The Old Hunters

"So that's how it is!"

Previously in Knight's Highlands, the senior engineer encountered several large pits of "Mechanical Terracotta Warriors". These terracotta warriors did not seem to be of high level, probably only around level 20, and were not as good as ordinary mechanical guards. However, when they acted together, the attribute panel actually displayed a boss template.

It's important to know that 99% of NPCs don't have this template, but the thousands upon thousands of ancient mechanical warriors each have one.

At the time, the senior engineer thought it was some kind of advanced technology from the Knights, but when he obtained all the technical data, he was shocked to find that there was no such technology.

He did want to consult "War," but he figured War wouldn't bother with him. If he were to infiltrate "Information Deep Sea" again, without the "Rewind System" as leverage, this "Number Two" would definitely take action against him.

Therefore, the matter was dropped.

However, when the "Civilization Trait - Imperial Guard" was activated, the senior engineer realized that it had nothing to do with "war" but was a legacy left by the Great Xia Dynasty.

Civilization Trait - Imperial Guard:

The ultimate goal of deep modification is not to transform oneself into a pure mechanical life form, but to become a super-modified warrior equipped with "wet components." Under the influence of these same type of wet components, the super-modified warriors will master the power of "collective modification," becoming the Emperor's most loyal guards and the most powerful expansion machines.

Activation conditions: Diwei

Below the "Imperial Guard" are images of a "steel torrent," with nearly three-meter-tall super soldiers tearing apart all living things, their huge, veiny muscles and dangerous mechanical hunting weapons ripping alien creatures to shreds.

Ten people per group

One hundred people as one

One person is an entire army!

The senior engineer immediately turned off the holographic screen and fell into deep thought.

"Wet parts, cloning technology, modified bodies, and reproductive bodies—so that's what it's all about."

The boss template was indeed activated by Diwei; this is a confirmed fact.

However, the specific technology of the "Imperial Guard" is far more complex than this.

The first is "wetware," which, in official terms, refers to "people (programmers, operators, administrators) who are closely connected to computer software and hardware systems, and the human nervous system connected to the system."

It is similar to a biochip, but more complex.

Biochips are essentially a supplement for the brain.

"Wet parts" refers to something that is created by removing the entire "nervous system" from the human body.

It's like the tripe you soak in hot pot; once it's cooked, you take it out and all that's left is a pot of rich broth.

It is also the core of the Imperial Guard.

The term "Imperial Guard" is not a technology, but rather closer to a technical standard.

To become a member of the "Imperial Guard," one's prosthetic body must be of the same type and model, as must the reproductive body, and the parameters of some cloned components must also be standardized.

After standardized production and assembly, a series of "Imperial Guard shells" were produced.

Then comes the most crucial step.

It aims to implant the "wet component" into a "Guardian body" while simultaneously connecting the sensory system to all the "cloned components," "bionic systems," and "reproductive organs."

Just like when you play a strategy game, one person can control an army.

Those hundreds or thousands of "Imperial Guards" were actually just one person.

Under the control of "Emperor's Might", this person integrated all the "Imperial Guards" into a life system, which in turn integrated into the entire camp's industrial system.

And so, the 'boss template' was born.

Its "boss template" is actually a very clever borrowing of the template of the faction leader.

Biological hunters are taking a carbon-based explosive route.

Mechs began to become larger and more military-oriented.

Then the path for the mechanical hunters becomes clear: an elite force specializing in hunting.

A one-man army!

"We need to get some of the old guys back together," the senior engineer muttered to himself. "These old fogies probably wouldn't mind having a hundred more combat husks."

At someone's command, the old hunters at various military bases on the planet were summoned.

In a weapons production base, a bald man with both hands and feet completely modified, looking fierce and menacing, sat on an energy cannon, slowly stroking a mechanical knife. The man and the knife formed an indescribable balance.

Even before the blades were drawn, a surging aura of menace already assaulted the senses.

Just then, his communicator rang. Saber Tamil answered it with a gloomy face. He hated being disturbed when he was practicing his sword.

However, his eyes lit up when he saw the message on the communicator.

"The leader has convened again!?"

In the Iron Sand Desert, at Flame Pass, a young man with a toothpick in his mouth was lying on the roof, his head resting on his hand, and half of his head had been completely mechanized.

As he thought of it, a dark flock of birds flew over the pass, and then, with another thought, another dark flock of birds flew over, even flying over his head.

Only when the "flock of birds" flew over his head could he see clearly that these were not "birds" at all, but drones, and there were thousands of them.

The young man commanded so many drones with ease, but after playing with them for a while, he sighed.

"What's the use of these little things, no matter how well you play with them?" the pilot complained. "In terms of surveillance, they're no match for the Skynet system; in terms of fire detection, they're no match for mechanical eyes and ears; and in combat, they're even worse. Forget about blowing up large mechs, I'd be grateful if they could even blow up a medium-sized one. They're utterly useless."

As the highest military commander of Flame Pass, although he seemed to have a lot of power, and indeed he did, the 'pilot' was still somewhat down on his luck.

The problem stems from the fact that progress in skill cannot keep up with version updates.

"I used to drink with those old hunters and laugh at them for always complaining and not keeping up with technological advancements. They said they deserved to be left behind."

The pilot shook his head and sighed, "But now, it's my turn to be eliminated. Finally, I can stop talking without feeling the pain."

The new generation of hunters, through cybernetic implants and hunting-style modifications, became powerful characters in the previous version.

However, with the development of mecha technology, especially the "unmanned mecha", the characters of the previous version were promptly phased out, and the phase-out was quite rapid.

How long does it take to train a top-tier mechanical hunter? One year, two years, three years?

How long does it take to produce a large mech? Sorry, one hour. And even more sorry, it will take half an hour from now on.

The elimination rate for a top-tier hunter is extremely high—one in a hundred, one in a thousand, one in ten thousand.

If the mecha had intelligence, it would tell him, "What are you picking and choosing? I'm not only mass-produced, but also top-of-the-line. You're just making a hand-crafted gadget and you're making a youth version? That's ridiculous."

Of course, you could also say that I have many years of hunting experience, from F-rank to B-rank, and I even dare to mess with A-rank tigers.

Then, the AI expert in your camp will look at you with an idiotic expression and tell you that there is something called a "combat chip" with a learning ability a hundred times greater than yours.

Then you said, "I can also install chips, and I can also mass-produce them."

Then, the mechanical expert will earnestly tell you that mass-produced mechs can be equipped with energy cannons, which can kill a B-class radiation beast with one shot. With your small frame, do you think you can equip a water squirting gun?

Then, the pilot was rendered useless.

Fortunately, Dugo Technologies has always taken care of the elderly. If they can work on the front lines, they can work in logistics; if not, they can stay in the elderly care facilities.

So, the pilots wandered around and ended up in the Iron Sand Desert, this "newbie village," where they settled down and started doing what they were good at.

I was exposed to the sun every day and almost died from the high concentration of radiation.

Just as I was lost in thought, a communication message suddenly came through.

"Who invited me for drinks this time?"

The pilot glanced at it lazily, not even reading the content, but just looking at the sender, and immediately jumped up.

He was startled awake from his deathbed!

A group of people walked in at one of the "biological research institutes" under Dugo Technologies's jurisdiction.

"Hello, I am Xiaoyu, the representative of Mr. G's Research Association. I am here on Professor Han's behalf to deliver the 'virtual reality helmet' to you."

"Oh, hello, please come in."

A biological researcher quickly led his team inside.

Xiaoyu looked around curiously and discovered that many bulletproof glass cases contained wriggling red fluids that seemed to be alive.

Xiaoyu even felt faint, imperceptible gazes.

"Corpse life."

Xiaoyu muttered to herself, then asked the researcher:

"I remember that this type of experiment was suspended for a while."

"That's right, it was only recently restarted, and we all just recently transferred over."

"Why was it halted before?"

"I don't know, it seems like there was some kind of experimental accident."

"Then why turn it on?"

"I heard that we obtained a batch of valuable biotechnology data, which Research Association. Aren't you aware of that?" the researcher asked.

"I really don't know."

"A bunch of biological experts have recently arrived at headquarters, many of them world-renowned. Headquarters needs to find people something to do," the researcher paused, "You guys stop here, I'll go inform my boss."

Xiaoyu looked around curiously like a curious child, and soon noticed a pale-faced young man quietly reading a book. This young man seemed to have a unique charm, and she couldn't help but walk over and take the initiative to greet him.

"Hello, are you also a new researcher?"

The pale-faced young man looked up, glanced at the scene, and shook his head.

"And who are you?"

"I am the subject of research."

Xiaoyu glanced at the 'colonial lifeforms' to her left and right, forced a laugh, and took a step back. "You're not a colony lifeform, are you?"

"No, I am a creature hunter, my name is White Bone."

Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "So you're a hunter. What are you doing here?"

"I have some health issues and can't complete carbon-based fusion, so I'm here to be studied."

"A bio-hunter, how come you can't perform carbon-based fusion? You're not an old hunter, are you?"

Xiaoyu's eyes lit up. The Old Hunters had always been a legend in Dugo Technologies. It was said to be the strongest hunting organization when the faction was first developed. However, as the faction developed, these old hunters gradually withdrew from the stage and disappeared without a trace, which is why there was the legend of the "Old Hunters".

Bai Gu glanced at the other person calmly, then lowered his head to read his book again.

Then, very quickly, the communicator started ringing.