Chapter 1 The Bionic Prosthetic

As one component after another was rapidly machined by various pieces of equipment, then assembled and welded together, everyone could see that this was the rough shape of a prosthetic limb. What surprised them even more was that from beginning to end, Han Xiao hadn't created any extra parts or wasted any time, proving that he really had thought up the entire design in less than two minutes.

"Good heavens, is he really going to make it?" Old Lu muttered, drawing a glare from Lu Qian. Her grandfather really had no good intentions!

Noticing the astonishment of the few people present, Han Xiao almost laughed out loud. The blueprints were readily available; trying to fail was a skill in itself.

[You have created [Bionic Prosthetic - Left Arm (Mechanical Power Type)], gaining 2000 experience points.]

[Bionic Prosthetic - Left Arm (Mechanical Power Type): Special item, highly realistic artificial skeleton, utilizes mechanical power and traction cables, joint areas can freely adjust shape to perfectly adapt to the damaged area, soft and non-abrasive to the skin, ultra-wear-resistant!]

A prosthetic skeleton gleaming with metallic luster was created by Han Xiao in two hours and thirty-three minutes.

Everyone present was an expert. At a glance, the shape of the prosthetic skeleton was highly compatible with human biomechanics. The precise components, cables, and large-capacity battery provided power, all of it brand new and shiny.

The crowd was stunned.

He actually completed it!

Lu Qian covered her small mouth, her eyes sparkling with disbelief, a thought surfacing in her mind:

"I've found a treasure!"

"Just cover the skeleton with a layer of silicone skin, and it will be indistinguishable from a real arm," Han Xiao introduced.

"Stop talking nonsense and try it on quickly," Old Lu said, swallowing his saliva. Although Han Xiao had indeed surprised him, the initiative was in the hands of his long-time friend, and he was still confident he could drive Han Xiao away.

Old Gao sighed, picked up the bionic prosthetic, and took a look. He immediately took a liking to it. As soon as it connected to his severed arm, he found that the touch was very soft, unlike other prosthetics that rubbed against the skin. It felt like sinking into a sponge, yet it fit very snugly. Old Gao had been unwilling to wear prosthetics in the past because they hindered his movements, but the bionic prosthetic that Han Xiao had created didn't have this limitation at all. Even when swinging it, he had a pleasantly surprising illusion that his arm was still there. The elasticity of the traction cables allowed him to complete simple arm movements without much effort.

Perfect!

Only these two words could express Old Gao's feelings at this moment.

"What do you think? Is this thing any good?"

Old Lu calmly drank his wine, feeling like he had everything under control. Now it was Old Gao's turn to perform.

Lu Qian nervously watched Old Gao, afraid he would say "no."

Old Gao was conflicted.

On one side was his friend's request, on the other side was his personal feeling. Which was more important?

This question didn't even need to be considered.

"The thing is very good. I'm very satisfied!"

Old Lu sprayed a mouthful of wine everywhere, choked and coughed repeatedly, glaring at Old Gao in exasperation.

What happened to being teammates?! You're not following the script!

"If you like it, it's yours," Han Xiao said, not at all surprised.

Old Gao nodded. "I'll remember this favor."

Old Lu was dumbfounded. Wasn't this made from my materials? If anyone should be owed a favor, it should be me! You're using my flowers to present to Buddha. Did you ask me?

"So, does that mean I can stay?" Han Xiao asked with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

Old Lu's face turned green and then red, and he could only bite the bullet and admit it. He turned and went upstairs to avoid seeing them and getting upset, leaving behind a resentful sentence: "Hmph, stay if you want. We'll see how long you can stay."

Lu Qian looked delighted and excitedly waved her small fist.

Seeing that everything was settled, Old Gao smiled at Han Xiao, waved his hand, turned and left. After walking out of the alley, he got into a black bulletproof car that had been waiting for a long time.

The driver respectfully handed him an encrypted mobile phone. Old Gao dialed a number, his aura completely changed, and he exuded a majesty that was completely different from the amiable old man he had been a moment ago. He said in a deep voice:

"Germination's wanted criminal Zero has smuggled into West Capital. The coordinates are… Have the people in the intelligence department pay close attention. I had brief contact with the target. I suggest a gentle probing. If it's not necessary, do not use harsh methods."

Traitors from the Germination Organization had always been something the Six Nations tried their best to win over, in order to learn Germination's intelligence. Unfortunately, the defectors in the past were all small fry, while Han Xiao was the only Germination traitor with a bounty on his head. Perhaps he possessed very important intelligence. Because of this consideration, Old Gao decided to test him carefully.

…

Han Xiao retracted his gaze.

His performance should have made Old Gao feel that he was a small threat, laying a good foundation for contact between the two parties.

There were three benefits to coming to the repair shop. First, Old Lu possessed a complete set of basic knowledge of the Mechanic class, saving him the time of searching everywhere for class knowledge.

The second benefit was that the repair shop could serve as his hiding place, allowing him to evade Germination's pursuit. All Six Nations had Germination's intelligence agents, but this repair shop was one of the few places that Germination wasn't aware of. Even if the enemies really came after him, there was a tall man to hold up the sky. Old Lu's combat power, conservatively estimated, could defeat a bunch of Hela at this stage… Don't look at Old Lu's carefree and rogue-like appearance; he actually hid formidable combat power, being one of the few D-grade Supers on Aquamarine Star. On the newbie planet of Version 1.0, the strongest were at most C-grade, which was already enough to dominate, and even in the interstellar world, they were considered a backbone force.

The Mechanic class was part of the Super system and had a famous theory: "If mechanics are limited by the physical qualities of ordinary people, it will restrict more than ninety percent of inventions"; "Only powerful individuals can use more powerful mechanics." As one grew stronger, the usage restrictions on the Mechanic class's mechanical creations became increasingly strict. Some powerful mechanics were only for Mechanic class users, and the other four classes couldn't use them.

The Mechanic class wasn't all about carrying giant guns and cannons and wearing mecha to fight. Advanced Mechanics used different mechanics as the tactical core, creating various combat modes: powerful assaults, control, assassination, defense, ranged attacks, and so on. Robot armies, gunners with firepower coverage, mecha warriors, Mech-Weapon Masters using high-tech melee weapons for close combat, virtual illusions, fortress deployment, and even modifying oneself into a mechanical body—the possibilities were endless.

The official information given by Galaxy for the Mechanic class was like this: "Proficient in using mechanical weapons for combat, possessing high-speed assembly capabilities, and having excellent versatility."

The most important term was "high-speed assembly." After learning [High-Density Material Compression Technology] and [Beginner Space Technology], Mechanics could fold huge weapons into finger-sized metal pieces, carry them with them, and instantly unfold them during combat to restore them to their original state.

Qi was the energy bar of the Esper class, the attack power of the Martial Arts class, the magic power source of the Mage class, and the psychic energy reactor of the Psychic class, and of course, the Mechanic class's qi wasn't just for show. When qi reached a certain level, it would replace the role of hands, lathes, and equipment, allowing for the ultra-high-speed creation of new mechanics from scratch in combat. As long as the raw materials were endless, the Mechanic's weapons would be inexhaustible… Of course, the prerequisite was learning [Second-Level Disassembly and Reassembly] and other professional knowledge.

Since players' inventory had a real weight limit, the only classes that could achieve a space-traveling effect were the Mechanic class and the Mage class, as well as extremely rare space Espers.

The third benefit was the most important: the repair shop was related to a hidden plot that could grant him several god-tier blueprints from the early stages of the Mechanic class.

Old Lu would leave the repair shop in the future, leaving behind a password box containing blueprints he had researched for many years, instructing Lu Qian to pass them on to her father, Lu Cheng, a wandering warlord. Old Lu and his son had always had a bad relationship.

In his previous life, a Mechanic class player had completed dozens of loops of complex quests before finally obtaining the password to open the box and then painstakingly gathering the materials. After completing the manufacture, the rewards were immediately apparent, his combat power soared, and he became a tyrant in the PK arena, with a record of thirty-eight consecutive victories. Even if three players of the same level from other classes ganged up on him, they were still crushed.

Those few blueprints were god-tier items in the early stages of the Mechanic class, and Han Xiao didn't need to do the complex looping quests that were prerequisites.

He knew the password from the start!

The hidden plot was a competitive quest. Although only one person could complete it, other players would also learn the password after completing the looping quests. Thus, someone later posted on the forum to popularize it, and that's how Han Xiao learned about it.

Old Lu leaving the password box was something that happened after the public beta. Han Xiao was in a privileged position and could get a head start by improving their relationship first.

For those few god-tier items, it was worth it!

"Let me tell you about the treatment for apprentices. The monthly salary is one thousand, including food and lodging. There are empty rooms on the second floor. The usual work is to carry out mechanical repairs and fulfill customer orders. Is that okay?"

Lu Qian looked at Han Xiao anxiously. Having witnessed Han Xiao's skills, she was worried that such a salary would drive him away, but she really didn't have any extra money.

"I can accept it."

Lu Qian was overjoyed and immediately felt goodwill towards him.

The second floor was a full set of living quarters, with a living room, bathroom, kitchen, and several bedrooms.

Lu Qian took Han Xiao to his bedroom, which had a wooden plank bed without a mattress, a wardrobe, a bookshelf, and a small workbench.

"This is your room." Lu Qian handed the room key to Han Xiao and enthusiastically helped him clean the room.

With a salary of one thousand, she might not even be able to cover a month's worth of food expenses. Lu Qian couldn't be more satisfied with Han Xiao. Where else could she find such cheap, high-quality labor? This young man must be a bit slow; I have to treat him well and not let him run away.

Han Xiao was dumbfounded. He, the one who had come to apply for the job, wasn't nervous, but the shop owner was walking on thin ice. What was going on?