I transmigrated to a chaotic world and became the sole player.

The feeling of being starving is like having a dull knife slowly grinding inside your stomach.

Lu Zhao huddled under a half-withered old locust tree by the official road, greedily absorbing the meager shade. His lips were chapped, his throat burned, and every breath carried the smell of dust and a metallic sweetness.

He has been in this world for three days.

From initial bewilderment to his current near-death experience, his only gain is confirmation that he is not dreaming—what dream could be so real as to torment one's internal organs?

His memories of his predecessor were fragmented: his hometown was hit by a locust plague, resulting in a complete crop failure; then came the chaos of soldiers passing through, burning, killing, and looting; he was separated from his family and, like a headless fly, struggled to survive on this scorched earth with an endless stream of refugees.

Then, the original owner of this body probably starved to death quietly one night, and his soul from the modern world took its place.

"Water...please have mercy, give me some water..." A faint groan came from the side, from an old woman with gray hair, curled up like a shrimp.

Lu Zhao glanced at it subconsciously, but his gaze froze instantly.

It wasn't because of the old woman's pitiful state, but because above her head, a thin red stripe was clearly suspended, with a distinct percentage number at the end of the stripe:

[Refugee Liu, Health Points: 9%/100% (Near Death, Dehydration, Starvation)]

Lu Zhao's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly looked around.

Everywhere you looked, above the heads of the emaciated, ragged refugees, there was a health bar like this! Only the length and color varied. Some of the still-strong men had about 50-60% of their health remaining, tinged with a pale red. But for the old woman, her health bar was almost empty, a deathly gray.

"This is... a cheat code?" Lu Zhao's heart trembled violently, and he immediately tried to concentrate and silently recite: "Attribute panel!"

hum!

A semi-transparent interface, visible only to him, was clearly projected in front of his retina:

**[Name: Lu Zhao]**

[Level: 0 (0/100)]

[Health Points: 31%/100% (Mild Dehydration, Severe Starvation)]

Stamina: 8%/100% (Extremely Fatigued)

[Attributes: Strength: 0.6, Constitution: 0.5, Agility: 0.7, Spirit: 1.8]

[Skills: None]

【Equipment: Worn-out linen clothes (Durability: 3/10)】

[Status: Weak (All attribute effects reduced by 20%)]

His attributes were so low it was despairing, and his condition was so bad he was on the verge of death. His "god" attribute of 1.8 was probably due to the soul fusion, but it only made him die a little more "consciously".

"It's not that the whole world has become gamified, it's that I... have been gamified," Lu Zhao concluded. "I can see the data, but they can't. What kind of luck is that?"

Just then, a commotion broke out at the front of the refugee procession, accompanied by shouts and cries.

"Get out of my way, you old geezer! You're blocking my path, are you looking for death?!" A thug with a face full of scars and a bare chest revealing a black hairy physique kicked a staggering old man to the ground. The old man's health bar dropped a little instantly, and he let out a painful howl.

The health bar on the scoundrel's head is clearly visible:

[Zhang Kui, the rogue, Health Points: 92%/100% (Minor Injury)]

Two shifty-looking henchmen followed behind him; the three of them, like hyenas patrolling their territory, searched for any value they could extract from the desperate refugees.

"What are you looking at? Hand over all the food you've hidden! Or don't blame me for this knife not recognizing anyone!" The ruffian Zhang Kui brandished a rusty woodcutter's knife, spitting as he shouted. In this chaotic world where order had collapsed, such a tyrant could take lives faster than hunger or thirst.

Zhang Kui's sinister gaze swept across the area, finally settling on Lu Zhao under the locust tree, or rather, on the deflated but still conspicuous water pouch at Lu Zhao's waist—the last bit of muddy water that Lu Zhao had fought tooth and nail with wild dogs to get from a nearly bottomless muddy pond yesterday.

"Kid, give me the water pouch!" Zhang Kui strode over, reached out and grabbed it, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Lu Zhao instinctively pressed down on the water bag. This water was his last hope for survival!

"Huh? You're asking for death!" Seeing that the dying boy dared to resist, Zhang Kui grinned maliciously and swung his woodcutter's knife, smashing the back of the blade down on Lu Zhao's head! If this hit him, given Lu Zhao's current state, he would be going to meet the King of Hell immediately.

In the critical moment, Zhang Kui's movements seemed to slow down in Lu Zhao's vision. The whistling down machete and the glaring health bar above the other's head aroused his most primal survival instinct!

Get out of the way! You must get out of the way!

With his meager agility of only 0.7, he used all his strength to roll awkwardly to the side.

"Whoosh!" The back of the blade whistled past his ear, then struck the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Huh? You little brat, you dare to hide?" Zhang Kui was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting that this guy who looked like he was about to die could still move. He felt embarrassed and furious, so he pounced again, this time using the blade!

Lu Zhao's heart pounded in his throat, and he was drenched in cold sweat. Unarmed and with his strength nearly gone, a direct confrontation would be certain death! But his eyes were fixed on Zhang Kui's health bar, and on a tiny yellow exclamation mark that suddenly flashed below it when Zhang Kui swung his sword!

Is it a flaw?!

The instinct for survival overwhelmed all thought! Instead of retreating further to create distance (which would exhaust his last bit of strength), Lu Zhao took a risk and, taking advantage of the moment when Zhang Kui had used up his old strength but not yet had new strength, suddenly lunged forward, almost touching Zhang Kui's body, and with all his might, headbutted Zhang Kui's knife-wielding arm under his armpit—the very spot where the yellow exclamation mark was flashing!

"Bang!"

"Ouch!" Caught off guard, Zhang Kui felt a sharp pain under his armpit, and his entire arm went numb. The machete clattered to the ground. He himself was knocked back several steps.

At the same time, a message flashed in Lu Zhao's eyes:

[Triggered a fatal attack! Deals critical damage to the rogue Zhang Kui!]

Zhang Kui's health bar suddenly shrank a bit, dropping from 92% to 87% in an instant!

"Hiss..." The surrounding refugees gasped, staring in disbelief at the scene. This frail boy dared to defy the fierce-looking Zhang Kui, and... and he even managed to hit him?

Zhang Kui was both shocked and furious. He clutched his armpit, feeling utterly humiliated, and roared, "You little bastard! I'll chop you up alive today, or I'm not Zhang!" He bent down to pick up his wood-chopping knife.

But after the collision, Lu Zhao was completely exhausted and collapsed to the ground, unable to move even his fingers. He could only watch helplessly as Zhang Kui picked up the knife and approached with a murderous look on his face.

It's over... That last hit was just luck; the attribute difference was too great...

Just as Zhang Kui raised his knife again, suddenly, an aged yet authoritative voice rang out:

"stop!"

An elderly man, dressed in a faded long robe and carrying a bamboo cane, stepped forward from the crowd. He also had a blood bar above his head.

[Former government-subsidized student Zhao Bingwen, Health Points: 63%/100% (Old Age, Worry)]

The old man blocked Zhang Kui's path with his bamboo cane and said in a deep voice, "Zhang Kui, how is stealing someone's life-saving water any different from murder? We are all people in distress, and we should support each other and get through this difficult time together. How can we fight among ourselves, only to make our loved ones suffer and our enemies rejoice?"

Zhang Kui seemed somewhat wary of the old man, and said stiffly, "Master Zhao, mind your own business! This brat started it! Everyone saw it!"

Master Zhao snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding refugees: "I saw it clearly. You were the one who started the robbery first, and this young friend acted in self-defense! If you continue to be so stubborn, when we reach a place with even a modicum of law and order, I will risk all my official rank to report you to the authorities for robbery and assault!"

A few able-bodied young men among the refugees, still retaining some spirit, subtly gathered around, glaring angrily at Zhang Kui and his group. Seeing this, Zhang Kui knew he wouldn't gain the upper hand today. He glared viciously at Lu Zhao, who was sprawled on the ground, his eyes filled with malice: "You little bastard, consider yourself lucky! You just wait!"

After saying that, he picked up the knife sullenly and left with his henchmen, cursing and swearing.

Master Zhao walked up to Lu Zhao, looked at his pale face and almost depleted stamina, sighed, took out half a hard, dry cake from his sleeve, and stuffed it into Lu Zhao's hand: "Young man, too much strength is easily broken. It's good to have guts, but you must cherish your life even more. Only by living can you have a future."

Still shaken, Lu Zhao clutched the half-eaten, life-saving pancake, staring at the health bar above Master Zhao's head, a complex mix of emotions swirling within him. He managed to squeeze out two words: "...Thank you."

Master Zhao waved his hand, turned around, and staggered back into the group of refugees.

The crisis was temporarily averted. Lu Zhao leaned against the withered locust tree, feeling his heart still pounding wildly in his chest. He clutched the half-eaten pancake and the water pouch at his waist tightly.

He looked in the direction Zhang Kui had disappeared, then glanced at his empty skill bar, and at his health and stamina, which were almost depleted due to the [Weakened] state and his desperate struggle earlier.

"Power... I must obtain power as soon as possible, real power, the power to control my own destiny."

"That feeling just now... 'Fatal Attack'? If only it could be turned into a skill..."

His gaze passed over the numb, writhing crowd of refugees, looking towards the blood-red setting sun slowly sinking below the horizon, and the black mountains that undulated beneath it, resembling a crouching behemoth.

In that deep darkness, he seemed to see some long bars, different from human health bars, more concentrated, more eerie, and shimmering with a faint purple light, swaying faintly.