Ironclad: How can hand-crafted knight belts not be considered genius?

As you descend deeper into the ruins and broken pipes, the howling wind and snow on the ground gradually fade into the distance.

On both sides are piles of building debris that collapsed hundreds of years ago, rusted and broken giant mechanical arms, and the remains of abandoned mining automatons.

The entire lower level of the ruins was desolate and lifeless, with only the intermittent low-frequency hum of machinery coming from the depths of the distance.

Izzy's eye data stream kept pulsating, locking onto the signal ahead in real time:

"President, the target computing power signal remains stable. The area ahead has been confirmed as the edge of the old-era mechanical mining area."

Multiple groups of low-power automatic weapons were detected as having weak signals and being in a damaged standby state, suggesting they may have been subjected to external attack.

Jiang Ning paused slightly, a strange feeling rising in his heart.

Schwarzrod's mechanized forces are known for their strict discipline and concentrated presence. The fact that they could damage and paralyze a large number of mechs indicates that this area has just experienced a battle.

"Speed ​​up."

The two hurried through the collapsed alleyway.

Not long after, a series of chaotic shouts, clanging metal, and a girl's weak and timid voice came from deep within the ruins ahead.

The voice was young and tearful, yet unusually firm.

"No...stop destroying the machines! They're just protecting the mine!"

Jiang Ning's eyes narrowed.

That voice... if I'm not mistaken?

He raised his hand to signal Izzy to be quiet, and the two of them tiptoed and quietly peeked out from behind the dilapidated wall.

In the distance, beside the ruins of a half-collapsed old-fashioned quenching workshop, fragments of earth marrow ore and broken mechanical parts are scattered everywhere.

In the center of the field, a little girl wearing a tattered red robe and with soft, white hair hanging down was trembling as she backed away.

As expected, it was Clara.

Her small body was taut, her arms outstretched, blocking the several damaged and disabled small automatons. Her eyes were red and her voice was choked with sobs, but she refused to back down.

Around her, seven or eight vagrants wearing tattered windproof cloaks and wielding iron bars and hunting knives were slowly closing in with sinister smiles.

"Ha, it's you again, you little brat."

The leader of the wanderers kicked a piece of wrecked machinery beside him, his eyes filled with greed and ferocity.

"Swarovski's scrap metal legion has been getting increasingly in the way lately, occupying the best mines and preventing us from touching them."

"We've got you today, so we'll force that old machine to hand over mining privileges!"

"Yes, yes! Take her away!"

With this little girl by my side, that guy Schwarz will definitely be obedient!

"Then the entire lower-level mine and all the underground mineral deposits will belong to us!"

Several homeless people pressed closer, the harsh sound of metal scraping against the frozen ground particularly eerie in the deathly silence of the ruins.

Clara trembled slightly with fear, but still stubbornly shook her head, desperately protecting the battered mech behind her:

"No... Mr. Schwarz meant no harm... We can all get along well..."

Please, please don't destroy this place... please don't hurt them...

Despite her fear and her body trembling uncontrollably, Clara persevered and stood tall in front of the nearly destroyed guard mechs.

But this purity, in the eyes of the homeless, is nothing more than weakness and vulnerability.

"Get along well? Hahaha! In the lower tiers, it's survival of the fittest. Who cares about getting along?"

The leader grinned maliciously and raised his hand to grab Clara's slender arm.

The little girl trembled, despair instantly filling her eyes. She instinctively closed them, helplessly pursing her lips as she awaited the imprisonment and bullying to come.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Schwarz... I shouldn't have disobeyed you and run away..."

A moment passed, but the expected touch did not occur.

Clara mustered her courage and opened her eyes. There, standing in front of her, was a tall man in a white robe.

The hand that was reaching out to him was intercepted by him.

"What kind of behavior is it for a group of grown men to bully a defenseless little girl?"

A clear, calm male voice suddenly tore through the noise of the ruins, striking the ears of every homeless person.

Jiang Ning gripped the homeless man's wrist and suddenly exerted force.

Even without the "Destiny" enhancement, Jiang Ning's physical abilities far surpassed those of the thugs who struggled to even make ends meet in the shadows.

The next moment, the once arrogant vagrant immediately bared his teeth and swung his arms up and down, trying to break free from Jiang Ning's grip.

"*** (Local dialect from the lower class) Let me go! It hurts so much! Get lost!"

Jiang Ning, too lazy to waste words, kicked the other man hard in the chest and released his grip.

The immense force sent the homeless man flying backward, blood gushing from his mouth and nose like it was free.

Incidentally, another unfortunate homeless person was unable to dodge in time and was hit by his flying companion, becoming a "buffer" as he was also crushed into the ruins.

"With such limited skills, you dare to try kidnapping?"

"With you disgraceful insects in the lower levels, the area has lagged behind in development by at least several decades."

Jiang Ning dusted off his hands and gave the group of flustered homeless people a disdainful look.

The remaining homeless men watched as their leader was sent flying and crashed into the rubble, unable to get up for a long time. Their faces turned deathly pale, and they gripped their iron rods and hunting knives tightly, but they didn't even have the courage to take a step forward.

The young man who suddenly appeared in front of them was no match for these low-level thugs.

One of the bolder homeless men glanced at Jiang Ning from head to toe, then mustered his courage and spoke.

"This outfit...you're not from the Lower District!"

You're from the upper-class area?!

People from the upper levels have no right to interfere in the affairs of the lower levels. Get out of the lower levels!

Jiang Ning was too lazy to look at this noisy bunch anymore. His gaze swept over the trembling crowd and fell back on the little girl behind him.

"Izzy, please take good care of her for me."

Clara was slightly taken aback when a hand landed on her shoulder without her noticing.

When she turned around, Izzy was looking at her with a smile.

With no more worries, Jiang Ning decisively raised his hand and waved it, and a square, black-green mechanical briefcase appeared in his hand.

As Jiang Ning pressed the unlock button, the briefcase automatically transformed, extending into a sword blade that gleamed silver.

"I'm too lazy to reason with you; you're not worthy to listen."

"Should you leave on your own, or should I 'send' you here?"

Upon seeing the high-tech weapon in Jiang Ning's hand, the group of homeless people dared not linger any longer and helped each other leave in a sorry state.

"Tch, a bunch of bullies who pick on the weak and fear the strong."

Jiang Ning clicked his tongue at the departing group of wanderers, then waved his hand to put away the briefcase and sword.

Clara stared blankly at Jiang Ning, who stood tall and imposing. The fear in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by astonishment and gratitude.

She clutched the tattered hem of her red dress, took small steps forward, looked up at Jiang Ning, and spoke in a soft voice tinged with lingering sobs:

"Big brother... thank you... you saved me, and you saved my friends..."

Clara will find a way to repay you!

Jiang Ning stepped forward and unconsciously reached out to pat Clara's head.

Clara was initially surprised, but remembering that Schwarz had done the same thing, and that the older brother in front of her didn't seem like a bad person, she lowered her head and let Jiang Ning come.

Iz stood quietly by her side, a subtle glint of data flashing in her clear eyes as she completed a rapid scan of Clara's entire condition. The Humagear's precise perception far surpassed that of ordinary humans, easily detecting minute anomalies that would be imperceptible to them.

After Jiang Ning withdrew his hand, Izzy spoke softly, her tone gentle yet carrying a precise judgment:

"President, an anomaly has been detected. Miss Clara has a soft tissue sprain, slight bruising and swelling in her left ankle, accompanied by a slight difficulty walking. It's likely an internal injury caused by the fall and bumping into something while she was frantically dodging the homeless people."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning paused and immediately looked down at Clara's slender ankles exposed to the cold air.

Clara stiffened slightly, instinctively pulling her left foot back. A hint of flustered panic appeared on her face as she quickly waved her hands and whispered an explanation:

"It's...it's okay, big brother...it doesn't hurt at all, Clara can walk!"

She was afraid of being a burden to these two kind strangers.

Medical supplies in the lower district are extremely precious, and Dr. Natasha's clinic is always overcrowded. She doesn't want to trouble the benefactor who just saved her with her minor injury.

———Currently typing———