In the afternoon of that very day, as the soldiers ventured out to gather metal and electronic components, Qin Mo commenced the grand expansion of the entire structure. This marked the second occasion for Gray to witness Qin Mo wielding his creation magic, and it left him even more awestruck than the first time.
Under Qin Mo's control, a square area measuring one hundred meters per side transformed; the once rigid metallic ground became malleable, reshaped by his telekinetic prowess to adhere seamlessly to the building. As one section morphed into a deep pit, Qin Mo began the same process on another patch of ground.
Gradually, the entire edifice expanded to five stories. The walls were thickened by thirty centimeters, and metal rods floated in midair, punctuated by shooting holes. These apertures, fixed in orientation, ensured that once heavy weaponry was installed, it could be directly aimed at the advancing rebels. Some openings pointed directly outward, while others were angled.
Upon completion of the expansion, the metal rods elongated, stitching themselves into the walls like needle and thread through tofu, providing the effect of reinforced steel. The specialized alloy used for constructing weapons, deemed useless for its poor malleability, proved ideal as a material for the walls.
As Klein observed the transformation of the building into a fortress, he felt a wave of perplexity wash over him. With no doors open, how could one enter or exit?
Qin Mo promptly provided an answer through action. The entrance no longer lay flat upon the ground but morphed into a semi-circular underground passage. Anyone wishing to enter the building would have to slide through an exterior opening before ascending the stairs.
Upon entering the interior, one would navigate a labyrinthine corridor, flanked by thick walls embedded with shooting holes. Klein mused that this design for the entrance was truly diabolical for attackers. The walls were impervious to explosives, while the serpentine entrance would allow tanks to enter but not exit. Even if enemy infantry braved the formidable firepower to infiltrate the building, they would be forced to huddle together in the corridor, making them easy targets for the heavy weaponry hidden behind the walls.
From the defenders' perspective, however, the design was nothing short of angelic.
"Give me a flamethrower and a thermobaric cannon, and I could withstand an onslaught from dozens of enemies for a year," Klein praised the fortress before posing a question he deemed crucial. "But how do we transport supplies into the stronghold?"
"Like this," Qin Mo replied, raising his hand, causing the wall to part like a door.
"I see," Klein said, raising an eyebrow in acknowledgment.
With the upper section complete, Qin Mo then turned his attention to the subterranean portion. To prevent infiltration by gene stealers, he excavated hollow spaces within the building's core, each requiring entry from the surface.
"This truly surpasses the power of mere mortals," Klein remarked in wonder. "While psychic energy is formidable, it is undeniably practical."
"I am not a psychic," Qin Mo stated. Until now, he had always considered himself one, disregarding the hallucinations and dreams he experienced. Yet the evidence now indicated that he was decidedly not a psychic; otherwise, the psychic suppression collar and the parasitic creatures would have had no effect on him.
As for the source of this power…
Qin Mo recalled the visions he had after being struck by artillery, pondering the possibility that it stemmed from the Star Gods.
Star Gods. They had existed long before any race in the Milky Way was born, parasitizing stars to absorb energy. These deities of the material world possessed the power to transcend time and dimensions, capable of creating black holes and conjuring entire planets from thin air, effortlessly warping the laws of physics.
The powers of the Star Gods bore some resemblance to those of subspace; they could conjure flames from nothing and induce anomalous phenomena within the material universe, even manipulating objects with sheer thought.
At this moment, Qin Mo was eighty percent certain that his powers derived from the Star Gods, yet he remained ignorant of which specific God was responsible and why he possessed this power.
"I need to forge weapons. When the soldiers return, have them bring me what they find," Qin Mo declared, unwilling to elaborate further, before turning to leave.
…
While he could command the 47th Infantry Regiment at will, Qin Mo had no intention of taking too many men to search for other positions; his plan remained focused on arming Gray and his comrades to the fullest. After all, an expanded civilian structure transformed into a fortress would require a greater garrison.
In Qin Mo's vision, a six-man team would stealthily traverse various positions at breakneck speed, necessitating equipment that allowed for rapid movement. Given the need for stealth, this equipment should ideally not be a vehicle but rather compact gear that could be integrated into powered armor.
The answer soon revealed itself: a jetpack.
The gravity shield would be integrated into the jetpack, which would feature capabilities for generating a gravity shield, maintaining brief flight for long-distance leaps, and storage functions.
Weapons should also be incorporated into the powered armor, with a primary focus on energy weapons, as kinetic weapons would fail to penetrate the gravity shield. There would be time later to modify the gravity shield for kinetic weaponry.
Considering all these factors, the powered armor integrating the jetpack, gravity shield, and energy weapons should be primarily designed for defensive purposes against energy weapons.
The energy consumption of various weaponry was a significant concern.
Qin Mo believed he should design a high-capacity battery that could be charged with thermal energy, enabling everyone to gather together in a dire situation and distort the physical laws within their vicinity so that flames would not incinerate metal or flesh, allowing for direct combustion for charging.
Beyond individual equipment, Qin Mo also intended to design drones categorized by different functions, capable of carrying kinetic weapons or medical supplies, or serving purely reconnaissance purposes, or functioning as mobile cover.
Lastly, the heavy weapons for the fortress required no extensive thought; he merely needed to fabricate logging guns, flamethrowers, or thermobaric cannons.
As he recalled the designs of these heavy weapons, he could grasp their principles and structures, enabling him to replicate them accurately.
None of these creations could be deemed perfect, but that very imperfection allowed for easier design and fabrication.
When he still suspected himself of being a psychic, Qin Mo had hesitated to create in abundance, but now, convinced of his true nature, he felt no such trepidation.
As for what might happen when he left the Nest, should these unapproved technological creations by the Empire be discovered… well, survival came first.
And if these inventions were to be influenced by psychic energy…
"Damn, that's a grave concern," Qin Mo suddenly recalled that among the gene stealers were individuals adept at utilizing psychic energy, and these individuals were not weak in their abilities.
Research into anti-psychic technologies was imperative.
Qin Mo resolved to first construct a psychic suppression device based on the principles of the psychic suppression collar.