This is really not mechanical ascension

Taking the pistol, Li Ming looked at the lewd smile on Li Ning's face with a strange expression.

"Balkan Model 11 Pistol--Ungraded: Basic model pistol, insufficient lethality.

Control Conditions: 5 points of metal energy

Control Effect: Gun control--Beginner

Control Ability--Years of practice: Can temporarily elevate gun control to Primary Level.]

"Your grip on the gun…" Li Ning began to speak, then paused midway through his sentence.

"What's wrong?" Li Ming countered.

"Nothing, it's very standard." Li Ning couldn't help but ask, "Have you practiced before?"

"No, I just watched you hold it that way. Isn't it about mastering the balance, keeping stable, holding the grip with the thumb and index finger, while the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger tightly hold the bottom of the grip to ensure stability?" Li Ming said casually.

The Sniper Rifle brought with it a wealth of understanding of firearms in Assassination Skill, even saying that guns occupied a very important part.

If measured, it was at least Primary Level gun control.

"You…understood very well, that's what the textbooks say…" Li Ning was slightly embarrassed, his eyes wandering, he cleared his throat twice, and tried to maintain his authority, "Gripping the gun is nothing, shooting is the key."

Many around them had noticed, Li Ming had lately become a prominent figure, second to none.

While many envied him, they also scoffed, thinking he was just lucky, young with no real ability.

Seeing them in the midst of gun training, they were immediately interested to see just how capable this youngster was.

"Here, let me teach you." As soon as Li Ning's words fell, Li Ming glanced at him absentmindedly. His gaze hadn't fully settled on the target range when flames burst forth from the barrel.

Bang! Bang!…

A series of shots!

"10", "10", "10"

The somewhat noisy training room suddenly went quiet, except for the cold mechanical reporting sounds.

Click!

The magazine snapped into place, Li Ming hung his head low, raised the pistol with one hand, and fired. Bang! Bang! Bang!

Another round of "10"

Onlookers swallowed their saliva secretly.

Li Ning's cheeks twitched, unable to speak: "You… you… you…"

"Li Ning, did I pass the test?" Li Ming asked, tilting his head.

A bitter feeling arose in Li Ning's heart, "This… it's just a pistol, there are other firearms…"

Even though he said that, with Li Ming's current marksmanship, mastering other firearms would just mean getting familiar with them, and he would be able to handle them with ease.

The others exchanged glances, pretending to train nonchalantly, but felt sour at heart. Many of them didn't have marksmanship as good as Li Ming's, feeling like all their training had gone to the dogs.

The situation was just as Li Ning had predicted, and a few minutes later, he signed his name on the virtual screen, disheartened and unwilling.

When Li Ming went back on field operations, he would be allowed to carry a gun.

Returning to the 223rd floor, Yang Peng was apparently giving a lecture. Upon seeing them, his gaze fell on Li Ming, saying:

"Li Ming's official transfer procedures have come through. Take him through the necessary steps, especially firearm training, so he doesn't have to settle for binoculars again during field operations."

Hearing this just made Li Ning, who was already feeling dejected, laugh bitterly, "Yang Peng, you're too late."

"Hmm?" Yang Peng was puzzled, then his expression changed abruptly as he thought of them coming down from upstairs, and he said gravely, "What happened, did Li Ming get a restraining order?"

A restraining order meant that during training, accidental discharge resulted in casualties, thus completely prohibiting carrying firearms.

Knowing that Li Ming had become an F-level Life Form and had earned a significant commendation, Yang Peng had originally thought about transferring him to logistics, but changed his mind, thinking about giving him more focus on training.

If a restraining order had been triggered, it would be a big problem.

The gathered crowd also turned their gaze to this young newcomer.

"How could that be possible." Li Ning was speechless, not understanding why Yang Peng would think that, "Li Ming has already passed the assessment."

"What?" The gazes of the people around changed, and Old Dao suddenly stood up, his voice grave, "Li Ning, you can't go easy on him just because you're on good terms."

"Brother Dao, I know what's at stake, I've already copied the assessment video." Li Ning said, and started playing it right away.

The room fell silent, filled only with a series of bangs! bangs! bangs! and "10," "10," "10."

Everyone's expression changed as they looked at the serene young man on the screen, a sense of wasted effort rising unbidden.

Yang Peng's eyes narrowed slightly, understanding that Li Ming had already become an F-level Life Form, with greatly enhanced physical qualities, and he would learn gun control quickly, but he hadn't expected it to be this quick.

Maybe... this wasn't his first time handling a gun.

But he had followed Li Changhai to Li Ming's school more than once to demand an explanation.

The kid was often beaten up, his face swollen and bruised, his gaze evasive whenever he looked at him, without the slightest hint of defiance.

If he had been trained with guns from a young age, he would have developed the courage, and none of this would have happened, unless... he was deliberately enduring it, holding back since he was young?

Combining this with his suspicions about Li Changhai, Yang Peng couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine when he saw Li Ming's calm face.

"Very well." Yang Peng suppressed his disordered thoughts and dismissed the meeting.

After it was over, several old hands gathered, eyeing one of their own with disapproval, "Old Diao, didn't you say that Li Ming was timid and reticent, someone who wouldn't amount to much?"

"Was it that last time Captain Yang forcefully credited him with achievements he didn't deserve? But what about this time? Was Captain Yang invisible while he guided his hand to shoot?"

"Turns out, you made us avoid him like the plague, only to let your nephew bring him along, quite the scheme..."

"My brothers, you misunderstand. I've seen him several times before, and he never even greeted me," Old Diao said with a jocular smile, "Besides, it was Captain Yang who assigned Li Ning to lead him, it had nothing to do with me."

"Get lost, we're not falling for your tricks ever again."

...

After work, I followed the usual routine and went to the junkyard, but it was already past five, so I could only stay for three hours, 20 points of metal energy for one ton of material.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed, and the security in the city had been good recently, with rumors that several gangs outside the city had suffered major blows.

Until this day, in early July, a torrential downpour, the entire junkyard filled with the sound of raindrops pattering, thunder flashing from time to time, tearing through the night sky of Silver Grey City, making one's heart flutter.

"Young man, this rain is quite heavy, be careful on the road," the gatekeeper, now quite familiar with Li Ming.

"You too, Brother Sun," Li Ming smiled and took the transport ship home.

In these three days, coming here after work every day, coupled with previous accumulations, metal energy had reached 540 points, while also draining his savings.

Meanwhile, the development progress of the gene seed also reached 42%. After hitting the 30% milestone, even increasing the voltage, the development speed had slowed down considerably.

Originally, he had estimated that he could reach 50%, but this was enough.

With a charged strike, the Burst Level could reach 120F, already surpassing the standard of an F-level Life Form.

He closed the door, locked it, and went upstairs.

Li Ming took a deep breath, "Four-arm machine tool, evolve!"

Four mechanical arms extended from Li Ming's back, a pale golden light gradually spreading over them, the surface's silver-white metal shedding like skin, layer by layer, turning to ash.

The intricate internal mechanical structure underwent dramatic changes, layers of metal building up, reconfiguring, with the diameter expanding nearly double.

The metallic surface became smooth, with subtle patterns that looked quite nice, reflecting bits of light, with the annular links growing more intricate, tightly clamping together, with new structures added for sound dampening.

The already thick cross pincers nearly doubled in size, covering a larger area.

The drill bits and saw blades he had welded on initially also transformed, the ugly welding marks disappearing, becoming one with the mechanical arms, embodying a violent kind of beauty.

"Is this evolution... a magical power." Li Ming witnessed the whole process, marveling in his heart.

Hum!

With a mere thought, the drill bit hummed, the airflow swirling, causing the curtains to flutter incessantly.

At the same time, a flood of information poured into his mind, Li Ming's vision darkened and he nearly fell over, but having gone through it once already, he managed to hold on.

Mechanical Repair also rose to intermediate level, bringing a wealth of new knowledge, sufficient to support a large-scale repair shop.

Soon after, he exhaled deeply, and the four transformed mechanical arms suddenly extended, moving silently.

"Four meters of extension length, very good..." Li Ming, looking out the window, thought, "Dark night, fierce winds, torrential rain, it's indeed... time for murder!"