Matrix Survival: One random treasure chest per day

Chapter 678 Wilderness
This was Li Zheng's first time in the wilderness.

The environment was extremely harsh; as far as the eye could see, there was only an endless expanse of Gobi Desert with jagged, strangely shaped rocks.

The only sign of life on the Gobi Desert is the occasional withered yellow grass struggling to survive amidst the rubble.

Looking up, the sky was crimson, with light from stars several light-years away leaving only a red spectrum on the unidentified atmosphere above.

Through the scarlet sky, a few brighter stars could be faintly seen.

"This is the wilderness?" Miriel looked up at the sky, her face full of disappointment. "Is that the star? Why is it different from what Mother described?"

Li Zheng asked, "What kind of starry sky did the Queen describe to you?"

“My mother said that the surface of our home planet is not suitable for habitation, and there is only a habitable environment deep in the Great Rift Valley.” Miriel recalled the information the succubus queen had told her, and said, “The area above the Great Rift Valley is shrouded in sandstorms all year round, and only on very few occasions each year when the sandstorms stop can we see a clear starry sky.”

"My mother also said that the starry sky was particularly beautiful, like a piece of luxurious black cloth with luminous pearls sewn on it with needle and thread."

"They hang in the sky, and if you look at them for a long time, you will have the illusion that you can reach out and pluck the stars from the sky."

"But this place looks completely different; it's much worse than I imagined."

Ahead, Mo Li said without turning his head, "You should be content, because as far as I know, the Abyss Clan lives in an environment without sunlight all year round. The genes of the entire clan are not adapted to the infrared and ultraviolet rays contained in sunlight. Once exposed to sunlight, their entire skin will be burned in a very short time."

“Besides the Abyss Clan, I also know of two other races with this flaw: the Blood Clan and the Pain Clan,” Mo Li said. “What these three races have in common is that they originally lived in dark environments and cannot adapt to sunlight.”

Vampires, a race of suffering?
Li Zheng's eyelids twitched when he heard the names of the two races.

Sakura has five of the highest-level genes in her body, including these two races.

However, Sakura was the first to awaken the bloodline of the Blood-Patterned Black Dragon, suppressing the genes of other races, making it almost impossible for her to awaken other genes in the future.

Thinking of this, Li Zheng suddenly remembered his conversation with Rothcal about genes a few days ago.

At the time, Rothcal said that the Overlimit Potion was to graft the genetic information of other races onto the gene map. Because the two genes could not match and fuse, the body of the person who used the potion was transformed into an ugly and bizarre monster.

So……

What kind of situation is Sakura in?
She has a full fifty different genes in her body!

Why do these fifty different genes not interfere with each other, but instead form a very peculiar evolutionary path?

Did the being that created her find the drawbacks of the overlimit drug and successfully improve upon them?
not only that.

Countless genetic creations also exist within the matrix. Who put those genetic creations into the matrix?
Terminal?
Li Zheng, holding Miriel's hand, followed behind Mo Li, his thoughts slowly drifting away.

He also thought of the culture medium used for crops.

The culture medium has a chance to elevate the crop to a different level, making it a different species.

Doesn't this effect seem a little too similar to that of using an over-limit drug on a human?

Moreover, the highest-grade culture medium, like the overlimit agent, will cause crops to proliferate indefinitely, turning them into terrifying forms.

Are the people researching these two things the same group of people?

Li Zheng's heart skipped a beat, and he quickened his pace to walk alongside Mo Li: "You said before that someone took some body samples from you, who was that person?"

The black dragon gene in Sakura's body is suspected to come from Mo Li, and perhaps we can learn the identity of the person who cultivated Sakura from her.

“I don’t remember.” Mo Li frowned and pondered for a moment, then said, “I only remember that someone took some body samples from me, but I don’t remember who that person was, what their name was, what they looked like… I don’t even remember why I agreed to give them to them.”

"Don't you remember?" Li Zheng asked. "Was your memory erased?"

Currently, only the terminal can do this. Could it be that the terminal took it?
“It’s not about erasing memories. If it were, I wouldn’t even remember if this event ever happened.” Mo Li pondered, “It’s more like I voluntarily sealed away part of my memories, but I can’t remember how to unseal them…”

Not memory erasure?

Then it wasn't the terminal that did it.

If the terminal wants to keep things confidential, it will definitely do a more thorough job, instead of leaving a loose end like this.

Li Zheng pondered, "You said you voluntarily sealed your memories, what was your purpose?"

"Who knows?" Mo Li shrugged indifferently. "If you agree to marry the little one to my junior, perhaps I can consider finding a way to unlock the memories and tell you the whole truth."

"Heh." Li Zheng sneered, "Unless Xiaoying agrees herself, you're dreaming!"

"Heh." Mo Li responded with a cold laugh: "She will agree. Even if she doesn't agree, I will make her agree!"

Li Zheng glared coldly... Oh, he didn't have eyebrows: "If you dare to force her, I'll make you fully understand what the word 'regret' really means."

"I don't even consider your strength a threat..."

Before he could finish his disdainful words, Mo Li suddenly felt an immense pressure emanating from Li Zheng, and an urge to prostrate himself in worship arose in his heart. His expression immediately changed, and he changed his words, saying, "Even if I don't resort to force, I have plenty of ways to achieve my goals!"

"We'll see." Li Zheng channeled his spiritual energy into the Dark Realm, enduring the swelling sensation in his body, and said firmly.

He had just mobilized the spiritual power that he had already transferred into his body, but before he could use it directly, the mere pressure generated by the spiritual power alone was enough to frighten Mo Li.

But there was a price to pay for doing so. Li Zheng's back was torn open, because he had used too much mental power. His body could not withstand the pressure brought by the mental power and was torn apart.

"Luckily, I haven't slacked off during my training at the Gravity Research Institute these past few days, otherwise, just that one blow would have blown me to pieces." Li Zheng breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a little happy at the same time.

The unprecedentedly high proportion of mental energy he used this time proves that his idea was correct; the gravity research institute could indeed rapidly enhance his physical strength.

Despite the pain, Li Zheng quietly took out several medications that could accelerate wound healing, put them in his mouth, and swallowed them.

The Blood-Patterned Black Dragon Ancestral Land is very far away; the last time Mo Li traveled there alone, it took him three days to make a round trip.

Li Zheng followed closely behind her.

With their physical abilities, they hardly feel tired unless it's a high-intensity battle.

If you get hungry, just grab something to eat; if you really don't want to walk anymore, just rest for a few hours.

On this day, Li Zheng, who was on his way, saw a high mountain completely shrouded in white mist in front of them. The mountain peak stood thousands of feet high and looked as if it were piercing straight into the scarlet sky.

“That’s the territory of the vampires, and they’re neighbors with my Black Dragon Clan.” Mo Li changed direction and went around the mountain. “They have bad tempers. I advise you not to get too close to them, or it will easily cause trouble.”

Bloodlines.

So that's how close we are to the Black Dragon Clan.

Li Zheng asked, "Are the Painful Clan also nearby?"

(End of this chapter)