Chapter 40: Major Weapon Upgrade, Infected with the Black Death Virus!

"The old place, day after tomorrow night. Come and collect the brain-computer interface then."

The call ended.

Su Cheng tallied his haul from this excursion. He had managed to assemble a total of eight E-grade mechanical prosthetics, two D-grade prosthetics, and one C-grade prosthetic. Additionally, he had salvaged fourteen E-type kinetic submachine guns, three D-type kinetic rifles, two E-type energy-discharge rifles, four titanium alloy Tang swords, two titanium-tungsten alloy long swords, and one high-frequency cutting longsword.

"The Carnival Camp is truly remarkable. I must frequent it more often."

He had visited the Carnival Camp three times now, and each time he had come away with a massive cache of weaponry. Every return trip saw a substantial increase in his combat strength. It was, in every sense, the place where Su Cheng’s dreams had begun.

"So, that’s where you get all your gear," Headless remarked, returning even later than Su Cheng. He hadn’t ventured far, choosing instead to hide nearby and watch until Su Cheng had safely departed before making his own way home. Since he wasn't as fast as Su Cheng, he had arrived late.

Su Cheng said sternly, "Until I find you a proper body, you do as you're told and go home. No taking risks!"

Headless waved a hand dismissively. "I know, cousin. But honestly, I don’t think I’m a domestic robot. My reflexes seem better than yours; your fighting style is just so... barbaric."

"Forget it. Keep dreaming. Maybe after I upgrade you, you’ll be capable of combat, but not now." Beyond assisting with repairs and handing him tools, Headless was useless.

Headless touched his rectangular torso. "I’m serious. Do you think it’s possible I’m a combat model? One of those really powerful ones?"

"Sure, sure. Not just a combat model, but the legendary military kind, right?" Su Cheng nodded perfunctorily, activating his Pupil of Dimensions to synthesize and upgrade all the equipment.

He emerged with a new set of A-grade combat prosthetics and another C-grade mechanical prosthetic. Furthermore, by combining the guns he had collected, he managed to forge an A-type kinetic submachine gun.

[Storm Submachine Gun: A-grade standard equipment. Possesses terrifying fire rate and stability. Its unique structure, combined with a built-in electromagnetic buffer module, renders the weapon completely recoil-free. Magazine capacity: 32 rounds; shoulder-mounted magazine: 48 rounds. Exceptional penetration within 400 meters. Capable of unleashing a 0.1-second bullet storm; if linked to an auxiliary ammo depot, this can be extended to 1 second. Activating 'Storm Mode' instantly empties all rounds into a precise barrage, blanketing enemies ahead. This represents the final generation of bullet-based submachine guns, incorporating all peak technologies for such weaponry. Classified as Second-Dimension technology.]

The deep-red submachine gun was not only compact and lightweight but also incredibly 'high-capacity.' The gun body was etched with exquisite patterns. It could hold a total of 80 rounds, and in bullet storm mode, it could unleash all of them in an instant, creating a blind-spot-free zone of destruction. With an 80-round discharge in 0.1 seconds, its rate of fire reached a staggering 48,000 rounds per minute. It was undoubtedly the ultimate tool for point-blank annihilation.

It was impossible for anyone to withstand its full second-long barrage head-on. While it required an external ammo link for sustained fire, it could still deliver devastating damage in an instant against even the most formidable foes. Like the A-grade combat prosthetics, it was the pinnacle of its class, a fusion of all existing technology. It was powerful.

Finally, he synthesized and upgraded his particle-cutting longsword. This time, the entire blade turned a deep, dark red. The blade pulsed with a crimson light, as if it were a beating heart.

'Synthesis: High-Energy Laser Longsword.'

[High-Energy Laser Longsword: Utilizes a laser as both blade and body. Incredibly sharp, capable of instantly melting through other alloy weapons. Possesses self-repair capabilities and inflicts burn damage. Requires intermediate-level energy cells or higher to operate. Classified as Second-Dimension technology.]

Now, only another high-energy laser weapon could withstand its edge. Anything made of standard alloy, even a particle-cutting sword, would be sliced through like paper. The particle-cutting sword had only possessed a vibrating red edge, with a titanium-tungsten alloy body; this new weapon was far superior. Compared to firearms, Su Cheng preferred this longsword; paired with his 'Insight' ability and symbiotic armor, it felt like an extension of his own body.

All of Su Cheng's equipment was now A-grade or higher. His prosthetics had even surpassed A-grade, reaching the S-grade symbiotic armor. He realized that if he could acquire one more set of A-grade combat prosthetics, he could synthesize his armor further. He tested whether the armor could fully detach from his body, and to his surprise, it could. The S-grade symbiotic armor liquified and coalesced before him, meaning it remained eligible for further synthesis and upgrades.

He happily stowed his new gear, satisfied that this haul had been his greatest yet. "I hope the Death Rock gang keeps sending people. The higher the rank, the better."

Su Cheng grabbed some snacks, curled up on the sofa, and picked up the books his father had left behind, hoping to find more information on the symbiotic armor, even though he had already memorized them cover to cover. These weren't just books; they were his father's journals, thick and voluminous—his only inheritance.

...

The next day.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

"Brother Su, open the door."

Su Cheng rubbed his eyes and kicked Headless awake. "Stop sleeping. You’re a robot. Go open the door."

"I can initiate self-sleep mode, you bum." Headless let his optic ring droop and opened the door. "You’re up early, kid."

"Good morning, Mr. Wukong." Zhu Shan'er stepped inside and greeted Headless politely.

"What is it?" Su Cheng squinted at her. She was still wearing her combatant’s uniform from the arena.

"There’s a big shot at the arena whose prosthetics are malfunctioning. None of the mechanics in the city can fix them, so I recommended Brother Su." As she spoke, she suddenly smiled, a brief, involuntary twitch of the lips.

Su Cheng noticed it immediately. He stood up and walked directly in front of her. "Have you been feeling like you can't control yourself lately?" He caught a glimpse of something black deep within her eyes.

"No, not at all." Zhu Shan'er widened her eyes in confusion, but then her face contorted into a sudden, sinister grin. "I can control it," she added. The smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared, completely out of sync with her previous expression.

Su Cheng looked at her seriously. "You keep smiling. Do you realize that?"

Headless walked over, looking concerned.

"Smiling?" Zhu Shan'er’s lips curled again, this time holding the strange, eerie grin for over a second.

"Holy—! Kid, that smile... it’s so creepy. It’s terrifying. Could it be..." Headless stared at her in horror.

"It’s nothing. Come on, take me to the arena. The big shot is waiting. I told them Brother Su has the best repair skills in the Ruined City!"

Su Cheng pulled the flashlight off Headless and carefully inspected Zhu Shan'er’s eyes. The depths of her irises had turned completely black. It was the unmistakable sign of Black Death virus infection.

"Get on the operating table and lie down."

Though confused, Zhu Shan'er obeyed. She didn't feel anything different, nor was she in any pain. On the contrary, she felt her energy levels had actually improved.