YM778.TV Chapter 39
Translator: 549690339
[Medium-Scale Steam Mecha (Battle Type)]
[Attributes: Strength 24, Agility 10, Defense 15, Enigmatism 4.]
[Features: A steam-driven mecha, with a massive body over ten meters tall, it boasts tremendous strength and remarkable speed, as well as the capability to be outfitted with an array of weapons.
Though it lacks flexibility, this flaw can be compensated for through coordination with smaller steam mecha, making it an undeniable war machine.]
[Weaknesses: Flexibility, power furnace.]
[Evaluation: A powerful steam mecha, but too conspicuous, easily targeted by abyssal monsters, not recommended for rookie mecha pilots.]
When it came to raw strength, this steam mecha had surpassed even Master Luo at the Nightmare difficulty level.
Add to that its massive size, and it exhibited extreme brutality as it fought against the Shallow Abyss Giant.
It completely dominated the giant, casually throwing it into the ruins of buildings, mercilessly crushing its chest into a mush.
The existence of this war machine proved that the humans of this world were not entirely defenseless against the monsters of the abyss.
Unfortunately, the number of abyssal monsters was endless.
Although it had killed a Shallow Abyss Giant, a legion of deformed merfolk swarmed it, climbing onto the outer shell of the steam mecha with their suction-cupped flippers.
They constantly searched for openings, striking the shell, attempting to dismantle this giant forcefully.
Usually, in such situations, there would be infantry and smaller mecha assisting by the side, clearing out these “mosquitoes” that the larger mecha struggled with.
However, in an instant, the Archaic God had destroyed all flying objects and ships on the planet.
It also destroyed people’s confidence and will, causing order to collapse and triggering extensive chaos.
Now, the steam mecha was fighting a lonely battle, without any teammates.
If this continued, even with its formidable power, it wouldn’t be long before it would be overwhelmed by the tide of deformed merfolk.
Luckily, Jiang Chen saw all of this.
This big fellow’s combat power was impressive, and it could be taken to the bomb shelter, to ensure the safety of the haven.
Moreover, the driver of the steam mecha possessed considerable knowledge and skills that could serve as a Seed of Civilization.
Jiang Chen pinched off a piece of brick from the rooftop, performed a fire enchantment, and tossed it lightly.
A small fireball landed on some flammable material, instantly igniting a ring of blazing fire, encircling the haven’s entrance.
After setting up the protection, he bent his knees slightly—
“Boom!”
The blast expanded, and the rooftop directly shattered and collapsed.
The purple and white mecha shot out like an arrow released from its bow, flying at an extraordinary speed.
In just a matter of seconds, it landed thunderously beside the steam mecha, placing its hand on its steel surface.
Raging flames rose, turning the steam mecha into a huge fireball.
In a panic, it flailed its arms, lost balance, and toppled beside it, crushing a building.
At the same time, deformed merfolk fell like dumplings, screaming as they jumped down, fleeing in all directions.
When the Transcendent fire on the surface of the steam mecha was extinguished, the building had already caught fire, driving the deformed merfolk away from the area.
In just an instant, the situation had turned from dangerous to secure.
Jiang Chen lightly leapt, landing on top of the steam mecha, and knocked gently on the behemoth’s visor.
“Can you hear me?”
“…Thank you for saving me.”
A muffled buzzing sound, transmitted through the loudspeaker, came from the outside, the audio quality rather poor.
Clearly, the pilot of the steam mecha was well aware that it had been this peculiar purple and white mecha that had rescued him.
At that moment, the purple and white mecha spoke again.
“Don’t celebrate too early.”
“You have merely survived for now.”
“The Archaic God has awakened, His servants are coming from the abyss to cleanse this land.”
“The end has already arrived…”
The pilot fell into silence.
Although he didn’t want to believe it, the tentacles stretching across the sky and the endless monsters all confirmed the other’s statement.
Then the purple and white mecha continued.
“I come from the outside, one who preserves the Seed of Civilization.”
“I have gathered some survivors at Vanilla University. Now, as I rescue more people, our defense there has weakened.”
“I hope you can pilot the steam mecha and go there to defend it.”
“When I return, you too can enter the shelter, and as a Seed of Civilization, safely survive this catastrophe…”
Vanilla University?
The driver hardly hesitated before giving an answer.
“Okay!”
Jiang Chen nodded satisfactorily.
“I have another question.”
“Where are the other steam mechas?”
Being a war machine, steam mechas naturally wouldn’t appear alone.
Following the instructions of this driver, Jiang Chen arrived at the large military camp on the outskirts of the city.
Not only was this place a docking area for mechas, but it also served as a landing site for other war machines like flying vessels, housing an array of steam behemoths.
However, at the onset of the apocalypse, several flying vessels crashed here, resulting in a chain of explosions and turning it into a land ablaze with raging flames.
Mechas destroyed, personnel casualties…
The site was almost completely leveled.
Considering that the crash sites of the flying vessels were almost always factories, thermal furnaces, and other critical heavy industrial areas,
it was hard not to suspect that the locations of the crashes were controlled outcomes.
Jiang Chen toured around and managed to gather over a hundred people, finding thirty-seven functioning steam mechas, which he led back to the shelter.
During this process, he specifically piloted a small steam mecha that was close to being scrapped, attempting to see if he could absorb its attributes.
Unfortunately, until the steam mecha was completely dismantled, there was not the slightest stir from his talent.
When those drivers and their mechas reached the shelter, they successfully triggered a hidden reward.
[For assembling 37 steam mechas and providing rudimentary shelter for the Seed of Civilization, you receive an additional reward, module: Red Hot Mode.]
[Red Hot Mode]
[Rank: 0 (1)]
[Quality: Excellent]
[Type: Upper Limb Module, Lower Limb Module]
[Effect One: Can activate Red Hot Mode, consuming 2 energy points and 2 armor points per minute, significantly increasing attributes.]
[Effect Two: When mounted on the upper limb module, Red Hot Mode provides a strength increase of 10.]
[Effect Three: When mounted on the lower limb module, Red Hot Mode provides an increase of 5 agility and 5 strength.]
[Description: Warning! Warning!]
It seemed to be the result of bringing the steam mechas.
The module provided as a mission reward was also related to steam mechas.
After installation, several small nozzles would appear on the mecha’s upper arms or calves, capable of ejecting large quantities of steam to enable Red Hot overloading.
The total increase in attributes was three points higher than that of Primordial Essence Enhancement, but the consumption was too great.
Even if Jiang Chen’s recovery rate was fast enough to offset the cost, it still effectively reduced his recovery speed, making it an unfavorable tradeoff.
Most importantly, Jiang Chen was not in need of these attributes.
The Seed of Flames module was clearly more practical.
In comparison, the steam mechas themselves held greater value.
In the early stage of the catastrophe, they were stationed around the shelter, and combined with the flame defenses, formed a true barricade.
Even if a dozen Shallow Abyss Giants came from the deep sea, they would be easily killed by them.
They couldn’t pose any threat to the shelter.
Jiang Chen could thus leave the shelter with confidence, searching for survivors far and wide.
Unfortunately, innumerable abyssal monsters had already completely inundated the city, spreading inland.
There were not many survivors left, making the search inefficient.
Jiang Chen busied himself for a day and only found a few dozen survivors.
The triggered hidden rewards were even fewer, with just a paltry few that were very ordinary and nowhere near as substantial as those for the steam mechas.
Nevertheless, he was not disappointed.
Rescuing survivors and triggering hidden rewards was part of the process of improving trial evaluations.
Without these bonuses, even if he protected the Seed of Civilization and completed the task of surviving ten days, he would not be able to receive the highest evaluation.
Seeing that the sun was about to completely sink below the horizon,
Jiang Chen ceased his efforts and returned to the shelter.
Nightfall was approaching.