Is this it?

Xiao Bai knew he couldn't return to his original home anytime soon.
Moreover, this "Paradise" had a unique environment. The high-intensity radiation made it an ideal breeding ground for Biological Mecha, and it even possessed the rare "Expansion" Rule.
According to the papers he'd read in the Tavern, "Expansion" was a second-tier, predominantly benign Rule, making it quite rare. Paradises with this Rule were typically prime development areas for humans.
If the environment weren't so harsh and if it hadn't been discovered so early, Xiao Bai likely wouldn't have been able to secure such a good deal.
Furthermore, beneath the vast, flat terrain lay undoubtedly abundant mineral deposits; otherwise, his "Good Buddy" wouldn't have grown so fat.
"So even if I eventually leave this 'tutorial zone' and return to the real world, I can't abandon this 'feng shui treasure land.' Establishing my own stronghold here is still very necessary."
"The risk lies in the fact that 'Expansion' is uncontrollable. We can't control the speed of expansion, nor predict what new areas will emerge. It might reveal more mineral resources, or it might spawn some Heaven-Defying treasures..."
"First, let's clean up our nest," Xiao Bai said.
He began by absorbing all nearby electronic devices, replenishing his stock of parts and electronic components. Then, he inspected the Guardian Mecha he had just finished reprogramming.
It was a long-range firepower suppression model, identical to the one he had seen before. Now controlled by his Autonomous Main Control Module, it could form a simple two-unit formation with him through the Comprehensive Autonomous Combat Module.
"Let's get started. Chitin's waiting for this."
Xiao Bai stored his subordinate in his Storage Space, pre-equipped with a Plasma Launcher. Using the reactor here, he charged the first shot before taking off toward his "good buddy's" territory.
With the Scanner's help, he easily locked onto the Metal Worm, still feasting underground. This time, he wouldn't have to fight with such trepidation as before.
"Stop eating! This is all mine!"
As he spoke, Xiao Bai switched t o a chainsaw sword and boltgun. His left shoulder mounted a close-range hotline laser, while his right shoulder held the Plasma Launcher as a backup. This setup leaned heavily toward close combat, complementing the Guardian Mecha's long-range capabilities.
Estimated Combat Power instantly surged to Rank 5.
Facing a Rank 3 Demonic Beast, he should have a slight advantage.
He then deployed the Guardian Mecha in the outer perimeter, tasked with containment and support, and positioned a Ghoul at a central point to act as a decoy.
After making these preparations, he took a deep breath and ordered the Ghoul to make noise to lure the Metal Worm out.
He himself hovered in the air, waiting for the right moment to strike.
However, despite the Ghoul's antics below, the Metal Worm showed no reaction...
Perhaps it had learned its lesson from its previous defeat.
"How can you be even more cowardly than me? What a waste of that massive frame!"
The scanner revealed that the creature's total length had already surpassed 1,000 meters, with only its head having appeared previously.
However, not all of its body was equally thick and hardened. Apart from the metallic head, the rest of its body had yet to complete its metalization process, resulting in a much narrower diameter. This gave the creature an unbalanced appearance, as if its head were too heavy for its slender body.
"If it keeps eating like this, who knows what it'll grow into? I have to deal with it, but it refuses to surface or commit suicide, leaving me stuck..."
Xiao Bai was still grappling with the problem when a sudden idea struck him. He quickly swapped out his newly acquired radar set.
Normally, phased array radar is useless for detecting underground targets—that's the domain of ground-penetrating radar.
Yet strangely, as Xiao Bai activated the radar, the Metal Worm reacted abruptly. Abandoning its feeding, it began hurtling toward the surface at full speed.
Moreover, its trajectory wasn't aimed at the 'Ghoul' frolicking in its territory, but at Xiao Bai himself, floating in the air.
"Fascinating. Though I don't understand the principle behind this..."
"Bring it on!"
Xiao Bai swiftly recalled the Ghoul into his Storage Space and activated the auto-combat function.
This was his first time using it. He'd imagined it would be like playing a game, completely hands-off, but the actual experience was different. It felt as if he'd awakened some primal instinct or muscle memory, moving with instinctive, unthinking fluidity.
The thrusters behind him roared to full power, propelling him to top speed. Diving at Mach 1, he streaked down like a black lightning bolt, actively intercepting the Metal Worm as it emerged from the earth.
Just as he was about to crash into the ground, the Metal Worm burst forth from the soil. Before it could open its maw and roar, it collided head-on with the Chainsaw Sword, its blades spinning so fast they glowed red-hot.
The sword clashed against the hard metallic carapace, sending sparks flying. After a brief, symbolic resistance of mere milliseconds, the blade sliced through the outer shell and delved into the flesh beneath.
Buoyed by the momentum of his dive, the crimson blade sliced downward like a hot knife through butter, cleaving a whole section of "lips" clean off.
Using the deceleration from the impact to adjust his posture mid-fall, the Mech transitioned from a dive to a circling maneuver. Like a specter, it began to orbit the Metal Worm's massive form.
The Chainsaw Sword sank completely into the carapace, carvin g an arc-shaped wound as the Mech circled. Meanwhile, the Hotline Laser on its left shoulder had already activated. Its searing beam, precise as a surgeon's knife, followed the fissure opened by the Chainsaw Sword, cutting deeper into the creature's flesh.
Only after completing a full circle did the mecha ascend again, hovering in mid-air as it gradually quieted down.
Below, the massive head of the Metal Worm, as large as a skyscraper, began to slowly slide down before collapsing with a deafening roar, kicking up a cloud of dust that filled the sky.
"Is that it?" Xiao Bai muttered, dazed.
"To take down this thing, I burned the midnight oil for two weeks—crafting new weapons, donning new armor, even recruiting new allies. And it's over in less than three seconds?"
It was like grinding through a game, spending real money on loot boxes, leveling up, collecting gear, upgrading skills, and rallying friends for a boss battle—only to have the enemy go down in a single basic attack.
Xiao Bai stared blankly for a moment, then reviewed the "combat replay" footage captured by a drone released earlier.
From the drone's perspective, he was a black blade descending from the heavens, his saber tracing a dazzling arc. In just 2.8 seconds, he severed the enemy's head.
The Metal Worm didn't even have a chance to open its mouth...
"Awesome!"
"Even though it lacked the thrill of a full boss battle, that was truly impressive!"
Compared to the back-and-forth strategy and combat of traditional battles, Xiao Bai clearly preferred this style of combat.

Chapter end