Space Anchor

Xiao Bai initially wondered if there was a glitch in the panel. How could it possibly produce something like this? But in the next moment, a flood of understanding surged into his mind, revealing the device's specific functions.
"So this is actually a mechanical device? With a miraculous auto-shaping function? I can customize its appearance?"
With a thought, the 'ship anchor' began to condense and transform, eventually morphing into a massive home security door.
With another thought, it changed into a thick hydraulic bank vault door.
Strange symbols, resembling some alien script, appeared on the door. Fortunately, the 'user manual' that had materialized in his mind allowed Xiao Bai to decipher them.
"This is warning me that I don't have enough energy to initiate a search and anchor."
"To begin a search, you need sufficient energy. The results are completely random, but they allow you to probe the general situation and rules of the target Paradise beforehand, helping you decide whether to proceed with anchoring."
"Once anchored, a secure teleportation channel is established, allowing safe back-and-forth travel. However, the door's location and appearance become fixed, impossible to change."
"Moreover, the process is irreversible. The two Paradises will gradually draw closer until they collide. The smaller, less secure one will either be crushed or assimilated by the larger, more secure one."
"This Lost Legacy is incredible—more fantastical than even the Pocket Factory! It completely surpasses the realm of human technology."
Xiao Bai quickly skimmed through the user manual and summarized:
"If I only wanted to return to the present world, I'd just need to fully charge this device and anchor it to a safe Paradise. Then, I could use that Paradise's Abyss Gate to return. But that would be a waste of such a precious resource!"
"Besides, there's no need to rush back. Who knows if those bandits are lying in wait, hoping I'll deliver myself to them?"
"We definitely need to make good use of this miraculous anchor point. It's just that this randomness and mutual collision property is a bit troublesome. I need to figure out how to use it properly."
With that, he confirmed there were no more resources nearby before taking off from the spot and returning to his hideout to "charge" the Space Anchor.
He reshaped the anchor's appearance into a massive, upright power bank and connected a cable from the reactor to plug it in.
"Huh? 15 days to charge?"
The lengthy charging time left Xiao Bai dumbfounded, feeling like the energy shortage he'd just begun to alleviate had been compounded by this new setback.
He couldn't even charge himself now. As soon as the cable was plugged in, he heard the reactor "complain" under the strain.
"Let it charge for now. There's really no more resources left to scavenge in this place."
Xi ao Bai sighed helplessly, glancing at his storage space. Apart from some useless equipment components and a stockpile of chitin he needed for his next project, it was practically empty. He had barely a handful of spare parts and electronic components left.
"The Cultivation Pod results won't be ready for a while. I'll just have to keep poring over these papers..." He paused, then added, "Oh, right. I should check out that new game Professor Wang recommended."
Xiao Bai logged into the Tavern and found the "new game" that Professor Wang had enthusiastically endorsed: Motion-Sensing Controls System Beta Test .
In essence, the project aimed to replace the traditional joystick-based control systems for medium and large mechs with motion-sensing controls, similar to those used in small mechs.
This was a small project jointly promoted by the Academy of Sciences and the Fire Thief, nothing on the scale of major initiatives like the Terror Turtle. However, adhering to his principle of "use what works," Professor Wang still recommended Xiao Bai give it a try.
Initially uninterested— I already use motion-sensing controls, don't I? —Xiao Bai was drawn in by the simulation combat system included in the beta test.
To thoroughly validate the new system, the test incorporated a vast array of simulated battle s, ranging from solo encounters to team battles, with opponents ranging from Demonic Beasts to mechs, and environments spanning from Paradise to the real world. This made it far more comprehensive and refined than similar systems used at the Mecha Academy.
"Perfect timing. While I was still at the Academy, most of my time was spent on theory classes and obedience training. I never really got to play around with this stuff, so this wave is finally making up for that..."
Xiao Bai first took precautions against tracking and location detection before eagerly launching the 'new game'.
"Welcome to this test, Investigator Raven. Due to an unknown error, your mech data failed to synchronize. Please manually configure your mech."
"Heh~ You'll never understand the weight of history and era I carry on my shoulders."
Xiao Bai smiled, then glanced at the 'Gameplay Instructions'.
To try the new motion-sensing controls, he'd need to download the corresponding system program and switch to the specialized motion-sensing suit they'd sent. Quite a hassle.
But he could also stick with the traditional control mode, serve as a sparring partner for others, and earn contributions through comparison trials.
Naturally, Xiao Bai chose the traditional mode.
His vision blurred, and he found himself in an enormous, empty room. His body had transformed into the most basic 'Second Master' mech.
He soon realized it wasn't much different from usual—the soul-level motion-sensing control remained the same. But his physical body wouldn't move with the mech, creating a peculiar 'possession' sensation.
After closing the testing program, Xiao Bai returned to his original mech without any issues.
"How miraculous! Does it read my operation records and then feed them back into the simulation environment? It's probably some kind of Paradise Technology, right?"
"If I could somehow get my hands on a similar system, couldn't I 'possess' my subordinate Five Tiger Generals, or even other people's mechs? Or even... my own physical body?"
Xiao Bai, struck by this sudden idea, tried wishing for such a system through the Brain-in-a-Box, hoping to replicate it or at least obtain the source code.
As expected, the result went awry, producing a mess of useless programs instead.
"So it's not that easy. And we're still in the simulation testing phase. We're still far from a combat-ready version that can truly control a mech, right?"
"Let's learn more before we decide."
Xiao Bai reopened the testing program and entered the equipment configuration phase.
A dazzling array of mechs and gear immediately materialized before him, each accompanied by detailed performance parameters.
Xiao Bai immediately began studying them intently, treating the interface like a comprehensive illustrated guide to current equipment, rather than rushing into combat.
A notification from the Cultivation Pod alerted Xiao Bai that the Gene Map was ready. He immediately closed the current test and checked the report.
The conclusion was...
This is far too fucking complicated. With my current level of understanding, I can't make heads or tails of it.
"I've plodded through so many research papers, and I still can't get it? What kind of Divine Beings are these biology students?"
Xiao Bai felt his Mirror Alloy skull was about to swell.
In a gesture of despair, he closed the research paper he was trying to memorize.
Then he opened a video platform and searched for online courses taught by professors from top universities.
He resolved to start from scratch, back to high school level!

Chapter end