I'm invested in Wei Xing's survival. The fact that he has no cultivation, no allies, and a target on his back makes each step tense. The scene where he drinks stream water and sees his reflection – the shock of recognizing himself as a stranger – was powerful. The description of his face "like a dead person" sets up a body horror element. He's stuck in a dying vessel. That's a unique challenge that could drive character development as he improves his new body.
The "health preservation book" being called a "Taoist Health Preservation Method" made me laugh. Hua Kong literally says "I haven't reached that age yet!" and tosses it aside. It's such a teenager reaction — anything related to health or cultivation seems like an old man's thing to him. But the fact that he keeps it and doesn't throw it away shows he's not completely careless. Later, when he moves his stuff to the ironworks, he includes it in his "meager belongings" basket. It's a nice setup that pays off only if the author returns to it. If this is a cultivation novel, the irony of a kid too young to care about longevity will be funny in hindsight.
The system mall being completely closed is such a genius design choice. In any other survival game you’d just swipe your card for thermal gear or potions. Here the shop literally tells you “even if you had billions, you couldn’t buy half a mantou.” It forces you to forget about pay-to-win crutches and actually play the game the way it’s meant to be played. I’ve been conditioned by every modern game to look for the cash shop backdoor and this one slammed it in my face. I felt both frustrated and respected as a player.
I'm curious about the other survivors. So far, we've only seen Fang Bai, and everyone else is either dead or a zombie. I'm wondering if there will be other people with systems, or if he's the only one. That could change the dynamic a lot, especially if other people start leveling up too.
The part about the sheepskin scrolls being more valuable than gold is a smart observation. Land records are the real power in a feudal society, not just shiny loot.