MM Racing Page 52
Page 52
The gameplay change is that quest icons will no longer be displayed on the game map, meaning that you will no longer be able to accept any random quests.
Instead, there is a default questline that is automatically accepted, which is basically the [main quest].
Main Quest (1) - The World in the Mist
[Mission Requirements]: Venture deep into the fog and find out why the monsters emerged from it.
[Task Time Limit]: If the task is not completed by the end of the current version, it will be automatically cancelled.
[Task Reward]: 1000 Summoning Points, unlocking Main Quest (2).
……
After carefully reviewing the version update announcement again, Luo Jiajun closed the page. But then, a new page automatically popped up on the game's main interface—[Season End Notice]!
In short, with the end of the [Plant Mutation] version, the game system tallied the total number of [high-value targets], [high-value items], and [quests] that Luo Jiajun killed, acquired, and completed during that version! Rewards were then given based on this total!
—Accumulated kills of 3 high-value targets (Needle Giant, Source of Corruption, Mimic) during the season, +300 Summoning Points.
—Acquire 4 high-value items during the season (Red Dew Grail Bottle, Senzu Bean, Poké Ball - Leafeon, Digivice - Rosemon), +400 Summon Points.
—Complete the following tasks during the season (Returning to Roots, Rotten Tree of Life, Eradicating Weeds at the Root), +300 Summoning Points.
……
"Huh? I didn't expect there to be a season settlement mechanism. Does each major version correspond to a complete season? I didn't expect that the last season's final tally would give me exactly 1000 Summoning Points. Does that mean I can summon a new partner (ladies) right away?"
Surprised, Luo Jiajun closed the "Season Settlement Notification" page and then clearly saw the time information on the main game interface.
[82 days, 18 hours, and 33 minutes remaining until the next apocalyptic update...]
Each version, or rather season, lasts for 90 days. Therefore, it's only been a week since the current "Mist" version was updated.
However, considering the time frame of the previous version, it means that Luo Jiajun slept for at least two months!
"I didn't expect I slept for so long. Fortunately, I finally woke up. Does that mean I successfully survived the crimson corruption?" While pondering, Luo Jiajun noticed that a red exclamation mark had appeared on the edge of the frame of the [Character Information] option in his own attribute panel on the game's main interface.
Does this mean... the "character information" has been updated?
So Luo Jiajun clicked to view:
[Character Information?]
Name: Luo Jiajun
Summoning Points Balance: 1000
High-value items currently available: None (only items carried or stored in the game inventory are counted)
Bond Badge Special Abilities:
[Resident Evil 3?], [Aberration Mark: Electricity Manipulation], [The Bible of Swordsmanship], [Muzan the Demon Slayer], [Chaos Orb], [Natural Force], [Mana Replenishment], [Deadlock], [Chosen Knight: Rita], [Holy Sword Blessing], [Human Sandbag], [The Eight Orochi Warriors], [Shadow Step], [Multi-purpose Capsule]
Special Bonus: [The Incomplete Origin of the Tree of Life]
【Bio-Terminator 3?】: You can now switch to the "Crimson Terminator" form after transforming into the Terminator. In this form, you lose the ability to control electricity, but gain the blessing of 【Crimson Corruption】, and your attacks will have a corruption effect. The first time you switch forms during the transformation, the duration of this transformation will be refreshed, and all injuries and health will be restored.
"Ha! As expected! I successfully absorbed the Crimson Corruption with my Terminator body! I turned this power that was originally meant to kill me into my own!"
Seeing the updated information about the [Biological Terminator] ability, Luo Jiajun was overjoyed. Although the Terminator was a monster, at this moment Luo Jiajun was so excited that he wanted to compare himself to Ultraman Tiga. Ultraman Tiga could freely switch between three forms, and so could he, the Terminator!
"Alright, now it's time to see the light of day again!"
With this thought in mind, Luo Jiajun groped in the dark and slammed his pair of sharp claws, covered in dark red keratin and bulging with muscles, onto the sticky cocoon wall. Only then did he belatedly realize: he was still in Terminator form!
Logically, the Terminator form should only last for 30 minutes per transformation, so why am I still in Terminator form even after sleeping for so long? Could it be due to the cocoon enveloping me?
The question flashed by, but was quickly overwhelmed by the intense urge to break free from the cocoon.
As Luo Jiajun suddenly exerted force with his claws, his ten scythe-like fingers embedded themselves deeply into the tough cocoon wall—
"Sizzle—!!!"
A thick, tooth-grinding tearing sound suddenly exploded!
The cocoon was torn open by a violent force, leaving a huge gap.
Luo Jiajun suddenly emerged from the crack.
In its Crimson Terminator form, the grotesque head covered with tangled, blood-red veins rose, and thick, dark red fluid slid down its cheeks.
A pair of scarlet eyes, burning like hellfire, pierced through the thin mist.
His gaze met that of 2B, who had just turned around after hearing the noise.
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Seeing 2B turn around and meet his gaze, Luo Jiajun was stunned for a moment, and a feeling of surprise welled up in his heart.
Could it be that 2B has been waiting here all this time while he has been asleep for more than two months?
Hmm... The area where I was sleeping had long been tainted by crimson corruption, but 2B is a machine and is basically immune to corruption. Come to think of it, the only one in the team who could stay in this vicinity for a long time and wait for me to wake up.
In a flash, Luo Jiajun strode out of the shattered blood cocoon and walked towards 2B. In his Crimson Terminator form, he was imposing and exuded a powerful aura.
However, this seemingly powerful body suddenly became weak the moment it completely broke free of the blood cocoon!
A wave of intense dizziness washed over him, and Luo Jiajun's legs suddenly gave way, causing him to collapse to the ground with a thud.
"Master!" 2B exclaimed with a rare fluctuation in her voice, and she quickly stepped forward.
Luo Jiajun's crimson, burly Terminator body was rapidly fading and shrinking. In just a few breaths, the nearly three-meter-tall giant shrank back to the size of a normal person, just over 1.8 meters tall, and his skin returned to its normal color.
The dizziness in his head came and went quickly. When Luo Jiajun regained consciousness and looked at his body, which had returned to normal, he immediately understood the reason—sure enough, he was able to maintain his Terminator form entirely because of the blood cocoon.
Just then, a gentle breeze blew by, and Luo Jiajun felt a chill in his lower body.
Then it dawned on me that I was completely naked after I deactivated my transformation!
"Master, are you alright?" 2B's voice rang out again from the side.
With the help of the maid Yoruha, Luo Jiajun rose from the humus-covered, stench-filled ground, his body inevitably stained with the putrid filth. However, he felt no discomfort whatsoever; it seemed that even under normal circumstances, he remained immune to the crimson putrefaction.
"Cough, I'm fine." Luo Jiajun replied to 2B while straightening up, his gaze suddenly drawn to the huge backpack on 2B's back. "By the way, 2B, why are you carrying such a big backpack?"
In response to Luo Jiajun's question, 2B immediately took off her backpack and handed a set of clothes, including shoes, to Luo Jiajun.
As if a pillow had appeared out of nowhere, Luo Jiajun couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
Before Luo Jiajun could change his clothes, 2B showed more of the things in his backpack, including food such as compressed biscuits and some mineral water.
And most importantly—[Red Dewdrop Grail Bottle], [A Small Bag of Senzu Beans (x5)], [Poké Ball - Leafeon], [Digimon - Rosemon]!
Good heavens! As expected of my thoughtful maid! Not only did she wait patiently until I woke up, but she also made ample preparations, providing me with everything I needed!
"Not bad! 2b, you did a really good job!" Luo Jiajun nodded and smiled with satisfaction.
That being said, he still had many questions that 2b needed to answer.
For example, what did everyone go through during the two months he was in a coma?
Where are the other members of the team now, besides 2b?
2b patiently answered all of Luo Jiajun's questions one by one.
In short, after Luo Jiajun fell into a deep sleep, the natural barrier formed by the crimson decay kept everyone else at bay. Daily observation and communication were then handled by 2b.
Achina, Rinko Akiyama, Drael, Zyra, Leda, Mai Shiranui, and Meiling Zhou – these seven individuals are capable enough to survive in the absence of Jiajun Luo and 2B.
However, as time went on, the crimson corruption continued to spread. The team was forced to relocate to a more distant base, making each round trip for 2b to report the situation take longer.
Until a week ago, an almost endless, mysterious fog appeared, covering the entire world.
Not to mention, all sorts of monsters roam the fog.
2b, and thus lost contact with others.
"What? You mean you don't know where the others are right now?" (The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the question.)
Luo Jiajun frowned. Although Achina and her group had more people and more strength, how could Luo Jiajun not be worried at all?
Who knows! Will they encounter an unparalleled boss in the mist?
2B also showed her helplessness. Not to mention losing contact with Archina and the others, the fact that she was able to find Luo Jiajun again through the vast fog was all thanks to the unusually strong corrupt atmosphere in this area, which allowed her to analyze environmental pheromones through her CPU instead of relying on her vision for navigation.
This is another terrifying aspect of the "Mist": it not only breeds monsters, but it can also sever the connection between people!
"Damn...right, what about the Tenglong Task Force? What's their situation?"
"The Tenglong task force withdrew from Kun County 43 days ago, and before leaving, they also provided Achina and her team with a large amount of supplies."
Luo Jiajun nodded, now that he had a clear understanding of the situation. He then focused his attention on the Poké Balls and the Digivice in 2B's backpack.
Well... if we add Yeebu and Rosemon to the mix, his side isn't exactly outnumbered.
Oh, right, I also have 1000 Summoning Points from the season's end bonus!
With this in mind, Luo Jiajun prepared to summon more people and first greeted 2B: "The area is shrouded in mist and fraught with danger. We need more manpower."
2B immediately guessed what Luo Jiajun was going to do and whispered, "You mean, like when you summoned Miss Zhou Meiling before..."
"Snap!" Luo Jiajun snapped his fingers and nodded, "That's right, many hands make light work. This way, we'll have a better chance of getting through the fog and finding Achina and the others."
2B naturally nodded in agreement. As an absolutely loyal mechanical maid, she had no objection to any decision her master made.
Then Luo Jiajun silently brought up the game screen and opened the summoning interface.
Looking at the two options, [Targeted Summon] and [Random Summon], in the summoning interface, Luo Jiajun pondered for a moment, then switched to the team interface to check the team's current synergy information.
Bonus synergies to be activated:
Archina Dimitrescu - [Aberrant One (1/3)], [Bio-Monster (1/2)]
Rinko Akiyama - [Taimanin (1/2)]
Zyra - [Fairy (1/3)]
Dreyer - [The Witch (1/3)]
2b - [Mechanical Body (1/3)]
Leda - [Holy Light (1/3)]
Mai Shiranui - [Fighter (1/2)], [King of Fighters (1/3)]
Zhou Meiling - [Scientist (1/3)], [Overwatch (1/2)]
Activated bonus synergies:
[Mage (2, Drael, Zyra)]: Mage units have their mana cost reduced by 20% and their mana regeneration rate increased by 50%.
【Swordsman (3, Rinko Akiyama, 2B, Leda)】: Swordsman units deal damage with their swords and all speed-related abilities such as agility, reaction speed, running speed, and casting speed are increased by 50%.
【Knight (2, Leta [Chosen One])】: Knight units take 20% less damage; when within 100 meters of the Lord, Knight units gain a 50% bonus to all abilities - this bonus will decay and disappear rapidly within 3 seconds after leaving the range.
……
After reviewing the team's current synergy information in one go, Luo Jiajun quickly made up his mind—this time he would perform a [targeted summon]!
Based on Rinko Akiyama!
The reason is simple: Rinko Akiyama's two bonds, the [Swordsman] bond, have already activated a 3-person bonus. Although it's still far from a 6-person bonus, the newly summoned fourth [Swordsman] can still enjoy the 3-person bonus effect!
If the summoned character based on Rinko Akiyama is not a [Swordsman], but rather another [Taimanin] character that Rinko Akiyama possesses, that would be even better! Because the Taimanin synergy activates its bonus based on (2/4/6/8) characters, if we could summon another [Taimanin], wouldn't that be perfect for pairing with Rinko Akiyama to initially activate the 2-person bonus of the Taimanin synergy?
To put it bluntly, you're making a profit no matter what!
As long as targeted summoning is performed based on Rinko Akiyama, the newly summoned harem members will definitely enjoy a bonus in either the [Swordsman] or [Taimanin] categories, possessing stronger combat power than the original!
With this in mind, Luo Jiajun no longer hesitated and immediately made the summons.
And when the summoning results are displayed on the interface...
"Whoa?" Luo Jiajun couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
This is because the figure appearing in the summoning interface, like Rinko Akiyama, comes from the world view of the Taimanin IP.
However, this person is not a [Taimanin].
He is a swordsman.
She is—Iron Witch Annerose!
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