John had been a third-year sports student at the S City campus of the Federal University. That night, he and his childhood friend, Smith, had planned a casual barbecue. But as soon as the food was served, John was abruptly teleported to Karim Continent, a mysterious world far removed from anything he had known.
At first, the sudden shift left him disoriented. The surroundings, the strange atmosphere, and the inexplicable circumstances were overwhelming. But he was a sports student—he had trained his body and mind to endure challenges. After a short period of mental adjustment, he shook off the initial shock and focused on survival. Wallowing in despair was not an option; he needed a plan.
Fortunately, John was smart. As soon as he discovered the utility of the Magic Desk, he immediately contacted Smith. To their surprise, both of them were assigned to Sector 666, and even more astonishingly, their shelters faced each other, just ten meters apart.
The next morning, they set out together to gather supplies. Their first attempt was modestly successful. Despite hours of effort, they collected only a little over two hundred units of wood and slightly more than a hundred units of stone. While working, a dark shadow passed overhead, startling them enough to abandon that location and move elsewhere, following Smith's suggestion.
Eventually, luck smiled upon them. Both discovered supply chests in their new location, ensuring they wouldn't go hungry that day. Exhausted from the day's labor, they returned to their respective shelters. John, standing by his window, gazed out at the night sky of this alien world.
Suddenly, an object glowing with a faint blue light floated across the darkness. Startled, John almost dropped his bottle of mineral water.
"Oh my goodness! Something's happening!" he shouted, rushing to the Magic Desk to access the regional channel.
"Who has food? I'll trade five units of stone for one bread!"
"I need water. It's been a full day, and I'm about to drink from the stream if I don't get any."
"Half a bottle of mineral water for food—bread, self-heating hotpot, buns, anything is fine!"
"Eile Ell, you witch, don't think it's over just because you killed my man!"
"Smith, stop barking. If you dare take my things, pay the price. Otherwise, shut up."
"James, you hook seller, you'll pay for my pickaxe!"
It was no wonder Sector 666 had earned the nickname Evilman Valley. The chat was chaotic—everyone bargaining, arguing, and boasting—but when John announced what he had seen, the atmosphere instantly shifted.
"Everyone, guess what just flew across the sky?" he typed.
The previously noisy channel went silent. Traders stopped posting. Arguments halted. Even the boldest online voices paused.
"Speak your mind, John. What exactly did you see?" asked Tyrion, trying to maintain composure.
John quickly replied: "I didn't get a clear look—it was too dark—but the faint blue light was real. It looked like a laser pointer, only much dimmer. It moved smoothly across the sky, steadily, not quickly."
A pause followed. Everyone began to whisper among themselves.
"Could it be… a ghost?" someone asked hesitantly.
"Don't be ridiculous. Ghosts don't exist in this world," another replied.
"But just because they don't exist on Blue Star doesn't mean they're impossible on Karim Continent," a third added.
Rumors spread like wildfire. Observers claimed to see the object descend briefly before ascending again, and the faint blue light sometimes shifted toward green, hinting at some unknown energy process. Panic subtly mixed with curiosity, as the player count on the regional channel decreased from 9,979 to 9,978 in a matter of moments, suggesting something—or someone—had been taken.
Most agreed: venturing out at night was no longer safe.
Meanwhile, Arya had little concern for the chaos in the regional channel. She was focused on sorting her day's harvest. Along with the items she had discovered earlier in the ruined house, she had found two additional supply chests on her way back.
Nighttime seemed to be better for discovering these chests—the soft green glow made them conspicuous in the darkness. Arya carefully opened the chests, identifying each item methodically. Being cautious in this world was necessary; she could not afford mistakes.
Among her finds was a particularly intriguing item:
[Worn Herb Pouch (C)]
Effect: Internal space of 1 cubic meter. When infused with magic power, it can store items. Herbs stored inside do not lose their medicinal properties.
Description: Originally, it appeared to have a much larger capacity, but prolonged loss of magic power reduced its storage. With proper magical infusion, it may regain its former size.
Arya's heart skipped a beat. A spatial item! Every alchemist's dream. Even though one cubic meter seemed small, it could still hold an enormous amount—possibly even a ton of water. And most importantly, herbs would retain their full medicinal efficacy. This was a treasure for any budding alchemist.
This item had clearly originated from an alchemist's workshop, which explained why it was perfectly suited for her. Excited yet cautious, Arya picked up the herb pouch and examined it. The instructions indicated that she needed to inject magic power, but the method was unclear. She would have to experiment carefully to unlock its potential.
Back in Sector 666, John and Smith continued their exploration and resource collection the following morning. Working together allowed them to move faster, though it also brought moments of tension when scarce resources sparked minor disputes. Still, the two childhood friends leaned on their shared trust to resolve conflicts.
By late afternoon, the regional channel was buzzing again, though with less intensity than before. Discussions of the blue-lighted object persisted. Some players reported seeing it multiple times; others insisted it was a rare magical phenomenon. The mystery created both excitement and fear, uniting survivors in a strange camaraderie forged by uncertainty.
Arya, meanwhile, had finished cataloging her finds. Each item, each chest, and each herb was carefully recorded and organized. The worn herb pouch took a special place on her small display screen. She planned to begin experiments the next morning, hoping to restore its full capacity and unlock the secrets of spatial storage.
As night deepened, John glanced out of his window again. The sky was quiet, but the memory of the faint blue light remained vivid in his mind. Smith, ever pragmatic, suggested reinforcing their shelters and gathering more supplies during daylight hours, minimizing the risk of encountering unknown threats at night.
For Arya, the night brought a sense of calm. While others in the sector fretted over ghosts and mysterious lights, she focused on the tangible rewards of careful exploration and preparation. The herb pouch symbolized potential—a small but significant advantage in a world where survival depended on ingenuity and resourcefulness.
John and Smith, meanwhile, continued trading and bartering through the Magic Desk. The channel remained chaotic, yet a subtle order began to emerge as players learned to prioritize survival over petty squabbles. John realized that while the blue light remained an enigma, the bonds he formed here—through shared effort and trust—were equally valuable.
The next day, Arya would experiment with the pouch, testing magical infusion and exploring its limits. John and Smith would continue scavenging, slowly expanding their understanding of the terrain and its hidden dangers. In this world of uncertainty, every step, every discovery, and every decision counted.
And though the faint blue light in the night sky had unsettled many, Arya's discovery reminded her that true power often lay not in fear, but in preparation, skill, and the careful use of magical tools.
A simple herb pouch, a mysterious glowing object, and the ever-present dangers of Karim Continent—a single night in Sector 666 had already taught lessons that would shape their future survival.