Su Lun jumped down from the airship and found a hillside by the railway, where he leisurely lay down.
Not long after, a train bound for the Imperial Capital, Kabitron, arrived.
The cities of the Mafa Empire are highly chanized, with steam engines being the most important machinery for providing power for production and daily life. As a result, the major cities need to consu a large amount of coal every day. Decades of developnt have led to a well-developed railway transportation network connecting nearly every city within Mafa.
Trains need to stop at stations along the way, making them much slower than airships.
Su Lun hitched a ride and, by the ti he arrived at the Kabitron Southern City train station, it was already noon the next day.
Although he was well aware that Mafa's cities were quite extravagant, Su Lun was still shocked by the steel forest that greeted him when he disembarked from the train.
His gaze was t with densely packed buildings, with hundreds of stories high rises visible everywhere.
Highly chanized cities have severe pollution, and Kabitron was no exception.
The sll of coal smoke in the air made Su Lun, a newcor to this place, feel sowhat choked.
However, because it didn't have the coastal climate of Old Lington, there wasn't much fog in the city, and the exhaust fus were blown far away by the towering chimneys piercing the sky.
The area around the Southern City train station was remodeled from a centuries-old urban district, resulting in sowhat chaotic planning. But it was this chaos, combined with the prominent steel and steam elents, that gave it a heavy and rugged industrial vibe.
In Ruying, steam vehicles were exclusive to the nobility and the wealthy, and private cars were rarely seen on the roads.
But here, one per capita.
On the streets, there were steam motorcycles racing everywhere.
Not only traditional motorcars, but the streets were also filled with chanical fleas, steam copper bulls, steel giants, mini hovercrafts... all sorts of strange and bizarrely shaped chanical transportation devices.
Clearly, they were not mass-produced but personally modified.
In Mafa, the title of "Interdiate chanic" was common among the people.
The most common shops on the street were dazzling chanical shops.
...
"This national strength, Ruying is behind by more than fifty years." Su Lun walked out of the train station, looking at the street and feeling incredibly reflective.
In Ruying, wealth was concentrated at the top of the pyramid; nobles were indeed very rich, but the common people were barely struggling on the edge of survival. A textile worker in Old Lington earning two thousand Lysos a month was already a very enviable job.
But here, looking at recruitnt ads for chanical apprentices posted on street signs, salaries start from five thousand Kroner Lysos (approximately ten thousand Lysos).
Machinery significantly improved societal productivity, and most labor-intensive industries were replaced by machines.
Having solved the problem of survival, civilization can enter the fast lane of developnt.
The gap between the two great empires will grow like a snowball, getting bigger and bigger.
Without alchemy, Ruying could not even be ntioned in the sa breath as Mafa.
Walking onto the street, there were all sorts of brokers by the roadside.
Besides the traditional risqué industry, there was even more emphasis on chanical sales.
"Hey, buddy, need a chanical prosthetic modification? I guarantee it's the latest technology, the most favorable price. We can even customize the chanical arm you need..."
"The Tyson chanical Boxing Company produces chanical boxing arms, the best combat arms for hunting in the wilds and fighting. For just thirty thousand Kroner, you can have the strength of a giant bear..."
"Lairel chanical Shop undertakes all kinds of chanical modifications, artificial lungs, laser eyes, bionic sponges..."
"..."
Su Lun walked on by.
In his field of vision, nearly everyone had so kind of chanical prosthetics on their body.
This suddenly made him feel as though he was back in Old Lington, seeing the "Steam Party" and those who were dedicated to extre modifications.
Yes!
These chanical prosthetic technologies originated from Old Lington.
Ever since the King of the North Sea robbed the Black Tower Mine, the technology for chanical prosthesive modifications from Old Lington had spread, and most of the technology, personnel, and equipnt reached Mafa through various black market channels.
Mafa didn't have chanical prosthetics before, not because its technological level was lower than Old Lington's, but because their research directions were different.
In terms of purely chanical technical standards, Mafa was at least an era ahead of Old Lington.
This ultra-high level of chanical technology made it too easy to assimilate those skills.
In just one or two years, the chanical prosthetic technology was assimilated by Mafa and even further developed.
Since people in Mafa frequently dealt with machinery, the rate of self-mutilation was high. Compared to external exoskeletons, chanical prosthetics are a more perfect alternative.
Therefore, it was warmly welcod by the people of Mafa.
A sharp-eyed broker noticed Su Lun's "intact body" and kept asking questions.
Now, prosthetic modifications are at the forefront of Mafa's trends; without a modified arm or sothing, it's hard for young people to claim they are part of the youth.
Su Lun took off his glove in resignation, revealing his chanical hand.
He had made this glove for himself to control puppets, which is considered a low-tier fine product.
Those who know their craft can tell at a glance.
Sure enough, the broker imdiately knew he had encountered an expert.
He didn't persist but looked at it and exclaid, "Yo, sir, your chanical glove is quite nicely modified. Is this the latest Old Lington retro style? Automatic recoil elastic device, kinetic energy recovery, chanical energy storage... Oh, this design is simply fantastic! Are you interested in selling the patent for this glove..."
Su Lun smiled without speaking and left.
Although the chanical glove was entry-level equipnt, the fact that any passerby could understand its design shows the depth of Mafa's foundations.
...
Su Lun stepped out of the train station, greeted by a kaleidoscope of colorful advertising signs.
"Where are you?"
"Under the sign for 'Carrot Gun & Parts Shop'."
"I'm here too, but I don't see you."
"I see you. Look up, I'm on the iron bridge!"
"..."
When Su Lun looked up, he saw a woman by the iron bridge with cropped, silvery hair, clad in liquid black leather, her figure lithe and graceful, waving at him.
Su Lun walked over and greeted her with a smile, "Long ti no see, Miss Nineteen."
Encountering an old friend in a strange land, Miss Nineteen also seed very happy.
The corners of her mouth lifted in a brilliant arc as she responded, "Long ti no see, Su Lun."
Reuniting with an old friend, Su Lun examined Miss Nineteen. Observing her bare tallic-gloss arms, a look of puzzlent crossed his eyes.
Although he knew she was a fully-modified chanical warrior, it was the first ti he saw her exposing her half-chanical limbs like that.
Apparently noticing what he was thinking, she laughed and explained, "Bionic skin is expensive, and it damages easily. The maintenance cost is quite high. I rarely wear it unless necessary."
Su Lun had a mont of realization, "Oh, I see. How co you seem so different?"
The chanical arms were no longer the original "PX911" model. They were clearly a redesigned and remanufactured version.
Exposed chanical skeletons were now a trendy statent among the young people in Mafa, making her not stand out in this fashion and offering better camouflage.
Su Lun also noticed that this old friend who he hadn't seen in a long ti had changed quite a lot in other respects, especially her deanor.
Before, she truly was an ice-cold chanical warrior, but now she seed to possess a much richer emotional range.
When they had been in Old Lington, their relationship had been quite good.
Miss Nineteen looked at his scrutinizing gaze, not minding it at all, and smiled, "I've been through a lot here in Mafa these past few years; it's not sothing I can easily explain."
After a brief ntion, she did not delve further into it. She hopped onto her motorcycle parked at the curb and called out, "Co on, get on. We'll change locations to catch up."
"Okay."
Su Lun smiled and got on the bike.
The motorcycle sped off down the road.
...
The buildings in the center of Kabitron City were frighteningly tall and densely packed, much like multilayered canopies, with extrely complex road conditions.
According to Su Lun's perceptions, the population density was alarmingly high— at least five or six tis that of Lington.
Just like in the old inner city of Lington, there were various iron bridges connecting the buildings, turning the entire city into a layered forest of steel.
The upper city enjoyed plentiful sunshine, abloom with flowers; the lower levels, on the other hand, were perpetually in shadow, thus illuminated twenty-four hours a day with blue and red hues dominating the palette, oozing cyberpunk style.
Miss Nineteen drove Su Lun swiftly through the lower levels.
The functionality of Mafa's chanical motorcycles was remarkable; as long as the wheels of the motorcycle could gain traction, that was deed a road, sotis even venturing up narrow pipes and along eaves.
They weaved through the paths and soon, the motorcycle pulled up to a halt in a small alleyway.
Su Lun looked up to see buildings of over a hundred stories all around.
The distance between the buildings was no more than twenty ters, which left them without sunlight all year round, making the air slightly humid.
After dismounting, a woman with a buzz cut who had her breastbone replaced with a tallic structure, fixing her own motorbike in the chanical modification shop nearby, greeted Nineteen, "Hey, Nicole, you're back!"
Miss Nineteen returned the greeting.
Turning to Su Lun, she led him up a rust-stained iron staircase as she explained, "That's my na here in Mafa."
Listening, Su Lun chuckled, "Nicole? That has a nice ring to it."
Nicole gave a beautiful shrug with a hint of a smile.
"Clang," "Clang," "Clang"...
The old iron staircase was noisy to walk on, and they had quite a few floors to climb.
Friends who have shared struggles in the past, even after not seeing each other for a long ti, did not feel like strangers.
Talking casually as they ascended.
With a smile tinged with amusent, Nicole said, "I've heard you stirred up quite the incident recently, even making it into the newspapers here in Mafa."
Speaking, she sounded a bit wistful, "Everyone's gotten really impressive."
Su Lun replied, "You've changed a lot too."
Nicole simply smiled, neither confirming nor denying, and then asked, "How are things with the plane invasion?"
Su Lun frowned, "It's bad. We have to be ready for battle at all tis."
As they touched on this subject, Nicole seed to recall sothing, "Lately, there have been rumors on the black market that Kabitron has been receiving so 'outsiders' of unknown origin. They wield high-level magic and have killed quite a few people."
Su Lun nodded, "Hmm. They're probably mages from the celestial planes."
"..."
After seven flights of stairs, there was no path left.
Nicole leaped gracefully, ascending another two stories to land on a platform.
Su Lun also jumped across.
The two of them arrived in front of a house that appeared to be made of shipping containers.
It felt like... living on top of an abandoned crane?
Number 19 opened the door and turned to invite Su Lun in, "Please co in."
Su Lun took a look around the shabby environnt and, not minding it, walked in.
Although the place was rudintary, it was tidy inside. There weren't many anities, but the room was packed with various chanical tools, parts, and blueprints.
What was miraculous, though, was that the windows in the room allowed sunlight to stream in.
Number 19 seed quite satisfied and said, "To have a room at the bottom that can see the sunlight at dawn is already quite rare. Make yourself comfortable, sit anywhere you like."
Of course, Su Lun didn't see himself as an outsider and took a seat on the couch,
Number 19 explained, "This is Area C6, considered a civilian area of the Royal City. There are several large light firearms factories, but most importantly, this is where the headquarters of the 'chanic Alchemy Guild' is located, and Kabitron's largest free chanics market. Oh, and there's also the black market."
Su Lun asked, "Do you live here?"
Number 19 replied, "Yeah. It's convenient to buy materials here, and the 'Mafa Royal chanical Academy' is just three blocks away, where I usually spend my days."
Listening, Su Lun found it even more surprising; she knew Number 19 was in Mafa, but she didn't know she was studying here, "You're studying at the Royal Academy?"
Number 19 blinked, "Yeah... otherwise, where do you think I got my chanical limbs from? I modified them myself. The progress is pretty good; I've nearly reached the power level of a sixth-tier warrior."
Watching her deanor, Su Lun always felt that she seed more like a normal human now; previously she was entirely a cold, war machine, "No, I an, is it common for people to study at the Mafa Royal Academy?"
In Luying, the Royal Academy was almost exclusively for nobles to study.
Number 19 replied, "Yes, anyone can. As long as you pay enough money and can understand the lectures, you are even allowed to audit courses at the Royal chanical Academy. The Harris dynasty puts a lot into educational resources, and the tuition is quite cheap. The salary levels in Kabitron are also good, so even the poorest people at the bottom can learn about chanics if they wish. If your grades are good enough, and you manage to develop a few patents while in school, there is also a generous scholarship."
"..."
Su Lun, listening, felt once again that Mafa's strength was inevitable.
Compared to Luying, where the nobility wanted to monopolize knowledge to secure their positions and thus prevent the commoners from being educated for generations, Mafa's learning atmosphere was truly a heaven.
...
"Want sothing to drink? Beer?"
Number 19 was asking but had already taken out a dozen beers from her storage ring, saying, "I don't usually have drinks prepared here. You only told you were coming two hours ago. I just randomly bought so beer on the way."
Su Lun wasn't fussy, "Anything's fine. No need to be so polite."
Number 19 then opened a can of beer for him and one for herself, adding, "Kabitron doesn't have much of a view to appreciate; the entire city is a huge industrial base. From this window, you can already see the view from all seven levels of the city. Having gotten used to the lab, I feel uncomfortable anywhere else, so I brought you to my place."
In saying this, she added another line, "Don't mind the simplicity of my place, okay?"
How could Su Lun mind such things, feeling that this personal space was more suitable for revisiting old tis, but what made him more curious was, Number 19 was actually gulping down her drink?
He directly asked, "Can you drink beer now?"
Su Lun rembered that super chanical warriors seed to only need to replenish their brains with a little glycogen, their power source being energy baryte.
As for alcohol and food, they were completely unnecessary.
Number 19, "Yeah, I've got to disguise myself as a normal person, right? So I got myself an 'artificial stomach.' I can eat just like everyone else."
She knew what Su Lun was curious about and, while speaking, she unzipped the leather jacket over her chest to reveal the snow-white synthetic skin underneath.
Then she opened up her chest cavity and pointed to the densely packed chanical organs inside, saying, "This is it, the 'Big Stomach King Bionic Gastric Sack,' Mafa's latest black tech. It cost more than 300,000 Krona. I think the only benefit is that it allows to experience the sensation of alcohol numbing my nerves again, haha..."
Su Lun watched as she opened up her chest cavity, his mind suddenly still trying to catch up.
Number 19 gave a self-deprecating laugh and continued, "Of course, this is my everyday chanical body. I also have a battle body that I can switch to at any ti. Mafa's technology is far ahead of Old Lington; chanical armor can achieve nearly ninth rank in battle capabilities. And I was pretty lucky before, I found a scrapped major-general's armor on the black market. I've also developed a new type of synthetic skin on my own with pretty good defensive capabilities. I've fitted these technologies onto my chanical body, and now, my combat power is around rank six..."
Su Lun heard the subtle lancholy in Number 19's tone.
Now that the plane invasion was a certainty, as a mber of the Dawn group, she wanted to help, but she felt that she wasn't strong enough to be of much use.
After all, the path to advancent for chanical warriors was different from traditional professions.
She couldn't increase her combat power through cultivation.
But there was one advantage: as long as she had a strong enough chanical body, her combat power could skyrocket imdiately.
Moreover, Number 19 had sothing different from other chanical warriors.
...
In fact, when the Mr. Jing organization broke out of the Black Tower Mine, Number 19 realized just how inadequate she was upon learning that this world had professionals up to the ninth rank.
Super chanical warriors had individual combat power of about rank three or four professionals, and they were essentially mass-produced for legion warfare.
But the ceiling for chanics wasn't low.
It was just that there weren't the conditions for it in Ruying, so she ca to Mafa to learn chanical skills, wanting to beco stronger.
And she had stayed till now.
Su Lun's trip to Mafa this ti actually had one purpose, which was specifically to look for Number 19.
At that mont, he thought of sothing and asked, "Have you felt recently that you've had very good luck and your learning efficiency is high?"
Number 19 didn't know why he suddenly asked this question and replied in surprise, "Yes. How did you know?"
Su Lun revealed a aningful smile and said, "I think you must have awakened a very rare talent."
Listening to him, Number 19 blinked in confusion, "???"
...
Once, Duke Rafael, during the experintation phase of "Neural chanical Technology," chose to use the most direct approach to accelerate research progress, which was to conduct a large number of human experints.
In the camping societies where slavery was allowed, the lives of war slaves were cheap.
Duke Raphael utilized a high number of experints to filter out subjects with great chanical endurance, and then conducted follow-up research on the survivors.
No. 19 was once touted as the most perfect experintal subject in Old Lington.
Before, nobody knew why she was so special; even Dr. Banks couldn't figure it out, only speculating it might be a rare case of probability.
But later, in Lington, after Su Lun t the Old Cowboy detective duo, Emily's "A-028-Angel of Justice" talent allowed Su Lun to guess the reason.
In the early stages of the experint, the first batch of super chanical soldiers were injected with "X serum" to boost human survival rates and reduce rejection after nerve stripping.
According to Dr. Banks, No. 19 was the most perfect carrier and had successfully rged without any deformities.
The case was the sa with Emily.
And the "A-028-Angel of Justice" talent was one involving the soul as its carrier.
This ant that even without a flesh-and-blood body, No. 19 wouldn't be significantly affected.
Moreover, Mr. Jing had chosen her to join the Mirror Organization because he saw sothing else in her, not just her prowess as a chanical warrior.
This talent was so rare that even Mr. Jing was unclear about its precise effects.
Su Lun had to ask the Old Cowboy to learn that this A-grade talent, aside from an explosive sense of justice, also had an "Angel's blessing" aura.
Hidden attributes of high luck, high enlightennt, and high potential.
This talent sounded epheral, as if it didn't boost combat strength at all.
But in reality, it was very strong.
Once the talent awakened, one would beco the incarnation of justice, impervious to evil.
Put simply, it also included a hidden "turn bad luck into good" attribute.
And "high luck" gave her better opportunities and fortunes than others.
At that ti, Su Lun finally understood why Emily, always acting like a justice-crazed lady, managed to survive so long; it was her talent's hidden "high luck value"!
It was the sa with No. 19!
Being pursued in Old Lington nurous tis yet surviving indicated she possessed this talent.
...
After hearing Su Lun's explanation, No. 19 recalled her experiences and felt as if there really was a mysterious force protecting her all along.
She attributed it to her talent.
She, too, was moved and murmured, "So that's how it is..."
Mass-produced chanical warriors originally didn't need any talents, since their bodies were fully chanized, and any talents they had were largely wasted.
No. 19 was clearly in a good mood, knowing she had this rare talent, feeling even more human now.
At this mont, Su Lun added, "By the way, I have a very special chanical part here that you might be able to use."
With that, he took out a pair of golden wings.
[Angel of Battle Gold Wings (Incomplete)]
Description: A part of the 'Angel of Battle' chanical armor forged by the Dwarf Divine General for the ancient chanical gods; even in its broken state, it still possesses a divine aura and has extraordinary combat utility; damaged, requires repair;
This was one of the "Divine Prohibitions" Su Lun had found in the Lington Mirror Library.
Su Lun had studied the runes on the wings carefully and confird they were fragnts of "Divine" level machinery.
However, the problem was that the technology was too advanced, and it was impossible to repair them.
Furthermore, no matter how high the temperature, flas couldn't lt it. The fla sealed by [Volgan's Furnace Lamp] could, but Su Lun had no confidence in repairing it.
Considering the high level of Mafa's forging skills, there might be a possibility of repair.
"This..."
As soon as she saw the wings, No. 19 couldn't take her gaze off them, as if she saw a cascade of rainbows in her eyes. She caressed the wings, the cool touch gliding through her fingers, as if touching her own skin, feeling a soul-deep connection, and whispered, "I... I feel like these wings are familiar."
Su Lun watched the gleaming spectacle with mild surprise, having never produced such an effect despite his long research.
Yet he wasn't too astonished but rather relieved.
In the myths passed down in the books, many of the ancient Divine Artifacts were made to be exclusive to those with specific bloodline traits.
Like in mythological tales, there is a [Hamr of Thunder] that, legend has it, only those with the thunder bloodline can lift.
Su Lun thought that if No. 19 was the [Angel of Justice] talent and also a chanical being, she might be compatible.
Turns out she was.
Su Lun smiled, "Long ti no see. This is a gift for you."
No. 19 was shocked, "For ?"
Even as a product, she knew the grade of the golden wings was extrely high.
Seeing Su Lun's indifferent deanor as he continued drinking beer, she didn't say much more, with a sincere smile in her eyes, she simply said, "Thank you."
Su Lun glanced at her, lifted his wine barrel, "Cheers."
No. 19 raised hers in response, "Cheers!"
The two drank a few barrels of wine and chatted about old tis.
Suddenly, No. 19 rembered sothing, "By the way, Su Lun, didn't you ask to keep an eye out for so information? Just yesterday, I heard that soone on the black market is offering a reward for information on the Urobolos fragnts. Since you ntioned that the information is sensitive, I didn't dare to contact them recklessly. But there's an 'illegal modification party' tonight; we could go and ask..."
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