"The first step is to convert all current mechanical equipment into a compressed form, so that we no longer have to worry about a lack of backup machinery..."
Upgrading all current weapons is a huge project, requiring disassembly and the addition of new structures. Fortunately, Han Xiao's manufacturing speed is now far superior to what it used to be. He completed this step in just two days of seclusion.
Despite staying up for two nights, Han Xiao was still full of energy. In front of him, a dozen small metal balls were placed side by side on the table. They were only half the size of a palm and their surfaces were covered with matrix-like patterns, giving them a strong Mechanical Sense.
Pick up a small ball, flatten it in your palm, and you can hardly feel its weight.
There are two compression modes. The first is activated by a button, and the second is activated by aura. The difference lies in the user selection. The former can be used by anyone, while the latter requires the magnetic aura of the Mechanic Class to activate, making it a Mechanic Class exclusive weapon.
These were weapons for his own use, so he naturally chose the latter.
Sizzle...
A wisp of lightning flashed as Han Xiao channeled his energy into it.
Kerala--
With a creaking sound of mechanical components moving, the compressed metal sphere rapidly unfolded and transformed, growing from the size of a palm into Flying Serpent Mecha the height of a person, standing before him. The transformation process was extremely fast, completed in just one or two seconds. The front armor of the Flying Serpent opened, like two leaf petals, and Han Xiao stepped inside, the armor closing away.
A faint glow appeared in the tactical goggles of the Flying Serpent, and the armor activated.
Han Xiao reached out and aimed at the other small balls, releasing his magnetic energy. Like a slender fork of lightning, it quickly connected all the small balls, instantly producing a dense mechanical sound. They all unfolded and transformed into various weapons, such as guns, cannons, scythes, and Bat Wing flying machines, which immediately attached to his body, making him fully armed in just a few seconds.
"The deployment speed is good, and it can enter combat mode at any time, so I don't have to run around with bulky equipment." Han Xiao was quite satisfied and let the machine return to compressed state.
Modifying existing weapons is the first step, and the biggest advantage is a dramatic increase in the number of weapons that can be carried. What kind of machinery to add is the question Han Xiao is pondering.
Compression Technology is considered a watershed moment for Mechanic Class, allowing for the switching of combat styles at any time and the coordination of different elements. Based on this, many advanced mechanical combat styles have been developed.
"My original combat style is adaptable to close, mid, and long range combat. The core is my own mech. Strictly speaking, it's still a solo combat style, a combat mode adapted to Compression Technology. The most famous one is the legion style, which also has sub-categories. Different combinations of mechs result in different focuses for the legion style. However, it's too expensive. With my current financial resources, I can't afford to play it right now. It's not impossible to force a team together, but the cost-effectiveness is not high..."
Han Xiao pondered.
Another condition for forming a legion-based strategy is mass production via assembly lines. He currently lacks the relevant knowledge and financial resources to manage it. Moreover, and most importantly, there are relatively few robot blueprints that can keep up with his own level. Legion-based strategies require a combination of different unit types and machines, turning the game into a strategic one.
He can't create enough types of robots, and he doesn't have any big ones that can hold their own. The Ranger ' technology can't keep up with the current level. They can bully lower-level people, but in battles against people of the same level, they'll be completely destroyed in no time.
However, his thinking was quite clear. He thought to himself, "The tactics I need now have roughly these objectives: First, to get rid of the environment of individual combat and create other partners who can fight independently to entangle the enemy."
Second, enhance my area-of-effect attack capabilities and increase my attack range.
Third, I will set up a defensive perimeter for myself, using some machinery to form a barrier, which can be used for both offense and defense.
Fourthly, mobility is essential to ensure a quick withdrawal from the battlefield when the situation is unfavorable. Therefore, interference and guidance equipment, as well as rear-guard machinery, are needed.
Hmm... Regarding the fifth one, since we have Compression Technology and Basic Mechanical Generation, we can use a super-large weapon, with each component disassembled into different small balls, which can be assembled during combat over time, serving as a decisive trump card! And it can work well with my [Willpower Burning].
Furthermore, if the enemy manages to close the distance, maintaining one's combat capability requires a variety of mech-wielding close-range or mid-range weapons...
In this way, he will have to switch from a kite-like style of one-on-one combat to a positional style of group fighting.
Han Xiao jotted down these elements on paper, recalled suitable machinery, bit his pen for a while, and his idea quickly took shape.
"Currently, there are four builds that suit me best: the multi-turret god-style firepower coverage build, the war giant cannon build that can take down enemies with a single shot, the mine-laying trap build, and the hound build."
These strategies belong to the relatively simple group-based style. Apart from the War Cannon strategy, the others use low-level machinery, relying on quantity to accumulate into a qualitative leap. They are cheap and effective, essentially like a mass-produced combo...
It's a bit simple, but it's practical!
The multi-turret cult solves the firepower problem, the giant cannon is used as the trump card, the trap system forms a barrier, the hound system entangles the enemy's advance, and the mobility can be solved by the mech itself, at most by combining a small single-person vehicle.
The original individual combat mode already guaranteed his combat capability; all that was needed was to innovate the mechs. The Void Dragon Bone and the miniature nuclear reactor he obtained from Dragon Calm were just enough to create a new series of mechs.
Having finalized the plan, Han Xiao opened the panel and began synthesizing the blueprints. This time, he needed a large number of low-level blueprints.
He still has 15e experience points left, a truly astronomical number that players at this stage cannot imagine. However, the reason why the Mechanic Class is the most difficult class is because of the blueprint gambling mechanism, which is a complete experience-burning pit. Every time a combination is synthesized, the experience consumption doubles.
For most players, the same combination will only be tried five or six times. If they still can't get the machine they want, they usually give up because the risk is too high. They spend hundreds of thousands or millions of experience points to gamble, only to synthesize a blueprint that they can't use or a low-level machine. Their mentality will immediately collapse, hence the name "gambling on blueprints"... But it is indeed very exciting. That's the kind of heart-pounding feeling you want.
If you can't get the blueprint you want, and you can't use it when you reach a higher level, it's almost like you'll miss out on that machine forever. So there are still big differences among Mechanic Class players. After all, no one can be as extravagant and carefree as Han Xiao.
Ding ding ding...
The panel kept beeping with notifications as dozens of low-level mechanical blueprints were combined, costing a total of over 30 million experience points. This was just from using Basic Knowledge to gamble on the blueprints; if he hadn't been familiar with the various combinations, the cost would have been 30-40% higher.
The blueprints were plentiful, and the skill list became densely packed and dazzling. Han Xiao counted them and found a total of six types of turrets, four types of robots, eight types of mechanical traps, eleven types of firearms, seven types of melee mechanical weapons, and other miscellaneous blueprints.
The basic blueprints for similar types of machinery, although all being basic machines, differ in their functions.
"This way, the blueprint library is much richer, giving me a lot more options." Han Xiao nodded. His goal wasn't just that; he thought to himself, "With these low-level blueprints, I'll have more material for creating my own blueprints. By combining the advantages of similar blueprints, I can create new blueprints and form my own exclusive equipment. Its performance will be among the best in its class and type, and its power will probably even exceed the level of the machine itself."
Drawing on the strengths of others, creating original blueprints!
That's why he integrated so many low-level machines.
After leaving the modification room, Han Xiao went to the market area to place an order for materials. With over 70,000 Enas in his account, he could use a small portion to buy a large number of low-level parts. He just needed to wait for the logistics to arrive before he could start making his move.
Prior to this, he had promised to build Melos a mechanical prosthetic limb.
In the mechanical modification room, Melos removed his bandages, revealing his bare left shoulder with a neatly trimmed wound. He asked nervously, "What do I need to do?"
Han Xiao, who was recording the wound's dimensions with the instrument, didn't even look up when he heard this, and said, "Just don't scream too loudly later."
Will it hurt a lot?
"I'm going to cut open your wound and let the robotic arm connect to the nerves that haven't died. Hmm... the pain level is equivalent to severing your arm again and then embedding a piece of metal into the mangled flesh. Double the pain, buy one get one free."
Melos's expression froze. "Can I have anesthesia?"
"Don't you have any idea what your physical fitness level is?" Han Xiao said expressionlessly, taking out a small ball that unfolded into a powered hammer. "How about I give you physical anesthesia?"
"... Forget it, if I wake up halfway through, then I've suffered for nothing."
Melos swallowed hard.
"Wait a moment." After taking the measurements, Han Xiao took out the materials and began manufacturing them on the lathe with a flurry of activity, his movements dazzling and his progress rapid.
Melos sat to the side, feeling tense and each day seemed like an eternity.
Before long, a mechanical arm was produced, with silver alloy armor, segmented power-generating structures, and a small shield like an arm armor connecting the forearm and the back of the hand. The connection points of the armor were filled with many tiny nerve connections.
Han Xiao possesses knowledge of Neural Link; he had previously synthesized the blueprints for the bio-armor.
He took out a small knife and cut open the scabbed wound. Melos shuddered instantly. Then, Han Xiao used small pliers to pry open the flesh, picked up the mechanical arm, aimed it at the wound, and pressed it down.
Buzz!
The robotic arm starts, and numerous slender drill bits pop out from the connector, drilling into the bone and connecting nerves.
"Babble--"
Melos sprang to his feet, large beads of sweat rolling down his face. He clenched his teeth, letting out a long, muffled groan that sounded like he was constipated.
After more than ten minutes, the pain gradually subsided, and it was amidst the pain that Melos regained sensation in his left arm.
He tried swinging his arm, and the robotic arm moved in accordance with his nerve responses, humming as it pleased, with a dexterity virtually indistinguishable from his normal left arm.
"So this is what it feels like to be in a suit of armor." Melos clicked his tongue in amazement and slammed his fist into the ground.
Thump!
The steel floor was smashed, leaving a shallow dent.
"This is the S-30 Model Implanted Shield Arm. It has strong output and thick armor. It's a decent model, good for pure melee combat. You can make do with it," Han Xiao said.
Melos nodded. The bio-armor could not generate energy, which weakened the martial artist's strength, but it was still much better than not having a left arm at all.
Melos was filled with resentment towards the Ashes who had crippled him, but he was also filled with dread and never wanted to encounter the Ashes again. Fortunately, that terrible creature was already dead.
The disability was only temporary, Black Star said, adding that he still had a chance to recover, and Melos couldn't help but feel hopeful.
"Oh, right, two days ago, the other Sunil warriors contacted me, saying they wanted to discuss something with you," Melos suddenly remembered.
Han Xiao asked in confusion, "What do they want from me? To borrow money? Tell them not to even think about it."
"That's not what I meant." Melos coughed, somewhat embarrassed. "Actually, they want to join the Black Star Mercenary Group..."
Because of the Dragon Emperor incident, Han Xiao became a rising star in the mercenary industry. In Melos's view, the purpose of joining Black Star at this juncture is very clear: to ride on Han Xiao's status and fame.
With Black Star's rapidly growing network of connections in the industry, he can secure better treatment, thereby earning more money and gaining an advantage.
Therefore, Melos found it difficult to speak, but the warriors were not having an easy time either. He had no choice but to agree to speak up for his fellow mercenaries. At this moment, his face was filled with trepidation as he eagerly awaited Han Xiao's reply.