Chapter 143 Perfect Mechanical Sense

Grand Technician Han had a total of twenty-three specializations. Reynold had only six less than him, possessing a full seventeen specializations. This number was almost twice that of the other three Grade B freelance mercenaries!

People with high potential would frequently gain new specializations as they leveled up.

Currently, within the Black Star Army, the cadre member with the most specializations was Melos, with fifteen specializations. His strength was much stronger than when he first joined the group a few years ago.

Back when Han Xiao recruited him, he only had twelve specializations.

In terms of specialization quality, Fording and Harmon were the best, both having template specializations.

Everyone knew how awesome Fording’s Advanced Lucky Aura was.

Harmon's [God of War's Tenacity] combined with [Body of Desperation], coupled with his protagonist-type low-level lucky aura, was equivalent to having invincibility and unlimited berserk rage. He was also very powerful.

Template specializations were the standard to differentiate between normal people, elites, and Bosses. Reynold in front of him actually had a template specialization, which made Han Xiao very pleasantly surprised.

[Perfect Mechanical Sense: Overall mechanical affinity x1.4, including base stats, passive skill bonuses, specialization bonuses. This effect directly affects the total value.]

[When using machanic force to buff a machine, the quality of the machine is temporarily increased by 1~2 grades, with a maximum limit of Pink Rare quality.]

[For all Mechanic active skills, the actual effect is considered as level +4. This effect can break through the skill level cap.]

[—In your senses, every machine is a balanced ecosystem.]

"It's actually this specialization!"

Han Xiao's eyes lit up.

In his previous life, a player posted on the forum, listing all the template specializations on Star Field characters. Some specializations were profession-exclusive templates. [Perfect Mechanical Sense] was a Mechanic specialization, and it was one of the top templates, possessing three abilities within the same system.

The overall mechanical affinity value received a 1.4x multiplier bonus, which was a very powerful effect.

Mechanical affinity was the core ability of Mechanics, used to increase the power of machines. If a Mechanic had various specializations and skills that provided a total of 500% mechanical affinity, then [Perfect Mechanical Sense] would give him a bonus of 500% multiplied by 1.4, turning the mechanical affinity into 700%!

This bonus rule was the same as the Calamity Grade tier specialization [Extraordinary Power], which also directly increased the total value, meaning the stronger the foundation, the stronger the bonus, and the greater the effect as the level increased.

The other two effects of [Perfect Mechanical Sense] were also very practical. The temporary increase in machine quality was equivalent to strengthening the machine's basic attributes. In simple terms, even a broken gray equipment in his hands could exert an effect no less than a green equipment.

The last effect, Mechanic active skill level +4, and ignoring the skill level cap, meant that Lv10 [Machanic Force Eruption] could exert the effect of Lv14.

With this specialization, he could be described as a once-in-x-years Mechanic genius, where "x" is greater than one hundred.

High level, strong specialization, Grade B+… Reynold was the strongest person he had ever recruited.

This was a high-quality wild leek!

"Are you a Mechanic?"

"Yes." Reynold nodded.

"You are very strong, even stronger than all the cadres under my command."

Han Xiao became serious and had Philip pull up Reynold's mercenary resume. After looking at it, his brow furrowed slightly.

"The information shows that you have seven years of mercenary experience, drifting through five small mercenary groups. You were active in the Heidegar Star System at first, and only came to the Garton Star System in the past two years. With your strength, you are more than qualified to be a high-level cadre in a large mercenary group. Why have you been hanging around in small mercenary groups?"

As he spoke, he stared at Reynold, his eyes filled with inquiry.

Reynold's tone was serious, "Large mercenary groups are too comfortable. I need more dangerous training to improve my vigilance."

Han Xiao narrowed his eyes, "Then why do you want to join my command? My place is also a large mercenary group."

"I have undergone enough training. What I need now is to settle down, learn more knowledge, and strive for a higher level."

Reynold had a serious expression, answering in a methodical manner, his attitude not perfunctory at all, but rather too serious.

"You mean, you want to step into the Calamity Grade?" Han Xiao raised his eyebrows.

"Yes." Reynold nodded steadily, adding, "This is also the reason I came here."

As he said that, he lowered his head slightly, respectfully saying:

"We are both Mechanics, and you have already entered the Calamity Grade realm. To me, you are a pioneer on this path, while I am still groping. So… I want to receive your guidance. For this, I am willing to work for you."

So that was the reason, this was his motive for joining…

Han Xiao suddenly understood. It was not the Black Star Army's treatment that attracted Reynold, but his own strength.

This guy was a Grade B+, wanting to enter Grade A, so he came to ask him, a ready-made Grade A Mechanic, for advice, wanting to become his student. This motive was too reasonable. The capable should be teachers, and there was nothing to fault.

Among the five major superpower systems, Mechanics and Mages were the most eager to learn. Exchanging knowledge was common for these two professions. Han Xiao understood Reynold's behavior very well, just like players looking for people to learn skills.

"This isn't a bad thing…" Han Xiao pondered. Reynold had a lot of potential. After recruiting him, the Black Star Army would have one more elite cadre member.

His only apprentice was Sylvia. Having one more Reynold was not a problem. The strength and knowledge level of a Calamity Grade was enough to guide Reynold.

As for letting Reynold advance to Grade A, this mainly depended on individual potential. Since Reynold had [Perfect Mechanical Sense], entering the Calamity Grade was basically a certainty, but Reynold himself did not know it.

Han Xiao quickly made up his mind and nodded, "I can give you guidance, but you need to sign a longer-term contract."

"That's a given." Reynold nodded seriously. He believed in the principle that only with effort would there be rewards. Black Star was already much easier to talk to than he had expected.

"Since you are a Mechanic… how about this, you will be responsible for logistics. The workshops, factories, and production lines in the base will be temporarily managed by you. Adding production lines, daily maintenance, repairs, and technical adjustments are all your work. You can summon some manpower."

Letting Reynold be responsible for the workshops and factories was a professional fit. With his abilities, the machines he manufactured would be sufficient to meet the needs of the players and would also have a market.

Moreover, Reynold could also build production lines and knew many blueprints. He was the only member who could help him on the manufacturing level!

In this way, the work of building new production lines in the future could be handed over to Reynold. Han Xiao would not have to personally go every time. According to the needs of hundreds of thousands of players, he could save at least one or two months a year to do other things!

After all, one person's output was limited, and the establishment of the logistics department was imperative.

"I have no problem."

This position was very much to Reynold's liking. He only wanted to calm down and cultivate at the moment, not wanting to run out and fight.

All the applicants were tested. Philip signed contracts with the new mercenaries and then registered and confirmed them with the Mercenary Alliance. In this way, these new mercenaries were officially considered to have joined the Black Star Army.

Han Xiao clapped his hands. Apart from a few talents, he asked Philip to uniformly arrange the positions of the new mercenaries, and let Sylvia and some old mercenaries take the newcomers to familiarize themselves with the work. In two days, these newcomers would officially start their jobs.

This recruitment brought in thousands of people. Adding the original old mercenaries, the number of NPC mercenaries in the Black Star Army increased to about eight thousand, which was several times more.

Compared with the scale of the players, the number of NPC mercenaries was still very small. It was difficult to achieve explosive growth. They could only continue to recruit, gather talents, and accumulate slowly.

The biggest gain this time was Reynold. Even Han Xiao could not help but be tempted by the [Perfect Mechanical Sense] template. If he obtained this specialization, he would not only have amazing durability, but also an all-round enhancement!

Unfortunately, he had not yet found a way to obtain this template specialization. Reynold was not an enemy, and even if he was an enemy, he might not be able to draw the [Perfect Template].

However, Han Xiao had plenty of patience.

…

Two days later, the newly joined mercenaries all started their respective businesses.

The training camp of the No. 1 base was also officially established.

More than a thousand rejected applicants became the first batch of students, and Boreeck, as the only instructor at the moment, officially took office.

On the first day, he almost vomited blood from exhaustion.

Training mercenaries was not just about moving your mouth. You had to personally engage in actual combat, and it was easy to get injured if you were not careful. Being responsible for training more than a thousand people alone, Boreeck's workload was simply tear-inducing and heartbreaking. He had no time to do anything else. After a day, his whole body was almost falling apart.

At the thought of having to continue this high-intensity work the next day, Boreeck felt his legs cramping.

However, after the first day of teaching work, Han Xiao deliberately came over to encourage him, and Boreeck immediately became as energetic as if he had been injected with chicken blood.

Han Xiao's attitude gave him the illusion that his performance was being watched by Black Star, and that he had obtained this special job as soon as he joined the group, which represented Black Star's attention.

After all, among all the applicants, only he and that Mechanic named Reynold received special treatment.

Perhaps, Black Star was testing his abilities.

As long as he completed the instructor mission and proved himself, he might be accepted by Black Star and promoted to a high-level cadre!

—Only after becoming a high-level cadre could he monitor the information flow of the Black Star Army.

With this in mind, Boreeck decided to grit his teeth and persevere, not looking for assistants, but independently completing the instructor mission. This was the only way to maximize his ability, and raise his impression score in Black Star's mind!

"He's really dedicated…"

In the room, Han Xiao, in his Chaotic Body form, monitored Boreeck's actions and could not help but sigh.

As expected, those with ulterior motives were the most useful.

Dispersing the Chaotic Body, returning to human form, Han Xiao straightened his clothes, walked out of the room, and came to the base's mechanical modification room. Reynold and Sylvia were already waiting here.

Today was the day for class.

Sylvia was already used to Han Xiao giving her special lessons, but today there was one more person sharing her teacher, and she felt very awkward. She secretly sized up Reynold from time to time, feeling inexplicably hostile.

Reynold, on the other hand, stared straight at Han Xiao without looking sideways, his expression quite serious.

Starting today, he would be learning from Black Star. This was an opportunity he had exchanged for a five-year contract, and he valued it very much.

Standing in front of the two, Han Xiao glanced at them, thought for a moment, and said, "Your strengths are too different. Reynold, I'll teach you first. Sylvia, you can watch from the side."

The difference in strength between these two was too great. The knowledge that was too profound for Sylvia was only entry-level in Reynold's eyes, so naturally they could not be taught together.

As soon as he finished speaking, Sylvia's eyes widened. The teacher was actually teaching the newcomer first…

She immediately felt unbalanced and glared fiercely at Reynold, but found that he did not even look at her. She could only puff up her cheeks and sulk.

Taking Reynold and the sulking Sylvia to the side, Han Xiao cleared his throat and prepared to lecture. At this time, Reynold quickly took out a pen and a small notebook from his pocket.

"Uh, what are you doing?"

"Recording the course content." Reynold said with a serious face, writing down these two sentences in a few strokes.

Han Xiao glanced at it and twitched the corner of his mouth, "There's no need to record the small talk…"

"No, any omissions are disrespectful to you."

"Then wouldn't it be better to use video recording…"

"No, as a Mechanic, mastering all the details is also a form of training."

Without saying a word, Reynold wrote down this passage again, even drawing Han Xiao's expression when he spoke. The hand speed of a Mechanic was naturally beyond doubt. Almost as soon as he finished speaking, he completed the recording.

'This is too rigid, even more like a Mechanic than me…'

Han Xiao had a general understanding of the character of this new partner, and the corner of his mouth twitched. Only then did he officially begin the lecture.

Saying it was teaching, it was actually more like sharing knowledge. What Reynold really lacked was high-end knowledge. After all, it was difficult for him to save money, and he did not have the connections like Han Xiao. Han Xiao slowly explained high-end knowledge.

Anyway, Reynold was not a player and could not achieve success overnight. He had to learn slowly.

Reynold listened extremely carefully, and his pen never stopped. Sylvia, who was next to him, was confused. This knowledge was too profound for her, and she could not understand it even if she listened.

Biting her lip, Sylvia forced herself to cheer up and memorize these contents. The appearance of Reynold made her feel a sense of crisis. She did not want to be left far behind.

After teaching Reynold, Han Xiao continued to teach Sylvia.

Reynold did not leave early, but instead listened in from the side. Even though the things Sylvia was learning were too superficial for him, he did not show any impatience and still listened extremely carefully.

Time slowly passed.

Han Xiao finally stopped talking, looked at the time, and announced the end of the class. Then he hurriedly left, eager to continue manufacturing his own machines.

Only Sylvia and Reynold were left in the room, staring at each other.

"Well, if there's anything you don't understand, I can teach you too."

There was still a long way to go. Reynold felt that he had to have a good relationship with Black Star's apprentice, and showed a smile that he thought was kind.

However, he rarely smiled, and the smile looked hideous no matter how you looked at it.

"Who wants you to teach me." Sylvia rolled her eyes and could not help but say, "You're a newcomer, you have to call me Senior Sister, understand!"

Reynold frowned.

Oh no, was he angry… Seeing this, Sylvia felt a thud in her heart and immediately regretted it. Reynold was strong enough to crush her with one hand, even stronger than Melos.

Letting such a strong person bow his head to a superpower user who had barely reached the edge of Grade C, he would probably think it was an insult.

However, Reynold pondered for a while, nodded, and said seriously, "Senior Sister."

"Ah, you really called me that?" Sylvia was stunned, her expression awkward, and her tone unnatural, "I was just kidding you."

"No, you're right. I thought about it just now. Since I'm a newcomer, it's my duty to call you Senior Sister. I was rude just now. I apologize to you and thank you for reminding me."

There was no dissatisfaction on Reynold's face, his expression was serious, and his tone was still as serious as if he would argue with someone at any time.

Sylvia's face stiffened, and she could not stand Reynold's overly serious style. She smiled awkwardly and said, "No, there's no need to be so serious, just call me by my name."

"No, I have to call you Senior Sister, otherwise it would be too rude." Reynold said solemnly, even lowering his head slightly to show respect.

Sylvia's scalp tingled, and she could not stand it any longer. She quickly picked up her book and ran away.

…

After interviewing the mercenaries, Han Xiao spent almost all his time updating his own combat machines in the following days.

"Finally finished!"

Ten days later, Han Xiao's excited voice rang out in the dedicated mechanical modification room.