Full Armament Mode

The researchers of t he Prometheus Society were divided into three tiers. The highest tier comprised the industry's top academic giants, while the second tier consisted of exceptionally distinguished leaders. Thus, Xiao Bai's use of the term "teacher" was entirely appropriate.
The researcher on the other end hadn't expected the supposedly defiant youth to be so courteous. Their impression of Xiao Bai improved immediately, and they replied:
"Hello, student. Let me ask, is the 'Terror Turtle' engine you're currently using one you found in Paradise ? And did you integrate it into your mecha?"
"Yes, as expected of the renowned Prometheus Society. You can't fool you."
Xiao Bai had prepared this response long ago, when he first decided to exploit the loophole. He hadn't anticipated that the other party would essentially fill in the gaps for him.
Th e "loophole" he'd discovered was that the Prometheus Society hadn't specified that their engine had to be used for the tests. As long as he successfully installed their data collection system, the contributions would automatically be credited to him later.
To others, this wouldn't even be considered a loophole, since theoretically, only members of the Prometheus Society could obtain the latest engine.
Xiao Bai had anticipated that the other party would eventually discover this and had prepared an explanation in advance. He would simply attribute it to the vastness of Paradise, where anything was possible. After all, they couldn't possibly come to him personally to verify the situation.
What he hadn't expected was how quickly they would catch on, and how generously they offered contributions. Did they actually value him that much?
Then, the other party asked a few questions about the mecha and its location.
Xiao Bai replied that he had modified the mecha himself, and that the location was covered by the terms of the commission, making it confidential.
The Tavern indeed offered many private commissions, and the specific performance of a mecha was considered personal privacy. The other party couldn't press further and had to change the subject:
"Alright, to be ho nest, the operational data you're providing for high-intensity radiation environments is something we're currently lacking. So we hope you can complete as many tests as possible during the commission. We certainly won't be stingy with the contributions..."
"Of course, please stay safe. If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to contact me at any time."
When Xiao Bai read this, his heart stirred, and he was tempted to send over his anonymous report.
But after careful consideration, he resisted the urge.
Firstly, they had only just met, and he didn't fully trust the man. Secondly, he didn't want to connect 'Raven' with 'Xiao Bai', potentially drawing the attention of his enemies.
For now, the 'Raven' identity remained secure, allowing him to safely earn contributions and gain knowledge within the 'Tavern'. Who would ever connect a valued Investigator of the Fire Thieves with a student beaten to a pulp?
"The criminal's backers are too powerful. One can never be too cautious," Xiao Bai reminded himself.
He then replied to Professor Wang:
"Thank you, Professor Wang. By the way, if I wanted to learn more about genetics, where would be a good place to start?"
"Huh? You're actually interested in that? Unfortunately, that's not my area of expertise, but I can ask around for you. Just give me a moment."
A moment later, the other party sent over a list of books, divided into three categories.
"These books are all in the Tavern's database. If you just want a basic understanding, start with Category 1, which is more introductory. For a deeper dive, you'll need to study Category 2 and 3 as well."
"Alright, thank you, Professor Wang," Xiao Bai replied, torn between laughter and exasperation. He stared at the long list of titles, feeling a little overwhelmed.
He had found plenty of biological resources in the base, but having no prior knowledge in the field, he naturally wanted to "brush up" on his skills.
He hadn't expected the task to be quite so daunting...
Fortunately, his memory was still quite good, like a mechanical hard drive—slow to process but capable of retaining information indefinitely.
"Well, I'll just have to tackle them one by one. I'm not planning to leave anytime soon anyway. At least half of the base is still buried, and we need to find a way to excavate it."
"And once I'm done searching here, there's still the Graveyard to explore..."
"I've come this far. How could I leave without thoroughly searching every corner?"
When Xiao Bai finally saw the light of day again, three days had passed.
Apart from the buried areas, the underground base was completely barren. He decided to go outside for some fresh air and a change of scenery.
The two 'Second Masters' were still crouching outside the elevator. With the base's Main Control System completely destroyed, Xiao Bai had already removed all the chips and components, rendering the two machines ownerless and ripe for absorption.
Fortunately, the weapons on the Second Masters and their hover thrusters were exactly what Xiao Bai needed. He could also use the opportunity to stock up on a large number of mechanical parts.
Absorption complete: Molecular Cutting Chainsaw Sword
Absorption complete: Alloy Shield
Absorption complete: Hotline Laser
Absorption complete: Large-Caliber Boltgun
Absorption complete: Triple-Mounted Medium-Range Cruise Missile
Absorption complete: Comprehensive Autonomous Combat Module
Absorption complete: Hover Thruster
Absorption complete: Level 5 Energy Storage Battery
Absorption complete: ...
Watching the cascade of notifications scroll down the screen, Xiao Bai couldn't help but marvel at the Second Masters' impressive specs. Despite their age, everything was top-notch.
The Comprehensive Autonomous Combat Module, in particular, was the lat est version from last year. It included "AFK" features like automatic navigation, maintenance, and target acquisition, as well as "cheat-like" capabilities such as trajectory calculation, auto-aiming, and automatic evasion. It was incredibly user-friendly.
If Xiao Bai had followed his original life path—completing his studies and joining the Defense Force—he had no idea how long he would have had to wait to use such a high-spec Mecha.
But now, these resources were within easy reach.
After completing the Absorption process, Xiao Bai stood up and equipped all the modules, entering his ultimate combat configuration.
In his l eft hand was a Boltgun, and in his right, a Chainsaw Sword. Four Self-Defense Machine Guns hung from each forearm, while two Hotline Laser folding mounts were attached to the outer sides of his thighs. A grenade launcher sat on his left shoulder, a missile launcher on his right, and a large-caliber rocket launcher hung at his waist, with adjustable mounts allowing for quick switching. On his back were a Medical Bay and a Maintenance Mechanical Arm, and four Hover Thrusters were mounted on his back and legs.
By eliminating the need for ammunition and fuel, even in this fully equipped state, mobility remained agile and nimble.
The energy consumption was still manageable, dropping from 100 units per hour when completely unladen to 50. However, if I pushed the firepower to its maximum, I'd have to start drawing from my reserves.
Internally, a new Comprehensive Autonomous Combat Module had been added to the existing framework. This was perfect for Xiao Bai, who lacked combat experience; he could rely on it to handle things for now.
After reviewing the entire system, Xiao Bai realized something.
"I'm starting to feel a bit heavy with the sense of history and temporal layers, aren't I? The mech is blueprint-grade, the engine is a prototype, the 'smartphone' is hypothetical, the weapons range from ten to five years old, and the armor plates are the most outrageous—they're homogeneous armor plates that can be traced back to the last century!"
"With so much 'time' converging on me alone, can I declare myself the 'Time King'?"

Chapter end