After the battle, it was time to collect the spoils.
However, wary of hidden enemies waiting to take a cheap shot, Lin Yu couldn't leave his mech. He remained on guard while leaving the enjoyable task of looting to Bai Wei.
"Lin-ge, I found a cryogenic storage box over here. Based on the label, it should be the Stellarscourge Disease Inhibitor you were looking for."
Bai Wei had searched the vehicles used by the armed human traffickers nearby and quickly brought Lin Yu some good news.
The Stellarscourge Disease Inhibitor—it had to be the one he ordered from Rupert.
This was an extremely important item for Lin Yu.
After all, without it, according to Rupert, he wouldn't last more than a month.
And once Stellarscourge Disease flared up, his organs would rapidly fail. That remaining month wouldn't be peaceful either.
Now that he had the inhibitor, even if he didn't know how effective it would be, at least he could buy some time.
As long as he could still move, he could still search for a cure.
"Hold onto it for now. Load everything onto that truck."
Lin Yu nodded, pointing toward a fully enclosed cargo truck left behind by the traffickers.
This world was technologically advanced—there were flying vehicles, of course. But air superiority was critical, and when factoring in energy consumption and cost-effectiveness, traditional four-wheeled vehicles remained the norm.
After all, an aerospace engine's energy consumption was on an entirely different level compared to electric motors or internal combustion engines. Just lifting a vehicle off the ground required counteracting its own weight.
Moreover, airspace control was a major concern. Whether it was the Federation, corporations, or even private individuals, no one liked unauthorized vehicles flying over their heads. A single airborne bomb could spell disaster.
Thus, while flying cars and hovercrafts existed, they were mostly luxury items. Private ownership required special flight route applications, and the most common mode of transport remained regular automobiles—albeit with better performance and smarter systems.
The fully enclosed cargo truck had likely been used by the traffickers to transport either themselves or their "cargo." But its spacious interior made it perfect for hauling the Dawn mech.
"Lin-ge, a lot of these guys had cybernetic enhancements. If we take their implants to a cybernetic specialist, they could still be useful. Should we collect them?"
Bai Wei's tone had shifted—perhaps she had truly seen hope in Lin Yu for saving her sister, or maybe it was the reverence she subconsciously felt. Either way, her deference had returned, and her "Lin-ge" sounded as natural as before.
"Pick out the valuable ones, but don't waste too much time. We need to leave as soon as possible."
Lin Yu gave a slight nod, the crimson eyes of the Dawn mech flickering in the night.
"Lin-ge, do you not plan on getting any cybernetic modifications? The Iron Mask guy had some impressive ones."
Bai Wei was curious.
"I'll pass on limb and organ replacements, but augmentation modules might be worth considering."
Lin Yu shook his head. "I've never really understood why people voluntarily replace their healthy limbs with mechanical ones. If it's just for combat strength, an exoskeleton would work just fine."
"Cybernetic technology was originally developed as medical equipment. But since mechanical limbs can easily surpass human strength, some people sought them out to enhance their abilities. Naturally, corporations followed the money and shifted cybernetics toward military applications."
Bai Wei, with her academic background, was clearly more knowledgeable on the subject. She explained,
"Plus, mechs and exoskeletons are expensive military-grade equipment. Regular people don't have the resources or access to obtain them. But cybernetics are still classified as legal medical devices, so anyone can get modifications from a cybernetic surgeon."
"Not to mention, cybernetic implants are less complex and costly than exoskeletons. And since they replace limbs or even organs, they can be carried and used freely within city limits."
Bai Wei's explanation made Lin Yu realize something.
Medical equipment!
As prosthetic limbs and even life-supporting organs, even the Federation wouldn't have a reason to ban them.
This meant cybernetics had inherent legality, as well as the advantage of being discreet and portable.
There was another undeniable factor: survivability.
Replacing body parts with cybernetic implants meant vastly superior resilience and durability compared to an ordinary person.
Furthermore, cybernetics weren't mutually exclusive with exoskeletons or mechs. Enhanced physical endurance from cybernetic modifications could reduce the life-support demands of exosuits, allowing for better performance—or buying time for deployment.
"Lin-ge, you shouldn't underestimate cybernetics. While most are indeed basic, some high-end models can rival exoskeletons—some are even comparable to mechs. They just follow a different development path."
Bai Wei added.
"Oh? Comparable to mechs?"
That piqued Lin Yu's interest.
He was a firm believer in "bigger means stronger"—with equal technology, larger machines naturally had more power.
Cybernetics were designed to enhance or replace human physiology, meaning their size was inherently limited. It made sense that some could match exoskeletons, but mechs?
By all logic, cybernetics and exoskeletons were two sides of the same technological coin. As a Level 4 Mech Engineer, how could he not know about this?
"I don't know the specifics—I've only heard rumors. High-end cybernetics are closely guarded secrets of major corporations."
Bai Wei's response made Lin Yu roll his eyes.
Still, their conversation had significantly reduced his bias against cybernetics.
While he still wasn't keen on turning himself into a machine, he had to admit the advantages were tempting—especially the enhanced survivability.
"By the way, what was that energy shield you used earlier?"
Speaking of survival, Lin Yu thought of his current situation—stuck in his mech, unable to leave. It was frustrating. That reminded him of the energy shield he had seen Bai Wei use before the battle.
The Federation did have energy shield technology, but it was mostly mounted on warships and mechs due to its enormous power consumption and computational demands. Miniaturization had always been a major challenge.
To his knowledge, the most successful small-scale energy shield was a handheld energy shield device. It was compact and, when activated, expanded into a shield-like barrier.
However, its main advantage was portability. It had terrible battery life and, to reduce computational requirements, used a fixed-frame structure—meaning it could only generate a stationary barrier or a single shield shape.
But Bai Wei's energy shield had clung to her like a thin layer of water, moving seamlessly with her body. It not only followed her motions but even adjusted to her limb movements dynamically. It had automatic threat detection and countermeasures—and likely massive real-time energy distribution and impact mitigation calculations.
This was far beyond conventional energy shield technology.
Moreover, a form-fitting energy shield that could block solid projectiles? Even if it could only withstand low-power electromagnetic firearms, it was still an exceptional defe
nsive tool.
"I'm not entirely sure… I think it's a cybernetic implant my sister gave me…"
(End of Chapter)