She knew securing one of the top three spots was unlikely, but she could aim for the top ten. If their leader couldn't clinch the first place, he'd probably be too embarrassed to admit he even played the game.

"Do the points just keep accumulating? Doesn't that give an advantage to those who spend more time online?"

A beautiful customer service representative suddenly appeared beside them, smiling as she replied, "Not quite. The ranking competition resets monthly, so it's best to start on the first day. Otherwise, you're at a disadvantage."

They looked at each other. Today was the fifth, the top score was thirty-two, and many players still had zero.

"Is it tough to earn points? I heard there were many ways to score."

The customer service representative's smile widened, "That's true. However, many players die shortly after leaving the base. Everyone only has three revival chances daily. After three deaths, you'll be forced offline. Any other questions?"

Zhou You felt that the system was fair, albeit slightly unfriendly to younger players due to their lack of real-world experience.

"Let's move and see what the game world looks like. I'm curious if it's modeled after reality." Everyone clicked on the "Exit City" button and appeared outside the city gates, where they were greeted by a crowd of freshly revived players.

"Damn it, I've lost two lives already. I can't afford another death, especially when I haven't scored any points yet."

"Aren't we all? This game's difficulty is insane. Our vehicle was attacked by a pack of mutant wolves just ten kilometers out. Everyone was wiped out. Talk about bad luck!"

Zhou You opened the game's menu and saw vehicle requests, including armored cars, motorcycles, and trucks, each with specific player capacity requirements that must be met before activation.

"There are eight of us. If we add one more person, we can request a truck and an armored car. That's the best setup. Should we recruit someone?" Zhou You asked.

Shao Qi scanned the surroundings and shook his head, "None of these players are suitable. They'd be liabilities."

Cheng Yuran, on the other hand, liked the idea of adding someone as a sacrificial lamb; their early demise would free up a seat for the rest.

"Hey, handsome guys, team up?" A muscular man holding a large sword approached. He was alone, with the name "Better to cling to life" above his head, alongside the number “2,” indicating he had two lives left.

"My teammates have logged off, so I need a ride."

Seeing everyone's indifference, Zhou You nodded in agreement, allowing the man to choose between the truck and the armored car. As expected, he picked the armored car.

"Are you all newbies?" On the armored car, besides Zhou You and Shao Qi, there were also two ladies, Li Yunxi and Miao Miao, though only Miao Miao had chosen a female avatar in-game.

"Yes, we just registered today."

"How did you manage to get a truck on your first day? Typically, newbies don't achieve much on their initial day. If they even manage to cover ten kilometers, that's already quite impressive."

Miao Miao retorted, "Others might be, but we're no greenhorns."

"A lot of newcomers say that at first. The game's still new, so there aren't many pros around. It's easier to earn points now, but it'll get harder. If you're thinking about ranked matches, we could team up."

Silence settled in the car. It was evident no one was keen on teaming up with a stranger. Zhou You changed the subject, "Where are you headed? We're going towards those mountains."

Zhang DingShan hadn't expected his offer to be declined. Maybe his username was too cheesy. "Ahem, just call me Zhang San. I'm also heading to the mountains. But you guys... venturing into the mountains on your first day? Most who say that log off even before they reach the foothills."

"Then, you can call me Li Si in the future." Li YunXi liked the plainness of the name, but Zhang DingShan detected a hint of mockery, struggling under the pressure of the group.

The others didn't bother introducing themselves, their IDs were evident. Zhou You inquired, "If we encounter a mutant beast and kill it together, who gets the points?"

"The system allocates points based on each person's contribution. A low-tier mutant beast is worth two points. If all five of us contribute, no one even gets a full point. Conversely, deserting in the middle of a fight has consequences."

"What kind of consequences?"

"Abandon once, and you're banned for three days. Twice, it's a month. Abandon thrice, and your account's terminated."

Zhou You felt the penalties were mild. In reality, you'd seldom get three chances to desert.

"Enough talk," Shao Qi said, glancing at the clock. "We must be nearing the combat zone. I wonder what kind of 'welcome gift' the system has for us." Time in the game matched real-world speeds; only ten minutes had passed.

A rustle came from the tall grass by the roadside. It could easily hide a mutant beast. Without hesitation, Zhang DingShan fired upon hearing the noise.

"Hold on!" By the time Shao Qi shouted, it was too late. Bullets had torn a patch of grass, and the lurking beast darted away. Judging by the sounds, there were several.

Miao Miao shot Zhang DingShan a disapproving look, "If you act rashly again, we'll have to leave you behind."

Chapter 124: Eradicating the Ant Nest

"What did I do wrong?" Zhang DingShan felt wronged. He had everyone's safety in mind. Given the two cars, even ants could reduce them to bones. And yet they blamed him for acting too soon.

Zhou You patiently explained, "We're here for the competition. And what's crucial in a competition? Points! We only earn them by killing beasts, not scaring them off. There seemed to be many; even if they were low-tier, each of us could have scored two points. So... you get it."