103: Chapter 103 Puppet Army

He pointed at the tower-shaped symbol:

[Base Station Side: Spirit Wave Transmission Tower]

Core Principle: Utilizing high-frequency Formations controlled by a supercomputer to modulate the massive amount of Spiritual Qi within the base's Spiritual Vein.

Technical Details: Encode tactical commands into specific long-and-short vibration sequences, then radiate them outward via an amplification array in a hybrid form of Divine Sense waves and Spiritual Qi waves.

Coverage Range: Relying on the southern border's Earth Veins, it can theoretically reach a radius of three thousand miles.

He then pointed at the flake-shaped symbol:

[Terminal: Spirit Wave Receiving Chip]

Material Requirements: Requires Echo Stone slices, which are extremely sensitive to Spiritual Qi vibrations, mixed with Star Sand, which has excellent spirit conductivity.

Operational Logic: The chip is implanted in the Puppet's head and resonates like an eardrum. When it receives a specific frequency of Spirit Waves, the chip converts them back into spirit-current signals, inputting them directly into the Puppet's control core to drive physical actions.

Advantages: No need for a Divine Soul connection; as long as they are within signal range, an army of millions can be commanded as easily as one's own limbs.

"This is... wireless control?"

Although Ji Hongyi didn't understand terms like "modulation" or "encoding," she understood the terrifying prospect of "ten million Puppets obeying a single command."

"Consultant Ji, your task is to combine the biological activity of your Divine Thought Spores with these rigid chips," Zhang Mingxuan said with burning eyes. "A pure chip is easily jammed, but a biological chip infused with Divine Sense can automatically filter out noise and even retain a final command when disconnected—self-destruction."

Ji Hongyi looked at the man before her, her sense of awe deepening. He wasn't just building Puppets; he was redefining the rules of war.

"Transforming Divine Thought Spores into signal receivers..." Ji Hongyi licked her lips, an eerie light flashing in her eyes. "I'll take the job. Once a Divine Thought network of this scale is built, I doubt even a Divine Sense storm from the Soul Transformation Stage could tear it down."

"Then let's begin."

Zhang Mingxuan looked down at the assembly line, as if seeing the future torrent of steel that would strike fear into the hearts of the entire cultivation world.

"The first batch, build a hundred units. Codename: Black Blade Legion."

...

"The test data for the Sapper-type is out."

Ye Duan walked back from the testing grounds, his face covered in black ash, carrying a black metal head that had been blown apart until only half remained—the wreckage of a Black Blade Legion unit after simulated combat.

"The power is undeniable; the energy level at the moment of self-destruction can reach three times that of the Early Golden Core Stage. But this thing's brain is too rigid; it only knows how to charge in a straight line. Against wind-attribute Cultivators who are good at kiting, or those who know a bit about trapping Formations, these five hundred Sappers are just five hundred mobile fireworks, detonated before they even reach the enemy's face."

Ye Duan spat and threw the wreckage on the ground. "Old Zhang, relying solely on these big idiots who only know how to explode might scare the hicks in the southern border, but if we want to gain a foothold in the Central Plains, we need something that can fight a real battle."

Zhang Mingxuan didn't speak as DeepEye projected the energy curve of the Sapper's self-destruction onto his retina.

Indeed, these were merely disposable consumables. A true war required not just cannon fodder, but a backbone.

"Then let's build a Puppet... that can win without needing to self-destruct."

He turned and walked to the main control console, pulling up a new blank area on the massive design blueprint.

[Project Initiation: Golden Core-class Integrated Combat Puppet]

[Codename: Executioner]

"Being an all-rounder often means being mediocre and expensive. A monster with all Five Elements like Heizhang cannot be replicated; we must use the process of elimination."

Zhang Mingxuan's finger drew three thick lines in the void, representing three colors of spiritual power circuits.

"Cut the Water and Wood attributes. A combat weapon doesn't need self-repair; if it breaks, we replace parts. It also doesn't need those soft control skills; those are for casters."

[Core Architecture: Metal, Fire, and Earth Tri-phase Iron Triangle.]

[Metal] (Offensive): High-purity Metal Spiritual Roots implanted in both arms. We don't seek Spell variations, only ultimate physical penetration and sharp Qi cutting. The arms can transform into high-frequency vibration blades or armor-piercing spikes at any time.

[Earth] (Defense/Mobility): Earth Spiritual Root implanted in the torso. Utilizing the Law of gravity of the Earth attribute, it can construct high-density gravity shields and perform Earth Shrinking or gravity suction to prevent being kited by enemies.

[Fire] (Burst/Power): [High-Pressure Fission Furnace] implanted at the heart position.

"How do we solve the power System?" Ye Duan leaned over. "You can't possibly stuff a Void Beast eyeball into every mass-produced unit, right? I haven't even gotten a second one of those yet."

"We don't need that level of power," Zhang Mingxuan said coldly. "This is a war machine, not a perpetual motion machine. Equip them with rechargeable spirit liquid tanks. After combat, they return to base to recharge, or we just swap out the Spirit Stone magazines."

He filled in the details of the design one by one.

[Cost Analysis]:

[Skeletal System]: Abandon the expensive full Spirit Gathering Divine Bone. Use a black iron essence alloy frame instead, with miniature spirit-gathering runes embedded at key joints.

Cost: 45,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

[Power Core]: Use the [Fission Furnace], a byproduct of researching Fire Spiritual Roots. Abandon gravity confinement and use a physical multi-layered high-pressure shell. Fuel: fire spirit stones.

Cost: 80,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

[Spiritual Root System]: Three artificial Profound-grade Spiritual Roots (Metal/Fire/Earth). Doesn't need the perfect conversion rate of a Heavenly Spiritual Root; 'good enough' will do.

Cost: 90,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones, can be further compressed after mass production.

[Control and Armor]: [Spirit Wave Receiving Chip] + [Low-end Bio-brain] + [Black Tortoise Defense Module].

Cost: 60,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

[Weapon Module]: Two built-in [Vulcan Cannons] (solidified version of Fireball Chain).

Cost: 25,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

[Total Unit Cost: Approx. 300,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.]

"Three hundred thousand."

Zhang Mingxuan looked at the number and nodded slightly.

This was equivalent to the price of a top-tier Magic Treasure, but it provided a tireless, fearless, loyal thug with the comprehensive combat power of the Middle Stage of Golden Core.

"If they form a battle Formation..." Ye Duan looked at the ferocious construct on the blueprint, his throat feeling a bit dry. "Ten Executioners paired with a hundred Sappers, with proper command, grinding down an Early Nascent Soul stage... is not a dream."

"Send the blueprints to Shen Weilan."

Zhang Mingxuan waved his hand, finalizing the design. "Have him optimize the tri-phase spiritual power conversion Formation; don't let the Earth Qi extinguish the Fire. Also, notify Su Li to withhold all the chamber of commerce's profits and prioritize the procurement of black iron essence and High Grade fire spirit stones."

"For the first batch, I want to build twelve units."

He looked toward the pitch-black, deep tunnel outside the laboratory. Twelve Executioners meant 3.6 million Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

A cold light flickered in Zhang Mingxuan's eyes. "This army is finally starting to take shape."

At that moment, the consistently silent Heizhang suddenly turned his head, the blue light in his eyes flickering twice.