This is not mechanical ascension...

Chapter 288 Shadows Beneath the Core Ruins
"Yes, it's him." Li Ming nodded, and after turning left and right, he arrived at the door of his studio.

Monroe was in a daze, his processor running at high speed. While collecting metal materials during this period, he also had a rough understanding of the current situation.

I learned that Archduke Guya was assassinated and his life or death is still unknown.

Because of certain things, he paid special attention to Grand Duke Guya, and further learned that the assassin was a terrible assassin named "Dark Night".

He didn't expect to see the other person here.

What’s more important is that he was actually very polite to Qinglong.

Everything in front of him made him confused. The last time he came into contact with Qinglong was when the other party was lurking under Ulrich's command and doing something secretly.

How long has it been since?

"Okay, just put it here." Li Ming waved his hand.

While the Monero processor was running at high speed, the metal materials he brought had been delivered. After the staff put them down, they left carefully.

The door opened, and two mechanical bodies, Thunder and Tepper, came out and carried the things in. They guarded the studio around the clock.

Li Ming was quite looking forward to it, as he was in great need of metal energy now.

Monroe followed in, looked around, removed his camouflage, and revealed his mechanical body that was almost completely eaten away by green nanoworms.

It was almost back to the state when Li Ming first saw the other party lying in the liquid cabin.

"Where's Saber?"

Li Ming was counting the metal materials and asked casually.

What Monroe brought were the same metal plates mixed with star core fragments, totaling 120 pieces. He was very familiar with this material, and one piece contained 500,000 pieces of metal energy.

About 60 million metal energies can be extracted. I don’t know where Monroe got so much of the same material.

"Saber?" Monroe seemed a little surprised. He didn't expect Qinglong to still remember Saber. "When I came here, I asked him to leave the Red River Star Stream. There has been some unrest around here recently."

Li Ming nodded. 50 million for repairs and 10 million for labor costs, just right...

Then, he asked his two mechanical guards to transport all the metal materials into the sealed cabin on the left side of the studio.

Letting Monroe wait here for a moment, he walked in and began to absorb the metal energy.

These metal plates were relatively expensive and not very large in size, so it only took him half a day to absorb most of them.

It was almost the same as he expected, with a total of 60 million metal energies absorbed.

After walking out of the sealed cabin, Monroe looked at him first. His nervous system, which had been almost corroded by the nano curse, was a little overloaded.

"Even with these metal materials, it is unlikely to be repaired well." Li Ming noticed that the Star King was becoming agitated, so he gave him a heads-up in advance.

"I understand that once it recovers to a certain level, I will be able to stop it from spreading any further. That way, I will have enough time to collect more materials," Men Luo explained.

Li Ming suddenly realized, and then said: "Mr. Monroe, it's still the same as before. I will cut off your central control system."

"No problem." Having had this experience once before, Monroe naturally did not resist at all. Instead, he took the initiative to cut off the control system.

Li Ming made sure that he was offline before he stretched out his hand and covered his body.

As the metal energy surged out, an invisible ripple gradually spread out with his finger as the center, and the green nanoworms around it died on the spot as if they had encountered some natural enemy.

The rotten and bumpy body was gradually repaired until it was as bright and clean as new.

"After being transformed to this extent, can he still be called a human being?" Li Ming's mind was scattered. Monroe in this state was equivalent to a person with his brain taken out.

A normal life form would definitely be dead, but for a mechanically modified body, it is just temporarily offline.

He certainly couldn't accept this kind of transformation, as it had become no different from the mechanical bodies under his command.

Time passed by minute by minute, and two hours later.

Monroe's mechanical pupils lying on the metal plate suddenly lit up and began to run at high speed. Energy sparks burst out from all parts of his mechanical body and the engine in his chest made a humming sound.

The metal cover on the left forearm lifted up, and a pitch-black energy cannon muzzle popped out. An energy generator extended from the palm of the hand, condensing into a purple lightsaber.

Two ray turrets also rose on his shoulders, and his left hand quickly transformed, constantly assembling into various melee weapons.

On the smooth metal back, a large number of micro-thrusters popped out with a click, and then quickly retracted. The entire mechanical body was constantly spreading, assembling, and deforming.

There is almost no trace of green on the surface of the body, only some residual traces remain on the crotch and calves.

Monroe was familiar with his body. The system was performing various self-checks. The report he received made him marvel:
"It's amazing, 74% completeness, unimaginable technology. I have the ability to stop the spread of the nano curse."

Monroe was very excited and Li Ming was also very satisfied as they obtained another 10 million metal energies.

"Congratulations, Lord Monroe, on your new life." Li Ming smiled.

"Thank you very much." Monroe's attitude became more polite, even solemn: "Monroe will always remember your help."

"You're welcome." Li Ming's eyes flickered slightly, and he turned and asked curiously, "Did your strength reach the S-level life form when you were at your peak?"

"Hmm..." Monroe groaned, "There is no clear dividing line when judging the strength of a mechanically modified body."

"All the modified parts on my body are made of A-level materials. Theoretically, I should be an A-level life form. However, due to the special nature of mechanical modification, if I were to load an energy engine, I could exert strength far beyond that of an A-level life form."

"But facing a true S-class genetic evolution, it's a little bit disappointing."

It's quasi-S, Li Ming simply and roughly defined it, and then deliberately asked: "The Reina you fought with should not have been an S-level life form at that time."

"Reina!" Monroe's face suddenly darkened, his mechanical pupils moved at high speed, and he snorted coldly: "He is not an S-level life form, and he is not my opponent. If he hadn't used the insidious trick of the nano curse..."

Monroe obviously hated Reina very much. After all, he had been tortured for more than 40 years and his life was worse than death.

"Oh..." Li Ming looked thoughtful. Monroe finally reacted and said hesitantly, "Why did you suddenly mention Reina?"

"Because he is now an S-level life form, and is even drawn into the vortex of the Ascender's core ruins." Li Ming explained "casually".

"S-class life form?" Monroe's face changed slightly, and his voice was cold. "It seems that he has gained a lot of benefits over the years."

"Is he still with Grand Duke Guya?" Monroe asked again.

"Yes..." Li Ming nodded and couldn't help but ask, "At that time, was it Grand Duke Gu Ya who was thinking about the [Matter Reorganization Maker] in your hand?"

"Part of the reason..." Monroe pondered, looked at Qinglong, hesitated for a moment, and said: "In fact, the situation at that time was very complicated..."

"I am not a living being in the Corona Borealis ring." Monroe's pupils reflected a picture, a very complex star map, which kept expanding and finally froze.

"Haintis is a star cluster-level civilization in the Sea of ​​Stars. There are many star cluster-level civilizations there, and it is known as the birthplace of the next empire-level civilization. Therefore, the Xingyuan Empire and the Yongyao Federation have both deployed measures there to prevent the birth of the next empire-level civilization."

"Due to some reasons, my civilization was indirectly destroyed by the Xingyuan Empire. My father and I were displaced. During that time, my gene seeds were removed, and my genetic evolution was cut off..." Li Ming couldn't help but said, "You are not a prince, a noble exile, or something like that, who wants to seek revenge on the Xingyuan Empire or revive civilization."

Monroe shook his head: "Neither, I am just an insignificant civilian, and I don't have the lofty goals you mentioned."

That’s about right… Li Ming muttered to himself. He always felt that there were too many exiled nobles in the interstellar space. One brick could kill four or five of them.

Monroe continued, "I wandered among the stars for several years. My father died at the hands of a group of interstellar pirates, and I came to the Land of Chaos."

"For some very complicated reasons, I was spotted by someone who seemed to be a Forge-level mechanic. He performed mechanical modifications on my entire body and placed me here to build the Land of the Stars."

"Oh?" Li Ming finally showed some interest. "You used the Land of Stars to pull something from the Red River Star Stream. Is that what the other party meant?"

"Yes, actually, I didn't know what to pull, but he just let me do it, and do it in a big way."

Li Ming guessed it instantly: "He asked you to deliberately attract attention?"

"Yes." Monroe nodded. "Because of my existence, Grand Duke Gu Ya cast his eyes here for the first time, and even Grand Duke Thornblood contacted me secretly."

"Wait, the Bloodthirsty Duke?" Li Ming captured the key words and frowned.

Why are these two people here again?

"what happened?"

Seeing Qinglong's surprised reaction, Monroe couldn't help but ask.

"You may not know." Li Ming kneaded his brows, "This time, the fight for the core ruins of the Ascendant was also the work of Grand Duke Blood and Grand Duke Guya behind the scenes."

"Against them?" Monroe's eyes narrowed slightly, and he said thoughtfully: "The Xingyuan Empire is divided into three factions. Among the royal family, the Glory Saint Emperor - Adam is currently the leader.

"Grand Duke Cixi and Grand Duke Gu Ya are two princes under the Holy Emperor. Because their fiefdoms are adjacent to each other, they have always had a lot of friction."

Monroe said with a vague meaning: "Do you know what I should do when I face the person behind me and the two of them?"

Li Ming showed an inquiring look at the right moment.

"Sow discord, do whatever you can to sow discord!" Monroe spat out a few words.

Li Ming paused for a moment, and suddenly realized that there must be something big going on here, and it must be a huge thing.

"A Forging-star level mechanic. An Ye's gun was also made by a Forging-star level mechanic..." Li Ming subconsciously thought, could it be the same person?

"Is it Grand Duke Gu Ya who has the upper hand between the two of them?" Li Ming asked.

"That's right." Monroe nodded. "Gu Ya is much older than Grand Duke Cixi. Cixi belongs to the new nobles. The royal family only has so much cake. If he wants to get more, he can only take others'."

Li Ming murmured: "So Gu Ya was injured but not killed, so that Cixue became more greedy..."

Is it really the same person?
He couldn't help but wonder, a game that lasted for more than 40 years?

Maybe it's more than that. This is all he knew. The lifespan of higher life forms is longer than one could imagine. These two events happened only forty years apart. Even if it happened four hundred years apart, it would not be surprising.

Monroe sighed, "The last time, Grand Duke Guya did not send out an S-class life form, and Grand Duke Thornblood only contacted me secretly."

"But this time, the competition between them became more obvious, and even S-level life forms were dispatched."

Li Ming thought of the [Matter Reorganization Fabricator] again and asked, "Did he also give me the fabricator?"

"A bait." Monroe said, "The man behind me doesn't care who gets the thing."

Rich and powerful... Li Ming sighed.

"But..." At this point, Monroe sneered: "But I have been in the interstellar for so many years, and it's not for nothing. Grand Duke Guya thinks he can kill me with Reina and the Nano Curse?"

"Unfortunately, I escaped at the last moment."

Li Ming nodded thoughtfully, and then asked in confusion: "Since you escaped, why didn't you contact the Casting Star Mechanic?"

Monroe shook his head. "He just used me as a tool. When he modified me, he implanted many components that restricted me. The nano curse corroded them all."

"I am worthless now. He may not save me."

Li Ming had a vague impression of the star-casting mechanic, and at the same time had a guess.

This core relic is also a bureau, right?
"Your Excellency seems to have some ideas about the core ruins as well?" Monroe looked at the thoughtful Qinglong and asked tentatively.

"I do have some ideas." Li Ming said frankly.

Monroe hesitated, "I'm afraid this matter is not that simple. I advise you not to take any risks. I have a vague feeling that there are many things involved."

Li Ming just nodded but didn't respond.

Monroe didn't say much. Given their relationship, it would be impolite to persuade him further.

"What are your plans now?" Li Ming asked.

"I don't have any plans for now." Monroe shook his head, his mechanical pupils glowing red: "I do have some ideas about Reina."

Li Ming couldn't help but be surprised: "You just advised me not to take risks."

Monroe shook his head, his voice gradually becoming colder: "We are different. I have no ties. I have already repaid the favor that person showed me. Now, of course, I want... revenge!"

That’s perfect… Li Ming couldn’t help but grin.

Monroe calmed down and asked, "Theo, are Ulrich and the others on the boat?"

"You want to meet them?"

Monroe nodded, then hesitated and said, "If it doesn't interfere with your plan, I do have this idea. Some old things are a knot in my heart."

"That won't interfere." Li Ming shook his head with a faint smile on his face: "I think they will be very happy to see you again."

Monroe has transformed into a human form again, and the corners of his mouth are pulled apart.

Li Ming sent a few messages and the two left the studio.

Five minutes later, in the main ship's conference room No. 1, Theo and his companions gathered together and sat in two rows.

Sandro looked around, feeling uneasy. Seeing that no one spoke, he finally couldn't help but ask, "Why did Qinglong call us here? Does anyone know?"

"Jessiah?"

No one paid any attention to him. Everyone looked calm and had different thoughts.

Finally, after waiting for a few more minutes, everyone turned around at the same time and saw that the door of the conference room was opened and Qinglong walked in.

(End of this chapter)