The Legendary Mechanic, page 75
Han Xiao’s eyes lit up. Such a thought was not without reason. The three test-subjects’ mechanical arms resembled the Lightweight Mechanical Arm. They were very sturdy and even had extendable golden shields embedded that could block shots fired by the portable batteries.
The three test-subjects separated from the vehicles and started spreading out the firepower from the portable batteries. The three successfully drew close to the portable battery, bombarding it with countless attacks using their fists wrapped in exoskeleton armor. The exoskeleton that was rooted to the joints released smoke. As they used more power, they instantly destroyed the portable battery, causing it to fall to its side as it cracked open.
After taking down the remaining portable batteries, the three sprinted toward Han Xiao, each step moving them seven to eight meters ahead, with an overwhelming killing intent completely directed toward him.
Han Xiao’s gaze remained unfazed as he pulled out his tablet, quickly unleashing another hidden weapon.
The trailer shook violently as two Second-Generation Rovers rushed out to Han Xiao’s side. Instantly, they activated [Furious Fusillade]. With both hands, the machine gun released its rounds, as their chests shot out mini rocket missiles, ravaging the three test-subjects. The damage was dealt heavily but was almost entirely blocked by the exoskeleton armor, with only its endurance dropping.
The three test-subjects’ stats were also exposed.
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Based on your level, you acquired the following information:
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Super-Soldier Experimental Body (042)
Level: 40
Classes:
– [Special Agent] Lv.10
– [Low-level Machine Equipment] Lv.30 (Endurance to Health Conversion Ratio 1:10)
Attributes: 51 STR, 54 DEX, 70 (80) END, 25 INT, 8 MYS, 4 CHA, 6 LUK
Energy: 0
Energy Rank: 500
Grade: E
Health Points: 534/650
Status: [Violent Modifications]: Health Point -150, Endurance -10
Abilities:
– Low-level Spiritual Resilience: +3 Psychological Resistance
– Effective Training: +100 Health Points
– Immunity to Pain: Injuries do not affect combat ability
Skills:
– Basic Close-Quarter Combat Lv.7
– Basic Shooting Lv.5
– Capture Lv.3
– Precise Shooting Lv.1
Equipment:
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Crane Exoskeleton Arms:
Lightweight Mechanical Arms, equipped with extendable golden shield.
Grade: White
Basic Stats
– Damage: 32–45
– Defense: 20–24
– Power Level: 45
– Endurance: 250
Ability effect: +8 Strength
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Predator Power Legs:
Lightweight Cyborg Legs increase sprinting speed.
Grade: Gray
Basic Stats
– Damage: 27–31
– Defense: 15–18
– Power Level: 53
– Endurance: 230
Ability effect: +8 Dexterity
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P-2 Embedded Armor Inserts:
Implanted lightweight gold in the skin, provides some defensive ability.
Grade: Gray
Basic Stats
– Defense: 15–20
– Endurance: 500
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The three test-subjects’ stats were considered extremely low for LV 40. With such a high level but low-level stats, it meant that they had no potential.
Individually, their health points were very low, but the defense and endurance provided by the exoskeleton was able to reduce the damage to the body to a large extent. Han Xiao did some calculations and realized that this set of exoskeleton armor provided 1,460 endurance points, and nearly 100 defense points. This was the effect due to the equipment. If they only looked at the health points, one would think that it was just a useless clothed armor.
The Second-Generation Rovers fired several rounds, which only took off a fifth of their health bar.
Han Xiao realized that Experimental Body (044) was actually at LV 45, and his stats were at an even higher level that his two counterparts. Perhaps he was the leader of the three.
Meanwhile, Germinal’s vehicle team circled back. With the two rovers’ firepower, it was difficult to monitor both sides. Han Xiao immediately made a decision.
“Take the briefcase with the red-triangle marking from the trailer. I have something I want you to do!”
Frenzied Sword instantly carried out the orders, carrying the briefcase in hand. Inside it was a bomb with massive destructive power. Han Xiao quickly scribbled down the task and tossed it over.
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[Brave Sacrifice]: Take your unfulfilled dreams and explode into glorious sparks!
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Frenzied Sword unconsciously gulped down his saliva.
“Go for it, youngster. I’ll leave the stage to you,” Han Xiao casually remarked as he continued to barrage the test-subject with attacks.
“I… I got it…” Frenzied Sword clenched his jaw. The rewards from the task were extremely attractive and could definitely make up for the death penalty.
The strengthened Red Falcon released a series of shots, leaving bullet holes in the three experimental subjects’ bodies. Han Xiao’s aggressive abilities had already reached the maximum level. Through the cracks in the exoskeleton, he dealt damage straight to the flesh. His attacks were on point, restricting the three test-subjects.
Soon, No. 042 was shot in his vitals by the barrage of attacks. His health bar receded to zero as he fell to the ground, dead. The other two, however, were nonchalant to the death of their ally, continuing to charge forth.
On the other side, the other military truck closed in rapidly toward them. Han Xiao redirected the Second-Generation Rover toward it, opening fire against several military vehicles. The tightly packed firing left red streaks amid them, as though it was a rainbow that linked them together.
The rover’s endurance rapidly fell. Seeing that they could not withstand the attacks, Han Xiao commanded the rover to dive into the team and execute the self-destruct function. The enemy, unable to react in time, was enveloped in striking flames that swallowed up several vehicles as a series of explosions ensued.
Both sides were decimated at once.
With the loss of two Second-Generation Rovers, Han Xiao remained unfazed. Technology-based warfare was just like that, money-burning… But he was indeed generous. If it was another player, they definitely could not bear to do such a thing. However, Han Xiao had all the money he needed.
The sniper rifle had a limit to its firing speed. Finally, both test-subject were within fifty meters of him.
Frenzied Sword remembered the contents of the task. Steadying his heart, he leaped forward, lunging onto No. 043 as a fist pierced through his chest. He spat out a mouthful of blood and clenched his teeth as he activated the bomb in the briefcase.
Boom!
A mini mushroom-shaped cloud rose up into the skies. The sweltering wave of hot air mixed with dust exploded, and the fully-equipped Han Xiao was splattered with dirt.
Through the smoke, the debilitated No. 044 Experimental Body rushed over again. In the moment when the explosion took place, No. 043 was ahead of him in the rush and exploded into nothingness. No. 044 immediately dropped to the ground and was still able to move as his gaze oozed with bloodlust.
With only the last ten meters left, in a second, he would be able to lodge his steel fist into that foul sniper!
At that moment, [Flaming Will] finished its cooldown!
Han Xiao suddenly threw aside Red Falcon, reloaded the Ghost sniper as he activated [Overload], reinforcing it with [Flaming Will], and fired.
The bullet, with blue light trailing behind it, disappeared from sight as it shot straight through No. 044’s head. Blood spurted out like an arrow, leaving a thin, long streak of blood on No. 044.
No. 044 took several steps forward without losing momentum. Suddenly, his body tilted, falling to Han Xiao’s feet. Just one more step, and he would have been able to reach Han Xiao. His still eyes had a trace of unwillingness.
This scene was far too familiar to Han Xiao. Fighting with a Mechanic, distance was always the determining factor between a win or a loss. Many other enemies had fallen right before reaching their target, just like this.
It’s a shame. Even if you managed to engage me in close-quarter combat, you wouldn’t have lived.
Han Xiao shook his head. There were still many cards that he had not shown yet. These immature test-subjects were far from his match.
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[Second Advancement]
Current Progress: 1/3
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The battle this time could be considered an easy fight. Mass-produced assembly line soldiers were the easiest enemies for him to take on.
There’s still two more.
Han Xiao narrowed his eyes. He only needed two more higher-level kills before he could increase his rank. The interface displayed a sea of EXP, and he was looking forward to advancing his skills.
Frenzied Sword sacrificed his virgin death. Ten seconds later, he was revived next to the trailer. Looking at the quest rewards and enemy kill experience, he could not hold back his grin.
The Germinal team that had come to intercept him had been eliminated. The heated battle grounds were already at the pinnacle of its battle. Stardragon’s and Germinal’s foot soldiers had both been massacred. The battle was at a standstill and in a complete mess. Han Xiao spared a few glances and decidedly knew that he would no longer get a chance to interfere.
After contemplating for two seconds, he quickly made a decision. He beckoned the grinning Frenzied Sword onto the car.
The vehicle continued to travel onward, circling around the heat of the battle, and headed in the direction of the Tedramira River.
…
In the battlegrounds, Sleepy Winter taunted, “Did I see that right? Is that Frenzied Sword‽”
Han Xiao’s battle was very conspicuous. They saw Frenzied Sword’s ID floating above his head and got a shock. Twinkle Fried Rice was at a loss; even the cold, prideful Rainy Kim had her mouth wide open.
Sleepy Winter remembered that even at the internal examinations, Frenzied Sword rejected his goodwill and did not enter the Stardragon Army. So, how could he be on the battleground now? And by self-destructing, he defeated a high-level monster; they saw all of it happen!
“If my eyes didn’t play tricks on me, that black-clothed person he’s following… that was the Black Phantom, who appeared a while ago at Big Horn Mountain,” Rainy Kim suddenly said.
“Are you sure about that?” Sleepy Winter asked.
“I recorded the entire battle just now. Just watch it and you’ll know,” Twinkle Fried Rice said.
Sleepy Winter seemed to be a little depressed. Frenzied Sword and the three of them had started on the same foot, but now he seemed to have gotten way ahead of them. It made Sleepy Winter feel a little pressured… and curious as well.
No wonder he didn’t want to join us during the internal beta. What exactly happened to Frenzied Sword? Why is he with Black Phantom?
Chapter 140. Backup |
The battle was raging on the Tedramira River.
Hesla was responsible for securing the waters. A naval formation was stationed at the estuary, and a huge portion of them were battleships loaded with large-caliber artillery. The Germinal Navy was bombarded from a distance of over ten kilometers away. The cannons firepower could reach ten over miles, piercing through the air at high speed, forming a parabola in the night sky. This brought significant damage to the Germinal fleet.
The destroyers in the formation launched several homing missiles at the beginning of the battle, but they were intercepted by Germinal Fleet’s cannon in the air. They were now useless. All they could do was maintain the defense line.
The command ship, Scyther, positioned itself in the center of the formation.
“The enemy is roughly twelve kilometers away from the water mines near the exit of the sea. Don’t give the enemy any time to break out of the trap.” Scyther’s Admiral assigned the tasks in a swift and decisive manner. “Deer, Carp and Shark units have been preloaded with torpedoes. Await Germinal’s entry and then fire away! Feed them full with a round of firepower.
“As for the offense formation, maintain the intensity of firepower; no change. Sonar scanners take note of the surrounding waters; there could be a chance for Germinal reinforcements to appear. Inform the Stardragon’s men to release some infantry units whenever necessary. Delay the Germinal Navy’s time…
“Transfer this message to Stardragon’s Commander: We need their assault troops to be on standby!”
On the other side, the troops that were deployed to fight the battle surrounded and harassed the Germinal fleet. Using bombs as their main form of attack, this caused quite some trouble for the Germinal fleet. There were bound to be some lucky cannon balls that escaped their intercepting fire, and when this happened, three of their ships sank. As the fleet’s main purpose was to evacuate, their weaponry was not sufficient to wage a war. They were not even able to lock on to the high-speed battleships, let alone trying to deal any damage.
However, Germinal still had a plan of their own!
A fighter jet poured another wave of ammunition, and while the pilot was preparing to make another round, a shroud of dark fog exploded around him all of a sudden. A figure appeared out of thin air. It was a demon with dark eyeshadow and ear studs, with a sharp blade in his hand. He quickly sliced through the pilot’s throat, splashing blood upon the window.
The fighter jet crashed down in the water with the pilot’s corpse. The demon smiled coldly and disappeared, leaving only a dash of black fog.
Teleportation ability! Germinal Organization executive officer, Renette.
…
Hila stepped onto the bow of the ship. The wind was blowing through that red hair of hers. She took in a deep breath, raising both her hands as though worshipping the sun. Gray air slowly flowed through from the fresh dead bodies in the battlefield. It gathered from all directions and tingled Hila’s five senses.
Her face flushed as if she had breathed in God’s medicine. She closed her eyes and then opened them even wider than before. An invisible sound wave rose from her lungs out to her throat, and she screamed.
“Ah—”
It was like a ghost’s piercing scream.
The eyes of the pilots in the sky burst, their ears bleeding. Their brains were shaken into a state of confusion. The pilots fell one after another like broken kites, crashing onto the ground and water. They were fried into balls of fire.
A no-fly zone had formed in the sky, and the fighter jet formation had single-handedly been taken down by Hila! The remaining fighter jets received orders and hurriedly retreated!
This was the horrible threat of military operations. They required people to operate the machines. If the operator was too weak, Hila’s killing threat could disrupt their mind. Aquamarine’s technological advancements did not hold much against Hila’s mental disruption skills.
Only a few reconnaissance drones continued to track and observe the sky.
Renette teleported to Hila’s side, with one hand painfully rubbing his head. His nose was bleeding, and he had a dark, gloomy expression. “Were you trying to kill me as well‽”
Hila gave him a cold shoulder, refusing to answer. Renette could only swallow this breath, not daring to provoke her.
In the command room, Lin Yu did not really pay much attention to the battle. He looked at his watch and whispered to himself, “It’s almost time.”
The Germinal Organization’s infantry had broken through the defense line and was now rapidly approaching their intended destination. Stardragon’s army executed according to plan; they opened the gates to allow water to gush in. They wanted it to be a naval battle. Hila would take over the confrontation after the infantry units had boarded their ships. These infantry units would just be useless in a naval battle; they would also become a burden. They were reducing their death toll but weakening themselves too.
There was a new type of missile up on the destroyer ship that could cruise and split and avoid attempts to intercept it. The very moment Germinal’s fleet and their infantry linked up, they would fire, and one round of it would cause major deaths to Germinal’s fleet. The Germinal troops would then begin to flee. Division 13’s ambush units would then board the ship and slaughter everyone aboard.
That was the next step of the plan.
However, in reality, things never went according to plan. Accidents were bound to happen.
Dududu!
The piercing sirens upon Hesla’s command ship sounded. The radar detected dozens of targets approaching at high speed underwater.
Ghostly torpedo!
Where did it come from!
It was too late to intercept it. A warship near the seaport exploded, fire spurting everywhere.
Hesla’s high-ranking officers had been paying close attention to the battle. The naval formations made them extremely furious.
“Anti-sonar submarines‽ How did the signal not sound anything at all? How far is the enemy’s range‽”
These could only be Germinal’s submarines. Where did they come from? Could it be that Germinal had planned this all along, to withdraw some troops from Andrea? Or was there a secret base on an island nearby‽
No matter the reason, the enemy had reinforcements, and they now needed to deal with the unexpected situation!
“Where are our submarines‽” Hesla’s officers roared. They had planned for several submarines in the vicinity as backup and immediately activated them to search for the enemy’s submarines.
The navy suffered heavy losses and were busy tending to emergency repairs. They could not proceed with the missile strikes. This caused strategic disruptions, and the situation was getting out of hand.
