Skeleton's HP was also doubled, bringing it up to 32 points—definitely a significant amount for a ranged monster.
Handling a creature with such health was no small feat, especially considering that Skeleton was a ranged attacker, making it harder to close the distance.
But luckily, Xu Yuan's unique "pedicure" technique meant he could grind them down at his own pace—blood or not—without worrying about injury.
Soon, under Xu Yuan's relentless assault, Skeleton finally collapsed, falling to the ground in defeat. Without hesitation, Xu Yuan turned his attention to the zombie.
With a swift and calculated attack, he finished off the zombie as well, which also dropped to the ground. Surprisingly, Skeleton, being generous, dropped his bow directly into Xu Yuan's backpack as a reward. The zombie, on the other hand, only yielded a piece of Rotten Flesh and two copper coins.
Xu Yuan picked up the copper coins, and a realization dawned on him: defeating monsters in this game could indeed drop currency. But these two copper coins—well, they felt a bit too meager, almost insulting considering the effort he'd just put in.
**[Congratulations to player [Steve] for securing the first kill of the full-server Skeleton Shooter!]**
The full-server broadcast flashed across the screen again, confirming Skeleton's fall. Meanwhile, players who had been desperately searching for prey experienced the system's notifications multiple times—each time, they were sent back to their spawn points, frustrated and confused.
Some groups of players tried to work together, forming teams with the hope of sieging a spider or another boss monster to secure the first kill and rewards.
But their plans often ended in disaster. They became targets—overwhelmed by zombies, Skeletons, creepers, and other mobs. In mere seconds, they were slaughtered without any chance to fight back. The system's voice echoed in their field of vision again:
**"What?! Did [Steve] find some bug?"**
**"He just killed the zombie—if he's that lucky, then he must've killed Skeleton again in record time… What kind of monster is this [Steve]?"**
**"Skeleton shooters are ranged monsters with long attack ranges. I couldn't even get close before I was shot into a hornet's nest…"**
**"Hey, is there a missing pendant or some accessory on your leg?!"**
Many players couldn't help but suspect that Xu Yuan was relying on luck, especially after his initial zombie kill. But then, the system broadcasted his name again—making it impossible to deny his rising prominence.
This rapid succession of kills drew the attention of the entire server. Players eagerly searched for Xu Yuan's name, sending him friend requests and messages, eager to learn his secrets or perhaps to form alliances.
Meanwhile, at the entrance of a small, dark mine, four players huddled in a cramped space. The ambient noise was filled with the distant roars of zombies and the squeaks of spiders. Despite the darkness, they could feel the tense atmosphere—their hands trembling, hearts pounding.
The leader, a player named [Ken], was a well-known figure in the gaming community. He was the president of the "World Union," a top-tier organization with years of experience across multiple games. His reputation preceded him.
**"Who is this [Steve]?"** Ken frowned, feeling a rare sense of frustration creeping in.
For the first time, Ken was genuinely stumped.
This game was unlike anything he'd encountered before. Despite his extensive experience, he couldn't find any clues, no traces of a strategy or bug that could explain Xu Yuan's success. It was as if he had stumbled upon an entirely new way to play.
Ken had managed to craft a basic crafting table, but when he looked at the nine-grid crafting interface, confusion clouded his mind.
The interface was simple, yet he felt utterly lost trying to understand how to use it effectively.
Throughout the night, the four of them kept dying repeatedly—being chased, cornered, and overwhelmed by monsters.
Yet, by some stroke of luck or quick thinking, they managed to avoid total wipeouts, securing a few safe spots. When they finally found a cave, they hurriedly blocked it off, narrowly escaping death. Their survival depended on their agility and a bit of luck.
Less than ten minutes after their ordeal, the system broadcasted another achievement: the first kill in the server had occurred again.
Ken's instincts kicked in—he immediately felt a wave of unease. If Xu Yuan was part of a rival guild or, worse, an insider, their entire plan could be compromised.
**"This [Steve] seems to be an independent player, not affiliated with any guild,"** Ken muttered, eyes narrowing.
**"Boss, should we try to recruit him?"** one of his subordinates suggested eagerly.
**"He's already got two first kills so quickly—do you think we can add him to our side?"**
The other two, top officials of the union, exchanged glances.
**"It can't be an insider—Zero doesn't make such rookie mistakes…"**
**"Recruiting him is too risky. This game has no novice village or main city, so we'd have to reach out through friends. But with his current streak of first kills—do you think we can even catch up?"**
Ken frowned thoughtfully.
**"This game was developed by Zero organization over ten years. They're a world-changing company. They wouldn't let a rookie disrupt their plans this easily."**
Hearing this, the others fell into silence, contemplating the implications.
**"Instead of overthinking,"** Ken finally said, **"we should study how to play this game. Only then can we survive and maybe even get ahead."**
Back in Xu Yuan's world, he quickly opened his backpack after noticing the system announcement. Sure enough, the first Skeleton kill had yielded him additional rewards: five more gold coins and a mysterious "Shulker box."
But Xu Yuan was a little disappointed—he'd expected a title deed as part of the reward, but it hadn't appeared. He understood that such rare items must be extremely precious. Title deeds could be upgraded, and their rarity was undeniable.
The shulker box, however, was a treasure in itself. It was like a small, portable container—an item that could be stored in the inventory and brought anywhere. When opened, the box's contents wouldn't drop or be lost. It was essentially an extra storage space—equivalent to an additional 27 slots inside his inventory.
While pondering the system's rewards, a new "customer" entered his pedicure shop—an ominous-looking spider. Its sudden appearance instantly plunged Xu Yuan into crisis mode, sensing that danger was imminent.