2: Chapter 2 Class, Raft, Sailing

A flash of sharpness crossed Li Taiping's eyes.

Sailing Survival World?

This premise, familiar.

As a veteran bookworm, he had read plenty of web novels on the platform about mass transmigrations for survival.

From digging dungeons to island survival, from highway racing to misty explorations, the tropes varied, but the core remained the same.

Since it was a "game," it meant—for now, there was no guaranteed death trap.

As long as one followed the rules, they could survive.

Having figured this out, his tense nerves relaxed slightly.

He released his hand from Su Mei's mouth, her warm breath still lingering on his palm.

The mysterious mechanical voice continued:

[Survivor in the Sailing Survival World will be grouped by class.]

[Each team's size will fluctuate around a baseline of 50 people.]

[All humans have collectively transmigrated; those with congenital disabilities or acquired illnesses have been restored to a healthy state.]

[Now, please read your survival manual and struggle to survive.]

The voice came to an abrupt halt.

Li Taiping suddenly felt a strange itch on his left wrist.

He looked down.

He saw that his previously smooth wrist seemed to have gained some kind of vitality, with the flesh slowly wriggling.

Immediately after, a diamond-shaped metal crystal full of technological aesthetics forcibly "grew" out from beneath his skin.

The metal edges merged perfectly with his skin; there was not a single gap, nor did a drop of blood flow out.

A faint, deep blue light shimmered on the crystal's surface, reflecting on Li Taiping's slightly solemn face.

"Hiss..."

Li Taiping knitted his brows and instinctively scratched it with his other hand.

Strange.

There was no expected sensation of a foreign object; instead, there was a sense of connection, as if they were linked by blood.

It was as if this diamond-shaped metal was an inherent part of his body, an organ he was born with.

"It seems this thing is the so-called 'survival manual'."

Li Taiping thought to himself, his fingertips gently stroking the cold metal surface.

Since he was here, he would make the best of it.

Panic wouldn't solve any problems; it would only accelerate death.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, then raised his head and quickly surveyed the people present.

The initially chaotic scene had already settled down.

Some of the girls were looking around like him, observing the others;

Some were staring at the device on their wrists with faces full of wonder;

And others seemed to have already reacted, their consciousness immersed in the void, clearly viewing their so-called "manuals."

But beneath this calm, greater unease was surging.

Li Taiping's gaze swept over the faces—some pure, some bewitching, some youthful—and his brows furrowed even tighter.

"Grouped by class?"

He chewed over these words repeatedly in his mind.

If they were transmigrated by class, then the composition of the people here was too outrageous.

His gaze turned to Su Mei in his arms.

Su Mei was the school's famous goddess and beauty, not even in the same class as him, let alone the same teaching building.

Then he looked at the woman in the distance wearing ancient Hanfu, with an ethereal temperament like a fairy from a painting, and the mature woman in professional OL attire who had clearly already entered society.

What kind of school class is this?

The University of Society?

Su Mei was already completely distraught.

The recent turn of events had happened too quickly; her mind was a complete blank.

Feeling Li Taiping's gaze upon her, she instinctively shrank into his arms.

"Ta... Taiping..."

Su Mei's voice carried a crying tone, her peach-blossom eyes that usually captivated hearts were now filled with tears, looking pitiful,

"Where exactly is this? Are we... are we dead?"

She quietly touched Li Taiping's arm, her fingertips icy cold.

Just as she wanted to ask something more, she saw Li Taiping suddenly raise a finger to his lips.

"Shh—" Li Taiping made a silencing gesture. "Don't speak, look at the rules first."

Su Mei was stunned for a moment, looking at the man before her who was usually a bit of a slacker, but who had been so wicked last night that he made her grit her teeth.

At this moment, he seemed like a different person; that composed temperament miraculously settled her panicked heart a little.

She bit her lip and nodded obediently.

Seeing Su Mei quiet down, Li Taiping didn't hesitate, his thoughts stirred, and his consciousness instantly dove into the diamond-shaped crystal on his wrist.

"Hum—"

A slight tremor echoed in his mind.

Immediately after, a translucent holographic interface unfolded directly on his retina.

[Menu]

[Beginner's Guide]

[Personal Storage] (Locked)

[World Channel] (Locked)

[area channel] (Locked)

[Internal Channel] (Locked)

[Weather System] (Locked)

[Trading Market] (Locked)

[System Mall] (Locked)

...

A series of gray icons felt like some kind of silent mockery.

Except for the [Beginner's Guide] at the very top, which emitted a faint white light, the other dozen or so modules were all in a dim, [Locked] state.

"A typical online game start; all functions sealed, forcing me to go through the tutorial."

Li Taiping grumbled in his heart, but without the slightest hesitation, he controlled his consciousness to select the [Beginner's Guide] module.

[Respected Survivor, welcome to the Sailing Survival World.]

[This is the Endless Sea, a paradise for the brave, and a graveyard for the weak.]

[Here, there is no law, no morality, only survival.]

The opening was a declaration filled with edgy vibes meant to discourage players.

Li Taiping skipped it directly, his gaze moving quickly downward to grasp the core keywords.

[Rule 1: Initial Supplies]

[Each team will receive an initial raft (2m × 2m), a normal fishing rod (indestructible), and one opportunity to choose the ship's evolution path.]

[Rule 2: Position Allocation]

[You need to elect a team leader, also known as the captain.]

[The captain has absolute control over the ship and the highest authority over resource distribution.]

[Rule 3: Sealing and Rescue]

Upon seeing this, Li Taiping's pupils constricted sharply.

[Except for the captain, all other members will be sealed in this space where time is frozen, in a "dormant" state.]

[Sealed members do not need to consume food or water, nor will they age.]

[The captain can gain opportunities to rescue team members by upgrading the ship, exploring special sea areas, landing on fantasy islands, collecting strange treasure chests, and other methods.]

[For every member rescued, the ship will unlock corresponding abilities.]

[Tip: Please choose your captain carefully; once the captain dies, the remaining members will be trapped and die in the void.]

Li Taiping's breathing stopped for a second.

These rules...

Are too damn ruthless!

Only one person can truly live, while the others can only exist as "items to be unlocked," lying in the storage waiting to be awakened.

Furthermore, everyone's lives are tied to the captain's belt.

If the captain lives, everyone lives.

If the captain dies, everyone is finished together.

Li Taiping swallowed his saliva and continued reading.

[Survive; that is your only mission.]

[Tip 1: In this world, resources are life. A bottle of water is more precious than gold; a wooden plank is the distance between life and death.]

[Tip 2: Beware of marine life; they are very hungry. Don't think you are safe just because you have a raft ship; beneath the sea surface is the true hell.]

[Tip 3: Do not attempt to turn back and face the black tide chasing you; there is only death there.]

Finally, a line of blood-red countdown numbers popped out abruptly, the digits jumping rapidly.

[Now, you have one hour to quickly vote and elect your preferred captain for the team!]

[Countdown: 59:58]

[Countdown: 59:57]

[Wish you all a pleasant game.]