Chapter 93: Event Begins

"Fishing. And no conflicts allowed during the competition."

Lily Rhodes thought for a moment. Shelly’s massive size was far too eye-catching and would easily expose her, so she ultimately opted for the sailboat.

The sailboat was now Level 4.

It was at the very bottom of the barrel among all vehicles, but this was exactly what Lily wanted—a low profile. If it didn’t stand out, it wouldn’t draw unwanted attention.

[Vehicle selected: Sailboat, Level 4 Vehicle. Once a vehicle is selected, it cannot be changed. Survivors, please prepare. The event will begin in one hour.

PS: All items required for this event are provided by the System. Of course, Survivors may also prepare their own items.]

Generally, the System provided items to ensure a level playing field. After all, while some were still stuck with beginner fishing rods, others—like Lily—wielded a golden fishing rod. She had sold off her beginner rod ages ago.

"I should prepare for both scenarios."

Lily spent ten minutes gathering everything she needed and stowed it in the sailboat’s cabin: the golden fishing rod, fish bait, and a three-day food supply.

Packing didn’t take long. With plenty of time left on the clock, Lily took a quick shower and slipped into a set of black Soft armor beneath a windbreaker. She covered her face with a mask, donned a sun hat, and tossed a life jacket into the cabin.

After doing all this, she checked the time. Only fifteen minutes remained. She steered the sailboat out onto the open water, quietly waiting for the event to kick off.

In the final five minutes, Lily glanced at the chat channel. Everyone was currently buzzing about the event.

Some debated the event’s rewards, while others speculated on the temperature of the upcoming sea area.

Most had already given up on achieving a high rank; they merely wanted a reprieve from the heat. This was especially true for the Survivors who hadn’t managed to find a summer resort island. In this oppressive weather, relying solely on a cooling potion was pure torture.

With nothing out on the open sea, they were completely eating through their stockpiles.

Soon, the fifteen minutes were up.

Lily felt a sudden jolt ripple through the hull. A split second later, a blast of refreshingly cool air washed over her face.

She looked around. The sky was a brilliant blue, the sea was azure, and most importantly, the ocean breeze was blissfully cool.

Waves of cheers and tears of joy echoed around her.

Only then did Lily realize that she wasn’t alone in this sea area; quite a few other Survivors were present.

Many danced wildly on their decks, abandoning all decorum in their ecstasy. It was as if a desperate wanderer in the desert had suddenly been gifted a glass of iced cola from the heavens.

Lily ignored the revelers.

She had just observed that among the crowd, her sailboat was the most unique. Everyone else was on a raft. She was the only one with a sailboat, and it was by far the smallest vessel around.

Previously, she had seen Claire Lancester and her group’s sailboat. They had merged four individual boats together, resulting in a vessel significantly larger than a standard raft. Because it was stuck at Level 5, however, it still retained much of a raft’s basic appearance.

By Level 6, however, a raft could no longer even be called a raft. It was effectively a maritime castle—or rather, a small mobile island.

Still, none of it could compare to Shelly.

Lily retracted her gaze. She hadn’t forgotten that this was event time, and everyone here was a competitor.

Just as she prepared to grab her rod and start fishing, she noticed something unusual.

At some point, a raised hatch had appeared at the bow. It was a square lid marked with a "0". Flipping it open revealed a pitch-black, seemingly bottomless space.

This hatch was clearly meant for storing catches and tallying Points. Beside it lay an ordinary-looking fishing rod and a dip net. The rod was almost identical to the standard beginner’s rod.

Lily casually tossed the standard rod aside, picked up her golden fishing rod, and cast the line into the water.

"I think I forgot to hook the bait."

Only after casting did Lily realize her mistake. She was so used to casting a bare hook that it had become second nature.

Forget it. She wouldn’t reel it back in just yet. The event had only just started, so she might as well use the time to familiarize herself with the rules.

Besides, it was a bit crowded here. With so many people fishing simultaneously, her chances of actually catching anything plummeted. Not to mention, many weren’t competing solo; they had brought their entire families along.

In this scenario, a lone wolf like Lily was at a natural disadvantage. Without Shelly around, securing a high rank would be difficult.

However, she didn’t wallow in disappointment for long. She still had a secret weapon.

She set the fishing rod on a holder, walked into the cabin, and flipped on the radar.

In addition to scanning the surroundings, the radar could also detect schools of fish beneath the waves. The screen showed plenty of fish scattered throughout the area, but absolutely nothing directly beneath her sailboat.

Seeing this, Lily decisively started the engine, ready to relocate.

Her sailboat might have had the lowest Vehicle Level around, but its small size offered distinct advantages—chiefly, maneuverability. The others couldn’t reposition their cumbersome rafts nearly as easily. Furthermore, her sailboat’s shallow draft allowed it to navigate a wider variety of areas.

Guided by the radar, Lily quickly tracked down a spot teeming with fish. She stepped back onto the deck, reeled in her line, attached the prepared bait, and cast it back out.

Not wanting to waste the System-provided rod, she baited that one too and cast it out. Now, all that was left was to wait.

Fishing was like that: the more anxious you were, the less the fish bit. More importantly, it had been far too long since she had seen such perfect weather—a clear blue sky, sparkling azure waters, and a gentle ocean breeze. Just standing there brought a long-lost sense of tranquility to her heart.

The other Survivors clearly felt the same. Regardless of the ongoing event and competition, the blissful smiles on their faces were entirely genuine. Laughter and cheers drifted steadily from the surrounding vehicles.

Lily reached into her pocket, withdrew an orange-flavored lollipop, and popped it into her mouth. The sweet burst of citrus instantly coated her tongue, lifting the corners of her lips into a faint smile.

Much later, that smile finally faded. She watched as the others began reeling in their catches, yet both of her rods remained stubbornly motionless.

The bait hadn’t even been nibbled.

The radar confirmed that the school of fish was still directly below her, but they simply refused to bite.

"Do they not like the taste?"

Lily reeled in the line, only to find the fish innards she had used as bait perfectly intact.