After returning with a full load of supplies, Liu Yun quietly made his way back to the base. Along with completing his mission, he had carefully collected a trove of rare metals. In the eyes of the Mechanical Base, these metals were worth far more than ordinary gold. Collecting them had been fraught with difficulties and had taken a great deal of effort. Once he had them, he deftly avoided drawing attention and slipped into the shadows of the Monster Town.
On the way, he had received a message. Glinda still hadn't given up and was continuing to invite him to the banquet. She hoped to introduce Liu Yun to the people of the HR Alliance.
"Glinda's banquet invitation is just an excuse to shove me into the HR Alliance's spotlight. Ridiculous. In this remote land overrun with monsters, my biggest obstacle is the very person who once showed me the way." Liu Yun mocked her inwardly but kept moving, heading straight for his destination without much trouble along the way.
The HR Alliance was a microcosm of the international world, where high society and exotic cultures blended perfectly. Yet the lower world seemed like a forgotten island, cut off from everything else. Liu Yun knew that this place was too close to the bustling heart of human civilization, and that he had to be careful with every step so his precious haul wouldn't be exposed in broad daylight. So he put his wits to use, sneaking along in stages and quietly moving the treasures to the shadowy entrance of the subway. Then he slipped into the secret base hidden deep underground.
The base was a world of its own. It looked like a ruin on the surface, but beneath it lay hidden wonders. Unremarkable firing slits and concealed cameras glinted coldly in the gloom, inspiring dread.
Just as Liu Yun set down his burdens and stepped into this hall where machinery and ingenuity intertwined, low-level robots patrolled in silence, their presence imposing. Holographic projections cleverly disguised the entrance, concealing it behind a lifeless wall. Anyone unaware of the truth would never have found it. At that moment, he felt like a bridge between reality and the future, every step taking him across the boundary between technology and fantasy.
As he ventured deeper into the base's core, the light gradually grew softer and brighter. It came not from sunlight or lamps outside, but from his Machine Race core.
At the heart of the light, a huge Crystal Ball floated motionless in midair, gently supported by several fine, dazzling beams. It was like a star in the universe, at once ancient and mysterious.
Brilliant colors flowed across the Crystal Ball's surface, blue, purple, green, and gold shifting and blending. Each time the colors changed, the space around it rippled. It was a wondrous sight.
"I brought everything back! So, what kind of serum can you prepare for me?"
Liu Yun dumped all the monster materials onto the ground, including the Undying Bird's egg. Its life force was so abundant that he thought it might be useful as an ingredient for a serum.
"Understood. I'm recalculating the serum formula for you, Host. The materials currently available can indeed be used to create a new Cell Activation Serum. Please wait."
The core Crystal Ball absorbed all the materials at once, and the entire base began to transform rapidly. Its firepower and concealment systems underwent a qualitative leap. The Machine Race Clone further enhanced the Defense Robots, increasing their numbers to three hundred. Each possessed the strength of a Peak War God-level Martial Artist.
They weren't particularly powerful individually, but there were so many of them. The base's various systems were also improved, and the Energy Collectors disguised as trees grew larger and more lush.
More importantly, the core Crystal Ball had gained its freedom. It floated up into the air, and the base now had a Base Main Control Computer, which housed part of the base's combat capability. From now on, the core Crystal Ball could continue fighting alongside Liu Yun!
"Now that the base upgrade is complete, I can continue fighting alongside you. You'll also have the computer's assistance in battle."
The core Crystal Ball said this because without it, Liu Yun's strength would drop by at least eighty percent. The Machine Race's computing power was an invaluable aid to him, whether in training or in combat.
He was delighted, but he also had one concern.
"Core Crystal Ball, you know what happened between Li Wei and me. Do you have any way to cover up the fact that I killed him?"
This was crucial. With his current strength, he couldn't defeat a Peak War God. Even within the HR Alliance, he couldn't stand against Li Yao's wife, Venina Polenas. That woman had an entire family backing her.
"My computing power has increased tenfold after the upgrade. I can hack into the HR Alliance's internal network and erase all records of your movements. I can even monitor those two for you!"
As it spoke, the core Crystal Ball displayed two people: Li Yao and Venina Polenas. They were flying to the site of the volcanic eruption, hoping to find some clues there.
But how could they? Forget finding clues—the eruption had changed the surrounding terrain. They wouldn't find anything.
That was incredible. As long as the Machine Race Clone wished, it could hack into any network on Earth. Not even a local network could escape its control. The Machine Race's technology was beyond anything Earthlings could imagine. If Liu Yun wanted, he could rename the HR Alliance the Liu Yun Alliance at the network level.
"Good. With the Crystal Ball, I can monitor anyone on Earth whenever I want!"
This was another breakthrough. Whether hacking into the HR Alliance's internal network and turning it into Liu Yun's private network, or monitoring everyone on Earth, these were all abilities the Crystal Ball had gained after the base was repaired.
The Crystal Ball surely had more abilities than these. Once the base was further improved, it would definitely unlock even more amazing powers. It might even fully restore its former Machine Race body.
The base could also produce more medicine now. A robot brought over another orange-red injection. The core Crystal Ball explained that it hadn't used the Undying Bird's egg.
"This monster egg will be implanted with a chip and placed under your complete control in the future. It will be much more useful that way! The Cell Evolution Serum doesn't need this substance yet, so please use the latest Cell Evolution Fluid with confidence."
Liu Yun nodded in agreement, his eyes shining with resolve and anticipation. Under the precise care of the Robot Nurse, the orange-red Cell Evolution Fluid, brimming with limitless potential, was slowly injected into his body. At first, an indescribable warmth flowed through his veins, as though countless tiny lives were stirring within him, filling him with a strength he'd never felt before. But then the power swiftly turned into intense pain, sweeping through his body like a raging fire. Every inch of skin and every bone underwent an unprecedented transformation.
Liu Yun clenched his teeth, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, but he didn't make a sound. He simply endured it in silence. He knew this was a necessary part of his transformation. Only by suffering through this pain could he grow stronger.
As time passed, the pain gradually faded, replaced by a new strength surging through his body. Liu Yun could clearly feel every subtle change. His muscles had grown tougher and stronger, his bones seemed denser, and even his reflexes and mental sharpness had improved significantly.
When the last trace of pain disappeared, Liu Yun abruptly opened his eyes. A crimson light glimmered in them, a mark left by the cellular evolution and a symbol of his increased strength. He stood up and stretched his limbs, feeling power coursing through his whole body, as if he could shake mountains and tear open the void.
"Is this the strength of a High-Level War General?" Liu Yun murmured, his voice brimming with confidence and boldness.
Adding the abilities of a Psychic, he now had the strength of an intermediate War God. He would have a fighting chance the next time he faced the High-Level War God couple.
But by now, the couple had grown so furious that their inner demons had taken hold. They had come up with an even more vicious and terrifying plan: to kill every Martial Artist who had gone out during that period.
Before you continue