Lin Ye stared at the group chat in bewilderment. These people really had guts. Even he did not dare mutate his body recklessly.
Was this what they meant by ignorance was fearless?
Lin Ye did not post the dangers of mutation in the group. He only replied:
Lin Ye: I haven't mutated. It feels pretty dangerous, and I'm a little scared.
The reason he did not publicize the dangers of mutation was that Lin Ye himself only had a partial understanding of it. He would not say much about something he did not understand deeply.
Since the system had allowed them to obtain Mutation Cards, using them had to be part of survival too. That was not something Lin Ye could interfere with.
After eating half a bland Energy Bar, Lin Ye opened the trading interface. He compared the patterns, kept one of each for himself, and listed all his remaining arm and leg Mutation Cards in exchange for cards for other body parts and other items.
Before long, Lin Ye received a private message from Zhang Liang.
Zhang Liang: Hello, Lin.
Lin Ye: What's up?
Zhang Liang: Lin, do you know much about Mutation Cards?
Lin Ye: I know a bit, but not much. I didn't post anything because I was afraid of misleading people.
Zhang Liang: Could you tell me about them?
Lin Ye: Mutation is very dangerous. It's best to wait a little longer.
Zhang Liang: ...That's all?
Lin Ye: Yes.
Zhang Liang: Do you need any of these Mutation Cards?
Zhang Liang sent pictures of several cards.
Lin Ye: I don't have the fourth one yet.
Zhang Liang immediately initiated a trade and gave the card to Lin Ye.
Zhang Liang: Could you tell me a little more?
Lin Ye: Mutation works by having the body absorb energy to strengthen itself, and Mutation Organs are the results of stages in that strengthening process. Mutation needs to be kept below a certain limit, or it will have extremely serious effects on the body and mind.
But that limit is very hard to maintain. It's manageable in the Shelter, but in the Red Maze, breathing and moving will automatically absorb this energy to strengthen your body. That's why I don't recommend using Mutation Cards.
Zhang Liang: So even if we don't use Mutation Cards, we can still mutate our bodies by moving around in the Red Maze?
Lin Ye: No. The energy absorbed through breathing and moving affects the body very slowly. It's nothing compared to using Mutation Cards. What I mean is, if you use a card and then go into the Red Maze, it won't affect you for a short time, but if you keep going, you'll be done for before long.
But since the system let you obtain the cards, that means there will be a way to resolve this situation later. And if you don't use them now, you might die out there anyway. That's why I don't want to say too much. Whether you use them is up to you.
Zhang Liang: Understood. Thank you for explaining.
Lin Ye: No need to thank me. You paid for it.
Zhang Liang: Guild leader, I've finished asking him. He wanted card number 4. Here's the screenshot.
Wu Ming: Thanks for your work. Just as I thought, card number 4 is the rarest. There are only two in the guild.
Zhang Liang: Should we tell the members this information?
Wu Ming: Give them the information according to their ranks. Only tell the core members the part about the Red Maze.
Zhang Liang: Understood.
Wu Ming: Don't use any Mutation Cards yet. The risk is too high. Let me know if you need anything.
Zhang Liang: Yes. Thank you for your concern, guild leader.
In the blink of an eye, evening arrived. Lin Ye had just finished the remaining half of his Energy Bar when he received a system notification:
[Nighttime activity begins] [Tonight's activity: Explore the maze] [Would you like to join?] [09:59]
"Yes."
Lin Ye took only half a minute to put on his equipment. He had already packed everything he needed into his backpack and could leave at any time.
Ten minutes passed quickly. Lin Ye put down the cat and watched the countdown reach zero.
[00:00]
Rubbing his head, Lin Ye got up from the dark red floor. The corridors and rooms around him were still familiar, and there was nothing wrong with his backpack or weapons.
[For the first three days of nighttime activities, treasure chest spawn rates are increased, Tiered Creature spawn rates are decreased, and the quality of treasure chest contents is increased. The first treasure chest each participant opens is guaranteed to contain a Shelter Upgrade Blueprint] [Nighttime activity begins] [01:59:59] [Item obtained: Lucky Cat Tail Amulet] [Lucky Cat Tail Amulet] [Improves the quality of items inside treasure chests] [Note: They say cats have nine lives, so they should have nine tails too, right?]
The Cat Tail Talisman was a cat-tail necklace. Lin Ye put it around his neck and felt a warmth.
At that moment, Lin Ye suddenly remembered that he had previously found a Cross Necklace. However, since there had been no system notification, he did not know what the necklace did.
The Cross Necklace was in his backpack. Not just the Cross Necklace, either-he had brought everything he might need, including Mutation Cards, the red liquid, food, and medicine.
Lin Ye tried putting the Cross Necklace around his neck. In an instant, he felt as though he had returned to that tunnel, once again experiencing the extraordinary senses that only a monster possessed.
"Holy shit!"
Lin Ye hurriedly took off the necklace. Its effects were so powerful that he was afraid it might have side effects. It would be better to study it after returning to the Shelter.
After putting the necklace away, Lin Ye began searching for locked Red Rooms and Blood Corpses. He still needed five Mutation Organs to upgrade the Shelter.
Now that he had bullets, he was not afraid of encountering ordinary Mutated Creatures at all. If they were Blood Corpses like the ones from before, he might not even need to waste any bullets.
During the previous simulation, Lin Ye had learned in detail how to kill Mutated Creatures from a mutated monster's perspective. Mutation Organs were the weak points of Mutated Creatures. Once those organs were destroyed, finishing them off would be easy.
Mutated body parts were generally quite conspicuous and easy to find.
It took Lin Ye only five minutes to come across a locked Red Room.
Including the Red Keys he had traded for, Lin Ye still had seven Red Keys and one Metal Red Key to the Special Room. He did not need to worry about running out for now.
Before unlocking it, Lin Ye knocked on the door as usual. Just as he thought this room would be silent like the previous ones, faint footsteps came from inside.
"An unexpected bonus?"
Lin Ye knocked hard on the door again. This time, distinct roars and the sound of limbs striking the door came from inside.
It sounds like a Blood Corpse. Should I use the handgun? Feels like a waste of bullets.
Those Class-D Personnel who had work to do all knew a few close-combat moves, and Lin Ye had picked up a few himself after the simulation.
After a moment's thought, Lin Ye tucked his handgun somewhere easy to reach, drew his dagger with his right hand, and unlocked the door with his left while stepping back.
Thud!
The Blood Corpse slammed the door open and lunged at Lin Ye like a madman.
Lin Ye sidestepped its lunge and stomped hard on the side of its left knee.
Crack!
Lin Ye's stomp deformed the Blood Corpse's left knee. Before the unbalanced Blood Corpse could react, he plunged his dagger into its flank. That spot was clearly abnormal and was very likely its mutated body part.
Pulling out his dagger, Lin Ye turned and ran. The Blood Corpse limped after him for a while before collapsing to the ground, completely still.
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