Sovereign of the Ashes

During their visit to BHR678 Space Station, Titanfang and Skyhold were not the only ones to receive gifts from Dr. Bell.

Redweaver, Stormclaw, and Stratosurge, who had also come to the station, each received their own upgrade parts as well.

Redweaver received a spider-type exoskeleton armor, perfectly suited to its combat style. Eight sharp metallic legs extended from its back, greatly boosting both its agility and offensive power.

Stormclaw obtained four gauntlets that locked onto the metal joints of its limbs. With them, its movements became even quicker than before.

Without the Faceless Mask, Sein would have struggled to track Stormclaw’s full-speed assaults with the naked eye.

Stratosurge was given a heavy, yellow crown. It enhanced both strength and attack power, making it a flawless upgrade for Stratosurge.

All of these parts and mechanical devices had been developed by the Gallant Federation. Yet, by the standards of power and treasure grading within the Astral Realm, they could be classified as “divine artifacts”.

In truth, whether it was divine artifacts forged by the faith-based civilization, magic artifacts crafted by the Magus Civilization’s mages, or upgrade parts developed by the Gallant Federation’s scientists, they were all the same at their core.

The caliber of these upgrade parts spoke volumes about the scientific achievements of BHR678 Space Station over the years.

However, as Sein examined the pieces given to Titanfang and the others more carefully, he noticed something off. His eyes narrowed as he cast a suspicious look at Dr. Bell.

“Something isn’t right. If these components fit Titanfang and the other robots so perfectly, then they must have been created long ago, correct?” Sein asked.

Dr. Bell hesitated, stumbling over his words. He was, after all, a researcher, not a diplomat or negotiator.

At last, he nodded. “Yes, for most of the high-tier intelligent robots we developed on Nexon, we also designed corresponding upgrades. But some of them are still not perfected yet...”

Sein stepped forward, extending a hand. “Either way, Titanfang and the others are about to leave this place. Who knows when they will return to Nexon again? Why not hand over all the upgrades for the robots to us now, doctor?”

At this, Titanfang’s electronic eyes flared with a brighter glow.

The rise of a race or a civilization could not depend on Titanfang and Skyhold alone. It needed the strength and effort of their entire people.

The components would greatly boost the power of the high-tier intelligent robots under Titanfang’s command. There was no sense in letting them go to waste.

At Sein’s request, Dr. Bell’s lips twitched, but in the end, he silently complied.

By the time they were done, BHR678 Space Station was noticeably emptier.

Sein carried multiple spatial storage devices himself, while Titanfang, Redweaver, and the other intelligent robots had their own capacities as well.

The Gallant Federation called their storage equipment the “nanoparticle expander”. A palm-sized box could hold an incredible amount.

Unlike Magus Civilization’s storage equipment, which could only be accessed through mental focus, the Federation’s version usually unlocked with just a fingerprint.

After loading their spoils from BHR678, Sein considered destroying the place but ultimately decided against it.

Dr. Bell and the hundred-plus federal scientists stationed here were remarkable in their own right.

Sein admired their willingness to give their lives to protect their research.

Were it not for the looming war between their civilizations, he believed he could have befriended Dr. Bell and the others.

He even wished he had the chance to exchange knowledge with them about equipment and artifact construction.

The creation of the “Magic Cube”, even imperfect, was proof enough of how far Bell and his colleagues had gone in the pursuit of truth.

Though they lacked the destructive power Sein commanded, Bell had already traveled farther than him down certain paths of discovery.

“What a rare and admirable group of people,” Sein mumbled to himself, casting one last look at BHR678 Space Station.

It was the first time he had ever spoken words of admiration toward humans of the Gallant Federation.

At the same time, BHR678 had given him the greatest prize of his entire mission inside the federation’s territory.

Even unfinished, the “Magic Cube” would serve as an invaluable asset to him for years to come.

If he managed to return alive with it to Magus World, he wondered whether the higher echelons could complete it and turn it into a true world-class secret treasure.

After Sein and his group departed, a federal scientist in a white lab coat looked around the emptier laboratories and asked nervously, “Will the Federation hold us responsible? After all, we gave so much stuff away...”

“Who said it was us who gave it away? The surveillance cameras are all damaged in here. It was Titanfang and the other robots who robbed us!” another quick-witted scientist snapped back.

The scientists were all smart individuals. Almost at once, every one of them understood their colleague’s meaning.

They all nodded in agreement. “Yes, you’re right. They robbed us. We did everything we could to protect our research.”

Unlike the others, Dr. Bell’s mind was still on the light orb Sein had taken out earlier, even after Titanfang and the rest had gone.

After studying the research notes of Pavlov, the federation’s legendary scientist, Dr. Bell had actually hoped to create a new species based on the Radiant Celestials the Gallant Federation had once come into contact with in its history.

Yes, species creation was his ultimate academic goal.

The Radiant Celestials of old had created the angels, while Dr. Bell had created the intelligent robots.

Yet unlike angels, who could at least reproduce on their own, the intelligent robots still did not qualify as a true species. Dr. Bell had a long way to go before reaching his ultimate goal.

Still, this experience had opened a new window for him.

He might not be able to create something new right away, but the path ahead had never seemed clearer.

Given enough time, Dr. Bell was certain to achieve even greater heights than he had already accomplished!

Unfortunately... Dr. Bell would never get to fulfill his lifelong dream.

Though Sein spared both Dr. Bell and the BHR678 Space Station for various reasons, the others were not so merciful.

Several massive federal warships had already charged their main cannons for ultra-long-range concentrated strikes and locked onto its direction.

Their targets were not only the BHR678 Space Station but also Nexon Planet itself!

The Gallant Federation intended to destroy the entire mechanical planet, and BHR678 Space Station was simply unlucky to get caught in the crossfire.

With infiltration spreading and Nexon’s robots confirmed as traitors, the federation decided to resolve this as swiftly as possible by erasing everything.