This engine seems a bit new.

The massive 'worm' appeared to be about ten meters wide, its entire body gleaming with a dark metallic sheen, as if cast from molten steel.
Its gaping maw, filled with densely packed teeth resembling a shredder, exuded an especially foreboding aura. There was no doubt it could swallow the recycling robot whole in a single bite.
Xiao Bai was no stranger to this creature. Just a week earlier, he had answered several questions about it during a mid-class quiz.
Even the 'Simulation Question Bank' feature of his training mecha suddenly popped up to remind him, displaying a multiple-choice question before his eyes:
"A wild Metal Worm has appeared. What should you do?"
"A. Stand still and call for backup; B. Bravely fight it and go down in a blaze of glory; C. Make noise to attract attention; D. Offer food and look for an opportunity to capture it."
"AAA!"
"Correct! The Metal Worm is a hazard level 3 Paradise Demonic Beast, renowned for its hardened exoskeleton, frenzied strength, and highly corrosive acid. Conventional thermal weapons have limited effect on it, so it's best handled by Tier 3 Melee-Type Mecha Warriors equipped with molecular cutting weapons..."
"Metal Worms are widely distributed in Resource-Type Paradises, feeding on underground minerals. They have extremely strong territorial instincts and wi ll actively attack all intruders. However, they lack visual perception, relying instead on their keen sense of hearing for recognition and identification. Their auditory organs are highly valuable for recycling and can be used to create Bio-Sonar Modules."
Having reviewed the key points, Xiao Bai froze, his heart pounding with frustration.
Damn it! The Boss's corpse is only a few dozen meters away! If I could just get within three meters...
If it weren't for the coffin-like medical bay on his back, he might have risked a desperate shot. But with his legs trembling and unsteady, charging forward would be suicide.
Besides, according to Paradise Demonic Beastology , the standard adult size for Metal Worms was around 50 meters long and 2-3 meters in diameter—less than half the size of the behemoth before him.
Clearly, this was a mutated, super-sized specimen. Standing beside it, Xiao Bai felt as slender as a toothpick.
So after all that, you're the real Boss?
Left with no choice, Xiao Bai could only wait tensely for over ten minutes, watching the Metal Worm hiss and gnash its jaws fruitlessly before finally retreating into the earth.
It hadn't even bothered with the surrounding "blind boxes," likely preferring ore to junk.
Phew~ Good thing I've always been cautious and slow. If I'd taken a few more steps, I'd be its toothpick now...
Heh~ Just wait until I farm six slots of divine gear. You'll be the first to die!
Xiao Bai muttered these threats under his breath as he carefully retreated.
Sufficient components have been collected to assemble the 'Terror Turtle' Lightweight Power Engine.
Hearing this notification, Xiao Bai couldn't help but sigh with relief:
"It's been 72 hours. Finally, I've pieced together the power engine!"
"I never would have imagined that the parts and energy I originally dismissed would turn out to be the biggest bottleneck. It's just like the balance in a bank account—you only regret having too little when you need it."
After three days of relentless labor, Xiao Bai had gathered several sets of components, only to be stymied by a critical shortage of energy and parts, leaving him unable to complete the assembly.
The energy shortage was particularly acute. He needed to ensure the mecha's power demands were met, maintain the Medical Bay's operation, and cover the costs of assembling equipment.
The parts situation wasn't much better. To synthesize the power engine, he needed the corresponding components, and the requirements were substantial. Just this lightweight power engine alone demanded over 300 parts, driving Xiao Bai to near exhaustion.
He had abandoned any hope of scoring a "big haul" and now simply prayed for more energy and parts.
Fortunately, he didn't need to rest, eat, or sleep, allowing him to work tirelessly, compensating for his shortcomings through sheer diligence.
"Assemble!"
A green light shot from Xiao Bai's chest, rapidly printing out a brand-new power engine.
The engine appeared as a three-lobed sphere, about the size of a basketball, entirely pitch-black and crafted from a high-density alloy. Its surface was densely covered with intricate cabling.
"How strange," Xiao Bai muttered. "How can a spherical engine provide propulsion? This doesn't make sense. And I've never heard of the 'Terror Turtle' model in the news."
He reached down and touched the engine on the ground, storing it in his Storage Space. Opening the panel, he focused on the new engine's icon, which brought up a simple description:
'Terror Turtle'-style Lightweight Power Engine
The latest generation of biomimetic lightweight engines secretly developed by the Prometheus Society using Paradise Technology. Currently still in the technical verification phase.
Below was a line of italicized text:
Power source unknown. Strength increases with resistance.
Xiao Bai then dragged the engine icon with his gaze and placed it in the chest area of the Mecha Structure Diagram.
He immediately felt a reassuring weight settle in his chest, followed by a deep rumble as a surge of power spread throughout the mecha. The coffin-type medical bay behind him no longer felt as heavy as it had a moment before.
Xiao Bai glanced at the current performance parameters:
Model: Apprentice Type III Training Mecha
Power: 15
Defense: 0
Processing Power: 5
Energy: 21
Equipped: Terror Turtle Power Engine, Basic Power Armor Structure, Tier 1 Energy Storage Battery, Simulation Question Bank
"Hmm... The power has increased fifteenfold, finally reaching the threshold for mil itary-grade mecha. Still, it's not quite the boost I expected. Maybe the other hardware can't keep up, preventing it from reaching its full potential. It's like forcing a four-star character in a gacha game to use a five-star character's exclusive weapon."
"For now, it's sufficient. I won't be crawling like a snail anymore, and my Blind Box opening efficiency will improve significantly."
"Still, I'm amazed they managed to cobble together this brand-new engine, still in the testing phase, from a pile of junk. I thought everything produced by the Prometheus Society was highly sought-after, often impossible to obtain even with money."
"Is the Panel really that powerful? So 'brand-new' doesn't just refer to condition, but also model? The scavenged parts I found were all outdated models... Ah, the satisfaction of building something yourself!"
"I wonder what the other assembled modules will be like. If I keep pushing myself like this, could I evolve into the latest Next-Gen prototype mecha?"
The more Xiao Bai thought about it, the more excited he became, and he couldn't help but place his hand over his chest.
"Uh... now that I've installed the new engine, my physical body won't fit inside anymore. It seems I'll have to figure out how to modify the mecha's structure, or I'll be stuck lying in this coffin forever..."
"And this energy storage battery needs to be replaced too. Otherwise, I'll only have a 30-point energy limit, and I won't even be able to activate a large cargo."
"The energy gap is still enormous. Relying solely on scavenging trash is too slow. I need to find a more stable source, such as..."
Xiao Bai climbed up the nearby mountain of trash in a few steps and turned to look at the distant 'Ghoul', which was still devouring voraciously.
This creature's power is so immense and relentless, never stopping to rest or recharge. It must be equipped with some kind of powerful energy source. If I could get my hands on it...
But how to deal with its defenses?

Chapter end