C2 The Hammer of Industry.

In that instant, Zhao Dong's mind raced to the idea of fishing.

He had never actually fished before.

But then again, he thought, you don't need to have eaten pork to know that pigs can run.

Swiftly, Zhao Dong spread out the fishing net, deftly knotting the frayed sections back together.

As he worked, he silently counted, mentally tracking the passage of time.

Two minutes ticked by, and as Zhao Dong surveyed the lake, his attributes materialized:

The lake: A pristine surface, potentially teeming with fish beneath.

Hefting the net, which was designed for casting, Zhao Dong recalled the countless online videos he'd seen of people demonstrating its use.

With a wide sweep, he cast the net and quickly began to haul it in.

He wasn't aiming for a big catch; just one fish would suffice for him to achieve the coveted 'first kill.'

Mimicking the motions he'd seen in those videos, Zhao Dong flung the net with all his might.

The net billowed out, tracing a parabola through the air before plunging into the water.

To Zhao Dong's surprise, as soon as the net hit the water, it felt as though something was vigorously tugging at it.

"Yes, this has to be a big haul!"

With urgency, Zhao Dong mustered all his strength to reel in the net.

It was incredibly heavy, a sure sign of a plentiful catch.

Gradually, he drew the net up, and there they were—fish thrashing wildly on the water's surface.

"Haha…" Zhao Dong couldn't help but laugh.

He had only hoped for a few fish, but his net had scooped up dozens.

And they weren't small either; the smallest was the size of a pot, and the largest sported razor-sharp teeth, relentlessly gnawing at the net in a bid for freedom.

Exerting all his energy, Zhao Dong dragged the net onto the boat and immediately checked the attributes of his catch.

Sword Fang Fish, Level 0: Its teeth are razor-sharp, though it's weak. The flesh is succulent, it favors aquatic plants, and it's non-aggressive.

Mutated Small Bamboo Fish, Level 0: A slightly mutated variety that enjoys shrimp and aquatic plants, also non-aggressive.

"Haha, I'm set for food for the next few days."

It was then that Zhao Dong appreciated the advantage of his Attribute Display talent.

At the very least, he could instantly discern whether food was poisonous, a valuable asset in this environment.

Elated, Zhao Dong silently recalculated the time; only seven minutes had elapsed.

Without hesitation, he seized a broken oar and thrust it at the head of the Sword Fang Fish.

The fish went still in an instant.

With the deed done, Zhao Dong quietly watched the panel before him, his excitement palpable as he awaited the system announcement.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

At last, the game notification popped up.

Congratulations to Survivor Zhao Dong for being the first to hunt down a creature.

First Kill Reward: Level +1 (All attributes +10, plus 10 free attribute points).

First Kill Reward: Skill acquired, Critical Hit (20% chance to trigger, doubling attack power on a critical hit).

First Kill Reward: One lottery draw.

First Kill Reward: 3,000 gold coins.

Zhao Dong's character attribute panel had transformed significantly.

Survivor: Zhao Dong

Level: L1 (0%)

Strength: 15

Speed: 13

Constitution: 14

Defense: 18

Spirit: 15

Skill: Critical Hit (30%)

Talent: Attribute Display

Gold Coins: 3,000

Attribute Points to Allocate: 10

The Critical Hit chance was a mere 20% before, but with the attribute boost, it skyrocketed to 30%.

Mulling it over, Zhao Dong decided to allocate all his available Attribute Points to Critical Hit.

The Attribute Display now read: Critical Hit (40%).

This meant that roughly every two to three strikes would yield a Critical Hit.

Leveraged properly, this skill could be incredibly potent.

The first-kill reward was too good to pass up, plus there was a chance for a lucky draw.

"I recall the protagonist snagging a pistol in the draw."

Zhao Dong warmed his hands, musing to himself, "Here's hoping I've got that protagonist's luck and snag myself a gun!"

The advantages of having a gun in this place were obvious; even when up against a formidable vicious beast, he felt confident in his ability to prevail.

With this thought, Zhao Dong's excitement surged, and he eagerly accessed the lottery feature.

The lottery interface resembled a slot machine, albeit without the surrounding decorations—just the central icons tumbling around.

"Let's do this—lottery time!"

The icons began their dance.

Clothes, pants, shoes, computers, chairs, grenades...

A myriad of items flashed by in a blur...

And then it halted.

"Gun! Gun! Gun!"

Zhao Dong squeezed his eyes shut, flailing his arms and shouting with fervor, before snapping them open.

Congratulations: You've obtained the divine Hammer of Industry.

Zhao Dong plopped down, utterly dumbfounded.

A hammer? Really?

Truth be told, in this environment, a hammer seemed less useful than a spear.

But upon inspecting the hammer's attributes, Zhao Dong discovered this was no ordinary tool. The display read:

Hammer of Industry: Utilizing this hammer in construction boosts speed by 50%, reduces material requirements by half, and increases durability by 50%.

Moreover, the Hammer of Industry could mimic various tools for use.

"Damn, that's slick!"

Zhao Dong couldn't help but feel fortunate. Surely, the first-kill lottery reward couldn't disappoint?

It just couldn't.

He grasped the Hammer of Industry, feeling its substantial weight.

As he held it, the hammer seemed to resonate with some inner force, merging seamlessly with his own energy.

With a mere thought, an image of an axe materialized in his mind.

And then, as if by magic, the hammer's solid head began to soften and melt.

Gradually, it reshaped into an axe, its edge gleaming with a sinister black shine, razor-sharp.

"Shua! Shua!"

Zhao Dong hoisted the axe and cleaved through a fish with effortless grace, splitting it cleanly in two.

"Not too shabby," he approved.

The newly forged axe was not only sharp but could also transform into a variety of tools—a blade, a saw, even a screwdriver or wrench.

On further reflection, even if the Hammer of Industry's offensive capabilities didn't match the gun Zhou Fann had won, its versatility was unmatched.

Zhao Dong shook his head, a grin spreading across his face.

"I snagged the first kill. Zhou Fann might secure the second, but without a lucky draw, that gun's out of his reach."

He hadn't set out to one-up Zhou Fann.

It was all about survival.

In that instant,

Zhao Dong had an epiphany and opened the regional chat channel.

At the top of the channel, the announcement was pinned:

Congratulations to Survivor Zhao Dong on achieving the first kill. Your reward has been issued!

With that, the once-quiet chat channel erupted into a frenzy.

"Wow, there's a reward for the first kill? That's a thing?"

"Ugh, I just spotted a frog. Had I known, I would've taken it out first."

"I missed out too. I had the perfect chance to go fishing just now, but I got it in my head to start a fire first. Such a shame."

Zhao Dong read the comments and allowed himself a slight smile. "By now, Zhou Fann is probably on the trail of that wolf."

He mused privately, hoping that his securing the first kill would spur the others into action to nab the second and third kills.

That way, even if Zhou Fann managed to slay the wild wolf, the reward would already be off the table.