Chapter 46: The First-Generation Prototype Mech, The Universal Epidemic

Ella built a massive research institute for herself within the Special Zone.

This institute is located 300 kilometers northwest of the Yan Huang Academy, nestled in the Wali Zi Mountains.

The Wali Zi Mountains, named after the language of the Kate civilization, are only 2,300 kilometers long. They consist of three ridges, giving them a "fat" appearance, spanning 410 kilometers horizontally.

In the middle of these mountains, which have an average elevation of 1,173 meters, stands a giant dome-shaped building with a diameter of over 20 kilometers. It is entirely white, and the outermost ring is a circular glass corridor.

Yan Xia followed a robot controlled by Ella as they walked through the corridor.

The vast white corridor was empty except for them and the robot.

Ella stopped in front of a white wall and walked into it, magically merging with the wall as if it were a door of sorts.

Yan Xia, of course, was not startled by such a sight.

With Ella's technology, she could create realistic holographic images, so this white wall was just an alternative form of a door.

Yan Xia followed her into the wall, and the scenery before him changed instantly.

The once empty corridor was now a bustling research institute filled with hundreds and thousands of machines, conducting various studies on mechanics, flesh, viruses, and more. The place was a hive of activity, with constant noise and commotion, as if the previous silence had been an illusion.

Ella walked slowly.

"This place is enormous. I spent over 200 years building it, and all the equipment here is the best I could acquire."

"Yan Xia, if there's anything you need, just let me know, and I can produce it for you, including a woman."

Indeed, this was a multi-purpose research institute.

Yan Xia even saw a creature resembling the mythical Chimera in a steel laboratory.

Creating this creature was far more challenging than his space life forms.

"What biological project are you currently working on?"

Yan Xia asked out of curiosity, intentionally avoiding Ella's earlier question.

Was this even a suitable topic for discussion?

"Resurrecting Myths!"

"In reality, any life form, excluding the supernatural abilities of mythical creatures, can be created, no matter how unique its appearance."

"The Myth Resurrection project, like your Gene Bank project, aims to uncover the mysteries of genes."

"Can an organism generate electromagnetism using a specific organ, or can life forms directly control the four fundamental forces?"

With his knowledge of biology, Yan Xia understood that this was a long-term research endeavor.

Currently, they were using a device the size of a small asteroid to deeply explore the four fundamental forces, a process that would take thousands, if not tens of thousands, of years.

Not to mention the challenge of getting fragile biological cells to control these forces.

This project ran parallel to Yan Xia's plans.

As they talked, they reached the entrance to a laboratory. Inside, the cacophony of the previous rooms was absent.

The room was not large, only 200 square meters.

The walls were lined with various tools, wrenches, screwdrivers, electric drills, and more—a collection of hundreds of items akin to a workshop rather than a research lab.

This was a man's dream room; if Yan Xia knew someone who loved mechanics, he would happily let them sleep here every night without paying them a salary.

However, Yan Xia's attention was drawn to a particular wall, and he fixed his gaze on the center of the workshop.

It was a suit of armor with a black outer layer, lined with countless tiny scales, and covered in thin metal plates. Surprisingly, it had no sci-fi elements and looked more like ancient battle armor, but with a modern and rational design.

Upon closer inspection, it was indeed a mech.

The mech stood 2.2 meters tall, clearly not a typical human height. Its outer shell concealed intricate mechanical structures.

"The entire armor is made of Light Civilization Metal, which, despite our reluctance to admit it, is the best metal we can currently use." Ella explained.

"If you want something stronger, we would need to control the four fundamental forces and perceive the world of strings, manipulating strings to create fundamental particles."

"The design of the helmet is inspired by the ancient Chinese helmet, the 'Dougeng,' with slight modifications to add a sci-fi touch, perfectly blending science and ancient equipment."

"The armor is lightweight, designed with a streamlined shape and a slim fit to maximize joint flexibility. Some compromises have been made at the joints to ensure freedom of movement."

The abdominal armor, indeed, utilized many movable structures, resembling rows of abdominal muscles. The chest armor was not a solid plate, allowing for maximum flexibility when worn, enabling the wearer to lean forward or backward.

"The appearance is not the most critical aspect; it's the functionality."

"The helmet has an oxygen-generating device."

"On any planet with an atmosphere, the wearer doesn't need to carry oxygen tanks. If there's no atmosphere, the mech can extract oxygen atoms from water or other oxygen-containing substances, significantly increasing the wearer's survival capabilities."

"If there are no oxygen sources, the helmet has a metal oxygen reserve that can sustain the wearer for 5 to 7 days."

"This is a prototype mech, so it doesn't carry excessive weaponry. Its only weapon is an electromagnetic device that provides electromagnetic shielding, electromagnetic attacks, and electromagnetic acceleration."

"Inspired by the 20th-century comic book character Iron Man, this mech has electromagnetic devices in the palms of both hands, enabling it to fly like Iron Man. Additionally, there's a laser hole at the tip of the index finger, which can be used as a cutting tool and a hidden weapon."

"The energy system of this mech differs significantly from Iron Man's."

"For portability, the mech doesn't have a separate energy storage device. Instead, it captures energy using 193 tiny devices distributed throughout the mech, allowing for instant energy charging. The energy source is dark matter, which is abundant in the universe, so the mech's energy supply is virtually inexhaustible."

"In terms of performance, the mech can provide a lifting force of 16.2 tons, a gripping force of 2.1 tons, a ground speed of 418 m/s at 1g gravity, and a flight speed of 1227 m/s in Earth's atmosphere. All joints can be locked, withstanding 182 tons of pressure, 31 kilometers of water pressure, 4000 degrees Celsius, and -211 degrees Celsius."

"The mech's maximum attack power is equivalent to 10,000 tons of TNT, and its maximum defense coefficient is 890,000 tons of TNT. Nuclear weapons are not capable of destroying this mech. It also has excellent radiation resistance, meeting the level 3 standard, capable of withstanding 96% of high-energy radiation in space."

"In a state of stress, the mech can release hormones to stimulate the wearer's cognitive abilities for a short time, unlocking the mech's full potential."

"The mech also provides a functional pseudo-death state, ensuring the wearer can enter a low-functioning hibernation mode in extreme situations, sending out distress signals to increase the chances of survival."

"The mech has a small built-in computer that can provide computational support to the wearer when needed, including but not limited to data analysis, technology manufacturing, and knowledge searching."

"Subsequently, the mech can be paired with drones for broader information coverage, mapping, and more..."

"This is just the first-generation mech, codenamed 00. After market feedback, the prototype will be enhanced in various aspects and become the primary combat equipment for the Civilized Federation's military."

"It's already functional, Yan Xia. Do you want to try it?"

Yan Xia nodded; he had wanted to wear the mech from the moment he saw it.

He approached the mech, and its chest and abdomen automatically opened to provide space for him to enter.

Just as he was about to step into the mech, Ella received a message.

"The Interstellar Explorer's Association reports a universal epidemic that is infecting explorers and spreading to the civilization. The cause is unknown, and those infected suffer extreme pain and die within 2 days."

"It has been confirmed that the disease is highly contagious, affecting humans, the Baiyan tribe, the Kate tribe, and various plants and animals. The current number of infections is 7 million and is increasing exponentially."

Yan Xia's expression changed.

This would be a major disaster.