Matrix Survival: One random treasure chest per day

Chapter 436 Making a Deal with the Succubus Queen! (6,000 words)

"I...I'm sorry, our only side dishes are Abyssal Spider Eggs and Dried Fly Nymphs, not Cephalosporins. Which one would you like?" The succubus hesitated for a moment, but still asked politely.

"Not even cephalosporin?" Li Zheng said with a hint of dissatisfaction, "Then forget it, give me a cup of forgetfulness potion."

"Forget... uh... we don't have any forgetfulness potion either." The young succubus was already beginning to suspect that Li Zheng had come to cause trouble. Her expression was unfriendly, and her eyes gleamed with a green flame.

"You have nothing here and nothing there, you might as well just close down your bar!" Li Zheng shouted angrily, his hands gripping the bar counter.

The three abyssal creatures that were far away were startled by this place. They turned around and glanced at it, then acted as if nothing had happened and went about adjusting their own state.

Normally, they would definitely come back to join in the excitement, but with the boxing match just around the corner, they don't have the energy to pay attention to these things.

"you!"

Just as the succubus was about to explode, the man who had been watching coldly from behind stepped forward, grabbed her shoulder, and pulled her to the back. "Excuse me, she's new here and not very familiar with the drinks we make. What would you like? I can make it for you."

“That’s more like it.” Li Zheng’s tone softened slightly: “Give me a cup of intoxicatingly delicious wine, with a cephalosporin tablet.”

"Are you deaf? I already told you we don't have cephalosporin!" The succubus shouted angrily when she heard Li Zheng ask for cephalosporin, her eyes practically spitting fire.

"Shut up!" the man shouted at her, then said to Li Zheng, "Okay, wait a moment, I'll adjust it for you."

Li Zheng shrugged: "Please begin your performance!"

The succubus quickly and neatly arranged more than thirty different liquids and powders on the bar. Her fingers were long and white, and whether the tips were natural or painted, her nails were pure black, giving her an unusual beauty.

She took out a transparent glass made of crystal and skillfully added different things to it. Her movements were orderly and efficient, showing that she was a veteran.

"The Soul-Sealing Bone-Corroding Delicacy is my most prized creation since I opened this tavern. It is made primarily from the juice of the Soul-Sealing Grass and the pollen of the Bone-Corroding Flower. Both of these substances are highly poisonous. Any race in the abyss that comes into contact with even a little bit of them will be dissolved into nothingness within ten minutes, leaving not even bones behind!"

"However, after years of research, I have finally found something that can neutralize the toxicity, removing the strong and deadly toxicity while retaining its exquisite hallucinogenic and aphrodisiac effects."

"Ordinary demons, let alone a cup, could be drained of their energy and die from even a sip."

"Only demons of extraordinary or higher caliber can resist its medicinal effects with their powerful physique."

While making it, the succubus explained the origin of the Soul-Stealing Delight to Li Zheng. By the time the explanation was finished, a special Soul-Stealing Delight was ready.

Finally, she placed something that looked like an olive in it, pushed the drink in front of Li Zheng, and said with a smile, "Although it's good for digestion, please don't overindulge."

Li Zheng remained silent, staring intently at the multicolored liquid within, from which seemed to emanate countless seductive sounds, making it utterly sinister.

After pondering for a while, Li Zheng asked, "Where is the cephalosporin I ordered?"

She pointed to the olive-like object floating in the cup and said, "Here."

Li Zheng: "Is this cephalosporin?"

"Yes."

Li Zheng: "I said it's not a cephalosporin."

"I also said it's not a cephalosporin."

Li Zheng glanced sideways: "Then why are you still releasing it?"

“You say it isn’t, and I say it isn’t either, but in this tavern, it can be!” The succubus’s smile remained unchanged. “Try it.”

Li Zheng picked up the glass, brought it to his nose, and smelled it. The aroma was refreshing and pleasant, unlike ordinary wines which have the pungent smell of alcohol.

As the delicate fragrance wafted into his nostrils, countless erotic images flashed before Li Zheng's eyes, and his heart stirred with desire, almost causing him to lose control.

With a burst of mental energy, Li Zheng forcefully suppressed the sudden desire and instantly regained his composure.

"Such strong toxicity! Just smelling a little bit almost poisoned me! Even the anti-toxic properties of the earthworm armor couldn't reduce it much." Li Zheng became much more cautious, not drinking it immediately, but holding it to the tip of his nose and letting it adjust for a while.

This liquid is less like wine and more like a potent poison, the kind that contains not a single drop of alcohol.

"It really smells delicious." Li Zheng mustered his mental energy, trying to keep his mind clear, and barely opened his mouth to take a small sip.

The colorful and dreamy liquid has a rich and mellow flavor on the palate, with an indescribable sweetness, as if you were drinking honey rather than alcohol.

The liquid swirled in my mouth, entangled with my throat and tongue, and I hesitated to swallow it.

Li Zheng's throat tightened, and the sweet wine slid smoothly down his throat into his stomach. However, the inexplicably sweet aroma went against his wishes, rushing straight to the back of his head, down his spine, and into his heart, stirring up the evil fire in his heart.

An indescribable, intense feeling spread throughout Li Zheng's body; it was as if a volcano of burning passion was simmering within him, ready to erupt.

Li Zheng realized something was wrong and quickly used his mental power to suppress the passion and resist it.

However, the effect was weak. The intoxicating and bone-corroding effects of the drug were so astonishing that even Li Zheng's enhanced mental strength could not withstand it.

Li Zheng was shocked and quickly activated the emotional balance bracelet on his wrist to help suppress the poison with his mental energy.

With the combined power of mental strength and emotional balance bracelet, the drug's effects were finally evenly matched, neither side giving an inch!
Li Zheng gritted his teeth and persevered, but his consciousness was gradually blurred by the effects of the drug, and a thought of yielding to the impulse arose spontaneously.

After an unknown amount of time, the poison gradually subsided, Li Zheng's eyes regained their clarity, and he was soaked in sweat, as if he had been pulled out of the water.

Such potent poison!

"..." Li Zheng put down his cup and remained silent.

I never expected that even with the help of mental energy, I still couldn't completely suppress the effects of the medicine. How embarrassing!

The succubus possessed endless charm in her eyes and brows, a smile playing on her lips as she softly asked, "There's a changing room in the back. Would you like me to take you there?"

Snapped!
Li Zheng slammed his hand on the bar counter and said firmly, "No need!"

He paused, then added, "I'll go myself!"

However, as soon as he stood up from the stool, his legs went weak and he collapsed onto the bar.

"Hehehe... The Ecstasy and Corrosiveness are divided into two stages. You've just passed the first stage, Ecstasy. Now you're starting the second stage, Corrosiveness. You can't walk for the time being." The succubus came out from behind the bar and helped Li Zheng up, leading him to a room not far away. "But don't worry, the Corrosiveness stage is very short and won't prevent you from participating in the boxing match."

As she spoke, she leaned close to Li Zheng's ear and whispered, "Mr. Player."

With his identity exposed, Li Zheng showed no panic. Instead, he leaned his entire weight on the succubus, inhaling the fragrance emanating from her, and whispered, "I didn't expect the Succubus Queen to not go watch the boxing match, but instead disguise herself as a bartender and mix drinks for others. Is this some kind of perverse pleasure of you strong people?"

The Succubus Queen paused for a moment, then chuckled, "Have the players of this generation grown so quickly? They were actually able to see through my identity?"

"hehe."

Li Zheng chuckled twice but offered no explanation.

At first, he didn't realize that he went to the bar simply to try the so-called signature drink, "Soul-Stealing Delight".

Just after he pulled up a chair and sat down, the usually quiet old man suddenly gave a very small hint:
[Succubus Queen (Disguise)]

The notification flashed by so quickly that Li Zheng might have missed it if his reaction speed hadn't far surpassed that of ordinary people.

Out of curiosity, Li Zheng used a little trick to lure out the Succubus Queen herself, just to see what she was up to by coming to the bar in the boxers' preparation area instead of watching the match.

Judging from the current situation, the reason she appeared here was indeed because of him.

I reckon even if I hadn't been being unreasonable, she would have found a way to strike up a conversation with me.

The succubus queen helped Li Zheng into the changing room, but she didn't stay outside; she followed him in and locked the door from the inside.

Li Zheng raised an eyebrow and looked at the other person meaningfully: "What? Does the Queen want to watch me change clothes?"

"Stop pretending to be crazy, Mr. Player." The Succubus Queen threw Li Zheng into a corner, her demeanor completely different from before, as if she had become a different person.

The effects of the corrosive poison hadn't worn off yet. Li Zheng slumped in the corner like a rag doll, leaning against the wall. The hood of his cloak had slipped down, revealing his true face.

"So the Queen is after that Abyss Walker I killed?" Li Zheng said calmly. "With a master like you, those lowly demons should feel honored."

As Li Zheng walked from the bar to the changing room, he considered many possibilities of the succubus queen coming to find him.

The final conclusion was that she wanted to avenge the dead Abyss Walker.

The problem is, if that were the real reason, the three-headed dog should have torn itself to pieces on the spot.

"Abyss Walker? You mean those lamp oils that can only be used as fuel?" The Succubus Queen shook her head slightly: "Their lives are not as precious as yours, Mr. Player... or rather, the new Lamp Bearer."

"You know the Lamp Holder?" Li Zheng asked in surprise.

Then it suddenly occurred to him that the lantern was able to enter the Dark Realm because of its special ability to walk in the Abyss.

Players who obtained lanterns in the past must have frequently ventured into the Abyss to capture Abyss Walkers as fuel.

Therefore, it is perfectly reasonable for the Succubus Queen to know about the lantern.

"Don't worry, that lamp is of no use to us non-current players. I know the lamp is with you, but I won't take it from you."

Seemingly to reassure Li Zheng, the succubus queen offered a brief explanation.

"However, your character does surprise me somewhat." The Succubus Queen exclaimed, seemingly lost in thought, "Of all the Lamp Bearers I've encountered in the past, not one could resist the temptation of the Lamp's properties and avoid becoming a bloodthirsty one. You are, aside from the first Lamp Bearer, the only player who became a Lamp Bearer without a trace of bloodlust." "How can the Queen be so sure that on my way to becoming a Lamp Bearer, I didn't cripple those players and then throw them to other creatures to be dealt with?" Li Zheng chuckled softly, "Is it too hasty for the Queen to judge my character based solely on the fact that I have no bloodlust?"

"Of course it's not just about that!" the Succubus Queen said. "The Soul-Stealing and Bone-Corroding drink you just had was specially made by me. I added four times the amount of the core ingredients, Soul-Stealing Herb juice and Bone-Corroding Flower pollen!"

"Do you know why Star-level fighters are limited to only three drinks?" The Succubus Queen smiled meaningfully. "Because three drinks is already the limit that Star-level life forms can withstand. Even if they drink just one more drop, they won't be able to stop their gushing state tonight, let alone fight in the ring."

“So…” Li Zheng interrupted.

"So, I'm quite satisfied with your temperament..." The succubus queen was interrupted by Li Zheng before she could finish her sentence.

"So you tested my character for a purpose I don't even understand, and then gave me a dose of a potent aphrodisiac five times stronger than normal?!" Li Zheng was filled with grief and indignation. "Aren't you afraid of killing me?"

Damn it, no wonder I used my mental strength to suppress it so fiercely, but in the end, the Soul-Eating Corrosion broke through my defenses and even caused a mishap.

Is that the equivalent of five cups of emotion in one?

What do you think that is?
Is this a new type of cover?
"I'm not afraid. Your death is no loss to me anyway," the Succubus Queen readily admitted. "But it seems the outcome is good. So, how about we make a deal?"

"What kind of deal?" Li Zheng frowned.

He was somewhat repulsed by the Succubus Queen's disregard for his life, but when he thought that she didn't care about the lives of even the Abyss Walkers, who were also of the Abyss race, let alone him, a different race, he was surprised.

Once he understood this, he actually felt a little better.

"I demand that you spare no effort to achieve final victory in the Star-level boxing tournament and take the prize!" the Succubus Queen demanded.

This seems to coincide with my own goals?

wrong!

Li Zheng pondered his experience after entering the Succubus Tavern, then suddenly realized: "You secretly orchestrated my registration process?"

“Of course,” the succubus queen said with a mocking smile. “You don’t think any demon would dare accept bribes on my territory, do you?”

Nima!

We were completely manipulated!
Li Zheng thought about it again and realized that this was someone else's territory, so it was no exaggeration for them to be able to do this.

Those who infiltrate enemy territory without revealing a single flaw are the protagonists of movies and TV dramas; it's all for the sake of the plot!
I'm just a player whose skill level is rated as extraordinary by the terminal. What makes me think I can cause trouble under the noses of several top players?

"So what is the Queen willing to pay for this?" Li Zheng relaxed and stretched his limbs, as the bone-corroding effect was almost over.

"The prize!" the Succubus Queen declared solemnly. "You will receive the ultimate prize: a succubus servant!"

Just a succubus servant?
Li Zheng frowned. Sheep Demon had previously mentioned that the final prize for the Star-level boxing tournament was a succubus servant.

So the deal the Succubus Queen mentioned this time... is practically meaningless!
"That's it?"

“No, I haven’t finished yet,” the Succubus Queen continued. “She is a succubus servant of chief rank, and her true identity is my own daughter, Miriel!”

The succubus queen has completely bewildered Li Zheng.

Do all you succubi play this wildly?
You'd even give away your own daughter as a prize?

“I don’t quite understand what the Queen means.” Li Zheng repeated, “Are you saying that you’re treating your daughter as a prize in a Star-level boxing match? Whoever wins can take her away as a servant?”

“Of course not!” The Succubus Queen looked into Li Zheng’s eyes: “The original prize was just an elite succubus under my command. She was born on the outskirts of the Abyss Source and her bloodline was not pure enough. At most, she could only reach the Transcendent level in this life.”

"But my daughter has pure and flawless blood. Once she comes of age, she will be at the level of a king. If there are no mistakes in her upbringing, it is not impossible for her to surpass me!"

"At that time, a Succubus Emperor will be born among the Succubus race!"

At this point, she suddenly sighed, her expression darkening considerably: "I cannot allow the future queen of the succubus race to be confined to this barren land. At least... at least let her go to the outer city to have a look."

So the reason the Succubus Queen chose me was that she wanted me to take her daughter to the outer city?
"Does the Queen know about what's happening in the outer city?" Li Zheng asked, puzzled. "With the Queen's current power, can't she send her own daughter to the outer city?"

Although he didn't fight her, Li Zheng could tell from the faint fluctuations emanating from the Succubus Queen that she possessed a powerful strength capable of making him lose the will to resist!
Even the Bloodthirsty Demon Blade behaved very obediently in front of the Succubus Queen, and dared not make a sound until now.

"I..." The Succubus Queen opened her mouth as if to say something, but suddenly her expression changed, and she changed her words: "There are some secrets that I cannot tell you. In short, if you do not want your people to end up like the Abyss Clan, take all your fellow players away before the fifth seasonal change!"

The matrix contains a seasonal system: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Each season lasts only thirty days, and five seasonal transitions total six hundred days, which is roughly equivalent to less than two years.

Over the past two years, a new batch of players has been added every fifteen days, which means...

"Was the Queen among the last batches of players from your generation to be deployed?" Li Zheng suddenly remembered something and asked, "Does the Queen know about the final catastrophe?"

The Abyss race entered the Matrix much earlier than humans on Earth. Perhaps the Succubus Queen knows some secrets of the final cataclysm?

"The final catastrophe?" The succubus queen looked puzzled. "What final catastrophe? I've never heard of such a thing."

Never heard of it?
Li Zheng carefully observed the other person's expression, not missing a single subtle facial expression, whether it was their demeanor, their eyes, or even the smallest facial feature.

However, upon closer observation, Li Zheng discovered that the Succubus Queen truly seemed to know nothing about the final catastrophe.

"Strange, could we have all guessed wrong?" Li Zheng muttered to himself. Perhaps the stain Zhan Zhouzhou splashed later didn't exist? Or was she just mistaken after a fleeting glance?
"Since I entered the Matrix, I've gone through about three hundred seasons and encountered countless players of different races, yet I've never heard of any final catastrophe." The Succubus Queen thought carefully. "Among the Abyss races, we Succubi are the most skilled at intelligence gathering, and I've never heard any king mention this. Are you mistaken?"

"Forget it, I'll investigate this myself later. Let's discuss the specific details of the transaction." Li Zheng checked himself and found that the bone-corroding effect had worn off, so he stood up. "I have one last question: why was I chosen?"

With so many players in the Matrix, it's impossible for someone to entrust their own daughter, who has unlimited potential, to you just because you have good character, right?

That's so melodramatic! You'd only write something like that in an online novel ten years ago. Try writing that plot in today's world.
The readers will tear you apart!

"Because you are of good character!"

After the Succubus Queen finished speaking, Li Zheng froze on the spot.

"Just because of this? Isn't that too frivolous?" Li Zheng still didn't quite understand.

"It seems you won't trust me unless I explain this clearly," the Succubus Queen said. "Our Succubus race is different from other Abyss races. Other Abyss races may be insidious, cunning, irritable, or arrogant, but our Succubus race is inherently lewd."

However, our clan needs to remain virgins to ensure its continued growth in strength; otherwise, not only will its strength stagnate, but it will also decline over time.

"Wait a minute..." Li Zheng interjected, "Isn't that a bit much? I've heard that the more unrestrained you succubi are, the stronger you become?"

Why is it different from what's written in fantasy novels?
If a succubus wants to become stronger, she must not only refrain from indulging her true nature, but also become a chaste and virtuous woman.
Is this some kind of joke?!

This is such a terrible way to ruin a childhood!
The Succubus Queen's face darkened: "Where did you hear this from? The more unrestrained you are, the stronger you become? This is slander against my race, it's utterly absurd!"

"Why are you still angry? I just heard..." Li Zheng scratched his chin, "So you chose me because you think I have good character, I'm reliable, and I won't bully your daughter behind your back and affect her future career advancement?"

“That’s right! You’re the first Star-level life form to withstand five times the intoxicating power of a Radiant being without losing your composure.” The Succubus Queen nodded.

"Stop praising me, or I'll get arrogant." Li Zheng smiled shyly and agreed, "No problem. Anyway, having me by my side is like having an extra combatant, so I won't lose out."

Seeing that Li Zheng had agreed, the Succubus Queen's expression softened considerably: "In that case, it's settled then."

"So far, there are eleven people registered for the Star-level boxing tournament, including you. Among them, three pose the greatest threat to you."

"The first one is a Star-level Flame Demon, who is skilled in using fire elemental attacks. I can lend you a fire-repelling item to increase your chances of defeating it."

"The second one is a snake demon, also a Star-level being. It's very fast and skilled at using poison mist. You need to take it down before it fills the arena with poison mist. If possible, kill it while you have the chance!"

"The third one is a pig demon. Although its strength is only at the peak of the extraordinary realm, it is more troublesome than the previous two! During the battle, you must not let it touch your body, otherwise, as you weaken, it will become stronger and stronger!"

Of the three opponents, judging from their characteristics, it seems that only the snake demon is a bit troublesome, while the other two are easy targets!

Flame Demon?

No matter how high your rank is, an ultimate isolation spell will completely neutralize you!

Pig Demon?

I can fly, can you?
The only exception is that snake demon. As a Star-level being, the poisonous mist it spews should be of a high grade, which the Earth Dragon Armor definitely cannot withstand. We can only decide on a countermeasure based on the situation.

If all else fails... there's always the hover propulsion system, isn't there?
At worst, we can just use the old method and blow it away!

"What did that snake demon do to you? Why is your killing intent so strong when it's mentioned?" Li Zheng asked curiously.

"Because it has won many boxing matches," the Succubus Queen replied casually, her face extremely unpleasant.

If it has won many times, it means it has taken away many prizes.

Among them must be the succubus queen's subordinates, which is one of her methods for gathering intelligence from all sides.

Since that snake demon is participating in the competition again, Li Zheng guessed that the succubi that it had taken away before were probably in grave danger.

The Succubus Queen calculated the time and said, "The Starry Boxing Tournament is probably about to start. I need to go and prepare. Come out after you change your pants. Someone will take you to the venue."

"I will announce the changes to the rewards when the match begins. You will definitely feel a lot more pressure during the boxing match, so be prepared."

"There are still ten more battles to reach the maximum exploration progress. I'm telling you this now so you won't get distracted by other things..."

"What are you doing?! Wait! Let me out first!"

(End of this chapter)