Starting as a Mechanical Hunter

Chapter 74: Chapter 65: Du Zhaodi

After the intense slaughter, Gao Gong didn’t take a break but threw himself into various preparations once again.

On the operating table, rows of transparent reagents began to take shape as the surgical arm rotated, lifted, and injected.

The experience and knowledge required to produce ’Desert Skin’ are exclusive to the profession of Prosthetic Doctor.

Fortunately, this time there was ample material, so Gao Gong didn’t have to worry about the failure rate and could showcase his skills.

He worked until deep into the night, only realizing how long he had been working when there was movement at the door.

Two people had been waiting at the door for a while.

”Why don’t you come in?”

Professor Han still looked calm, but Old Qian was muttering under his breath, seeming like someone who couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

”So, kid, oh no, Consultant, what do you want by bringing me here?”

Gao Gong pointed to the operating table, ”Lie down, let me give you a full checkup.”

Old Qian looked at him suspiciously, then at Professor Han.

Professor Han said, ”We’ll give you a full physical examination to check your body’s rejection status.”

”I see, this thing doesn’t even seem like a virtual machine,” Old Qian lay down casually, the cold operating table making him grimace.

”It’s uncomfortable.”

Professor Han sat not far away in front of the detection instruments, quickly adjusting them. Soon, a series of body data flashed across a dozen screens.

”How is it?”

”Sports System ossification, Neural System vegetative disorder, Endocrine System contaminated by radiation, and there are a few components in the Circulatory System that shouldn’t be there...”

Gao Gong crossed his arms, looking at the data on the instrument, while the talkative Old Qian also stopped talking.

The scene was suddenly quiet.

In other words, these Old Hunters, behind their thick skin and casual demeanor, were enduring unbearable pain.

”Take off your shirt,” Gao Gong suddenly said.

”What are you doing? You want to mess with me?”

Professor Han gave him a cold look, and Old Qian hesitated for a moment before grudgingly complying.

After removing his upper garments, his body was covered in scars, with joints varying in size, a misshapen sternum, an extra bone on the scapula, and his hunched back dotted with rash-like metal particles.

Gao Gong didn’t show a surprised expression but carefully examined the man’s severed arm. There were obvious implantation marks on the shoulder cross-section, with three scabbed blood holes but no mechanical organs.

”Indeed, you people have forcibly implanted the limbs of Radiation Beasts into human bodies.”

”To implant a beast’s limb, you must sever a hand or foot.”

”So these old guys either have a severed arm or leg.”

Gao Gong glanced at Professor Han, ”Your bionics are great, but a bit hard on the body.”

”No one ever said bionics could only be machines imitating humans. Humans can imitate beasts just as well,” Professor Han said calmly.

Seeing that Gao Gong didn’t show any signs of prejudice, Old Qian boasted again, ”Kid, take a good look, I’ve got two kidneys, do you know what that means?”

”It means you’ve taken a bit too many kidney supplements?”

”Nonsense, it means I can go all night seven times!”

”Put your clothes on. Like that, without even getting into bed, you’d scare women away in tears,” Gao Gong ruthlessly said.

”Bring all your old comrades around for a full physical checkup.”

”Kid, what are you planning?” Old Qian asked with uncertain suspicion.

”Restoring your bodies to their original state is indeed difficult, but if it’s just to restore normal physical strength, or even to operate biological weapons in combat, it’s not impossible.”

After Old Qian left half-believingly, Professor Han said in a complicated tone, ”Their biological rejection is at its peak. Do you want them to die on the battlefield?”

”Then why didn’t you say anything just now?”

Professor Han fell silent for a long while, then said, ”If the sacrifice of these people can help others survive, I think it’s worth it.”

”You still haven’t changed,” Gao Gong sighed, then laughed, ”The problems brought by technological development will surely be solved by advancements in higher-level technology. I won’t sacrifice anyone because life itself has value.”

”So what do you plan to do?”

”Tell me a story. I’m quite interested in Old Sun’s story of being a deserter.”

...

Early the next morning, four armored vehicles appeared at the entrance of the recycling station, and the nearly two-meter-tall Exoskeleton Warriors walked down heavily.

The guards’ expressions changed dramatically, and they quickly summoned their companions. Soon, all the members of three armed teams arrived and surrounded these warriors from three directions.

Except for the inexperienced Tribal Warriors, all the Mechanical Hunters looked grim, their eyes full of deep apprehension.

No wonder, as this was the elite equipment of the Mechanical Legion, with more advanced defense, weapon, and implant systems, and those high-tech guns in their hands with no visible magazines — those were standard Electromagnetic Weapons.

”Captain, who are they? Here as guests?” Fat Xiang asked dumbly.

Matsushima Keiko, perched on Fat Xiang’s shoulder, slapped him from behind with a ’smack’ on the back of his head.

”Fools, they are here to cause trouble!”

Daisila walked over with a solemn expression, the three-mouth electromagnetic gun in her hand crackling, which made the exoskeleton warriors’ faces show a hint of caution.

”Dear guests, please state your purpose.”

The ten exoskeleton warriors did not speak, the scene was eerily calm.

”They’re here for me.”

Gao Gong wiped his hands as he walked out of the building, stopped, looked up and down at the blue machinery of the other side, and suddenly laughed, ”We meet again, Major Zhou.”

The leading exoskeleton warrior’s faceplate creaked open, Zhou Cong looked at Gao Gong, his expression quite complicated: ”I never expected, you’re this strong.”

”You’re not bad either, legion exoskeletons with full energy are standard battle killing weapons.”

’Captain, sensing small drones approaching, they seem to be setting up a firepower defense line.’

The voice of a teammate came through the headset, Zhou Cong’s expression remained unchanged, he looked around and laughed, ”You’ve done well here, it feels lively.”

The onlookers increased in number, and the Cable Tribe members, now better armed, watched these people with dangerous eyes, ready to act at a command.

”I’m not your enemy,” Zhou Cong said seriously, ”With your skills, there’s nowhere you can’t escape to, but they always can’t.”

”I’ll go with you.”

Gao Gong nodded, agreeing, ”Just right, I also have something to report to your superior.”

The word ’report’ made Zhou Cong raise an eyebrow, but he said nothing, just gestured for Gao Gong to proceed.

A little woman appeared out of nowhere, nervously tugging at Gao Gong’s sleeve, ”Hey, don’t go, they’ll definitely dissect you for research!”

Gao Gong shook his head with a smile, ”Don’t worry, the Beast Tide is only days away, even if they research, what can they come up with?”

Zhou Cong’s heart skipped a beat, was this scenario pre-calculated by the other side?

”By the way, bring that box from my operating room.”

On the way, Gao Gong curiously looked around the car’s interior.

Much more luxurious than his own.

Zhou Cong smiled, pressed a button, and out popped an icebox, inside was a bottle of champagne.

After pouring two glasses, Zhou Cong handed one over, sighing, ”Escaping back from the Beast Tide frontline, I thought I could rest for a few days, but didn’t expect to fight again, and the opponent is still the Beast Tide, this really is—”

He shook his head with a wry smile and drank it all in one go.

Gao Gong took a sip, his smile deep and meaningful, ”You’re the guest army, I’m the guest general, in a way, we’re on the same side.”

Zhou Cong froze for a moment, said nothing, but his expression changed subtly.

”Introduce me to those top brass.”

”Quasi-General Demon Mountain, a regiment commander of a frontline combat legion, has his own elite troops, known for being part of the martial arts faction.”

”Quasi-General Geville, from the equipment system, although not great at fighting, is excellent at acquiring funds and especially obtaining the most advanced weapons equipment, though the waters of the equipment system are notoriously deep...”

...

Now the gasoline town no longer looks like its original form, various military buildings seem to have sprung up overnight.

An armored war vehicle stopped in front of a trench about as wide as a river, and came to a halt.

”This really is—” Gao Gong shook his head, ”quite exaggerated.”

”Huh, what’s that, a transport plane?”

In the sky, an ’energy airship’ was flying into the not-so-distant airport.

”Looks like a factory freighter,” Zhou Cong said indifferently, ”probably here to deliver equipment.”

”That’s quite a coincidence,” Gao Gong chuckled dryly, his tone unclear.

...

At the airport, the giant tail of the airship slowly descended amidst the sound of huge air pumps as mechanical armor lowered down.

It was called an ’airship’, but definitely not a ’World War II airship’; instead, it was a ’super armored aircraft’ thickened layer by layer to defend against mechanical flying species’ attacks.

Zhao Mechanism stood at the entrance, his expression somewhat surprised, and because he came from a factory, this welcoming task fell to him. However, he never expected that the visitor would be her.

As the airship’s door fully opened, a slender figure appeared at the cabin entrance, wearing light blue overalls, hair tied in a neat ponytail, hands in pockets, with her clothing fluttering in the gale.

”Director Du, welcome for inspection.”

The logistics staff of the Security Corps quickly went up to greet her, their smiles bright but inwardly wondering why the factory was sending someone for a surprise inspection with the great battle impending?

”Director Du, long time no see!” Zhao Mechanism eagerly approached, extending his hand.

Du Zhaodi remained calm, her pace uninterrupted, followed by a bunch of reviewers, each with expressionless faces, obviously tools with their amygdala cut out.

”Hello, Engineer Zhao, I am now an inspector in the heavy weapon department of the Equipment Research Institute, I need to know your current weapon catalog, usage records, please cooperate with our inspection.”

”Also, third-party audits need to remain objective and fair, our previous working relationship will not impact my current job duties, please don’t think otherwise.”

Zhao Mechanism’s face immediately stiffened.