Chirp, chirp—

  Rustle, rustle—

  The melodious birdsong and the buzzing of insects echoed through the thick mist.

  Whoosh—

  A frigid wind blew past. Chu Yuan felt his face go numb and his hands freeze due to the low ambient temperature.

  Crinkle, crunch—

  Chu Yuan trod lightly on the rugged ground covered in rocks, dry leaves, and twigs. Despite his slow and gentle steps, in this dead silence, they sounded as loud as heavy stomps on flat ground.

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  Watching his surroundings intently—from the sky to the ground—he feared bumping into venomous snakes, centipedes, or toxic insects. One bite would be nothing less than a countdown to death. Fortunately, perhaps thanks to the "newbie period" and his own caution, he encountered no danger along the way.

  As he walked, Chu Yuan left markers to avoid getting lost; he simply stuck dry branches into the ground or piled leaves into specific shapes.

  After covering nearly 100 meters, he suddenly spotted an oddly shaped object looming behind a thicket.

  Snap, crackle—

  The sound of dry branches snapping underfoot rang out as Chu Yuan cautiously approached the bush, using a wooden stick to pry the foliage aside.

  What met his eyes was a rectangular box with a vaulted lid. Its corners were reinforced with iron, a latch sat right in the middle, and metal handles were fixed to both sides. It looked quite ancient. The lid was buried under layers of leaves and dry twigs, yet it stood out starkly amidst the fog.

  "A chest!?"

  Chu Yuan was overjoyed. He hadn't expected to stumble upon a legendary treasure chest by sheer luck. Anyone who had read survival novels knew that chests always contained good loot—unless they were Mimics.

  The chest was about 1.2 meters long, 60 centimeters wide, and reached a peak height of about 70 centimeters including the lid. Chu Yuan used his stick to clear away the remaining debris, revealing the damp, aged surface of the box. He grabbed the handles on both sides and tried to lift it.

  "Damn, it's this heavy!?"

  Thud!

  The chest only rose about 5 centimeters before Chu Yuan dropped it. He estimated the thing weighed at least 50 to 60 kilograms.

  "Should I open it?"