"Fusion reaction stable and sustained..."
"Energy input constant..."
"Energy output rising steadily..."
As the intelligent system spoke, a dense mass of data flickered across the screen.
"Fusion successful!"
"Plasma steady state maintained normally!"
"No gravitational anomalies, no energy leaks..."
"Experiment controlled throughout, parameters perfectly within target!"
A string of success notifications filled the holographic screen.
Wenwu gazed at the artificial sun floating quietly before him, a bright light flashing in his eyes.
In just half a year, he had actually created the artificial star Dr. Otto had failed to complete!
Clearly, he really did have some talent!
Of course, he had relied on Otto's technical data for everything. He had achieved this by standing on the shoulders of a giant.
The artificial sun now burned quietly, a steady stream of clean energy flowing through the energy circuit and back into the arc energy storage system.
From this moment on, the Ten Rings no longer had to worry about rationing palladium or go to so much trouble synthesizing the New Element.
I'll leave this artificial sun here to power the base beside it, and expand the base again!
Looking at the artificial sun before him, Wenwu made up his mind.
He then quickly assembled the equipment components.
With the rapid assistance of his metal ability, he assembled an enormous laser cannon two hours later.
It was a behemoth eight meters long, with a muzzle three meters in diameter.
Wenwu pressed the start button!
The artificial sun's blazing energy poured into the cannon through superconducting conduits in an instant, and the light patterns covering its body suddenly shone a brilliant white.
The next second, an incomparably straight pillar of blue-white light burst from the muzzle, piercing heaven and earth.
The three-meter-wide beam of pure white light was condensed to the extreme. Like a colossal sword of light, it silently drove into the thick rock ahead.
There was no roar, no explosion. Under the laser beam, the hard underground rock vaporized instantly like foam.
The beam held as steady as a rock, its width never changing in the slightest as it bored deeper at a terrifying eighty meters per second.
Three minutes later, it had bored all the way through fifteen kilometers of underground rock.
A perfectly straight, three-meter-wide tunnel with smooth, glossy walls stretched deep underground, all the way to the edge of the foundation on the other side.
The even rock walls gleamed faintly like glazed glass after cooling from the intense heat.
"Hahaha, good! Nuclear fusion power really packs a punch!"
Looking at the dark tunnel stretching a full fifteen kilometers before him, Wenwu could not help bursting into hearty laughter.
He flew back to the base through the tunnel, then ordered his men to reinforce it immediately and formally connect the artificial sun's energy supply to the base.
Once everything was arranged, he returned to his room, sat down cross-legged, and began cultivating.
Over the past six months, he had been busy studying nuclear physics and helping build the fighter jets, transport planes, and artificial sun, leaving him far less time to cultivate.
During those six months, he had also mainly used Spiritual Power to nourish and temper his soul, strengthening both his soul and his mental power.
Although he had spent little time cultivating, his results were considerable!
His soul had grown somewhat stronger, and his mental power had nearly doubled.
At the same time, as his mental power grew stronger, his perception of his metal ability also became increasingly acute.
Now, the range of his metal manipulation had reached 150 meters.
He had also frequently used his metal ability over the past six months, and the ability had grown as a result. With the two factors working together, the weight limit of his metal manipulation had soared to a thousand tons, and his control had become increasingly precise!
The next day, Wenwu returned to the headquarters base.
The surface of the base looked unchanged, but its underground space had expanded enormously, like a hidden underground city.
Wenwu went straight to Ivan's workshop.
When he opened the door, Ivan was bent over a satellite terminal panel, adjusting it as streams of data scrolled rapidly across the screen.
"My lord, you're back!"
Hearing him, Ivan turned around, immediately put down his tools, and bowed respectfully.
"Ivan, how many satellites have been launched?"
Wenwu walked up to the console, glanced at the orbital map on the screen, and asked casually.
"Eight have been launched."
Ivan straightened up, a cold smile curling his lips. He casually pulled a toothpick from his pocket and stuck it in his mouth. "Those bastards tried to shoot down our satellites as they went up, but the Ring Eye's anti-missile system took out quite a few of them instead. Now all they can do is issue impotent statements of condemnation!"
"Good. If they dare target us, we'll knock their teeth out."
Wenwu nodded with satisfaction. Over the past few months, Star Ring had also launched three satellites disguised as civilian ones. The Ten Rings now had eleven satellites.
With their own satellite network, they could support global intelligence gathering, communications, weapons guidance, and strategic deterrence. It was the foundation of their foothold.
He changed the subject. "Have you fully mastered the technology behind Tony's Mark IV armor?"
After obtaining the Mark IV armor half a year ago, Ivan had spent every spare moment studying it in the lab. Its special materials and shock absorption system had given him considerable trouble.
"My lord, I've finished studying it. I've analyzed every part of its structure and all its special materials."
Ivan nodded with a sigh, a flicker of emotion crossing his eyes. "I really didn't expect a single suit of Mark IV armor to contain so much technology ahead of its time. The shock absorption system and those alloy formulas in particular took a great deal of effort to fully understand."
"What about putting it on conveniently?"
Wenwu pressed. Dr. Sterns had previously produced relevant blueprints, which Wenwu had also given Ivan for reference.
"That's done too! There's a finished suit right here. I'll put it on and show you!"
Ivan's eyes lit up. He turned, strode over to the workbench, and picked up a small silver case.
He gripped both sides of the case, and the entire case instantly began to transform.
Amid the precise whirring of machinery, countless armor plates covered his body one after another, assembling into a suit of silver-gray armor in less than ten seconds.
Ivan lowered the faceplate, and his voice came from beneath it. "This is the Ring Armor-04 Ghost, a top-tier special stealth suit. With optical camouflage and stealth against all radar bands, it's the ultimate tool for solo infiltration, assassination, and stealing intelligence."
He paused, a hint of regret in his voice. "But to reduce its size, I had to sacrifice quite a few weapon modules. It isn't very strong in a head-on fight."
Wenwu was not disappointed. A trace of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.
With this armor, the assassins and intelligence agents under Ching-Lin would have the most powerful equipment going forward.
After leaving Ivan's workshop, Wenwu went to Dr. Sterns's laboratory.
"Dr. Sterns, is the thing I asked for ready?" he asked bluntly as he pushed open the door.
"Mr. Wenwu, I'm pleased to say I didn't let you down."
Dr. Sterns adjusted the glasses on his nose, a somewhat weary but excited smile on his face. "Based on the characteristics of the Cosmic Energy cloud you described, the device has been built."
With that, he stepped aside and led Wenwu deeper into the laboratory.
A three-meter-tall metal device stood in the center of the lab, its surface covered with a dense array of cables and indicator lights. It emitted a low hum.