[Basic Weaponry] contained the knowledge needed to manufacture basic firearms and melee weapons. It reduced the number of times he needed to assemble a basic firearm to master its blueprint and increased his weapon manufacturing efficiency.
[Complete Compendium of Basic Materials] was core knowledge for the armament branch. The base attributes of mechanical equipment depended on its raw materials. New generations of materials could even spark technological revolutions, raising the overall quality of machinery by a full level. Many composite materials were prerequisites for advanced machinery.
[You have learned the five basic knowledge fields of the armament branch. You have comprehended the skills [Basic Refinement] and [Overload]!] [You have comprehended the blueprint [Robot: Ranger]!]
[Basic Refinement] allowed him to refine materials and raise their grade. Skills with "basic" or "simple" in their names were generally the original versions of a class's core skills. Its advanced version, [Molecular-Level Refinement], could directly use energy to alter a material's properties.
Materials were graded just like equipment. The higher the quality, the greater the value, but even materials of the same quality could differ in value. For example, a common raw material called rock iron cost thirteen Aquamarine dollars a pound. Once refined into dark rock iron, it was worth forty-five Aquamarine dollars a pound, though both were of gray quality.
Materials also had their own properties. For example, metals suited to transmitting energy were unsuitable for making armor.
[Overload]: an active skill that consumed energy to increase a machine's power by 30-50% for a short time, at the cost of a large amount of durability. For example, if he used Overload on the Light Power Arm Han Xiao had used before, its attack and defense would increase by 30-50%. His 120 energy points could only sustain it for about ten seconds, making it a burst-damage method.
He had finally obtained an active skill! Excitement filled Han Xiao's face. Active skills for the Mechanic class were pitifully scarce early on. If he had possessed one when escaping the Germinal Organization, he wouldn't have fled in such a sorry state.
[Robot: Ranger] was one of the easiest robot blueprints to obtain early on-at least, it was easy enough for him. It was a low-tech, multifunctional robot that could be fitted with all kinds of equipment and machinery. It could be used for combat, scouting, defense, support, and even self-destruction. Its versatility meant it had no particular specialty, but it had great modification potential. Han Xiao knew that the logistics and production teams of many guilds used support-type Rangers for prospecting and mining.
Some blueprints comprehended by Mechanics already existed, while others had yet to appear. The situation differed on every planet.
He had gained so many skills for two potential points. What a bargain!
Old Man Lü sauntered over, his face full of curiosity. "You've looked excited since just now. What are you doing?"
Han Xiao glanced sideways at Old Man Lü. "Don't you think you look out of place wandering around here?"
"Out of place? Why?" Old Man Lü looked down at his beach shorts, waved the liquor bottle in his hand, and belched. He didn't see anything wrong at all.
Lü Qian put down the welding torch in her hand with a heavy thud. The heat had flushed her face and brought out a thin layer of sweat. She rolled her eyes behind her safety goggles and said stiffly, "It's working hours. Anyone not involved, please go as far away as possible."
"You little brat," Old Man Lü muttered. He took a swig of liquor and leisurely went out for a walk, living an utterly carefree life.
"Boss, do you repair things here?"
Old Man Lü had barely left when a customer arrived. A middle-aged man walked in.
Han Xiao looked over and noticed that the middle-aged man was also looking at him. As soon as their eyes met, the man looked away.
Han Xiao paused briefly, then lowered his gaze and noticed the man's steady, powerful steps. He immediately understood something, though his expression remained unchanged.
There was an eighty percent chance that the man was an intelligence agent from the Thirteenth Bureau, sent specifically to probe him.
Lü Qian went up to him with a polite smile for a customer. "Hello. What would you like repaired?"
"My car broke down at the intersection." The middle-aged man looked past Lü Qian, watching Han Xiao.
"All right, no problem." Lü Qian was about to pick up the toolbox and head out when the man suddenly pointed at Han Xiao. "I'd like that young man to help me fix it."
Lü Qian froze, a little dejected. Did she look like she wasn't skilled enough? You're discriminating against women!
"I'll do it." Han Xiao took the toolbox from the resentful Lü Qian.
The two walked out of the alley, where an old sedan was parked by the road.
"This is the car."
Han Xiao opened the hood and took a quick look, then took repair tools from the toolbox and got to work.
The middle-aged man leaned against the car and pretended to look for something to chat about. "Young man, you're still pretty young, aren't you?"
"I'm thirty."
Thirty? Do you think I'm blind? The middle-aged man nearly choked. The corner of his mouth twitched. "What should I call you, young man?"
Without looking up, Han Xiao said, "Before asking someone else's name, you should show some sincerity."
The middle-aged man had no choice but to say, "My name is Feng Jun."
"Good name." Han Xiao's tone was so flat that it didn't sound like a compliment at all.
Feng Jun was exasperated. What's with that tone? It's like he's praising a name like Lucky or Fortune. Besides, what's so good about my name?
"But you misunderstood me," Han Xiao said, rolling his eyes. "I just wanted a cigarette."
Feng Jun's expression went stiff. He gave Han Xiao a cigarette and lit it for him.
Han Xiao squinted, a cigarette dangling from his mouth as he bent over the car. "You can call me Han Xiao."
Feng Jun committed the name to memory and continued probing. "Han Xiao, you're not from West Capital, are you? Where are you-"
"It's fixed."
Everything Feng Jun had prepared to say died in his throat. His expression looked as if he were constipated.
What the hell? I've only just started probing you! Did your skills have to be so damn good, you bastard?!
Han Xiao held out his hand expressionlessly. "The hydraulic pipe was broken. That'll be sixty. Pay up."
No shit, of course I know it was the hydraulic pipe. I broke it myself!
Feng Jun gave an awkward chuckle and took out his wallet. He pulled out the money as slowly as he could, as if the wallet were a bottomless pit, hoping to stall for time and ask a few more questions. "You're really skilled. Where did you learn?"
"I taught myself."
"Oh, impressive. Where are you from?"
"The countryside."
"..."
Seeing Feng Jun still rummaging around after all that time, Han Xiao raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to remind me to give you a discount?"
Feng Jun cleared his throat and finally took out the money and handed it to Han Xiao. What else could he do? He couldn't just refuse to pay. He didn't know whether the organization would reimburse him, either.
Han Xiao chuckled. "That's the most unfathomable wallet I've ever seen. I thought you'd be digging around in it for half an hour."
Feng Jun could swear to heaven that if he didn't have a probing mission to complete, he'd consider it his loss to stay another second.
Han Xiao whistled, picked up the toolbox, and sauntered back the way he had come.
Looking dejected, Feng Jun made a call. "Preliminary observation: the target is a Mechanic. His danger level cannot be estimated for now. The conversation lasted four minutes and thirty-eight seconds. All I learned was that the target calls himself Han Xiao. I recommend further probing and investigation, and avoiding conflict with him."
"An analysis of the target's personality? Hmm... extremely nasty!"
Feng Jun spoke through gritted teeth.