As Lin Xiao trudged through the desert, a familiar chime echoed in his mind, interrupting his thoughts. He blinked, and a translucent screen appeared before him.
[Congratulations! You have survived the Awakening.]
[Reward: 1500 EXP, Random Silver Chest Box]
Lin Xiao froze for a moment, relief washing over him.
"Finally, something positive," he thought. He tapped on the screen, feeling a surge of excitement as a silver box materialized in front of him, floating in midair. It shimmered with a metallic glow, enticing and mysterious.
Without hesitation, Lin Xiao opened the silver box. Light poured out, swirling like a mini-galaxy, and then solidified into a glowing orb. His system screen displayed the new reward:
[You have received: Power of Electrokinesis!]
Lin Xiao's eyes widened. Electrokinesis? He felt a strange tingling sensation in his fingertips, and instinctively, a small spark of electricity crackled between them. He grinned. "Now this... this I can work with."
He could feel the new power coursing through his veins, as if his body had become a conduit for electrical energy. The possibilities excited him. With this, he could potentially manipulate electrical fields, control devices, or even unleash lightning in combat. It was a game-changer.
Just as he was getting used to the new power, another notification popped up:
[1500 EXP received.]
[EXP to next level: 1500/2000]
Lin Xiao let out a breath of satisfaction. "Only 500 more EXP to reach level 6." It was within reach, and the anticipation of leveling up pushed him forward. With this new ability and the promise of leveling up soon, his confidence surged.
The oppressive desert heat didn't seem as daunting now, and with electrokinesis at his disposal, he felt ready to face whatever came next in this chaotic world.
Lin Xiao's mind whirled as he began walking, each step sinking into the soft sand. He needed to figure out what was going on, and fast. Whatever was happening here, he had a sinking feeling it wasn't just a random coincidence. Something much bigger was at play.
As Lin Xiao trudged through the seemingly endless desert, the sun blazed down on him mercilessly. His throat was parched, and his energy was quickly depleting. The sand shifted beneath his feet, making it harder to walk, and every step felt heavier than the last. He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that something was watching him.
Suddenly, Lin Xiao heard a faint rumble in the distance. He stopped and looked around, but there was nothing in sight—just the dunes stretching out as far as he could see. The sound grew louder, and the ground beneath his feet began to vibrate. His eyes widened in realization.
"Not again..." he muttered.
The rumble intensified, and Lin Xiao quickly scanned the area for any place to hide or take cover, but the desert offered no refuge. A massive sandstorm was forming on the horizon, barreling toward him at an alarming speed. The storm was unlike anything he'd ever seen, with clouds of sand swirling violently, blocking out the sun and plunging the desert into darkness.
Lin Xiao's instincts kicked in. He had to move—fast. He turned on his heel and started running, his legs burning as he pushed himself through the thick sand. The storm roared behind him, getting closer by the second.
"Think, think, think!" he told himself, trying to come up with a plan. He remembered his system skills. He could use Shadow Steps to move quickly, but in a wide, open desert, there were no shadows to work with.
Then, an idea hit him. "Xiao Bai's teleportation! I can't use it to go home, but I can use it to escape the storm!"
He activated the power, focusing on a spot far ahead, and in an instant, he was teleported several meters away. But when he landed, the storm was still gaining on him.
Lin Xiao gritted his teeth and kept teleporting forward, hopping across the desert like a stone skipping over water. Each time he moved, he could feel the storm nipping at his heels, the wind pulling at him with ferocious intensity.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he reached the edge of a rocky cliff. With one last teleport, he landed at the base of the cliff, taking refuge in the shadow it cast.
He turned to see the sandstorm collide with the cliff, the winds howling as the storm raged just beyond his reach.
Lin Xiao collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily. He had narrowly escaped, but his relief was short-lived.
As he lay there catching his breath, he noticed strange markings carved into the rocks of the cliff. Symbols—ancient and unfamiliar—glowed faintly in the dim light of the storm.
"What... is this place?" Lin Xiao whispered to himself.
He reached out to touch one of the symbols, feeling a strange pulse of energy beneath his fingertips.
The ground trembled slightly, and he realized with a start that the cliff wasn't just any ordinary rock formation. It was part of something much larger—something hidden beneath the desert.
Before Lin Xiao could investigate further, his system pinged with a new notification:
[Emergency Mission Update: Explore the Hidden Ruins Beneath the Desert. Reward: +2000 EXP, Gold Chest Box].
Lin Xiao stared at the glowing symbols on the cliff wall, his mind racing with possibilities. Hidden ruins beneath the desert? He hadn't even fully recovered from his last ordeal, and now this. But the allure of discovery and the promise of a reward were too tempting to ignore.
He stood up, dusting the sand off his clothes, and cautiously pressed his hand against the nearest glowing symbol. A soft hum vibrated through the air as the symbol lit up even brighter.
The ground beneath him trembled, and suddenly, with a loud rumble, the cliff face split open, revealing a narrow passageway leading down into darkness.
Lin Xiao hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the still-raging sandstorm.
"There's no turning back now," he thought. With a deep breath, he stepped inside, the passageway sealing shut behind him as soon as he crossed the threshold. The oppressive heat of the desert vanished, replaced by a cool, damp atmosphere that made his skin tingle.