With low-power equipment and short dipole antennas, the only options are FT8 and CW. There's no other choice. If you go to a local market and transmit SSB, everyone else will be using high-power long-wire antennas, some even with amplifiers that output up to 1000W. You'll essentially just get jammed by other stations and dogs.
Since you've already started, I recommend first experimenting with FT8 and trying out several frequency bands (available in the frequency software, such as various .074), to familiarize yourself with your equipment and antenna tuning techniques within the contest. As you gain a deeper understanding of shortwave communication, once you have a good grasp of the characteristics of different types of antennas, you can then switch to more efficient antennas and experiment with different frequencies and contest modes.
If you have the money and want to indulge, you can start with high-power equipment for a more enjoyable experience, but it's not legal. Once you have enough experience, pass the C-level exam, obtain the C license, and acquire the large license from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), you can legally use high-power transceivers for QRP operation.