[Check-in successful! Congratulations, Host, you have gained 1% Template experience!] [Accumulated check-in reward updated: Whitebeard Template (30% unlocked)!]
"Only one percent this time?"
Xu Fan looked at the information that had appeared in his mind. "I wonder how long it'll take to unlock the entire template."
Three years ago, Xu Fan had transmigrated into this world and obtained the Template System.
The first character he unlocked was the renowned Whitebeard, one of the Four Emperors from One Piece!
Although Xu Fan had only unlocked thirty percent of Whitebeard's power so far, in the world he now lived in, he was already an out-and-out superhuman!
"This world is pretty similar to the Blue Star I used to live on."
"Just like there, it's made up of over a hundred countries."
"The continents are laid out about the same, too."
Xu Fan murmured to himself, deciding that this world was a parallel universe.
But some things were completely different.
Technology on this planet was more advanced.
And with no birth-control policies, the population had skyrocketed.
Take the Yan Kingdom, where he now lived. When he'd first arrived, its population had been only 2.4 billion.
In just three years, it had shot up to 2.6 billion.
But the resources on this planet were still limited.
Even though humanity constantly emphasized conserving resources, it barely made a difference.
The number of endangered species had been climbing steadily, while freshwater supplies had continued to dwindle, especially over the past two years.
Although all the countries paid lip service to the idea of a community with a shared future for mankind,
behind the scenes, friction was common.
Some smaller nations had even fought localized wars on more than one occasion.
It probably wouldn't be long before a world-spanning war broke out!
Whenever Xu Fan thought about it, he found it hard to feel cheerful.
"A scientist in my old world once said, 'I don't know what weapons the Third World War will be fought with, but the Fourth will be fought with sticks and stones.'"
Xu Fan shook his head helplessly. The corners of his mouth lifted in a wry smile.
Nobody liked war.
But war was an inseparable part of human history.
"If we were living in peaceful times, I could use the power I have now to become a superhero who fights crime."
"But if a world war breaks out, my power won't be enough."
Xu Fan looked at himself in the mirror.
That was why he had kept his strength hidden all these years.
His previous life's parents had been ordinary workers. They'd spent most of their lives saving up enough to pay the down payment on a house for him.
They'd given him all their love.
And over the past three years, Xu Fan had settled into life here and made quite a few friends.
If he could, he wanted to use his power to protect them.
"I hope I can unlock the full Whitebeard Template before war breaks out."
[Notice! The Outer Forbidden Zone is about to open. One contestant will be randomly selected from each country in the world and bound to that country to enter the Forbidden Zone. It will begin in one hour!] [The contestants' explorations of the Forbidden Zone will be livestreamed across major online platforms!] [Valuable resources obtained by contestants in the Forbidden Zone will materialize in the real world!] [The following are the rules for entering the Forbidden Zone. Contestants, please remember them!] [1: If a contestant dies in the Forbidden Zone, one thousand people from their bound country will be randomly eliminated!] [2: One week later, a second contestant will be randomly sent into the Forbidden Zone, and so on!] [3: Each country may speak with its contestant once a week for one minute!] [4: Valuable resources in the Forbidden Zone often come with danger. Contestants, proceed with caution!] [5: Contestants will have twenty minutes to prepare and bring personal belongings into the Forbidden Zone, including but not limited to food, fresh water, and weapons...] [Countdown begins: 59:59!]
A voice from nowhere suddenly flooded Xu Fan's mind.
"The Outer Forbidden Zone?"
Xu Fan blinked and hurriedly looked around. His room was empty.
And judging by the message, it seemed to have been sent to all of humanity!
Contestants would represent their countries and explore the Forbidden Zone!
The valuable resources they obtained would materialize in the real world!
"For this world, valuable resources basically mean fresh water, forests..."
"Could a freshwater lake discovered in the Forbidden Zone really appear in the real world, too?"
If all this was real, then the immense crisis facing the Yan Kingdom—
No...
The crisis facing the whole world would be solved!
At the thought, Xu Fan eagerly opened his laptop and logged onto the internet.
Just as he'd expected,
all the major forums and message boards had exploded.
The announcement had taken over every page.
"Did you all just hear that voice? What Forbidden Zone? What contestants? Can someone explain?"
"Holy crap, I was working overtime, doing 996, and thought it was some kind of prank. Now it seems like an invasion by some super-advanced civilization!"
"A prank? Tricking the whole world in an instant? Who could pull that off? I say this is the kind of cheat you see in web novels, something like a reincarnation squad!"
"I'd love to explore the Forbidden Zone!"
"Me too!"
"Me three!"
Xu Fan gripped the mouse and rapidly scrolled through the webpage.
"Looks like this is all real..."
Since the voice had appeared directly in the minds of everyone on Earth, and the Forbidden Zone would be livestreamed worldwide,
the government had made no attempt to suppress the news.
Discussions about the Forbidden Zone quickly spread across the internet.
Almost any post you opened had hundreds of replies.
Many survival streamers had even dropped everything and rushed into their livestreams,
where they began frantically sharing wilderness survival tips.
Nobody knew who would be randomly selected.
Their popularity skyrocketed. Wilderness survival streamers who'd previously had only ten million viewers suddenly attracted over a hundred million!
It was clear just how seriously the public was taking this!
Some people even started buying all sorts of wilderness survival gear.
Luoyang Shovels.
Black Donkey Hooves.
And the like...
Xu Fan looked down at his palm and clenched his fist. He could feel power churning inside him.
If they could obtain enough resources from the Forbidden Zone,
all of humanity could be saved!
"But... the Yan Kingdom has a huge population. The odds are one in 2.6 billion."
"They shouldn't pick me, right?"
As the internet descended into chaos, time ticked away second by second.
The countdown in everyone's mind was almost over.
[00:09!] [00:08!]
[00:00!]
In an instant, dazzling white light swallowed Xu Fan, illuminating the entire room.
The next second,
the room stood empty.
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