The Old Won't Go Until the New Comes

Time flew by like an arrow, swiftly passing...
Two weeks!
"Phew~ Finally finished searching. I didn't expect to find so many valuable items hidden in these ruins," Xiao Bai remarked.
He left a Recycling Robot to continue cleaning the abandoned city while he soared into the air and flew towards the Radar Station.
Since the fusion of the two Paradises, travel between them had become much easier, without any disturbances, allowing him to search freely and thoroughly.
The Rules and time in both areas had also changed. The abandoned city no longer rained; its sky had been assimilated into a permanent twilight, and radiation now permeated the air.
Meanwhile, the Graveyard would occasionally experience rain...
The changes in the Rules after the fusion weren't detailed in the Anchor's user manual; it only vaguely mentioned "random results." Xiao Bai had to discover and summarize these changes himself.
Upon reaching the Radar Station, Xiao Bai first checked his inventory of basic materials.
They had all surpassed the eight-digit mark, giving him a sense of satisfaction, as if he had cured his hoarding tendencies.
However, after quickly calculating his future needs, he realized that if he used them sparingly, he would just barely have enough.
"Ah~ the old doesn't go away until the new arrives."
Xiao Bai comforted himself as he assembled the first piece of equipment.
Under the green light's scan, a massive circulating reactor slowly materialized.
Visually, it consisted of a circular base the size of half a basketball court, upon which nine mirror-smooth metallic spheres floated in groups of three, undergoing irregular rotations.
Large Trisolaran Heavy Metal Reactor : A le gacy of the lost civilization, featuring enhanced energy output, superior safety, and lower maintenance costs. It can operate at double its normal efficiency for short periods through overloading, making it suitable for large mecha and land-based warships.
The smaller text below added:
I feel the stars turning in my palm.
Xiao Bai didn't rush to use it, instead storing it in his storage space. He then assembled a medium-sized version of the same model.
The design remained the same, but the scale was significantly reduced, and the number of floating spheres dropped to three.
One reactor would power his "home," while the other would be installed in the mecha.
"It consumed so much mirror alloy... Alright, next: Omniscient Central Control Cube, assemble!"
As Xiao Bai spoke, he watched a group of devices resembling blade servers gradually take shape within the green light.
Omnidirectional Central Control Cube: A legacy of the Lost C ivilization, composed of numerous functionally controlled modules. It offers remote control, long-distance energy transmission, and neural motion-sensing control, among other features. Its capabilities can be further enhanced as processing power increases.
The smaller text below delved into philosophical questions:
Where am I? Who am I? Are these... all parts of my body?
Xiao Bai opened the recovered Civilization 1 Database, which contained detailed records on the device's usage.
At its simplest, it functioned as a method for consciousness to control objects. Combined with the upcoming Remote Sensing Control Module, it could create devices like Floating Cannons or even Lifebound Flying Swords.
This was how large mecha were controlled, explaining why they were forced into humanoid shapes despite the technical impracticality.
Strict training and the proper Motion-Sensing Factor were required to master it; otherwise, it would be difficult to adapt to the sudden addition of 'limbs'.
Xiao Bai dragged the device's icon onto the mech's icon. The 'blades' instantly scattered and attached themselves to the mech's 'spine'.
Next, the functions in his Main Control System—Automatic Combat, Automatic Repair, and Automatic Scan—were integrated. He no longer needed to manually operate them; with a single thought, these functions would activate automatically.
But that wasn't the main point. Xiao Bai then combined two Remote Sensing Control Modules—these devices looked like computer CPUs, small and lightweight.
He first loaded one onto a small-caliber rocket he'd never used before.
Then he placed the rocket separately in the distance and controlled it intuitively, aiming at a target made of trash piled up in an open field.
With a roar, the rocket struck, and the target exploded into fragments.
"Excellent! With the Anti-Gravity Engine Component, I'll have a youth version of the Floating Cannon."
"The experience of remote control is incredibly smooth and fluid, completely without obstacles or discomfort. I don't even need the Motion-Sensing Factor! If I were born in Civilization 1, I'd definitely be one of the top genius pilots!"
Xiao Bai nodded, then looked at the other Remote Sensing Control Module, still somewhat hesitant.
He had originally planned to install this Remote Control Module on his Physical Body...
This module could be used on living organisms, typically installed at the spine area near the back of the vest.
According to the database, all Mecha Warriors of Civilization 1 were equipped with this device...
This ensured they could continue fighting even if they lost consciousness or died.
Xiao Bai found this puzzling. Setting aside ethical concerns, why not simply entrust control to AI?
Given Civilization 1's technological level, their AI must have been highly advanced. Their designs for autonomous combat and self-repair were far superior to Xiao Bai's original concepts, which explained the sudden wave of updates earlier.
Yet they seemed reluctant to use it. Even during the critical campaign to encircle the Mummy, they didn't deploy a single Autonomous Machine, not even for logistics or maintenance.
It felt as if they were guarding against something...
Unfortunately, the database offered no answers. Xiao Bai could only set aside his doubts for now, then drag a Remote Control Module with his gaze and place it on the icon representing his Physical Body.
He still wanted to test if this would allow his Soul to 'possess' his body again.
He feared that if he stayed in the mech for too long, he might never be able to return...
"Why isn't it working?"
"Not only is my soul unmoved, but my physical body shows no reaction either. Could it be because I didn't use the Motion-Sensing Factor?"
Xiao Bai hurriedly reopened the database and carefully reviewed the information about the Remote Control Module.
"So it needs to be paired with a custom Neural Center? Wait... I think I have some of those?"
He rummaged through his inventory and, as expected, found ten Neural Center Embryonic Fragments.
These were left overs from when he defeated the Metal Worm. Back then, he hadn't had the 'Combination Preview' feature, and being completely clueless about biology, he hadn't dared to use them and had simply stored them away. It wasn't until today that he remembered them.
Now, looking at them again, he at least knew what they could be combined into.
Neural Center Embryonic Fragment: A biotechnology from a lost civili zation that greatly enhances neural reaction speed and transmission, allows control of more bodily organs and functions, enables free adjustment of sensory acuity, and establishes neural connections with external devices possessing corresponding functions.
The smaller text below excitedly added:
"Finally, we can retire the primitive nervous system that has held us back for tens of thousands of years!"

Chapter end