Chapter 394: Chapter 336: Breaking the Rules
"The Number Thirty Mutant hasn’t been removed yet, which means the activity has now officially entered the Extraordinary Level of difficulty." Li Zheng didn’t rush to explore or challenge the mutant immediately. Instead, he found a clean corner to sit in and plan his next moves.
For Extraordinary Tier creatures, with the strength of Li Zheng’s squad, even though Phoenix Mountain has seen some improvement and Xiao Ying would have an additional ability, the chances of victory are not high.
If they were to forcibly challenge, they might instead end up in a dangerous situation, causing significant losses to the team.
"The safest method is to wait for that Extraordinary Level Treasure Chest to appear tomorrow, and see if it grants a finished item to boost our strength."
If fortune strikes, and there’s a critical hit from the chest, winning this event would be a sure thing.
Li Zheng rested his chin on his right hand, pondering: "We can’t place all our hopes on the treasure chest. If only blueprints and materials come out of it, with no significant short-term boost to strength, it’s all in vain."
So...
"Before tonight, we’ll wait for news of Ma Long’s kill, and regardless of whether they can kill the Number Thirty Mutant, we’ll go in and probe."
Based on Zhan Zhouzhou’s description, Li Zheng could tell that Ma Long Squad’s strength was only slightly weaker than theirs.
However, the other side had all of Kunlun as backup, with their full strength and a more diverse range of items, which compensated for the gap in strength between them.
"Moreover, there are some hidden rats in the dark that we can’t ignore. Who wouldn’t be tempted by an Extraordinary Level item?" A flash of darkness passed in Li Zheng’s eyes.
The event had been going on for two days, and from start to finish, it was only them competing against Kunlun. Is this normal?
Even a fool could see that this is abnormal.
With such a large player base, to say there are no hidden exceptional bosses inside, you’d have to kill Li Zheng to make him believe it.
Put bluntly, killing people is much simpler than killing mutants.
By merging Identity Cards, you are guaranteed to obtain the three highest quality items.
"Some things, thinking about them now is premature. It’s better to first arrange today’s schedule." Li Zheng glanced at the remaining exploration chances; he could still explore five rooms.
For these five attempts, Li Zheng planned to save them, first using up the ten chances from the Mysterious Declaration.
The ten exploration opportunities from the Mysterious Declaration, whether they have limitations or a degree of randomness, are the same whether used first or last.
Taking out the Mysterious Declaration and turning off the lighting function, Li Zheng called back Xiao Ying to head towards several metal doors together.
Turning off the lighting wasn’t because it had any disadvantages, but rather... Li Zheng felt that walking in broad daylight with a lamp was a bit foolish, so turning off the lighting allowed him to self-deceive a little.
As Li Zheng anticipated, he seemed to have reached the critical point where exploration difficulty increased. The doors he explored this time, except for one still leading to Yuanfei Yuluo’s location, were all much more difficult than the previous day.
Previously, they were genuine Silver level in difficulty, but now they’ve risen to Platinum and Diamond, without even encountering Gold Level.
"One Diamond, two Platinums, and one environmental room." Li Zheng stood in front of a room with an indicated temperature of a thousand degrees Celsius: "Such high temperatures, is it a crematorium? Wouldn’t an ordinary person die immediately upon entering?"
Unless there’s a pure low-temperature genetic ability as an auxiliary measure, entering would ensure you wouldn’t come out alive, turning everyone into Xiao Zhan — charred.
However, high risk also brings high rewards, and this high-temperature room is no exception. Lao Pu detected that a Diamond Level special crop was growing inside.
If nothing unexpected happens, this should be a Fire Element crop that can be used to develop a Fire Gene Ability.
"The success rate for Diamond Level is already very high, and the chance of triggering side effects can practically be ignored. Obtaining this crop is equivalent to gaining another Diamond Level Fire Gene Ability!" Li Zheng licked his lips and swiped his card at the door.
Li Zheng had so many Flame Branch Seeds in stock that he could throw them away as toys. Once he successfully develops the Fire Ability, he’s confident he can level it to Full Level within three days!
A Full Level Diamond ability is not weaker than an unupgraded Extraordinary Ability. If luck favors him and he develops a type with good compatibility, it could even surpass the Extraordinary threshold, useful for his subsequent challenges against mutants.
Extreme Isolation! ×3
Applying a layer of ability to himself and Xiao Ying, Li Zheng stepped into the light curtain.
This was a room composed of flames. Apart from flames, all he could see were flames, with nothing else visible except the metal door and the platform before it.
The platform in front of the door emitted a faint light, only allowing Li Zheng and Xiao Ying to stand. The omnipresent flames seemed to be blocked by something, circumventing the edges of the faint light.
"Safe zone..." Li Zheng had a thought, releasing a part of his disguise at his little finger to test it. Under the protection of the faint light, the temperature on the platform was only a bit over sixty degrees, still within his tolerable range.
Sixty-some degrees, already the temperature for crafting low-temperature cured cuisine, akin to standing inside a low-temperature oven for a normal person.
If a player with weaker physique than Li Zheng entered here, and hadn’t figured out a way to leave before being slow-roasted by the low temperature...
Then sorry, game over!
The more dangerous the room, the more leniency the Terminal gives players, strongly encouraging them to continue surviving.
But the Terminal would occasionally eliminate some lower-tier players, making Li Zheng feel the Matrix Terminal was very twisted.
[The alluring flower, as passionate as fire, urges you to own it, even consume it, allowing it to become one with you.
But never forget, the more beautiful something is, the more dangerous it is.
Just like women, the more beautiful the woman, the more deceitful.
Uh...
You’re a straight man, you don’t even have the value to be deceived, so go, boldly own it! Eat it! Then...
Let it out.]
Li Zheng surveyed the area, finally getting a hint from Lao Pu when facing right forward.
However, the hint text was...
"So clichéd, learn more in the future from Gotham City’s Riddler." Li Zheng muttered a complaint, carried the lamp, and led Xiao Ying into the flames.
Even though he was fully covered by Extreme Isolation, and no matter how high the temperature, it wouldn’t affect Li Zheng in the slightest.
But upon stepping into the Flame Realm, he still felt a ’hot and stuffy’ illusion.
"Such dry air, staying too long might cause inflammation." Li Zheng swallowed and quickened his pace.
There wasn’t a trace of moisture in the Flame Realm, making Li Zheng even doubt whether Ice Attachment could be used here.
Curiosity prompted him to give it a try.
It worked, but the Genetic Force drained as if a water pump was installed, quickly depleting by nearly half.
He hastily dispersed the blue chill gathered across his body, letting it all be swept, licked, and consumed by the flames.
"It seems this environment tests both the player’s multi-faceted methods and whether their Genetic Force is ample."
Even Li Zheng felt challenged to endure it, making it a life-or-death scenario for ordinary players venturing here.
Soon enough, following Lao Pu’s hints, Li Zheng located the Diamond Level special crop.
It was a stem-leaf plant, twenty centimeters high, entirely scarlet like flames, with only one child-sized leaf, its surface dotted with golden star-shaped spots, like traces of fireworks blooming.
"Blast Flame Grass, consuming it produces a bursting effect within the body; those with inadequate toughness should eat cautiously."
Li Zheng’s expression drooped, why wasn’t this following the script?