Chapter 1 Transforming

"The first step is to transform all current mechanical equipment into a compressed form, so there's no need to worry about insufficient backup machinery…"

Transforming all the current weapons was a major project, requiring disassembly and the addition of new structures. Fortunately, Han Xiao's manufacturing speed was not what it once was. After two days of seclusion, he completed this step.

After staying up for two nights, Han Xiao was still full of energy. In front of him, a dozen small metal balls were lined up on the table, only half a palm in size, their surfaces covered with matrix-like patterns, exuding a mechanical feel.

He picked up a small ball and flattened it in his palm, feeling little weight.

There were two compression modes. The first was to open it using a button, and the other was to activate it using magnetic force. The difference lay in the selection of users. The former meant anyone could use it, while the latter required the magnetic force of the Machinery class to activate, making it an exclusive weapon for the Machinery class.

These were weapons for his own use, so of course he chose the latter.

*Tzz…*

A trace of electric sparks flashed as Han Xiao injected magnetic force into it.

*Krrrk—*

The sound of mechanical components moving rang out, and the compressed metal ball rapidly unfolded and transformed, quickly turning from the size of a palm into a Teng Snake mech (flying serpent mech) as tall as a person, standing in front of him. The armor on the front of the Teng Snake opened, like two halves of a leaf, and Han Xiao stepped inside, the armor closing up.

The Teng Snake's tactical visor lit up with a faint light, and the armor started up.

Han Xiao reached out to the other small balls and released magnetic force, like slender, forked lightning, quickly linking all the small balls together. A dense mechanical sound rang out instantly, and all of them unfolded into various weapons, guns, cannons, scythes, bat-wing flyers, etc., immediately attaching to his whole body. In a few seconds, he was fully armed.

"The deployment speed is not bad, I can enter combat mode at any time, so I don't have to carry bulky equipment everywhere," Han Xiao said, quite satisfied, and had the mech return to its compressed state.

Transforming the original weapons was the first step. The biggest advantage was the explosive increase in the number of weapons that could be carried. And the question of what kind of machinery to increase was exactly what Han Xiao was considering.

Compression technology was known as the watershed of the Machinery class, allowing one to switch combat styles at any time and cooperate with each other. On this basis, many advanced mechanical combat styles had formed.

"My original combat style can adapt to close, medium, and long ranges. The core is my own mech. Strictly speaking, it's still solo combat. The most famous combat mode adapted to compression technology is the legion stream. The legion stream is also subdivided. The focus of the legion stream is also different depending on the mechanical combination used, but it's too expensive. With my current financial resources, I can't handle it for the time being. It's not impossible to forcibly build one, but the cost-effectiveness is not high…"

Han Xiao pondered.

Another condition for forming a legion stream was to use an assembly line for mass production. He currently did not have the relevant knowledge. His current financial resources couldn't handle it, and most importantly, there were too few robot blueprints that could keep up with his level. The legion stream needed different types of soldiers and mechanical combinations to play as a strategy game.

The types of robots he could manufacture were not enough, and there were no big guys who could hold the field. The Ranger's technology couldn't keep up with the current level. It was okay to bully low-level people, but in the same level of combat, it would be torn apart in no time.

However, his thinking was relatively clear. He thought to himself, "The tactics I need now have roughly these few goals. First, to get rid of the environment of solo combat and create other partners who can operate independently to entangle the enemy.

Second, to enhance my own range attack ability and increase the attack distance.

Third, to set up a defensive circle for myself, using some machinery to form a barrier, for both attack and defense.

Fourth, mobility, to ensure that I can quickly withdraw from the battlefield when the situation is unfavorable, so I need interference and guidance equipment, as well as machinery to cover the rear.

Well… fifth, since I have compression technology and beginner mech generation, I can use a super-large weapon, with each component broken down into different small balls, and spend time assembling it during battle, as a final trump card! And it can cooperate well with my [Will Burning]."

Also, if the enemy breaks through to in front of me, I must also ensure my own combat ability. I need many close-range or mid-range weapons in the style of a Mech Warrior…"

In this way, he would transform from a solo kiting style to a group-brawl siege style.

Han Xiao wrote down these elements on paper, recalled suitable machinery, and bit on his pen for a while. His ideas quickly took shape.

"The four styles that are most suitable for me at the moment are the Multi-Turret Church's firepower coverage stream, the One-Shot-to-Heaven War Cannon stream, the mine-laying Trap stream, and the Hound stream."

These styles belonged to relatively simple group-brawl styles. Apart from the War Cannon stream, the others used low-level machinery, relying on quantitative change to accumulate into qualitative change. They were cheap and affordable, equivalent to migrant workers' combos…

Although it was a bit simple, it was practical!

The Multi-Turret Church solved the firepower problem, the Giant Cannon was used as a trump card, the Trap stream formed a barrier, the Hound stream entangled the enemy's rushing steps, and mobility could be solved by his own mech. At most, he would synthesize a small single-person vehicle.

The original solo combat mode already guaranteed his own combat ability. He just needed to innovate the mech. The Void Dragon Bone and Miniature Nuclear Reactor he obtained from Longtan could just be used to create a new series of mechs.

After finalizing the plan, Han Xiao opened the panel and began to synthesize blueprints. This time, he needed a large number of low-level blueprints.

He had 1.5 billion experience points left, which was a true astronomical figure that current players could not imagine. However, the reason why the Machinery class was the most difficult class was because of the blueprint gambling mechanism, which was entirely a pit of experience points. Each additional synthesis of the same combination would double the experience consumption.

If it were a player, they would basically only try the same combination five or six times. If they still couldn't get the machinery they wanted, they would generally give up, because the risk was too great. Spending hundreds of thousands or millions of experience points to gamble, but synthesizing a blueprint that couldn't be used or a low-level mech, their mentality would immediately collapse, so it was called gambling blueprints… But it was indeed very exciting, the feeling of heart-pounding excitement was what they wanted.

If they couldn't get the blueprints they wanted, they wouldn't be able to use them when their level was high in the future, which was almost equivalent to missing out on the machinery forever. Therefore, the individual differences between Machinery class players were still quite large. After all, no one could be as generous as Han Xiao, regardless of the cost.

*Ding ding ding…*

Panel prompts kept ringing, and dozens of low-level machinery blueprints were synthesized, with a total cost of more than 30 million experience points. This was just using basic knowledge to gamble on blueprints. If he wasn't clear about various combinations, the cost would have to be increased by 30-40%.

It was a great harvest of blueprints. The skill list became densely packed, dazzling. Han Xiao counted them. There were 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 types of miscellaneous blueprints.

Although the basic blueprints of the same type of machinery were all low-level mechs, they had different functions.

"In this way, the blueprint library is richer, and I have a lot more room for choice," Han Xiao nodded. His goal was not only this. He thought to himself, "With these low-level blueprints, there are more materials for creating my own blueprints. I can concentrate the advantages of the same type of blueprints, create new blueprints, form my exclusive equipment, and the performance will be the best among the same level and type. The power may exceed the level of the machinery itself."

Drawing on the strengths of many, creating his own blueprints!

This was the reason why he fused so many low-level mechs.

Leaving the modification room, Han Xiao went to the market area to place an order for materials. He had more than 70,000 Enas in his account. Taking out a small portion could buy a large number of low-level parts. He only needed to wait for the logistics to deliver them, and then he could show off his skills.

Before that, he promised to build a mechanical prosthetic limb for Melos.

…

In the mechanical modification room, Melos took off the bandage, revealing his empty left shoulder, with a neat wound on it. He was a little nervous. "What do I need to do?"

Han Xiao was recording the size parameters of the wound with an instrument, and said without looking up, "Just try not to shout too loudly later."

"W-will it hurt a lot?"

"I have to cut open your wound and connect the mechanical arm to the nerves that haven't died yet. Well… the degree of pain is equivalent to cutting off your arm again, and then embedding a piece of metal into the vague flesh and blood, double the pain, buy one get one free."

Melos's expression froze. "Can I get anesthesia?"

"What level is your physical fitness? Don't you have any idea?" Han Xiao said expressionlessly, and took out a small ball, which unfolded into a power hammer. "Or should I help you with physical anesthesia?"

"… Forget it, if I wake up halfway, wouldn't I have suffered for nothing?"

Melos swallowed.

"Wait a moment." Han Xiao finished measuring the size, took out the materials and started banging on the lathe, his movements dazzlingly fast, and the progress was rapid.

Melos sat aside, feeling nervous, and the time seemed to pass like years.

Not long after, a mechanical arm was created, with silver alloy armor, segmented power structures, and a small shield like an arm guard connected to the forearm and the back of the hand. The implantation connection was many tiny nerve connection ports.

Han Xiao had the knowledge of neural links. He had previously synthesized the blueprint of the implantation mechanical arm.

He took out a small knife and cut open the scabbed wound in one stroke. Melos trembled all over. Then, Han Xiao used small pliers to pry open the flesh and blood, picked up the mechanical arm, aimed it at the wound, and pressed it on.

*Buzz!*

The mechanical arm started, and many slender drill needles popped out of the connection port, drilling into the bones and connecting nerves.

"Eee—"

Melos's body bounced up violently, and beads of sweat rolled down, biting his teeth, bursting out a long muffled groan from between his teeth, as if he was constipated.

More than ten minutes passed before the pain gradually subsided. In the midst of the pain, Melos regained the sensation of his left arm.

He tried to swing his arm, and the mechanical arm moved according to the nerve reactions, humming and buzzing, and the flexibility was basically the same as a normal left arm.

"So this is what it feels like to be implanted," Melos marveled, and punched the ground.

*Thump!*

A shallow pit was smashed into the steel floor.

"This is the S-30 type implanted shield arm, with strong power output and thick armor, a good model. Use it for pure hand-to-hand combat, just make do with it," Han Xiao said.

Melos nodded. The implanted mechanical arm could not generate magnetic force, and the martial artist's strength was somewhat weakened, but it was at least much better than not having a left arm.

Melos was furious at Ashen, who had crippled him, but he was more afraid of him. He never wanted to meet Ashen again. Fortunately, that terrible guy was dead.

Being crippled was only temporary. Black Star said that he still had a chance to recover, and Melos couldn't help but look forward to it.

"By the way, two days ago, the other Sunil warriors contacted me, saying they wanted to discuss something with you," Melos suddenly remembered.

Han Xiao was puzzled. "What are they looking for me for? To borrow money? Tell them not to even think about it."

"It's not that." Melos coughed, a little embarrassed. "Actually, they want to join the Black Star Mercenary Group…"

Because of the Dragon Seat incident, Han Xiao had become a rising star in the mercenary industry. In Melos's opinion, wanting to join Black Star at this time, the purpose was very clear, to蹭 (cèng - freeload/take advantage of) Han Xiao's status and popularity.

Relying on Black Star's soaring network in the industry, they could get better treatment and earn more money, taking advantage of the situation.

Therefore, Melos found it difficult to speak, but those warriors were not easy either. He had to agree to speak for the mercenaries of the same race, and his face was uneasy at this time, waiting for Han Xiao's answer.