Apocalyptic Mechanist

The Kasar Main Road, resembling a scene from hell, rendered Xi Ling and hundreds of Spark Warriors utterly silent.

While the devastation here wasn't as severe as in the Wicked Soul Market, the visual impact was no less potent, perhaps even more so!

After all, the Aliens stationed here weren't scattered stragglers or weaklings, but a legion that had undergone basic military training and possessed the top-tier equipment on Prison Star.

The Kasar Street Block had been fortified like a fortress!

Yet now, the shattered streets and buildings, the craters from explosions, and the scattered debris of metal and concrete defenses looked as if an armored regiment had charged through. As far as the eye could see, not a single building remained intact.

"Every time they call me, it's a big scene."

Xi Ling chuckled helplessly and led everyone towards Jiang Xiao and Xi Guang, who were sitting and chatting.

Noticing Xi Ling approaching, Jiang Xiao smiled. "You're finally here. Take all these weapons and equipment back to the Black Market. How many people here know how to operate an Electromagnetic Tank?"

"Most of us do, assuming the operating procedures are the same as elsewhere," Xi Ling replied seriously.

"Then that's fine. Load the equipment onto the tanks and take them away. Those tanks mounted on the buildings, I'll dismantle them on the spot later and take the important components back."

"Understood."

Xi Ling responded with solemnity.

Jiang Xiao found Xi Ling's attitude a bit strange but didn't dwell on it, attributing it to her personality.

After assigning tasks, Jiang Xiao and the other two approached an Electromagnetic Tank mounted on a rooftop, which he examined closely.

"A tank on a high point. The Sin City Council must have airlifted it here with helicopters. Unfortunately, none of the helicopters survived." Jiang Xiao shook his head.

Besides the initial annihilation of over a thousand Aliens, the main force that arrived later didn't suffer many casualties. Most fled in panic after the Martial Artists fell, and the remaining helicopters were the first to escape.

"Xiao Guang, could you do me a favor and dismantle the outer armor of this tank?"

Xi Guang nodded slightly, stepped forward, and placed her hand on the tank's surface. Immediately, the entire tank began to vibrate, and its hard armor peeled off in pieces like shelled chestnuts.

Jiang Xiao and Xi Ling watched.

"By the way, why does Mr. Jiang call Xi Guang 'Xiao Guang'?"

Xi Ling had always been curious and concerned about this and seized the opportunity to ask directly.

"Because she's still a child, isn't she? Doesn't she seem like your sister?" Jiang Xiao replied without turning his head, his gaze fixed on the Electromagnetic Tank.

[Inferior Hand-Crank Electromagnetic Tank: Difficult to evaluate. A pity about the Heavy Mechanical Soldier Components inside.]

"..."

Xi Ling couldn't help but say, "A child? She does look like one, but Xi Guang is actually over a hundred years old."

"I know. In Silver Elf society, over a hundred years old is still considered underage. You can't just look at age. Due to differences in lifespan, the same age means different levels of emotional maturity and depth of understanding."

Jiang Xiao turned to look at Xi Ling, who was shrouded in a black robe and had suddenly stiffened.

"Her calm demeanor and emotional stability are likely due to the slow emotional development that comes with a long lifespan. For long-lived species, a hundred years feels like a decade to us."

"Of course, environment can also influence one's will. I don't deny that Xiao Guang has a strong will... Wait, that's the connection channel for the battery pack. Don't dismantle that!"

Before Jiang Xiao could finish, he saw Xi Guang starting to dismantle the rear armor and quickly stepped forward.

Xi Ling stood frozen, not moving.

Before long, the massive Electromagnetic Tank was reduced to a pile of parts, some of which were three to four meters in size.

The length of the Accelerated Electromagnetic Rail was nearly ten meters!

Jiang Xiao surveyed the parts with satisfaction. Many of them looked extremely precise, completely different in style from the other components.

"Good. Take these back to the Black Market. Be careful when moving those two components," he instructed Xi Ling.

"...Understood."

Noticing Xi Ling's low spirits, Jiang Xiao shook his head and looked at Xi Guang, who seemed slightly confused. "Xiao Guang, take Xi Ling over there to chat. I think she has something she wants to tell you."

"Okay."

Xi Guang had already intended to do so. She could clearly sense Xi Ling's emotional changes.

Confusion, guilt, and a hint of self-doubt?

Xi Guang didn't understand, so she stepped forward.

This operation of transporting supplies took quite some time, and it wasn't until the sun was high in the sky again that the finishing touches were completed.

Two Ordinary Tier 2 Spark Warriors carefully carried the last Electromagnetic Cannon Barrel into the Black Market and placed it in the center of the already crowded area.

In front of the Mechanical Workshop, Jiang Xiao saw the still somewhat silent Xi Ling and Xi Guang bid a hasty farewell and quickly leave.

He asked curiously, "How did it go?"

"We've cleared things up," Xi Guang replied with a complex tone.

She hadn't expected Xi Ling to feel guilty about this. More than ten years ago, she had already abandoned her habits and values from her homeland.

She acted as a cold Pan-Human Hunter.

"Don't worry. I don't think she'll be too despondent. After all, many things are beyond their control. And the fact that they feel guilty about this shows that they must be a rebel army with noble ideals."

Jiang Xiao smiled faintly and patted Xi Ling's head.

"If you want to go to the wilderness, then go. I'll be staying in the workshop for the next two weeks."

"Mhm."

Xi Ling nodded slightly, then turned and left decisively.

She knew she could always return here.

Jiang Xiao turned and walked towards the mechanical workshop. There were many things to handle next, and he would be very busy starting today.

He picked out the core components of an Electromagnetic Tank to be put into a research slot for analysis, and then began preparing to upgrade the Black Dragon Sniper Rifle.

It was worth noting that for things like large Electromagnetic Rails and battery packs, the analysis time was only half a day.

Besides the technologies related to large-scale applications, its core electromagnetic technology had much more advanced technical data in X-21.

Only the control system was a bit more troublesome, requiring three days. This was mainly because the circuit boards and chips inside would take some time.

After roughly outlining his plan, Jiang Xiao opened his Personal Panel and glanced at his total Experience Points.

Just over 30,000 experience points, not much.

Jiang Xiao chose to increase his Source Energy Intensity by ten points!

Since the Spark Gang was going to enter the game in Sin City, military strength sufficient to deter aliens was essential. It would also make it easier for him to hunt down the leaders of various gangs later on; the trick he used to kill Gulab wouldn't work every time.

The strength of his Origin Data was sufficient for now.

Ignoring the surging hot current within his body, Jiang Xiao curled his lips.

If Prison Star had high-end mechanical weapons, who would want to be a Melee Berserker? Floating Cannons and Mechanical Soldiers were the true combat methods for a Mechanist!

"Let's get to work, let's break out of prison early!"

Jiang Xiao stretched.

As time slowly passed, eleven days flew by in an instant.

Mechanical Workshop.

Jiang Xiao manipulated the mechanical arm to install the last component into the massive Electromagnetic Cannon Barrel. As a smooth humming sound began, he took a few steps back, admiring the finished product with great satisfaction.

"Only this one remains to be assembled. Fourteen modified Fixed-Slide Electromagnetic Cannons are enough to seal off a ten-kilometer radius around the Wicked Soul Building, enough to make even a Veteran Tier 3 Ordinary Martial Artist reconsider."

Li Yuan, who had arrived earlier, heard this and his face lit up with joy. "How strong is its performance specifically?"

Jiang Xiao thought for a moment and said, "Since it doesn't require mobile operation, its turning and aiming speed is 75% higher than before, and its attack power is about 35% higher. Don't worry, a public test will be enough to deter most gangs."

Li Yuan was overjoyed.

"Good, good. If it can provide enough deterrence to Sin City's Peak Combat Power, then we really don't have to worry about them making any small moves, provided most of our compatriots don't leave the Wicked Soul Building."

Jiang Xiao smiled and was about to reply when an interface suddenly popped up.

[Fusion Complete]

[...]

Chapter 51: Fusion Complete, Mechanical Core

Seeing the system prompt, Jiang Xiao suddenly remembered that the Industrial Square Box and the Broodmother Egg were still in the Fusion Slot undergoing the fusion process.

He had been too focused on other matters these past two weeks and had almost forgotten about it.

"Chief Li, please arrange for personnel to move the components to the designated location. I will assemble them later."

Li Yuan nodded without asking further questions. "Alright."

Quickly ascending to the second floor, Jiang Xiao eagerly opened his system panel.

[Fusion Complete - Unnamed Upgradeable Mechanical Core]

[Confirmed]

[Data Analysis Acquired:

1. Deep Space Network Transmission Technology

2. Unnamed Bionic Mechanics

3. Unnamed Void Life Studies]

[Professional Skill Acquired: Elementary Bionic Engineering (lv0)]

[Note: Some information is passively received by the system. The analyzed data contains a massive amount of fragmented information and unknown knowledge branches. It is recommended to receive it in batches to avoid nervous system overload.]

[Please select the type of knowledge to receive first: Basic Theory and Conceptual Theorems (Includes basic formulas - some details may not be accurate), Submerged Technical Data (Incomplete), Non-Mass Production Technology]

A series of messages made Jiang Xiao pause for a moment, then he quickly reacted, feeling pleasantly surprised.

He had actually obtained a very low-probability knowledge analysis!

And just by the names, he knew it must be very profound knowledge. As expected, the Pan-Humans were favored by destiny. Killing alien criminals even increased one's merit!

Well, maybe it was also because he had helped his own kind.