Matrix Survival: One random treasure chest per day

Chapter 675 Balancing the Gene Chain, Amazing Adaptability!
The following morning, Miriel made breakfast before waking Li Zheng.

After finishing breakfast, the two immediately headed to the gravity research institute.

Because he had rented the gravity chamber yesterday, Li Zheng was granted the right to freely enter and exit the gravity research institute. To make it easier for him to come and go, he was even given the right to operate the elevator.

When they arrived at the gravity chamber from yesterday, only Roscal was there waiting. Feng Yue was probably still dealing with the weighted equipment for Li Zheng, so he hadn't come yet.

Roscal was in the control room when he saw Li Zheng arrive. He said to him, "I examined your genome yesterday, and I have good news for you."

"My gene chain is not complete?" Li Zheng immediately guessed what Roscal was going to say.

Roscal nodded: "That's right, your gene chain is not complete, which means that you don't have perfect genes right now! Not only that, I did some research last night and made a very surprising discovery, that is, the completeness of your gene chain has just reached a balance point, which not only preserves future potential, but also repairs the genes to an exceptionally strong level."

"This is also the main reason why you can adapt quickly in a gravity chamber."

Li Zheng listened with curiosity: "There must be many people using gene serums in the outer city, right? Has no one discovered this so-called balance point before?"

“No,” Roscal said. “The genetic expression of each race is different. Take you and me as examples. Your genes are spiral chains with neatly arranged connections within the framework. Our Moro Lizard race’s genes, on the other hand, are dot patterns, composed of dots arranged according to certain rules. The more perfect and harmonious the dot pattern, the stronger the genes. The less likely they are to be shaken in the future, and the less likely they are to improve their strength.”

"Hmm." Li Zheng listened, only half understanding, and asked, "I heard that a kind of super-limit gene drug appeared in the outer city. After taking that drug, no matter what race, a large amount of body tissue would grow and turn into some kind of strange monster. What is the principle behind that?"

“That?” Roscal’s expression hardened. “I just happened to have studied a case, and I can tell you about it.”

"Strictly speaking, there is an upper limit to the perfection of each race's genes. When the outer city first developed the gene potion to the super god level, it reached its limit just as it stepped into the threshold of the beginner level. At this level, the gene map was completely completed, reaching the most harmonious, complete, and perfect step."

"At this point, it has become extremely difficult to continue improving our strength through conventional means."

"It was also at this time that most residents of the outer city chose the mental power route to increase their combat methods and improve their combat strength."

"However, some people are not giving up and continue to research gene therapy, trying to go further."

"Then the over-limit drug was developed."

At this point, Roscal sighed, "I don't know if the development of that drug went astray. When those people saw that it was difficult to insert new fragments into the gene map, they came up with the idea of ​​grafting, grafting gene fragments of other races onto the outside of the gene sequence, which ultimately led to gene mutation and development in an uncontrollable direction."

“Research in the unknown is both dangerous and full of opportunities.” Li Zheng pondered, “It seems that only one version of the overlimit drug was produced before it was confiscated and destroyed by the terminal. This does not mean that the gene grafting method is completely unworkable. Perhaps some genes among the myriad races have a very high compatibility and can be successfully grafted?”

Scientific research is about seeking success through countless failures. Many useful inventions and beneficial things in the world were discovered by taking detours in the research and development process and then inexplicably finding that they were actually quite useful.

“Yes.” As a researcher, Roscal certainly understood this principle: “But the outer city is facing a crisis, and we don’t have much time to take detours. We also don’t have the resources to find the right path through countless detours. So we support the confiscation and destruction of those unstable things at the terminal.”

"Including those scientists who were dealt with?" Miriel suddenly asked. "If those scientists who developed these chaotic things weren't dealt with, given their thirst for knowledge, wouldn't they continue to secretly develop contraband?"

Roscardo glanced at Miriel and said, "They weren't dealt with... or to put it bluntly, they weren't killed by the terminal, but some of their relevant memories were erased. In the scientific research industry, if someone wakes up one day to find that their memory is missing, they will assume that a project has crossed the line and will not pursue the matter further."

Then, he said something that shocked Li Zheng: "I saw my name on a research list called the Red Mercury Project, but I don't remember any related information. It was after that that I transferred to the Gravity Research Institute and changed my research type."

Li Zheng asked in confusion, "Aren't you curious about what exactly the Red Mercury Project has developed?"

“Of course I’m curious. Nobody is not curious about what they’ve done,” Rothcal said. “But since the terminal has erased this part of the memory, it means that a line has been crossed. If we continue to investigate, we will only get the same result and add to our troubles.”

If you try to trace the source, you'll inevitably end up going down the same old path, and eventually your memory will be erased.

It's better not to pursue this further; it will save time and energy, which can be invested in other projects to achieve results.

At that moment, Li Zheng suddenly realized that the pillars of the outer city might not only be those residents who were willing to risk their lives to enter the Sinful Realm or the Wilderness for training. There were also the inventors who, although they rarely ventured out of the outer city, were able to continuously produce new inventions, enriching the outer city's heritage.

Among these inventors, there may be those who pursue fame and fortune, but Li Zheng believes that most people should be like Rothschild, quietly carrying out scientific research projects and wholeheartedly dedicating themselves to the scientific research industry.

"Enough of the small talk." Roscal glanced at the time, and seeing that Feng Yue hadn't arrived yet, he decided not to wait for him any longer. "Is it still the same gravity amplification coefficient as yesterday?"

"Okay, let's warm up first." Li Zheng patted Miriel's hand that was holding his arm, gave her a reassuring look, and headed towards the gravity field.

"The thirteen-fold gravity amplification cannot be activated all at once; it needs to be gradually added to give your body a chance to adapt and adjust," Roscal said into the communicator. "I'll begin once you're ready."

Li Zheng didn't speak, but simply made a gesture and sat cross-legged on the ground.

hum!
With the gravity amplification activated, it immediately tripled, causing Li Zheng's blood flow to stagnate for a moment before returning to normal.

Roscal kept a close eye on the data monitored on Li Zheng's body, and when he found that the changes were not significant, he began to increase the data by doubling it.

The gravity was quickly increased to ten times, and Roscal compared it with yesterday's data, finding that it had been optimized even more.

This indicates that Li Zheng's "comfort" level improved under ten times the gravity.

In terms of combat performance, it's equivalent to Li Zheng being able to defeat himself today compared to yesterday.

Even at 10.5 times the normal speed, Li Zheng still didn't feel strained.

Next, it increases to eleven times, then eleven and a half times, then twelve times, gradually increasing.

When he reached thirteen times the speed, Li Zheng felt as if a mountain was suddenly pressing down on him, but this mountain was lighter than yesterday.

"Strange?" Li Zheng thought to himself, "I definitely didn't feel as relaxed as I do today when I went out yesterday, but I didn't do anything else, except take a look at the Hundred Flowers Painting at night."

"Could the Hundred Flowers Painting really enhance physical fitness?"

This wasn't evident in Miriel; she only gained some benefits in terms of mental strength.

Li Zheng adapted to thirteen times the gravity for two hours and felt more relaxed. He began to move his hands and feet and finally tried to stand up.

clack clack...

The joints throughout the body make strange noises. This is because the gaps in the joints are squeezed and narrowed, causing the two bones to be too close together. Every time you move, the joints feel slightly painful.

"After a tenfold increase, every slight increase in gravity makes a world of difference." Li Zheng's legs trembled, unable to stand up straight or be forced back down by gravity.

Roscal watched the data coming from Li Zheng intently, marveling, "He's incredible! Every cell in his body is working hard to adapt to the current gravity. I estimate that in another eight hours, he'll be able to barely withstand thirteen times the gravity and walk around inside."

This terrifying progress is at least dozens of times better than what Feng Yue achieved back then!
Of all the people Rothcal had ever met, Feng Yue was the most adaptable. Even under thirteen times the gravity, it took him a full ten days to adapt before he dared to try standing.

And Li Zheng...

Only three hours have passed!

(End of this chapter)