Isn't this exactly what was on the blueprint?

Though all this hustle had left Xiao Bai with nothing but leftovers on the table.
Who says leftovers can't be delicious?
Absorption: Twin-Linked Grenade Launcher 1
Absorption: Heavy Engine Component 5
Absorption: Protective Armor Plate 20
Absorption: Small Reactor Component 10
Absorption: Tier 5 Energy Storage Battery Component 7
Absorption: Computational Chipset 1
Absorption: Behemoth-Grade Life Energy 3
Absorption: Metal Worm Gene Fragment 2
Listening to the stream of notifications in his ear, Xiao Bai let out a soulful laugh.
"This isn't quite a full banquet, but it's at least a Michelin-starred meal, right? Good thing the panel's storage space is unlimited; otherwise, I'd be stuffed to death... Man, relying on your own efforts is just not as satisfying as scavenging!"
"Hmm? Wait a minute! Who said scavenging doesn't require effort? I earned every piece of this through my skills!"
Xiao Bai first licked the nearby 'scrap' clean before sprinting to another Recycling Robot deeper inside.
Because it was more complete, this haul yielded even more than the previous one. Not only did it include Close Defense Machine Guns, Shock Guns, and rockets of various calibers, providing Xiao Bai with the firepower he desperately needed, but it also came with a complete waste recycling system, including a digger, shredder, and compactor.
As for the foundational resources of energy and parts, they had surged past the 30,000 mark in one fell swoop, giving him plenty to spare for a while.
The only slight regret was that his "Good Buddy" hadn't died right in front of him...
But that was for t he best. Xiao Bai could now safely finish looting the recycling robot without worrying about his "Good Buddy" trying to steal his kill. He even cleared out the three base stations he'd brought over earlier, treating them like dessert after the main course.
Then he swiftly fled the scene, leaving only the surveillance camera behind to see if any military forces would show up.
Only after running a good distance away did Xiao Bai hide in a sheltered "mountain pass" to process his latest haul.
"Phew... There are so many things I can combine, I have a serious case of choice paralysis..."
"The re are still so many red warnings reminding me that the equipment isn't compatible with the current platform... The Training Mecha is indeed too weak, unable to even meet the basic weight requirements. I can't even mount this twin-linked grenade launcher."
"It seems I need to start with the basic power armor structure first. Let's see what kind of structures I can assemble..."
"Why are there only three types available: the Ghoul's war chariot style, the Maintenance Robot's multi-legged style, and the Second Master's duck style? No humanoid options?"
"Is it because most of the collected parts are from these three types? Or have I only encountered these three types so far?"
Xiao Bai felt like he had reached a crossroads. Should he insist on humanoid form? Or become a duck? Should he become a seasoned driver? Or Spider-Man?
After careful consideration, he made his decision.
"The more I scavenge, the more I realize humans have their limits... But the more I realize this, the more I must hold fast to my beliefs!"
"Second Master, assemble!"
As green light pulsed across his chest for half an hour, a duck-style reverse-joint mecha, just over ten meters tall, gradually materialized before Xiao Bai.
The overall structure bore some resemblance to the two "Guardian" mechas that had appeared earlier, but the differences in detail were too numerous to list.
The completely independent head featured a hull-like structure reminiscent of a warship's bow, but with narrower, more streamlined lines that gave it a sharp, wind-slicing appearance, exuding a strong sense of design and futurism.
The upper body followed a "breastplate knight" aesthetic, with a triangularly bulging chest that provid ed more internal space while its smaller surface area offered enhanced equivalent protection. Combined with armor plates absorbed from Ghouls, it rendered penetration by solid rounds under 120mm virtually impossible, safeguarding the internal power engine.
The arms were no longer fixed configurations but had been replaced with human-like mechanical arms, allowing for easy attachment of various external equipment.
The armored legs, reinforced with protective armor plates, appeared sturdier and more robust than those of the previous Guardians, providing greater load-bearing capacity. The tracks on the feet had also been replaced with several more agile omnidirectional wheels, ensuring both terrain adaptability and improved mobility.
Overall, while Xiao Bai admired the "Second Master," the structure before him shared little resemblance with that iconic mecha—more like distant strangers than close relatives.
Focusing his gaze, Xiao Bai finally learned the structure's formal name:
Celestial Feather-class Medium-Sized M echa Structure. Thirteenth Generation framework designed and manufactured by the Federal Academy of Sciences. Named after combat hero Zhang Tianyu, who sacrificed his life during the Third Abyss Invasion Campaign. Currently in blueprint verification phase.
Below, in smaller text, were recorded the combat hero's final words from his last transmission:
"Damn it, I haven't even gotten married yet!"
Perhaps in his final moments, he wasn't a revered hero, but just an ordinary young man who didn't want to die...
If not for your sacrifice, billions of civilians would have perished in that largest-ever Abyss Invasion. Thank you for holding that final line of defense.
Xiao Bai had long heard of this hero's deeds. He immediately stood at attention before the mecha framework and saluted with a perfect military salute.
After circling the new mech several times, he began to scrutinize it.
"Overall, it looks pretty cool and futuristic. And this metal used in the frame is so unusual—it looks like solidified mercury and can even serve as a mirror. Could this be the 'Mirror Alloy' that the news reported on? The cutting-edge alloy developed using the latest Paradise Technology, which independent media outlets hyped up as a 'revolution and disruption in materials science'?"
"Heh~ Looks like another rumor. If I can even synthesize this alloy, that means its raw materials can be scavenged from the junk heap."
Xiao Bai scoffed, then glanced at his reflection in the alloy to take in his current appearance.
He'd avoided looking at himself earlier, afraid it would upset him.
His half-spherical helmet, cracked on one side, m ade it look like his brain was damaged. His simple, single-eyed sensor had its red lens shattered, leaving the lens itself exposed. Where his mouth should have held an air filter, there was now only wreckage, with various wires dangling out like tentacles.
The dilapidated body and the third hand on his shoulder gave the whole thing a distinctly Cthulhu-esque feel.
This finally dispelled his last reservations. Well, I'm already half-human anyway, and this new body is actually quite stylish.
"Come to think of it, the p revious 'Terror Turtle' engine was still in the technology verification phase, which means they had at least a working prototype. I thought that was already the pinnacle of 'newness,' but who knew they'd even bring in designs that are still just on paper?"
"And from what I've seen on the militar y forums, the Eleventh and Twelfth Generations, which were only commissioned a few years ago, each have their own flaws. In actual combat, they're performing worse than improved models of the Second Master's designs, so they've never been widely deployed."
"I wonder how this Thirteenth Generation will perform. Let's not tarnish the heroes' reputations."

Chapter end