Fei Xiu, unwilling to give up, searched the inside and outside of the estate once more, but naturally, he found nothing.
He didn’t believe it was a dream, yet he couldn’t find any suspicious traces. The estate’s defense system had been designed by him and Yuan Chu together.
While it might not be at a military-grade level, it was still impossible for an outsider to infiltrate without a sound.
So where did that girl come from? Apart from him, there were no other living beings in the house, only mechanical creatures.
Even if someone wanted to disguise themselves, they couldn’t pull it off.
This matter puzzled Fei Xiu for a long time.
That night, the livestream video of the mutant mechanical beasts attacking the transport convoy also spread across the internet.
When Fei Xiu appeared with a few colorful mechanical beasts, the entire web erupted.
Although the reporters didn’t specify Fei Xiu’s identity, anyone familiar with the military recognized him as the powerful S-rank psychic and one of the most outstanding young combat heroes.
"Is that Major General Fei Xiu??? I thought rumors said he was gravely injured and retired?"
"Holy crap, the injured major is still this sharp!"
"He looks even more formidable than before!"
"Don't exaggerate. These mechanical beasts have combat power comparable to regular soldiers. They're fast, agile, and tough, but against a battle-hardened colonel, even with his strength reduced, he can still take them down easily."
"These mechanical beasts might not be that strong, but taking them out with a single shot is no easy feat. Their cores are shielded by protective casings, and normal firearms can’t pierce them. Only precision shots aimed at the gaps will work. Who else can pull off Fei Xiu's level of marksmanship with such accuracy, especially at high speed? Certainly not me."
"If the major were still an S-rank psychic, I wouldn’t be surprised. But now he's a B-rank, and the gap between us is massive!"
"Am I the only one focusing on the colorful mechanical beasts he brought? Their designs and colors are so... unique. Is this the major's taste?"
"They’re probably pieced together from the mutant mechanical beasts in the video. Looks like the major has been fighting these creatures quite a lot recently."
"With the way he’s performing, the major shouldn’t have retired so soon."
"It’s not just his psychic abilities that were damaged. His body also suffered severe injuries, limiting his ability to engage in prolonged combat. As regrettable as it is, he truly isn’t suited to remain in the military."
"What a shame..."
The agile figure in the video had once been an idol for countless people.
Even after his injury and retirement, he continued to fight from behind the scenes, quietly contributing, which moved many and deepened their admiration for him.
Of course, there were also those who were dismissive. In this war-torn world, heroes were abundant and replaced frequently.
Without the aura of an S-rank psychic, Fei Xiu could only flicker faintly at the bottom.
Fei Xiu was unaware of the online buzz, fully focused on building up the estate.
After the attack by the mutant mechanical beasts, he sensed the danger ahead and began strengthening its defenses.
Fei Xiu didn’t seek outside help. Surveillance networks, defensive walls, weaponry, he handled everything himself.
On one hand, it allowed him to learn, and on the other, it helped him train his control.
His robot was an excellent teacher. Not only was she skilled in household tasks, but she was also proficient in repairing all sorts of machinery, including weapons.
Although her designs were from more than a decade ago, their performance was just as good as the current models.
Fei Xiu no longer found his robot’s versatility surprising.
He suspected that she possessed intelligence comparable to viral AI. If he wasn’t worried about her getting infected, he might have had her compete against one.
During this busy period, he occasionally saw surveillance drones circling overhead, seemingly keeping an eye on the estate.
With several plans foiled, the Steel Wasteland must have viewed Fei Xiu as a potential threat and sought to eliminate him.
Fei Xiu was unfazed, even a little eager. He thrived under pressure and longed to push his limits in battle.
The more intense the situation, the easier it was for his potential to emerge. Every day, he worked and trained to the point of exhaustion.
After finishing, he’d collapse into bed, leaving all the cleaning to Yuan Chu. He had completely let himself go.
When the weather was hot, he’d even work in just his shorts, his lean and muscular body displaying incredible vitality.
The materials needed to build the defense system and weaponry were staggering.
Though Fei Xiu had considerable savings and subsidies, they couldn’t keep up with the bottomless expenses.
Amidst his busyness, he had to take on some side jobs to make ends meet.
Yuan Chu’s online store mainly focused on modifying high-quality machinery, while Fei Xiu handled household appliance repairs and vehicle maintenance for nearby residents.
If needed, he also helped install defense systems.
Fei Xiu hated interacting with others, but circumstances forced him to take on clients.
To minimize contact, he outdid himself and crafted an electronic sign that he hung outside the estate.
Customers could simply scan the code, place their orders, and leave their address and contact information.
Thus, Fei Xiu found himself juggling multiple tasks, modifying weapons and equipment, repairing household appliances, researching electronic surveillance, and working on plumbing systems.
All the local residents knew Fei Xiu, and they took pride in owning a household appliance that the hero had personally repaired or made.
Business was booming, and some people would even break their appliances on purpose just to place an order with him every now and then.
Wealthier clients hired Fei Xiu to upgrade their entire defense system.
Fei Xiu didn’t mind the extra work; He accepted every job without complaint, not caring about his public image.
Under such intense work conditions, most people would have burned out long ago, but Fei Xiu only grew stronger, his stamina increasing with every challenge.
The garage had been expanded and connected to the basement, turning into a workspace for both man and machine.
Materials and parts were piled high in the workshop, and though they were categorized, the place still looked quite chaotic.
Fei Xiu, once a powerful warrior, had now transitioned into a focused technician.
To keep him in good health, Yuan Chu prepared him nutritious meals four times a day, with a varied menu to ensure Fei Xiu was well taken care of.
“Master, there’s a new order.” Yuan Chu sent the details to Fei Xiu’s personal terminal.
Fei Xiu glanced at it casually, then froze.
“Modifying an energy crossbow?” He opened the design and examined it closely, feeling a bit surprised.
Though not as precise as firearms, the energy crossbow had a certain explosive power, making it ideal for single-soldier combat.
This client requested increased precision, reduced weight, and easier portability.
Fei Xiu had experience with all kinds of weapons and was familiar with the energy crossbow, but he’d never modified one before. This would be a good opportunity to practice.
However, when he opened the package and took out the client’s energy crossbow, he was stunned.
Not only was the crossbow outdated, but the main bow was severely damaged, and many parts were missing. To put it bluntly, it was a pile of junk, with no value for modification.
Yuan Chu scanned the junk and concluded, "It’d be more efficient to make a new one from scratch rather than modify this."
Fei Xiu thought the same, but the client insisted on modifying the original piece, offering 950,000 credits for the job.
950,000 credits was equivalent to repairing or making over a hundred household appliances, so Fei Xiu ultimately accepted the task.
The first step in modifying the crossbow was to gather the necessary materials and components.
However, this model was hard to find on the market and would need to be custom-made, which would raise the costs significantly.
“I’ll check the ruins.” Yuan Chu, a seasoned scavenger, was familiar with the wasteland.
Fei Xiu thought for a moment.
“I’ll go too.”
Although things had been quiet around the Steel Wasteland recently, they couldn’t let their guard down.
Once outside the estate’s defensive range, there was a high likelihood of being attacked.
“You still have a lot of work to finish. I’ll take a few mechanical beasts and go by myself.” Yuan Chu, sensing danger on this trip, didn’t want him to come along.
“We’re going together,” Fei Xiu said firmly, leaving no room for argument.
Yuan Chu had no choice but to select a few high-combat mechanical beasts. Fully armed, they set off for the ruins with Fei Xiu.
Most of their materials came from the ruins, which saved them a lot of money.
Some of the abandoned machinery was still in good condition and could be used for research.
One of the reasons Fei Xiu’s skills had improved so quickly was because of this.
When they arrived at the ruins, they swiftly began collecting usable materials.
Before long, Fei Xiu suddenly raised his head, alert, scanning the surroundings.
He immediately warned, “Unit One, pack up. Get ready to retreat.”
Without a word, Yuan Chu piled the materials onto the transport vehicle and grabbed a second-hand net bow, firing in a specific direction.
A large net expanded in the air, shooting down to the ground and trapping a mutated mechanical beast hidden behind a pile of junk.
Fei Xiu leaped into the air, claiming higher ground, and fired several shots, taking down three mutated mechanical beasts that had lunged at him.
In his line of sight, around forty to fifty mutated mechanical beasts were quickly closing in.
Among them, seven or eight were heavily armed, their limbs, mouths, and tails all capable of being used as weapons.
Two of them were even flying mechanical beasts.
Fei Xiu’s face was stern, battle intent surging in his eyes, but his hands remained steady, targeting the more advanced mechanical beasts.
However, he underestimated the cunning of the virus AI. Those advanced beasts were just a decoy, hiding the real threat in an ordinary mechanical beast.
Yuan Chu knew exactly what was going on. One of the beasts was carrying several small bombs and was set to launch a suicide attack on Fei Xiu.
If he didn’t dodge in time, Fei Xiu would likely be gravely injured, possibly crippled, and unable to live normally again, with his fortunes completely collapsing.
Yuan Chu couldn’t allow this to happen. Keeping a close eye on the suicide beast, she planned to take it down before it got too close.
Unfortunately, it was heavily guarded by the advanced mechanical beasts.
As it entered attack range, Yuan Chu didn’t hesitate. She launched herself forward along with several household mechanical beasts, ramming the suicide beast away.
Boom! A massive explosion rang out, the scorching shockwave throwing Fei Xiu to the ground, sending him rolling dozens of meters.
Shrapnel scattered in all directions, many pieces embedding themselves in Fei Xiu’s body, leaving him bloodied.
But there was no time to care about his injuries. His panicked gaze searched the scene, finally landing on Yuan Chu, who had been blown apart, with only half her body remaining.
"Chu!" Fei Xiu wanted to check on Yuan Chu, but the remaining mutated mechanical beasts blocked his path.
His eyes turned red, his mental power surging to the limit. He shouted coldly, "Get out of my way!"
With a single step, his body moved like lightning as he fiercely attacked the mechanical beasts.
Minutes later, Fei Xiu stood in place, drenched in blood, his body swaying, but his gaze still sharp.
However, he had exhausted all his strength and mental power, unable to take another step.
The area was in shambles, battle scars everywhere.
Fei Xiu forced himself to stay conscious, his lips barely moving as he whispered, “Chu…”
Yuan Chu’s body stirred. She turned her head, her blue eyes flickering faintly.
Seeing she was still alive, Fei Xiu relaxed as if a weight had been lifted. Unable to hold on any longer, he collapsed to the ground.
Through his blurred vision, he saw Yuan Chu using her still-functional mechanical arm to slowly crawl toward him.
Just like when they first met, even in the face of death, she refused to give up.
When her mechanical arm grasped his wrist, Fei Xiu’s lips twitched into a faint smile. For some reason, he felt a sense of peace.
He slowly closed his eyes, allowing himself to sink into the darkness.
Yuan Chu looked at the unconscious Fei Xiu, silent for a long time.
Moments later, a shadow drifted from the robot’s remains, condensing in the air and transforming into the shape of a naked young girl.
She lifted Fei Xiu and the robot’s wreckage onto the transport vehicle and quickly left the scene.
Fortunately, there weren’t many people around. Otherwise, seeing a naked girl speeding down the road in a transport vehicle would have made them gawk in disbelief.
After transporting the wounded back to the estate, Yuan Chu immediately initiated a full lockdown to prevent another attack from the mutated mechanical beasts.
Yuan Chu carried Fei Xiu to his room, cleaned his wounds, and changed him into fresh clothes.
She also grabbed a random shirt for herself, then sat by his bedside, keeping a close eye on his condition.
Fei Xiu’s external injuries were not severe, but his physical and mental energy were exhausted. He would need some time to recover.
As long as he didn’t develop a fever, he should be fine after resting for about a day.
Having survived this crisis, Yuan Chu sensed that Fei Xiu’s luck had increased significantly.
Unable to resist, she snuggled under the blanket to absorb his fortune up close, and before long, she fell asleep without realizing it.
Fei Xiu woke up much sooner than expected, after just five hours, he regained consciousness.
His eyes took in the familiar setting of the room, and he felt reassured, knowing he was now safe.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a head resting on his shoulder, long hair cascading down and covering most of the person’s face.
His heart skipped a beat. Carefully, he raised his hand and gently brushed aside her hair, revealing a delicate face before him.
Was it her? The girl who had been with him that night…
Fei Xiu's heartbeat quickened. His fingers traced her features as if trying to imprint them in his memory.
Even though they had never met before, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, a sense of peace, comfort, and rightness.
His arm slid down, wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer. Lowering his head, he inhaled her scent, and memories of that night flooded back, igniting a warmth in his chest.
This was his woman...
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