My health recovery is incredibly fast.

"The experiment was a success, the results were outstanding," Hillenburg said at the control panel. His voice reached the ears of every team member. "Guys, tidy up the training ground and then meet us in the alchemy room. We'll take a look at the specific data from the experiment together."

Xia Zuo disconnected from the synchronization with Wanshi 2, sat up from the sofa, and took out his notebook to record his observations.

Hillenburg's team did not disappoint him.

Although the development process of underwater bullets was somewhat tortuous, they were eventually successfully developed.

In this process, Xia Zuo's contribution as the originator of the idea was limited.

Huberon and several other weapons alchemists with military experience were the real heroes.

In the field of weapons alchemy, different caliber bullets require different breech mechanisms.

Underwater bullets have an unusual appearance, and their corresponding bolt action is also different from that of conventional kinetic weapons.

After working tirelessly for several days, Huberon and his team finally developed a gun mechanism capable of firing underwater bullets. Xia Zuo admired their passionate and dedicated research attitude.

Now, let's see how well the underwater bullet performs.

All members were already seated around the conference table.

Danielle handed the completed experimental report to Hillenburg, her face beaming with undisguised joy, which quickly infected the others around the conference table.

...

[Actual combat duration] 1 hour 05 minutes 45 seconds

[Energy Circuit] 4500/15000

...

Hillenburg read through the report and burst into hearty laughter. "Haha, the performance of the lightweight materials and underwater bullets is even better than I expected."

Hillenburg flicked the page with his finger.

"The combat golem consumes only one-third the energy of a mine to fire underwater bullets, but its power is no less. The destructive power of each underwater bullet is comparable to that of a mine."

"This is equivalent to reducing combat costs by approximately 20% without weakening combat effectiveness."

"The lightweight materials provided by Mars also reduce energy consumption in all aspects, by about 10%."

"Our combat golem has a battery life of 1 hour and 30 minutes in a dark zone environment."

"Clap clap clap clap clap~" Cheerful applause rang out in the conference room.

After a few seconds of releasing their joy, Hillenburg and the other team members straightened up, pressed their right hands, and said:

"Quiet down, everyone. Despite the excellence of the lightweight materials and underwater bullets, the delayed-trigger and pressure-sensitive triggering functions of the mines are still indispensable. We still need to equip the combat golems with some mines."

"In addition, I have a few pieces of information to share with you all to prevent us from falling into blind complacency."

Hillenburg gave Huberon a wink. "Huberon, tell them about the latest developments of the Wildhammer Alchemists' Guild."

“At yesterday’s routine hearing, the Federal military disclosed some information, to a limited extent, regarding the procurement of the Wild Hammer combat golems. I’ve also gathered a few additional pieces of information that weren’t mentioned at the hearing; they’re all in these documents.” Huberon distributed a paper intelligence report to each member using his Wind Hand, and continued:

"It can be confirmed that the combat puppets procured this time are the Wild Hammer General Type I combat puppets, which are combat puppets that can only be used for ground combat and are not amphibious combat puppets. They have a certain low-altitude flight capability and can dive into shallow water at a depth of about 3 meters, but they cannot operate in aquatic environments for extended periods of time."

Is it just a land-based combat puppet?

Xia Zuo glanced down at the intelligence report.

That's really true.

The intelligence included several images of the Arahammer General Type I. Judging from its appearance, the sharp lines and angular metal shell made it unsuitable for underwater operations.

A true amphibious combat golem should be similar to one in your own group, with a softer appearance, streamlined curves, and primarily made of lightweight biological materials.

“I’ve learned something,” Huberon paused, “The Federation army plans to test the Wild Hammer General Type I combat golem in the north, near the frozen snowfields. In terms of resistance to wind and snow, metal materials are indeed superior to biological materials.”

Hillenburg thought for a moment and asked:

"So do you think we still need to continue monitoring the performance of these combat puppets?"

“No need to keep an eye on it all the time, team leader,” Huberon said. “I’ve already given the word that if there are any unexpected results from the trial of the Wild Hammer General Type I, they will let me know.”

“Hmm…” Hillenburg looked to the other side, “Daniel, tell them about the Golden Vitex.”

“Okay.” Danielle nodded and said to her team members:

"I met with the intelligence broker arranged by the team leader, and he provided me with a fairly detailed intelligence report."

"About a year ago, the Golden Bauhinia Sisterhood conducted no fewer than 10 secret experiments in the Golden Bauhinia Utopia. On one occasion, the experiment was discovered by a group of civilians who had mistakenly ventured into the deep mountains for exploration."

"Although these civilians were instructed not to leak information, there were always some who would take the risk for huge rewards."

"The whistleblower not only described the general situation of the experimental site, but also secretly brought out an experimental sample."

Danielle took a drawing out of the file bag. "This is what the experimental sample looked like: a plump plant seed. According to the whistleblower, they broke into a valley full of blooming flowers. From flowering to fruiting, and then to the fruit falling to the ground and growing into new plants, it took less than half an hour. The nutrients for these plants were the elemental energy that permeated every corner of the valley."

Danielle put down the drawing paper and continued:

"The whistleblower was a mage apprentice. He could clearly see elemental energy being absorbed into the plants, causing them to grow vigorously."

"In the beginning, the middlemen who obtained this information all thought that the Golden Vitex Sisterhood was developing a new way of cultivating plants."

"It wasn't until the alchemy school launched a competition to develop combat golems, and Golden Thorn Flower entered the competition under the name of a grass-based combat golem, that the intelligence intermediaries connected plants that could absorb elemental energy with grass-based combat golems."

Hillenburg asked, "Did the whistleblower mention the source of the elemental energy?"

“He said,” Danielle nodded, “that it was several crystals floating in the air emitting elemental energy. I speculate that these crystals are probably common energy storage crystals, which the alchemists of the Golden Thorn use as an energy source to simulate energy dissipation scenarios.”

Energy storage devices are alchemical tools that Elemental Manifestation Masters must learn to use at the Master level.

Anru learned this.

Energy storage crystals are a type of energy storage device used to store elemental energy for extended periods of time.

The energy circuit of a combat golem is also a type of energy storage device. It has a relatively short shelf life for storing elemental energy, but it supports high-frequency, directional output of elemental energy.

"Has any alchemist recognized what this plant is?" Hillenburg asked again.

“No.” Danielle shook her head. “But the Golden Vitex Sisters revealed some information. At an exchange meeting in the Golden Vitex Utopia, they said that this plant is also an alchemical product, not a species born in nature.”

“In that case…” Hillenburg paused for a moment, “There’s a high probability that Golden Bauhinia has developed a grass-based energy recharger. In terms of endurance, their combat golems will definitely be number one.”

Hillenburg scanned the room. "With the lightweight materials provided by Mars and the underwater bullets proposed by Shazo, our team's combat golems already possess above-average endurance. Next, we need to focus on other areas. Does anyone have any suggestions?"

Professor Allen raised his right hand and said, "I have a suggestion."

“Tell me about it, Allen,” Hillenburg said, looking at him.

"Perhaps it's time for a real-world test. Let's invite a credible research team for a friendly competition."

Hillenburg thought for a second, "Yes, you're right. So which group should we invite? Wild Hammer, Golden Thorn, or Crystal Remnants?"

“The remnants of the crystal race,” Allen said with certainty.

"We'd better invite the crystal survivors."

"Our relationship with the castle administrators is just one reason."

"More importantly, I have heard my mentor, Master Kolas, praise the Crystal Remnant's Crystal Array Control Technology more than once. He called this technology the most practical puppet control technology for commanding large-scale combat puppets in the future."

Chapter 74 Crystal Array

In Lumington, in a trench south of the sea castle.

The Hillenburg team's integrated alchemy lab was moored on a cliff in the trench.

A diving chamber floated up from the dark trench and docked next to the alchemy room.

Wearing a heavy diving suit, Xia Zuo stepped into the disinfection pool and, while waiting to remove the suit for disinfection, checked the information on the Golden Finger.

For the previous three hours, he and other members went to the dark trench to set up a training ground for live-fire exercises.

For underwater operations that require overcoming water pressure and operating in limited light, the cheat code will reward you with experience and attribute points.

Just now, Xia Zuo's Strength, Agility and Endurance attributes finally reached 13 points, and his experience bar was also full.

...

[Level] lv.33+1→lv.34

[Experience] 32/20000

[Strength] 13

[Agile] 13

[Endurance] 13

[Free Attribute Points] 21 + 13 → 34 points

...

With 34 free attribute points, Xia Zuo can raise his [Spirit] stat to 50.

There are a total of 8 prerequisites for advancing to the rank of high-level mage, and the most difficult attribute value requirement has already been met.

Once Xia Zuo increases the number of obedient elements in his spiritual ocean to 100, condenses his own elemental body, and stays in the Emergency Response Department for 5 years, he can go to Christo to apply for promotion to a high-level mage.

Xia Zuo brought up his character template and checked the spare money he had.

...

[Silvermoon Federation Citizen Points] 382700 points

...

38 points came from the compensation and commissions of the large-scale bionic human body research and development project, and 2700 points were the monthly salary and allowances issued by the Emergency Response Department.

The total cost of exchanging small elemental and condensed elemental shells is approximately 1.2 citizen points. Xia Zuo doesn't need to pay this fee; he had already obtained all the necessary raw materials when he provided the Blood Demon Cult with information about it to the Demon Hunter School.

In other words, Xia Zuo now has a full 38 citizen points at his disposal.

He had intended to invest the money in the research and development race of combat golems, but Hillenburg rejected the offer.

Hillenburg also declined the other members' offer to join in cash.

Because of the full support of the Lumington Emergency Response Department for this research and development competition, all expenses, from funding and raw materials to training venues, were covered by the Emergency Response Department.

As long as the combat puppet developed by Hillenburg's team can rank in the top five, the team members will not need to spend a single penny.

In return, Hillenburg's team will grant the city of Lumington priority access to their research and development results at a certain discount.