CHAPTER 353: CHAPTER 296

The only pity is that this type of "grass" crop seems to lack hints for seed production, and it’s unknown if mature Ice Grass can be cultivated into mutant varieties.

Li Zheng drew his sheathed sword and easily dismantled the ordinary cultivation dish in the room.

This time, he was very careful with the disassembly, finally avoiding damage to the power core, resulting in a high decomposition recovery rate.

After ensuring nothing was left behind, Li Zheng patted his backside and left the scene, leaving some chaos in his wake.

What followed is not worth mentioning: looting some resource rooms, food rooms, killing a few Gold Level creatures, breaching a trap room, and acquiring a Blood Qi enhancement item.

The Blood Qi enhancement item is for red-named players only; Li Zheng destroyed it immediately upon acquisition, not bothering to trade it, sparing himself the trouble.

While he was calmly exploring, Misaka Tsuchiemon returned to Channel 67, handing over half of the traded goods.

He embezzled the remaining half to nurture his trusted subordinates.

"Misaka-kun, well done this time. With this batch of flying devices, tomorrow’s activities in the High Celestial Plain are bound to earn us some points."

In the group chat belonging to the High Celestial Plain organization on Channel 67, someone mentioned Misaka, first praising him, then asking: "Did you gather any intelligence on mutants while trading with Li Zheng?"

"No," Misaka Tsuchiemon replied honestly, "Li Zheng indeed has some skills. I initially planned to suppress him by force and extract information, but I was almost countered. If not for my experience living in the Dragon Country, which allowed me to learn fluent Chinese, I would be a corpse right now."

"Are there such experts in the Dragon Country?" a player named Yagyu Sword Soul said, "Could it be that junior brother relaxed his training, leading to incompetence and thus was defeated by Li Zheng?"

The highly chunnibyou name Yagyu Sword Soul was one he later adopted himself.

Originally named Yagyu Shichibei, the seventh son of the head of the Yagyu Sword Dojo, he ranked among the top ten of the new generation in the dojo.

However, due to his frivolous nature and fondness for women, his reputation suffered.

He had a poor reputation in the Yagyu Sword Dojo and was once punished by his own father, hitting ten wooden swords to break, for harassing a female student.

The harassed female student was named Yuanfei Yuluo.

"Why doesn’t seventh senior brother try to test Li Zheng’s skills himself?" Misaka Tsuchiemon coldly replied, "Don’t blame me for not warning in advance, Li Zheng’s strength is unfathomable. Even when I sparred with him, he didn’t use his full strength."

Although most people from the Yagyu Sword Dojo joined High Celestial Plain, apart from Misaka Tsuchiemon who, due to his father, achieved a middle-management position, others didn’t rank high and were at best considered "heroes," which means high-ranking enforcers, with better treatment than ordinary members.

Of course, some are not content with the status quo.

Including Misaka Tsuchiemon himself, who is also not satisfied with just being a mid-level manager, so he cultivated a few confidants in secret, waiting for a day to establish himself independently.

"Don’t think I won’t dare." Yagyu Sword Soul clamored in the group, "Once I level my abilities to full, I’ll go take Li Zheng’s head!"

"Heh, then I wish you luck in advance," Misaka Tsuchiemon sneered continuously, knowing that Yagyu Sword Soul was just bluffing. Before Li Zheng’s strength was made clear, anyone might be impulsive, except for Yagyu Sword Soul.

Otherwise, why would he bully a female student who seemed to have no backing?

Unwilling to bicker aimlessly with Yagyu Sword Soul, Misaka Tsuchiemon busied himself, arranging for his confidants to quickly adapt to the flying devices, and planting various crops in the cultivation dishes he withheld.

What Misaka Tsuchiemon didn’t know was that the High Celestial Plain acquired those flying devices from Li Zheng for more than just participation in events.

When Li Zheng advertised for auctions, with flying devices among the items, almost all players unaware of Li Zheng were convinced they saw through his strategy of dominating the playfield.

Isn’t it just relying on flight equipment to suppress opponents?

If they had similar equipment, surely they could achieve what Li Zheng did!

Most players, unable to access advanced martial arts techniques, can only use firearms and thus have no idea how terrifying high-level close combat mastery can be.

Another private group chat within High Celestial Plain was having intense discussions, unbeknownst to Misaka Tsuchiemon who wasn’t qualified to participate.

...

"Tch, having one more person in the channel is really annoying!" Li Zheng grumbled, looking at the metal door indicating the presence of another player, feeling an urge to bite something to relieve his frustration.

The mechanism of the Mysterious Declaration is that as long as there is another player in the channel, nine out of ten exploration opportunities will definitely connect to another player’s room.

If there are no other players, then the ten exploration opportunities are no different from the daily refreshed normal explorations.

In other words... the presence of Yuanfei Yuluo occupied nine of Li Zheng’s exploration room shares.

To avoid missing high-value rooms, Li Zheng had to scan each metal door every time, leading to repeatedly seeing the same prompt.

"What on earth is Misaka Tsuchiemon up to?" Li Zheng turned to walk in another direction, pondering the motive behind leaving Yuanfei Yuluo in Channel 995.

If Misaka Tsuchiemon despised Yuanfei Yuluo, why not just seize an opportunity to eliminate her?

Why bother going to great lengths to lure her into such an isolated channel?

To let her fend for herself?

Impossible.

Even if Yuanfei Yuluo lost her Swordsmanship Specialization, she still had Dark Weapon Mastery as an ability, allowing for self-preservation.

"Huh?" Li Zheng paused in his steps; Misaka Tsuchiemon sent him a private message? Not just after they had finished trading?

Could he want to buy something again?

Li Zheng had agreed to trade with Misaka Tsuchiemon earlier due to being interested in his Swordsmanship Specialization; otherwise, he wouldn’t have even given him the time of day.

Now, without the Memory Release Device, Li Zheng was disinclined to engage in private trading requests before the auction began.

He almost instinctively wanted to blacklist him but glanced at the message: If possible, please protect my sister, and I will gratefully reward you afterward!

"???" Li Zheng was confused, thinking, do I look like someone easy to talk to?

Are you a Mud Furnace idiot?

Asking your sworn enemy to protect your sister?

Are you out of your mind?

Li Zheng typed a reply: "You want me to be a bodyguard?"

"I wouldn’t dare." Misaka Tsuchiemon assumed a very humble stance, "Just hoping that in a critical moment, Mr. Li would be willing to put aside past grievances and lend a hand. I will certainly provide a satisfactory reward afterward."

This kid...

Li Zheng looked at Misaka Tsuchiemon’s private message, one hand supporting his chin, deep in thought.

Looking at this situation, Misaka Tsuchiemon must be planning something significant.

This matter could potentially impact Yuanfei Yuluo’s safety, so while trading with him, he took the opportunity to lure Yuanfei Yuluo into Channel 995 to ensure she left her original channel?