NOVPUBThe glory of the old era no longer exists.
All that remains are the remnants of machinery and the silent dust, standing as proof of a once-thriving civilization.
The yellow sand roared as the wind surged, crashing against the walls of the energy company’s buildings, shattering upon impact, and dissipating into pale whirlwinds in the air.
Xu Xi had read about Saiqing Energy in some documents. It was once a formidable enterprise that specialized in materials, energy, and aerospace, ranking among the top hundred military-industrial companies in the Federation.
Its strength and deep heritage were beyond Xu Xi’s imagination. Even the anti-gravity airships in the city center were products of Saiqing Energy.
However, with the Federation itself long gone, an energy company was no exception. 𝘯𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝘣.𝑐𝑜𝑚
A hundred years of destruction had turned Saiqing Energy into nothing more than ruins, a scrapyard haunted by wandering mechanized units.
“Beep—” “Beep—”
A mechanized unit detected Xu Xi’s presence and was about to attack when the power armor’s shoulder-mounted electromagnetic cannons fired, obliterating it instantly.
“Master, the threat has been eliminated. You may proceed.”
“Good job, Ailei.”
Xu Xi praised his AI assistant as he stepped forward, reaching out to sift through the wreckage of the destroyed unit. He retrieved a few intact components and placed them into his portable storage device.
Then, Xu Xi took out his primary weapon—a massive Gauss electromagnetic bomb gun—and fired at the ruins of the energy company, blasting open a passage for himself.
“Oh, jackpot.”
He halted.
In the darkness of the ruins ahead, pairs of red eyes flickered to life—external indicators of electronic surveillance.
…
[You have worked diligently for years, analyzing and mastering most of the items in the laboratory.]
[You realize that to further improve yourself, you need to acquire more mechanical items to generate stronger mechanical resonance.]
[There are only two paths before you.]
[One, explore the ruins of the Federation and seek the brilliance of the past in the wasteland.]
[Two, defeat various mechanized units and extract knowledge from their remains.]
[You decide to pursue both approaches simultaneously.]
[Equipped with power armor and aided by Ailei, you step out of the laboratory, clearing weak mechanized units along the way and collecting valuable remnants while heading toward the energy company’s ruins for exploration.]
[Your luck is peculiar.] [Upon entering the energy company, you encounter a large group of mechanical hounds—Saiqing Energy’s security units and the very reason for the company’s downfall.]
[You enhance your power armor with mechanical force and, with the help of your AI assistant, manage to secure a hard-fought victory.]
“Click!”
The ammunition was loaded.
As Xu Xi pulled the trigger, the massive electromagnetic bomb tore through several mechanical hounds.
He then swung his sturdy weapon, smashing more hounds against the walls with overwhelming force.
More weapons.
More targeting.
All were handled by Ailei’s assistance.
When the battle ended, the chaotic battlefield fell silent. Xu Xi gazed at the scattered mechanical wreckage and frowned.
“This is tougher than expected…”
“This power armor alone is still too weak.”
Clenching his fists, Xu Xi felt the amplified strength from the armor but couldn’t help comparing it to the overwhelming mechanized swarms he had encountered before, sighing inwardly.
This sci-fi simulation was different from the previous ones, where personal strength alone could secure an advantage.
In a world driven by technology, individuals were mere insignificant fragments of civilization.
The mechanical tide was endless.
Handling so many mechanized threats alone was nearly impossible.
“As the saying goes, fight fire with fire. I should adopt the local strategy and counter their overwhelming numbers with my own.”
Xu Xi pondered as he moved forward.
The most impressive aspect of technology was its astonishing productivity.
He wasn’t sure if the rogue mechanized units could independently produce reinforcements, but even if they couldn’t, their sheer existing numbers were astronomical, far beyond what he could handle alone.
Unless Xu Xi could somehow create his own endless mechanized army.
Or, perhaps, achieve personal mechanical ascension in this world.
“Tsk, none of this is going to be easy…”
Xu Xi kicked open a door, forcefully entering the energy company.
There was no point in making elaborate plans.
In this apocalyptic world, enemies lurked everywhere, with no reinforcements or resources—each step had to be taken cautiously.
Tap. Tap.
With heavy footsteps echoing, Xu Xi rushed into the core area of Saiqing Energy’s facility.
“Master, I have scanned the surrounding terrain and generated a visual map for your review.”
“Thanks, Ailei.”
Her calm voice echoed, constantly monitoring the surroundings with slight fluctuations in her visual display.
Xu Xi nodded, checked the internal layout of the energy company, and proceeded toward the core area.
The surroundings were dark and covered in dust, obscuring his vision.
But the armor’s high defense allowed Xu Xi to press forward without fear.
He charged ahead, crushing bones and machinery underfoot before blasting open a reinforced alloy door.
“Ailei.”
“Yes, Master?” Ailei’s image displayed a puzzled expression.
“I think… I might have found you a new home.”
Xu Xi tapped the right side of his helmet, activating the armor’s headlamp.
A bright white beam illuminated the buried metallic object within the ruins. Its surface was pale, and its design was intricate.
Xu Xi recognized it instantly.
It was the pinnacle of human ingenuity—a top-tier supercomputer from the Federation.
However, he wasn’t sure if it was still functional.
Time and the mechanized rebellion might have severely damaged it, rendering it unusable or impairing its performance.
“Ailei, scan—”
“No, forget it.”
Xu Xi reconsidered.
This place was a ruin with no proper tools or power sources. Even if Ailei was an advanced AI, she couldn’t run diagnostics without the necessary conditions.
“Do I have to transport it back the same way I moved production machines before?”
Staring at the massive supercomputer, which was as large as a small hill, Xu Xi fell silent.
This might be… a bit troublesome.
Stepping forward, he began clearing away the debris to expose the enormous supercomputer, its thick layer of dust a testament to the passage of time.
Can it be repaired? Can it be moved? Can it still function?
Frowning in thought, Xu Xi’s concerns were evident, prompting his loyal AI assistant to offer help.
“Master, actually, I can…”
Ailei’s digital expression blinked reassuringly within his helmet’s display.
