Starting With a Reef [Global Survival]

Yun Luohe smiled. This was called good luck—probably self-mockery.
But all of these were exactly the things she wanted.
“How do we trade?”
“Show me something. If I need it, I’ll swap.”
Yun Luohe carefully picked through her backpack. To her surprise, she actually had something this man wanted.
After the two confirmed their trade items, the man finally put his goods on the shelf, and then the exchange went through.
She spent ten minutes here, and Yun Luohe ended up with a pile of jumbled spare parts and electronic junk.
The man even pulled out an iron box from his backpack, packed full of resistors, capacitors, diodes, and one blue crystal she had never seen before.
If not for her backpack running short of supplies, Yun Luohe would have loved to take it all.
In the end, she only bought a blue crystal, a broken solar panel, a damaged radio, a drone frame…
The bell signaling the end of the night market suddenly rang.
All players vanished one after another, returning to their own reefs.
Only when Yun Luohe got back to her reef did it hit her—she hadn’t said goodbye to Yu Chenjin.
But since they’d see each other again tomorrow, she figured it wasn’t important.
She lifted her head toward the sky. Tonight, there were no stars. The clouds hung like wrinkled gray cloth, covering most of the moon.
It made her recall the diviner’s words.
“Black sun.” “Shadows that devour all things.” What exactly did that mean?
She sent these two lines into the squad chat and the trainee manager chat, telling everyone to think it over and give their own interpretations.
“Could the black sun be… a sandstorm?” Mu Zitang was the first to guess. “The sand whipped up by storms in the desert could black out the sky.”
Yun Luohe thought, that did make sense. After all, it was meant to signify disaster, and sandstorms were indeed devastating. But if it was supposed to match with autumn, the fit didn’t seem right.
And what about “shadows that devour all things”?
Yun Luohe didn’t stare at the chat window constantly. Back at the reef, she had plenty of things to do.
First, she needed to raise her Reef Rating, then get on with upgrading.
She began placing all the new furniture, decorations, and potted greenery she had just acquired.
Once everything was positioned, the Reef Rating finally met the upgrade requirement.
She loaded all the upgrade materials into her backpack, then tapped [Upgrade].
Countdown: 24 hours.
That was a bit long.
It was already close to one in the morning, but Yun Luohe still couldn’t rest.
She took out the materials for the [Golden Seahorse Necklace] and clicked [Craft].
A golden seahorse necklace appeared in her hand. A fine chain of pure gold with a seahorse pendant, also pure gold, its belly inlaid with three tiny sapphires. In the night light it gleamed brilliantly.
The scales on the seahorse were detailed like the real thing, its tailfin slightly curled, as if it would come alive in the next moment.
Yun Luohe put ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) the necklace on. Her Luck immediately increased.
Her character info also showed a special buff: [Blessing of the Sea God].
Perfect.
Yun Luohe felt a rush of excitement.
If it weren’t so late, she’d really want to dive into the sea right now and look for resources—she’d surely return with a huge haul.
But she still needed to sort through everything brought back from the night market today, leaving tomorrow to dive again.
Subtracting what she’d spent, this time she had obtained: Copper Ore ×292, Magnets ×331.
Tableware decoration ×1, Potted Plant ×1, Concealer’s Coat ×1, Grilled Sandworm Skewers ×70, Cactus Jelly, Sand Date Preserves, Sea Buckthorn Juice, assorted sweets, Antidotes, Serums, Immunity Pills, several herbs of unknown effect, the bronze pendant from Liu Mazi, Succulent Potted Plants ×20, Rattan-Fabric Sofa Set ×1, Shell Nightstands ×2, Crystal Chandelier ×1, Dreamcatcher ×1, Tidal Wall Clock ×1, Sand Lizard Larva ×1, Luminous Jellyfish Cluster ×1, Salmon Strips ×10, Mint Meatballs ×10, Bone-Calcium Chew Sticks ×10, Queen-Pheromone Syrup ×10, Resin-Amber Candy ×10, Blue Crystals ×3, Broken Solar Panel ×1, Damaged Radio ×1, Drone Frame ×1, Resistors ×2, Capacitor ×1, Diodes ×4.
And the resources gifted from Yu Chenjin: Lemons ×20, Corn ×30, Watermelon ×8, Cucumbers ×20, Cabbages ×10, Potatoes ×10, Bananas ×9, Pudding ×10, Cheese ×10, Milk ×18, Fire Peppers ×3, Spicy Strips ×2, Moisturizing Spray ×1, Hydrating Repair Face Mask ×10, Hand Cream ×1, Body Lotion ×1, Lavender Essential Oil ×1, White Magnolia Seeds ×1…
Yun Luohe sorted and stored everything, then set aside tomorrow’s tasks into one materials chest.
The shells Roubao had scooped up were also placed to the side, waiting for tomorrow to open.
Yesterday she had been so busy she hadn’t used the [Trash Can], which meant she’d missed a lottery spin. A loss. From now on, she’d make Roubao toss some random junk in daily, at least to trigger the draw. She’d pull when she had time.
After lying down, Yun Luohe opened the chat window to see how the discussions were going.
In both the desert squad chat and the trainee manager chat, the talk was fiery. After all, having advance warning of autumn and winter disasters was crucial for planning reef defenses.
Everyone’s enthusiasm ran high.
The winter prophecy was clearer but still far off, so it was harder to pin down.
The trainee chat brimmed with fresher ideas than the desert squad—there were more people. The desert squad, aside from Qin Sisi, was all association members.
Si Qi tossed out a new angle: “Could the black sun be a total solar eclipse? The world plunged into darkness, no more daylight at all…”
“…But then, where would the shadows come from?”
“Don’t only think astronomy. It could be a pollution disaster. Maybe the black sun is a severe smog event, a black mist covering the sun.”
“Yeah, like that fog movie you’ve seen.”
“Could be. The shadows that devour all things could be the monsters lurking in the mist.”
“I still think a sandstorm is more likely. The prophecy says ‘the wind will bring shadows that devour all things.’ If the black sun is a sandstorm, then maybe the shadows mean the rolling sand itself—like… like monsters alive in the wind?”

“Those spinning sand pillars do look like warped black shadows.”
Si Qi added: “From an ecosystem view, autumn is migration season. If a black sun triggers temperature anomalies, it might spark an insect swarm—locusts? When they blot out the sky, they really do look like moving shadows that devour all plants.”
A plague of insects?
That thought quieted the chat for a second.
Yun Luohe instantly pictured it.
She recalled the Grilled Sandworm Skewers she had bought, with their radiation-resistance effect.
Radiation… maybe the autumn disaster was tied to radiation. She had floated that idea last night in the chat too. Some believed, others stuck to their own theories.
If it was a radiation disaster, then the black sun’s rays themselves would be radiation. Everyone knew the effects of radiation.
“I think the black sun is most likely radiation pollution.”
Si Qi: “If that’s true, radiation will contaminate the seawater and soil around reefs. Ordinary crops won’t survive, only anti-radiation crops will.”
“If that’s the case, I’d rather have a sandstorm.”
“It’s not like you get to choose. Better we prepare on all fronts. When disaster comes, life is fragile.”
Mu Zitang suddenly asked: “Should we make this public?”
Yun Luohe: “Of course. Announce it under the name of Tianji Pavilion. Sell the prophecy cheap, make some profit, help more association players level up. Summer’s almost over; everyone needs to hurry.”
She herself had just leveled, but the others probably lagged behind.
Time didn’t wait. The higher a reef’s level, the better its survival odds. Even if players died, disasters would still batter their reefs.
Mu Zitang: “But once sold cheap, players will spread it everywhere. It won’t stay profitable long.”
Yun Luohe: “Exactly. Make it a flash sale, signed agreement, no leaking for two days—same as before. Break the rule, straight to blacklist.”
Mu Zitang: “Got it. I’ll handle it. Maybe sell to the European Emperor Association at a markup.”
“They’ve got piles of loot anyway.”
Yun Luohe smiled knowingly. “That works.”
Late at night.
In the European Emperor Association chat, things were buzzing—no one was asleep.
Everyone was talking about the autumn disaster prophecy they’d just bought.
Some had also purchased the winter prediction, but that sparked less talk.
Since everyone in the group had bought the autumn intel, they could freely discuss it internally.
“I thought of something else—the fallout dust after a nuclear blast. Could the black sun be nuclear contamination? This is a game world, after all. You ever play that game called Fallout?”
The debate split into two camps: one linking disaster to climate anomalies, the other convinced it was a biological crisis.
But other voices suggested stranger paths.
Lin Zhu: “What if the shadow is some kind of dark creature? Like corrupted monsters in games.”
“Could be creatures mutated under the black sun, turning into aggressive shadow beasts!”
The guesses grew more terrifying, but also more sobering.
These European Emperor players were strong, but if autumn’s disaster turned out as dire as feared, even their luck might not save them.
Preparations had to be made. Most important was raising combat power.
By the second half of the night, most players had logged off, only a few still discussing the winter prophecy.
The debate there was weaker.
“Probably an extreme cold wave. ‘All things freeze’ means the whole world under ice. The giant beasts? Maybe deep-sea or underground monsters forced to the surface by the cold.”
“Like Godzilla?”
“Right, Godzilla lives underground, feeding on nuclear energy.”
——
The next day, Yun Luohe rose early, planning to get things done. But just as she stepped out of bed, the system siren blared.
【The Desert Ruins suddenly exploded. Over a dozen players inside were killed. The desert passage has been sealed. Due to this accident, the Desert Dungeon will be shut down for adjustment, reopening in three days. From now until Summer Day 28, 8 a.m., players cannot log into the desert. Player points also enter cooldown.】
【To offset the inconvenience, the system is issuing compensation packs. Please check your inventory.】
……
【Summer countdown: 5 days. Autumn is coming. In 5 days, summer-limited crops will wither. Mind your planting schedule.】
【Summer events end on the last night of summer. Autumn Day 1 is settlement. Contestants, keep working hard.】
【Summer Days 25 and 28 are Lucky Days. Many Island Entry Tokens and Diving Cards will be distributed. Extra shell-scooping attempts, higher stamina cap…】
【Summer disasters will intensify over the last 3 days. Prepare defenses. After 3 days, old players below Lv.8 will be eliminated, new players below Lv.7 will be eliminated.】
……
The urgent notices were many. Yun Luohe read them carefully twice.
An explosion at the Desert Ruins… she and her teammates had never gathered all the fragments for the Desert Ruins map. Maybe that was for the best. She didn’t know what exactly had happened.
She had thought she’d meet Yu Chenjin in the desert today, maybe bring him more supplies. Instead this accident forced a three-day wait.
Five days left of summer. Yun Luohe had leveled up, safe from elimination.
Her upgrade was late this time. She wondered if anyone had beaten her to it.
Sitting on the bed, she organized today’s to-dos in her mind before acting.
Yesterday’s new furniture and decorations made the reef feel more alive. Looking at the cute succulents on the windowsill lifted her mood.
The Sand Lizard Larva from yesterday was in a glass tank, scratching at the sides.
Yun Luohe guessed it was hungry. She tossed in sandworm meat, and sure enough, it devoured greedily.
“Such a small thing, yet such an appetite,” Yun Luohe muttered, feeding it two more pieces. Luckily she had plenty of sandworm meat.
She also thought of the Grilled Sandworm Skewers from the night market. Maybe if she made skewers herself, they’d carry the same effect.
Then Yun Luohe checked on the Luminous Jellyfish Cluster. In its big tank, it looked lifeless. She didn’t know why.
She decided to send it to Si Qi for research—maybe its environment wasn’t suitable.
There were also many herbs she’d brought back.
Since Si Qi had a Herbal Workshop now, Yun Luohe wanted her to try making anti-radiation potions. She had a hunch the herbs would be useful.
Today she would stay at the reef, waiting for the upgrade, preparing for tomorrow’s island run.
With the desert off-limits, it was time to visit an island.
Tomorrow she’d use a random island card. Summer was ending soon, and many summer-exclusive resource islands would vanish. She had to seize the chance.
She had saved three Island Entry Tokens. Time to use one.
……
The heat today was extreme. Without upgraded sun-protection gear, she couldn’t have worked outdoors.
The chickens and livestock couldn’t go outside either. Feed consumption was huge now, with animals multiplying. She decided to prepare more feed today.
The greenhouse harvest was left to Yúntūn, while Yun Luohe cooked breakfast.
She planned to mass-produce high-grade food at the [High-Grade Cooking Station].
Most of her stock had been sold at the night market, so she needed to replenish.
There weren’t many recipes available yet, so she listed out menus missing only one or two ingredients, aiming to gather them and expand production. Out of twenty-five recipes, she could only make a dozen. Too few.
She started with Lobster Risotto and Mushroom Soup again.
Then she checked recipes, marking four:
[First-Aid Pudding: instantly restores 30% HP; one per day.
Ingredients: Royal Jelly, Bleeding Grass, Sugar, Gel.]
[Blueberry Puff: Gathering Speed +25%, Rare Drop Chance +8%.
Ingredients: Blueberries, Flour, Sugar, Milk.]
[Miner’s Pancake: Mining Yield +20%, Tool Durability Loss -30%.
Ingredients: Buckwheat, Salt, Lard, Pine Nuts, Egg, Sausage.]
[Coconut Cooling Dessert: Stamina +30, Heat Resistance +10.
Ingredients: Coconut Milk, Syrup, Shaved Ice, Pomelo Flesh, Lotus Seed.]
She only lacked one or two ingredients each—Bleeding Grass, Blueberries, Buckwheat, Pomelo Flesh…
She sent the list to Mu Zitang to help collect, then posted in the channel offering trades: provide ingredients, get upgrade materials in return.
With that ad out, she expected the needed items soon.
That would let her mass-produce four powerful foods: for HP, gathering, mining, stamina/heat.
Very practical buffs—good for herself, for gifts, or for trade.
The more, the better.
She also planned to study radiation-resistant foods.
Before autumn, she had to stockpile enough in case radiation made the outside world unlivable.
——
Working at the station until noon, Yun Luohe’s back ached. She collapsed onto the new sofa in the living room. Comfort washed over her.
The sofa was wonderfully comfortable. She could nap here.
But better to rest while opening shells.
She set lunch on the coffee table—just herself, so convenience mattered most.
She poured juice with ice, then a bowl of her new dish—Radish Meatball Stew.
This was her latest creation, made with fresh white radish, pork meatballs, and greens. Its effect was modest, only Stamina +, with no other buffs.
Usually, High-Grade Cooking dishes had two effects.
Still, it tasted good. Perhaps it needed more spices—hence only purple-quality, not gold.
She’d try again later with white pepper, oyster sauce, or chicken broth.
For now, she wasn’t about to get up again.
Roubao had just scooped another shell.
And her Luck had risen. Time to test it.
[Opened White Pearl: Obtained Brewing Barrel Recipe ×1, Copper Ore ×10, High-Grade Hardwood ×20, Plastic Barrel ×1, Chicken Burger ×1, Fertilizer ×1, Watermelon Seeds ×1, Last Year’s Calendar ×1.]
[Opened White Pearl: Obtained Grinder Blueprint ×1, Duck Eggs ×2, Clay Pot ×2, Ranch Fence Blueprint ×1, Grass Seeds ×5, Bone Meal ×2, Worm Slime ×1, Glass Bottle ×2, Broken Ball ×1.]
[Opened Gold Pearl: Obtained Automatic Milker Blueprint ×1, Ice Crystal Stone ×1, Island Entry Token ×1, Pet Satchel ×1, Bronze Gear ×2, Volcanic Ash ×5, Battery ×10, Ostrich Glider Blueprint ×1, Sunflower ×10, Foie Gras ×1, Deer Antler ×1, Loquat Tree ×1, Fig Tree ×1.]
[Opened Black Pearl: Obtained Ancient Civilization Stone Tablet ×1, Merfolk Pearl ×1, Treasure Map Fragment ×1, Mutant Plant Culture Dish ×1, Cable ×2, Maltose Recipe ×1, High-Grade Diving Suit ×1, Fruit Seed Blind Box ×3, Mother-of-Pearl ×2, Crystal ×1, Obsidian ×10, Rice ×10, Tofu ×1, Salmon Sashimi ×2.]
Yun Luohe was ecstatic.
【Congratulations! Player has obtained Black Pearl ×1 for the first time.】
【Reward: Luck Sachet ×1.】
Her first Black Pearl!!!
And right after a Gold Pearl, too.
Her luck was overflowing