127: Chapter 127 Scrap Metal and Divine Machines: On How to Turn a Gundam into an "Evil God"
Starry Sky Ancient Road, Tianhe Academy Mobile Port (Temporary Docking Area).
The massive port was pieced together from over a dozen abyss creature warships bound by chains. Although painted with pink paint, the chaotic aura from the abyss still caused the surrounding space to twist slightly. At this moment, in the "maintenance workshop" in the center of the port, sparks flew, spiritual power surged, accompanied by bursts of teeth-grinding metal cutting sounds and electric drill roars.
"Is this… is this your best mecha?" Butcher Xiao (Director of the Tianhe Repair Shop) held a giant wrench, circled twice around the pile of metal about thirty meters high, covered in rust, and dropping screws as it walked, his face full of disdain. "Forget about competing, in our Southern Wasteland, this thing is only fit for hauling stones in mines, and even then, only in abandoned mines that nobody wants."
Standing to the side, the old robot of the Scrap Iron Clan—number T-9, awkwardly rubbed its oil-stained mechanical hands, the red light in its eyes dimming like a flashlight running out of power. "Immortal Master… this is already all the parts our entire clan could scrape together."
"Its core power furnace is a 'fission engine' picked up three hundred years ago; although it leaks radiation, it's powerful. The armor is an 'alloy door panel' dug out from a garbage planet; although it doesn't match, it has the advantage of being thick…" T-9's voice grew quieter as it spoke. It looked at the students of Tianhe Academy around it; it didn't recognize a single tool in their hands—some were glowing (Talisman), some were wriggling (Tentacle Monster), and some were even breathing on their own (living metal).
"Alright, stop lecturing them." Li Mo walked over, wearing his dean's robe and holding the black box (which served as the current technical encyclopedia) he had just retrieved from the fourth layer of the abyss. He adjusted his glasses, his gaze sweeping over the dilapidated mecha, and the Eye of Truth immediately provided an analysis.
【Scan Object: Scrap Iron Clan General-Purpose Mecha (Scrapped Version).】 【Structural Strength: 5 (Not even as good as a brick).】 【Power Output: 10 (Barely able to move).】 【Evaluation: A masterpiece of industrial garbage.】
"It really is garbage." Li Mo closed the black box, his tone calm. "However, what Tianhe Academy is best at is turning waste into treasure."
He turned to look at Lei Wanjun (Head of the Physics Department) and Butcher Xiao, who were already eager to try. "Listen up, the approach for this modification needs to change."
"Do not use pure mechanical logic, and do not use pure cultivation logic."
"We are going to create… a 'Biological-Spiritual-Mechanical' chimera."
"Director Lei, bring over the 'digestive stomach pouch' just dismantled from the abyss Devourer, and install it in the mecha's chest as an 'energy conversion furnace'."
"Director Xiao, go to the North Sea cold storage and cut a few 'Abyss Dragon bones' to replace the mecha's brittle frame."
"Also, someone, go carve the Wanfa Immortal Sect's 'Myriad Swords Return to Origin Formation' onto the mecha's fists."
Following Li Mo's order, a "magic modification surgery" that would cause any normal mechanic to have a cerebral hemorrhage began.
Zzzzz—! Dozens of Tentacle Monsters waved high-frequency laser cutters, instantly dismembering the scrap iron mecha. Immediately after, the Abyss Dragon bones, carrying a thick scent of blood, were forcefully stuffed into the metal shell. These dragon bones were not only incredibly hard but also constantly secreted bone-like mucus capable of self-repair.
"Power System implantation!" Lei Wanjun commanded a group of physics students to stuff the still-pulsing, purple-black "Devourer stomach pouch" into the mecha's chest cavity. Then, thick, blue-arc-flashing spiritual power conduits (the original Wanfa Immortal Sect Spiritual Vein) were connected to the stomach pouch.
Thump—! The stomach pouch beat once. The originally lifeless mecha suddenly emitted a low roar similar to a beast awakening. "Roar…"
"Holy shit!" T-9 was so scared it sat on the ground. "It… it came alive?!" It had been a mecha for its whole life and had never seen a mecha breathe like a living creature!
"Don't be afraid, that's just the standby sound of the biological engine." Li Mo calmly took out a golden Talisman paper—it was the Rule Imbuing Talisman he had written himself using Administrator Privilege. He wrote a line of large characters on the Talisman:
【Name: xingtian no. 1.】 【Feature One: Indestructible (As long as it hasn't been ground into powder, it can grow back).】 【Feature Two: Gluttony (When attacked by energy, it can directly swallow and convert it into a shield).】 【Feature Three: Physical Persuasion (Fists are harder than logic).】
Slap! The Talisman was stuck on the center of the mecha's forehead.
Rumble— A dark red light erupted from within the mecha. The originally rusty shell, under the erosion of abyss power and the blessing of cultivation runes, began to undergo a bizarre transformation. The rust fell off, revealing the newly born armor underneath, smooth like obsidian and covered with dark patterns. Its head was no longer the silly iron bucket head it had originally, but had turned into a terrifying shape with no facial features, only a huge vertical mouth (because it used parts from the Devourer). On its back were six huge "mechanical wings" made of Flying Swords.
Click. The mecha slowly stood up, its height soaring to fifty meters. It didn't start its engine, yet the surrounding space emitted faint shattering sounds because of its presence.
"This… this is… Xingtian?" Butcher Xiao looked up at the monster exuding an aura of destruction and chaos, swallowed his saliva, but his eyes were full of fanaticism. "It's beautiful! This is the romance of a man!"
T-9 shrank into a corner, its electronic eyes flashing wildly. Beautiful? You call this beautiful? This is clearly an ancient evil god wearing a mecha skin! It even saw a few small tentacles occasionally extending from the gaps in the mecha's chest armor, adjusting the position of the armor plates as if scratching an itch.
"Dean, who should be the pilot?" Lei Wanjun asked, "The neural connection System of this thing is too violent; if an ordinary Cultivator goes up, their brain will be turned into paste."
Li Mo glanced at this work that was called a mecha but was actually a monster. "This kind of 'unreasonable' thing, of course, needs an 'unreasonable' pilot."
He snapped his fingers. A black shadow emerged from the shadow at his feet, turning into a cold youth wearing a black hoodie and chewing gum—Xiao Hei (Abyss Clone). As the Dominator of the abyss, half of the parts in this mecha were its "fellows"; no one knew better than it how to control this chaotic power.
"Go, Xiao Hei." Li Mo patted Xiao Hei's shoulder. "Go show those aliens playing with lasers and batteries what it means to… 'tear a Gundam apart by hand'."
Xiao Hei nodded expressionlessly, turned into a stream of light, and drilled into the mecha's vertical "mouth" (cockpit entrance).
Hum—! A scarlet light lit up in the single eye of xingtian no. 1. It raised its huge mechanical arm and clenched its fist at the Void Realm. Bang! The air was squeezed and exploded.
"Modification complete." Li Mo closed his notebook with satisfaction. "Pack it up, load it onto the ship." "Next stop: Titan Star." "Go get our championship trophy."