Chapter 957: Targeting by the Mechanical Nation

Chapter 957: The Mechanical Nation's Targeted Strike

The exclusive mechanical factory of the Legion Commander.

Rows of silver-white workstations with circular pedestals were neatly arranged, each extending dozens of multi-functional mechanical manufacturing arms manipulated by mechanical force from their round bases, assembling simultaneously; the entire room was filled with the clattering sound of parts fitting together, while alongside the platforms, assembly lines queued up with other mechanical equipment awaiting modification.

Hands clasped behind his back, Han Xiao strolled leisurely through the bustling workshop, his released mechanical force spreading like a dense spiderweb, linking all the workstations like countless extended limbs, multitasking to forge numerous machines at once.

Mechanical manufacturing had become incredibly convenient nowadays, with the efficiency of multi-threaded work tied to the Intelligence attribute; even without assembly lines, Han Xiao could modify massive batches of machinery simultaneously, entering a player-like mode where the modification progress of all these machines was loading concurrently.

These workstations were extremely versatile, high-grade mechanical manufacturing platforms, further refined by Han Xiao; to a Mechanic, a workstation was also a piece of equipment that amplified one's own mechanical manufacturing capabilities, and at Han Xiao's level, he naturally used top-tier goods, never inferior ones.

Han Xiao approached one of the workstations, where the Mechanical Divine Throne was being crafted; the final component had just been assembled, and the mechanical arms were now applying paint and spraying cooling mist, with a vast expanse of white cold fog flowing outward.

Waving his hand to disperse the fog, Han Xiao carefully examined the Mechanical Divine Throne before him; it was a dark, alloy-material throne, its surface covered in mechanical-structure-like patterns, square and sharply angular, looking as though it would be an agonizing ordeal to sit upon.

Fortunately, Han Xiao had added nano-deformation technology, featuring functions to enlarge, shrink, and self-adjust, perfectly conforming to the contours of any shapely posterior; its exterior style was similar to the floating throne he had forged before, but the internal technology was different—the previous floating throne was merely for showing off, whereas this one provided attribute bonuses and was an exclusive piece of equipment unique to each creator.

Opening the panel, Han Xiao took a glance at the item description.

[[Mechanical Divine Throne: Black Star]]

[Type: Special Bonus Equipment]

[Item Level: 300]

[Quality: Orange (Legendary)]

[Main Material: Eighth-Generation Black Star Alloy, Secret Titanium, Fifteenth-Generation Nano-Shaping Particles]

[Energy Core: Light-Variant Stable Psionic Reactor]

[Basic Attributes: Durability 500,000/500,000, Defense 7,800, Shield Value 1,500,000/1,500,000]

[Usage Effect 1: [Mechanical Sense Amplification] — Total Mechanical Affinity Coefficient 1.1x]

[Usage Effect 2: [Aura Enhancement] — Increases intimidation, affecting all targets that see you; if the target's level is more than 30 levels below yours, their overall attributes temporarily decrease by 10%]

[Usage Effect 3: [Stable Commander] — When used in combat, all mechanical soldiers enhanced by mechanical force gain an 8% increase in defense and resistance]

[Usage Effect 4: [Flashy] — Charisma +750]

[Note: Looking cool is all that truly matters]

"It allows me to strike a pose and grants bonuses; it is truly a divine artifact for flaunting one's magnificence," Han Xiao murmured, caressing the Mechanical Divine Throne, savoring the cool metallic touch and finding it utterly endearing.

If I were to bring this contraption out to battle in the future, the uninitiated would surely assume I am oozing with supreme prestige, which perfectly befits my cold and enigmatic aura!

After testing its practical effects, Han Xiao put it away with deep satisfaction, then turned his gaze to the other workstations.

Most of the workstations were updating and reinforcing the reserve mechanical legions in stock, upgrading the technology to the level of a Divine Throne Mechanic and granting new performance bonuses, while another set of workstations was manufacturing new machines, many of which were based on the Telkes legacy blueprints.

The Telkes Legacy was a new talent unlocked at the level 300 advancement choice; this race had profound attainments in mechanical technology and possessed many ingenious and unique machines, and upon completing his advancement, Han Xiao had unlocked the level 300 blueprints.

Some of these blueprints were useful to him now, adding dozens of practical new machines to his mechanical legion; according to their different functions, he had expanded many new numbered units, including numerous new models of mechanical soldiers.

The Cosmic Rambler, a unique Telkes mechanical soldier, was colored in purple and green, with a triangular knight-helmet-like head and a slender, skeletal overall build; it adopted bio-augmentation technology, storing massive amounts of specially crafted nano-bio tendons and enhancement fluid within the muscle modules beneath its outer armor, and upon entering combat, the fluid was injected, causing the muscles to swell from a stick-like figure to a burly physique, providing immense bonuses.

Moreover, this model possessed special abilities with two stages of transformation: the first was Overclocking, granting immense burst power and all-around enhancement; the second was Berserk, greatly amplifying the Overclocked state while releasing a special distortion field, excelling in both melee and ranged combat; practical tests revealed that the Cosmic Rambler could defeat most models under equal bonuses, ranking at the top in basic performance, making it an excellent frontline tank soldier.

Han Xiao now had a few extra Apostle slots in his hands; he selected a Cosmic Rambler with the optimal basic attributes and converted it into an Apostle weapon, initially wishing to name it Purple Muscle Tyrant, but upon second thought, deeming it somewhat too perverse.

Naming an Apostle weapon was like naming a child; one could not just call it anything, so Han Xiao pondered for a while before naming it Purple Celestial Spirit according to the naming format of mechanical lifeforms, planning to take it to the Mechanical Civilization in due time to let it spawn its offspring.

Besides that, the Telkes Legacy blueprints contained many other great things, such as physical missiles equipped with precise warp guidance, whose ammunition was a specially crafted high-energy polymer with extremely strong erosion and penetration effects, working wonders against warship shields and applicable in space battles; if encountering warships without spatial anchors or field interference, the missiles could even warp directly past the shields and blast into the ship, causing direct damage, which was quite practical.

There was also an interesting series of stellar devices capable of creating a pathway to guide and focus stellar energy, indirectly causing star-destroying level strikes; however, what Han Xiao cared about more was a stellar energy concentrator within this series, whose effect was to mass-harvest stellar matter, highly condensing it within a portable device through spatial black technology without affecting the stellar reaction inside, thereby obtaining a mobile star.

Apart from providing energy and guiding attacks, this device could also release matter at other locations to form a new natural star, with its size determined by the amount of matter, essentially helping a star relocate.

In the legacy knowledge, the Saint Telkes people used this very method to proliferate stars; after completing the replication, they would fill the new star with dust clouds and matter to increase its volume, and the natural star created in this way had a power output far exceeding artificial ones.

What Han Xiao cared about more was the extended application of the stellar energy concentrator; if this thing was unleashed right in someone's face, would it not be a portable stellar bomb? Its destructive power would probably be no less than that of a primordial psionic bomb, and without any pollution issues, it was perfect for murder, robbery, and clearing evidence.

...

While Han Xiao was buried in modifying machines, Sylvia set about executing the education plan, and the first step was to announce to the entire star field that the Legion was beginning to develop educational endeavors.

Ever since Han Xiao defeated the Dominator, many interstellar citizens had been paying attention to his movements, believing that after achieving the position of the strongest in the star field, Black Star might make a big move.

As soon as this announcement was released, a large number of citizens in the Broken Star Ring were instantly invigorated; the chief Super A-class of the star field establishing education was a title alone that could attract a massive crowd.

The plan was to first prepare to open dozens of schools in the Godora Star System, and Aquamarine Planet was precisely an important pilot area.

Aquamarine Planet was developing by leaps and bounds; Nilo, upon just stepping off the spaceship upon his return, felt that Black Star City had become much more unfamiliar, changing drastically compared to when he left.

"I am home..."

Nilo composed himself and returned home, only to find that Bennett had recently gone on a business trip, leaving only his mother at home.

Because Han Xiao had given him a vacation, for several consecutive days, Nilo had been eating, drinking, and having fun, which simply delighted him to no end.

"This is truly paradise!"

On the balcony of the high-altitude villa, Nilo sat on a small stool with his legs together, holding a cup of ice cream drink in both hands, happily sipping it through a straw while admiring the cityscape with a joyful expression.

In the Black Star Legion, he had no status and could only passively accept arrangements, but here, he was the son of the planetary leader, and it would not be wrong to call him the young master; as long as he did not break the law, he could have almost anything he wanted... even though he merely had his bodyguard buy him a cup of ice cream.

Buzz, buzz, buzz...

Just then, the external screens of several buildings outside lit up, broadcasting the same news.

"It is reported that the Black Star Legion announced yesterday the establishment of a Super Ability Academy on Aquamarine Planet, striving to unearth more talents; Federation Chairman Bennett had a cordial meeting with the executive principal of the Black Star Super Ability Academy and delivered an important speech..."

The screen displayed a live broadcast of an ongoing press conference, where Bennett and Raki's remote projection sat facing each other, chatting in front of countless reporters; this was a high-level conference room in the government building, also within Black Star City, and looking up, Nilo could still see the government building in the distance, indicating that Bennett had returned from his business trip.

"On behalf of all the people of Aquamarine Planet, I thank the Black Star Legion for their generosity," Bennett said in the broadcast, his face bearing a smile as he expressed his attitude with official rhetoric.

Raki remained silent, nodding his head, while the specially assigned, upbeat translator beside him spoke enthusiastically, "Aquamarine Planet is His Excellency Black Star's home planet, and His Excellency Black Star is more than willing to help his home planet develop; the people of Aquamarine Planet are all our brothers and sisters."

After repeated bloody lessons, Raki was now strictly forbidden from speaking at such public occasions, so Han Xiao had specifically found a sunny and positive secretary to act as his translator.

Nilo stared intently at the screen; having grown up watching Bennett's news since he was a child, he always involuntarily became fully focused whenever he saw his father on the screen.

Looking at Bennett in the live broadcast, Nilo suddenly noticed that the wrinkles on Bennett's face seemed to have increased, and the white hair at his temples had also grown more.

"Father has grown old..."

Nilo pursed his lips, an inexplicable emotion spreading in his heart; the joy of the vacation gradually faded, replaced by a feeling of unease if he did not read and study.

Through his travels in the universe, Nilo's experience had greatly enriched, slowly becoming precocious, and he had gained a hazy understanding of Aquamarine Planet's situation and Bennett's painstaking efforts, with the concept of responsibility gradually forming in his heart.

After struggling for a while, Nilo shoveled the remaining ice cream into his mouth in two or three bites, returned to his room, and reluctantly took out a book on mechanical theory from his bag, flipping through it with a bitter face.

After reading for only a short while, he naturally immersed himself in it.

Although he thought he was reluctant, after long-term study, his interest in mechanics had actually already been cultivated; his words denied it but his actions betrayed his true feelings; unable to resist, he had simply learned to revel in it.

...

"Running a school?"

Seeing the Black Star Legion's announcement, Sorokin could not help but fall into deep thought, pacing to the window and watching yet another spaceship leave the War Domain headquarters, shaking his head gently.

After Heber's defeat, the adverse effects gradually surfaced, his prestige collapsed, and the cohesion of the War Domain wavered; during this period, talents had already begun to defect, and every few days, someone would choose to leave the War Domain; it ought to have been suppressed with an iron fist, yet the Dominator remained secluded behind closed doors, and the high-level cadres took no action, simply watching member after member depart.

Black Star's establishment of education, in Sorokin's eyes, was turning influence into actual public support, creating an unprecedented grand occasion, while the War Domain here had plummeted to the bottom, miserable and bleak, presenting a stark contrast.

Under such circumstances, Sorokin had no good solution either; he could only keep a low profile, temporarily halting business strikes against the Black Star Legion, preparing to wait until this storm blew over.

Beep, beep, beep—

Just then, the communicator suddenly chimed. Sorokin picked it up and saw, to his astonishment, that the incoming call was from Manison.

"Your Excellency Manison, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Provide me with a list of the Black Star Legion's operations for which you desire insider intelligence."

Sorokin was taken aback. "What do you mean by that?"

"Doing you a favor," Manison replied indifferently.

"I see, you intend to infiltrate the Black Star Legion's database?" Sorokin's eyes flashed with surprise; was he not afraid of making an enemy of Black Star?

"Your actions are also endorsed by me. The Shining Federation has tasked me with thoroughly investigating the Black Star Legion's database, so I might as well take this opportunity to lend you a hand," Manison said with an impassive expression.

"That's not all, is it?" Sorokin narrowed his eyes and teased, "Is Black Star's rise making you feel the pressure?"

"Don't pry into matters that are none of your concern," Manison remained unmoved.

"Heh, I get it. I'll send you the list in a moment. If you can truly dig up some insider information, it will be of great help to my operations."

"Mm." Manison nodded and terminated the connection.

In truth, the Shining Federation had not authorized him to infiltrate the Black Star Legion's database; this was an initiative Manison had taken upon himself.

Helping Sorokin was merely a bonus; more importantly, he wanted to test Black Star's strength once more—not through physical combat, but by clashing with him in the virtual network.

A crucial reason for this was the news that Black Star had been enshrined by the Mechanical Deity Cult; in Manison's mind, Black Star had officially transitioned from a promising junior to a formidable rival.

After several encounters, Manison knew that Black Star was not the type to rest on his laurels. Once he gained the faith of the Mechanical Deity Cult, he would endlessly crave more. Manison had no intention of sitting idly by while Black Star siphoned away his believers; turning a blind eye to the detriment of his own interests was simply not an option.

Since a clash of interests was now inevitable, Manison had no intention of continuing to stand by and watch.

Of course, he did not believe Black Star was so easily killed, nor did he have any intention of taking a life.

Manison's goal was to ruthlessly suppress Black Star in the realm of mechanics and display it to the world, employing the very same tactic Han Xiao had used to crush the Overlords, aiming to shatter Han Xiao's prestige.

In doing so, the believers of the Mechanical Deity Cult, who worshiped the strong, would not flock to Black Star, and the entire universe would know:

—I, the Mechanic Nation, remain the father of all mechanics!