You said mechs were going to fight monsters, but instead you're destroying stars with your bare

Chapter 5 First Experience in the Steel Empire

There is something to say...

I'm a grown-up now, I know how to replenish my energy.

How could we possibly forget the ancestral laws etched into our genes?

But will drinking this bucket of energy supplements send me to the steroid planet?

When bad news comes from the mecha community...

Even so, Li Zhe could clearly feel that the colorful liquid in his hand was of great benefit to him.

Moreover, when I look at that bucket, I can feel a kind of longing.

It was a yearning stemming from the instinct of life, like parched land thirsting for rain...

Anyway, it didn't cause any problems after I drank it.

But to gulp it down in one go would be a waste.

This energy supplement contains a full five liters, and according to the instructions, each liter provides one point of energy.

My energy level is currently at 6/6 full, so drinking it would be a complete waste.

Having figured this out, Li Zhe stopped worrying about it.

He put the large barrel, labeled "Private's Energy Supply Pack," into the maintenance hangar.

These supplies, distributed and allocated by the system, can be brought to the Abyss Battlefield in this way.

With this power supply guarantee, Li Zhe felt more confident.

It's time to head to the front lines of the Abyss and witness firsthand the brutal battlefield described by those pioneers.

Take a deep breath to calm your slightly excited heart.

Exit the Merit Shop interface and open the [Conquer the Abyss] option.

Tap the option for [Abyss Realm] with your fingertip.

[Teleportation to "Abyssal Realm - Floor 0" requires 5 energy points. Confirm?]

"confirm!"

A dazzling ball of light appeared out of thin air and gently engulfed Li Zhe's entire body.

……

[Current Location: Abyss Realm - Steel Empire - Floor 0 - Outer Zone - Outpost Teleport Point]

[Description: When civilization reaches the limits of creation... when the creatures of the earth attempt to use machines to surpass the limits of flesh and blood, the abyss responds to their desires...]

The infection begins at the most advanced servers and the lowest-level code... Flesh and blood struggle to survive in the gaps between machinery and metal, while steel grows in the cracks between flesh and bone...

Ultimately, all things perished, and this world became part of the abyss, an eternal factory composed of living metal, wailing pipes, and rusting flesh...

[Currently available information]

[1. Defeat the core area guard of the Steel Empire on floor 0 to proceed to the next floor]

2. Exploring the Steel Empire's 0th floor may lead to being drawn into other areas within the 0th floor.

……

The leaden-gray sky hung low, like a heavy iron curtain, shrouding the entire world in a suffocating atmosphere.

The light seemed incredibly dim.

It was as if a storm was about to break, and the whole world was filled with a sense of unsettling heaviness and oppressive heat.

The high-rise buildings stand side by side, and one can still vaguely see the outline of the once prosperous city.

But at this moment, this cold, concrete jungle exudes a sense of deathly stillness and desolation... like rows of giant tombstones standing silently between the gray and desolate world.

In the steel jungle, rotting monsters, a bizarre blend of flesh and metal, wander aimlessly, dragging their broken bodies.

They emitted unintelligible roars and grinding sounds, adding a terrifying sense of life to this deathly silent world...

Suddenly.

In a small alley, a colorful ball of light lit up.

The sphere of light was dreamlike and illusory, lasting for a few seconds before quickly dissipating.

A burly man with well-defined muscles kneels on one knee, revealing his physique...

Li Zhe slowly raised his head, looked around, and then stood up straight.

"This entrance is like something out of the Terminator."

He muttered a complaint under his breath while checking his clothes.

Thankfully, this teleportation didn't result in him running around naked on the spot.

The training uniform was still on his body, perfectly intact.

Li Zhe continued to check his own condition.

Energy: 1/6

This teleportation did indeed consume 5 energy points, leaving only a minimum of 1 energy point.

Despite the high energy expenditure, my body felt neither tired nor weak, and I remained in peak condition.

It seems that as long as the energy doesn't drop to zero, my mech armor can always maintain full combat capability.

Li Zhe looked around.

At first glance, apart from its somber color scheme, its urban infrastructure style is not much different from that of modern cities on Earth.

Not far from him, a multifaceted crystal, about half the height of a person, floated on a tall tower.

The crystal emitted a soft, warm white light, enveloping a certain area and forming a small safe zone. The monsters wandering in the distance seemed quite wary of this area of ​​light and dared not approach easily.

This should be the so-called "outpost teleportation point".

Solo advances into the abyss and the mysterious realm use these outposts as teleportation anchors.

Part of the energy consumed during teleportation is used to condense and charge the crystal, thus providing a protection period for new players.

Since it's a newbie protection period, it will eventually end.

Li Zhe noticed that the crystal's luster was becoming dim.

Once the light completely disappears, you'll have to face the monsters lurking outside the safe zone.

Taking advantage of the current safety, Li Zhe decided to observe the surrounding situation first.

He fixed his gaze on the sentry tower where the crystal was located.

That was the highest point in the area, making it the best location for reconnaissance.

Outside the tower, there is a rusty barbed wire fence.

It is over three meters tall.

Li Zhe did not choose to destroy the barbed wire.

Take a few steps back, then suddenly sprint forward with all your might!
"boom!"

With a muffled thud, the concrete ground beneath his feet cracked instantly!
He shot into the air like a cannonball, easily clearing the tall barbed wire fence and landing steadily below the tower.

"That jumping ability... awesome!"

This 1.5 combat power not only gives me strength, but also a leap in all aspects of my physical fitness!

Without time for much reflection, he immediately used both hands and feet to quickly climb up the rough exterior wall of the tower.

Soon, we reached the top of the tower.

Standing on high ground, Li Zhe had a thought, and the two hidden visual devices on his cheekbones quietly turned on, flashing a scarlet and precise light.

My vision changed instantly; everything around me became clear and distinct.

The structure of the buildings, the distribution of monsters, the usable terrain...

A massive influx of information flooded my mind, forming a three-dimensional battlefield map... Good heavens, the satellite spirit is actually myself.

This area looks like a residential community.

The architectural style is very similar to some old, dilapidated houses on Earth.

Seeing this scene, Li Zhe realized more and more clearly...

This place was once a world just like Earth, teeming with countless vibrant lives.

But they couldn't withstand the abyss's encroachment; their homeland was ultimately swallowed by it, becoming a purgatory overrun by monsters...

Upon realizing this, Li Zhe's expression darkened.

If even the mech pilots of Earth ultimately cannot resolve the crisis brought by the abyss...

That desolate scene before us may well become the future of Earth.

Just as his mood was becoming somewhat somber, a series of sickening rustling sounds came from below the tower.

He bent down and looked down at his feet.

Outside the barbed wire fence surrounding the tower, a dozen enormous creatures had gathered...

mouse.

Each of these rats was as big as a baby stroller.

Its huge, fat body was very unkempt.

Various rusted metal parts are haphazardly inlaid, welded, and growing on the flesh and blood body.

Some rats have exhaust pipes on their backs, some have eyes that look like glow tubes, and some have rudimentary mechanical prosthetics for their limbs.

They were frantically gnawing at the outer wire mesh with their sharp, metallic teeth, making a grating, grating sound.

Li Zhe's detection module provided the analysis results.

[Catalog Number: Steel Rat (JSRAT-15075)]

【Type: First Generation Abyss Familiar - Rodent - Mechanical Mutant】

【Combat strength: 0.3】

[Special Ability: A giant hamster whose only behavioral logic is the urge to gnaw; its bite inflicts tetanus.]

[Note: When hamsters gather in large numbers, it may trigger a catastrophic epidemic...]

Can this giant rat spread plague?
Is this thing going to spread the cyber Black Death?

Li Zhe seemed to be deep in thought.

This monster is not particularly strong in individual combat.

Although a combat strength of 0.3 is far beyond what an ordinary adult can match, it is nothing more than a grunt among grunts to a mecha.

However, what's most terrifying about them is their terrifyingly large numbers.

At a glance, there were about twenty steel rats gathered outside the barbed wire fence, and it seemed that more of their kind were coming from afar after hearing the noise.

Li Zhe glanced at Crystal beside him.

Sure enough, the crystal's brilliance had dimmed to its lowest point and was about to go out.

The newbie protection period is almost over...

(End of this chapter)