The early morning sun barely glimmered through the thick, gray clouds above. The newly built wooden cabin creaked softly in the wind, smoke curling steadily from the furnace chimney.
Ye Tian sat by the crafting table, examining an ice crystal core when a sudden booming system announcement echoed across the entire frozen world.
[GLOBAL SYSTEM UPDATE!]
[New Features Unlocked: Global Trade, Regional and Multi-Regional Market, Currency System, Global Chat]
[New Currency: Frost Coins (FC) introduced! Earned by trading, killing elite beasts, or completing system quests.]
---
A translucent interface appeared before every survivor.
[Global Trade: Exchange items, skills, or services with other players around the world.]
[System Store: Purchase exclusive items from the system with Frost Coins. Prices vary according to rarity and demand.]
[Global Chat: Connect with survivors worldwide. Automatic real-name ID linked to trade and chat for authenticity.]
A flood of voices instantly filled the air.
---
[Global Chat]
[Han Zhihao (Region 7204B13)]: I have extra beast hides! Looking for basic iron tools or food!
[Nakamura Rei (Region 5412G55)]: Selling "Water Manipulation" skill scroll. Only serious buyers! Looking for rare ores or meat.
[Anna Li (Region 8741W09)]: Trading frost herbs for strong weapon blueprints. DM me!
[Liang Fang (Region 3523R31)]: We're starving here! Will do anything for food. Please…
[Mark Jensen (Region 9210U77)]: Wait, someone is selling actual cooked meals?!
---
Ye Tian scrolled through the endless flood of desperate offers and greedy bargaining. Liu Yulan stood behind him, eyes wide in disbelief. "People are already moving so fast…"
Ye Tian smirked, fingers flying over the interface. "Survival forces creativity. But most still think too small…"
With a quick command, he summoned his M4A1 rifle to his side. The sleek black weapon gleamed in the faint cabin light.
[Trade Listing: M4A1 Assault Rifle] [Condition: Excellent]
[Description: Modern firearm with high accuracy and rate of fire. Includes 2 spare magazines (5.56mm).]
[Starting Price: 5000 FC or equivalent rare materials/skill scrolls.]
[Seller: Ye Tian (Region 1082A98)]
---
[Global Chat]
[Han Zhihao]: ...WHAT?! Is that a gun? A real gun?!
[Anna Li]: Impossible! Where did he even get modern tech?!
[Nakamura Rei]: That's cheating! The system doesn't allow modern weapons—wait, does it?!
[Mark Jensen]: Bro just casually listed a whole assault rifle like it's a bag of rice…
[Liang Fang]: Teach me! Please! I'll give anything!
---
In every corner of the frozen apocalypse, survivors froze mid-task. The image of the black rifle spread rapidly across all regions like wildfire. Many doubted their eyes, others screamed in envy, and some immediately started plotting how to get their hands on it.
Liu Yulan nearly dropped her ice spear. "Ye Tian… you're insane! People will start targeting you!"
Ye Tian simply leaned back, a confident grin on his face. "Exactly. Now they'll know who has power. Let them come — I'll deal with them one by one."
He watched as the trade requests began to flood in.
[Trade Offers: 247+ and rising rapidly...]
Some offered rare beast cores, others ancient blueprints, or even mysterious skill scrolls. But Ye Tian was in no rush. He carefully analyzed each offer, eyes cold and calculating.
Meanwhile, the system store update flickered across his screen.
[System Store Featured Items]
• "Flame Forging" Skill Scroll — 10,000 FC
• Tier-2 Beast Tracking Blueprint — 8,000 FC
• Icebound Armor Set — 15,000 FC
• Healing Elixir Recipe — 6,000 FC
• Basic Camp Expansion Pack — 5,000 FC
Ye Tian's fingers twitched slightly. "Interesting… once I secure enough Frost Coins, even the system store becomes my arsenal."
[Global Chat]
[Xiang Yu (Region 2101C12)]: That guy… Ye Tian… he's already playing a completely different game.
[Akira Hoshino (Region 6723Z56)]: This is the start of a new era. Some people will become kings, some will become slaves.
[Elena Voss (Region 3402T08)]: He's proof there's hope… or he's the biggest threat humanity has ever seen.
Back in the cabin, Liu Yulan's face softened as she watched Ye Tian calmly handle the trade chaos. "You really are terrifying, but… maybe you're exactly what we need right now."
Ye Tian finally glanced at her, a faint warmth in his eyes. "Don't worry. With me here, you'll never freeze, starve, or fall behind."
She blushed slightly but looked away quickly, pretending to busy herself sharpening an ice blade.
[Base Upgrade Available!]
[New Facilities: Enhanced Crafting Table, Weapon Assembly Bench, Basic Greenhouse (limited indoor farming).]
[Resources required: Frostfang hides x3, Beast cores x1, Wood x20.]
Ye Tian glanced at his newly acquired loot pile and grinned. "It's time to build further. Once I accept the right trade, we'll have everything."
Elsewhere
In distant regions, guilds formed overnight, alliances emerged, and the first whispers of a "global power ranking" began. Names like "Ye Tian" quickly rose to the top of discussion boards, becoming both a symbol of hope and an object of hatred.
Ye Tian set the rifle down beside him, his fingers itching for the next command.
[Current CP: 200] [Trade Offers: 389]
A cold, determined glint flashed in his eyes.
"Let the world see what real survival means."
Outside, the wind roared louder than ever — as if heralding the arrival of a new, chaotic age.