Matrix Survival: I Get A Random Chest Every Day-Chapter 780 - 543: What else can he do?

"What strange things have you discovered again?"

Mirel complained, but her hand still removed the soft whip hanging from her waist, her wrist flicking it to produce a crisp 'snap' sound.

"Let me confirm once more, do you really want me to use 'Myriad Whips Return to the Root' on you? I don't have any strange hobbies, but the whip hitting a person is indeed quite painful."

"What are you thinking? I just thought I might have found a way to break your 'Illusory Whip Shadow' tech..." Li Zheng didn't finish his sentence, staring straight at the soft whip in Mirel's hand: "Where did you get this weapon?"

"What do you mean where did I get it?" Mirel showed a peculiar expression: "This thing has always been on me, remember?"

"Of course, I know it's always been on you, but the point is... oh, I remember now." Li Zheng recalled when he went to register his weapon information, Xiao Ying and Mirel were waiting for him not far away, so the soft whip that remained on Mirel's body was overlooked.

Maybe... those registrars mistook the soft whip as some kind of accessory or... organ on Mirel?

Like a tail or something?

"Let's not mind that, go all out, 'Myriad Whips Return to the Root'!" Li Zheng stood focused, as if he had guessed correctly that Mirel's whip shadows created with spiritual power, he should be able to see through them.

"Alright."

Mirel swung her hand, and a sky full of whip shadows appeared, whipping and swirling around Li Zheng.

Li Zheng concentrated, watching the whip shadows in the air gradually decrease, until only one remained.

"There it is!"

Li Zheng reached out and grabbed, actually holding tightly onto the point of force on the soft whip, breaking Mirel's most proud technique.

The sky full of whip shadows vanished in an instant.

"How is this possible!"

Mirel stood there stunned, disbelief written all over her face.

This 'Myriad Whips Return to the Root' was a move she spent decades to perfect, and it was broken by Li Zheng so effortlessly?

"This illusion left me a big problem also left me a treasure..." Li Zheng sighed, releasing the soft whip.

Mirel thought for a moment, then said: "Can your weapon blueprint still produce anything? If so, get me a whip with barbs next time."

Li Zheng's expression froze; Mirel isn't planning on holding back...

He searched for the blueprint page but didn't find it, so he said to Mirel: "After we entered the Outer City, there's no system interface. When I return to the Matrix someday, or whenever I leave the Outer City, I'll get you another weapon then."

"Alright, it's about time for a meal, I'll go make some food." Mirel hung the soft whip back on her waist and walked towards the stove.

Li Zheng continued the learning process with Old Pu, his fingers on the handheld computer moving so fast they almost became a blur.

Soon, Mirel called Li Zheng over to eat, serving the classic three dishes and one soup, each portion quite generous.

Li Zheng ate, lost in thought.

Mirel asked, "What? Not to your liking anymore?"

"No." Li Zheng put down his bowl and chopsticks, pointing at Xiao Ying: "I just feel that if we keep eating like this without replenishing ingredients, we might end up consuming everything without restocking."

"But didn't you just exchange a lot of money with that old guy?" Mirel pointed towards Kang'er: "If food runs out, can't we just buy more?"

"No..."

Li Zheng shook his head: "I suddenly started thinking, in the Matrix, despite the constant fighting, all living supplies can be obtained through your own hands, whereas in the Outer City, though peaceful, it's hard to do anything without money. For a moment, I even kind of miss the days in the Matrix. Do you think if life were a survival game, would the game be harder in the Matrix or in the Outer City?"

"Of course, it's..." Mirel almost said it's harder in the Matrix, but then reconsidered and thought it looked harder in the Outer City, which left her speechless.

"The planet I used to live on, no worries about food or drink, as long as you had money you could go anywhere." Li Zheng reminisced: "But was that real freedom? If it were true freedom, why would many people seek solace in virtual novels or web stories? Some people specifically choose to read 'survival' stories, thinking that the worlds in those stories should be tougher than theirs, yet they don't realize the toughest life is always their own..."

"In their twenties or thirties, having nothing at all. Houses and cars are enormous pressures, finding a partner is still a problem, and just regular work is enough to bend their backs. If they're unlucky enough to get some chronic illness, they live under the shadow of death daily, afraid they might not wake up from a night's sleep."

"Isn't this more challenging than a so-called survival game?"

Mirel lifted her eyes thoughtfully: "I have never experienced what you're talking about, so I can't really empathize. But if life is truly as you say, the pressure of survival does seem a bit higher."

"Yes... never experienced it... really fortunate." Li Zheng sighed: "On our planet, some people have never experienced it either, born with a silver spoon, receiving the highest level education from a young age, never knowing what pressure even means, and even if they don't do well in school, they can buy opportunities to study abroad with money."

"And there are some, whose elders are prominent politicians, using these resources to even obtain scholarships or government subsidies meant for poor students. The most ridiculous thing is, they spend the country's money but curse their country abroad as if their country owes them."

"Tell me, with the existence of these people, what meaning does survival even have for those below them?"

"Meaning or not, I feel like you've lumped me in with them?" Mirel tapped the plate, "Just tell me if you're gonna eat or not."

"Eat, of course." Li Zheng picked up his bowl and chopsticks again: "You've already prepared it, I'll definitely eat it." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Watching Li Zheng devour the food, Mirel said: "You see, life never has any inherent meaning. As long as you're alive and can eat and drink your fill, that's the only meaning."

She picked up a piece of oily meat and put it in her mouth, chewing as she said: "As long as you can enjoy delicious food, as long as you can breathe fresh air, as long as you have... the love of people around you, doesn't that make life meaningful?"

Li Zheng paused for a moment, then said: "When the spiritual storm is resolved, I find a way back, I must open a restaurant back home, at least let people enjoy the meaning of food in life."

"..." Mirel's mouth was full, after a while she asked: "Leaving the Matrix, do you lose the storage space? With your cooking skills, do you think you can make any delicious food?"

Hearing this, Li Zheng's expression stiffened.

Yeah, my culinary skills are just so-so, and the dishes that caused a sensation were all thanks to the stove. Once the stove is gone, what am I then?

What could he even make?