The sun's lingering glow filtered through the forest, casting a delicate, translucent curtain over the surroundings. Even the clouds in the sky bore a warm orange tint, sharply defined against the backdrop.
Fang Mo, freshly awakened, felt a hint of disorientation. The fundamental questions of existence began to surface in his mind: Who am I? Where am I? What is my purpose?
His memories remained fixated on the moment before his demise. If he recalled correctly, Fang Mo had been preparing to leave his final words for his younger sister. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he found himself inexplicably transported to this unfamiliar place.
Clearly, this was no longer Earth. As far as his eyes could discern, the world consisted entirely of blocks.
"No... Could it be that I have truly crossed over?" Fang Mo's astonishment grew as he surveyed the blocky realm before him. As an ardent player of the game, he immediately recognized it as the iconic world of Minecraft. Though in his previous life he may have entertained whimsical wishes like, 'May I become a block person in my next life, free of regrets,' he never anticipated such a wish becoming a tangible reality.
"According to the game's mechanics, my first task should be punching a tree, right?" Drawing upon his familiarity with the game, Fang Mo quickly immersed himself in the moment, focusing his attention on a perfectly square tree not far away.
Fang Mo paused, a troubling thought crossing his mind. He looked at his own palm, feeling a sense of uncertainty creeping in. "Hold on a second..." he muttered, contemplating the task at hand. "Am I supposed to dismantle this tree using only my bare hands, block by block? Can that even be done?"
To his surprise, the moment this concern crossed his mind, his brain was seized by a sudden, sharp pain. It felt as if his soul was being torn in half. In an instant, a flash of white light burst forth, revealing a sharply defined blocky figure standing before Fang Mo.
"…!?" Fang Mo was startled by the figure's abrupt appearance, yet a curious sense of familiarity welled up within him.
As if stirring a dormant instinct, understanding began to dawn in Fang Mo's mind. Soon, another perspective materialized—a first-person view of Steve, a perspective deeply ingrained in the memories of Minecraft players. It showcased not only Steve's health and hunger bars, but also his inventory and even the accompanying mini-map.
Through Steve's eyes, Fang Mo could even catch a glimpse of his own body not far away.
Fang Mo gazed at the blocky figure before him, his face etched with bewilderment. Unexpectedly, a fanciful notion struck him. "Hold on... Is it possible that I've been reborn with a Steve Stand?"
The concept of Stands, originating from an anime, referred to the physical manifestation of one's subconscious mind.
Fang Mo speculated that his intense love for Minecraft may have triggered the awakening of a Steve Stand within him. Moreover, possessing an uncanny instinct, he found himself more adept at controlling his Stand than manipulating Steve in the game.
Muahahaha, cheat codes get!
Gazing upon the Stand Steve before him, Fang Mo experienced an unparalleled sense of joy.
It was akin to being immersed in a bone-chilling winter day, with delicate snowflakes dancing in the air. The bliss of avoiding work and instead indulging in a cozy hot pot at home engulfed him. Even his soul quivered with a sublime pleasure that defied description.
With Steve's appearance, Fang Mo's lingering concerns dissipated, and he swiftly sprang into action.
First on his agenda was chopping down trees.
Controlling Steve, Fang Mo approached a nearby tree, swinging his right hand. In a matter of moments, the tree transformed into several logs that Steve effortlessly absorbed.
Next, Fang Mo opened Steve's backpack, contemplating his next move. Converting the wood into wooden planks and crafting a workbench, his gaze fell upon Steve's equipment slot, where he noticed a conspicuous off-hand slot.
In the game, this slot was typically used to equip shields for Steve's defense.
Upon this discovery, Fang Mo's mind began to form a tentative hypothesis.
Seasoned players were well aware that Minecraft had various editions, such as Bedrock Edition and Java Edition. The older versions tended to be simpler, relying primarily on swift reflexes for combat. The more recent iterations introduced a plethora of items and features, including shields and sweeping edge swords.
Considering the world he found himself in, Fang Mo estimated it to be at least version 1.12 or newer.
However, he swiftly realized his assumption was amiss.
Just as Fang Mo crafted a wooden pickaxe and dug three blocks down with cobblestone to fashion a set of stone tools, he was ambushed by a zombie. While he had slain countless zombies in the game, this world was not merely a simulated realm. It marked his first true battle, eliciting a hint of nervousness. Guiding Steve, he wildly swung his sword with incredible speed, leaving the zombie no opportunity to strike before it met its brutal demise, transforming into a block of rotten flesh with a chilling scream.
"Wow... Your sword swings are even faster than Yasuo's..."
Fang Mo couldn't help but marvel, overturning his earlier supposition.
It appeared that Steve's rapid attack speed mirrored that of version 1.7. In light of this revelation, Fang Mo surmised that this world might not adhere to a specific version. Rather, it could be a harmonious fusion, amalgamating features from different iterations.
With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Fang Mo embarked on an exploration of his surroundings.
The world he found himself in was a pure manifestation of Minecraft, hardly distinguishable from the game itself.
The square sun hung in the sky, casting its radiance upon the equally square clouds. The trees, dirt, and everything around him were meticulously crafted structures, each measuring 1m×1m. The level of organization was astounding, as if the entire world were a sprawling sandbox, fashioned by the hands of divine beings.
Fang Mo realized he was situated in a forest.
Fortunately, the spawn point offered a favorable starting position, sparing him the worry of obtaining wood.
Considering the imminent arrival of nightfall, Fang Mo decided against venturing too far from his current location. Instead, he set to work clearing some trees in the vicinity. His plan was to construct a modest abode and make necessary preparations for the upcoming night. Additionally, once the leaves disappeared, he could also gather a few apples for a satisfying dinner.
However, to Fang Mo's surprise, while Steve diligently chopped away at the trees, he stumbled upon peculiar formations of plant piles beneath one of them. Oblivious to their nature, Fang Mo destroyed them, only to witness a torrent of exotic vegetables and fruits bursting forth. Cucumbers, broccoli, cabbage, raspberries, wax berries, grapes—the assortment filled nearly half of Steve's backpack.
"Hmm?"
Fang Mo gazed at the unexpected bounty, momentarily taken aback. "Could this be from Pam's HarvestCraft Mod?"
As this realization dawned upon him, Fang Mo's expression took on a peculiar twist.
Recalling the earlier discovery of the mini-map, which he had initially overlooked, and now encountering the presence of Pam's HarvestCraft, he couldn't help but entertain a bewildering notion. Could it be that his last words, uttered before his demise, had been transformed into a ModPack in this world?