Chapter 10: Returning Back
[Reached Appraisal Mastery (Beginner). Reward: One appraisal-related item. Please choose from the following enhancements:]
[Vision +1]
[Touch +1]
[Smell +1]
[Hearing +1]
[Taste +1]
[Reached Appraisal Mastery (Primary). Reward: One appraisal-related item. Please choose from the following enhancements:]
[Vision +2]
[Touch +2]
[Smell +2]
[Hearing +2]
[Taste +2]
This time, the rewards were tied to his advancement in Appraisal mastery. However, Liu Xiao hadn't expected the rewards to be enhancements to his five senses.
Could these really be rewards?
The answer was yes. The five senses were part of the body, after all.
Strengthening them would undoubtedly complement his Appraisal mastery. After all, auxiliary masteries in the Origin Point were knowledge systems, not skills—knowledge that had to be applied through the body.
A sudden realization struck Liu Xiao.
He immediately chose Vision +1 from the beginner-level rewards.
There was no dramatic transformation, just a gradual sharpening of his vision. The colors around him became more vivid, and his field of view expanded. What had once been blurry and indistinct was now crystal clear.
In college, Liu Xiao had learned that biological vision was determined by the number and density of photoreceptor cells. Eagles, with the best eyesight on Earth, had photoreceptor densities six to eight times that of humans. They could spot a tiny insect in the grass from a hundred meters away or a rabbit from kilometers away. Humans, on the other hand, could only see clearly up to 300–500 meters. As for spotting insects... maybe within 20 meters, if they squinted hard enough.
After the first vision enhancement, Liu Xiao didn't hesitate to select Vision +2 from the primary-level rewards.
This time, he closed his eyes and waited patiently for a few seconds before reopening them.
His gaze stretched outward—10 meters, 20 meters, 30 meters... 60 meters away, on the branch of a shrub, a drop of amber-colored sap slowly trickled down the bark.
Drawing his bow, he loosed an arrow.
Whoosh! Thunk!
The arrow pinned the sap droplet into the tree trunk before the sheer force carried it straight through the wood.
Nice!
Liu Xiao clenched his fist in satisfaction. The improvement in vision had directly elevated his archery accuracy. Not only that, his visual range had tripled—an invaluable advantage for any marksman or hunter. Spotting and locking onto prey from greater distances changed everything.
The Origin system had truly been generous. First, it granted him the Appraisal mastery, then the Hunter's Disguise for concealment, and now this game-changing Vision +3 bonus. It felt like stumbling upon a windfall—and that wasn't even counting the physical enhancements from the Blood Cherry Blossom petals.
"Thanks, system!" Liu Xiao looked skyward, clasping his hands in mock reverence.
[Category] Organic Intelligent Being
[Origin] Galactic Order
[Species] Human
[Gender] Male
[Title] None
[Height] 1.76 meters (Planetary Measurement)
[Physical Attributes]
[Toughness] 8
[Strength] 8
[Agility] 20
[Burst] 5
[Spirit Body]
[Soul] 1
[Spirit Pool] 5
[Five Senses]
[Vision] 3
[Masteries]
[Archery Mastery] Beginner
[Appraisal] Primary
[Physical Skills]
[Primary Precision] (Passive) Slightly increases long-range attack accuracy.
Reviewing his stats, Liu Xiao was fairly satisfied. Estimating from the time he was forcibly transported to the Origin Point—from a clueless newbie to completing his metamorphosis and grasping a sliver of its survival rules—it had taken roughly 16 hours. If this were a game, he'd confidently consider himself among the frontrunners.
But what lay ahead? He wasn't sure. One thing was certain: the Origin Point wasn't a game. It was a real, existing space or dimension where beings had been stripped of their technology and civilization, forced to start anew. With entities like the Galactic Order involved, unimaginable dangers and treasures undoubtedly awaited.
Since he couldn't escape the rules of this world, he had no choice but to press forward into the unknown.
After repacking all his items into the [Defective Storage], Liu Xiao set off swiftly toward the plains.
With Agility 20, his speed through the forest had multiplied. Combined with the negligible danger level of this area, he reached the forest's edge in under 20 minutes. Beyond the trees, the plains stretched out, dotted with distant figures.
Along the way, he took the time to appraise the loot left behind by the lizardmen:
The dark-red pellets were made from crushed fruit of the Manqing plant mixed with the sap of Luokui, functioning as a crude but effective healing potion that restored wounds and vitality.
The pungent meatballs turned out to be the cheek glands of a beast called Tuobeasts—organs that emitted a strong odor to attract their kind. Perhaps the lizardmen had a particular taste for them.
The white pills, as he'd guessed earlier, were made from Linyin Grass fruit and Ba Leaves, mashed and shaped into medicinal pellets for treating external injuries and bruises.
As for the beast hide scrolls covered in cryptic script and maps, Liu Xiao wanted to decipher them. The system hinted that translation was possible but required spending Galactic Order merit points. He decided to postpone that until returning to camp.
Stepping out of the forest, he was greeted by bustling crowds and the smoke of cooking fires. Though he'd only been gone for a dozen hours, the sight gave him an odd sense of returning to reality—as if he'd been away for ages.
Makeshift settlements had sprung up, ranging from hundreds to thousands of people. Modern items repurposed for survival drew a wry smile from Liu Xiao—especially the sight of middle-aged men lounging in deck chairs, sipping tea as if this were just a holiday camping trip.
In a way, it made sense. Without immediate danger, people defaulted to familiar habits. How could they know that just kilometers away lurked creatures capable of slaughtering them?
Liu Xiao avoided the crowded areas. His Hunter's Disguise drew no extra attention—many had chosen stylish outfits from the system's rewards.
Before long, his enhanced vision picked out familiar faces.
The teacher-training college group sat around a campfire beside a crude wooden shelter. Their numbers hadn't grown—if anything, they'd dwindled.
As Liu Xiao approached, Zhou Yukai spotted him first, his small eyes widening in recognition. The others quickly followed his gaze, their expressions cycling from confusion to shock to delight.
Li Tianjia stood, nodding with a smile. "Made it back safely?"
"Of course!"
After the brief greeting, Liu Xiao settled beside Li Tianjia. Whatever discussion had been underway was now entirely focused on him.
"Seems like there are fewer of you," Liu Xiao observed, scanning the group.
"Jiang Lina and her boyfriend left. He's a local, and there's a bigger group over there," Li Tianjia explained. "And those two college students who joined us temporarily—they went to find relatives in Qiantang."
Liu Xiao nodded. It was only natural. A handful of fresh graduates hardly seemed like a reliable faction.
"So, what's in the forest? And where's your bow?" Li Tianjia asked, noting Liu Xiao's empty hands.
"Let's not talk about the bow yet. I learned a lot about the Origin Point this time. I'll explain everything slowly."
Liu Xiao wasn't ready to reveal [Defective Storage], but sharing intel was essential.
"What I'm about to say might sound unbelievable, so I'll frame it in gaming terms."
He proceeded to outline:
Their current area was essentially a "starter zone," mostly safe. The forest's outer regions were low-risk, but deeper areas housed dangerous creatures—some aggressive and beyond their current ability to fight. Whether those creatures would emerge remained unknown.
Some of those creatures had undergone spiritual metamorphosis and belonged to factions outside the Galactic Order. Killing them yielded system rewards.
Blank stares met his explanation until he patiently defined terms like "spirit body" and "metamorphosis." Gradually, the group began to grasp the concepts.
"The rewards include something called Galactic Order merit points. From what the system shows, these can be exchanged for valuable things back on Earth—like 1 point for 100,000 RMB. Other options probably include curing terminal illnesses... and if you take it literally, even immortality might be possible."
Silence.
A day ago, such claims would've been dismissed as madness. Now, in the Origin Point, they carried weight.
"You're... not lying, are you?" Zhou Yukai stammered.
"I didn't believe it either at first," Liu Xiao admitted. "But a civilization capable of teleporting everyone here wouldn't need to deceive us."
Swallowing hard, Zhou Yukai voiced the question on everyone's mind:
"So... you've undergone metamorphosis? You killed those creatures?"
Liu Xiao met his gaze and nodded.
"Got lucky. Killed a few, completed my metamorphosis, and now my system has higher access to the central database. That's how I know more."
Eyes widened in disbelief.
"But there's a catch. Post-metamorphosis beings can't stay away from the Origin Point for long."
"Does that mean we can leave?" Ye Shan interjected urgently.
"Yes. Spending Galactic Order points allows returns to Earth," Liu Xiao confirmed.
Relief washed over the group.
"And I believe what the initial announcement said is true—before metamorphosis, dying here sends you back to Earth."
This revelation sparked conflicted expressions.
Death meant returning to their old lives. Survival here meant danger and constraints like Liu Xiao's—but also opportunities beyond Earth's limits. Eternal life, unshackled from mortality.
Choices diverged.
"I want to go back," one girl whispered, raising her hand like a timid student.
"Me too," another echoed.
For those lacking combat prowess, staying here felt like slow suicide. Earth offered safety, family, and normalcy.
"I'm staying," said Yang Zhe, the elder twin. His brother Yang Zhao quickly agreed.
"Our little sister has a heart condition. If what Liu Xiao says is true, we can use merit points to cure her."
"I'll stay too. Worst case, I die and go back anyway," the chubby guy declared.
One by one, most chose to remain—far more than Liu Xiao had expected.
"Why do you think the Galactic Order brought us here?" Ye Shan mused, her thoughts running deeper than the rest.
"No idea. My system says 'insufficient permissions,'" Liu Xiao admitted.
"Then what's our purpose here?"
"From what I've gathered, the Origin Point wants us to grow stronger and explore. The Galactic Order wants us to kill beings from other star systems and locate existing settlements in this world."
"So the answers are out there," Ye Shan murmured.
"Pretty much."
"I'm going back to Earth temporarily," Liu Xiao announced. "First, to verify some things. Second, to check on Earth's current state."
The group erupted with requests:
"Liu Xiao, can you check on my parents?"
"Me too! I'll give you their numbers!"
He memorized addresses, phone numbers, names, and appearances.
"Li Tianjia, what about you? Need me to check on anyone?"
The tall youth had been silent, deep in thought.
"Don't bother. My parents divorced long ago. They've moved on with new families. I've been on my own for years."
His tone was calm, but his decision was clear—he'd stay. As the group's de facto leader, he'd held back to avoid influencing others.
"At least tell me where you were when transported. I'll check if the area's safe."
One of Liu Xiao's main goals was verifying the safety of their Earthly bodies—a concern that now dawned on everyone.
As they shared their last known locations, Liu Xiao addressed the girls who'd wanted to leave:
"Wait until I return before doing anything drastic. If your Earth bodies are in danger, dying here might mean permanent death."
The chilling possibility silenced the group.
Once all details were recorded, Liu Xiao pulled Li Tianjia aside.
Inside the wooden shelter, dried grass covered the floor, piled with edible roots.
Then Liu Xiao began unloading from [Defective Storage]:
Chest armor, cleavers, daggers, belts, pouches, animal limbs...
Li Tianjia's eyelid twitched.
When Liu Xiao dragged out an entire massive beast carcass, the taller youth braced himself against the shelter wall.
"You... hunted this?"
"Just a little," Liu Xiao said, dusting his hands. "This should last you a while. Not sure how long I'll be gone—might not make it back."
"The system says I've got one Origin cycle—a full day-night rotation. If I'm not back by then, don't try killing yourselves to return."
Despite his grim words, Liu Xiao felt confident about Earth's safety.
Li Tianjia stared at the beast carcass. "How'd you kill this thing?"
"There are worse ones. Didn't bring them out—didn't want to scare you guys."
"Damn. You're insane."
"Got lucky. Unlucky, and I wouldn't be here."
"Thanks." Li Tianjia met his gaze. "We haven't known each other long, but you're someone I can trust."
Liu Xiao smiled. "Same goes for you. Our group's small, but united. In survival, numbers aren't everything. I'll be back soon."
He raised his hand.
Their grip locked firmly.
"With these supplies, we're already ahead of most," Li Tianjia said.
"If anything happens, retreat into the forest. Stay out of the danger zones, and it's safe."
With everything arranged, Liu Xiao initiated spirit transfer.
[Consumed 100 Galactic Order merit points. Preparing for spirit transfer...]
A hundred points... Ouch.