The Team Comes Together

This round of complaints from Ironhide lasted for most of the journey.

"You're saying that because you heard androids had such a high status in the Mother City, you wanted to turn yourself into one and smuggle yourself into the Mother City to become part of the elite."

"But the modification wasn't finished, and the smuggling ring was wiped out by the Nightless City security officers. So only half your brain was made bionic, while your body wasn't finished?"

What kind of lunatic could come up with a plan like that?

Perhaps he had thought of something, because Little Finger's expression suddenly became extremely strange.

"That's right, Brother Finger. I spent all my savings on that modification, and it only got halfway done." Ironhide's face was full of painful memories. "After the failed modification, my old gang didn't want me anymore, and I couldn't repay the loan sharks. So I gritted my teeth, changed my appearance, and came to the desert to make a living."

"Aren't androids specifically designed to serve humans?" the Driver couldn't help interrupting. There were many androids in the bar, basically equivalent to artificial idiots. How could they be so popular in the city?

Ironhide sighed. "You don't understand, Big Brother. Ever since the 'Android Act' was passed, the status of androids has risen day by day. Especially as AI templates become more advanced, they can solve many problems humans can't handle, and they're cheap, too. These days, even gangs have started hiring androids to kill people. I have to admit, they're incredibly useful—after all, they don't care about dying."

"As far as I know, the current ranking of residents in Nightless City is AI first, androids second, and born-humans third. Born-humans are people like us, ordinary humans."

"Do you still consider yourself an ordinary human? How does your memory system function?" Little Finger asked curiously.

"Of course. I only had half the surgery done. Even if I wanted to become an android, nobody would take me."

"I have a memory chip installed. The bionic system periodically deletes some unimportant memories to ensure that the system runs normally."

"What does it feel like to be an android?" the Driver asked despite himself.

"There isn't much difference from being a normal person, except that it's hard to remember anything you've forgotten." Ironhide thought for a moment before giving a clear definition. "It's like wearing a thick cotton-padded coat all year round, no matter whether it's spring, summer, autumn, or winter."

"That's because your tactile system is too poor." Little Finger rolled his eyes.

There were high-rise ruins in the oasis as well. The two vehicles crossed ruin after ruin before reaching the vicinity of a relatively secluded old metal recycling station.

"Let's go. I'll take you to meet that guy. I still have to go on duty afterward. Damn it, ever since I joined the Security Corps, I've actually spent more time at work than off work. Screw this!"

The two had just crossed a ruin when a figure suddenly dropped from the sky. After pausing in midair against the force of gravity, he flipped several times in succession and landed safely.

[You comprehended the passive skill Molecular Filament Grappling Claw]

Molecular Filament Grappling Claw (Passive): A technique for maneuvering at high altitudes to assist with attacks or escape.

Passive Skill: Cannot be improved with experience points; can only be improved through proficiency.

Proficiency: 1/3000

Gao Gong glanced at the system panel. A trace of delight flashed through his eyes. He had finally trained this skill into existence. Although it was passive and its power couldn't be increased in a short period, passive skills had their advantages. As long as he kept training, he would eventually be able to raise the skill level.

Gao Gong looked up and happened to see the two men staring at him, dumbfounded.

"What brings you here?" Gao Gong looked at Little Finger in surprise, then was immediately attracted by the armored battle vehicle behind him. He exclaimed delightedly, "Was it finally delivered? I thought it wouldn't arrive before the battle started."

Little Finger came back to his senses and said irritably, "That's because Sister Rose arranged it specially. Do you know how many connections we had to work through and how much effort we spent transporting this big guy?"

Gao Gong ignored him and climbed straight into the armored battle vehicle to inspect its performance.

"Don't forget to pay me back. You only gave me a deposit."

"Deduct it from my share. What, you don't think I'm broke, do you?"

Little Finger snorted. This fellow really wasn't short of money, and soon he would be richer than Little Finger himself.

He really had stepped in dog shit.

Ironhide stared enviously at the armored vehicle. At last, when Gao Gong got out, he immediately went over, thumped his chest, and said, "Brother Gao, leave the driving to me from now on. I guarantee I'll get you through without a hitch."

Gao Gong blinked. "Sorry, who are you?"

"..."

"Oh, it's you." Under Little Finger and Ironhide's increasingly strange gazes, Gao Gong didn't feel embarrassed at all. In fact, he had only met Ironhide once, at night. Wasn't it normal that he didn't recognize him?

"I delivered the man, and I delivered the vehicle. I'm leaving." Little Finger paused, then said, "Come to the bar when you have time. Sister Rose wants you to drop by when you're free."

"Sure." Gao Gong looked at the dark circles beneath the other man's eyes and asked in surprise, "You've been using the virtual experience machine quite a lot lately."

"Using my ass!" Little Finger looked aggrieved. "I have to perform more than a dozen surgeries every day, and I'm only charging cost price. Damn military administration!"

Based on Gao Gong's understanding, Little Finger's so-called cost price meant a hundred percent profit. The normal profit margin for prosthetic surgery was ten times the cost, while his target was a hundred times.

Otherwise, why would prosthetic doctors also be called black-market doctors?

Their prices were truly black.

"Let's go. We should head back and prepare too. We start work tomorrow." Gao Gong patted Ironhide on the shoulder and spoke familiarly.

Ironhide's spirits rose, and he hurried after him. He flattered Gao Gong while curiously looking around.

Gao Gong had no special reason for choosing him as a teammate. He drove well, and he seemed passable as a person. Although he was somewhat sly, come on, this was a radiation zone. How many good people—or even normal people—could there be here?

All he needed was an ordinary lackey who would usually obey him. Loyalty wasn't necessary.

"Ironhide, you're smuggling goods on the black market now. What did you do before?"

"I used to deliver goods for people."

"Deliver goods? That sounds pretty legitimate."

"Exactly. Extremely legitimate. My old gang was licensed, and they even bought me insurance." Ironhide looked proud. "I transported prisoners and firearms for the gang. Sometimes I also transported recreational drugs."

"Uh, no wonder you look so energetic."

Gao Gong still had plenty to do and didn't pay him much attention. Ironhide, however, didn't consider himself an outsider. After wandering around the old metal recycling station, he carried a crate of beer that smelled of gasoline out of a shed. He basked in the radiation while guzzling beer, looking quite content.

The only problem was that the liquid spraying out through the gaps between his organs was not a particularly elegant sight.

Gao Gong frowned. The two pieces of equipment placed before him both had excellent attributes, reaching the level of "Fine+."

Among Gao Gong's equipment, only the "Beast Hunter · Iron Rain," jointly crafted by Old Sun and Aunt Xiang, had received the same evaluation from the system.

But the "side effects" of these two weapons were too severe—so severe that he didn't dare use them.

The first box had unexpectedly contained a biological weapon called the Radiation Energy Gun. It looked like an oversized revolver wrapped in a layer of writhing fleshy buds. It could actively absorb nuclear radiation in a radiation zone and then release it as a beam of radiation energy.

Energy weapons were still far from mature among the technologies of Level Two civilizations.

Only Level Three civilizations would use them on a large scale.

And only the research systems of civilizations above Level Four could support the development of large-scale energy weapons such as "planetary annihilation cannons," "dark matter cannons," and "particle annihilation cannons."

The reason this "Radiation Energy Gun" was merely rated "Fine," rather than being considered a "Weapon of War" or "Black Technology," was mainly because it could only be used in radiation zones, and the interval between shots was at least five minutes.

This also indirectly proved that the Level Six research blueprint "Micro Nuclear Fission Reactor"—"Mars' Edge"—had not yet been unlocked.

That alone wasn't too bad. After all, no matter how lousy an energy weapon was, its damage still exceeded four digits.

The truly infuriating part was its note.

Note: This biochemical weapon is immature. Using this weapon carries an extremely high chance of injecting the user with a biochemical virus.

Fuck, I don't want to become a zombie.

As for the other weapon, it was just as dangerous and infuriating. It was an implantable machine gun equipped with an intelligent module. The two gun mounts held four biological drills that automatically provided AI implantation. No prosthetic surgery was needed; it could be installed directly into the human body.

The machine gun also freely provided at least five intelligent modules, including "Automatic Aiming," "Ballistic Analysis," and "Charge Mode."

It could be said that in terms of combat-system development, this machine gun had already reached a fairly mature level. It could even autonomously adjust its combat mode according to its host's nervous system.

However, this machine gun's drawback was just as infuriating.

Note: As the frequency of using this machine gun increases, the probability of developing cyberpsychosis will periodically rise.

This was a gun that could make a healthy person develop a disease. That was how the system mocked it.

Gao Gong hadn't used Mars' Edge weapons in his previous life, but he had heard of their reputation: cheap, powerful, and wildly unstable. Players loved them.

But from an NPC's perspective, this thing was truly a nightmare.

Still, with power this great, not using it would feel like a waste.

Gao Gong rubbed his chin. He soon came up with an idea.

Since this thing isn't meant for people to use, why not simply avoid having people use it?

He had thought of a solution, but it required gambling on blueprints. He would need to save up experience for a while longer.

The third day was the time he had arranged with Aunt Xiang. The Red Unicorn, the outer garment, the boots, and various miscellaneous small items had all been damaged or worn down during nearly a month of hunting. They all needed to be repaired.

Aunt Xiang also knew about Gao Gong's secret base.

But contrary to Gao Gong's expectations, the person who appeared before him wasn't the short, hunched Aunt Xiang, but a tall, burly fat man.

"Xiangzai, are you here to deliver the goods?"

Xiangzai foolishly shook his head, handed over a basketful of weapons and equipment, and said, "Mom told me to follow you."

At Old Friend's Firearms Shop, Aunt Xiang stood with her arms crossed, her expression shifting between light and dark as her eyes occasionally moved.

Old Sun sat at the entrance with a bottle of liquor in his hand. His eyes were hazy with drunkenness. Seeing her expression, he let out a mocking laugh. "If you can't bear to part with him, don't let him go. What's the use of worrying after he's gone? You were like this before, too. With that temperament of yours, you'll never change in this lifetime."

"He has to go." Aunt Xiang let out a long breath. "I can't protect him forever."

"Did you prepare his weapons? With his build, he probably can't use ordinary equipment."

Aunt Xiang nodded. "I modified Old Gong's equipment to fit him and gave it to him."

"Old Gong's? How could an ordinary person use his equipment?" Old Sun asked in astonishment. The Old Gong Aunt Xiang referred to was one of the top three in combat ability among classical-style mechanical hunters, as well as a publicly acknowledged monster hunter.

Old Sun seemed to have thought of something and suddenly jolted. "Could it be that Xiangzai has that ability too?!"