Chapter 20: Rock Ice Giant Leader

"As the saying goes, environment changes people."

"That's so true. Humans are incredibly adaptable to their surroundings. Just one day into The Matrix Survival Game, and I've already started relying on the manufacturing function."

Li Zheng was walking along the wall, preparing to see what was beyond the door at the top.

He took the chance to also reflect on why he almost got frozen just now.

"So those success gurus were right."

"Details, details are what determine a person's success or failure."

"Li Zheng, oh Li Zheng, just yesterday you remembered the use of the can, so how did you sink into such a mess today that you almost got frozen to death?"

"Take this as a lesson! From now on, pay more attention to details!"

"Woop woop woop!"

Li Zheng's incessant self-muttering got Sakura's full endorsement, who even chimed in with a couple of sounds.

"Sakura, you also need to remember, details! Although you're a Genetic Beast, this lesson is something both of us have to remember, got it?"

"Woop... snore, snore..."

Li Zheng felt Sakura turn over in his arms, and shortly after, faint snoring could be heard, leaving him speechless.

"..."

Indeed, it's still too early to have this muddlehead listen to some reasoning.

"Seems like the preschool education plan needs to be scheduled."

Li Zheng decided to arrange some lessons for Sakura when he had the time.

"With me helping out, can't say Qinghua, but getting into an ordinary college should definitely do the trick!"

Finally reaching the corner between the ceiling and wall of the room, Li Zheng looked down, the hundreds of meters high caused a momentary dizziness.

"Whoa, this scene, a phobia of heights blessing!"

Li Zheng clicked his tongue in admiration, his eyes catching sight of a large-sized giant in the center of the Rock Ice Giants' group.

Through the Rock Ice Giants' special blue semi-transparent bodies, Li Zheng vaguely saw a dazzling red gleam on the giant's body.

However, it was too far away to discern what it was.

"Indicator light? Or heart?"

Li Zheng scanned the other giants without finding anything similar.

"Could it be special material only produced by Elite Level Rock Ice Giants?"

It could be, or maybe it's not.

"Forget it, anyhow, I still need to go down and confirm the last door, if there's no danger, I can go take a look."

Li Zheng withdrew his gaze, looking towards the center of the ceiling.

[Distance too far, unable to detect.]

"The distance is still not enough, let's get a bit closer."

Li Zheng shifted gravity, landing on the ceiling.

As the distance between Li Zheng and the door shortened, the detector finally responded.

[Danger (orange-red), biological.]

"The fourth dangerous door, the previous three were all red, this one is better, it's an orange-red."

This indicates that with Li Zheng's current strength, there's still a chance to clear that room.

"No rush, let's go check it out first."

Returning the way he came, after landing Li Zheng dodged the gathered Rock Ice Giants, heading directly towards the flash he observed earlier.

With twists and turns, Li Zheng looked at a line of unconscious, motionless Rock Ice Giants around him, pondering something sneaky.

"In such a state, can these giants be decomposed?"

Thinking about it, he decided to try.

Li Zheng paused, reaching out to touch the nearest giant, mentally chanting to decompose.

[Unable to decompose living targets.]

"As expected."

Li Zheng didn't mind, if decomposition did succeed, he'd find it unreasonable.

If the decomposition function could directly be used on living beings, then The Matrix Survival Game might as well be renamed "See Who Can Eat More Without Getting Stuffed Game."

Li Zheng turned around and continued on, the glowing red giant was much taller than the other Rock Ice Giants, just looking up he could see it.

With more twists, the large giant finally appeared before him.

Upon approaching, Li Zheng realized this giant was not only taller, but also much larger in size, roughly the equivalent size of two regular giants stacked together.

Like the regularly sized Rock Ice Giants, its whole body was semi-transparent blue, only the hue was purer, resembling a massive sapphire.

Encircling the large giant, the ground had a light blue halo of about sixty meters radius, which due to the large giant's unconscious state, the halo was dimmed.

[Rock Ice Giant Leader.]

Li Zheng glanced at the detector and saw there was only one name, no other information at all.

Even the Gold Level detector couldn't gather information on it!

"Oh wow! Did I encounter a BOSS?"

Li Zheng whispered to himself and subconsciously lightened his steps, afraid that the sound of his footsteps would wake the BOSS, moving with caution.

"Red light... over there!"

Li Zheng looked up and immediately saw a strange little red flower growing at the knee of the rock ice giant leader.

Although it was a small flower, that was relative to the size of the rock ice giant leader.

In actuality, the flower along with its stem and leaves was merely as large as a "sweat hair" of the giant, yet it was as big as Li Zheng's entire arm.

The flower bud was even as large as Li Zheng's head!

The flower wasn't very high off the ground, only about ten meters, within the working range of the detector.

[Rock Ice Ruo Fire, Platinum Level.

A unique parasitic plant growing on the body of the rock ice giant leader, possessing both fire and ice attributes.

After consumption, there is a probability to develop a dual gene, with a high probability to develop a single gene.

Note: There is a small chance of causing harm to the consumer.

Warning: Pulling out the Rock Ice Ruo Fire will awaken the rock ice giant leader!]

"Pla... Platinum Level special item!"

Li Zheng's eyes widened, nearly losing his voice.

In these times when even Gold Level items might become extinct, a Platinum Level item held immeasurable value.

Moreover, this was an item that could develop an alien gene, which means it could provide skills to players!

Even more so, unlike the Flame Flower.

The Rock Ice Ruo Fire has a chance to develop a dual alien gene at once!

This made the value of Rock Ice Ruo Fire double!

"I must find a way to snag it!"

Li Zheng made a quick decision; even if it meant waking the rock ice giant leader, he was determined to get the Rock Ice Ruo Fire!

If successful, he'll have loads of pros.

If failed, he'll just reincarnate.

That's the worst that could happen!

"But before that, I must make thorough preparations!"

After all, it's a Matrix creature capable of producing a Platinum Level item. Li Zheng guessed its level surely wouldn't be below Platinum Level, and its strength would be beyond his imagination.

If he really let temptation cloud his judgment, it would be no different than looking for death.

Looking around, Li Zheng spotted the last metal door not far away and immediately had an idea.

The detector's result for the last door was "empty."

This meant that the room behind the door had no resources at all, essentially worthless.

In normal circumstances, Li Zheng would never choose this place knowing it was an empty room.

But for the Platinum Level Rock Ice Ruo Fire, merely wasting a single exploration was worth it, wouldn't you say?

He swiped his card, and as the door opened, Li Zheng took out Xiao Ying from his pocket.

Before the little guy could react, he wrapped it in fiber and pushed it through the light curtain.

Subsequently, Li Zheng opened the trading hall. The water he had put up for sale in the morning was completely sold out, and he had gained an additional 80g of B25 grade manganese steel.

Ironically, what Li Zheng needed now was also water.

"Damn it! This is the second day, and why are there so few traders in water resources?"

Li Zheng patiently flipped through for a long time but found only a few selling water.

Even the few players posting water resources had absurdly high prices.

"Fifty milliliters of water for a Silver Level blueprint?"

"One hundred milliliters of water for any item developing an alien gene?"

"Ten milliliters of water for one meal that fills the stomach?"

"Why don't you all just go to hell?"

Li Zheng swore loudly, cursing these corrupt merchants whose prices were even more outrageous than his own.

Looking again, he recognized two seller names.

Kato Junwa, William Houston.

"..."

Li Zheng had no temper left.

What else could he say?

He could only curse them to be eaten by genetic beasts in the next room.

"Looks like this is all I can do."

Li Zheng was out of options. He opened the world channel: "[Snake Grass Needle] Bronze Level Poison Needle, can also be used as special ammunition, toxic enough to instantly kill Black Iron Level Genetic Beasts, can cause significant damage to Bronze Level Genetic Beasts. Only trading for water, both clean water and sewage, bring the quantity to private chat! [Photo of Snake Grass Needle's attributes]"

After consuming today's horn, Li Zheng adjusted the private message keyword to "water," then opened permissions to strangers.

World Channel: 1155247 William Houston: "Everyone, don't trade with this despicable and shameless Oriental. Yesterday I bought a water purifier from him, only to find it had a stink of urine."