Chapter 213: Tier 1 Bodhi Dao Artifact
The fair neck was very graceful, and the scene of it being gripped by a hand was very violent.
Mixed with Wan Xing’s weak whisper, “We’re done for, I told him he would strangle you to death…”
Su Huan frowned, untied Yu Jing’s ponytail, inserted his five fingers like knives, and checked every inch of her scalp, ear roots, and neck.
In the bewildered gazes of the two, he “zipped” open the bodysuit’s zipper.
Fingertips along the collarbone, heart, ribs, all the way down, front checked then back, spine, tailbone… He didn’t miss a single bone on Yu Jing’s body, pinching them all once.
By this point, even Wan Xing understood what he was doing, her eyes carrying a bit of contemplation.
“My body hasn’t mutated.” Yu Jing explained helplessly.
A touch of crimson had appeared in Su Huan’s pupils at some point, like two clusters of fire soaked in a cold pool, burning inch by inch over her skin, up to her eyebrows and lashes.
In his previous life, he had seen plenty of flesh and blood evolution; bone hyperplasia and flesh mutation were already normal styles, and there were some with multiple organs and limbs, just one glance could make one’s sanity drop. If it was merely external changes, it wouldn’t be a big deal.
At that time, people’s aesthetics were already very extreme, with the pursuit of strength reaching a pathological level.
As long as it was strong enough, even growing a body full of eyeballs was beautiful.
But this evolution direction was unstable.
Evolving further, the brain was full of flesh and blood song; forget humanity, even logic was fucking devoured by flesh and blood.
In his previous life, he had personally seen Qu Hang execute a rampaging “Manufacturer” who raw-eaten his colleague.
Electromagnetic sniper rifle, took five shots to kill it.
Ever since seeing the scene of that flesh lump without even a head madly charging at everyone, Su Huan decided to never team up with a flesh and blood direction “Manufacturer” even if beaten to death.
No brain left and still alive—what exactly was driving you daily, the brain or something else?
An insider traitor was ten thousand times better than these taboo-touchers.
Seeing Su Huan’s increasingly dangerous gaze, Yu Jing explained, “Perhaps my path is different from the pure flesh and blood path you mentioned.”
Su Huan tilted his head, glancing from the corner of his eye at “Zhao Kuo” walking over from the side.
“Which skills did you use to evolve?”
“lv3 ‘General Energy Erosion’ + lv2 ‘Mechanical Specialization’ + lv1 ‘Life Devouring Reshaping'”
The first two skills were traditional skills of “Mechanical Apprentice”; this was also the path Su Huan originally wanted Yu Jing to take. The last one was the key.
“How did you awaken this skill?”
This skill was indeed different from those flesh and blood evolver people, which slightly reassured Su Huan.
“Initially refined from zombie bodies.” Wan Xing explained from the side.
Su Huan’s gaze flickered for a moment before he retrieved that memory image in his mind.
“That Tier 1 material for synthesizing ‘Defender’ gene potion?”
“Yes, then I researched a bit in that direction, felt it had high feasibility, so I had Wan Xing help me out. My breakthrough determines the train’s future upgrade ceiling, so I was a bit anxious, but luckily, I did forge a new path.”
Yu Jing gazed calmly at Su Huan, with a kind of frankness.
Apart from mechanics, he hadn’t seen her care about anything else.
Su Huan patted her shoulder with contempt, “The first half-sentence is for the train’s sake, I can barely accept that; the second half is a bit showing off, which I can’t accept.”
Yu Jing’s eye corner lifted, a faint “well” character appearing on her forehead.
“This is indeed a completely new path, and it won’t cause my own flesh and blood to collapse.”
“New path?” Su Huan turned to face Zhao Kuo who had become a soldier puppet, “This is your solution? Use a puppet to replace yourself?”
“Exactly!”
A flash of excitement appeared in Yu Jing’s eyes.
“Although I discarded a lv1 ‘Material Manufacturing’ skill, the new profession not only has no impact on me, but also greatly improves combat power.”
Su Huan struck mercilessly, “When he was alive, his body was carbonized by me; you can only use a small portion of flesh and blood. Even fusing some mechanical structures, it’s barely at Tier 2 evolver level in strength and speed—accurately, it can’t beat any Tier 2 evolver. The advantage is this thing isn’t afraid of death, can surprise people; the disadvantage is you’re still a rookie.”
“You’re only half right, but the space here is too small for verification; let’s go to the deck.”
With that, Yu Jing stood by the outer wall, and the [Engineer-I] exoskeleton on the carriage body was drawn on like traction, wearing itself without any auxiliary functions.
Su Huan focused slightly; he could feel it was general energy fluctuation, not pure mechanical drive.
“Then I won’t go…”
Wan Xing said from the side.
Su Huan lightly acknowledged.
“Go tell Old Hu later that you and Yu Jing each deduct one week’s salary.”
“I was just assisting.”
“One month.”
Wan Xing opened her mouth, said nothing more, just her steps heavier as she left.
Su Huan and Yu Jing arrived on the deck, with “Zhao Kuo” following behind.
Fine rain floated in the sky; not acid rain, just normal pH rainwater.
Rain lines tilted by the wind.
Waves crashed one after another onto the train.
Like an isolated island in the sea.
Only when some buildings stubbornly emerged from the water could one discern traces of human existence here.
Su Huan waved to form a large energy barrier, repelling the rainwater, “Didn’t expect you two to get along so well.”
Yu Jing gave him a meaningful look, “The reason you don’t see this side of Wan Xing is because she sees you as her boss; during work hours, she naturally won’t show much emotion.”
“Pretty surprising; I thought she was emotionally indifferent.”
Su Huan exhaled, like a long white dragon passing through the barrier, blowing away rainwater, finally merging into the gloomy sky.
“Wan Xing is indifferent only because she doesn’t care about these things, but you really poked her sore spot this time.”
“What sore spot?”
Su Huan was a bit curious.
“She hasn’t eaten nuts for a long time; recently spent a lot of points exchanging for materials, planning to make nuts herself.”
“What the hell is this? What’s nuts? Rice?”
“Just a term from 2D peripherals; she likes it a lot, but all her previous ones were lost.”
“I thought she would like children.”
Su Huan sighed faintly.
Yu Jing shook her head, “The orphanage was what her parents wanted to do; she has no interest in most things, just an ordinary young girl who likes to immerse in the 2D world.”
“A 26-year-old young girl… Though after human evolution, that’s not wrong. First, talk about your abilities.”
Su Huan pulled the topic back on track.
Yu Jing said seriously, “The reason I say you’re only half right is that the puppet is indeed only at entry Tier 2 level, but I’m not without combat power. Now I’m a fusion of mechanics and flesh and blood—not mechanics replacing parts of flesh and blood, but mechanical properties thoroughly integrated into flesh and blood.”
With that, wearing the exoskeleton, she punched at Su Huan.
Su Huan narrowed his eyes, slightly sidestepped, raised knee and twisted hip, kicking the ambushing puppet flying with one foot.
Then body straightened, hand raised to catch Yu Jing’s fist.
Fist and palm collided with a “bang” muffled sound.
Su Huan said indifferently, “Strength is average; your coordination is a bit off.”
The next moment, the firmly grabbed Yu Jing suddenly shed the exoskeleton on her body, like taking off an ordinary jacket, so fast Su Huan didn’t react.
Then she curled and drilled into Su Huan’s arms.
“Bang!”
The woman grunted muffledly, kneeling on the deck, a trace of blood overflowing from her mouth.
Leaving Su Huan surprised in place, “Your body defense has increased so much? Normally that punch should lay you up for a day.”
Even the usually calm Yu Jing was a bit broken, silver teeth clenched, “Isn’t it just offending you a few times; do you want to kill me?”
Su Huan bent down to pat the woman’s head, smiling, “Kill you, no; maim you, yes, I have that thought.”
“So this is your main evolution ability? Drive mechanics in a special way, manipulate a puppet, and greatly improve physical fitness.”
Yu Jing looked up helplessly, “Not just that; also some flesh and blood devouring ability, but your flesh is too tough… can’t bite.”
Su Huan then noticed a tiny blood spot on his fist surface, like a little person, baring teeth and claws wanting to gnaw a bite of his flesh and blood, but the force so weak he would overlook it if not paying attention.
Electric light flashed, and the blood bead on his hand turned to ash.
“Flesh and blood manipulation primary, mechanics auxiliary.”
Su Huan thought, if the danger is shifted to the puppet, the flesh and blood mechanical path isn’t unwalkable—equivalent to an alternative “Mechanist”.
“But no one has tested this path for errors; not even sure if you can reach Tier 2.”
“I’ve been prepared for that.”
“Since it’s a completely new path, let’s name it.”
Appreciation appeared in Su Huan’s eyes, extending one hand, “Pioneers have the right to name new paths in their way.”
Yu Jing was slightly stunned, gripped Su Huan’s hand to stand from the deck, expression returning to calm.
“Flesh shell rusty bones, all are Bodhi Dao Artifacts; from now on, metal flesh and blood see me and bow—call it ‘Bodhi Dao Artifact’.”
“Tier 1 ‘Bodhi Dao Artifact’ huh…”
Su Huan looked at the puppet standing in the rain, metal body, arms half-exposed, indeed had a bit of mechanical flavor.
Suddenly, some noise appeared by his ear.
Like a world quickly approaching his ear; by sound alone, he sensed a woman wearing stockings jacket and wide-leg casual pants, holding a spatula standing on the front of the train command platform, surrounded by staff endlessly tapping keyboards.
In the entire carriage, only Yu Yue’s “Shared Sound Field” could do this.
Soon Yu Yue’s soft voice line, like fingertips gliding over a quilt, came through, “Su Huan, straight ahead is Guan Chong City; they say it’s been flooded. The fastest route is straight through the city center—go through or detour?”
Su Huan narrowed his eyes, looking at the blurry building cluster in the distance, “Of course through; the train’s speed in water is already slow, detouring who knows when.”
“Mm, okay. Drone detection shows survivors ahead.”
“Survivors?” Su Huan was stunned, “In the water? I can’t see.”
“I’ll adjust the distance.”
Soon, Su Huan felt his hearing cross layers of waves to the train’s front, hearing someone slapping water sounds; from the figure, it really seemed human.
“Not drowned after so long—could it be zombies?”
Su Huan said suspiciously.
“Xiao Zhao says the rain is too heavy, drones can’t fly; we’ll know when the train gets closer.”
The light rain soon turned to downpour; compared to land downpours, with flood backdrop, this downpour was even more terrifying.
The entire water area seemed boiled, wave crests shattering into pale foam under rain whips, swallowed by deeper ink waves.
Instant pale flashes showed twisted wave peaks, like giant beast jagged backs.
The train gradually sailed into the city.
The once prosperous city was still there, just submerged in water; the train glided over the city skyline.
Occasionally overpasses and signal towers emerged from water; in distance, some international finance center signboard still above water.
The train even glided over a giant stadium.
It was also Su Huan’s first time viewing a city from this height; waves surging, various miscellaneous items floating on surface, like garbage rammed aside by the train.
Surrounding emerging high-rise buildings increased, signal towers, high-rise residences…
Su Huan even saw a skyscraper packed with dense zombies; seeing the floating train in water, they rushed out one after another.
Like dumplings falling into water, struggling randomly twice then sinking.
Su Huan frowned; he sensed a massive general energy reaction underwater.
Blurry figures struggling and splashing appeared before his eyes; they couldn’t swim out, nor sink down.
“Any equipment for going underwater? See what’s inside; I’m going down right away.”
With that, Su Huan headed straight to the front of the train with Yu Jing; the train neared the struggling figures ahead.
A glimpse before entering the front: Su Huan saw several rotten faces.
No surprises, entered the front command platform.
Yu Yue looked at the mechanical puppet following closely behind her daughter, slightly puzzled; before she could ask, Xiao Zhao walked in.
Followed by people holding two cylindrical devices.
“Since train modifications are all water-area oriented, Teacher had us research some underwater scouting equipment; this is a small submarine. Because volume increased a lot, transmission changed from optical fiber to general energy communication, equipped inside with a lightweight communication device.”
Su Huan took it and examined, “So this thing can scout separated from the train, no need for a trailing line?”
Xiao Zhao nodded, “Yes, just never had space to test; today is first use.”
“Then let’s try.”
Su Huan waved his hand.
Xiao Zhao had people debug the equipment; soon, with the scouting device entering water there, a slightly blurry image appeared on the monitor here.
Xiao Zhao calmly commanded, “Turn on faint light illumination.”
The murky dark screen cleared up.
“What is that thing?!”
