“The fish trap is a huge success~” Two small fish were trapped inside.
After taking them out and having the System check if they were edible (Fish: Children, will I survive?),
“This fish looks so delicious (๑ ́ڡ`๑)”
After finishing a simple grilled fish lunch, I carefully inspected the newly planted fields again (the soil moisture was well-maintained).
Just as I was about to think about the afternoon’s plans, I suddenly slapped my forehead.
“Oh, I forgot to check the daily missions!” Yesterday, I was completely immersed in the busy work of clearing and planting.
Today, I was so focused on planting that I almost forgot to “check in” for the day.
“System, view daily missions.” I quickly recited in my mind.
A pale blue mission interface immediately unfolded in my field of vision:
[ Today’s Optional Daily Missions ]
1.
Ecological Atlas: Travel to unexplored areas of the valley (such as further upstream or downstream), record at least three new species of flora and fauna, and describe their morphology and habitats in detail.
(Reward: 15 points, temporary access to Simple Ecological Guide (Regional Volume) x1)
2.
Water Source Survey: Explore at least 500 meters upstream or downstream along the river, and mark a water source with excellent quality or a special phenomenon (such as a small waterfall or a hot spring bubbling up).
(Reward: 12 points, Bamboo Canteen capacity +0.5 liters (Permanent))
3.
Ability Improvement: Try to use “Leyline Perception” and “Water Essence Guidance” in combination, and complete a comprehensive perception and fine-tuning of the soil moisture and fertility of a small area (not exceeding 5 square meters).
(Reward: 10 points, Trace Elements Affinity Temporary Enhancement Potion x1)
4.
Homestead Construction: Craft a simple, windproof doorway for the cave (such as weaving a curtain with vines, or building a frame with branches and covering it with large leaves).
(Reward: 8 points, Rough but Thick Straw Curtain x1 [ If this option is chosen and completed])
5.
Resource Stockpile: Collect at least five different materials that can be used for future construction or tool making (such as wood of a specific hardness, tough vines, tree bark suitable for binding, stone suitable for polishing, clay, etc.).
(Reward: 18 points, Basic Material Processing Knowledge (Entry Level) Infusion x1)
The tasks remained diverse and practical.
My gaze lingered on “Ecological Atlas” and “Water Source Survey” for a moment.
Now that the sowing was finished, I had no urgent farm work to attend to, providing the perfect opportunity to explore this valley more deeply, especially the upstream direction I had wanted to check since yesterday.
“System, I choose ‘Ecological Atlas’.” Exploring and documenting would kill two birds with one stone, and the reward “Simple Ecological Guide” sounded like it would be very helpful for understanding the local environment.
Wishing the Host a successful exploration.
]
The task interface vanished.
I tidied up, took my notebook and pen, tucked the Stone Knife into my waist, and filled the Bamboo Canteen with fresh water.
After a thought, I wrapped yesterday’s remaining few Earth Yams and some Sourberries in leaves and brought them along as supplies for the journey.
Walking along the riverbank, I headed upstream, in the opposite direction from yesterday’s downstream wetlands.
The riverbank here was slightly undulating, and the vegetation became denser and more varied, requiring me to carefully push aside shrubs to move forward.
The Dragon Tail actually became an excellent balance aid in this terrain, helping me sweep away overly tangled vines.
As I walked, I carefully observed the surrounding ecological environment.
The System’s scanning function remained constantly active, assisting me in identifying some species with distinct features, but I relied more on my own eyes and perception to discover details.
After walking for about twenty-some minutes, the river channel narrowed slightly here, and the current also became more turbulent, washing over the exposed rocks on both banks.
On a sunny, south-facing slope, I saw a patch of low-lying shrubs, laden with a kind of orange-yellow, round fruit with smooth skin, each about the size of an apricot.
[ New Species Discovered: Scanning…
Identified as ‘Citrus Fruit’ (common local wild fruit).
Edible, juicy flesh, moderately sweet and sour, rich in vitamins and a small amount of natural sugars.
Plant is not noticeably toxic.
]
“Citrus Fruit?” I walked forward, plucked a ripe fruit, wiped it on my clothes, and tentatively took a bite.
Crunch!
The skin was thin and crisp, the flesh inside was a beautiful orange-yellow, the juice was abundant, and the taste was indeed refreshingly sweet and sour, gentler and sweeter than Sourberries, and very thirst-quenching.
“Mmm!
This is delicious!” My eyes lit up, and I plucked a few more, wolfing them down.
I immediately felt more energized.
This wild fruit was better suited as a daily supplement than Sourberries.
Since I’d found it, I couldn’t simply pass it up.
I carefully avoided the flower buds and unripe small fruits, picking about twenty or thirty fully ripe Citrus Fruits and packing them into another small Burlap Pouch I was carrying.
These could be brought back to the Cave to be eaten slowly, or dried into dried fruit for storage.
After storing the Citrus Fruit, I continued forward, opening my notebook and beginning to record: “Citrus Fruit, orange-yellow round berry, grows on sunny slope shrubs, skin smooth and thin and crisp, flesh orange-yellow and juicy, sweet and sour, can replenish vitamins and sugar.” Beside it, I also simply drew the outline of a fruit.
After completing the record, I closed my notebook, but my mind was still savoring the sweet and sour taste from before, as well as…
the name “Citrus Fruit.” Find the original chapter at g.com.
“Citrus Fruit…
Buckwheat Flower…” I unconsciously repeated these two names, and my footsteps slowed down without me noticing.
An inexplicable sense of familiarity crept into my heart.
This naming style, these effect descriptions (Buckflower that promotes blood circulation and removes stasis, Citrome that’s sweet and sour and delicious)…
My thoughts instantly flew back to that night before I traveled through time, to the game icon flashing on my phone screen.
“Arknights”…
and, another game under Hypergryph that hasn’t officially launched yet but has already released a lot of settings: “Arknights: Endfield.”
In the game Endfield, there seem to be basic materials like “Citrome” and “Buckflower” with obvious “Ark” naming styles and effect settings!
I remember in the Endfield demo or settings, players need to pioneer, build, and collect resources on a planet called “Talos-II,” and “Citrome” and “Buckflower” are exactly the collectable plants that appear there!
“Wait, Buckflower, Citrome, this name, this effect…” I stopped in my tracks, a trace of astonishment and realization flashing through my ice-blue eyes.
“This valley…”
I looked around.
Surrounded by mountains, rivers splitting in the middle, the land was fertile, and this kind of situation that requires pioneering, collecting, planting, and building from scratch…
This absurd yet strangely fitting thought popped into my head.
“Could this valley…
actually be some corner of ‘Talos-II’?
Or at least some similar, ‘Endfield-ized’ pioneer land?” I twitched my lips, a mix of absurdity, amusement, and a hint of “Of course it is” crossing my face.
If that were true, then many things would seem to have a different explanatory framework.
The System’s “Great Yan Agricultural System” could perhaps be understood as some kind of “Pioneering Protocol” or “Civilization Legacy Module”?
And my compatibility as “Shu” might be both a coincidence and because the agricultural civilization symbolized by “Shu” itself is highly compatible with the theme of pioneering?
“I might as well…
just call this place ‘Valley 4’.” I muttered under my breath, the name of Endfield’s starting area flashing in my mind.
“Yeah, very ‘Endfield’.”
This discovery brought no panic; instead, it gave me a clearer understanding of the “vibe” of this world, and a strange sense of relief, like, “Oh, so it’s this set.” At least it wasn’t complete, unknown chaos.
“The more I think about it, the more absurd it gets.
This is too abstract.”
Shaking my head to clear away these unverifiable conjectures, I refocused my attention on the exploration and tasks at hand.
Whether or not this was “Endfield,” the challenges of survival and construction remained real.
“Let’s keep going and see what else is upstream.” I tightened my grip on the bag of Citrome and ventured deeper upstream.
My curiosity for exploration had only intensified after this interesting discovery.
With my notebook and pen back in hand, I prepared to record more of the ecological secrets belonging to this “Valley 4” (or so I’d call it for now).