Starting as a Mechanical Hunter

Chapter 121: Chapter 108: Slaughter Hunter (Part 3)

Flea market, a massive pile of radiation beast corpses.

Gao Gong walked among them, choosing the final transformation.

Radiation beast corpses are not easy to rot, because when they were alive, they thrived in high temperatures, fission, and energy, which was enough to cultivate a body of steel and iron.

Gao Gong pondered the final direction of transformation, and while thinking, he opened the game interface and clicked on the personal system tab.

Personal System: 25% max (Mechanical Transformation) 22% (Biological Transformation)

Sports System 9% (Mechanical Transformation) 4% (Biological Transformation)

Neural System 6% (Mechanical Transformation) 7% (Biological Transformation)

Endocrine System 1% (Mechanical Transformation) 1% (Biological Transformation)

Circulatory System 5% (Mechanical Transformation) 4% (Biological Transformation)

Respiratory System 1% (Mechanical Transformation) 1% (Biological Transformation)

Digestive System 1% (Mechanical Transformation) 3% (Biological Transformation)

Urogenital System 1% (Mechanical Transformation) 1% (Biological Transformation)

Reproductive System 1% (Mechanical Transformation) 1% (Biological Transformation)

Among them, the transformation cap for Level 10 is 25%, and for Level 20 it is 50%. The higher the level, the higher the transformation cap. By the time of Level 3 Civilization, which is Level 90, theoretically speaking, at Level 90, the transformation rate of all human body systems can reach 100%.

Of course, the body structures of different interstellar intelligent species are not the same. Some silicon-based life forms have no respiratory system, some Insect Race life forms have an overly developed endocrine system, with caps soaring to 200%. Some sulfur-based life forms live in the ultra-high temperature environment of Red Giant Stars and have no reproductive system at all, while some gaseous life forms have only one circulation system throughout their body.

However, overall, most carbon-based life forms are relatively normal, and those taking the extreme route are in the minority.

This also results in the balance of system transformations being more important than pursuing extreme values.

This is also why, within Level 10, the transformation rate cap for a certain body system does not exceed two digits.

The answer is that if it exceeds two digits, the other systems won’t be able to keep up.

Gao Gong’s biological transformation only had 3% left, which is not a lot, but also not a little.

Initially, he replaced a Reaper’s stomach and absorbed its digestive system, which resulted in a +3% transformation rate.

This is the value of a localized transformation within a certain system.

Endocrine System, Respiratory System, Urogenital System, Reproductive System, all have a pitiful transformation rate of 1%.

And precisely, these all belong to internal transformations, not just adding a biological exoskeleton or replacing a plugin.

In Gao Gong’s current biological state, having one more or one less offensive weapon doesn’t make much difference.

Instead, it affects normal activities.

After all, blade limbs can at least retract into the body, but other things are uncertain.

He first ruled out the reproductive system.

The painful experience of countless players shows that practicing the Sunflower Manual does not significantly increase strength.

Instead, it greatly affects future human body transformations.

This was a popular saying in the past life, and the more scientific explanation is that the essence of life activities is the inheritance of genetic information.

Modifying the reproductive system at low levels may partially disrupt genetic information, reducing transformation success rate.

”Let’s save practicing the Sunflower Manual for later.”

Gao Gong thought of the problem from a different angle.

In the current situation, what kind of transformation do I actually need, or rather, what shortcomings still need to be addressed?

After serious consideration.

It seems there aren’t any real shortcomings.

The Five Attributes far exceed peers of the same level, there’s no shortage of outbursts, no shortage of weapons, physical defense has armor, energy defense has Junior Energy Immunity, numerous skills on the mental level, Giant Bloodsucker capabilities, can partially transform, and even has a boss template.

In this case, if anything, his long-range attack seems lacking?

Gao Gong resolutely dismissed this idea, transformations below Level 10 only equate to equipping a small handgun, not as powerful as his ’Dragon Gate Flying Armor.’

Moreover, following the gun-and-cannon flow is a path of mechanical transformation.

For biological transformation, if I’m going to equip something, it would be an energy weapon.

This is clearly not something at Level 10 transformation.

As for cellular level transformations, those are matters for after Level 20, the equipment condition for Bio-Fusion Armor seems to be Level 20.

Unless I replace a kidney or something.

But there’s no need for that, right?

Gao Gong wandered slowly through the parts market.

[Zoology] upgraded to lv5, and the notes are as follows.

Basic research on mechanical organisms, radiation organisms, and mutants.

And [Botany] is as follows.

Plant mutations, ecosystems, and preliminary exploration of low-level plant civilizations

With the bonus from these two areas of knowledge, Gao Gong can evaluate most impacts caused by biological implants.

He arrived in front of a section of mutated tree root, looking at the snake-like moving metal digestion stem, and finally realized what he lacked.

What he lacked was the microvascular network for protecting the ’activated nerve bundle’ and the ability to ’detach.’

His strongest technique is the fusion route’s super transformation, his powerful weapon for crossing ranks and slaying enemies.

But transformation feels exhilarating, post-transformation causes attribute loss.

The main reason among them is the ’nerve bundle’ completely fusing with other biological limbs, the separation causes tearing damage to the neural system.

Moreover, these temporary implanted biological exoskeletons will reverse invade the body, causing the rejection risk to surge.

Solving these two problems will solve the trouble of transformation.

’Super Form Transformation’ is a route that must be taken in my future plans.

It is also the only path to counter super monsters.

Generally speaking, the upper limit of a Planet Civilization is level 30, but here in the Cyber Test Field, level 60 planet monsters, level 90 space monsters, or even ’Star-devouring’ level terrifying beings might be born due to a high-level experiment.

In the not-too-distant future, the reason why the Cyber Tide could launch and break down the three Planet Main Brains supported by advanced Mechanical Civilization is because someone released a ’Memory Worm’ in its juvenile state.

This exceptional interstellar informational organism transforms into a Memory Mother upon reaching adulthood, benchmarking against a level 5 Civilization calamity in the universe.

In other words, when the ’Memory Worm’ reaches maturity, even if it’s just its core, it will be a level 150 supra-spec living entity.

It will devour the data, information, and memories of one planet after another, nourishing and expanding itself.

And the Cyber Tide is its pheromone dispersed across the entire planet.

All organisms will turn into the ant swarms under its command, and its core will be an ’Information Ant Queen’ formed by countless pieces of information.

In the previous life, players had a major psychological misconception that the Cyber Test Field was a Newbie Village, and most monsters were small bosses of the Newbie Village, with no big creatures.

But that’s not the case; many hazard-level monsters bred in the Cyber Test Field are beyond the resistance of level 3 and level 4 Civilizations.

The reason is simple; the threshold of advanced Civilization is at least level 6. How can the things they experiment with, dread, and deliberately evolve be low-level?

We’re all adults; who’s going to play with mud?

Many ’Newbie Village’ players found themselves with no future as they played on.

Accounts were wiped out; how can there be a future?

Including the ones from the Mechanical Split Star where Gao Gong is, except for the few hundred friends who managed to grab a ’Noah’s Ark’ ticket, all the other players got ’wiped.’

Of course, the reason ’wiped’ is in quotes is that Gao Gong seriously suspects that except for the ’Biological Batteries’ who played until the late stage, those little friends from the early stage probably died long ago.

And those who died, it’s probably not just their game accounts.

Fortunately, the juvenile period of the ’Memory Worm’ is very long, giving him enough time to disrupt, interrupt, or even accelerate this process.

Back to the topic, organisms with a strong microvascular network and ’shedding’ ability.

Two familiar faces popped into Gao Gong’s mind.

Gecko, Earthworm

Zooming out a bit, gecko species, invertebrates

Coupled with my biological knowledge in my mind.

Mimetic Reptilia—Bionic Gecko, Radiation Deformed—Mutant Earthworm, Mutant Reptilia—Cracked Snake, Mechanical Reptilia—Gear Snake.

Considering existing conditions and known directions.

A familiar face suddenly popped into Gao Gong’s mind.

”No way.”

”Are you sure?”

In the temporary biological laboratory, Professor Han looked at the giant earthworm Gao Gong dragged in with a twitch of the corner of his eye.

Name: Desert Worm

Type: Mechanical Bio-Beast—Oligochaeta—Metal Worm Order

Radiation Level: E-

Skills: Metal Devouring lv5, Metal Secretion lv6

Note: Mechanical Beasts that feed on metal are not uncommon, but those that can secrete metal in the veins and sweat glands are very rare.

Searching everywhere a thousand times, suddenly turning back, there it was, not a person, but a worm, in the dim light.

Turns out this giant earthworm is the true love!

”Are you sure you want to implant its cells?” Professor Han asked again.

”Of course, it can secrete metal, which means it doesn’t have strong Mechanical Rejection, and as an Oligochaeta organism with low evolution, its Biological Rejection can’t be very high either.”

”I’ve implanted skin potion made by its sweat glands, and a part of it is already in my body; the failure rate of surgery is extremely low.”

”It possesses all the characteristics of earthworms, strong survivability, possessing regenerative organs, capable of limb regeneration, the thick and dense body wall muscle layer wraps the Neural Network well, the chain-like neural structure allows it not to be restricted by the brain, having countless neural healing nodes, can grow and break at will.”

”Its body wall is rich in nerve endings, very sensitive, which is also very important.”

Professor Han listened silently.

In his view, it’s very strange for Gao Gong, being a successful Biological Exoskeleton, to absorb cells from such low-level organisms.

But recalling the battle at Demon Mountain, he seemed to understand something.

’Nerve bundles’ are very fragile, even if they are Activated Nerve Bundles, they are not much better.

This is why a Brain-in-a-Vat can only be a ruler on the Virtual Level, and when it comes to the real level, even a D-grade Mechanical Beast can beat it up.

Unless it’s lucky enough to bump into a powerful A-level corpse.

In fact, most wild Brains-in-a-Vat follow a similar path, being born and nurtured from a certain or a group of advanced corpses, naturally having countless minions.

’However, if through transformation, ’nerve bundles’ can receive some kind of protection, the situation might be quite different.’

Professor Han understood.

The same method, Gao Gong can do it, but a Brain-in-a-Vat can’t, for no reason other than that informational organisms themselves are extreme life forms, similar to dominoes, capable of self-iteration, but not self-transformation.

”But, the grade of the Desert Worm is too low. I’m afraid once it enters your body, it will be cleaned out by your advanced cells.”

”That’s simple,” Gao Gong waved his hand, ”We’ll use quantity to overwhelm quality.”

Professor Han was speechless, speechless because it indeed could work. Previously, that group of Old Hunters went mad scavenging Desert Worms to prove they were not useless.

These big worms seem to have over a hundred remaining now.

But this kind of ’cell transplantation’ in such quantity, what’s the difference from taking a bath?