No Time, Hurry Aboard
In the hands of an ordinary person, a divine weapon can only increase their combat power by three times, but in the hands of Spirit Transformation expert, it can increase it by at least ten percent.
In a world where ordinary people cannot overwhelm Nascent Spirit Transformation cultivators through sheer numbers, ten percent of Spirit Transformation cultivators are ten times more important than ten ordinary people. This is why the number of Spirit Transformation cultivators is one of the standards for measuring a nation's strength.
To reverse this perception, technological weapons would need to be developed to the point where ordinary people could overwhelm superhumans with sheer numbers, and even then, the number couldn't be too large.
After hearing Si Ming's words, the doctor was not angry at all. Instead, he smiled smugly and said, "Although I really want to say that their idea is also nonsense, since we live in this era, sometimes we still have to know how to go along with the general trend."
He held the White Eagle and the Spirit Sparrow in his hands and Si Ming, "Look closely, this epoch-making masterpiece is right here!"
Next, he inserted the thin barrel of the Spirit Sparrow into the thick barrel of the White Eagle. After inserting it to the end, he turned the Spirit Sparrow's handle 180 degrees, and it made a "click" sound, as if the internal mechanisms had been connected. The patterns on the White Eagle's gun instantly lit up.
"Password: Long live Begonia!" the professor said.
"Password approved, voiceprint confirmed, transformation imminent."
With a flash of cold electronic sound, the two guns began to combine. The various parts of the gun seemed to come alive, coordinating with perfect precision, just like a Transformer transforming. The gears on the White Eagle gun spun rapidly, and the Spirit Sparrow Gun, which was originally pointing upwards, turned ninety degrees and became the barrel. The hole at the bottom, which was originally used to load bullets, also became a gun port.
The whole process took about three seconds. What appeared in front of Si Ming was a brand new long spear, 1.2 meters long. It was a fusion of steampunk and fantasy styles, transformed into an ancient science fiction style that was dazzling and mesmerizing.
Having witnessed these model transformations that only exist in animation and movies, Si Ming was too lazy to complain about the Mohist School's advanced technology anymore. He just hoped that he might have the chance to see combined robots and transforming robots in his lifetime.
"This is my conceived dual-gun combined sniper form. Although I also envision a heavy-hitting form that focuses on firepower and a slashing form that emphasizes close combat, it will still take some time to complete. In addition, there are some technical challenges that need to be overcome."
As the doctor spoke, he took out a long bullet, about ten centimeters long, loaded it into the chamber, and then input the command to erect a mannequin covered in steel armor on the firing range.
"This is a specially made bullet. When the user injects True Qi into the gun, it is converted into wind-attribute True Qi and then adheres to the surface of the bullet, causing a layer of air film to spread out on its surface. This can counteract air friction and enter a state of zero resistance. Depending on the amount of True Qi injected, the bullet's range can be increased from one thousand meters to eight thousand meters, and its penetrating power will also increase accordingly."
The doctor aimed at the humanoid target and pulled the trigger. The sound of the bullet firing was very quiet; it was unclear whether this was due to the silencer or the effect of the wind-elemental True Qi.
Because he wasn't placed on the ground, the recoil hit his shoulder squarely. For an Earthling, a dislocated arm would be the least of their worries; their bones might even be shattered. But the doctor had concentrated his True Qi on his shoulder beforehand, so he wasn't greatly affected—one advantage of inventing firearms in this world is that you don't have to worry about recoil.
With a loud "bang," half of the humanoid target's body was blasted away, along with the steel armor covering it, which was torn apart.
The doctor then fired another shot at the humanoid target, but this time it did not cause extensive damage, only leaving a bullet hole.
"The less True Qi injected, the more pronounced the tearing effect; conversely, the more energy injected, the weaker the tearing effect and the stronger the penetration. Therefore, skilled snipers should aim for vital points as much as possible. Ultimately, if you want to maximize damage, the heavy strike mode is more suitable. By the way, although bullets are not affected by air resistance, they cannot counteract gravity, so remember to factor in this lead when aiming."
The doctor handed the combined Eagle-Sparrow Sniper Rifle to Si Ming, not forgetting to give him a reminder.
"I've got it. I'll use it carefully."
Si Ming handled the Eagle-Sparrow Sniper Rifle with the care of an antique. Even though he didn't know much about sniping techniques, he understood that being unaffected by wind was a dream come true for any sniper.
Although this gun cannot be compared to the legendary weapon in the world that can "take down a Japanese machine gunner from 800 miles away with a single shot," it is sufficient for him.
"Weapons are ultimately just tools; people are what matter. We should use them when necessary, without holding back. If necessary, we can always rebuild. Oh, and don't forget to bring this data collector."
The professor tossed him a small gadget that looked a lot like a voice recorder.
Si Ming caught it and waved, saying, "Thank you, Doctor. I'll be leaving tomorrow. Remember to prepare the materials so I can forge my own Mohist School Profound Armor when I return."
"You brat, let's talk about it when you get back. You might not have the same idea then."
Chapter 106 No Time, Get in the Car!
At the Tange City Railway Station, people came and went, shoulder to shoulder, just like in the Republican-era dramas that Si Ming had watched in his previous life, appearing somewhat chaotic and disorderly.
"Although I had long suspected that you and Murong would elope one day, I didn't expect it to happen so soon."
Yao Bilian, who came to see him off, sighed deeply, with an expression that said, "I'm really old and can't keep up with the times."
"Qingqing must be crying silently at home right now. Why did it turn out like this? She was the one who came first. It seems that childhood sweethearts are rarely able to go all the way. It's destined that someone else will steal her away."
Upon hearing this, Murong Qing explained earnestly, "That's not how it is, Director Yao. Ming and I went out to hone our martial arts skills and broaden our experience and knowledge, not to elope. Besides, Qingqing and I are good friends, and I would never do something like stealing someone else's love."
Si Ming sighed, "Don't argue with this crazy woman. The more you argue, the more energetic she becomes."
Sure enough, Yao Bilian immediately laughed and said, "You think this way now, but that might not be true in the future. Feelings are the most unpredictable thing. Maybe one moment you're swearing you'll hate him for life and want to chop off his head, and the next moment you might be vowing to marry him and sleeping with him. Is there anything more exciting or interesting than stealing your best friend's boyfriend?"
Murong Qing frowned and said, "I can't agree with your values, and compared to romantic love, I think the path of martial arts is much more exciting and interesting."
"Hey, don't jump to conclusions too quickly. As is customary, you'll likely encounter some kind of emergency in the future where you need to ask Si Ming to pretend to be your boyfriend. During this process, sparks will quickly fly between you, and things will turn from fake to real..."
Si Ming felt that if Yao Bilian continued talking, they would miss their train, so he immediately unleashed his ultimate weapon.
"Shut up, Aunt Yao! At your age, you're still harassing young female students. Are you trying to mourn your lost youth?"
Yao Bilian looked as if she'd been struck by lightning. "M-Auntie! That's outrageous! I'm still in the prime of my life, and you actually..."
"No time! Get on the bus!"
Si Ming ignored her and quickly pulled Murong Qing through the ticket gate. They followed the flow of people onto the train. Murong Qing them carried their suitcases, as they were right behind them.
This is a goat-themed self-propelled suitcase privately sponsored by Yao Bilian. It excels at mountain climbing and features an intelligent recognition system composed of self-regulating circuits. It does not require manual carrying and will automatically follow its owner. It also has a simple obstacle recognition function.
"Waaaaah..."
As the whistle sounded, the steampunk-style train slowly started moving. It had a locomotive that was even more exaggerated than trains on Earth, and from a distance, it looked like the head of a steel giant.
"Remember to come back safely! And whatever you do, don't cause any deaths!"
Yao Bilian chased after the train for a distance, waved to the two people inside the train window, and then watched the train pull away from the station.
Although the Su State prohibits private use of polluting resources such as oil and coal in order to protect the environment, it is not so pathological as to completely ban them or implement a one-size-fits-all approach, because the natural environment itself has the corresponding purification capacity.
Generally, the government will estimate the corresponding pollution reduction value based on the local vegetation coverage, and then allocate these pollution values to local factories, allowing them to discharge pollution within the quota. Those exceeding the quota will be heavily fined, and serious cases will be subject to criminal liability.
Therefore, when factories recruit workers, they also have certain requirements for the level of Internal Cultivation. The higher the level, the higher the salary. The worker's internal True Qi is the basic energy source for the operation of the factory, but it is not as cost-effective as natural resources such as oil.