1: Awakening skills: Read novels!

(Handsome guys and beautiful girls check-in point, a little tap of the finger brings good luck!)

"Han Meimei, Awakened Skill — [Oral Q&A] When asking the other party 'How are you?', the other party must reply 'I am fine, thank you and you?'. Estimated level: Tier 3."

"Next."

"Chuan Jianshe, Awakened Skill — [Nobody Understands XX Better Than Me] After locking onto a target and speaking the line, understanding of a certain object is enhanced, usable once per target. Estimated level: Tier 3."

"Next..."

At the Awakening Ceremony, a group of students listened to the broadcast and lined up, waiting to awaken their skills.

"Did you hear? Ma Baoguo from the next class awakened a Tier 4 skill, [Lightning Five Consecutive Whips], it's a powerful attack skill!"

"I'm so envious, but I'd rather get a life-saving or life-style skill."

"No ambition, isn't it better to become a big shot and clear dungeons?"

The students discussed animatedly.

A girl clasped her hands together, praying devoutly: "May the Jade Emperor, Jesus, and Bodhisattva bless me, I'm not picky, just don't give me a Tier 1 skill!"

A Little Fatty next to her laughed: "Don't worry, most people's awakened skills are Tier 2 to Tier 4. There are even fewer people who awaken Tier 1 than Tier 5. Our school only had one unlucky person with a Tier 1 skill in two years, hahaha..."

He clutched his stomach, unable to suppress his laughter, then realized that the people around him weren't echoing him, but instead were looking at him with a strange gaze.

The Little Fatty turned his head and saw a young man standing not far behind him, and instantly fell silent.

The reason for his silence wasn't because the young man had a handsome face as beautiful as the readers'.

It was because this guy was that one in a million unlucky person.

Gossiping behind someone's back, he didn't expect the person in question to be right next to him, making the Little Fatty look embarrassed.

Cheng Zhen didn't pay attention to the strange looks from the people around him, but instead focused on studying his skill in his mind.

'Cheng Zhen, Awakened Skill — [Tomato Novel APP]'

'Anytime, anywhere, you can open the software in your mind to read novels!'

After Cheng Zhen awakened his ability, the teachers present were stunned, as if they had been hit by Mulan's combo.

After the Endless Game descended upon Blue Star, humans could awaken various special abilities.

After awakening, entering a game dungeon and successfully clearing it would earn points, winning coveted wealth, power, status... This was the current social rule of Blue Star.

While Tier 2 and Tier 3 skills were relatively weak, they could still be of some use in dungeons.

But Tier 1 skills...

If they were even a little useful, they wouldn't be completely useless.

Anyway, after Cheng Zhen awakened his ability, everyone thought this kid was a goner.

Reading novels can't save your life or kill enemies in a dungeon, what's the point of this ability?

So, without a doubt, when evaluating the level, the experts unanimously gave it a high score of Tier 1.

Cheng Zhen was speechless at the time.

Even if I transmigrated while reading a novel, you shouldn't give me such an ability, right?

What about the cheat that every transmigrator is supposed to have?

Surely it's not going to make me read novels to death for the dungeon BOSS, right?

Watching the dungeon activation countdown gradually approaching, Cheng Zhen frowned, flipping through the APP in his mind, studying its abilities.

A little while later, all the students had finished awakening.

"Students!" A teacher held a stack of contracts in his hand and shouted to the crowd: "Students who don't want to enter the dungeon can sign loan contracts with various guilds and exchange work for points!"

As he spoke, the teacher's eyes were fixed on Cheng Zhen. Obviously, he didn't think Cheng Zhen, who had awakened a Tier 1 skill, was suitable for participating in the dungeon.

After awakening a skill, the Endless Game would force people to participate in various dungeon puzzles and battles. Once they failed, they would be injured or disabled at best, and at worst, die without a complete corpse.

Some people's skills were weak and not suitable for participating in dungeons, so they could only borrow a large amount of points from various guilds to buy items to temporarily avoid dungeons.

The teacher thought Cheng Zhen was the same, so he handed him the contract.

But Cheng Zhen shook his head and refused the loan contract.

Working like a dog for a company in his previous life, and now being a laborer for a guild in this life?

No thanks!

Then, under the teacher's surprised and worried gaze, Cheng Zhen's figure disappeared, entering the dungeon.

...

"Welcome to the Endless Game!"

"Joining the Newbie Dungeon: Sacrifice Mountain Child"

"Dungeon Difficulty: ★★★★"

"Participants: 7 people"

"Clear Task: Survive for three days"

"Hint: Don't listen! Don't it!"

"First time entering the dungeon, item bar unlocked (10 slots)"

After a period of darkness, Cheng Zhen opened his eyes. He looked around and found himself in the countryside, and through the thin mist, he could see a small village nestled against a mountain in the distance.

The other dungeon participants also stood nearby.

For some reason, those people all wore masks of pain, as if they had lost a parent.

"Damn it! How did we encounter the only four-star dungeon among the novice dungeons!"

A Bald Man frowned tightly, anxiously pulling at his shiny scalp.

Next to him stood a Short-Haired Girl, who said with a mournful face: "It's over, I should have checked the almanac before going out!"

"Alright." A Jacket Uncle behind them stopped the two from muttering, "Bad luck, there's nothing we can do about it."

Cheng Zhen watched their interaction, thinking: These three seem to know each other, are they a team?

Then Cheng Zhen looked at the two men and one woman standing on the other side.

A female student, and a Little Fatty, Cheng Zhen found them a bit familiar.

Hmm? They seemed to be students from his school. They probably just awakened their skills and entered the dungeon, coincidentally being grouped together.

And there was one more person...

"Hey, you three!"

The remaining person was a Green Hair young man. He looked at the Bald Man's trio and asked loudly:

"Do you know how to clear this dungeon? Quickly explain clearly!"

The trio: ?

Can there still be such clear stupidity in this day and age?

It's truly an eye-opener.

Green Hair's bossy manner made the Bald Man laugh out of anger on the spot.

"The three of us have indeed cleared some dungeons."

The Jacket Uncle reached out to stop the Bald Man, who wanted to hit someone, then looked at Green Hair and Cheng Zhen, "But that doesn't mean we understand this dungeon."

"Also, we are just an ordinary team, not official Raiders, and we have no responsibility or obligation to help newcomers clear dungeons."

"What do you mean?" Green Hair yelled, "You want to ditch us and clear it yourselves?"

"So what?"

The Bald Man frowned and punched a nearby dead tree.

Bang!

After the sound, the unlucky dead tree was disemboweled by a fierce tiger, falling to the ground and stirring up clouds of dust.

Seeing Green Hair's face turn pale, the Bald Man sneered: "Be glad this isn't a confrontation dungeon, otherwise, it wouldn't take three days, I'd send you out now!"

Seeing Green Hair quiet down, the Bald Man turned to look at Cheng Zhen and the others.

"Four-star dungeons are very difficult. If you want to follow us, state your skill levels and abilities. I don't want any dead weight."

The female student and the Little Fatty were clearly scared by that punch and honestly revealed their skills.

Hearing that both students had Tier 3 skills, a slight look of satisfaction appeared on the Bald Man's face. He exchanged glances with his two teammates, thinking it was acceptable.

"What about you?" The Bald Man looked at Cheng Zhen again.

Just as Cheng Zhen was about to speak, the Green Hair next to him jumped out again and pointed at him, shouting: "When I came in, I heard that Little Fatty say this kid is a Tier 1 waste! My skill is at least Tier 2!"

The Little Fatty froze for a moment. He had just muttered a few words when he saw Cheng Zhen, and didn't expect Green Hair to hear him. He immediately looked at Cheng Zhen with deep guilt.

"Shut up, if you annoy me again, I'll punch you!" The Bald Man clearly disliked Green Hair. He glared at him until he quieted down, then looked at Cheng Zhen.

Seeing that Cheng Zhen didn't refute, he knew that Green Hair was telling the truth.

The Bald Man seemed to only want the two Tier 3 skilled students to join the team, but the Jacket Uncle thought more. Four-star dungeons were special, and every bit of help counted.

"I can let you join the team."

The Jacket Uncle said to Cheng Zhen and the two students: "Follow instructions, do not act without permission. When clues are found, do not hide information. Additionally, when the team needs to purchase items to assist in clearing the dungeon, you must contribute points."

"Points?" Cheng Zhen, who hadn't transmigrated long ago, recalled matters related to points.

Every novice entering a dungeon for the first time would receive 10 points, which could be used to purchase various items in the Endless Game. After clearing the dungeon, they would receive guaranteed points and additional points based on their performance.

The Bald Man thought Cheng Zhen didn't want to contribute points and frowned slightly, "Even if you are all newcomers, you still have to contribute to clearing the dungeon, right?"

"Do you expect us to pay to carry you through the dungeon? We're not a charity."

Cheng Zhen glanced at the Jacket Uncle and said: "But you also said that you don't understand this dungeon. How can you guarantee that you can lead me to clear it successfully? If we contribute points and you ignore us or make us scout and die, then what?"

The Bald Man was stunned and didn't answer immediately, while the two students also looked worried after hearing it.

And the Jacket Uncle responded to Cheng Zhen's doubts:

"Cannot guarantee."

To Cheng Zhen's surprise, the Jacket Uncle didn't try to lie or trick him, but answered honestly:

"It's precisely because we cannot guarantee a safe clear of a four-star dungeon that we need obedient teammates. You are all inexperienced newcomers, and I ask you to follow instructions to avoid potential mistakes that could put others in danger."

"The most taboo thing in a team is a lack of unified opinion. If you are unwilling to listen, then I cannot let you join the team."

"Alright, that makes sense."

Cheng Zhen spread his hands: "But, I refuse."

He wouldn't easily trust a few people he had just met.

Moreover, Cheng Zhen didn't want to contribute points.

I came in with 10 points, and if I have no points after coming in, didn't I come to this dungeon for nothing?

Oh, not for nothing, I'd even lose 10 points.

Seeing his refusal, the Jacket Uncle said no more, only asking the two students if they wanted to join them.

The Little Fatty and the female student hesitated for a moment, but still felt it was more reliable to follow experienced players, so they joined their team and headed towards the village.

As for Green Hair, he gave Cheng Zhen a look of disdain, didn't team up with him, a Tier 1 skill user, and followed the group.

Cheng Zhen stood still, looking at the receding figures, and raised an eyebrow.

"They all left?"

Even though he was left alone to brave the dangerous dungeon, Cheng Zhen showed no sign of panic.

He dared to enter the dungeon not out of impulse or a fit of pique.

While carefully studying his ability just now, Cheng Zhen saw a private message in the APP, visible only to him—

"Beep! Esteemed Tomato member, you can get ad-free privileges, or..."

"Turn everything in the advertisement into reality!"