Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies Chapter 1244: Exoskeleton Mech

Chapter 1244: Exoskeleton Mech

Zhou Ke'er naturally lent her biological knowledge to guide the breeding farm's setup.

These underground mutated beasts called Ground Centipedes have endured the brutal post-Apocalypse world, boasting incredibly resilient life force, so hatching them shouldn't pose any issues.

The key challenge post-hatching lies in curbing their feral instincts, transforming them into mere livestock that supplies origin energy solely for superhumans.

Zhou Ke'er delivered valuable suggestions.

"Begin the selection process right from hatching. Eliminate any with excessively violent traits immediately, retaining just the gentle-natured ones."

"Ensure plentiful food sources, create a cozy habitat, and harshly penalize any instances of infighting among them."

"Gradually, their natural fighting urges will fade away. Though their origin keeps boosting their strength, they'll forfeit the capacity to battle."

With his hand propping up his chin, Lu Keran remarked hesitantly, "They're mutated creatures at heart, and taming their beastly side is tough. What if they suddenly go wild? Controlling that would be no simple task!"

"I'll keep fortifying this breeding farm to avoid mishaps."

Zhou Ke'er smiled as she replied, "No need to fret; I've got ways to manage these sorts of challenges."

"From the egg phase, administer drugs to weaken their limbs. Mix in heaps of hormones to their regular meals too. That ought to keep things secure."

"After all, we only require their origin. The state of the rest of them isn't important."

Lu Keran shot a look at Zhou Ke'er, who sat nearby in her white lab coat with a grin, and abruptly felt a chill run down his spine.

"Sister Zhou, how come you seem so scary all of a sudden?"

At those words, Zhou Ke'er lifted her head, her eyes moving from the experiment notes she was jotting in to the ceiling above.

"Really? Doctors and butchers have always shared a lot in common, haven't they?"

Those who've observed operations would understand this well.

Lu Keran let out a laugh, "In any case, I'm just handling the construction of the breeding farm. The ongoing management? I'll hand that over to you, Old You, and Brother Xu."

Right then, Old You and Fatty Xu, clad in complete protective gear, were inspecting the Ground Centipede Eggs within the breeding farm.

Zhou Ke'er and Lu Keran managed the technical side, while the heavy lifting naturally went to them.

And so, the initiative to breed Ground Centipedes moved forward.

For Zhang Yi, the project he'd eagerly awaited—the mech endeavor Lu Keran had obsessed over for almost two years—finally hit a huge milestone!

That day, Lu Keran summoned Zhang Yi to his lab with an air of mystery.

These days, over a dozen chambers in the subterranean lab stood ready for Lu Keran's use.

Since storage wasn't required here, the areas were vast indeed.

Guiding Zhang Yi, Lu Keran unlocked a heavily secured alloy entrance.

"Brother, after all this time tinkering with mechs, I've crafted the ultimate version! I'm sure you'll love it."

Prior to swinging the door wide, Lu Keran beamed at Zhang Yi with utter assurance, his tone brimming with pride.

Mechs had long been confined to science fiction films.

Yet, throughout the last hundred years, nations' militaries delved into their development and covertly deployed them for warfare.

Still, factors such as expense, tech hurdles, and practical limits kept mechs from debuting publicly.

By now, Lu Keran had ironed out nearly all the engineering obstacles.

The sole lingering hurdle was the power supply dilemma.

Full-scale mechs offered poor value for money, far inferior to crafting an armored vehicle from equivalent resources.

Exoskeletons, however, carried profound value in the era of superhumans.

They could bond to the wearer's exterior, integrating seamlessly into personal fighting prowess.

Be it shielding, striking, or the support systems they featured, exoskeletons proved a massive boon to superhumans.

Zhang Yi gazed as the lab door eased open.

At the room's heart, a sleek black full-coverage suit of armor rested silently on the platform, resembling a silent predator poised for its owner's summons.

Its dark exterior and fluid contours exuded a sharp sense of beauty. The non-reflective coating lent it a subdued look, but that very trait made it ideal for battle.

The helmet's tactical visor betrayed zero gleam.

Zhang Yi's initial reaction was: "Black? Isn't that a bit too eye-catching?"

Lu Keran hastened to explain, "It comes equipped with a Chameleon system for environmental optical camouflage. Plus, you can adjust the color yourself."

With that, Zhang Yi gave an approving nod.

Approaching the armor, he scrutinized it closely—its outer design alone hinted nothing of its capabilities.

It looked sharp and elegant, evoking a sense of agility rather than the clumsiness one might expect from a mech.

Standing next to him, Lu Keran detailed its features for Zhang Yi.

"I've dubbed this mech suit [Hidden Dragon]. It represents my second-generation creation."

"Old You tried out the first gen earlier, and it performed solidly overall. From there, I've ramped up its specs dramatically."

"On the weight front, the Yuan element's emergence let me ditch compressed fuel's bulk. And with my powers advancing, Yi Metal's quality soared too. Thus, this exoskeleton mech suit tips the scales at a mere 15 kilograms."

In the old days, 15 kilograms might have taxed Zhang Yi heavily.

But today, thanks to consistent training and Zhou Ke'er's Physical Alteration upgrades to his physique, such weight felt effortless, utterly unburdening.

Zhang Yi fixed his eyes on the mech suit. Under Lu Keran's command, it shifted hues repeatedly, showcasing its camouflage prowess.

"In standard fights, without hindering my mobility, I can shoulder up to 50 kilograms. So, layer on another 15 kilograms of gear and weapons atop it. But cap it at 30 kilograms max."

Lu Keran agreed with a nod, "Weapons won't be an issue for you, brother, given your Dimensional Space storage. That said, for urgent needs, I've fitted a wrist-mounted high-energy compression cannon. To cut down on mass, it's the sole built-in weapon, yet its firepower is rock-solid—not inferior to your Thunderbolt."

"Moving on, I'll incorporate extras like meds and spare rations into the suit."

Zhang Yi assented, "Excellent."

He extended his arm, "Now, how does its defense hold up?"

Offensive capabilities didn't overly concern him.

No lone mech suit could empower him to clash with an Epsilon-level reinforcement superhuman.

Thus, bolstering protection remained the surest path.

Author's Note