Chapter Ninety-Six: Reunion with Mechanical No. 1

Sun Licheng stood in the magic crystal warehouse, his mouth agape, unable to believe so many magic crystals were stored in the underground fortress. The warehouse soared a hundred meters high, filled to overflowing with countless iron racks that stretched from the ground to the ceiling, each crammed with iron cases resembling suitcases.

He randomly pulled out a case, opened it, and found it divided into three layers, each containing ten artificial magic crystals. Sadly, time had taken its toll; the crystals within had lost their energy and turned a dull grey.

"Boss, at its peak, this warehouse held five million magic crystals," said Mr. Nimble Fingers.

"Five million magic crystals—that’s an astonishing force. How many are still usable?" Sun Licheng sighed in awe, then asked.

"Based on estimates, about thirty thousand remain usable," Mr. Nimble Fingers replied, which pleased Sun Licheng greatly. He continued, "Most of the depleted crystals can be recharged using the devices here, so they’re not wasted."

In high spirits, Sun Licheng, guided by Mr. Nimble Fingers, examined the automated production line that used geothermal energy to recharge magic crystals. This line was remarkably efficient: each conveyor could fully recharge five hundred crystals in two hours, more than enough to meet Sun Licheng’s requirements.

After touring the crystal warehouse, Sun Licheng moved on to the magical beast sample repository. This facility resembled a research lab straight out of a science fiction film, lined with endless metallic containers stretching beyond sight. Unfortunately, most samples had lost their vitality over the ages, and those that remained had severely degenerated, yielding only hybrid breeds such as wolf-rabbits when cultivated.

"What a pity..." Sun Licheng sighed, recalling the vast magical beast armies of the Goblin Empire in the Dream War. If such an army were his, the monsters at the goblin airbase would pose no threat at all.

Disheartened, Sun Licheng decided to visit the ancestors of his own body—the last remnants of the Goblin Empire, now reduced to nothing but brains.

This chamber was vast. Two Death Dance guards stood at the entrance, indicating the security here was far less than that around the Heart of the Deities.

Inside, thousands of glowing orbs were arrayed in an impressive display. But as Sun Licheng surveyed them, he saw most had turned black and grey inside, the brains within shriveled.

A wry smile curled his lips as he remembered Commander Ruit’s confident assurances of the existence of a vast goblin army—now so clearly disproven.

The surviving brains became excited at his arrival, darting about in their orbs, the outer membranes flashing goblin script, all pleading for release.

Sun Licheng had no intention of setting them free. These creatures had survived ten thousand years under extreme conditions, likely more twisted than Commander Ruit himself.

When Sun Licheng ignored them, the brains erupted in fury, cursing him incessantly. But this only strengthened his resolve to seal this chamber forever. "These old monsters are nothing but trouble. I must deal with them when the opportunity arises."

After seeing the ancient horrors, Sun Licheng's mood soured completely. He decided to eat in the fortress’s logistics canteen.

Though Ruit and his ilk could not eat, they still required external nutrition, so the logistics system remained operational. When Mr. Nimble Fingers brought out the meal, Sun Licheng eyed the coldwater fish on his plate with confusion.

"This is a carnivorous fish bred by the Goblin Empire, infused with magical beast samples. It is not only delicious, but also highly nutritious," Mr. Nimble Fingers explained, dispelling his doubts. So the coldwater fish he’d eaten in the tunnels were all products of the Goblin Empire—no wonder their flesh held traces of energy.

Good food always lifts the spirits. After a hearty fish meal, Sun Licheng's enthusiasm returned, and he continued his tour of the underground fortress.

He was surprised to discover, beyond the coldwater fish, that the goblins had established a small plant farm within the fortress, cultivating several types of lichen to supplement vitamins. There was also a saltworks, producing exceptionally pure mined salt; Sun Licheng realized that the rock salt mine he’d previously discovered must be part of this vein.

Aside from these, the fortress contained specialized warehouses for military uniforms and weapons, as well as a large repair facility. Sun Licheng inspected the repair shop, impressed by its automation—most equipment could be restored. He’d hoped to repair the combat puppets, but according to Azure Dragon, without specialized materials, restored mechanical puppets would only be for show, useless in battle.

Still, Sun Licheng thought: our army began with makeshift weapons, so improvisation is nothing new. Although repaired puppets might not be fit for combat, they could still serve as laborers. He had no ambition for power or conquest; so many warriors were unnecessary. The limited materials would require careful planning and consultation with everyone.

In sum, the underground fortress was rich—one could even say overflowing—with resources. But it fell far short of Commander Ruit’s promises of powerful support. Ten thousand years had passed; most supplies and equipment were aged, some unusable. Becoming a minor lord posed no problem, but to challenge the great powers of this world was pure fantasy.

As a loose alliance of primitive tribes, the Moon Alliance could field over six thousand warriors at a time; the strength of other factions could only be imagined.

"Ha! Still dreaming of fighting the deities. Ruit and his cronies must be out of their minds!" Sun Licheng grumbled inwardly.

He walked out, when a glint caught his eye—a special combat puppet. He stopped abruptly.

The puppet had been tossed carelessly in a corner of the repair shop, head bowed, its belly completely opened—a pitiful sight. Nearby, dozens of puppet heads were piled up.

"What’s this?" Sun Licheng circled the mechanical puppet twice, then suddenly exclaimed, "Mechanical Number One!"

During the airbase battle a few months ago, over two hundred mechanical puppets had shielded Sun Licheng’s escape with their lives. Whenever he thought of those brave companions falling one after another, his heart felt pierced with grief.

He had hoped to return and rescue the puppets, perhaps revive them, but his weakness forced him to abandon the idea. Unexpectedly, here was Mechanical Number One.

Sun Licheng hurriedly summoned Azure Dragon and asked about it. As it turned out, after Sun Licheng slew the goblin hero, the underground base’s surveillance system was triggered. Azure Dragon led ten combat puppets on a reconnaissance mission. Following information from the valley fortress, they traced the goblin airbase.

The base was too dangerous, so they could only retrieve the heads of mechanical puppets outside. Inside, however, Mechanical Number One, having been modified by Sun Licheng, was unique, so Azure Dragon had risked bringing him back.

"Can we revive Mechanical Number One and the others?" Sun Licheng knelt, gently stroking the scattered puppet heads, then turned to Mr. Nimble Fingers. These courageous warriors had given their lives to protect him; Sun Licheng was determined not to abandon a single one.