it right away." The young man turned to signal to the other staff member before facing Ji Xinghai again. "Anyway, good luck."

"Thank you; it's been very helpful." Knowing the conversation couldn't go any deeper, and seeing that the gas tank cover had already been closed, Ji Xinghai started the car.

"Drive safe, hope your journey goes well."

The face of the gas station attendant quickly disappeared from the rearview mirror. They gave Ji Xinghai a similar feeling to the middle-aged man in black from the first instance—a certain degree of autonomy, but ultimately NPCs bound to run within specific parameters.

"New clue: It's dangerous in the wilderness at night; motels are safe shelters."

"But what's the use of clues? Brother Hai hasn't found a 'One-Day Motel Experience Ticket.' Unless he uses points to buy one. Hey, wait a minute, didn't Brother Hai win first place in the previous game? He must still have plenty of points, right?"

"I think even if Brother Hai knows all this, he'd still linger in the wilderness. Don't ask why, it's just a hunch."

Leaving the gas station, Ji Xinghai's car continued on its path. At the end of the road, a Y-shaped intersection appeared, marked by a metal sign.

Behind him stretched an endless, uninhabited wasteland, while ahead lay two choices: a dense forest with winding roads hidden beneath a canopy, or more desolate wasteland.

He took out the map.

"Camping Paradise." This was a vast forest, represented by triangles of varying shades of green. Besides the name of the forest, there were enthusiastic travel tips, such as "Camping Paradise."

From the map, this forest seemed rich in resources, with mountains and water, making it perfect for camping, dining, and recreation. Moreover, continuing forward would lead to motels within the forest where one could stay.

After considering the forest, he looked at the other side, which offered no surprises—just more barren wasteland. Ji Xinghai directly chose the path into the forest.

The green car plunged into the forest, embracing trees that towered over twenty meters high. He bid farewell to the scorching wasteland, greeted by the damp, cool, and refreshing air.

The audience felt a sudden burst of excitement, not noticing the sign on a tree in the forest that read 'Danger, Man-Killing Bear' flashing by.

As the car ventured deeper into the woods, the white boxes appeared more frequently, like wildflowers that lured Little Red Riding Hood off course—one after another, tempting one to venture further.

Ji Xinghai's luck had never been great, but he made up for it in quantity. Not only did he draw another five-gallon fuel card, but he also pulled a 'Car Repair Card,' a stroke of luck amidst the mundane items and food.

However, he still hadn't drawn a 'One-Day Motel Experience Ticket.'

The audience was anxious for him. Most students had already obtained one or even multiple 'One-Day Motel Experience Tickets' through the white resource boxes.

"Please, please, let Brother Hai draw one. I heard that in the original mini-game, monsters appear at night in this instance."

It was the first day of the game, and the instance seemed unwilling to kill off all the players. Apart from the initial unexpected car damages, they hadn't encountered any danger since.

Everyone had been preoccupied with the prize draws, almost forgetting that this was a perilous Hunger Game.

The students might have forgotten, but the audience dared not.

"Don't worry, Brother Hai still has points. He can use points to stay at the motel too."

"But it's almost four o'clock." The spectators outside were concerned. It was already four in the afternoon, and nightfall wasn't far away. The car hadn't yet emerged from the forest's winding roads, resembling a coiled mosquito coil. When would he reach the motel in the forest?

"Theoretically, the first day should be the easiest to survive."

The entertaining nature of the instance, with its inherent numbing effect, not only dulled the students' senses but also relaxed some of the viewers' vigilance.

Their focus was on Ji Xinghai's poor luck and the seemingly endless forest road, failing to realize that the game had already begun, and every moment required caution.

"This is so boring. I've been looking at the same forest for hours. Can we change the scenery?"

"Dude, this is the Hunger Game, not a leisurely stroll."

"Brother Hai's luck really is terrible."

For those who didn't constantly monitor the live stream, it was fine, but for those who had been watching for hours, fatigue was setting in.

Even if the dark and tranquil forest initially provided a refreshing experience, after hours of viewing, it grew tiresome. Seeing that many other students had already obtained motel experience tickets, the audience wondered when his luck would turn around.

"Has the Hungry Academy targeted him? Given Ji's character and abilities, I don't believe his luck could be this bad."

Foreign viewers lurking in the live stream couldn't help but lament on his behalf. If it were due to lack of skill, that would be one thing, but to have such poor luck, landing in the most remote part of the map, where the journey was nothing but barren plains and forests. Yet, even so, he had gathered many resource crates and obtained intelligence, only to remain in peril.

It was truly a tale of beauty, strength, and tragedy.

Just as everyone felt a tender affection for Ji Xinghai, his vehicle came to a halt once again. By the roadside stood a massive tree, wide enough for two people to embrace, with a metal sign nailed onto it. The sign was yellow, featuring a red-eyed black-faced bear in the center, with three red-painted claw marks above and the words 'No Camping Here, Beware of Man-Killing Bear' below.

At the base of the tree, a blue crate rested there.

"A man-killing bear, you say? It's true that the Federation has seen several incidents of brown bears killing humans. Of course, it could also be an M-continent black bear."

"Just hope it's not a Kodiak brown bear; an axe won't cut through its thick fur."

"So, a man-killing bear is a monster? Has a monster appeared?"

The sign, imbued with the atmosphere of a horror movie, frightened the audience thoroughly, leading to various speculations flooding the live stream. Ji Xinghai, however, was more concerned about the blue crate.

This was the first paper crate that wasn't white. According to standard game settings, colored crates had higher drop rates and better quality items than their uncolored counterparts.

Ji Xinghai opened the crate on the spot, revealing three items inside:

A box of four sterile eggs, a Basic Vehicle Upgrade Card (choose one upgrade from engine, chassis, body, or electrical equipment), and a staple gun (lithium-electric powered, effective shooting range around 20 meters).

The Vehicle Upgrade Card required a repair shop to use, much like the Vehicle Repair Card, which was temporarily useless. Sterile eggs could be eaten raw, serving as an excellent source of protein and various trace elements, maintaining his health.

The staple gun came with three hundred staples, with a shooting range of 20 meters. Though lacking in power and range, it was a qualified long-range weapon.

True to its color, the blue crate did not disappoint.

"There it is, the blue crate that yields gear and special items!"

The audience rejoiced for Ji Xinghai. The staple gun barely qualified as a long-range weapon, yet shooting was precisely what Ji Xinghai excelled at. They couldn't wait to witness his marksmanship once again.

"Make sure the man-killing bear leaves but never returns!"

After stowing away all the items, Ji Xinghai looked up at the iron sign he hadn't closely examined before.

The sign was rusted, and judging by the healed tree around the nails, it had been there for some time.

He recalled the warning sign he saw when he first entered the forest, which was relatively new. This suggested that the man-killing bear hadn't been dealt with and remained a significant presence.

Ji Xinghai glanced back at the road he came from, now hidden by the crisscrossing trees, covered in fallen leaves. All around him were towering trees and dense shrubs.

He and his vehicle seemed insignificant, like the least noticeable speck of dust in this vast world.

Going back was out of the question. The roads in the forest were winding and far more complex than depicted on the map, seemingly intent on keeping him here for the night. Was the man-killing bear a test, or merely one of many?

Things had indeed been too easy before, just looting crates. Now, this felt more like a proper game.

Ji Xinghai guessed that the blue resource crate was paired with the man-killing bear. Taking the crate attracted the ire of the level boss—a classic game setup, akin to being pursued by the tomb owner after looting grave goods.

Naturally, bosses meant rich rewards—a classic setup as well.

With this mindset, he wasn't disappointed when he arrived at the woodland motel and was informed that it had long ceased operations and no longer accepted guests.

What would be the point of the man-killing bear if he could stay at the motel? Besides, even if it were operational, he didn't have the points to check in.

"I've heard this used to be a camping paradise," he said to the elderly man tending to the garden at the entrance, his eyes fixed on the display board by the gate, covered in old newspapers.

Ji Xinghai was searching for clues about the man-killing bear.

But the newspaper told another story, an intriguing one. His eyes shifted slightly, as if he had suddenly realized something.

Was the monster that appeared here truly a man-killing bear?!