Matrix Survival: One random treasure chest per day

Chapter 631 Wind Evil Cat

Li Zheng stood at the entrance of the Spring Rain Magic Crystal store, surrounded by a bustling crowd, just like a busy marketplace.

The Magic Crystal Shop was bustling with activity, and everyone who came in and out exuded an extraordinary air. Just one glance at these people of different races revealed a strong sense of purpose, as if their lives and futures had already been planned out and they were moving towards that goal with all their might.

Since entering the outer city, Li Zheng had only seen this kind of atmosphere in the first fifty blocks numbered with his name; it had a vibrant and energetic feel to it.

However, looking beyond this facade, Li Zheng felt an overwhelming sense of sorrow.

Because no matter how hard these people try, the biggest hidden danger that needs to be addressed over the countless years has still not been resolved, weighing on everyone's heads and making it hard for anyone to breathe.

Li Zheng was willing to believe that the residents of the streets numbered 50 and beyond must have lived like that long ago.

Strive for progress!
It was only through their long and arduous life experiences that they lost all hope and gradually became so dejected.

“Magic Crystal Shop…” Li Zheng muttered. He and Zhan Zhouzhou hadn’t passed the number one shop on every street when they were traveling, but when he saw this Spring Rain Magic Crystal Shop, he suddenly became very certain that the number one shop on every block should be a Magic Crystal Shop.

"One of the pieces of information I heard before was that although the residents of the outer city didn't have a way to condense their spiritual power nodes, they found another way. They used the twisted magic crystals obtained from the Seven Sins Domain to purify and absorb the energy within, which could further deepen their spiritual power, making it more stable and causing a qualitative change." Li Zheng thought for a moment and then walked towards the door of the magic crystal shop.

"My mental power is compressed from the unpredictable and massive mental power of the Void. Ordinary methods can no longer improve it, and I dare not improve it any further. However, the first node of Miriel has just been condensed, and it is the time to quickly replenish mental power. If we use the energy inside the Twisted Magic Crystal as an auxiliary means, can we accelerate the condensation of the second node?"

Upon entering the shop, Li Zheng was surprised to find that the store, which did not look particularly special from the outside, had an astonishingly large interior space, almost comparable to the mission hall!

At a glance, the number of customers is no less than four figures!

Among them were some giants as big as small mountains. He looked back at the gate he had come through and wondered how those giants had managed to squeeze in.

The Magic Crystal Shop was bustling with activity. There were no extra staff members to greet Li Zheng; only a virtual screen was projected not far from the entrance, displaying alien script.

Li Zheng took out his tablet to scan and translate, and found that it contained the main business items and pricing standards of the Magic Crystal store.

Unlike ordinary stores, Magic Crystal Store does not offer specific products; instead, its main business is "processing".

The store has 368 employees of a special race. Due to the characteristics of their race, they can voluntarily discard all negative emotions and are therefore called the "Optimistic Race".

This race is naturally the nemesis of negative emotions, and is the only one among all the alien races taken in by the Matrix that did not suffer heavy casualties in the final battle.

The members of the Optimistic Clan in the outer city usually only do one thing: help clear the negative emotions from the Twisted Magic Crystal, purifying it to a level that can be absorbed.

Those who hire them to "process" the twisted magic crystals only need to pay a certain handling fee.

Such an extraordinary race also has an even more extraordinary limitation: reproduction is extremely difficult.

Most members of the Optimist Clan may not be able to have offspring in their lifetime, resulting in the fact that since the clan entered the outer city, the population cap has hardly increased, and in fact, there is a slight downward trend.

Before cloning technology was confiscated by the authorities, some people attempted to clone these optimists, but the attempt failed.

It's not that they can't be cloned, but rather that cloned individuals lose the ability to suppress negative emotions, and compared to other races, they not only have no advantage but also have shorter lifespans.

There was a matrix icon in the upper left corner of the virtual screen. Li Zheng scanned it with his tablet, but there was no response.

A passerby casually remarked, "That's the shop's business license. By using the inscription card to get close, you can learn about the shop's general information and business operations. Regardless of what kind of goods a shop sells, these business licenses must be displayed in the most conspicuous place so that every resident of the outer city can supervise them."

Li Zheng turned his head and saw that this alien looked similar to the humans of the Blue Planet, except that he had two ears on his head that were either feline or canine. His sunny and handsome appearance was not much different from Li Zheng's.

【Lynx Clan: Friendliness and peace-loving are their hallmarks, but some people find their overly familiar personality a bit annoying.】

Every ten months, the Viper Clan enters their estrus cycle, which lasts for two months. During this period, the Viper Clan's conception rate increases significantly. A normal Viper Clan pregnant woman can give birth to up to six babies at once, making them one of the most numerous races in the outer city.

They have a natural aversion to canines and rodents; if you have two friends from one of these two species, never let them meet.

When the Spirit Cat Clan member saw Li Zheng looking at him, he gave him a very sunny and cheerful smile: "My name is Feng Xie Mao, I come from the Spirit Cat Clan, and I am a member of the Evil Mercenary Group."

"My name is Li Zheng, I come from the planet Aquamarine, and I am a human." Li Zheng extended his hand: "Nice to meet you."

Feng Xie Mao glanced at Li Zheng's hand, quickly understood, and also reached out to touch his hand: "Is this a custom of your race to express friendship?"

"..." Li Zheng smiled and said, "A handshake is a common way to express friendliness when meeting someone for the first time."

"A handshake?" Feng Xiemao finally understood, changing the touch to a firm grip, and grabbed Li Zheng's hand: "Is that how it is?"

“Yes.” Li Zheng noticed that the hands of the Spirit Cat Clan looked very similar to those of humans, but the palms had a layer of soft feline paw pads, making it feel strange to hold. “Generally speaking, you can let go after holding on. If you hold someone for a long time, it is suspected of harassment.”

"Oh, I see." Feng Xiemao let go: "Your etiquette is very interesting. Simple physical contact can quickly dispel the awkwardness between two people when they first meet, and you can also judge the other person's attitude towards you from the strength of your handshake."

“That’s right.” Li Zheng nodded with a smile, then asked, “You’re here to process magic crystals, right? Can I watch and see for myself?”

Feng Xiemao had never seen a race like Li Zheng before, nor had he ever heard of Water Blue Star. He quickly judged that Li Zheng should be one of the newest batch of players who were given priority to enter the outer city, and immediately nodded: "Of course, come with me."

Feng Xie Mao led Li Zheng into the shop, ignoring the long queues they passed, until they reached the innermost section of the Optimist Clan's stall.

"Huh?" Li Zheng looked around and found that all the other spots managed by the Optimist Clan were packed with people, but this place was completely empty.

Feng Xie Mao recognized the other party, walked over, took out two watermelon-sized, blood-red crystals, and slammed them hard on the table: "I'm here to patronize your business again!"

The optimist behind the table, who was holding a tablet and looking at something, looked up. She was a female optimist, and Li Zheng keenly noticed that she looked different from the other optimists.

A normal Lotte Clan member has bright gold eyes, a face covered with silver-gray lines, and no ears, only two empty ear piercings.

This female optimist, while also possessing bright gold eyes, had a hint of brown in the center of her pupils. Her face lacked intricate silver-gray lines, and she had no ear piercings on the sides of her head.

But hidden in her thick hair were a pair of small, soft, folded animal ears.

Another major difference is that optimists always have a smile on their face, as if they never have any worries.

And this woman...

She always had a world-weary look on her face, as if everyone owed her tens of millions of red crystals.

"Mixed-race?" Li Zheng looked at the other person's appearance and his heart stirred.

"Why are you here again?" the mixed-race woman said impatiently. "Didn't I tell you to stay away from me?"

Good guy!
Li Zheng finally understood why other places had long queues while her place was completely empty, with not a single customer.

No matter who you are, it's always more pleasant to be greeted by a warm smile than a sour face when you're making a purchase, right?
In the outer city, unless one has the power to overpower others or avoids remote areas, even if someone dislikes her, they can't do anything to her.

So other customers would rather queue up than come to her place and be mistreated?

Feng Xie Mao nonchalantly pointed at the Magic Crystal: "According to the rules of the Magic Crystal shop, we are not allowed to refuse customers on the spot."

"So didn't I warn you not to come back after I finished serving you last time?!" The mixed-race woman's face darkened as she reluctantly rummaged through the red magic crystals on the table, picking one out and holding it in her hand. "This is the last time. If you come again, I'll break your legs!"

Unfazed by her fierce demeanor, the Wind Demon Cat chuckled and asked, "How many will you break?"

The mixed-race woman's eyes were fierce: "All of them! Break as many as there are!"

"Oh dear, how cruel..." Feng Xie Mao's smile remained unchanged: "Unfortunately, you can't beat me."

As she spoke, Feng Xie Mao seemed to be deliberately trying to annoy the other party, and turned to explain to Li Zheng: "The advantage of the Optimistic Clan is that they can eliminate the influence of negative emotions, but they are inherently weak and it is difficult for them to improve their strength in all aspects. When the Optimistic Clan players entered the Matrix, even the terminal had to open the door to them in a very convenient way and lower the requirements for promotion to enter the outer city."

In the final battle, it was the old residents of the outer city who volunteered to fight in their place to protect them, thus saving the entire Optimist Clan. "Shut up!" The mixed-race woman clenched her fists, veins bulging on her forehead, her heart pounding.

It was clear she was very angry.

"Ahem! Hmm!" Feng Xie Mao, seemingly oblivious to the other party's anger, said slowly and deliberately, "I'm a customer. With this attitude, I'm going to complain about you and deduct your commission."

These words seemed to work better than any threat to the mixed-race woman. Her anger was instantly suppressed. She glared at Feng Xie Mao with murderous eyes, silently held the blood-red magic crystal, closed her eyes, and muttered incantations.

Li Zheng watched the other woman's actions intently. From the moment the mixed-race woman closed her eyes, her demeanor changed drastically!

No longer restless, no longer misanthropic, no longer easily angered, but instead becoming peaceful and serene, with a faint smile on her lips, as if the Virgin Mary had descended to earth.

The originally blood-red, twisted magic crystal began to spin on its own in her hands. When she separated her hands, the magic crystal floated there without falling.

Wisps of pale red energy appeared on the surface of the magic crystal, controlled by an invisible hand, and drilled into the mixed-race woman's nostrils.

The more pale red air currents she inhaled, the gentler the mixed-race woman's temperament became, and faint vibrations of spiritual energy emanated from her body.

With a thought, Li Zheng closed his eyes and used his spiritual power to observe the mixed-race woman.

In the realm of spiritual vision, the woman's body was coated with a colorless light, making her appear radiant and captivating, without any visible light emanating from her.

"The talent of the Optimistic Clan seems to be a special application of some kind of spiritual power. By relying on this method, they can wear down and assimilate the pale red airflow that they inhale. In the end, they are not infected by the evil aura contained in the airflow, but instead benefit themselves greatly."

Li Zheng observed carefully, trying to find a pattern, but he couldn't figure it out.

At this moment, the mixed-race woman seemed to realize something. She suddenly opened her eyes and glanced at Li Zheng, her eyes filled with fear and horror. Her expression could no longer remain gentle, and her talent was rendered ineffective by the interference of her emotions. The evil intent contained in the pale red aura seized the opportunity and instantly attacked the spiritual body in her mind.

"help me……"

The mixed-race woman only had time to utter half a cry for help before her eyes suddenly turned blood red and her body underwent a strange transformation.

Four canine teeth grew wildly from between the lips, the head was constantly being transformed into all sorts of messy shapes like clay, and the body showed asymmetrical proliferation and loss.

The evil cat was shocked and shouted a warning: "She's infected!"

The warning drew the attention of everyone around. Several long queues outside the nearby counters subconsciously took a few steps back. When they realized what Feng Xie Mao had just said, their expressions changed drastically.

"Kill her before she's fully infected!" a member of the alien race shouted, reaching into his personal space to grab a weapon, only to find nothing, realizing he was inside the outer city.

Now, everyone was even more on high alert.

"This is the outer city. The appearance of even one infected person could trigger a major catastrophe!" another alien shouted. "Ignore the rules set by the terminal. This is an emergency. Even killing her is justifiable!"

"I come!"

One impatient man couldn't hold back any longer and strode forward, throwing a punch at the mixed-race woman's ever-changing head.

Feng Xie Mao hesitated for a brief moment, but ultimately gritted his teeth and didn't stop it, turning his head away because he couldn't bear to look any longer.

"stop!"

Suddenly, a powerful spiritual force swept across the entire area, and a loud voice rang in the ears of all the outer city residents: "I can save her!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Xie Mao reacted swiftly, stepping forward and using both hands to block the fist that had been thrown by the previous clan. However, he inadvertently stepped into the range of the distorted emotions, causing his mind to become muddled.

"An incompetent thing!"

Li Zheng opened his eyes, looked at the alien who had tried to kill the mixed-race woman, cursed angrily, and his mental power surged into the area of ​​distorted emotions, entering the mixed-race woman's mind.

Instantly locks onto the opponent's initially infected, struggling mental state.

The mixed-race woman's spiritual body was exactly the same as her physical body, only somewhat illusory and lacking a sense of solidity.

On her body surface, the pale red aura she had previously inhaled transformed into ferocious tentacles that wrapped around her tightly, penetrating deeper and deeper into her spiritual body.

Once the tentacles successfully penetrate her mind, they can usurp her place and completely destroy her sanity at its source, turning her into a chaotic source of nothing but killing instinct.

Based on the behavior of the Wind Demon Cat and the alien that rashly attacked, it is not difficult to conclude that this source of chaos can continue to infect other residents of the outer city.

If this crisis is not resolved in time, the entire Seventh Street area could be destroyed!

Li Zheng used his mental power to form a large hand and grabbed at the twisted aura that was slowly penetrating the mixed-race woman's body like tentacles.

Roar! ! ! !

The moment they made contact, Li Zheng vaguely heard a deafening roar, filled with negative emotions such as violence, anger, and hatred.

"What the hell are you calling your mother?!"

Li Zheng's emotions were also slightly affected, and he uttered a curse word.

Fortunately, although he dared not recklessly use his mental power, because Xu poured all his mental power into him at once, his current mental body is as solid as an alloy in the material world, with extraordinary strength.

The pale red aura was ultimately just a twisted emotion contained within a twisted magic crystal; it was inherently weak and rootless, lacking any deep foundation to support it.

If the mixed-race woman hadn't suddenly become distracted, things wouldn't have turned out this way, let alone her desire to confront Li Zheng.

He grabbed the tentacle and pulled it back sharply with his mental power. The tentacle instantly broke off inch by inch and fell off the surface of the mixed-race woman's mental body, struggling to reconnect and continue to invade her mental body.

At this moment, the mixed-race woman regained some of her senses and, sensing the changes within herself, quickly used her racial talent to coat her spiritual body with a layer of glass-like armor.

The armor's surface shimmered with divine light, and large patches of the pale red tentacles were instantly worn away upon contact.

As for the rest, it's only a matter of time before they're all wiped out.

Li Zheng left some of his mental energy here to observe, while diverting his attention to check on the Wind Demon Cat and another alien race, worried that they might also be infected.

Fortunately, they were only affected by the aura emanating from the negative emotions. At this moment, the pale red tentacle was damaged, and its influence was greatly weakened. The two seized the opportunity to retreat one after another. When they were a few meters away, they were no longer in any danger.

Seeing this, Li Zheng stopped paying attention to them and focused on analyzing the plating armor that had appeared on the surface of the mixed-race woman's spiritual body.

Although this ability should be an innate talent of the Optimist Clan, Li Zheng believes that it is simply a way of using mental power that the Optimist Clan is born with.

Just like how fish are born with the ability to swim, without needing to learn.

However, humans can learn to swim through practice, and exceptionally talented individuals can even swim faster than fish.

Everyone has mental power, and the essence of mental power is almost the same. There's no reason why they can't learn the abilities that others can utilize.

After observing carefully for a moment, Li Zheng discovered that the mixed-race woman was actually using her mental power to emit some kind of irregular and strange fluctuations to erase the pale red tentacles.

He tried to replicate it, but had no clue how.

"It seems I can only ask her for advice after she finishes dealing with this here."

Knowing he wouldn't gain anything by continuing, Li Zheng had no choice but to withdraw from the other person's mind and retract his mental energy.

(End of this chapter)