Honkai Impact 3rd: Saving the Pre-Civilization by Hand-Crafting Black Tech

When the Moth to Fire received the "Honkai Energy Absorber," they handed it over to Vill-V to analyze its structure and composition. Although the mistress of the Spiral Workshop initially paid little attention to the seemingly crude pendant, she was filled with immense surprise upon analyzing its internal structure.

Despite its crude construction, it concealed an incredibly intricate and sophisticated design concept. It utilized special materials to mimic the characteristics and structure of a certain type of organism, allowing it to absorb Honkai Energy while preventing concentration increases caused by energy accumulation, thereby avoiding becoming a secondary source of infection.

Furthermore, this core could even be reused. After being heated to high temperatures to expand its structure and release the stored Honkai Energy, the core could be put back into use, unlike similar products that would be discarded.

In other words, as long as there was a collector capable of generating high temperatures and absorbing Honkai Energy, this device could even collect Honkai Energy from individuals infected with Honkai Sickness and use it as a power source.

Vill-V was immediately captivated by the various designs embodied in this device. When she completely analyzed the materials of the Honkai Energy Absorber and discovered they were all relatively common and inexpensive, the device's value in her eyes completely transformed.

Vill-V wasn't exactly someone who cared deeply about the welfare of the common people, but even so, she could recognize what a tremendous safeguard such a low-cost, easy-to-maintain, and reusable Honkai Energy Absorber would be for ordinary people's lives, especially as the Honkai threat grew more severe and would inevitably affect entire civilizations in the future.

Therefore, on the very first day Dr. Mei brought Ai Yue back to the Moth to Fire, Vill-V had been quietly keeping an eye on him through her own means.

Dr. Mei and Mobius both believed that the matter of Ai Yue developing Garuda's super-gene factor in a single day was known only to them. However, in reality, the machine used to simulate the Fused Warrior surgery immediately sent the data to Vill-V, who was far away.

Consequently, Vill-V was also well aware that Ai Yue's talent was by no means limited to a single field.

When Dr. Mei told her that she wanted to entrust the Artificial Intelligence Project to Ai Yue, Vill-V's initial response was to agree immediately. However, she still waited three days before sending her answer to Dr. Mei.

After all, she possessed a certain pride befitting a genius. Even though she had already acknowledged him from the bottom of her heart, she still had to set up a test to demonstrate her reserve.

And so, today's scene unfolded.

"Just make anything?" Ai Yue's face showed surprise. "You're quite generous."

He had actually expected Vill-V to find some way to make things difficult for him, but he hadn't anticipated her being so agreeable.

After all, such a task presented no difficulty for him. The biggest challenge was likely gathering materials, but Vill-V had already solved that problem.

"Don't underestimate me. The key is 'something I haven't seen before,' understand?" Vill-V emphasized. "That computer contains various masterpieces I've created. Make sure you check if there's any overlap before you start your project."

"Alright, I got it," Ai Yue waved his hand and began his plan. "Let me see what you have here first."

The system Vill-V designed for herself was quite convenient. All the materials in the entire warehouse were presented clearly and concisely, including their quantities, properties, values, and potential applications. They could even be sorted according to different options.

And Vill-V was indeed the most insatiable money-grubber within the Moth to Fire; she actually had all sorts of rare materials. Ai Yue even suspected that the Moth to Fire's logistics department didn't have as comprehensive a collection as hers.

However, faced with a dazzling array of materials, Ai Yue wore a troubled expression.

There were too many projects to choose from; his decision paralysis had kicked in.

Vill-V, however, mistook his hesitation for difficulty and couldn't help but smile. "Don't rush. I can give you three days."

"It won't take that long," Ai Yue said without looking up. "By the way, can you leave first? Your presence here is affecting my performance."

"Hey, hey, this is my workshop, isn't it?" Vill-V glared at Ai Yue helplessly but still complied obediently. "Don't you go doing anything strange to my lovely helpers while I'm gone, okay?"

By "helpers," she naturally meant those large mechanical equipment.

After saying this, Vill-V left the room, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Ai Yue thought Vill-V was generous, but Vill-V considered herself cunning. This seemingly lenient test had a significant limitation from the very beginning.

The problem lay with the large mechanical equipment.

Most of the equipment here was designed and built by Vill-V herself. Each piece of machinery was related to her areas of expertise. If Ai Yue were to truly utilize these machines to create his own device, his work would essentially overlap with Vill-V's specialties.

And to create something novel that she had never seen before within her own area of expertise... at least, Vill-V was confident that Ai Yue couldn't do it.

She was already a top scholar in engineering and mechanics, a leading figure whose papers could be published without any references. No matter how much of a genius Ai Yue was, it would be difficult for him to surpass her in such a short time.

I'm sorry, Ai Yue, but you're trying to take the project from me. Consider this a small act of revenge.

Vill-V refused to admit that it was a form of jealousy towards Ai Yue's talent, attributing it solely to a vengeful impulse.

She never expected that while she was still contemplating which direction Ai Yue would take, the workshop door would suddenly swing open.

"What's wrong?" Vill-V blinked in surprise. "Giving up?"

Ai Yue's straightforward decision to give up was beyond Vill-V's expectations. She knew very well that every self-proclaimed genius had their pride and wouldn't easily admit defeat. The fact that he gave up so quickly only further demonstrated his talent.

This was because he could only have discovered the trap she had set in the question within such a short period, leading him to decisively abandon the task.

"Give up? What do you mean, give up?" Ai Yue looked at Vill-V, somewhat bewildered, then tossed something towards her. "I've made it."

Vill-V: ?

How long had it been? Half an hour? An hour?

What could you possibly have made! A little boat folded out of tin foil?

Chapter Thirty: You Know You're Breaking the Law!

The first thought that flashed through Vill-V's mind upon hearing Ai Yue's words was "Impossible."

But feeling the solid weight of the object he tossed into her hand, she couldn't help but lower her head to examine it closely.

It was a bracelet made entirely of metal. Its exterior appeared unremarkable, with only a square, red metal surface on the front serving as a decorative element. Relative to its designation as a "bracelet," the item seemed overly bulky, and wearing it on the wrist would be a burden.

However, as a master of mechanics, Vill-V was not fooled by its plain appearance. She put it on her wrist and then pressed the square metal piece on the bracelet's front.

"Click."

With a soft sound, the entire bracelet instantly expanded—no, it wasn't expanding; rather, after the metal square was pressed, the internal mechanical devices of the bracelet were activated, and the entire bracelet was pushed open by the internal transformation mechanism!

But what was the point of that?

"It's not finished yet," seeing Vill-V's confused expression, Ai Yue walked over and guided her hand-on-hand on how to use it. "Grasp this part, pull it upwards, and then cover it over the back of your hand—"

Ai Yue covered Vill-V's hand with a "skin" made entirely of flexible metal. As she moved, a faint, rapid mechanical whirring sounded from within the bracelet, all its structures unfolding at lightning speed until it transformed into a fingerless glove shimmering with metallic luster.

Vill-V instinctively turned her palm over. The red metal piece that had served as the activation switch was now in the center of her palm. It split into four triangles, rotating and moving to reveal a hollow space beneath.

"What is this for?" Vill-V looked at Ai Yue. "Don't tell me it comes with a shooting function?"

"If you embed a Honkai Energy Core, it can release shockwaves through its internal mechanism," Ai Yue said nonchalantly. "But since it was made in a hurry, the killing power might be a bit lacking. It'll only be useful in close-quarters combat at best. It's unlikely to be effective against Honkai Beasts."

"You..." Vill-V looked down at the glove, then back up at Ai Yue. "You made this in less than an hour?"

"It was okay. I was mainly busy catching a flight, so I couldn't be too slow," Ai Yue nodded, not denying Vill-V's statement. "And choosing the project took some effort too. Although your items are generally average, your scope of work is quite broad."

Average?

Vill-V was about to retort when she looked down at the item on her hand again. Someone who could create something like this in such a short time truly had the right to describe her creations as "average."

She suddenly remembered what Mobius had told her when she asked about Ai Yue a couple of days ago.

"You want to know what kind of person Ai Yue is?" Mobius's tone was somewhat subtle, as if she was reluctant to face it. "Let's just say, even if you think you've imagined him to be very capable, it still wouldn't compare to the real him."

"You'd even think this guy shouldn't exist in this world."

Only now did Vill-V understand the meaning of those words.

"Fine," Vill-V closed her eyes and forced the words out. "You win."

She didn't suspect Ai Yue of cheating because she was certain that this item had never existed in this world before today.

As a top scholar in the field of mechanics, Vill-V naturally understood how outrageous this foldable glove was. The ability to fold a glove into the size of a bracelet alone was something beyond ordinary people's capabilities.

Making mechanical devices smaller was an extremely difficult task, involving not only manufacturing precision and material strength but also the maker's understanding of spatial utilization. The more complex the mechanical structure, the harder it was to miniaturize.

If Vill-V were to make something similar, even with a week, she might not be able to compress its volume to the level Ai Yue had achieved. Moreover, she had just noticed that the internal structure of the glove was incredibly detailed to an unnecessary degree. Discarding those redundant designs could further reduce the bracelet's size without significantly affecting its structural integrity.

Vill-V knew very well that Ai Yue's sole purpose in doing this was to show off.

She could even read the creator's emotions from this item: How's that, am I awesome or what!

In reality, Ai Yue himself was even more outrageous than this item.

How did he manage to create such a thing in such a short time? Was it prepared in advance? But the high precision required to manufacture such intricate parts was beyond even the equipment in her top-tier workshop on Earth. Did he specially build related equipment?

He couldn't have just "hand-crafted" it, could he!?

Forget it, I'm tired.

This was Vill-V's current thought. Mobius was absolutely right; imagination was worthless in front of this man.

She was already suppressing the urge to ask Ai Yue about the manufacturing details, afraid that if she asked, she would receive an even more mentally shattering answer.

I've completely lost, both in my professional field and in my performance. What a mechanic.

Ai Yue, of course, paid no mind to Vill-V's complex and rich emotions. After hearing her evaluation, he knew the outcome was decided.

This was inevitable, after all. Not to mention humans, even a Herrscher would get smacked by my system grandpa twice.

Human scholar, you've done your best.

"So, the project I need?" he asked directly.

"I'll transfer all the project details to you. Give me some time," Vill-V said weakly. "Sigh, I've suffered a huge loss."

The Artificial Intelligence Project was currently the hottest and most promising project, so it naturally received strong support from Moth to Fire. Vill-V had also managed to fulfill many of her personal wishes along the way.

But now it was about to leave her. How could she not be heartbroken?

"Also, here's this back." Vill-V reluctantly restored the glove to its bracelet form and handed it to Ai Yue. "It's a very interesting item, I like it very much."

Seeing Vill-V's demeanor, Ai Yue couldn't help but smile and then said, "Do you want it?"

"Are you willing to give it to me?" Vill-V's eyes widened in surprise, but then she realized something. "No, you want something in return, right?"

"It's nothing. I just took some of your materials. In exchange, this item is yours," Ai Yue smiled. "Well then, I'll be taking my leave. The plane upstairs is still waiting for me."

With that, he hurriedly left the Spiral Workshop.

"Materials? What does that matter..." Vill-V stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing something, and rushed into the workshop.

A moment later, her wails echoed throughout the entire Spiral Workshop.

"Thief! Bandit! Robbery! You're robbing me!"

Chapter 31: Beautiful Girls Don't Drool

Ai Yue knew he wasn't in the right, which was why he had left in such a hurry.

As the head of Moth to Fire's weapon research and development department and a scholar specializing in mechanics and engineering, Vill-V naturally placed great importance on materials.

Therefore, her warehouse stored a vast amount of precious materials.

To Ai Yue, the Spiral Workshop's warehouse was like a key to unlocking the system's treasure vault. Faced with such a mountain of wealth, how could he possibly leave empty-handed?

Besides, these materials could be used to greater effect in his hands. For the future of humanity, he would have to trouble Vill-V a little!

When he becomes successful in the future, he would compensate her properly.

Sitting on the plane, Ai Yue couldn't help but take out his loot from his bag—no, the goods obtained through a transaction—to examine them closely.

Although Ai Yue had taken them without permission, he still had a basic bottom line. He only took a few items that he believed were equivalent in value to the foldable glove.

Among them was a cloudy crystal, sealed in a transparent box. If observed closely, one could see flashes of lightning within it from time to time.

In Vill-V's warehouse inventory, this item was called a "Honkai Thunder Crystal." It was a type of crystal that appeared on the land ravaged by the Third Herrscher's power during its descent, containing remnants of the Third Herrscher's strength.

"Honkai Energy Sample - Third Herrscher (Rare): Usable Value 100%"

"Using this material allows for the direct initiation of research projects related to the Third Herrscher."

Looking at the information displayed on the system, Ai Yue couldn't help but clench his left hand.

The glove equipped with the "Spacetime Distortion Generator" was still on his left hand. The reason he was able to directly unlock this outrageous technological advancement in the first place was because Pardofelis had stolen a Honkai Energy sample, which was mistaken for a gemstone containing radioactive material.

That sample came from the Second Herrscher, the entity that wielded the power of manipulating imaginary space.

This was the effect of a rare-grade material: it could ignore all prerequisite technology conditions and forcefully unlock a technological point.

If Ai Yue were to follow his current research progress, it would take him at least two years to reach the "Spacetime Distortion Generator." However, a single Honkai Energy sample was enough to let him skip all the intermediate steps and get there in one go.

The Honkai Energy sample alone was already so powerful; what kind of potent effects would a Honkai Energy Core possess?

Moreover, unlike the Second Herrscher, the Third Herrscher's abilities leaned more towards destruction and devastation. Since he already had a means of self-defense, this time he would see if he could create a weapon for offense.

Ai Yue had already decided the purpose of this Honkai sample in his mind. He then set it aside and picked up another item.

It was a piece of special metal, hermetically sealed in a lead box. In Vill-V's warehouse inventory, it had the highest price and was named the element "Californium."

The piece Ai Yue held in his hand was only the size of a grain of rice, weighing 0.3 grams. Yet, even so, its value exceeded five million US dollars, making it one of the most expensive elements in the world.

The effect of the Californium element was as impressive as its price – it could be used to research "Honkai Sickness Antibodies."

Unfortunately, Ai Yue had not yet unlocked the prerequisite technology for this part. Therefore, even though he had obtained such a material, he could not use it for the time being.

However, he already had a plan in mind: as long as he found a way to get acquainted with the people at the Fifth Research Institute, the matter could be resolved.

Besides these, Ai Yue also took three different types of ores. Although each of them possessed unique abilities, compared to the two heavyweights mentioned earlier, they could at best be considered stepping stones.