Mecha Island, Xinyan Headquarters.
The cyberpunk-style laboratory was piled high with mechanical materials, and the smell of machine oil filled the air.
The surrounding area was dim, with books, tools, and spare parts stuffed into the shadows in a chaotic mess.
All the light in the laboratory was focused at the center.
Torch stood in front of the lab bench, wearing a white work coat.
Dazzling arcs of electricity flickered. She removed her protective mask and set down her tools.
On the lab bench before her lay a core that glowed faintly blue.
It looked somewhat similar to a Mecha Girl's AI Core, but it was round. Unlike the crystal-like texture of an AI Core, this core was entirely silver-gray, with mechanical grooves covering its surface. The complex patterns looked strangely similar to a human brain, and Psychic Energy seeped out from the grooves, pulsing rhythmically like a heartbeat.
"It's finally done."
Torch pinched the core between her fingers and raised it, exposing it fully to the light.
After studying it for a while, joy and anticipation filled her crimson-gold eyes.
Psychic Energy Core.
That was the name Torch had given this core.
It had been created by fusing an AI mechanical core with one unit of Sodium Fiber crystal core, and it was her most important research achievement during this period.
The day before yesterday, the Mecha Girl hidden in Zuanka had sent back a few Awakening Serums. This Sodium Fiber crystal core had been condensed and transformed from the Sodium Fiber material inside those Awakening Serums. Extracting pure Sodium Fiber from hard Sodium Fiber ore, then separating the Sodium Fiber-Ω from it, was an extremely tedious process. It required the joint efforts of Mecha Island and the Human Federation. But that had nothing to do with Xinyan. The extraction method was in the hands of the Joint Faction, so even if she had raw Sodium Fiber ore, it would be useless to her. Her only option had been to take this shortcut and steal the awakening materials directly.
Extracting high-purity Sodium Fiber-Ω from finished Awakening Serums was much simpler.
After that brief joy, Torch quickly calmed down.
It was still too early to celebrate.
This Psychic Energy Core was an entirely new creation.
Whether it carried any risks, and whether it could actually be used, still had to be tested.
"Let's try the most basic function first."
Torch muttered to herself, then carried the Psychic Energy Core to the warehouse next door.
She pressed the fingerprint button beside the door, and the heavy warehouse door slowly rose upward.
In the middle of the warehouse stood a massive cockpit. Countless wires were connected all around it, and sparks occasionally flickered along them.
Looking at the towering structure before her, more than ten meters tall, memories and sorrow flowed through Torch's eyes. She walked up to the mechanical creation and pressed herself against its cold metal shell, remaining silent for a long time. Only then did she climb the steps, holding the Psychic Energy Core as she approached the cockpit.
Zzzzt!
Tentacle-like arcs of electricity extended from around the cockpit and wrapped around the Psychic Energy Core, lifting it like vines. As the electricity flowed in, the Psychic Energy radiating from the mechanical grooves inside the core grew even brighter, as if it had been fully activated.
"This looks… pretty good?"
The sight before her clearly encouraged Torch. Suppressing the excitement in her heart, she said with trembling lips, "Psychic Energy Armament, materialize!"
As soon as she spoke, a low hum rang out.
The space around the cockpit suddenly twisted and collapsed inward.
The violent energy fluctuations made Torch's eyes widen, and she could not help retreating several steps.
Crimson flames roared out of the collapsing space, gradually condensing into a massive red sword more than ten meters long. The huge sword was covered in mechanical patterns, giving it an imposing, majestic appearance. Scorching energy swept through the surroundings, and the temperature in the entire warehouse instantly rose by dozens of degrees.
"What is…"
Torch stared at the red greatsword before her, her crimson-gold eyes filled with shock.
"This shouldn't be happening."
She clearly remembered that Chixin's Psychic Energy Armament had not been this kind of flaming greatsword, and it definitely had not possessed such a terrifying presence.
Where had things gone wrong?
The flaming greatsword's temperature was extremely high. The molten fire dripping from it even melted through the heat-resistant alloy floor.
Faced with such intense heat, she did not dare step forward for a closer look.
Before she could stay shocked for long, the flaming greatsword gradually collapsed and vanished into thick black smoke.
From its appearance to its disappearance, less than ten seconds had passed.
Along with it, the Psychic Energy Core on the cockpit dimmed as well.
"Uh…" Torch had clearly not expected this to happen.
If not for the melted marks clearly left on the alloy floor, she might even have wondered whether what she had just seen was an illusion.
"So… the Psychic Energy Armament activated successfully, but it drained all its energy in one go… Ten seconds. Energy consumption this terrifying is completely pointless. What's the use of being powerful?!" Torch frowned and removed the dimmed Psychic Energy Core from the cockpit.
This new creation was clearly still incomplete.
Its energy reserves were poor, its Endurance was insufficient, and that flaming greatsword was highly suspicious too.
However, she was not discouraged.
Successfully creating the Psychic Energy Core was already the greatest gain of the day.
Suddenly…
Torch raised an eyebrow and immediately put the Psychic Energy Core away.
Then the laboratory bell rang.
The indicator light at the entrance changed from red to green.
Someone was here!
...
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