Chapter 136: The Mighty Energy Weapons

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After Dr. Zola and Colonel John awoke, they learned that Chen Mo had finally returned. 

Despite having just been released from cryostasis and still being physically weak, the two immediately made their way to Chen Mo's commander's office to see him. 

When they caught sight of the towering yet familiar figure seated behind the desk, both were overcome with excitement. After seventy years, their god had finally returned! 

Their lingering weakness seemed to vanish in an instant as they straightened their posture, clenched their fists, and thrust them high into the air in front of them, shouting the long-unspoken slogan in unison. 

"Hail Hydra!" 

In their hearts, Chen Mo was Hydra—he was their god! 

Hearing this familiar chant, a faint smile appeared on Chen Mo's cold and authoritative face.

… 

Chen Mo stayed at the Hydra base for two days. During this time, in addition to gaining a more detailed understanding of the current state of the world and Hydra's specific situation, he also listened to Dr. Zola's report. 

Over the past seventy years, Hydra's technological progress had been somewhat slow, but it still remained at least two decades ahead of other nations. Whether in aircraft, automobiles, tanks, warships, missiles, mechanical equipment, or electronics, Hydra's technology was far more advanced. 

Thanks to Hydra's covert support, Norway—which was under their control—boasted scientific and military capabilities no weaker than those of other major powers, even surpassing them in certain areas. Its shipbuilding and industrial sectors were particularly well-developed. 

However, Norway had always adhered to a policy of neutrality and maintained a low profile, so it was not perceived as a threat by other nations. 

Beyond these foundational technologies, Hydra's most formidable strength lay in its energy weapons. 

Following the list Chen Mo had left before his departure, Albert had located and recruited Anton Vanko from the former Soviet Union. A brilliant top-tier scientist, Vanko excelled in energy and mechanical engineering—his skills were no less impressive than Howard Stark's. 

With his assistance, significant progress had been made in optimizing and refining energy weapons. Both energy rifles and pistols had been reduced to the size of conventional firearms, yet their power had not only remained undiminished but had actually increased. 

The recharge time between shots had also been drastically shortened, finally resolving the biggest issue—rate of fire.

At the same time, the energy storage devices used to contain the energy converted from the Cosmic Cube had been significantly optimized. After compression, the same-sized storage unit could now hold over ten times more energy than before. 

Previously, an energy magazine could supply a few hundred shots for an energy pistol. Now, the new, more powerful energy pistols could fire several thousand times continuously—enough for any battle, virtually eliminating the need to reload mid-fight. 

In truth, the impact of this new energy storage technology was less critical for handheld energy weapons, as a few hundred shots had already been sufficient. Instead, its real significance lay in heavy weaponry like aircraft, tanks, and warships. 

It solved their energy supply issues, greatly enhancing their operational endurance and sustained firepower. 

Now, like nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, these weapons could engage in prolonged, high-intensity combat without the limitations of conventional vehicles—running out of fuel or ammunition shortly after arriving at the battlefield, unable to sustain fierce engagements. 

For Chen Mo, this was excellent news. Energy was the foundation of all weaponry; powerful arms were meaningless without a robust energy supply. 

Tony Stark's Iron Man suit, for example, was developed based on his miniature Arc Reactor. Without it, the suit would be nothing more than a pile of scrap metal. 

After listening to Dr. Zola's report, Chen Mo—accompanied by him and Colonel John—proceeded to a heavily guarded testing facility deep within the base. The sprawling site covered an extensive area. 

In one section, rows of advanced tanks, armored vehicles, helicopters, artillery, and other heavy weaponry stood parked. However, Chen Mo didn't have time to inspect each of them in detail. Instead, they headed straight for the energy weapons testing zone.

Here, Chen Mo saw the latest energy weapons. 

The new NS-7 energy pistol didn't look much different from an ordinary handgun at first glance, somewhat resembling a Desert Eagle—only with a cooler design. Its pitch-black body was sharply angular, with cold, hard lines that exuded a strong sense of technological sophistication. 

Chen Mo picked up two of the energy pistols. The slightly heavy weight felt comfortable in his hands. 

Standing behind him, Dr. Zola began a detailed explanation. 

"The NS-7 energy pistol has undergone multiple upgrades and improvements based on the NS-2 model. Its performance is now exceptionally powerful," Zola said with evident pride. 

"The recharge process between shots has been greatly optimized, significantly reducing the delay. The rate of fire can reach 600 rounds per minute, with an effective range of 300 meters. Thanks to the new high-compression energy storage unit, a single magazine can sustain 5,000 energy shots, and the destructive power has also been enhanced." 

After listening to Dr. Zola's introduction, Chen Mo took the two sleek black energy pistols from the table and walked over to the nearby firing range. 

Zola quickly operated the control panel, and in the open target area ahead, numerous targets rose into position—ranging from 50 meters all the way to 300 meters away. 

In addition to specially designed human-shaped dummies with durability equivalent to real human bodies, several off-road vehicles and armored vehicles emerged from underground. Even a thick concrete wall rose at the 200-meter mark, effectively recreating a realistic battlefield environment. 

Chen Mo raised both pistols and rapidly pulled the triggers. Streaks of blue energy bullets shot toward the targets. 

Each dummy struck by the energy bullets instantly disintegrated into dust. Within moments, dozens of human-shaped targets were completely obliterated. 

Chen Mo gave a slight nod of approval. The firing rate of the new energy pistols had indeed improved significantly. Though the brief recharge time still meant it wasn't as fast as conventional firearms, it was more than sufficient for his needs.

Back in the *Underworld* universe, when faced with an assault by hundreds of werewolves, these two energy pistols would have made all the difference. The werewolves wouldn't have even gotten close to the knights—Chen Mo could have wiped them all out before they crossed half the distance. 

After clearing the humanoid targets, Chen Mo didn't pause for a second. He immediately shifted his aim to the remaining objectives. 

A single energy bullet struck an off-road vehicle. The blue energy erupted on impact, instantly transforming the vehicle into a blazing fireball. Two more shots followed, blasting the burning wreckage into scattered fragments. 

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The heavily armored vehicle didn't hold up much longer. A relentless barrage of blue energy beams rained down like a storm—rapid and concentrated. The sturdy armor quickly warped under the onslaught, glowing red before melting away. Its defenses collapsed, allowing the energy bullets to penetrate deep into the vehicle's interior. Soon, the entire armored car erupted in a violent explosion, engulfed in flames. 

But Chen Mo didn't stop there. Even though the vehicle was already breached, its main structure remained intact. His hands never slowed as he continued pouring fire into the wreckage. Tires were blown off, doors shredded, and the once-impenetrable armor was utterly demolished under the relentless assault. In the end, just like the off-road vehicle, it was reduced to a heap of twisted metal. 

Melted steel and torn plating littered the ground, illuminated by the raging fires—a scene of brutal devastation. 

Next, Chen Mo turned his attention to the concrete wall. Chunks of hardened concrete burst away under the barrage of energy beams, leaving behind craters the size of washbasins.

Like rainwater eroding soil, the thick concrete wall was rapidly chipped away, soon reduced to nothing but scattered rubble and billowing clouds of dust. 

What had once been a crowded testing area was now a field of wreckage in mere moments. 

In just those few dozen seconds, Chen Mo had pulled the trigger over a thousand times, firing more than a thousand energy bullets without pause—utterly obliterating every target in front of him. 

Through this intense test firing, Chen Mo gained a comprehensive understanding of the new energy pistol's performance and destructive power. 

This upgraded sidearm could now meet his combat needs in most scenarios. Even against large-scale mechanized forces, he could hold his ground without being forced into a desperate retreat. 

However, judging from its effectiveness against the armored vehicle, the energy pistol still had limitations when facing heavy armor. Most of the time and firepower had been spent dismantling the vehicle's defenses. 

While it didn't take too long to breach the armor and destroy the interior, Chen Mo noticed during his follow-up attacks that thicker sections of plating were much harder to penetrate, requiring sustained fire. This indicated that the energy pistol struggled against heavily armored targets. 

Still, overall, the NS-7 energy pistol was an excellent weapon. After all, it *was* a sidearm—primarily designed for engaging large numbers of unarmored or lightly armored targets. Aside from tanks and similarly fortified units, it could easily demolish armored vehicles, structures, and infantry with little effort. 

Stowing both pistols directly into his spatial inventory, Chen Mo grabbed several spare energy magazines from the table as backups. 

Then, his gaze shifted to another weapon on the table. 

This one was a rifle, just over seventy centimeters in length. Like the pistols, it had a sleek black finish, though its design was bulkier than a conventional rifle. Its sharp, angular lines radiated a sense of rugged technological dominance, making the weapon appear even more imposing. 

"This is the NB-7 energy rifle. Its rate of fire and sustained output are similar to the pistol's, but the key differences lie in its power, range, and precision," Dr. Zola explained as Chen Mo examined the rifle. 

"With this, we can effectively compensate for the energy pistol's shortcomings."