Unique Components

Xiao Bai quickly adapted to the new mecha. He had initially worried that the "deformed" legs would cause discomfort, but he found the transition surprisingly smooth, with no need for adjustment.
"I didn't expect my adaptability to be so strong! I was born to be a Mecha Warrior!"
His movements grew increasingly bold and swift. Powered by the new engine, he quickly reached a top speed of 150 yards per minute, streaking through the labyrinthine mountains of junk like a silver bolt of lightning.
This speed surpassed many mechas equipped with thrusters, especially in such complex terrain.
Surrounded by towering piles of junk and littered with obstacles underfoot, the narrow and winding paths would have been a nightmare for most Mecha Warriors. Yet Xiao Bai moved with effortless grace, as if gliding across flat ground.
"Whoa! Takeoff!"
Like a wild horse breaki ng free, Xiao Bai reveled in the freedom of the mecha graveyard, shedding the pent-up frustration of recent days. No longer content with mere speed, he began to leap and dart, performing fancy maneuvers like dragonfly skimming, zigzagging, and sharp turns.
His current Main Cont rol System lacked even the most basic attitude adjustment functions, forcing him to rely entirely on instinct to pilot the new Mecha. Through sheer skill, he managed to coax a medium-sized Mecha into maneuvers more nimble than those of a light-class model.
Only when he felt completely relaxed did he drift into the 'mountain pass', letting out a triumphant "Haaah!" as a massive plume of white steam erupted from the exhaust ports around the Mecha's hull.
"This new Mecha from the blueprints is truly remarkable. Though it's a head shorter and noticeably smaller than the Second Master, it compensates with heaven-defying agility and adaptability. It's on a completely different level from the Training Mecha."
"It also has excellent expandability and upgrade potential. Many of the joint designs seem to have been planned with transformation capabilities in mind, right?"
"The only drawback is the cooling system. Prolonged high-speed operation could cook the pilot inside. Fortunately, my pilot isn't actually in the cockpit."
As Xiao Bai spoke, he glanced down at the now-crippled Training Mecha at his feet, reduced to nothing more than scrap metal.
"Good work, old friend. Now it's time for a proper rest."
With that, he crouched down, scooped up some dirt, and dug a pit in the mountain pass. He buried the training mecha, then packed the earth tightly into a mound.
He then grabbed a relatively clean sheet of metal, and using the folded maintenance mechanical arm on his back, cut and polished it into a simple metal gravestone, which he planted in front of the mound.
"Buried the shattered past, time to face the brand new future."
"Once I finish selling this last bit of scrap, it's time to head further afield."
Xiao Bai opened his panel again and mounted the weapons he had gathered earlier.
The ho witzer and large-caliber rocket launcher were suspended behind his shoulders, equipped with folding supports. When needed, the supports would extend, and the weapons would pivot from his back to his shoulders, minimizing interference with daily activities.
As for the small-caliber rockets, close defense machine gun, and shock gun, they were simply clipped to his elbows.
"Weapons are still a little lacking, but ammunition is even scarcer. Aside from what's currently loaded, there's none left. I need to find a place to replenish. Should I check the bases of those two 'Second Masters' again?"
"In my Storage Space, I still have... Behemoth-Grade Life Energy and Metal Worm Gene Fragments. These were extracted from the splattered flesh of my 'good buddy' and can enhance my Physical Body."
When it came to his own body, Xiao Bai became immediately cautious.
A broken Mecha could be repaired, but a lost Physical Body was gone for good...
He carefully read the 'usage instructions'.
"Hmm, this Life Energy can be used directly to enhance physical attributes and organ functions. No side effects, but the specific enhancement effects depend on individual physique. After all, everyone's physique is different, so there's no one-size-fits-all outcome."
"But these Gene Fragments are a bit tricky. Using them on my Physical Body would cause random mutations. It could grant me the Metal Worm's metallic skin, or it could make me sprout that gaping maw... Who would dare use them recklessly?"
"If I could collect enough Gene Fragments, though, I could assemble them into a safe, stable gene sequence. That would reduce the randomness."
Having understood how to use them, Xiao Bai dragged the green heart-shaped icon representing Life Energy onto the diagram of his Physical Body.
As for the Gene Fragment with the spiral icon, I'll just leave that alone for now...
"I've used the Life Energy, but my Physical Body doesn't have performance parameters like 'strength' or 'agility,' so I can't tell what specific effect it had."
Xiao Bai glanced back at his body, still lying in the Medical Bay, swaddled tightly in white bandages like a mummy.
Wait a minute... It doesn't seem as flat as before.
"Huh? The full recovery time has been reduced to two weeks? That's half the original time! This is definitely the effect of the Life Energy!"
"My buddy might not have died in front of me, but it still left me something. Not bad, not bad!"
"If this creature's vitality is so strong, it couldn't have been taken down by three missiles, right? These Demonic Beasts rely on their tough hides to withstand most conventional weapons, and this was a massive, unique specimen to boot..."
"So it must just be wounded and scared off by the missiles. It's probably hiding somewhere right now, waiting to reunite with my old friend."
As Xiao Bai schemed, he slowly approached the tallest pile of junk in the Mecha Graveyard, planning to use his integrated perception system to "light up the map."
"After completing this round of upgrades, I'm left with... only 5 parts? I spent all 30,000? They went by too quickly!"
"My energy is running low too, but fortunately I have a new reactor. The new mech's energy consumption isn't high, so if I conserve it, I should be able to save some surplus."
Xiao Bai pondered for a moment, then decided to retract the newly equipped weapon back into his storage space. This effectively reduced the mech's weight and saved even more energy.
Not like I have any ammunition to use anyway...
"Huh? Why does this part's icon look different?"
Xiao Bai had been about to close the panel and focus on moving when his gaze suddenly caught a part with an icon that wasn't the standard gear symbol, but rather a long string of constantly fluctuating numbers and letters.
"This is... an authentication key? From that intact Ghoul, primarily used for friend-or-foe identification."
"If that's the case, doesn't that mean I can..."

Chapter end