The energy crystal source was the fourth-generation power resource developed in the galaxy war world.
The first generation consisted of materials commonly used by players, such as oil, gunpowder, and chemicals. The second generation included biochemical technologies like cells, genes, and viruses. The third generation featured metal technologies, such as smart chips and tech chips. But the fourth generation was all about energy technology.
This new form of energy involved crushing various crystals and feeding them into reactors to extract energy essences, which were then compressed into a liquid state. This energy was incredibly powerful, operating on principles similar to nuclear and neutron technology, but without the pollution and side effects.
For mechanics, the crystal source was essential for survival. However, players couldn't manufacture it themselves; they had to exchange crystals at the tech center in the city.
"How much is left?" Edward asked.
Fly MM quickly calculated on the remote. "Not much, only 12%. We can still draw one more monster, but the little car can only move 1.5 kilometers."
Motorola, with a pensive look, said, "Let's call it a day and head back to town."
Edward nodded in agreement; it was always wise to keep some resources in reserve for emergencies.
Fly MM, an expert at modifying machines, lacked her brother's battlefield experience and immediately shook her head. "No way! Just one more time, the last time, okay?"
"Play? Do you think this is fun?" Motorola scolded. "If it weren't for Brother Bao's sharpshooting, we would have been back long ago."
Fly MM wore an innocent expression. "I know! That's why I'm not scared. Brother, don't look at me like that!"
Motorola turned to Edward with a helpless expression.
Seeing the hesitance on their faces, Fly MM quickly added, "Brother Bao, you don't need to worry! I can modify the car one more time; I promise it'll amaze you!"
"Oh?" Edward's interest was piqued.
Fly MM immediately crouched down, pulling out a heap of materials from her backpack, including bottles and jars, as well as a blueprint. She started assembling right away.
Motorola looked apologetically at Edward. "I'm sorry; my sister is like this. Please don't take it personally. Just let her grind for some experience, and we'll leave." He handed Edward a bundle of healing potions as a gesture of goodwill.
Edward accepted it without hesitation, feeling somewhat touched. These potions were rather expensive, and back when he was broke, he'd never have dared to spend on them. Now, they were being casually tossed his way.
"Once this task is done, it's time to look for some profitable jobs," Edward thought.
About ten minutes later, Fly MM let out a cheer, and with a loud "crack," Edward's eyes widened. Before him stood a lifelike magical girl warrior.
"This…" Edward gaped in astonishment. The girl looked just like a real person—wearing a white shirt and a blue skirt, with black knee-high boots and golden hair tied with a red bow. Her snow-white skin looked almost ethereal, but the only flaw was her large, lifeless eyes, devoid of any spark. If one didn't look closely, they might think she was alive.
Unable to help himself, Edward reached out.
"Don't touch her!" Fly MM yelled, startling Edward. "What's wrong?"
Fly MM explained, "This is a simulated form created by disguise gene potions, effective for only thirty minutes. In reality, she's still a robot, but her energy consumption is lower than that of the spike car."
"Why?" Edward asked.
"Look at her feet," Fly MM replied.
Edward looked down and nearly fainted—she wore pink roller skates!
"Don't underestimate those skates! They're powered by the energy crystal source, allowing for excellent movement on snow without needing boosters. I invented them and even patented the design—it's called the Magical Girl Mechanical Warrior."
"Hmm," Edward nodded. "She looks just like Usagi Tsukino from 'Sailor Moon,' doesn't she?"
"Yes!" Fly MM clapped her hands. "She's Usagi Tsukino!"
Edward broke into a cold sweat.
"Rabbit, go out and lure some monsters," Fly MM commanded, manipulating the remote.
With a "click," the magical girl's arms moved, revealing an MP7A1 submachine gun.
Edward shivered. It seemed he was encountering money-burning powerhouses more and more frequently; they were truly investing heavily in their monster-hunting tasks.
Not only had the robot been modified with expensive gene potions, but it was also armed with an MP7A1 submachine gun.
The MP7A1, shaped like a "T," measured just 380mm, roughly the size of a compact box. It was small and easy to carry and hide, boasting better accuracy and speed than the MP5. It fired 4.6mm PDW rounds—while these bullets were not particularly lethal, their penetration power was formidable enough to pierce even the most expensive Kevlar combat suits on the market.
However, despite its strengths, the drawbacks were quite evident. With a muzzle energy of 514 joules and a bullet speed of 720 meters per second, it was less powerful than a compact box. With a magazine capacity of only 25 rounds, it could be emptied in three seconds. Overall, it was a submachine gun meant for self-defense, designed to incapacitate rather than kill.
Even so, a bare MP7A1 would sell for over 1,200 credits, and having one mounted on a robot was a significant waste of resources—Fly MM clearly didn't understand firearms well.
A gun wasn't effective merely by being held; it depended on the wielder.
Fly MM would soon learn this lesson.
The magical girl moved swiftly, mainly due to the terrain, but she soon encountered a bear, which was faster than her.
Edward and Motorola watched closely as Fly MM operated the controls. The screen displayed clearly—the bear had caught up, and Fly MM opened fire, aiming to pin it down so the magical girl could escape.
The problem arose: the magical girl's gun was fixed to her left hand, and once the bullets were spent, the right hand performed only a mechanical reload. The aim was fixed, meaning she had to line up directly with the bear to hit it. If she tried to maneuver like a toy car, it would only waste bullets.
Fly MM clearly wasn't experienced with firearms. She grew flustered, jamming buttons on the remote. Many bullets missed the bear, instead sending ice chunks flying from the bamboo.
Edward and Motorola couldn't help but laugh.
Suddenly, Edward's smile vanished. He pointed at the screen. "Wait, rewind to that intersection we just passed."
"What's wrong?" Motorola asked, confused.
"Did you notice? The visibility at that intersection was poor," Edward observed.
Fly MM, still annoyed from Edward's teasing, retorted, "It's almost dark; visibility is already low."
"No!" Edward's expression turned serious. "The fog was a faint blue there, while around us it's all a milky white. Only that spot had the blue color, and I trust my eyesight."
"Oh!" Fly MM reluctantly acknowledged, beginning to direct the robot backward, but the magical girl was now being pursued by three bears.
Edward suddenly recalled something and pulled out an electronic map—the system-provided one that only displayed already developed areas.
"You took a wrong turn; that's an unknown zone," Edward called out.
"What's the matter?" Fly MM exclaimed, still fiddling with the remote. Suddenly, she screamed, "Oh no!"
Edward and Motorola gasped. "Well, we've just attracted something we shouldn't have."
A level 33 mini-boss, the Ice Stream Path's Blue Ice Guardian!
It looked humanoid, but was made of solid ice, its crystalline blue body shimmering, with hands resembling a bear's claws.
Edward, Motorola, and Fly MM knew nothing about this creature; no players had encountered it so far. This uncertainty was precisely what Edward feared—could they risk their lives to find out?
"Brother, what should we do? My robot will draw it in!" Fly MM panicked.
Motorola fell silent for a moment, then said, "We should retreat; that's at least a level 33 boss. We're probably no match for it."
"But my robot is still out there! It's made of twelve-element alloy, and cost 80,000 credits!" Fly MM's eyes brimmed with tears.
"We'll have to abandon it, or we'll all be wiped out," Motorola stated gravely. "What else can we do?"
"Fight!" Edward suddenly exclaimed.
Both were taken aback, staring at Edward, whose eyes gleamed with unshakeable determination.
"Brother Bao, you…" Motorola hesitated.
Edward's tone turned cold. "There's no escaping. Look at its speed."
Motorola glanced at the screen, where the magical girl was retreating, her gun firing wildly.
The MP7A1 bullets hit the ice bear, showing damage values of around "-172," pinning its body down. However, when the bullets struck the blue ice guardian, they only displayed "-80" damage, and the MP7A1 failed to immobilize it, sending ice shards flying without slowing it down.
At that moment, the remote emitted an alarm: "Warning! Warning! Enemy will arrive in 1 minute and 26 seconds."
Fly MM panicked, frantically pressing the remote, the MP7A1's ejected casings flying across the screen in a line.
Edward took a deep breath; another fierce battle was about to begin in one minute. This time, they would likely have to rely on strategy rather than brute force.