Matrix Survival: I Get A Random Chest Every Day-Chapter 739 - 517: The Disappointing Outer City_2

Perhaps it's just about taking a roundabout way to do some dirty work, with superficial peace.

"Of course, there's someone in charge, that's what the Law Enforcement Team is for."

For some reason, when Li Zheng heard Yakumo mention the Law Enforcement Team, he didn't sense much respect.

It seemed… there was even a hint of disdain.

"See that guy with the armband?"

Yakumo tilted her head a bit, and Li Zheng looked in that direction. It was a bug-like creature with six arms, one of which had a piece of black cloth tied around the chitinous shell, embroidered with an abstract pattern of a crossed longsword and handgun.

"That's the Law Enforcement Team?"

Li Zheng squinted his eyes because the bug was lazily leaning against a shop outside, not paying any attention to the pedestrians on the road.

Yakumo nodded slightly, "Can you expect this bunch of good-for-nothings to be diligent? But they're not entirely idle; if a Basic Level or higher fight breaks out in the Outer City, they'll be willing to do something.

It's not because they want to fulfill their duty as the Law Enforcement Team, but because the troublemakers usually have good stuff on them, allowing them to use public power for personal gain, seize them by force, and enrich themselves."

"So you're saying they generally don't care about disturbances under the Basic Level because there's no profit?" Li Zheng couldn't believe it. For those with Basic Level abilities, there's almost no way to survive in the Outer City?

"Not necessarily." Yakumo's tone turned complex as she continued, "Every so often, the terminal conducts assessments for those of us in public office. If they fail, their positions will be cut."

"So there might be periodic chaos in the Outer City, with enforcement tightening near assessment periods, and then a brief carnival after the assessments end?" Li Zheng understood the implication.

"If you want to avoid the 'carnival,' just find a building and stay inside during that time," Yakumo said. "According to Outer City rules, no illegal activities are allowed inside buildings, except for special venues. If someone provokes you, you must endure it. If you strike first, you're done for."

"What do you mean by special venues...?" Li Zheng, curious as ever, was eager to learn everything about the Outer City.

"Many."

Yakumo introduced, "For example, places like underground fight clubs, casinos, smoke shops, brothels, and the like. These places are special; hence, it's hard to guarantee they won't be dangerous.

After all… fighters brawling, gamblers berserk from losing, addicts in withdrawal, clients caught in jealousy, these are all unstable factors. To avoid them, it's best not to go there."

"So that's what those places are..."

For a moment, Li Zheng almost felt like he was back on Earth. Damn, isn't this gambling, drugs, and prostitution just like on Earth?

The so-called smoke shops are likely places selling drugs, these things that erode people's will, and the terminal doesn't care?

Hmm...

Maybe the terminal wants to but can't do anything about it. Daring to touch such things must involve some terrifying forces behind them.

For someone from Earth like Li Zheng, it's hard to imagine such businesses being considered 'legal' in the Outer City when each would be a serious crime on Earth.

It was simply shocking his worldviews!

Li Zheng knew with his current abilities, he couldn't possibly tangle with those giants.

However, upon hearing of these things that harm others, he already had the notion of eradicating these tumors.

Punishing evil and restoring righteousness, returning a clear sky to the Outer City, it's a duty we cannot shirk!

"You wouldn't be thinking of opposing certain forces, would you?"

Yakumo seemed to see through his thoughts without looking back, hitting the nail on the head, and she chuckled lightly: "I advise you to drop that notion. I've seen many who were righteous, but they either died premature deaths or went along with the corrupt system."

"I won't, at least I won't join the corrupt system!" Li Zheng curbed his expression: "What do you old players think about this?"

"Us?"

Yakumo paused for a moment, then laughed, "In your words, just let it rot, what else can we do? Life has to go on, at most restrain ourselves not to get involved."

Is this a typical case of being unable to resist, so just letting it rot?

Li Zheng frowned, if everyone refuses to resist, what's the point of staying in the Outer City?

Are we just supposed to indulge in debauchery here?

What about the Emotion Storm?

What about the homeland?

Are we just going to ignore them?

Li Zheng found that the more he understood about the Outer City in less than four hours, the more repulsed he was by it.

If the terminal hadn't forced him to come here, he really wanted to escape and return to the Matrix.

At least in that place, he had some ability to keep the rules within a comparatively less cruel range.

The original questions he had vanished suddenly, leaving him feeling somewhat oppressed.

"No more questions to ask?" Yakumo noticed his silence and asked after a while.

"I had many, but suddenly lost interest." Li Zheng sighed.

"Are you disappointed in the Outer City?" Yakumo chuckled lightly and said, "Actually, you don't need to be so pessimistic. The Outer City might be a bit chaotic, but there are certain rules, which you'll understand as you gradually engage.

Plus... not everyone here is just letting themselves rot; there are people trying to live earnestly."

They haven't resisted, just failed.

Otherwise, they wouldn't be stuck in the Outer City, struggling to survive.

Ultimately, the residents of the Outer City are just stray dogs, living in a manner they believe is dignified.

It's hard to say who's right or wrong, or who's legal and who's not.

Just like how rolling one's eyes expresses disrespect on Earth, while it's the highest form of courtesy among the Black and White Tapir race.

"Why not just tell me where I can exchange White Crystal Coin?" After a long silence, Li Zheng asked again: "I got sidetracked by you earlier, our topic went way off track."

"No rush, the place we're going to can handle the exchange."

Yakumo led Li Zheng around a corner, into a deep alley where the number of pedestrians suddenly thinned. Both sides of the alley were piled with clutter, filled with all sorts of junk.

Li Zheng even saw an eyeball roll out from a pile of clutter, staring at him ominously, though he couldn't tell which race it belonged to.

"Get lost!"

Without mercy, Yakumo kicked with a foot, and a voice of pain came from the pile of clutter beside them.

Yet aside from that voice, there was no further reaction.

Following Yakumo deeper, Li Zheng couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "What was that just now?"

"Just a Multi-Eyed Race vagrant. Be careful where you step, if you accidentally squish one of the eyeballs they toss out, they'll extort you for it," Yakumo explained. "Handling it like I did is best, neither squishing the eyeball nor letting them think you're easy to bully."

"..."

Li Zheng was amazed, was there a race that didn't care about their organs?

"Did you think they don't care about their organs?" Yakumo sneered. "Well, you guessed right, they indeed don't care.

The Multi-Eyed Race has an odd trait, every eye on their body can regenerate quickly, losing one means it grows back within twenty-four hours.

Unfortunately, these eyes are unique and cannot be transplanted to any other life forms except for their owner.

Otherwise, they wouldn't be vagrants, just living off selling eyeballs."

Hearing this, Li Zheng couldn't help but ask, "Aside from exchanging for White Crystal Coin, aren't there any other ways to earn White Crystal Coin in the Outer City?"

Yakumo stopped, the two had arrived at a door with odd decorations. She slapped heavily on a strange face-shaped decoration.

"Awwoo~~"

The decoration opened its eyes and muttered a complaint before opening the door.

"We're here, come on in."

Yakumo waved Li Zheng in, explaining his question along the way: "Of course, there are many ways to earn White Crystal Coin, aside from various businesses.

Most famously, you can take on tasks.

As for where to take tasks, after completing the check-up, just continue ahead along the path we came from. The most extravagant and sprawling building there is it."

Just then, Li Zheng saw a shadow emerge from a small door in the well-lit building.

"It's you!?"