126: Chapter 126 Return to Yan Kingdom, Mecha Project

The morning light of Chaos Valley pierced through the thin mist, spilling onto the burgeoning complex of the Mecha Workshop.

Seven days had passed since the arrival of the technical experts from the Eternal Star Domain, and the entire Heavenly Court was operating at full speed like a tightly wound machine.

The main factory building of the workshop had been completed; its fifteen-meter-high steel frame was covered with silver-gray alloy plates, gleaming with a cold luster in the morning light. Inside the factory, the "Standard Type I Production Line" was being installed and calibrated—twelve multi-functional machining centers were lined up along the production line, thirty-six mechanical arms moved slowly on overhead tracks, and various testing instruments flashed with standby indicator lights.

On the east side of the workshop, the construction of the Spirit Gathering Conversion Array was nearing its end. This was a composite Formation over fifty meters in diameter, with three hundred and sixty Low-Grade Spirit Stones acting as nodes. At its center floated a fist-sized "Psionic Core"—a power conversion device provided by the Eternal Star Domain. According to the design, once the Formation was activated, it could convert the dense Spiritual Qi of Chaos Valley into stable electrical power for the production line's use.

On the west side of the workshop was the newly completed "Mecha Testing Ground." This was a specially reinforced area with a floor paved with alloy plates capable of withstanding immense impacts, surrounded by energy absorption barriers and high-speed camera Systems. The testing ground was divided into three zones: the Basic Performance Testing Zone, the Environment Simulation Zone, and the Combat Confrontation Zone.

At this moment, inside the workshop's main control room, Zhao Wuji, Chen Hao, and Dr. Ailin were gathered around a holographic projection, discussing something.

The projection displayed a complete 3D model of the star brilliance type i mecha, with dense data refreshing in real-time beside it.

"The optimization of the energy transmission System is complete." Chen Hao pointed to the energy core at the chest of the model, "Following Dr. Ailin's suggestion, we've added a second backup transmission line. If the main line is damaged, the backup line can take over within 0.3 seconds, preventing the mecha from suddenly losing power during battle."

Dr. Ailin pushed up her glasses and quickly recorded on her data pad: "Excellent. The next issue is armor strength. Although we have the formula for the Star Brilliance Alloy, the Heavenly Court's current reserve of 'star essence gold' is only enough to manufacture three sets of armor. Each mecha requires at least two hundred kilograms of Star Brilliance Alloy, with star essence gold making up 15%, which is thirty kilograms."

"Thirty kilograms of star essence gold..." Zhao Wuji frowned deeply. "Our current inventory only has eight kilograms, which we previously purchased at a high price from the black market. The remaining twenty-two-kilogram gap will cost at least five hundred thousand Spirit Stones, and even then, it's a case of price without supply."

star essence gold, one of the Saint-Grade Materials.

Although it was only a material needed to manufacture a Four Extremities-level mecha, its rarity and price still put pressure on the Heavenly Court, a rising power.

"It's not just star essence gold." Chen Hao pulled up the material list. "We also need five kilograms of 'void mithril', ten kilograms of 'sun god iron', and three kilograms of 'taiyin profound jade'... These are all rare Materials, with a total value exceeding 1.5 million Spirit Stones."

"And what we lack most—" He paused, and the projection switched to show a list highlighted in red, "is 'star iron'."

[star iron Requirement List]

[Material: star iron]

[Quality: Epic Grade]

[Description: A special metal containing a faint power of the stars, with excellent energy conductivity and structural strength. It is the primary material for manufacturing mecha skeletons and key load-bearing components.]

[Total Requirement: 800 kg for the first prototype, 500 kg for each subsequent mass-produced unit]

[Current Inventory: 127 kg (including 70 kg of samples gifted by the Eternal Star Domain and 57 kg of Heavenly Court reserves)]

[Gap: 673 kg (for the first prototype only)]

[Market Price: Approximately 800-1000 Spirit Stones per kg of star iron (depending on purity)]

[Total Value Gap: Approximately 540,000 - 670,000 Spirit Stones]

[Additional Note: star iron has very little circulation in the regular market; bulk purchases require special channels or self-mining]

A gap of eight hundred kilograms!

Even calculated at the lowest price of eight hundred Spirit Stones per kilogram, it would cost five hundred and forty thousand Spirit Stones!

And this was just the requirement for building the first prototype. If they were to build a five-mecha squad within three months as planned, they would need at least two thousand five hundred kilograms of star iron, worth two million Spirit Stones!

This figure caused a brief silence to fall over the main control room.

The Heavenly Court's total liquid assets were only a bit over three million Spirit Stones. If all of it were used to purchase star iron, what about the other Materials? What about the daily operation of the workshop? What about the normal development of the organization?

"We can't bet all our funds on this." Zhao Wuji was the first to calm down. "We must find a cheaper acquisition channel."

"What about self-mining?" Chen Hao asked. "star iron should have its own Ore veins, right?"

Dr. Ailin operated the data pad for a moment and pulled up a map. "According to the detection data from the Eternal Star Domain, star iron is mainly produced in two types of environments: first, 'Starfall Sites', which are meteor crater regions where the Ore contains a high proportion of star iron; second, 'Leyline Intersections', where special geological structures concentrate star iron from deep within the crust to the shallow layers."

"The problem is—" She zoomed in on the map, "all known large-scale star iron veins are already controlled by major powers. Small veins either have unstable output or are too costly to mine."

On the map, within the range of the Big Dipper Star Field, seventeen star iron mining sites were marked. Thirteen of them had power symbols next to them—the Divine Hall, the Dragon Clan Alliance, the Eternal Kingdom... even the Vampire Council controlled a medium-sized vein.

The remaining four were either in dangerous areas (such as near Yao Beast nests) or in harsh environments (such as deep within volcanoes or at the bottom of glaciers), making mining extremely difficult.

"Wait." Zhao Wuji suddenly pointed to a marker on the edge of the map. "There's a mining site here that isn't marked with any power."

It was on the northern edge of the Big Dipper Star Field, near the entrance to the Ancient Star Road.

Dr. Ailin clicked on the detailed information: "'Starfall Canyon', a canyon formed by a meteorite fall three hundred years ago. Detections show rich star iron deposits. But there are two problems: first, the space is unstable, with small-scale spatial cracks frequently appearing; second, it's occupied by a group of 'Astral Wanderers'. They are level 60-70 special monsters who excel in spatial Spells and are very difficult to deal with."

Starfall Canyon, Astral Wanderers.

These two terms caused Chen Hao's expression to change. "Astral Wanderers? I've heard of them! A player guild organized an exploration before. Over fifty people went, but only seven came back alive, and they didn't bring anything out. Those monsters can turn invisible, teleport, and release spatial cuts. They're impossible to fight!"

"That's why no power has occupied it," Dr. Ailin said calmly. "The risk outweighs the reward."

The main control room fell silent again.

Purchasing put too much pressure on funds; mining was too high-risk.

A dilemma.

Just then, the door to the main control room was pushed open, and Lin Ye and Su Qingyue walked in.

"Encountered a problem?" Lin Ye asked, seeing the solemn expressions on the three.

Zhao Wuji quickly reported the shortage of star iron.

After listening, Lin Ye walked to the holographic projection and looked at the marker for Starfall Canyon.

Starfall Canyon...

He remembered this place.

In his past life, about six months after the game launched, a small guild called "Starfire" discovered a hidden mine in Starfall Canyon. It contained not only star iron but also a small amount of star essence gold. That guild rose rapidly based on this discovery. Although they didn't ultimately become a top-tier power, they were considered a local powerhouse.

Most importantly, Lin Ye remembered the location of that mine's entrance and... the way to deal with the Astral Wanderers.

"Astral Wanderers are indeed hard to deal with," Lin Ye spoke slowly. "But they have a weakness—they have extremely low resistance to 'Spatial Stabilization' type Spells. If a 'Spatial Anchor' zone can be created during combat, they won't be able to teleport, and their combat strength will drop by at least half."

Dr. Ailin's eyes lit up. "Spatial Anchor? I recall there are such Spells in the cultivation System?"

"Yes," Su Qingyue chimed in. "'Space-Fixing Talismans' and 'World-Suppressing Formations' can achieve similar effects. But they require at least a Great Master-level Talisman Master or Formation Master."

Did the Heavenly Court currently have any Great Master-level Talisman Masters or Formation Masters?

Zhao Wuji quickly recalled, "We have two Advanced Talisman Masters, but they're still a bit short of the Great Master level. We're even weaker in Formations, with only a few Intermediate Formation Masters."

"Not enough," Lin Ye shook his head. "We need at least three Great Masters, or one Grandmaster."

This requirement caused the flicker of hope that had just arisen to dim once more.

Cultivating a Great Master-level life-skill player required an extraordinary amount of time, resources, and talent. The Heavenly Court had only been established for four months; this was indeed a shortcoming.

"However—" Lin Ye's tone shifted, "we can seek external help."

"External help?"

"The Eternal Star Domain." Lin Ye looked at Dr. Ailin. "I remember the Eternal Star Domain has 'Spatial Stabilization Device' technology. Although it's mainly used for sub-space navigation of starships, the principle is the same. If it can be modified into a portable device, it should achieve a similar effect."

Dr. Ailin pondered for a moment. "Theoretically feasible, but it needs time for design and testing. Moreover, the modified device might consume a large amount of energy."

"Energy isn't an issue," Lin Ye said. "We have the Spirit Gathering Conversion Array, which can provide stable electricity. The key is time—how long will it take us to produce a usable device?"

Dr. Ailin calculated quickly on her data pad. "Three days for design, two days for parts machining, one day for assembly and calibration, two days for preliminary testing... at least eight days. And that's just the prototype; stability cannot be guaranteed."

"Eight days..." Lin Ye calculated the time.

The construction schedule for the Mecha Workshop originally planned to start trial production in fifteen days. If they waited eight days for the device, then went to Starfall Canyon to mine, transport, and refine... the timeline would be very tight.

"We can't pin all our hopes on one plan," Zhao Wuji said. "We should pursue multiple paths in parallel: on one hand, let Dr. Ailin and her team develop the device; on the other hand, we will continue to look for other channels to acquire star iron."

"Other channels..." Lin Ye's gaze fell upon the map again.

His gaze moved from Starfall Canyon to a point further away.

There was the entrance marker for the Ancient Star Road.

The Ancient Star Road...

Lin Ye's heart stirred.

In his past life, he remembered that on the first trial of the Ancient Star Road, the "Trial Ancient Star," there was a specialty mineral—"star core fragment." It wasn't star iron, but it was even more precious, being a material used for manufacturing Advanced mecha energy cores.

More importantly, in certain areas of the Trial Ancient Star, the exposed surface rocks contained high-grade star iron!

Because the Trial Ancient Star itself was a planet rich in minerals, and due to the special gravity environment and Star Power radiation, the purity of the star iron there was at least 30% higher than that in the Big Dipper Star Field!

If they could enter the Ancient Star Road and mine on the Trial Ancient Star...

But as soon as this thought arose, Lin Ye realized the problem.

The Ancient Star Road required gathering three star tokens to open. The Heavenly Court currently only had one—the one stolen from Purple Mountain. Of the other two, one was at the Eternal Star Domain auction and would cost at least three million Spirit Stones; the other was on the Hegemon Body Ancestral Star, requiring one to pass Shi Potian's trial.

Both of these paths were very difficult.

"Regarding the Ancient Star Road..." Lin Ye looked at Dr. Ailin. "Does the Eternal Star Domain have any related information? For example, are there other ways to enter? Or are there any known entrances that don't require a star token?"

Dr. Ailin was stunned for a moment, appearing to search her memory, then shook her head. "As far as I know, the Ancient Star Road is a special zone set by the System, and all formal entrances require a star token to activate. But—"

She paused. "In the historical records of the Eternal Star Domain, there's mention of some 'informal entrances'."

"Informal entrances?"

"Yes." Dr. Ailin pulled up another set of data. "Those refer to temporary spatial cracks that occasionally appear due to spatial instability, special astronomical phenomena, or artificial damage. Through these cracks, it's possible to enter some peripheral areas of the Ancient Star Road."

"But these entrances are extremely unstable, appearing for short durations in random locations, and are highly dangerous. Historically, the Eternal Star Domain has three recorded explorations; only one successfully entered and returned, while the other two... the exploration teams disappeared entirely."

Temporary spatial cracks.

Unstable, random, dangerous.

Lin Ye fell silent for a moment.

Under normal circumstances, he would never consider such a high-risk method. But now, time was pressing, star iron was in short supply, and the progress of the Mecha Workshop could not be delayed.

Moreover... in his memories as a Rebirth player, he actually knew the approximate locations and times of several "informal entrances"!

In his past life, about five months after the game launched, a large-scale spatial disturbance occurred in the northern part of the Big Dipper Star Field, lasting for about three days. During that time, at least seven temporary entrances appeared, two of which led to the peripheral areas of the Ancient Star Road.

Calculating the time, it was still a month away from now.

If they could prepare in advance...

"We need to make two-pronged preparations." Lin Ye finally made a decision. "First, Dr. Ailin, please put all your effort into researching the Spatial Stabilization Device; the goal is to have a usable prototype within ten days. Second, Zhao Wuji, continue to purchase star iron through the Chamber of Commerce channels as much as possible, even if the price is higher, to ensure we have the Materials for the first prototype."

"Third—" He looked at Chen Hao, "organize an elite mining team and begin professional training. Once the device or an entrance is in place, set out immediately."

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

"Fourth, regarding the unofficial entrance to the Ancient Star Road, I will have Qin Ruoxue's intelligence network focus on spatial anomalies, especially in the northern region of the Big Dipper Star Field."

The plan was clear, and the division of labor was well-defined.

"Understood!" the three replied in unison.

Dr. Ailin immediately left with her data pad, returning to the laboratory to begin her work.

Zhao Wuji began contacting the various procurement channels under the Heavenly Court Chamber of Commerce to issue acquisition tasks for star iron.

Chen Hao began screening players from the Heavenly Court members who had mining experience or related life professions to form a mining team.

In the main control room, only Lin Ye and Su Qingyue remained.

"Are you really planning to use an unofficial entrance?" Su Qingyue asked softly. "That's too dangerous."

"I know," Lin Ye nodded. "But this is our best chance to quickly acquire a large amount of star iron. The Mecha Workshop cannot stop, and the technological development of the Heavenly Court cannot wait."

He walked to the window and looked at the busy Mecha Workshop outside.

Workers were installing the last set of robotic arms, technical experts from the Eternal Star Domain were providing on-site guidance, and the students selected by Chen Hao hurried past carrying thick stacks of documents...

Everything was built on the premise that "the mecha can be built."

If it stalled due to a shortage of Materials, then the previous investment, effort, and expectations would all come to nothing.

"And—" Lin Ye turned around, "I have a premonition."

"A premonition?"

"The technical experts from the Eternal Star Domain seem... too familiar with the Ancient Star Road," Lin Ye said slowly. "The historical records that Dr. Ailin mentioned earlier should logically be classified information, yet she shared them with us without hesitation."

"There are two possibilities: first, she thinks this information is of little value, or she thinks we cannot utilize it even if we know it; second... she is testing us."

"Testing us?" A flicker of vigilance flashed in Su Qingyue's ice-blue eyes.

"Testing whether we know more about the Ancient Star Road, and testing whether we have the ability to enter it," Lin Ye said. "If I'm not mistaken, the Eternal Star Domain is also looking for a way to enter the Ancient Star Road itself, and perhaps even more urgently than we are."

"Why?"

"Because in the Ancient Star Road, there is something they need," Lin Ye recalled his memories from his past life. "Not just Ore resources, but also... relics of an ancient technological civilization."

"You mean..." Su Qingyue understood, "What the Eternal Star Domain is looking for might not just be mecha Materials, but more Advanced technology?"

"Correct," Lin Ye nodded. "Although their technological System is Advanced, there is a clear 'gap.' Many technologies look like they were inherited from a more Advanced civilization rather than developed step-by-step by themselves. If they can find the relics of that civilization in the Ancient Star Road, their technological level could take a leap forward."

With this, many things made sense.

Why was the Eternal Star Domain so interested in ancient ruins? Why were they willing to trade precious technology for exploration rights? Why were they so concerned about information regarding the Ancient Star Road?

Because they were also looking for the "source."

"Then we..." Su Qingyue looked at Lin Ye.

"We must get ahead of them," Lin Ye's eyes became sharp. "At the very least, we must obtain enough star iron before they do and build our mecha unit. This way, we will have bargaining chips in future cooperation or even competition."

Over the next few days, Chaos Valley entered an even more intense state.

The installation and debugging of the Mecha Workshop entered the final stage, the Spiritual Qi Conversion Formation began trial operation, and stable electric current was transmitted to various equipment through thick cables.

In Dr. Ailin's laboratory, the lights were on day and night. Materials science, energy science, spatial physics... various complex formulas and models flickered on the light screens. Mark Chen was responsible for the energy System design, and Levi was responsible for writing the control programs; the three cooperated seamlessly.

Zhao Wuji's procurement had initial results—through seven different channels, he had acquired forty-three kilograms of star iron. Although it was still far from the goal, it at least relieved some of the pressure. The cost was three hundred and fifty thousand Spirit Stones, which almost emptied the circulating funds of the Heavenly Court Chamber of Commerce.

Chen Hao's mining team was formed, consisting of twenty people, all of whom were players above level 40. Five of them had the "Mining" life profession, three had "Geology" skills, and the rest were combat personnel responsible for protection.

Qin Ruoxue's intelligence network was fully activated, focusing on spatial anomaly reports in the northern part of the Big Dipper Star Field. Dozens of intelligence reports were collected in her hands every day, which were then screened, analyzed, and reported to Lin Ye.

Shi Potian's guard team was expanded to two hundred people, the Mecha Workshop area was designated as a special high-security zone, and entry and exit required triple verification. At the same time, he also selected fifty elites to form a rapid response force, ready to be deployed at any time.

The entire Heavenly Court, like a precise and efficient machine, was operating day and night.

On the evening of the seventh day, good news came from Dr. Ailin's laboratory.

"The prototype is complete!"

In the main control room, Dr. Ailin displayed a silver-white device the size of a suitcase.

The surface of the device had multiple indicator lights and interfaces, and in the center was a palm-sized display screen with complex parameters jumping on it.

[Portable Spatial Stabilization Device - Prototype]

[Type: Special Equipment]

[Quality: Epic (Experimental)]

[Description: A Spatial Stabilization Device temporarily developed by the Seventh Research Fleet of the Eternal Star Domain, capable of creating a stable spatial area with a radius of 15 meters, suppressing spatial anomalies such as spatial rifts, teleportation, and phase shifting.]

[Parameters:]

[Effective Range: 15-meter radius spherical area]

[Stability Strength: Can suppress spatial Spells below level 70 (including teleportation, spatial cutting, phase shifting, etc.)]

[Duration: Can run at full power for 30 minutes, after which it requires a 10-minute cooldown]

[Energy Consumption: Consumes energy equivalent to 1 Low-Grade Spirit Stone per second during operation]

[Weight: 18.7 kg]

[Status: Experimental, stability unknown, not recommended for use in combat]

"A fifteen-meter radius is enough," Lin Ye looked at the parameters. "Thirty minutes of effective time is also enough for the mining team to complete a quick extraction."

"But the energy consumption is a problem," Zhao Wuji frowned. "One Low-Grade Spirit Stone per second means eighteen hundred in thirty minutes. If we encounter combat, we might need to keep it on for longer, and the consumption will be even greater."

"I will solve the energy supply," Lin Ye said. "I can make a type of 'Energy Storage Talisman,' pre-charge it, and activate it when needed; it can provide an energy reserve of at least five thousand Spirit Stones."

This was a Talisman technique he had learned in his past life. Although it was difficult to create, the situation was special now, and it had to be used.

"Is the mining team ready?" Lin Ye looked at Chen Hao.

"Ready!" Chen Hao reported. "All twenty people are in place, equipped with specialized mining tools and protective suits. The combat personnel are equipped with 'Void-Breaking Arrows' and 'Shockwave Grenades' aimed at Astral Wanderers, all of which are special equipment Qin Ruoxue obtained from the black market."

Void-Breaking Arrows can deal extra damage to spatial creatures; Shockwave Grenades produce high-frequency vibrations when they explode, which can interfere with spatial Spells.

These were weapons specifically targeted at Astral Wanderers and were expensive, but for this operation, the Heavenly Court had spared no expense.

"The only problem now is—" Chen Hao paused, "We haven't determined the specific mining point. The Starfall Canyon is very large, and if we enter blindly, it will not only be inefficient but also dangerous."

Indeed.

Starfall Canyon spanned over a hundred miles, and only a few areas within it had high-grade star iron Ore veins. If they didn't know the specific location, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Everyone's eyes turned to Lin Ye.

Lin Ye walked to the holographic map and lightly tapped a certain area of the canyon with his finger.

"Here."

It was a seemingly unremarkable hilly area, marked on the map as the "Rocky Zone."

"According to my... analysis," Lin Ye weighed his words. "The geological structure of this area is special. When the meteor fell three hundred years ago, the core fragments might have been buried here. Moreover, the terrain is relatively hidden, so it won't be easily surrounded by large groups of Astral Wanderers."

Of course, he couldn't say it was "memories from his past life," so he could only use "analysis" to explain it.

Dr. Ailin pulled up the detailed data for that area, and after a quick glance, she nodded: "Judging from the geological radar scan results, the metal reaction there is indeed stronger than in other areas. Leader Lin's judgment makes sense."

"Then it's settled," Lin Ye made the final decision. "We set off in three days. In these three days, the mining team will undergo final adaptability training to familiarize themselves with the equipment and tactics. Dr. Ailin, please continue to optimize the stabilization device and try to improve its stability as much as possible."

"Zhao Wuji, you are responsible for logistics, prepare enough supplies, medicine, and spare equipment."

"Shi Potian, select thirty elites to form a support unit to provide backup on the periphery of the canyon. Once the mining team sends a distress signal, provide support immediately."

"Qin Ruoxue, the intelligence network will continue to monitor; if any other forces approach Starfall Canyon, issue a warning immediately."

Orders were issued, and everyone moved to their positions and sprang into action.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the eve of departure, Lin Ye came to the Mecha Workshop alone.

The Spiritual Qi Conversion Formation was officially running, and a soft halo of energy flowed within the Formation. The equipment on the production line was in standby mode, waiting only for the Materials to arrive to begin manufacturing the world's first artificial intelligence and mechanical creation.

Mecha.

Lin Ye stroked the cold alloy frame, complex emotions surging in his heart.

In his past life, he had seen the scene of mecha units sweeping across the battlefield, and he had also seen the shock of cultivators challenging steel behemoths with their Physical Bodies. That was the collision of two civilization Systems and the beginning of a new era.

In this life, he would make the Heavenly Court stand at the forefront of that era.

"Can't sleep?"

Su Qingyue's voice came from behind.

She had changed into an ice-blue outfit suitable for movement, her long hair tied into a high ponytail, with that slender ice-crystal longsword hanging at her waist.

"You aren't sleeping either," Lin Ye turned around.

"I am responsible for the security of this operation," Su Qingyue said. "I have to check the equipment."

Lin Ye looked at her and suddenly asked, "Do you believe we can succeed?"

"I believe," Su Qingyue's answer was without hesitation. "Starting from the Bronze Ancient Palace, every decision you have made has ultimately been proven correct. This time will be the same."

This unreserved trust made Lin Ye feel a slight warmth in his heart.

"Thank you," he said.

Su Qingyue shook her head: "No need to thank me. I said, my sword advances and retreats with you."

She paused, her ice-blue eyes appearing exceptionally clear in the night: "Moreover, I believe in the future you want to create. A future where everyone is like a Dragon, where the weak can also master power and are no longer at the mercy of fate."

These words made Lin Ye's heart tremble.

Su Qingyue... seemed to have seen through some things deep in his heart.

Reborn for a lifetime, what he wanted to change was not just his personal destiny, but the rules of this world. Those ordinary people who struggled in the darkness in his past life, those weak ones who were powerless to protect themselves in the chaotic times, those pawns who were sacrificed at will by large forces...

He wanted to give everyone a different chance.

"We will do it," Lin Ye said softly, but his tone was incredibly firm.

The night deepened.

The lights of Chaos Valley gradually extinguished, with only the Mecha Workshop and a few key areas still lit.

And outside the valley, under the endless starry sky, Starfall Canyon was waiting for their arrival.

Three days later, at dawn.

At the East Gate of Chaos Valley, a team of thirty people had assembled.

Twenty mining team members, five technical personnel (including Dr. Ailin, who insisted on testing the equipment herself), and five core guards (led by Su Qingyue).

Everyone was wearing specialized protective suits and carrying heavy equipment packs. In the center of the team was the silver-white Spatial Stabilization Device prototype, carefully placed on a transport rack with a shock-absorption System.

Lin Ye stood in front of the team and did a final check of the equipment and status.

"Remember, our goal is to mine star iron, not to fight. If you encounter Astral Wanderers, prioritize using the stabilization device to control them, then quickly disengage. If you fall into a bitter battle, call for support immediately."

"Control the operation time within two hours. No matter how much you have mined, once the time is up, you must evacuate."

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison.

"Let's go."

The team left Chaos Valley, heading north towards Starfall Canyon, disappearing into the morning mist.

And behind them, in the Mecha Workshop of Chaos Valley, Chen Hao stood in front of the production line, looking at the equipment waiting for Materials, and clenched his fists.

"It must succeed..."

He whispered to himself.

At this moment, no one knew that this seemingly ordinary mining operation would unveil the prelude to a greater storm.

Nor did anyone know that deep in Starfall Canyon, what awaited them was not just star iron and Astral Wanderers.

There were also some... more ancient, more mysterious, and more dangerous things.

A new day had begun.

And a new adventure had also begun.