The No. 1 Hunfen King in the Entire Server [Interstellar] Chapter 22

[Loading game for you… Loading complete. Title: Antique Codex, Mode: Exploration, Level: Beginner.]

[Matching teammates… Matching complete. Average player score: 34 points.]

Objective: Collect codex entries.
End Condition: Third mass extinction event.

Dear player Shuang Mu Cheng Jing, good luck.

Lin Jing entered the game and received his starting equipment: a black camera and a thin codex.

The codex was only a dozen pages thick, with rules printed on the first page: “Collect photographs as specified in this book. Final scores will be based on completion percentage.” Below that, in small print: “60% is the passing threshold.”

So, 60% completion was considered passing. Points above that would earn bonuses; below would incur penalties.

True to Survivor’s style, penalties were much harsher than rewards.

Lin Jing flipped to the first page and froze at the image—it looked like a mosquito coil perched on a rock.

He stared at it for a long time, scrutinizing every detail, but it still looked like a mosquito coil.

Twitching at the corners of his mouth, he flipped to the next page. He thought the mosquito coil was weird enough, but the rest were even stranger:

A meat cake lying on the ground, something that looked like half a shrimp, a bizarre tubular jellyfish with a shell-like cap, a long worm with rows of holes along its body, and a spiraling flower-shaped creature resembling a gourd.

Lin Jing: What is this? What is this? And what on earth is this?

The only familiar creature on the first page was the trilobite—a flat-bodied animal with two antennae and segmented armor, a signature organism of the Paleozoic Era.

Lacking the knowledge to make sense of the rest, Lin Jing closed the codex and turned his attention to the camera. The device was simple, with a single button to take photos, and the pictures printed instantly.

Stuffing the codex into his backpack, he set off into the game.

The title Antique Codex didn’t specify a time limit, only a key event—the third mass extinction. This implied the game’s time flow differed from the real world.

Coordinates: Paleozoic Era. Duration: From the appearance of trilobites to the third mass extinction (spanning from the Cambrian to the Permian period), a total of 240 million years.

As before, his entry into the game was glitchy, the screen flickering like an old, malfunctioning monitor.

When his vision cleared, Lin Jing found himself inside a submarine. It was resting on a sandy seabed, its small circular windows offering a view of giant green algae swaying in the pale, light-filled ocean. Tiny, ephemeral creatures floated by like drifting phantoms, creating a dreamlike scene.

Within the submarine, a black ring appeared on his wrist. In its center was a button.

The submarine was spacious, likely serving as a player hub. It exuded a futuristic vibe, made of synthetic metals resistant to water pressure and radiation.

The hallway ended in a door, which opened into a conference room. Inside, there was a long table with a man and a woman seated at it.

The woman was stunningly beautiful, with long curly hair cascading down her back like seaweed. She wore a purple blouse, tied at the waist to reveal a slim, pale section of her waist, creating an enticing curve. Her straight jeans accentuated her long legs.

She was currently focused on a codex, flipping through its pages and jotting down guesses with a pen.

Next to her sat a blond-haired, blue-eyed young man with a few pimples. He was enthusiastically seated close to the woman, frequently picking up the codex to discuss it with her. However, his true intentions were clear as he kept his eyes glued to her profile while talking. His motives were as obvious as Sima Zhao’s ambition—apparent to all.

Lin Jing hadn’t expected to walk into this kind of situation.

The sound of the door opening drew the attention of the two people inside the conference room.

The curly-haired woman lifted her head and, upon seeing Lin Jing, hesitated briefly before her eyes curved into a smile. “A newcomer?”

Her voice was sweet, and her almond-shaped eyes resembled those of a cat—beautiful and captivating.

The blond man straightened up immediately, withdrawing his gaze full of longing. Although slightly irritated at having his time alone with the beauty interrupted, he begrudgingly greeted the newcomer, albeit unwillingly.

Lin Jing couldn’t quite figure out the dynamic between the two but greeted them in return. “Hello.”

The curly-haired woman’s personality was warm and outgoing. “Hi, I’m Ke Lingxuan.”

The man followed up with, “I’m Karl.”

Lin Jing reciprocated politely, “Lin Jing.”

Since they were all players, there was no need for excessive formalities. Lin Jing, holding his codex, walked over to join them.

Ke Lingxuan warmly remarked, “You came at just the right time. We’re discussing the contents of the codex.”

Lin Jing sat down but stiffened slightly. This timing couldn’t have been worse, he thought. The only thing he recognized in the guide was a trilobite.

He smiled faintly—a warm, polite smile designed to mask his awkwardness.

Ke Lingxuan asked, “Lin Jing, do you recognize any of the creatures in this guide?” Half-joking, she added, “If I’d known this mission was about collecting a Paleozoic codex, I would’ve studied beforehand. Now I’m completely clueless. They don’t know me, and I don’t know them.”

Lin Jing forced a smile. “It’s fine if we don’t recognize them. We can just compare them to the codex and try to spot a few.”

Ke Lingxuan laughed and pointed her pen at an illustration. “True. Some of these creatures are so unique that it’s hard to miss them, like this one—it’s a strip of flesh flanked by two shells. It’s unforgettable once you see it.”

Ke Lingxuan’s demeanor toward Lin Jing was noticeably friendlier than toward Karl. Beauty, after all, is universally appreciated, and attractive people often enjoy preferential treatment.

Karl interjected with dissatisfaction, attempting to assert his presence. “That’s not quite right. To find these creatures, it helps to recognize them and understand their habits. Are they carnivorous or filter feeders? Swimming, floating, or benthic organisms? And benthic creatures have so many types—what if they’re buried in sediment and need to be dug out?”

Lin Jing replied coolly, “You’re right. So, do you recognize them?”

Karl: “…”

He shot Lin Jing a glare.

Ke Lingxuan chuckled and closed the codex. “Since none of us are experts on paleontology, let’s take it step by step.”

She suddenly asked, “Lin Jing, did you hear KK’s voice when you entered?”

KK was the official virtual guide of Survivor. All narration was voiced by her.

Lin Jing suspected this cursed game had it out for him. In the previous round, he’d missed the showdown between Scar Bro and the old man. This time, he’d completely missed KK’s introduction.

Seeing his silence, Ke Lingxuan raised her wrist and explained, “This is the bracelet that connects us to the environment here. The button is the back key. It has a stamina bar, and when we leave to collect codex entries, we must return before our stamina runs out. If it hits zero, we’ll be forcibly logged out of the game.”

Lin Jing glanced down. Sure enough, there was a thin red bar above the button, with a number “100” displayed beside it.

Ke Lingxuan continued, “KK said that injuries, attacks, and strenuous activity will deplete stamina. She didn’t specify the time flow rate, but it should be fast. We might return after replenishing our stamina only to find that millions of years have passed. So, we should try to avoid unnecessary trips back. However, we must return before the two major extinction events occur.”

Lin Jing: “…” What kind of absurd game is this? Can’t it be a little kinder to the scientifically ignorant? He only vaguely knew that Earth had experienced three mass extinctions. How was he supposed to know when they occurred? Chances were, he’d be out there taking photos and get wiped out along with the next extinction event.

To dodge this awkward topic, Lin Jing changed the subject. “Did KK give us our location?”

Karl, unwilling to stay a bystander, replied with a sarcastic tone, “Of course. We’re in Chengjiang. Know the Chengjiang fauna? It’s the eve of the Cambrian period, around 540 million years ago. Our actions officially start tomorrow.”

Ke Lingxuan added, “Including you, there are ten of us. Let’s stick together. The Paleozoic era is filled with dangerous giant creatures. The more people we have, the safer we’ll be.”

The game didn’t involve competition since no one needed to claim the discovered creatures. They just had to photograph them, making cooperation the best strategy.

Lin Jing nodded. “Where are the others?”

Karl replied, “They’re in their rooms sleeping. They’ll come here for dinner later, so you’ll meet them.”

Lin Jing: “Sleeping?”

Ke Lingxuan seemed slightly embarrassed and avoided elaborating.

Soon, Lin Jing understood the implication behind Karl’s words. When dinner time arrived, the submarine emitted a beeping sound, summoning everyone to the conference room.

The sound of multiple footsteps echoed through the hallway. The first to enter was another man and woman.

“Ah, another newcomer?”

The woman’s voice was saccharine sweet, dripping with charm. She ran her fingers through her wine-red hair as her gaze lingered on Lin Jing. There was an indescribable allure about her. Her red lips curved into a smirk. “Well, well, a handsome young man, too.”

The man following behind her, dressed in a floral shirt and exuding enthusiasm, possessively put an arm around her neck. “Am I not enough for you? How do you still have the energy to check out other men?”

The woman sneered, swatting his hand away with a mocking expression. She stared at Lin Jing like a predator eyeing its prey and gracefully sat beside him.

Her eyes shimmered with allure as she batted her lashes and smiled. “Hello, cutie. My name is Elena.”

The man in the floral shirt grumbled and sat down too. “He’s clearly inexperienced—he won’t make you happy. You’d be better off with me.”

Elena chuckled dismissively. “Your skills are on par with a virgin. If I’m going to pick, I’d rather choose someone good-looking.”

Lin Jing: “…”

What did virgins ever do to deserve this?

Meanwhile, four other people filed in one after another—three men and one woman. Seeing them made Lin Jing realize just how reliable his previous teammates had been. One of them was a young man in a black leather jacket, sporting a nose ring, a lip ring, and a row of earrings. Another was an overweight, carefree-looking girl who fanned her face as she entered and remarked, “I could smell the stench from a mile away.”

Elena pretended not to hear and continued fluttering her lashes at Lin Jing.

Ke Lingxuan pinched her brow, trying to diffuse the awkward atmosphere. She spoke up proactively, “Has everyone had enough rest? Let’s use this time over lunch to discuss our plan.”

When a beautiful woman speaks, men tend to listen.

The man in the floral shirt immediately abandoned his attempts to flatter Elena and turned his attention to Ke Lingxuan, smiling warmly. “Sure, babe. Whatever ideas you have, I’ll go along with them.”

Karl, clearly fed up with the man in the floral shirt, scoffed. “Give it a rest. Just keep your mouth shut.”

The floral shirt guy unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a bite mark with a trace of lipstick, and raised his brows smugly. “Relax, bro. We’re all teammates. There’s no need to be so salty. It’s not my fault Elena picked me.”

Lin Jing twitched the corners of his mouth and silently crossed Ke Lingxuan’s suggestion to work together off his list.

Teaming up with this group would only slow him down.

Karl gritted his teeth but quickly masked his anger. After all, he was trying to win over Ke Lingxuan. Sitting upright, he calmly replied, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Among the latecomers, two of the men seemed relatively normal. Average height, average looks—they probably just wanted to win and weren’t interested in stirring up drama. They both awkwardly avoided the conversation and focused on eating the food that automatically appeared on the table.

The chubby short-haired girl tapped her plate with a knife, her tone sharp. “Elena didn’t pick you at first. She went after someone else, but when that person showed no interest in her, she settled for you.”

The leather-jacketed cool guy was indeed cool, radiating a rebellious teenage energy. 

He only noticed that someone was missing after hearing the girl’s comment.

“Not here yet?” he asked, clearly annoyed.

The floral shirt guy, on the other hand, seemed to harbor deep resentment toward the absent person. “Doesn’t matter if he comes or not. It won’t make a difference. Let’s just continue without him.”

Ke Lingxuan said nothing more, choosing to silently watch the drama unfold.

Elena, the center of the chaos, seemed unconcerned about it all. Her attention remained fixed on Lin Jing.

Dressed in a form-fitting red dress that accentuated her curves, she leaned in close, her perfume so strong it was suffocating. Her breath tickled Lin Jing’s ear as she smiled seductively. “See that? They’re all fighting over me. But right now, I only want you.”

Lin Jing seriously wanted to curse the game’s matchmaking system.

Before he could respond, a hand suddenly rested on his shoulder. He was pulled closer to someone who leaned over him. The person’s breath was cool as snow, and a man’s voice, casual and slightly teasing, spoke from above. “Sorry, but this is my boyfriend.”