It was around ten o'clock, and Jia Yan began to perk up a bit. He observed someone stopping their car near a stone monument and turning off the headlights. A short and stout young man got out of the driver's seat and glanced around the surroundings. After a quick look around, he hurried to the trunk, opened it, and arranged a few things from the trunk next to the stone monument. Then, he glanced around once more before getting back into the driver's seat and starting the car.
Jia Yan remained hidden in the bushes, showing no intention of revealing himself for the exchange. After all, who would expect a big mosquito to show up? So, he continued to watch the small sedan. The other party made a U-turn ahead and then headed back the same way they came, gradually disappearing into the darkness.
Jia Yan's compound eyes gleamed faintly as he continued to wait in place. After half an hour had passed, he finally stood up from the bushes and flew towards the items laid out on the ground.
In one of the boxes, there were obviously a laptop and several peripherals. However, Jia Yan didn't pay much attention to the computer and instead focused his gaze on the other box about half a meter long. This box, made of wood and wrapped in paper, was covered with German words that Jia Yan couldn't recognize. Inside must be the metallic exoskeleton he had been longing for.
Jia Yan felt a bit excited. The physical realization of his long-conceived idea was right in front of him, and he couldn't wait to try it on. However, he still had to be cautious. He didn't know if there were any bombs or traps inside. Based on his interactions with the two assassins, it should be safe, but it never hurts to be careful.
With a glint in his compound eyes, Jia Yan hid behind the stone monument. He extended one of his elongated front legs towards the paper-covered box and tore off a corner of the paper with his sharp tip.
Crackle! In no time, the paper facing the stone monument was completely torn off. The wooden box inside was now revealed to Jia Yan.
With the dim moonlight, Jia Yan saw a metallic object about thirty centimeters in length and twenty centimeters in height inside the wooden box. It emitted a metallic sheen, confirming that it was indeed the metal exoskeleton he desired. Jia Yan's excitement grew even more.
Seeing no apparent traps, Jia Yan crawled out from behind the stone monument and quickly tore open the cardboard box. Soon, the paper covering was removed, revealing only a wooden box inside.
Jia Yan's compound eyes gleamed with determination. He picked up a goose egg-sized stone from the roadside with his front and mid feet, then fluttered his wings.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! With all six feet off the ground, Jia Yan flew holding the stone. Rising to about three meters high, he released the stone.
Snap! The wooden box shattered upon impact! Several wooden boards were smashed directly, and the stone bounced off to the side of the road.
Jia Yan flew down, picked up the stone, and continued smashing. He repeated this five or six times until the wooden box was almost completely destroyed.
Flying in the air, Jia Yan finally judged that there shouldn't be any traps inside the box. If there were, he would have triggered them by now. Carefully, he began to pry open the hard plastic foam packaging.
After a while, a shiny metallic object appeared before Jia Yan's eyes! It was a metallic component about thirty centimeters long and twenty centimeters high.
The component gleamed with a metallic sheen, coated with a rust-resistant layer, giving it a glossy black color. Under the moonlight, the surface of the metal seemed to flow like water, emitting a dazzling light.
It had a streamlined body, appearing incredibly sophisticated as a whole. Seeing this object, Jia Yan felt like he was in a futuristic world, holding a dreamlike item full of sci-fi vibes.
However, current Earth technology could only produce such simple models. No country could make real robots yet; they only had rough prototypes that lacked agility.
This intricate metal component was just a shell. In the hands of an ordinary person, it would be nothing more than a decoration. But Jia Yan didn't want it for decoration; he wanted to wear it!
Without a power source, wasn't he the perfect candidate?!
On the ground lay a row of slender metal components, corresponding to Jia Yan's six long legs. Excitedly, he approached them. When Jia Yan designed the exoskeleton, he imagined a design that only required insertion. He crawled into the exoskeleton's main body cavity!
This main body part had to be precise. Even a few millimeters off would render it unusable. But with the meticulousness and reputation of German technicians, Jia Yan effortlessly slid into the main body of the exoskeleton.
The main body consisted of articulated joint components, each with fixed movable buckles according to Jia Yan's design. These buckles allowed the body to move automatically without dislodging. The tail spike was also integrated.
Jia Yan moved his abdomen, feeling the spike wrapped in metal, extending about eight centimeters longer. The sensation of the metal was incredibly cold and hard.
Two assassins had told Jia Yan that the exoskeleton would use top-grade military steel from the United States. While Jia Yan couldn't discern any unique features of the metal yet, he trusted that they hadn't cut corners.
The sharpness of the tail spike was remarkable; even a slight scrape on the ground left a deep mark.
Hard, sharp—Jia Yan loved it!
The body inside the exoskeleton was lined with industrial-grade shock-absorbing gel, as per Jia Yan's instructions. The exterior of Jia Yan's body was also made of a somewhat flexible material. When they pressed against each other, Jia Yan felt that his body and the exoskeleton were seamlessly integrated.
Even the abdominal design accommodated his digestive process without hindrance.
"This is such a marvelous design. I only proposed the idea, but they've solved it for me!" Jia Yan marveled at the German engineers.
In less than ten minutes, Jia Yan had assembled the entire exoskeleton on his body. Under the moonlight, a figure resembling a futuristic metal monster stood tall.
With its jet-black body reflecting the moonlight, the exoskeleton stood proudly. It had a removable sharp knife attached to its helmet, and its forelegs were equipped with similarly sharp blades.
The exoskeleton's wings, although somewhat unsightly to others, were crucial for Jia Yan's defense. Though their impact on flight speed remained to be seen, Jia Yan believed they were necessary for his protection.
"Next, to equip the exoskeleton's foot parts." Jia Yan mounted the elongated metal components onto his six long legs.
After a total of less than ten minutes, the entire exoskeleton was neatly worn. Under the gleaming moonlight, Jia Yan stood, a figure reminiscent of a creature from the future.
"I'm impressed. This exoskeleton exceeds my expectations!"