Is there a hidden secret here?

Clearly, close combat is out of the question. That thing's autocannons and electroshockers are all short-range weapons. My 15 points of Power barely give me enough speed and agility to dodge unscathed, and I'm still lugging my coffin on my back—I can't take any risks...
Long-range combat is tricky too. The terrain here is too complex, and I don't know the range of those rocket launchers or if they have guidance systems.
This is a tough nut to crack... At the end of the day, it's the difference in defense that's the real problem. That thing's armored plating means it can afford countless mistakes, while I'm completely naked and exposed—one mistake and I'm done for.
While Xiao Bai pondered his options, the green light on his chest scanned the nearby junk pile.
Then he received a special notification:
Wireless Camera 2 acquired.
"Hmm? Perfect!"
Xiao Bai quickly opened his Storage Space and found two round icons. When he focused on them, the corresponding performance parameters and usage instructions floated up beside them.
This was an older model from years ago, but its light ness, compact size, and ease of use made it ideal for fieldwork. A single charge could power it for 48 hours, allowing it to be deployed independently and controlled remotely via wireless signals while streaming live footage—perfect for outdoor operations.
As for issues like low frame rates, poor image quality, and susceptibility to interference, those were all problems that could be overcome.
Xiao Bai took out a camera about the size of a tennis ball, crept toward the Steel Ghoul, then climbed a nearby pile of junk and mounted the camera at the top, adjusting the angle.
Within the Training Mecha's built-in 'Record' function, a live surveillance feed now captured every move of the Steel Ghoul.
As for the second camera, Xiao Bai hesitated, then put it away for now, saving it for emergencies.
"I'll continue opening Blind Boxes while the cameras record their movements," he thought. "If I can find a weakness to exploit, I might be able to lure them into a 'crane and clam' scenario..."
"The main issue is t he distance between them," he continued. "The Metal Worms are too territorial, which makes them less aggressive and reluctant to leave their territory. The Ghouls are similar—they remain surprisingly passive unless you encroach on their self-defense zone."
"This is tricky..." Xiao Bai muttered. "Huh? What's this?"
Suddenly, the green light on his chest extracted an unfamiliar icon from the pile of junk. More complex than the previous parts and components, its absorption rate had visibly slowed; it took nearly a minute to slowly settle into his Storage Space.
Electromagnetic Interference Module 'Echo' Class acquired.
"Tang Tu's latest?" Xiao Bai wondered. He glanced at the detailed specifications of the complete module.
This specialized military-grade electronic warfare module could target and jam enemy equipment over ranges of tens to hundreds of meters, depending on the input energy level, causing them to malfunction or fail completely.
Against civilian devices without interference protection or mechanical Demonic Beasts, it could produce extraordinary effects, often leading to chip meltdowns and total system crashes.
Its size and appearance resembled a high-end graphics card, albeit less symmetrical and regular.
"This is three years old," Xiao Bai remarked. "I remember when it first hit the news—comment sec tions were flooded with 'black tech' and 'future gadget' remarks. But as more Paradise Technology was uncovered later, it quickly became yesterday's news, like an 'old maid' in the tech world. I never expected to find a fully functional, intact unit here."
Xiao Bai briefly recalled the instructions, then eagerly guided the Electromagnetic Interference Module into the waist of the Training Mecha.
"It's actually this easy to install? Normally, installing internal modules like this requires professional help, considering compatibility and power supply issues. It's expensive and ripe for scams..."
"Turns out, doing it yourself is the most convenient!"
Satisfied, Xiao Bai changed course and headed back toward the Ghoul. He quickly returned to its vicinity, found a trash pile to hide behind, and activated the electromagnetic interference function.
Using the previously deployed cameras as his "eyes," he monitored the Ghoul's movements.
Zzz... Zzz... Zzz...
As a faint electrical hum filled the air, the shredder on the Ghoul's chest suddenly stuttered, and the front excavator bucket froze.
"It worked! So the Recycling Robot is indeed an Autobot-class civilian model!"
But before Xiao Bai could celebrate for even three seconds, he saw the Ghoul resume its operation, chomping down garbage with renewed vigor.
"Alright, so it even has interference defense. This excavator is definitely Decepticon-grade."
Xiao Bai quickly shut down the electromagnetic interference module. The thing was draining energy at an alarming rate—just those few seconds had cost him five points of energy, which made his heart bleed.
"At this rate, to effectively jam it, I'd need to farm hundreds of energy points. And even then, I'd have to immobilize it to meet the energy absorption requirements, which means I'd also need to figure out how to disable it..."
As Xiao Bai mentally cursed the module's poor performance, he suddenly noticed a change in the surveillance feed.
The massive ghoul, as if suddenly stuffed, stopped devouring the trash. Abandoning the half-eaten mountain of refuse, its treads whirred as it struggled to turn around, retracing its steps back the way it came.
Huh?
Xiao Bai discreetly followed, tailing the ghoul until it stopped in a cleared area.
Then, the soil around it trembled as three spider-shaped maintenance robots, each about the size of a supermarket shopping cart, burst forth from the ground.
These were the classic models, so ubiquitous that even Xiao Bai's dormitory building had two stationed downstairs.
The six multifunctional mechanical arms mounted on the Spiders could handle most maintenance tasks and provided excellent mobility. They effortlessly climbed onto the Ghoul's body, beginning a thorough "full-body checkup."
One of the Spiders even lifted the Ghoul's back armor panel, revealing a cluster of data ports beneath. It then extruded several strands of "Spider Silk" from its abdomen and connected them to the ports.
"So this place does have a hidden maintenance station? I should have realized earlier. With not a single trace of human presence, something must be here to perform maintenance. And what else could it be but these classic maintenance robots?"
"And my earlier electromagnetic interference wasn't a waste of energy after all. It must have disrupted the Ghoul's operations, forcing it to return for repairs and maintenance, which revealed its little secret."
"Heh heh, this godforsaken place is full of prickly obstacles, but I've finally managed to snag a few 'Autobots'!"
Xiao Bai's heart surged with excitement, but he resisted the urge to act rashly, remaining patient in his hiding spot.
Only when the Ghoul completed its repairs, retraced its steps, and reappeared on the surveillance feed, resuming its interrupted work, did Xiao Bai finally emerge from his pit.
Xiao Bai finally stood up from the pit, clenching his fists as he stalked toward the hiding place of the maintenance robots.

Chapter end