Matrix Survival: I Get A Random Chest Every Day

"Such a tsundere!"

Li Zheng scoffed at a certain detection master, ignoring the odd question at the end, and tried pressing the protruding button above the radar.

"Gurgle."

A strange sound effect, a strange sensation, as the radar map screen lit up. The main color was blue, outlined with white lines forming a 5X5X5 grid, with a stick figure at the center representing Li Zheng’s current position.

"Gurgle."

Li Zheng pressed the button again, the map enlarged. Dragging the screen, Li Zheng saw that each grid was marked with symbols.

"Judging by the direction, the previous room was marked with a monster icon. The monster has been killed, yet there’s no refreshed information, proving that this map isn’t real-time."

"In the prior room, there are two icons, one is... is that a Transformer? It should represent an intelligent humanoid, and the other is a money bag, indicating a shop is here?"

"So, Luo Aiman’s shady shop indeed exists within a certain room, yet is independent from it, costing an exploration opportunity each time you enter or exit?"

"Hmm?"

As Li Zheng looked at the map, an idea suddenly struck him. He quickly opened the private chat page to find Phoenix Mountain: "Are you still in the previous room?"

Phoenix Mountain replied swiftly: "Waiting for Genetic Force recovery, haven’t moved, what’s up?"

"Good that you haven’t left."

Li Zheng sighed in relief, then explained Luo Aiman’s shop location and trading conditions to him, adding, "Though it may waste three of your exploration chances, if we handle it well, we can definitely score some rare materials from Luo Aiman, like Valok’s Eye, or potentially make a huge profit!"

Whether you profit is relative.

Exchanging overflow-value items for specific ones, Luo Aiman definitely profits from the margin.

However, for players like Li Zheng, each day’s exploration carries many uncertainties, unsure if they’ll find desired materials. Gaining urgently needed things from Luo Aiman counts as profit.

In other words, a win-win.

Phoenix Mountain sat in his capsule dwelling, somewhat hesitant: "But all I have are materials from a recently decomposed Silver Level great wolf, how to trade with that?"

"No worries!"

Li Zheng messaged him: "I’ll first send you some Black Iron Level materials and a Bronze Level material list, help me exchange for items on the list.

I’ll handle the rest."

"OK!"

Phoenix Mountain briefly replied, promptly overwhelmed by trade notifications from the trading hall.

This is way too much!

No matter how Phoenix Mountain reacted, Li Zheng quickly listed all materials, then found Zhan Zhouzhou’s icon, sending a message: "Available? How about a trade? [Ion Light Saber]"

The recipient seemed busy, taking a while to respond.

Very briefly, "Speak."

"I need a batch of minimum Bronze Level materials..."

Li Zheng summarized the trade with Luo Aiman and concluded, "I realize this request is a bit much, so I’ll gift you this Silver Level Light Saber as part of this trade, with some additional rewards later."

With Phoenix Mountain sending over a picture of the attributes of the Malice Detection Pocket Watch, Li Zheng forwarded it.

Zhan Zhouzhou considered it, finally responding: "Deal."

Subsequently, Li Zheng also received several targeted trade notifications.

Items varied greatly, mostly Bronze Level basic materials, some decomposed biological bone, flesh, and shell materials, and some Silver Level material items.

As promised, Li Zheng promptly listed the Light Saber, not yet warmed, for trade.

"Not enough yet!"

Transferring all received items to Phoenix Mountain, Li Zheng gritted his teeth, opened the regional channel, "Trading [Malice Detection Pocket Watch attribute photo] for a bulk of Bronze basic materials, first-come, first-served, priority for bulk quantities! As a down payment, all participating players will receive at least ten [Snake Grass Needles] each."

The value of the Malice Detection Pocket Watch needed no elaboration; any rational player could see it.

Li Zheng’s post ignited a frenzy, hotter than any previous major trade.

The entire 0000879 channel boiled over, nearly all players signed up, even those currently exploring, busy to check regional chats, were tagged by friends.

With trusted players in the channel like Li Zheng and Phoenix Mountain vouching, others had no worries of being scammed and eagerly brought out their treasured items to trade with Li Zheng.

Li Zheng meticulously recorded the overall value of traded items, and issued varying quantities of Snake Grass Needles.

Once all trades concluded, Li Zheng’s Snake Grass Needle stock significantly shrank, leaving about nine thousand.

Cumulatively leveraging surviving players in the channel, the amassed resource volume is undeniably staggering.

Phoenix Mountain’s capsule dwelling burst at the seams, unable to contain any more items, with nearly a hundred pages of trade listings in the trading hall, contributed by channel players.

Through days of exploration, the currently surviving players had some reserves.

Especially post-novice phase, a portion of freeloaders merely relying on capsule dwellings were filtered out, leaving behind some competent players.

They might not have much of a single material, like blood or Power Cores, holding onto them for future Gene Potion trades with Li Zheng.

However, decomposing creatures yields more than just blood material; there’s flesh, bone, shell, venomous stingers, antlers, and other assorted items.

Combined, these materials reach an astonishing quantity.

Moreover, there are vast quantities of basic materials like B25 level Manganese Steel.

Phoenix Mountain stood outside his capsule dwelling, unable to return home, engulfed in a questioning of life’s reality.

These players... are they all crazy?

Aren’t they afraid he and Li Zheng might con them all?

Honestly, it wasn’t just Phoenix Mountain; even Li Zheng, orchestrating the trade, didn’t anticipate involving almost the entire channel.

Within The Matrix, what’s most lacking?

Weapons?

Resources?

Rare items?

No!

It’s a sense of security!

The greatest threat is the unknown of the next exploration room!

And the Malice Detection Pocket Watch offers players exactly that—a sense of security!

To gain this sliver of "security," players are willing to offer much more.

Phoenix Mountain packed up his capsule dwelling, not waiting for his Genetic Force recovery, set out as per Li Zheng’s instructions to Luo Aiman’s shady shop.

On the other side, Li Zheng was equally tense.

"Little Phoenix, don’t let me down!"

Though they only met once, Li Zheng dared entrust him with a crucial task, a definite high-stakes gamble.

If the gamble fails, Phoenix Mountain could flee after the trade with Luo Aiman.

Li Zheng’s reputation would plummet within the entire channel and even in The Matrix Survival Game, becoming a despised figure.

But if the gamble succeeded, Li Zheng’s prestige within the channel would soar to its peak,

and the 0000879 channel, with everyone owning a Malice Detection Pocket Watch, in time, would surely become an unbeatable channel!