Two days had passed since Shaoran found himself in this strange, empty world. The system was both helpful and unhelpful at the same time—offering cryptic notifications but no direct answers. The first day, he learned the name of this place: Solva. Beyond that, nothing. He had no clue who the so-called "higher beings" were, nor why they had chosen him. Any attempt to get more information led to the same frustrating result. [?????] The system simply refused to provide answers.
In the end, he decided to push those questions aside. No point in wasting energy on something he couldn't change. For now, survival came first.
The First Day: Understanding the Land
His first steps into exploration led him into a dense jungle—not quite like the ones on Earth, but familiar enough. The trees here were tall and thick, their bark deep black with streaks of glowing blue veins. The air smelled fresh, but the sheer density of vegetation gave the place an eerie, untouched feeling.
There were plants everywhere, but Shaoran had no idea which ones were safe. He had never seen these species before, nor could he tell what their properties were. Some had massive leaves, others had twisting vines that curled unnaturally when he passed by.
Hunger gnawed at him.
His stomach growled as he trudged deeper into the jungle, scanning the surroundings for anything edible. He didn't want to take risks, but after hours without food, he had no choice. He picked a few round, golden fruits hanging from a low branch. They smelled sweet, almost citrusy. His fingers tightened around one.
"If it smells fine and looks fine, it should be fine… right?"
With that flimsy logic, he took a cautious bite. The fruit was soft, juicy, and filled with a strange, rich sweetness. He chewed slowly, waiting for any strange reactions. No numbness. No burning sensation. No instant vomiting.
"Looks like I won't die yet."
Encouraged, he ate more, gathering a handful before moving forward. His next problem was water. He searched for a while before coming across a slow-moving river. Kneeling beside it, he cupped his hands and drank. The water was cold, crisp—surprisingly clean.
[System Notification: Water Source Found]
[Status: Drinkable]
"Good to know," Shaoran muttered, splashing his face before refilling his energy.
That night, as the sky darkened, he realized his biggest problem. He needed fire.
Making fire in the wilderness wasn't easy. It was something his father, a seasoned hunter, had drilled into him long ago. Shaoran sighed, glancing around for the materials he needed.
He searched for fallen branches and twigs—anything dry enough to burn. Most of what he found was damp, but after some effort, he located a few pieces that looked promising. He stacked them carefully in a small clearing.
He didn't have a lighter, no matches—just raw survival skills. His best bet was the bow-drill method—using friction to generate heat. He cut a sturdy, straight branch and stripped its bark, shaping it into a spindle. Then, he found a flat piece of wood and carved a small notch in it, preparing a fireboard.
He wrapped a vine around the spindle, then placed the spindle into the notch. Holding the fireboard steady with his foot, he pulled the vine back and forth, spinning the spindle rapidly. Heat built up. Smoke rose. His arms burned from the effort, but he didn't stop.
"Come on… just a little more…"
Tiny embers appeared in the notch. He quickly transferred them onto dry grass and gently blew.
A flicker.
Then, a flame.
He had fire.
Relief flooded through him as he fed the small flame with twigs, slowly building it into a real campfire. The orange glow cast long shadows in the jungle, the warmth seeping into his tired body.
With fire taken care of, Shaoran turned to the next problem: food. He set up deadfall traps, snare traps, and pitfall traps. After a few hours, he returned to check his work.
What he found made his stomach sink.
The traps were destroyed.
Completely torn apart.
And the culprit? A rabbit.
Only… it wasn't an ordinary rabbit. It was massive, nearly the size of a wild boar. Its fur was thick, its legs powerful. Its red eyes gleamed in the firelight.
"…You're kidding me."
He expected a small, helpless animal, not a beast capable of breaking ten different traps. Shaoran gritted his teeth. He had knives on him—always did, thanks to his past life in the underworld. He gripped one tightly, fashioning a makeshift spear by tying it to a long branch.
And then, he fought.
The battle lasted hours. The rabbit was fast, strong, and absurdly resilient. It dodged his spear jabs with unnatural reflexes. Shaoran had to use every bit of his experience, cutting, dodging, and predicting its movements. His stamina ran low, but he refused to give up.
Then, with a final thrust, he struck its throat.
The giant rabbit collapsed.
Panting, Shaoran pulled out his knife, staring at the massive body before him.
"Damn thing… wasn't even a boss monster."
He was exhausted. Every part of him ached. But he had meat now. He dragged the carcass back to camp, mentally cursing as he looked at his destroyed traps.
"…Half a day's work, gone. Great."
Cooking the rabbit took longer than expected. First, he had to skin and gut it—a messy process he was all too familiar with. The hide was thick, but his knife was sharp enough. He worked quickly, removing the organs, draining the blood, and cutting the meat into portions.
Then, the cooking began.
He skewered chunks of meat onto sharpened sticks, roasting them over the fire. The fat sizzled, the aroma filling the air. His stomach growled as he turned the meat, making sure it cooked evenly.
To balance his meal, he used some of the wild fruits he found earlier, slicing them thinly and laying them on hot stones to caramelize.
Finally, the food was ready.
Shaoran took his first bite.
The meat was tough, slightly gamy, but rich and flavorful. The fruits added a slight sweetness. It wasn't gourmet, but it was survival food, and that was enough.
As he ate, he glanced at his half-charged phone. He still had some battery left, so he used it wisely.
For the first time in two days, he felt a hint of normalcy.
Then, the system spoke.
[System Notification: Technological Device Detected]
[Scanning Device…]
Shaoran nearly dropped his phone.
"What?"
A sudden progress bar appeared. His phone was being scanned.
Moments later, the system gave him a list of materials and processes needed to recreate the device.
Shaoran blinked. Then laughed.
"This damn system… does it want me to start a phone company now?"
Still, the idea intrigued him. If the system could analyze and recreate modern technology…
Then what else could he build?