The next morning, a faint glimmer of dawn appeared on the horizon. Forget-Worry rubbed her eyes, rousing herself from a light sleep. The massive creature from last night seemed to have left, but she didn't fully relax. Having faced life-and-death trials so often, she knew that in this barren world, she could never let her guard down.
She got out of the car to stretch and relieve the fatigue from the night before. A few simple stretches helped her regain some energy. Then she grabbed some dry food and water from the storage box in the car and quickly finished her breakfast. Though the taste was far from pleasant, under such resource-scarce conditions, maintaining her strength was enough.
After eating, Forget-Worry began carefully inspecting her vehicle. Last night's upgrades and the activation of the system's defense mechanisms had enhanced the car's protection to a certain extent, but it still needed more improvements, especially in cold resistance for the coming snowstorm. She glanced at her wristband, checking the current supplies and planning her next gathering strategy.
Looking around, the weather today was better than before. The morning light filtered through thin clouds, adding a hint of warmth. She knew this was the calm before the storm. Time was short; she had to make every second count.
Forget-Worry's car drove along the endless road, the cold wind howling and causing the temperature inside the car to drop. The system alerted her to a resource point 200 meters ahead. Despite her wariness, the scarcity of supplies forced her to slow down and take a chance.
Stopping the car a hundred meters away from the resource point, she gripped her Tang blade tightly and carefully got out, crouching as she moved forward. In her line of sight, she spotted a resource chest larger than she'd ever seen, lying quietly among the tall grass. Perhaps this would yield some emergency supplies, she thought, feeling a slight glimmer of hope. Just as she approached the chest, however, her wristband emitted an alert: "Warning: High-level creature approaching, retreat advised!"
Her heart raced as she scanned the surroundings, finally noticing movement in the grass to her left. A massive buffalo stood there, covered in shaggy, gray-brown fur, with sharp, heavy horns and piercing eyes. It lowered its head and breathed heavily, evidently aware of her presence and moving toward her with a hint of aggression.
Holding her breath, Forget-Worry gripped her Tang blade tighter, calculating her escape. Her gear couldn't withstand a direct confrontation with such a beast; returning to the car was her only option. As she slowly retreated, the wristband's countdown began: "Self-defense mechanism activating in three seconds…"
"3… 2… 1…"
A blue light surrounded her, filling her with a strange energy. She held her blade firmly, dodging to the side just as the buffalo charged and slashing at its foreleg. The buffalo let out a pained bellow, halting its attack. Taking this chance, Forget-Worry quickly withdrew to a safe distance, watching as the buffalo retreated into the grass.
Once it was gone, she sighed in relief, exhaustion setting in as the system notified her of increased strength and agility. Steadying herself, she returned to her car and opened the resource chest, finding practical items: a thick blanket, a pair of thermal gloves and socks, three bags of compressed food, a can of hot drink, and a black tracksuit. "A change of clothes!" Forget-Worry said happily. Her current outfit had become filthy over the past days, and finally, she had something clean to wear. She carefully stored the items and continued her journey.
The temperature in the car remained chilly. Wrapping the blanket around herself, she took a sip of the hot drink, feeling warmth spread through her body and easing her fatigue. Though the snowstorm threat loomed, she savored a rare moment of safety and satisfaction.
Settling back in her seat, wrapped in her new blanket, Forget-Worry felt a bit of relief from the cold. She knew she had to gather more resources as the countdown to the storm grew shorter. As night fell, her wristband reminded her that there were less than three days left until the snowstorm hit, making her feel even more anxious. She drove on, and in the distance, she noticed the silhouettes of abandoned vehicles. Holding her breath, she accelerated toward them. Each abandoned car was a rare opportunity; any one could hide parts or supplies crucial for survival.
First, she checked a relatively intact pickup. Despite severe damage, after clearing some shattered glass, she found a small bag of emergency food under the seat, still usable despite its age. In the back, she uncovered some screws and a roll of thick insulating tape. It wasn't much, but it could be essential for her survival. "Good, another chance to stay alive," she murmured to herself.
Moving to the next car, she found it in much worse condition, nearly reduced to rusted scraps by time and sand. She circled it, finding an intact side mirror, which she carefully removed. The mirror would help her monitor her surroundings without exposing herself too much. Inside the car, she found something resembling a planting tray. Picking it up, she saw an item description appear: "Temperature-resistant planting tray, can grow any crops, withstanding high and low temperatures. Growth is three times faster than in the real world." Forget-Worry beamed with excitement. Not only was it resistant to temperature, but it also accelerated growth—soon she'd be able to sustain herself! All she needed now were seeds, and she was confident she'd find some in one of these resource boxes.
While she was still celebrating her find, her wristband alerted her to a new resource point 200 meters ahead. She hesitated. Gathering parts from abandoned cars was important, but her food and water were almost gone. After weighing her options, she decided to leave her tools for now and check out the new point.
She steered toward the marked location and spotted a chest partially hidden among the roadside grass. Cautiously, she checked her surroundings before opening it. Inside, she found a high-calorie compressed biscuit, three bottles of yogurt, two apples, a small bottle of antifreeze, and a thick, insulated jacket. Holding the jacket close like a treasure, she quickly put it on. The warmth was precious on a cold morning in this unforgiving wasteland, and the apples meant she could start growing her own.
After organizing her supplies, she got back in the car and continued down the road. With the snowstorm's countdown ticking down, she grew increasingly aware of the urgency and the scarcity of resources. She encountered abandoned vehicles, hidden resource points guarded by dangerous creatures, and constant weather changes, but she never faltered—she knew that only by pushing forward could she find hope in this desolate road.
As she drove on, she noticed a small van partly hidden by the tall grass to her left. She stopped, picking up her Tang blade and tool kit, and approached carefully. The van was badly damaged, with shattered windows, yet it seemed to hold some items. Searching inside, she found a sealed pack of canned food and a few hard chocolate bars. Relieved, she placed them in her backpack and moved forward.
Just as she was about to return to her vehicle, the system detected another resource point nearby. Heart pounding, she moved ahead and soon found a blue box by the roadside. Approaching cautiously, she confirmed there were no threats before opening it. Inside was a basic tool kit, three thermal ropes, a small bottle of energy drink, and four croissants. Though not direct protection from the cold, the tools and ropes could help her reinforce the car's insulation, improving her chances during the snowstorm.
As she continued, Forget-Worry kept a close eye on the abandoned debris scattered along the road. She soon spotted a jeep half-buried in dust ahead. She stopped, took out her tools, and began to dismantle parts. Checking the interior, she discovered a small emergency medical kit with bandages and antiseptic. It wasn't much, but it was precious in this harsh world.
Securing her new items, she disassembled parts from the jeep's engine, gathering spare components. In an environment this unforgiving, any minor vehicle failure could spell disaster, so having mechanical parts on hand was vital for her survival.
Her supply bag was growing full, but she understood the storm's severity, knowing better than to relax. With each new resource box she encountered, she found different tools and surprising discoveries.