Starting as a Mechanical Hunter

Chapter 26: Chapter 20: Invasive Neural Modification

Gao Gong’s body slammed into a tree, losing 11 points of blood volume. He gritted his teeth and struck the tree with his backhand. The microcomputer tiger’s chainsaw mode activated with a ’zzzz’ sound, cutting vertically and sending wood chips flying, finally slowing his speed and making him stagger to the ground.

However, Gao Gong showed no trace of complacency, instead gazing solemnly at the Reaper Leader in mid-air.

The radiation storm indeed showed signs of weakening, but it had not disappeared, indicating that the Reaper Leader was not completely dead.

Among the opponent’s many question marks, one was definitely the [Headless] trait.

Headless: Except for the radiation energy source, this mechanical bio-beast has no vital organs.

”What are you staring for? Fire!”

Gao Gong’s shout awakened the remaining Cable Tribe members, and sporadic gunfire rang out immediately.

Even if the opponent wasn’t dead, its remaining blood volume wouldn’t exceed 200 points. As long as they blocked its final deadly counterattack, they’d definitely be able to kill it.

However, something unexpected happened. The female Reaper, sensing through pheromones between spouses, suddenly appeared behind the wounded, and four biological scythes stabbed like lightning into its body. The ’blade back’ of the biological scythes opened small circular holes, crazily absorbing her husband’s essence.

The body surface of the female commander visibly reddened.

It’s said that after mating, female mantises eat their mates.

It seems eco-friendly.

It seemed to be the case right before their eyes.

The male Reaper’s body gradually shrank, the radiation storm visibly disappearing. Then the female commander suddenly opened her orifice, a harsh low-frequency noise emerged from her mouth, and she left without looking back. After a moment’s hesitation, the remaining three Reapers also vanished into the deep forest.

All that was left was a shriveled carcass crashing heavily from the sky.

[Task complete, calculating task rewards...]

[Task rewards have been issued]

Gao Gong plopped down on the ground, baring his teeth, staring at the string of rewards on the system panel.

Experience: 9440—Basic reward 6500 + 700 [17 Cable Tribe survivors] + 160 [Juvenile Reaper*2] + 480 [Adult Reaper*4]

Cable Tribe Favor (Friendly) [500/1800]

Note: You are a friend of the tribe, and your suggestions will be seriously considered by the tribe.

You have unlocked Regional Reputation: 200 [Desert Hero]

Desert Hero: As a seasoned Hunter, your near-death experiences have not deterred your grand ambitions, your mechanical body burns with fervor.

Specialization Points +1

Mechanical Puzzle Fragment [1/5]

’Not easy, finally unlocked a Specialization Point. Without changing professions, upgrading skills seems to be the only way to quickly enhance.’

Specialization Points are skill points that can break through skill limits.

Without hesitation, Gao Gong first maxed out [Fighting], then invested this specialization point into [Fighting].

[You have upgraded Fighting to Level 10]

[Fighting upgraded to Level 10 max, entering Skill Advancement state, please choose your advanced skill—Martial Artist, Low-level Gun Combat Skill, Night Warrior]

Martial Artist is a physical enhancement version of Fighting, following the tank route, while Low-level Gun Combat Skill is the technique of ’Human-Gun Unity’, the close-combat output stream; and Night Warrior is undoubtedly the assassination stream.

Gao Gong hesitated between Low-level Gun Combat Skill and Night Warrior.

The Gun Fighting Skill is actually very suitable for Mechanical Transformation, not to mention the flashy maneuver of hiding a gun, even with ordinary transformation, Gao Gong’s body could be equipped with seven or eight firearm mechanisms, and even his spine could be modified into a folding machine gun.

But, this thing has decent output, but its burst is not great.

Moreover, to perform gun-type human transformation, it would inevitably cause a spike in Mechanical Transformation Rate.

Can’t let one advanced skill affect the big picture.

[You chose the advanced skill: Night Warrior]

[You have upgraded Night Warrior to Level 2]

[You have upgraded Night Warrior to Level 3]

[You have upgraded Night Warrior to Level 4]

Night Warrior Level 4 (Advanced): When using swords, Attack Power +20%, sword attack speed increases by 18%, and sword combos have a 15% chance to apply a Bleeding Effect.

Additional States: Drinking Frenzy, Stealth

Drinking Frenzy: When applying a Bleeding Effect to an enemy with a sword, increases Attack Power by 5% (stacks up to ten times)

Stealth: Reduces the chance of being discovered when hiding by 10%, increases One-Hit Kill rate against unguarded targets

In an instant, countless combat experiences jumped out of Gao Gong’s mind, in a trance, he seemed to transform into an ancient assassin, holding a sharp blade, walking in the darkness, slaughtering again and again, blood dancing madly, soul trembling, under the pale moonlight, the blade dancer indulged in the art of killing.

”Do you want—”

Gao Gong suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze as calm as a serene lake, bodies submerged within the water.

”Ah!”

A Cable Tribe girl screamed, her mind blank. For some reason, just by meeting his eyes, she felt death pour over her like cold water.

”What do you mean ’ah’? I just asked you to get some water, did you bully her?”

Huang Yuanli looked down at Gao Gong sitting under the tree, hands on her hips; it was one of her rare chances to look down on him.

Gao Gong’s eyes glimmered, revealing a sunny and handsome smile, ”Sorry, the bloodthirstiness on me must have scared you.”

The girl’s face turned slightly red, and she shook her head.

She was also a native, about the same height as Huang Yuanli, though the lump wasn’t on her eyelid but on her forehead, resembling an unopened eye like Erlang God.

Not as cute as the Little Woman.

Gao Gong took the water and asked, ”I only brought five or six Radiation Needles, probably not enough.”

”No worries, do you think our Cable Tribe only eats plain rice? We can concoct herbs to reduce radiation. Look, that’s what’s in your hand.”

Gao Gong looked down; the cup was filled with a green herbal potion, smelling like rotten leaves.

”Forget it, just by looking at you I know you don’t want to drink it. Follow me, Professor Han is looking for you.”

Huang Yuanli led the way in front, with Gao Gong following behind. Every member of the Cable Tribe they encountered on the way, regardless of gender, showed grateful expressions towards Gao Gong.

Without Gao Gong’s help, they probably would have been wiped out.

”Hey, don’t you have anything to say? Everyone is thanking you!” Huang Yuanli said discontentedly.

”Oh,” Gao Gong replied calmly.

”Hmph,” Huang Yuanli thought for a moment, then whispered, ”Professor Han is an elder in our tribe; he has a lot of valuable things. You can ask him if you have any questions.”

”But you must be quick; preferably before we go back, our Great Elder is particularly stingy and might not keep his word.”

Hmm? In Gao Gong’s impression, it was the Great Elder who instructed Huang Yuanli to maintain contact with him, while Professor Han was opposed.

Gao Gong thought for a moment and said, ”I do have a question.”

”What question?”

”Does your tribe still practice the right of the first night?”

Huang Yuanli’s eyes gradually widened, the redness on her face spread from her head to her neck, and suddenly she angrily bit him.

”It’s never been a thing, okay!!??”

”Just joking, don’t be mad, don’t be mad,” Gao Gong said, shaking Huang Yuanli off his hand like shaking a towel, laughing. ”You must be Professor Han.”

”Young man, hello.”

The cave was dimly lit, yet Professor Han’s gaze was unforgettable, as if it was not falling on the face but engraved in the heart.

’This Perception, able to control a C-level Commander boss, must be at 40.’ Gao Gong squinted slightly; the desert indeed was full of monsters, Sister Rose was one, and so was this one in front of him.

Other than his Perception, Professor Han seemed like a very ordinary old man, with noticeable age spots and low energy, looking ready to faint anytime, and the animal skin wrapped around his body wasn’t better than others.

”Yuanli, you may leave first.”

Huang Yuanli flashed her tiger teeth at Gao Gong before leaving in a huff, and once she had left, Professor Han asked a surprising question.

”Young man, the knife in your hand, was it made by Sister Xiang?”

Gao Gong was taken aback for a moment, then pulled out the Red Unicorn and handed it over.

After more than half a month of use, the blade was already chipped and some edges curled; this knife was used to cut metal skin every time, some beast skin being even thicker than steel plates, and no amount of good blade oil could withstand such wear.

Professor Han took the knife with nostalgia, whispering, ”Your combat style resembles some people I knew.”

”Classical Stream Mechanical Hunter? Are you friends with them?”

”Not friends.”

Professor Han suddenly withdrew his emotions, handed back the knife, and said calmly, ”Young man, I can pass my knowledge on to you, but I’ll give you two choices.”

”First, I take you back to the tribe, where there’s the richest research data and experimental instruments. If you want to study this knowledge in depth, I can teach you slowly.”

”Second, I will impart this knowledge to you now, and how much you understand is up to you.”

Without hesitation, Gao Gong said, ”I’ll choose the second.”

Surprise flashed in Professor Han’s eyes, but he still nodded, ”Alright, then listen, during the Old Civilization Era, I was a researcher on a large scientific project, which was about ’Bionic Technology’, and my research direction in Mechanical Transformation was ’Invasive Neural Modification’...”

[You have been imparted with the Professional Knowledge ”Invasive Neural Modification Technology”, learning progress 1%...2%...]

It took a full two days for Professor Han to impart this Professional Knowledge completely.

[Invasive Neural Modification Technology]lv1: Implantation and connection of dynamic neural networks

Now Gao Gong finally understood why the other party could control the Metal Sparrow, even making it utter human words; it wasn’t that the sparrow’s intelligence was enhanced but that its dynamic neural network was modified to scream in a ’human-speaking’ manner.

This Professional Knowledge was undoubtedly very useful; at least with it, Gao Gong didn’t need the head of an Artificial Soldier to function as an AI brain.

He could directly modify the neural system of Mechanical Bio-Beasts.

And that ’Bionic Technology’ was likely the higher tier Professional Knowledge Chain of this knowledge.

Mechanical transformation and human application, it somewhat felt like transforming from mechanical to carbon-based.

As is well known, Carbon-Based Civilization and Mechanical Civilization have always been passionate adversaries.

Transforming from carbon-based to mechanical, turning people into Mechanical Men, is not uncommon.

But conversely, modifying machine life into humanoid civilizations isn’t unexpected either.

Bionic Man is the best example of it.