"In any case, the Outer City looks much safer than inside the Matrix on the surface, but in reality, the danger is hidden where you can't see it."
Li Zheng reminded the group, "The Overlimit Level Genetic Potions have already been banned by the Terminal. I'm not sure if there are any left in the Wilderness, but they're basically nonexistent in the Outer City market.
However, we can't let our guard down because of that. After all, the future of technological developnt is incredibly unpredictable. Who knows what sort of bizarre Overlimit things might appear in the future.
That's sothing we can't be certain of.
Since you're also involved in scientific research, you should understand this better than I do."
Chu Xiao and the Ye siblings exchanged a glance, then smiled at Li Zheng and said, "There's a saying that after a few days, one should view a gentleman with fresh eyes. We haven't seen each other for a few months, and you're still the sa, worrying about everyone else."
Ye Kai said, "We're all adults; at least we can distinguish things, don't worry."
Li Zheng gave him a deep look, "I hope so."
At this point, Phoenix Mountain, looking a bit uneasy, spoke up, "Um... cough... can I talk to you privately for a mont?"
Li Zheng was slightly startled but then gave a knowing smile, "You say it nicely, but in the end, you still can't let it go."
He could guess what Phoenix Mountain wanted to ask, no more than the progress of cloning Yan Guang.
Previously, when Li Zheng returned to the Outer City from the Matrix, Phoenix Mountain sent him a private ssage, asking him not to bring up Yan Guang with Phoenix Mountain actively. Even if it failed, he shouldn't tell him.
At the ti, Li Zheng thought Phoenix Mountain wanted to use self-deception to support himself in having a decent life.
Now it seems, he's soone who loves deeply; once he accepted Yan Guang, he was extrely loyal to the relationship.
"If there's anything you want to know, you can ask the professor and Mirel. I'll go have a chat with Phoenix Mountain over there." Li Zheng arranged things for Ye Kai and the others before taking Phoenix Mountain out of the Gravity Room.
Phoenix Mountain followed behind Li Zheng, keeping pace, with a particularly complex expression on his face.
There was worry, panic, expectation, and longing.
"Don't worry, the progress is quite smooth currently. Yan Guang is luckier than others; the Terminal found enough active cells in her body." Li Zheng spoke first, reassuring Phoenix Mountain, and then continued, "Even so, you still have to be prepared for the worst. The clone of Yan Guang might not have her previous mories, and whether you two can continue together depends on your own efforts."
"I... I understand." Phoenix Mountain, upon hearing the successful cloning of Yan Guang, couldn't suppress the excitent in his heart, his voice slightly choked, "Thank you, Old Li, really, thank you... I owe you too much. I don't know how to repay you."
"Haha." Li Zheng chuckled lightly, "Even without Yan Guang, you owe quite a bit, don't you?"
He hadn't forgotten how Phoenix Mountain used to shalessly incur debts with him, and so things hadn't been settled yet.
"Cough..." Phoenix Mountain, reminded of this, felt his excitent fade, replaced by embarrassnt, "Owing one favor is owing, owing a hundred is still owing. Anyway, I'll follow your lead in the future. Whatever you say, I'll do, no questions asked!"
"Really?" Li Zheng raised an eyebrow, "You better not regret it."
Phoenix Mountain felt a bad premonition stirring inside him, discreetly covering his backside with his hands, "As long as it doesn't involve that!"
"Ugh!" Li Zheng said distastefully, "Don't sicken . My Mirel is a stunning beauty, isn't she much more pleasant to look at than you?"
"Hehehe..." Phoenix Mountain scratched his head, "So, is there sothing you need to do?"
"We'll talk about this later." Li Zheng switched topics, "Since I left last ti, has Nihong Country been behaving these past two months?"
"Behaving! They've been extrely well-behaved!" Phoenix Mountain said solemnly, "So much so that it's a bit abnormal! Ever since your last slaughter, the people of Nihong Country have collectively fallen silent, not saying a word on the world channel, which is obviously not normal!"
"Indeed." Li Zheng nodded, feeling remorseful, "I used to have a soft heart, thinking I shouldn't paint everyone with the sa brush in that country, which led to Zhang Yue and them falling victim."
Originally, Li Zheng wanted to clone the others too, but found out that aside from Yan Guang's body, which Phoenix Mountain had taken care of, the bodies of others were scattered across the Matrix due to the inability to locate deceased targets. Even if Li Zheng went to find them one by one, the best ti to extract the active cells would have been missed.
"Zhang Yue?" Phoenix Mountain sighed, "I rember that girl. Xiao Chun had a good relationship with her. After she died, Xiao Chun often ntioned her."
"Xiao Chun?" Li Zheng recalled the well-behaved girl and asked, "How is she now? Did she manage to enter the Outer City this ti?"
"No." Phoenix Mountain said, "But she's close. The spider she raised has been cultivated to the King Level limit and can't grow further. With her ability to nurture Little Spider, she just needs to tough it out a bit longer to gain so contributions, and she should be able to enter the Outer City."
This is easy to handle, just send it to the Genetic Research Institute and use Genetic Chirism for further optimization and transformation.
However, Little Spider's foundation is relatively poor, so the potential for future enhancent might not be high.
"As long as she's fine." Li Zheng nodded and said, "The complete silence from Nihong Country is too abnormal. I suspect they might be harboring sothing sinister inside. If you have nothing major to do, go watch over District Four. Killing isn't allowed openly in the Outer City, but District Four is my territory. I can contact the Terminal to give you a backdoor, just keep it discreet."
"No problem. Oh, right." Phoenix Mountain rembered sothing, "Misaka Tsuchiemon's sister keeps asking about you. I didn't pay much attention, but I feel she's quite... um... how should I say? Quite concerned about you."
"Huh???" Li Zheng was taken aback, "Why is she concerned about ? I don't even know her well."
"I don't know. I just thought of it suddenly and am telling you." Phoenix Mountain shrugged, "If there's nothing else, I'll head back to watch over District Four. Do you have any money? Can you give so funds? I borrowed travel expenses from Lu Li when I ca. You probably don't know, Lu Li's ntal issue has been cured, and now he's damn reliable. I was a bit unused to it when I first saw him."
"His illness, I cured it." Li Zheng looked exasperated and took out an Inscription Card, transferring two hundred Red Crystal Coins to Phoenix Mountain, and advised, "Don't squander it. If I find out you're being extravagant, don't think of borrowing anything from again!"
"Okay, it's just that I've just arrived in the Outer City and can't turn around for now?" Phoenix Mountain said nonchalantly, "I heard you can earn these things in Sin Domain. I'll get so to pay you back later. Oh, before I leave, let ask you, are you really not considering giving the thod to coagulate that Node?"
Li Zheng said disdainfully, "Why do you have such poor character? Zhan Zhouzhou learned how to coagulate a Spiritual Power Node from Lu Li and them, but they only won't teach you?"
Phoenix Mountain exclaid, "Who said they wouldn't teach ? I just didn't learn it!"
Li Zheng sneered, "Not learning it is excusable?"
"Excusable or not," Phoenix Mountain said confidently, "At least it proves I have good character!"
Li Zheng continued to look down on him, "Good character but always borrowing money and running up debts?"
Phoenix Mountain raised his head, "If my character were really bad, would you lend it to ?"
"…" Li Zheng listened to this, remained silent for a few seconds, and nodded, "You have a point, maybe I was indeed blind in the past."
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