Apocalypse: Hero of Potato Fields

Grate Fortress.

Facing Lin Yi's inquiry, the bald chief shook his head.

"No, no... Skills can indeed manufacture various components, but in actual use, we assemble mechas using parts obtained from rewards."

"I thought we could get a complete mecha."

"I wish that were so! But this situation is extremely rare, and as far as I know, no one has ever gotten a First Level mecha through this method.

Generally speaking, most rewards are mecha components or mechanical weapons. However... as you level up, you need more and more components.

For example, a First Level mecha only requires legs and a chassis, but a Second Level mecha's legs and chassis must be assembled from multiple parts... We've only successfully assembled a few Fourth Level mechas, and each one consumed unimaginable resources.

The Sentinel Mecha is primarily made from Third Level components.

It has a T3 Engine, two T2 Backup Engines, two T3 Reactors, four T2 Weapon Systems, and a T3 Close Combat System.

As I mentioned before, it's extremely expensive.

I don't even want to mention those small components, oh... I forgot to explain, T3 and T2 are terms we use here. 'T' stands for 'Technology Level', and the number obviously indicates the level."

"So, without a factory, these parts are useless?"

Lin Yi was a bit frustrated.

His dream of recruiting Tilian people and forming a mecha army shattered...

"... Well, can I try driving it?"

"Of course you can."

The cockpit of this mecha is in the middle of its chest.

It's dark inside the cockpit.

As soon as Lin Yi sat down, the machine started, and a system message appeared.

[Hello, User!]

[Would you like to activate Sentinel Mecha No. 33?]

"Activate."

[Please remain still, establishing connection!]

Some small mechanical arms extended from the seat, attaching to the area connecting Lin Yi's neck and spine.

He felt a slight prick, like an electric shock, but it didn't hurt.

[Connection established!]

Identifying new user... Identification complete!

Connecting neural system... Complete!

Starting brain link... Error!

Error! Error! Error!

Security protocol activated.

Initiating emergency shutdown...

"Are you kidding me?!"

Lin Yi looked speechlessly at the reopened cockpit, clearly unable to pilot the mecha.

Wait, everything went smoothly just now; the problem was with the brain link.

He suddenly remembered feeling something stuffed into his mind; could this be the reason?

Looks like he has to hurry to Berlin and find the Medical Pod that Professor Mark mentioned to see what's in his head.

The chief was sure there wouldn't be any issues, but seeing the mecha unable to start, he realized he was wrong.

"Did something go wrong?"

"There are some problems with my brain... it seems I can't pilot the mecha, Louis, do you want to try?"

"Great!" The old mechanician replied excitedly, running towards the cockpit.

Once this veteran entered the cockpit, the robot started moving after about ten seconds.

It took four steps and then... stopped.

The cockpit opened, and the boarding ladder moved back over. Louis crawled out, pale and drenched in sweat.

The chief, pale-faced, asked again, "Did something go wrong again?"

"Hey... It's harder than I thought... I feel like my brain is about to melt."

"Your brain computing power isn't high enough... After all, you are purely human... Theoretically, with regular training and practice... perhaps a Second Level mecha would be easier to operate..."

"Never mind, I have many subordinates; maybe one of them can do it... If not, I wouldn't mind taking some Coins."

"You mean Survivor Coins? We have some!"

The bald chief breathed a sigh of relief.

He thought this deal was already dead but didn't expect a change in circumstances...

But Lin Yi wasn't planning to give up on this, the most powerful mecha of Grate Fortress.

He would always find a way to use it.

"I'll take this Sentinel Mecha too, and I'd like to test-drive a few models with weaker performance."

Lin Yi waved his hand, and Louis and the mecha were teleported to the Shelter.

"Does this mecha have instructions for use? Like operation method, maintenance, or the like?"

"We'll prepare some for you... If the maintenance is too difficult, we're happy to charge a small fee to maintain this mecha for you."

Lin Yi just realized the trap here: it's the future repairs and maintenance!

"Alright, if we can't handle it, we'll surely ask for your help... as long as the price is reasonable.

I noticed the research work here is bustling; it looks like you're also studying the infected. Aren't you worried they might escape and kill people?"

"Haha! We've taken every precaution. If an accident occurs or the infected escape, the security system will burn everything to ashes directly."

"Including the staff?"

"Yes." The chief nodded, unaware that there was anything wrong with it.

Lin Yi frowned.

"Isn't it a bit... wasteful? Scientists and engineers don't just grow on trees..."

"Sorry, I forgot you're not a new human."

The chief smiled awkwardly, then started swiping on the tablet.

"You already know, we are digital humans, not artificial intelligence. Do you understand our history?"

"No, but I'd love to hear about it."

Lin Yi said as he sat down on a chair, casually teleporting some snacks over.

The chief sat down as well.

"In the year 223... the apocalypse began... species were on the brink of extinction. A devastating war triggered an environmental disaster... the water was polluted, the air was toxic, and almost all plant and animal life was wiped out...

When we realized we could no longer survive on this planet, we decided to transfer our consciousness to mechanical bodies that didn't need air, food, or water.

Once we were no longer facing extinction, we could freely begin to restore the planet's ecology, and then we could return to human bodies."

"The planet hasn't fully recovered yet, has it?"

"Indeed... the first batch of new humans could only live for twenty years, and their descendants... well, they have grown accustomed to living in mechanical bodies."

The chief took a sip of tea.

"Only live for twenty years? Then what do you mean by descendants?"

"The consciousness of the first batch of new humans was digitized and uploaded to artificial brains.

But consciousness, or the 'soul,' cannot survive without a biological body.

Once transferred to an artificial body, it gradually begins to perish.

So even new humans have a lifespan limit.

Of course, as time progressed, the technology continuously advanced, and now our average lifespan has increased to about ninety years.

And I don't think we've reached our limit yet."

"You sound like a science fiction novel... how do you reproduce?"

"We combine our DNA to create an embryo, and once the embryo begins to develop, we extract its DNA and upload it to an artificial body.

Then every few years, we replace that body with a new one.

DNA samples are hardwired to the brain so that more offspring can be produced."

"All of this is so complicated... but... you haven't answered my main question yet."

"I'll get to that now."

The chief said, finishing his tea and taking out the computer.

Lin Yi saw photos of equipment on it.

"This is a Level Four system device; it allows us to replicate consciousness. Everyone here backs up their consciousness once a day using this device.

So if anything happens, we just upload the backup to a new body."

"So you can achieve immortality?"

"Unfortunately, no," the chief said with a hint of longing in his smile.

"Although we can replicate ourselves indefinitely, there are some conditions.

Firstly, the lifespan of the replicated consciousness doesn't reset. Secondly, the system doesn't allow a being to occupy two bodies simultaneously. In other words, as long as I'm alive, I can't replicate myself."

"Understood. Then why don't you restore the planet's ecology?"

"Actually, it's simple. Just forty years after the new era began, another war broke out... the remaining resources were already scarce.

The population grew quickly... since then, conflicts have never stopped, not a single day."

"Ha! You are living on another planet, with a different culture and different race, yet you have the same issues as us... I have another proposal..."

Lin Yi hadn't finished speaking when Melanie anxiously shouted over the radio.

"Boss! Louis is injured!"

"What happened?!"

"I don't know, someone heard a loud crash, and when they ran over to see what was going on, Louis was trapped under a pile of robot parts. They can hear his voice but can't get him out."

"I'm on my way."

Lin Yi looked at the chief's shocked face.

"Sorry, something very important has come up. I'll be back shortly."

He teleported to the location of the Sentinel Mecha and saw that the precious mecha had turned into a pile of scrap.

A large crowd had gathered around, dragging the broken parts in different directions.

He found the old mechanician and teleported him out from under the wreckage.

His shoulders and legs were bleeding, and there was a deep wound on his forehead, but he was alive.

"What happened?!"

"I don't know..." Louis answered, trying to stand up and then immediately falling back.

He looked up at his boss, smiling bitterly.

"The moment I got back to the shelter, that pile of stuff fell apart right over my head! Lucky for me, these old bones are tough..."

"Got it, go to the hospital."

Lin Yi waved his hand and sent Louis to the hospital, then picked up a piece of armor...

and found it to be astonishingly heavy.

He teleported back to Tilian Planet.

Wanting to figure out why the giant robot he just acquired was already scrapped.

"Chief! What is...?!"

Lin Yi hadn't finished speaking when he suddenly realized that the extremely heavy armor piece was now at least five times lighter!

"Problem?! What problem?!"

"This mecha fell apart the moment it reached my turf; I brought a piece of it back, but... its weight is only a tenth of what it was!"

"Hold on a moment... can you teleport all the wreckage to the testing site?"