Sickly Girl Doesn’t Die in Zombie Simulator 292

Chapter 292: Control Center

“System, am I a transmigrator?”

After asking the question, Lin Jiayao remained silent, waiting for the system’s response.

The system had appeared suddenly, and sometimes, just by thinking, the system would know her thoughts and provide answers.

Lin Jiayao didn’t believe the system was unaware of her two sets of memories.

Now, Lin Jiayao was wondering whether the other set of memories, besides those of this body, were implanted or real.

If they were implanted, then why implant these memories that seemed useless in the apocalypse? Just to make her mentally more mature?

“[Host, I apologize, the system doesn’t quite understand your question…]”

“Do you think I believe that?” Lin Jiayao thought calmly. “You’d better recalculate and think carefully before answering my question.”

Lin Jiayao didn’t harbor any ill will towards this suddenly appearing system. In fact, the abilities it provided had saved her life countless times.

After all, who knew if the system would suddenly unbind or do something similar? Even if they had doubts, most people wouldn’t ask, simply enjoying the powerful functions and benefits the system provided.

Lin Jiayao wasn’t completely unconcerned. She dared to ask because she seemed to have found the system’s weakness.

The free Blood Crystal Detector, and the countdown displayed on the system map.

If the system’s only goal was to choose a suitable host for evolving into a higher lifeform, it could have chosen a blood crystal that had already evolved to A-rank, which would be closer to the so-called S-rank perfect lifeform.

But the system hadn’t done so. Even though it knew the Blood Crystals were constantly decreasing, it hadn’t taken the shortcut of choosing an A-rank host to accelerate the process towards S-rank.

This implied a few things.

At least two possibilities:

1. Lin Jiayao herself must have something special.

2. The system could only bind to ordinary people who hadn’t been infected by blood crystals.

Although the second possibility did exist, for example, there might not be enough time to evolve from scratch after rebinding, because there weren’t enough Blood Crystals.

But compared to the second possibility, Lin Jiayao felt that the first possibility was more likely.

That she had something special.

For example, being a “transmigrator,” or something else—like her legs, which even the system couldn’t fix.

If she could figure out what made her special, it might answer many of Lin Jiayao’s questions.

This was one of the reasons why Lin Jiayao questioned the system.

After a brief silence, the system dialog box reappeared before Lin Jiayao, the characters forming one by one.

“[The ‘Simulator’ function in [Control Center Lv.5] might provide a more direct explanation.]”

That Control Center again.

Every time Lin Jiayao tried to ask something, the system would redirect the conversation back to this “Simulator,” constantly deflecting her questions.

Just as Lin Jiayao took a deep breath, suppressing her frustration and preparing to continue her mental interrogation, the system responded again.

“[The system has preemptively constructed [Control Center Lv.5] for the host. The host only needs to provide the remaining Blood Crystals to use all of its functions…]”

The system’s tone had softened.

Although there was no voice, the message, with its wording and the ellipsis at the end, conveyed a sense of “grievance.”

It seemed that when Lin Jiayao first asked these unanswerable questions, the system had already preemptively upgraded the Control Center, just waiting for Lin Jiayao to provide the Blood Crystals.

Although it wasn’t a huge help, just saving Lin Jiayao 24 hours of upgrade time, Lin Jiayao couldn’t bring herself to press further.

She probably wouldn’t get any answers anyway.

Since the system had repeatedly hinted at the Control Center, Lin Jiayao might as well wait until the truckload of Blood Crystals arrived.

Goldie’s descended body’s cooldown period was also over. If nothing unexpected happened, and the convoy traveled through the night, it should reach the range of Lin Jiayao’s green fluorescent bug surveillance within a few hours.

Suddenly, Lin Jiayao seemed to remember something, turned her head, and saw her sister staring at her.

“Uh… what were we talking about?” Lin Jiayao asked, a little embarrassed. Lost in thought, she had forgotten she was chatting with her sister.

“The game thing, about beating it on multiple playthroughs.” Lin Xiwan answered, but didn’t ask why her sister had spaced out.

If her sister felt like sharing, she would. There was no point in prying.

“It is a lot like a game, Sister. Remember the ‘training ground’ I sent you to?” Lin Jiayao looked at her sister and explained, “I’ve been able to enter that kind of training ground for a long time.”

“I’ve simulated almost every battle and evolution countless times before doing it in reality, so it might seem easy.”

Although she had told her sister about many of her abilities, Lin Jiayao had never explained the training ground.

Because before Worm’s Eye, explaining the training ground’s origin was too troublesome, inevitably involving the system, which she didn’t want to reveal.

But now, having experienced and retained Worm’s Eye, Lin Jiayao had no more reservations and explained it to her sister.

“So that’s how it is… you’ve only been able to share this ability recently…” Lin Xiwan’s eyes lit up, as if she had discovered a new toy. She started peppering Lin Jiayao with questions about this new ability.

She specifically asked if Lin Jiayao could see what happened inside the “dream training ground.” After receiving an affirmative answer, Lin Xiwan looked a little disappointed.

Who knew what Lin Xiwan wanted to do in the dream training ground if Lin Jiayao couldn’t see?

After asking a few more questions and having her sister send her into the “dream training ground” again to play for a while, Lin Xiwan finally dropped the subject.

“It’s so nice in there, you can have anything you want,” Lin Xiwan hugged her knees, swaying slightly, and looked at her sister with a smile. “If it weren’t for the fact that it can’t simulate you, I’d want to live there forever. A lifetime in there feels so long…”

“It’s better outside,” Lin Jiayao said, looking at her sister’s eyes.

Seeing her sister’s suddenly serious expression, Lin Xiwan paused, then chuckled.

“Of course it’s better outside,” Lin Xiwan reached out and ruffled her sister’s hair, “I can still tell the difference between reality and virtual reality.”

After chatting with her sister for a while longer, Lin Jiayao suddenly stopped.

In the green fluorescent bug’s vision at the highway toll booth, she saw a beam of headlights from the end of the road, incredibly conspicuous.

They had arrived.

The Kun City vehicles transporting the Blood Crystals.

“Sister, they’re here,” Lin Jiayao said, patting her sister’s shoulder.

“They? Mika’s convoy?” Lin Xiwan understood what her sister meant.

Lin Xiwan stood up, picked up her sister, and placed her back in the insect chair.

Lin Jiayao controlled the insect chair to stand up, and together with her sister, quietly waited for the convoy’s arrival on the road.

As soon as the convoy arrived, she could unlock the Control Center and see what this “Simulator” that the system had been teasing for days was all about.

After about ten minutes, Lin Jiayao’s bone spurs first felt a slight vibration from the ground, followed by the rumble of a car engine.

“Woo—”

A car slowly drove down the highway at thirty kilometers per hour.

The roads in Kun City weren’t as flat as other places. There were many roots and vines on the ground, like speed bumps every few steps. Vehicles couldn’t go fast.

The driver in the lead vehicle also noticed the two figures waiting on the road. He turned off the high beams, slowed down, and slowly stopped in front of them.

“Click—”

The car door opened, and the passenger in the lead vehicle climbed out, steadied himself against the A-pillar, and looked at Lin Jiayao and Lin Xiwan.

“Sister Xiwan, the goods have arrived.” The second-in-command, his eyes bloodshot and dark circles under them, seemed like he hadn’t slept the entire journey.

This was the first mission assigned to them by the Oasis Area, a significant and symbolic task.

If they could complete this mission excellently, they might gain the Oasis Area’s recognition—almost everyone thought so.

Along the way, they had barely rested, even taking turns driving and resting in shifts, including the Awakened, just to complete the mission faster.

Especially after seeing what they were transporting, no one dared to rest.

Now, in the minibus at the center of the convoy, besides an Awakened, there was also a truck bed full of Blood Crystals…

Those were actual Blood Crystals!

Many of them had never even dreamed of seeing so many Blood Crystals at once. Almost everyone held their breath for a few seconds after seeing those hundreds of Blood Crystals.

But no one dared to have any greedy thoughts, because there was also a young Awakened girl from the Oasis Area sitting in the minibus.

She faithfully guarded the Blood Crystals, warily watching anyone who approached the minibus, also having barely slept for two days.

This truckload of Blood Crystals renewed their understanding of the Oasis Area, and at the same time, they felt even greater awe and longing for the Oasis Area.

They also wanted to join the Oasis Area, even if it was just to do odd jobs… These Blood Crystals transported from abroad were a testament to the Oasis Area’s strength.

This meant that the leaders and strong members of the Oasis Area had even opened up routes abroad, plundering Blood Crystals from outside. This vision was far beyond theirs, who only thought about staying in Kun City, or at most, Yunnan Province.

Now, almost everyone in this team firmly believed that the Oasis Area would definitely become the founder of the new world and the new order, and they, as witnesses and pioneers, would be forever remembered by future generations.

They would naturally brag about these things to those who didn’t participate after returning to the ash area, but that was for later.

“Good work. The rest of you can go back and rest, just leave the bus here.” Lin Xiwan saw Kisaragi Mika get off the bus and said to the second-in-command.

“Roger that.” Although it was just a simple “good work,” the second-in-command still felt encouraged and began to direct the convoy excitedly, driving towards the ash area on another road.

After two sleepless nights, everyone was in a strange state of excitement, but it was estimated that they would fall asleep as soon as they touched a bed, or even as soon as the car stopped.

After the convoy left, Lin Jiayao looked at the minibus that remained and Kisaragi Mika, who was walking towards her.

“Lin Jiayao-sama, three hundred and forty-one Blood Crystals. I’ve been counting them along the way, not a single one missing.” Kisaragi Mika stood at attention before Lin Jiayao, faint dark circles under her eyes.

Compared to the others, who could take turns napping for an hour or two, Kisaragi Mika hadn’t closed her eyes at all.

She hadn’t slept for more than ten hours on the way there, and after receiving the Blood Crystals, she didn’t dare to sleep. If anything happened, she couldn’t bear the responsibility of losing hundreds of Blood Crystals.

“Thank you for your hard work.” Lin Jiayao raised her hand, reached towards Kisaragi Mika’s eyelids, and the tips of her index and middle fingers extended mycelium blankets, gently covering Kisaragi Mika’s eyelids with a thin layer.

With Lin Jiayao’s action, Kisaragi Mika only felt a light, comfortable sensation on her eyelids, as if she wanted to fall asleep immediately, but her willpower still made her force herself to stay awake, standing firmly in front of Lin Jiayao, only her legs starting to tremble a little.

“Go back and rest first, I’ll give you your reward when you wake up.” Lin Jiayao patted Kisaragi Mika’s shoulder and said.

“Lord Lin Jiayao…” Kisaragi Mika opened her mouth, just about to say that she didn’t need a reward, but then she seemed to think of something, shook her head, and said, “No, nothing, I’ll go back and rest first.”

She might as well look forward to what kind of reward Lord Lin Jiayao would give her. What if it was something other than Blood Crystals…?

That was a reward from Lord Lin Jiayao. Kisaragi Mika would rather not have Blood Crystals, but a gold ring or some silver jewelry instead, maybe she would be happier.

Although these things were worthless in the apocalypse.

But it was a gift from Lord Lin Jiayao…

After watching Kisaragi Mika gradually walk away, Lin Xiwan, thinking of the blush on Kisaragi Mika’s cheeks, looked at her sister.

“Yao… I feel that Mika, she…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Uh… nothing, she’s a good girl.”

“Oh.”

At this time, Lin Jiayao’s mind had already wandered to the truckload of Blood Crystals and didn’t hear what her sister said at all.

She walked to the minibus and directly covered all the Blood Crystals with fungus, putting them all into the Blood Crystal Box and the warehouse in one go. The originally empty Blood Crystal Box and warehouse were instantly filled, even the Safehouse was no exception.

Now, it had truly become a savings she had never had before.

It was just a pity that it would disappear in the next second.

“System, upgrade.” Lin Jiayao silently said to the system in her mind.

There was no twenty-four-hour construction time. As long as she upgraded, Lin Jiayao could immediately use [Control Center Lv.5].

As soon as Lin Jiayao’s inner voice fell, all the Blood Crystals in the warehouse and Blood Crystal Box disappeared instantly, leaving only a few Blood Crystals lying alone in the Safehouse.

Control Center, upgrade successful.

Simulator, unlocked.