55: Chapter 55: Four Thousand Points of Burst Gold for Three Major Items! Ray Cannon Cuts Through Everything

[ Infrastructure Armor Lv.2 (Node 2): Angled Anti-Ballistic Outer Armor ]

Lu Chen stared at the line of gray text on the holographic screen, reviewing the node description word by word.

[ Node Description: Install a set of multi-angle anti-ballistic outer armor modules over the existing sloped armor. Through precisely calculated angled geometric structures, incoming projectiles will produce extreme ricochet effects upon contacting the armor surface. Achieves complete ballistic deflection for conventional artillery of Lv.2 caliber and below. Still provides defensive reduction effects against Lv.3 artillery. ]

[ Unlock Cost: 1000 Truth Points. ]

"One thousand points."

He read the number aloud.

Previously, Node 1 of Lv.2 only cost five hundred points each, but Node 2 had directly doubled.

It had indeed increased.

But with his nest egg of four thousand three hundred points sitting there, one thousand points was merely a fraction.

"System, unlock."

[ Ding! 1000 Truth Points deducted. Infrastructure Armor Lv.2 (Node 2): Angled Anti-Ballistic Outer Armor, unlocked successfully! ]

[ Current Truth Points balance: 3300 points. ]

The modification began from the outside of the vehicle.

The entire hull of Polaris emitted a low, metallic resonant sound.

Lin Wan squatted in the planting area, her hands gripping the edge of the cultivation box tightly, feeling the tremors coming from beneath her feet.

She kept her mouth shut, not making a single sound.

Rules.

The surface of the ten-centimeter scrap steel sloped armor outside the vehicle was undergoing visible changes.

System blue light burst forth from every rivet seam of the armor plates, then coalesced on the outer layer of the armor into new metal modules.

These modules had extremely unique shapes; they were neither flat plates nor curved surfaces, but rather polyhedron wedge structures with precise angles.

The surface of every wedge module had undergone system-level microscopic processing, smooth enough to rival a mirror.

They clicked into place one by one along the contour of the vehicle body, transforming into a custom-fitted exoskeleton that covered the original armor seamlessly.

The most critical part was the angle.

The angle between each wedge module and its adjacent modules had been optimized to the extreme from the perspective of ballistic mechanics.

Lu Chen saw the changes in appearance after the modification through the porthole.

The contour of the Polaris vehicle body became increasingly sharp and angular; those wedge modules divided the surface of the entire vehicle into countless reflective surfaces.

Any projectile flying from any direction would be forcibly deflected by the geometric angles upon contacting these surfaces, sliding off in a non-lethal direction.

The modification lasted for forty seconds.

When the final wedge module locked into the load-bearing node at the rear of the vehicle, the entire vehicle emitted a deep, sonorous metallic grinding sound.

"Vehicle Master, the vehicle has become thicker." Lin Wan leaned against the porthole and whispered.

"It hasn't become thicker," Lu Chen corrected. "It has become slicker. From now on, when low-level artillery hits the vehicle, it will be like throwing stones at an iron pot lid—they will all bounce off."

He did not linger on this node and already swiped his finger toward the next target.

Armament and Weaponry Lv.2, Node 2.

[ Armament and Weaponry Lv.2 (Node 2): Fragmentation Grenade Launch Array ]

[ Node Description: Install a set of multi-barrel fragmentation grenade launchers on both sides of the vehicle body. Each set of launchers contains six launch tubes, capable of covering a target area with a total of twelve fragmentation grenades in three seconds. The fragmentation grenades detonate at a set altitude in the air, pouring high-speed metal fragments into the fan-shaped area below, possessing devastating lethality against unarmored or lightly armored targets. Ammunition consumption rule: Each volley (12 rounds) consumes 50 Truth Points. ]

[ Unlock Cost: 1000 Truth Points. ]

"Area-of-effect covering fire." Lu Chen repeated in a low voice.

The Heavy Machine Gun was a point-target weapon, precise but with limited coverage; the fragmentation grenades were area-effect weapons, covering an entire area with a single volley.

Facing a cluster charge of hundreds of war vehicles from the Snow Shard Gang, point-target fire was far from enough; what was needed was the ability to turn an entire patch of sky into a storm of fragments.

The ammunition consumption of fifty Truth Points per volley made his expression sink slightly.

Fifty points per volley was equivalent to two or three primary beast cores or ten pieces of low-grade coal crystal.

This was a heavy weapon for decisive battles.

"Unlock."

[ Ding! 1000 Truth Points deducted. Armament and Weaponry Lv.2 (Node 2): Fragmentation Grenade Launch Array, unlocked successfully! ]

[ Current Truth Points balance: 2300 points. ]

This time, the momentum of the modification surged simultaneously from both sides of the vehicle body.

A reserved module interface on the left and right armor plates of Polaris was sliced open by the system's blue light.

Metal and mechanical parts surged from deep within the interfaces, growing a set of six-barrel launchers on each side of the vehicle body.

The caliber of the launch tubes was two sizes thicker than the Heavy Machine Gun, arranged in a compact formation of two rows and three columns.

The tail of each tube was connected to a newly generated ammunition magazine inside the vehicle cabin through a reinforced ammunition feed tube.

The ammunition magazine was empty; unlike Heavy Machine Gun ammunition which could be pre-stored, the ammunition for each volley had to be generated in real-time using Truth Points before firing.

Fifty points per volley.

Lu Chen did a quick mental calculation.

He still had two thousand three hundred points left; if he used all of it to buy grenade ammunition, he could fire forty-six volleys, but he wouldn't do that because there was another more important node waiting for him.

"The third one."

His finger swiped toward the third node of the Armament and Weaponry Lv.2 branch.

This was the one that consumed the largest share of the four thousand three hundred points, and it was also the one he was most looking forward to today.

[ Armament and Weaponry Lv.2 (Node 3): High-Temperature Thermal Melting Cutting Ray Cannon ]

[ Node Description: Install a high-energy thermal melting ray turret on the rear of the vehicle roof. By concentrating the release of high-temperature thermal melting rays, it can cut through the armor and biological protective layers of most materials within an effective range. Possesses penetrating lethality against the scales of large ice beasts and the thick armor of heavy vehicles. This weapon consumes a large amount of electrical energy, and the current vehicle's power supply capacity only supports a very limited number of shots. Recommended to be used as a final resort. ]

[ Unlock Cost: 2000 Truth Points. ]

After reading this description, Lu Chen's breathing in his chest grew heavier by half a beat.

High-temperature thermal melting cutting ray, cuts through all known materials.

This was a strategic trump card.

The limiting conditions were also extremely harsh; the current power supply capacity was only enough for a very limited number of shots.

The core power source of Polaris was a coal-fired boiler and steam hub, and the power generation capacity was the weakest link at the Lv.2 stage.

To make this cannon a conventional weapon, he had to wait for the subsequent unlocking of higher nodes in the Power Engine branch; for now, as a final trump card, one shot to the soul was enough.

"Two thousand points."

He glanced at the balance.

2300.

Spending two thousand left three hundred; he would keep the three hundred points for replenishing ammunition, as the Heavy Machine Gun's 85-round storage wouldn't last long in large-scale combat.

"Unlock."

[ Ding! 2000 Truth Points deducted. Armament and Weaponry Lv.2 (Node 3): High-Temperature Thermal Melting Cutting Ray Cannon, unlocked successfully! ]

[ Current Truth Points balance: 300 points. ]

The commotion of this modification was the most violent among the three upgrades today.

A deep roar, characteristic of heavy hydraulic mechanisms starting up, came from the rear of the Polaris roof.

A new turret base rose from the roof armor, wider and thicker than the Heavy Machine Gun turret at the front.

A short, thick cannon barrel was installed on the turret; the material of the barrel was different from all other weapons on the vehicle, its surface gleaming with a dark red heat-dissipating coating, and the barrel wall was wrapped in dense power-conducting coils.

The base of the turret was connected to the steam hub inside the cabin through an absurdly thick bundle of power cables.

These cables passed through thickened insulating sleeves, and each one was as thick as an adult's wrist.

When the final power-conducting interface locked into place, a dark red glimmer flashed across the surface of the turret's heat-dissipating coating, and then it quickly cooled down.

The turret entered standby mode.

Lu Chen checked the status information of the new weapon through the cockpit's holographic panel.

[ High-Temperature Thermal Melting Cutting Ray Cannon: Standby. ]

[ Current power storage: 12%. ]

[ Single shot consumption: approx. 30% of power storage. ]

[ Current available shots: 0 (power storage below single-shot threshold). ]

[ Charging method: Continuous charging by boiler steam generator set. Estimated time to full charge: 6 hours. ]

He looked at this data, his gaze sinking slightly.

12% power storage couldn't even fire one shot, and it would take six hours to fully charge; even after being fully charged, it would hit bottom after only three shots.

At this stage, this cannon was just a disposable, oversized lighter, but the power of one cutting ray was enough to turn the tide.

"Vehicle Master?" Lin Wan poked her head out from the planting area. "Is it over?"

"It is over."

Lu Chen leaned back in his chair, looking at the balance on the holographic panel that had shrunk to only three hundred.

Four thousand three hundred points spent completely, with only three hundred points left for ammunition money; what he got in exchange was worth it.

Angled Anti-Ballistic Outer Armor, low-level artillery bounces all off; Fragmentation Grenade Launch Array, area-of-effect covering kill; High-Temperature Thermal Melting Cutting Ray Cannon, ultimate trump card.

Added to the previous Heavy Machine Gun and manganese steel ram, the Lv.2 Armament and Weaponry and Infrastructure branches of Polaris had already lit up four nodes.

"System, consume 30 Truth Points to exchange for 300 rounds of standard ammunition."

[ Ding! 30 Truth Points deducted. 300 rounds of standard caliber ammunition generated. Automatically loaded into the ammunition supply box. Current ammunition: 385 / 500. ]

[ Current Truth Points balance: 270 points. ]

He took another glance at the status of the Harpoon Cannon.

The Harpoon Cannon's magazine was empty.

"Consume 20 Truth Points to recast two armor-piercing explosive harpoons."

[ Ding! 20 Truth Points deducted. 2 armor-piercing explosive harpoons recast. Automatically loaded into the Harpoon Cannon's magazine. Current harpoon reserve: 2 / 4. ]

[ Current Truth Points balance: 250 points. ]

Lu Chen looked at this number and gulped down the last mouthful of water in the thermos.

Two hundred and fifty points.

The amount wasn't much, but it was enough to last until the next wave of resources came in.

"Alright." He put away the holographic panel and stood up to stretch his shoulders.

"Lin Wan, how are the cabbages?"

"The new leaves are growing very well; in another day and a half, we can harvest the third batch."

"What about the winter wheat?"

"The sprouts have all stood up, and they are growing very healthily."

Lin Wan paused, her voice becoming smaller.

"Vehicle Master, that new thing on the roof earlier, the sound was so loud."

"Ray Cannon." He replied briefly.

"What can it pierce through?"

"Theoretically, the vast majority of armor."

Lin Wan was silent for two seconds.

"Vehicle Master, if that group of damned hornets comes, what do you plan to do?"

"Wait for them to come, and then send them back."

Lu Chen's tone was steady.

He sat back in the driver's seat and placed his hand on the radio knob.

Amidst the static, the departure announcement of Black Rock City-State began to play in a loop on the public frequency.

Departing in three hours, Lin Xiao was going back to the Rustwind Wasteland, and Polaris had one more thing to complete before leaving: to verify the results.