Apocalyptic Mechanist

[Confirmation complete. Proceed with material fusion?]

[Notice: The fused material item will most likely possess all the advantages and disadvantages of both fused items (or the disadvantages may be amplified). There is a very small chance of extracting partial technical data.]

Jiang Xiao's eyes brightened slightly. Did this mean that even in the worst-case scenario, the fused item would retain the precision processing capabilities of the Industrial Box?

Why hesitate then!

Isn't this a gamble worth taking? With a guaranteed fallback, he wouldn't be able to sleep soundly if he didn't!

The worst outcome would be spending ten-odd years here slowly breaking out. Not to mention the extended lifespan of a Tier 2 Source Energy Martial artist, which would add considerable years.

"Fuse!"

[Fusion Slot (1/1): Starfield Broodmother Egg + Tri-Phase Precision Industrial Box... (Estimated time: thirty days)]

An irrepressible wave of anticipation surged through Jiang Xiao.

He hadn't expected an unexpected bonus from rescuing Xi Guang. The Starfield Broodmother Egg was one of the rarest special items in the Galaxy. Frontline forces would do everything in their power to prevent them from entering the Galaxy.

It was classified as a Class-S contraband by all civilizations in the Interstellar Alliance.

Closing the interface, Jiang Xiao turned his attention to meticulously organizing the intelligence he had gathered.

First, the Zerg swarm in the Old Capital. It was confirmed that a de-fanged Starfield Broodmother resided there, posing no significant threat. However, there seemed to be many ways to leverage this information.

Second, the Black Mech Gang had somehow obtained a Precision Industrial Box. Clearly, they had a grand plan, and it was highly likely related to their escape. However, the Black Mech Gang and the Sin City Council's plans were likely separate.

The two parties were clearly not cooperating.

The Sin City Council attracting the Zerg fleet to attack the Starport, while the Black Mech Gang built ships—the logic seemed sound at first glance.

In reality, if the Zerg fleet were actually drawn in, the ships the Black Mech Gang cobbled together with materials from Prison Star would have a very difficult time escaping the Zerg fleet's attack!

The Sin City Council would never trust the Black Mech Gang. They must have a more reliable method of leaving Prison Star.

Furthermore, the Black Mech Gang seemed unaware of the Starfield Broodmother Egg. Otherwise, the current situation would not be like this.

Even Jiang Xiao, who paid little attention to news and the conflicts in Sin City, knew that the Sin City Council had been aggressively cracking down on the Black Mech Gang's resource acquisition channels recently, doing everything they could to cut off their access to mechanical materials.

There were even frequent reports of explosions at Black Mech Gang factories.

Even if it was an act, they wouldn't interfere with material acquisition and blow up mechanical factories, right?

After all, building mechanical factories couldn't be hidden from the Starport. If the two were truly cooperating, the components for building starships would have to be manufactured separately in these factories.

"Sin City Council, Black Mech Gang, Industrial Box, Broodmother Egg...

The Sin City Council and the Black Mech Gang didn't seem overly anxious about the loss of the broodmother egg and the box. I wonder if they have any backup plans.

It seems I'll need to stir the pot to create more opportunities. I'll start with the Sin City Council."

Chapter 37: Harvest and Modification

Not long after, Jiang Xiao pushed open the compartment door, only to find Xi Guang sitting alone on a chair on the second floor of the workshop, lost in thought.

"When did Chief Li and Xi Ling leave?"

"Twenty-four minutes ago. Uncle Li asked me to apologize to Mr. Jiang." Xi Guang's tone was as calm as ever.

Jiang Xiao nodded in understanding. The two of them had hundreds of Pan-Humans and the Starfire Camp to support. Since Xi Guang was fine, they had to return to handle their affairs. Moreover, Chief Li Yuan's prolonged absence might attract the attention of internal spies.

"There are several compartments on the second floor of the Mechanical Workshop. Xiao Guang, pick one to use as a bedroom. You can't keep sleeping on the reclining chair."

"Okay."

"Also, among the supplies I took back from the Viper Gang, there are some Source Energy supplements. Xiao Guang, use them as needed. If you need more, just say so."

"Okay."

Seeing Xi Guang's obedient demeanor, Jiang Xiao couldn't help but reach out and pat her head. To his surprise, Xi Guang didn't resist or show any confusion. Her eyes calmly fixed on his face.

"Ahem, well, try not to leave the workshop for a while. It would be very troublesome if you were discovered."

Awkwardly retracting his hand, Jiang Xiao couldn't help but sigh, "Her personality is like a cat's."

Without disturbing Xi Guang further, Jiang Xiao went to the workbench and took out his serial terminal, beginning to derive the missing theoretical formulas.

There were many gaps in the theoretical formulas related to electromagnetism between the knowledge of Basic Electromagnetism and the data provided by X-21. Without relevant textbooks, he could only derive them slowly. Fortunately, this was no longer difficult for him.

It just required time.

After an unknown period, Jiang Xiao's eyes widened, and he gritted his teeth, "Damn it, why does X-21's Electromagnetic Control Theorem conflict with the basic theorems of a Primary Civilization??"

"Mr. Jiang, the X-21 series is a down-market product from an Intermediate Civilization's Universal Conglomerate. The biggest gap between Intermediate and Primary Civilizations lies in microscopic technology. Simply using the macroscopic force formulas of a Primary Civilization will naturally lead to incompatibility."

A clear, cool voice came from the side. Turning his head, a bright white figure came into view.

Xi Guang, with a calm expression, held a cup of hot water and handed it to Jiang Xiao, saying, "The electromagnetism of an Intermediate Civilization is a combination of microscopic and macroscopic applications. The theorems and formulas involve..."

Jiang Xiao subconsciously jotted them down, then looked on in amazement.

"Xiao Guang, you're so knowledgeable?"

Xi Guang calmly replied, "I only memorize theorems and knowledge by rote. We learn these things in compulsory education."

"..."

Sigh, was this the difference in educational environments? Jiang Xiao mused.

As for why intermediate civilizations don't use memory implantation for education, it's because their technological strength is so high that even the data volume of niche technical systems would be completely overwhelming for ordinary citizens. At most, they can only implant basic common sense and general knowledge.

The status of this general knowledge is probably similar to high school knowledge from Earth's era.

Furthermore, for martial artists or espers, forced memory implantation can affect their consciousness purity. Jiang Xiao doesn't know what consciousness purity is, but it's a recognized fact that it impacts future advancements.

It also affects the scientific research inspiration and talent of geniuses. These are all common interstellar knowledge that many civilizations have discovered through trial and error.

However, even so, junior and intermediate civilizations cannot transmit knowledge through oral narration and writing like Earth did.

As starfield life evolves to a certain extent, they will possess a certain amount of mental power even without spirit energy. Combined with writing, most interstellar civilizations have a mental language, a special form of script where a single sentence contains more information entropy than Earthlings learn in a month, and it's not easily forgotten.

While drinking water, Jiang Xiao looked at Xi Guang and asked, "Xiao Guang, how many theorems and pieces of knowledge do you remember?"

"Hmm... I only remember a small portion of basic physics, mathematics, and chemistry. Would you like me to recite it?" Xi Guang looked at Jiang Xiao.

"Sure, that would be great. Thanks."

Although the knowledge and processes are not at a lower level and won't be of much use for now, any bit of help is a gain!

Besides, once they return to interstellar space, acquiring high-end knowledge won't necessarily be easy. The Interstellar Alliance strictly prohibits higher-level civilizations from transmitting knowledge to lower-level ones. Free exchange is only permitted between civilizations of the same level.

A lower-level civilization wishing to enter a higher-level civilization must apply, and the application must be confirmed and reviewed by the higher-level civilization they intend to visit.

For the next two days, apart from hunting at night, Jiang Xiao and Xi Guang stayed in the Mechanical Workshop.

During this time, Xi Guang's injuries recovered somewhat, and dealing with ordinary Tier 2 martial artists was no longer a problem. Only spirit energy and Source Energy had not yet recovered.

It couldn't be helped. Not everyone could instantly restore their mana like Jiang Xiao, whose strength increased with experience points.

This is also why the higher-ups of the major gangs on Prison Star rarely engage in deathmatches. Once their Source Energy and spirit energy are depleted, it takes at least two to three weeks to fully recover!

On the third day, in the Mechanical Workshop.

Xi Guang sat on a chair in the corner, eyes closed in meditation, slowly recovering his Source Energy and spirit energy.

Jiang Xiao, on the other hand, excitedly waited by the side for the research bar to complete.

Jiang Xiao had tried Xi Guang's meditation method over the past two days. It wasn't a high-level technique; it only increased his experience points by 45 per hour, which was three times more efficient than idling.

It was less efficient than killing a couple of Vipers.

[Research Project Completed]

A massive flow of information surged in. Jiang Xiao's expression remained unchanged; this amount of information was less than 5% of the information sea from X-21.

Of course, it was still about ten times more than the Shuttle Bullet.

Precision Mechanical Structure Design, Drive and Bearings, Interactive Applications, Materials...

The technical similarities between Mechanical Prosthetics and Mech Armor are quite high, Jiang Xiao mused. The full name of Mech Armor is Mechanical Power Armor, and Mecha are merely larger Mech Armors.

The technologies parsed out were not high-end; many seemed not even up to the level of Galaxy Civilizations, hovering around Planetary Civilizations.

The reason this mechanical body possessed Tier 2 strength was most likely because its core components were salvaged from Galaxy Civilization's Mechanical Soldiers.

It seems the Black Mech Gang hadn't fully mastered this technology and could only modify existing parts.

After some thought, Jiang Xiao tried to combine this with X-21's technology and smiled shortly after.

As expected, it was possible.

He now had an idea of what to do next—enhance mobility!

In a city environment like Sin City, with its numerous buildings, mobility doesn't refer to speed and agility, but to vertical terrain maneuverability!

Like Spider-Man's web-shooters.

Jiang Xiao's idea was to imitate the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment from his memories and design a set of mobile gear with powerful jumping capabilities that could also function on vertical walls.

This wouldn't be difficult. The building frames in Sin City were all made of steel, making Magnetic Energy Technology very suitable.

In addition, some of the technologies had slight overlaps with Mechanical Soldier technology, perhaps he could try designing Mechanical Soldiers?

"No rush, let's try modifying these handheld devices into intelligent mechanical arms. It looks like quite a few parts and metal will be needed."

Jiang Xiao took out the terminal that Xi Ling had recently updated and entered a series of commands.

Then, he sat on a chair, cleaning his weapon while deeply contemplating the uses of these technologies.

Not long after, several dark figures entered the Mechanical Workshop through a new underground passage on the first floor. This passage was dug by Xi Guang while he was practicing his abilities, leading directly to a discarded building over three hundred meters away.

Xi Ling, Bruce, and two Spark Gang elites quickly carried the materials to the second floor.

The two elites were instantly excited upon seeing Xi Guang and repeatedly thanked Jiang Xiao. Bruce, however, stared at Jiang Xiao with a complex expression.

He never imagined that the young man who had helped Xiao Xi return home would possess such formidable abilities; it was truly incredible.

Sin City had underestimated the Old Capital Killing God.

"What's up, Old Bu? Have I gotten more handsome?" Jiang Xiao noticed Bruce's gaze and asked with a familiar smile.

Bruce remained elegant and chuckled, "Mr. Jiang's appearance has always been excellent. Also, Xiao Xi asked me how you've been recently, so we came together."

"Good, of course, I'm good. Starfire Camp will only get better in the future," Jiang Xiao replied decisively.