"... Okay, these two documents will be sent to you soon, please remember to receive them."
The officer in charge of logistics hung up the communication.
Han Xiao withdrew from the Quantum Network Vision, fiddling with the black pistol in his hand, waiting for the knowledge he had acquired to be transmitted to him.
The pistol in his hand looks like an outdated ballistic kinetic energy firearm, but it actually uses dark energy technology. Its core is a microparticle energy furnace. It is mainly sold to players as a weapon to enhance long-range output. However, for Han Xiao, it is just like a toy gun and is of little use. The reason it is made this way is mainly for nostalgia.
As his strength grew, Han Xiao's memories of his childhood, when he was weak, became more and more vivid. The scenes of his battles on Planet Aquamarine were still clear in his mind. Now, he had grown into a dominant figure in the universe. From initially struggling to kill ordinary warriors, he now possessed the destructive power to destroy planets. There were fewer and fewer things that could kill him, so he cherished his childhood experiences even more.
"More than twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye..." Memories flooded back, like a tide washing over his heart. Han Xiao's expression was somewhat complicated. People tend to become sentimental as they get older.
"What are you thinking about, Master?"
Like the floating guardians surrounding him, who had merged into Dark Emperor, he stood beside Han Xiao and asked a question.
"I was just thinking about some things from the past."
Han Xiao composed himself and turned to look at Dark Emperor, "I've noticed that your curiosity about the outside world is growing stronger."
The metal head of the Dark Emperor nodded. "Although I can access all kinds of knowledge online, the emotions and Tu Shu of living beings are ever-changing. Many things can only be understood through personal experience, so I prefer communication."
"This is a good thing. From now on, I will need you to manage a mechanical civilization for me. You are the first life form I created, and if nothing unexpected happens, you will be the leader. As the leader of a civilization, you need to learn to understand others and the thoughts of other mechanical life forms."
Han Xiao paused, his expression suddenly turning somewhat helpless. "It's good that you enjoy communicating, but you'd better change your online chatting habits..."
Han Xiao uses virtual technology to manage the networked data of all mechanical life forms. He discovers that many mechanical life forms, including Dark Emperor, like to chat with netizens from various civilizations online under different aliases.
Normal chatting would be one thing, but most of these mechanical lifeforms operate hundreds or even thousands of accounts simultaneously, chatting with many people at the same time, and the content is quite explicit. The most normal of these is simulating flirting with someone of the opposite sex, which shows that the overall level of harmony is off the charts, all under the guise of studying the various emotional responses of normal organisms.
In his eyes, most mechanical life forms are problem children, like a sponge absorbing the evil and good of countless beings, creating all sorts of personalities.
Looking at Dark Emperor, Han Xiao thought for a moment and then said:
"Stand in front of me."
Dark Emperor obediently complied. His streamlined alloy body embodied the beauty of mechanics and technology. The light from the countless spaceship exhaust plumes outside the porthole shone in and fell on his mechanical body, reflecting off it.
Han Xiao leaned back on the sofa, flipped his hand, and a cloud of blue-gold Mechanical Force, like an electromagnetic cloud, gathered in his palm. It slowly changed shape like a cloud, shimmering with the eerie light of secret energy.
"You are my newborn child. After observing you for so long, I am very satisfied with your potential. Are you willing to become my Apostle Weapon and gain greater power?"
"I am willing to accept everything from you, Master." Dark Emperor knelt on one knee.
"Then accept this gift. Also, don't call me 'master' anymore..."
Han Xiao's lips curled slightly:
Call me Dominion.
The next moment, Han Xiao had a thought, and the special Mechanical Force in his palm containing the "power of the Dominion" transformed into strands of electricity that surged into Dark Emperor's body. It was the skill of the Mechanic Dominator - [Apostle Creation]!
Buzz--
The energy furnace of the Dark Emperor fluctuated violently, and streaks of blue and gold Mechanical Force extended from its mechanical body, as if transforming into electro-ionic tentacles surging with electromagnetic energy.
A strange magnetic field enveloped Dark Emperor's body, and the mechanical structure, components, and neural Vein formed after his life form began to transform. The surrounding alloy vibrated faintly, as if it were about to be sucked into Dark Emperor's body, as if he had become a Black Hole.
Han Xiao grabbed a handful of nanoparticles and threw them all at Dark Emperor. Under the influence of the Special Magnetic Field outside Dark Emperor's body, they rotated around Dark Emperor's body, as if they had become star rings. The rotation speed became faster and faster, making a whooshing sound. These nanoparticles gradually melted into a torrent of metal, which was captured by the blue-gold electro-ionic tentacles and poured into Dark Emperor's body, providing raw materials for the modification.
The light cast dreamlike patches of light on Han Xiao's face and the picture book. Han Xiao leaned back on the sofa, casually playing with the dark energy pistol, watching this scene with great interest. The special effects of [Apostle Creation] were even more dazzling than [Emperor's Gift].
The number of slots for Apostle Weapon is limited. Even with the support of various feats that break through the skill level cap, the number of slots is still limited, only a dozen or so.
Things are valued for their rarity. Since there are very few Apostle Weapon, it's better to have some prestige. Han Xiao's main purpose is to create a sense of ritual for Dark Emperor.
After a while, Dark Emperor's transformation finally stopped, and his appearance underwent a significant change.
At this time, the Dark Emperor had become even taller, standing at over four meters tall. Its mechanical body, with its five colors of white, silver, Purple Gold, remained streamlined, but new structures had appeared in many parts, increasing the complexity of its outer armor and making it look very magnificent. Furthermore, intricate patterns had appeared on the surface of the outer armor, which were quite beautiful.
A crown-like ring of metal appeared on Dark Emperor's head, extending downwards from the back of his shoulder armor and skirt armor, gradually narrowing at the ends, with clearly defined triangular metal scales along the edges, resembling layers of feather-like structures, giving the impression of wearing a feather robe. In his hand, he held a white mechanical spear with gold patterns, resting it on the ground like a scepter.
Han Xiao looked him up and down and smiled:
How are you feeling?
"... Thank you for the gift from the Dominion. I feel a new power." The Dark Emperor's tone was calm. He paused on the spear in his hand, and clusters of Psionic Energy surged from his energy furnace, with the energy fluctuations increasing exponentially.
Han Xiao narrowed his eyes, then suddenly raised his pistol and fired at Dark Emperor.
Bang bang bang!
Slender, fiery red beams of dark energy struck the Dark Emperor's body, but were blocked by a thin layer of Psionic Energy membrane, triggering combat alerts.
Han Xiao looked at the attributes of the Dark Emperor displayed on the panel, browsed through them carefully, and nodded in satisfaction.
At this point, Dark Emperor had reached level 215, with all attributes, skills, and specializations fully enhanced, reaching the Grade SS of a BOSS, far surpassing all mechanical lifeforms.
Even without Han Xiao's Mechanical Force boost, he still possesses the combat strength of Calamity Grade being. With the Mechanical Force boost, he could easily defeat a group of Calamity Grade, and even hold his own against Beyond Grade A beings. He would no longer be cannon fodder, reaching a strength level similar to that of the Sorokin's clone.
The spear in Dark Emperor's hand is a special "Apostle Weapon" brought by [Apostle Creation], named after himself, called "Dark Emperor War Spear." It can also split into a floating state, and can enlarge and shrink, possessing multiple forms. It gains greater power through repeated form releases, and can convert Psionic Energy into slashing beams. It is suitable for both ranged and melee combat, and can be used by both mechanized warriors and gunners. The weapon level is also above 200, and its quality is silver-orange, meaning it's a legendary orange weapon with inherited attributes. When used by Dark Emperor himself, its power receives an additional bonus.
In addition, Dark Emperor also obtained special "Apostle Traits" and "Apostle Powers". His Apostle Traits are "Calmness" and "Leadership", which greatly enhance the mechanical life forms around him during combat; his Apostle Powers are "Psionic Energy Control" and "Combat Enhancement", which give him more flexible Psionic Energy control and greater proficiency in combat.
Han Xiao smiled with satisfaction.
The combat power of the Apostle Weapon is considerable, but unfortunately, the cooldown period for [Apostle Creation] is very long, lasting a full month. This means that exactly 12 Apostle Weapon can be created in a year. Of course, due to specialties such as [Mechanical Emperor] and [Basic Mechanical Sense], he can create more than 12.
With a change of heart, Han Xiao said with relief:
"Make good use of your new abilities, First Apostle."
"I will not let down the Dominion's expectations," said the Dark Emperor voice.
Beep beep.
Just then, Han Xiao's communicator rang. He picked it up and saw that the Crimson Dynasty had finally transmitted the two Ultimate Knowledge he had obtained in exchange.
Having spent 12,000 Imperial Contribution Points, Han Xiao selected two Ultimate Knowledge points:
Armed Branch - [Endless Material Science]!
Manipulating Branches -- [Virtual Creator]!
One is the core skill of a virtual mechanic, which only requires 8 potential points; the other is crucial knowledge that is extremely important for mechanics, and mechanics of all branches will try their best to learn.
Materials and energy have always been major technological bottlenecks. Materials science is present in every level of knowledge within the Armament branch, enabling the synthesis of increasingly powerful materials and enhancing the fundamental properties of all machinery. This is one of the core knowledge areas for mechanics.
Learning these two pieces of knowledge requires 32 potential points, and Han Xiao happens to have 33 potential points.
Han Xiao smiled and immediately immersed himself in learning his potential points.
[Currently learning...]
[Learning complete! You have mastered [Endless Material Science]!]
[Currently learning...]
[Learning complete! You have mastered [Virtual Creator]!]
[You have gained the [Material Pioneer] specialization!]
[[Material Pioneer]: Your chances of synthesizing new materials are slightly increased, and the abilities of mechanical equipment gained from special materials are enhanced—for example, when using shape memory alloys or Nano Repair materials, the machinery will have self-repair capabilities. Assuming the original effect was to restore 100 points of durability per second, after enhancement, it can restore 150~280 points of durability per second.]
[You have acquired the special ability [Virtual Dominator]!]
[[Virtual Dominator]: The effects of your various virtual technologies have been greatly enhanced, with a total bonus of 2.5. When you enter the Quantum Network Vision, your consciousness can jump through quantum network nodes, greatly increasing your range. Furthermore, you can make virtual life forms submit to you—you have fully mastered all virtual technologies, and the quantum network is your fortress.]
[You have learned the skill [Ultimate Material Refinement]]
[You have learned the skill [Endless Material Synthesis]!]
[[Endless Material Synthesis]: You can combine the properties of any substance to try and synthesize new material formulas. The higher the level of the material, the lower the success rate of synthesis; the more complex the formula, the lower the success rate; and the lower the success rate if there are property conflicts between substances. The base success rate increases with intelligence attribute and Mechanical Affinity... When you create a new type of synthetic material, the strength of the new material will be enhanced.]
[You have mastered the skill [Virtual Life Evolution]!]
[[Virtual Life Evolution]: You can transform AI intelligence into virtual life, which possesses stronger virtual intrusion and defense capabilities.]
[You have mastered the skill [Virtual Soul]!]
[[Virtual Soul]: Your soul can switch to a virtual life form, roaming within the quantum network. The higher your total level, intelligence attribute, and virtual technology bonus, the stronger your abilities will be within the quantum network after the transformation. This effect can be removed.]
[When you connect to a target using Mechanical Force, you can briefly virtualize the enemy's soul and pull it into the quantum network. The success rate depends on the total level and the Intelligence, Mystic, and Luck attributes. If successful, the target will be temporarily unable to control their body. Attacking the target's soul within the quantum network will cause mental damage. This effect has a 15-minute cooldown.]
Han Xiao glanced at it and nodded to himself:
"These abilities are all incredibly powerful. Endless Material Science allows me to further enhance the quality of mechanical equipment and create new, proprietary materials, while Virtual Knowledge gives me new tactical options."
With two Ultimate Knowledge in hand, Han Xiao was quite satisfied. Han Xiao didn't use the remaining 6,000-plus Imperial Contribution Points to exchange for new knowledge, but planned to save them to activate the effects of the Crimson Dynasty's Political Asset.
He was about to go to the practical training room to test the strength of the Dark Emperor, who had become Apostle Weapon, when his communicator beeped again. Tarrokov had contacted him and revealed some surprising information.
After listening, Han Xiao's expression turned strange, and he asked in confusion:
"... You mean, the Sorokin want to temporarily cooperate with the Empire and send some of their forces to help us intercept the Arcane Church?"
"Yes, the team that went to pursue the Fallen Ark captured an empty warship hull. Inside was an Sorokin avatar. He didn't resist and surrendered immediately, indicating that he wanted to talk to us."
Tarrokov also somewhat surprised.
Han Xiao frowned, feeling something was amiss. The Sorokin Sorokin had no reason to do this; his mobility was already formidable, and he didn't value his subordinates. He could escape without cooperating with the Empire, and the Empire's Pursuit wasn't focused on him anyway. Why would the Sorokin go to such lengths to provoke the Arcane Church? Did he think this would appease the Empire?
After thinking for a moment, Han Xiao asked:
"Commander-in-Chief, what are you planning to do?"
"Well, what the Sorokin wants is information about the location of the Arcane Church. Giving it to him doesn't really matter, since the Arcane Church is about to leave the vigilance zone and we'll soon lose track of them. This information isn't confidential; we can tell it to anyone."
Even if the Sorokin isn't genuinely helping us, we won't lose anything... If he really intends to trick the Arcane Church and have Sagman and the others cover his retreat, we'll actually benefit. As for the grudge of him joining forces with the Arcane Church to attack us, we can settle that later."
"Then let's do as you wish."
Although Han Xiao found the Sorokin's decision strange, Tarrokov was the commander, and since he couldn't figure out the problem for the time being, he didn't interfere with Tarrokov's decision.
At this point, Tarrokov added:
"There's one more thing... The Sorokin's avatar wants to see you and communicate with you."
"See me? I understand. It just so happens that the Imperial fleet chasing the Sorokin doesn't have any Beyond Grade A. I'll send some mechanical troops over there to keep an eye on his clone and prevent him from causing trouble."
Han Xiao narrowed his eyes and snorted inwardly. The Sorokin was probably here to "thank" him in person for using the Evolution Cube on him.
He paused, then continued:
"As for the Arcane Church's fleet... even if they leave the warning zone, I still have ways to locate their position..."
As a virtual mechanic, how could he not tamper with the Arcane Church's warships during battle? Although the Arcane Church's intelligent firewall was very strong, he still managed to infiltrate and leave some traces.
Han Xiao's eyes flashed.
--I chose to learn about [Virtual Creator] at this juncture precisely so that I could catch up!