The copy has 0 error tolerance, and the last words on the ground are all wrong for me.

Chapter 434 The Crystal Matrix and the Mechanical Emperor

To facilitate He Yun's takeover of the Yongguang Research Institute, Wu Chang entered the institute and lent the Omniscient Crystal to He Yun.

He Yunling's omniscient crystal was connected to the central control console, helping her to confirm whether the adjustments she made could achieve the expected results.

In the past, the omniscient crystal would only answer a few questions from Wu Chang if it touched on sensitive issues, saying that a soul contract had to be signed before it could provide an answer.

If you want to get more important information from it, you have to do it when it has just finished eating the Primordial Spiritual Pivot and is in a good mood.

Since the Omniscient Crystal signed a unilateral contract with Wu Chang, it has become increasingly cooperative in answering questions.

Moreover, as long as enough faith power is provided to the Omniscient Crystal, it will not resist answering questions or even helping He Yun.

A wise man knows when to yield. Wu Chang had been praising the Omniscient Crystal in his heart for growing up and becoming sensible. He never expected that in the blink of an eye, it would actually grow up and become so big.

When Schultz handed him the Omniscient Crystal, it was a black, bi-pyramidal crystal that was only five centimeters long and could be set between the eyebrows.

The Omniscient Crystal has now become a black cube with sides measuring one meter.

When small, the Omniscient Crystal has a clear, translucent appearance and a gem-like luster, making it clear that it is a crystal.

As it grows up, it still retains the delicate and smooth texture of a gemstone, but its surface no longer reflects any light and turns into a deep black.

It was so black it didn't look like a real object; it looked more like a hole had been carved out of space, as if it wanted to devour everything.

If it weren't for the soul contract that told him the thing in front of him was the Omniscient Crystal, he would never have dared to recognize it.

How did you grow up like this in just a few days?

Regarding the status of the Omniscient Crystal, He Yun wasn't entirely sure either. She said:

“During this period of time, while using the Omniscient Crystal, I discovered that its size was gradually increasing as the power of faith was injected. I suspect that it needs the power of faith to digest the energy of the Primordial Spirit Pivot. It absorbed too much of the Primordial Spirit Pivot before and hasn’t had time to digest it.”

"It's just a crystal, so it's hard for it to absorb the power of faith like a real god. About three days ago, I put it into the training room for sensing the power of faith to help the power of faith flow into its body."

"That is where the Light Society allows newly fused experimental subjects to successfully experience the power of faith for the first time. When you are there, the power of faith will actively flow into your body."

As He Yun spoke, he brought up the surveillance footage of the training room on the big screen.

In the first two days of the recording, the omniscient crystal grew slowly, only reaching ten centimeters in length. But on the third day, it rapidly split into a large number of identical bipyramidal crystals. Countless bipyramidal crystals pieced together to form the enormous crystal in front of us.

Wu Chang shifted his gaze from the large screen to the Omniscient Crystal and asked:

"So, the person you are now is your true form?"

The Omniscient Crystal replied, "I don't know."

Wu Chang pursed his lips, wondering if these three words were ever coming from the Omniscient Crystal's mouth for the first time.

He asked, "Aren't you the Omniscient Crystal?"

The Omniscient Crystal replied bluntly, "But I can't get any information about myself; I have amnesia."

Wu Chang clicked his tongue. The Omniscient Crystal could obtain information about anything it had seen, but it could not obtain information about itself.

Is it that a doctor cannot heal himself, or is he simply being perfunctory towards him, or is withholding information about himself actually a way of protecting him?
He couldn't be sure which was the truth, but he had built a certain level of trust with the Omniscient Crystal over the years.

Unlike some AIs that fabricate answers or pretend to know what they don't, when the Omniscient Crystal says it doesn't know, it's very likely that it genuinely doesn't know. The only option is to believe it first and then question it.

While one may believe it, the fact that the omniscient crystal has become such a large piece has implications beyond just its size and appearance.

In the past, when he encountered problems, he could secretly take out the Omniscient Crystal to search for questions and copy answers on the spot. Now that the Omniscient Crystal has become so big, how can he operate it secretly?

You can't just bring this thing out every time something happens and say he can't think without his own stool.

"Can you change back? With your current body shape, it's inconvenient for me to communicate with you."

The omniscient crystal remained silent for a moment, then a cracking sound suddenly rang out from its surface. The next moment, a fragment fell from the center of its surface, directly opposite Wu Chang.

“It is a part of me, and you can communicate with me through it.”

Wu Chang caught the small crystal and saw that the fragments were exactly the same shape as the previous Omniscient Crystal. After separating from the mother crystal, the small crystal once again shone with a gem-like luster.

Looking at the small omniscient crystal in his hand, his gaze became unfocused for a moment, and a bold conjecture surfaced in his mind.

Could it be that the omniscient crystal he obtained before, like the small crystal he has now, was just a small part of the giant matrix?

The Omniscient Crystal has an extraordinary thirst for the Primordial Spirit Pivot, whose main function, besides nurturing innate divinity, is to recreate everything and heal wounds that are otherwise incurable.

He had always suspected that the Omniscient Crystal needed the Primordial Spiritual Pivot, most likely for the purpose of healing its injuries.

The Omniscient Crystal knew nothing about his origins, but based on the current situation, he had already made some guesses.

The true form of the Omniscient Crystal is probably the giant cube before us. When it faced some great crisis, knowing that it was doomed, it split its identity into countless tiny crystals, which scattered throughout the abyss.

Just like the Miracle Walkers, even the smallest cell can grow into a Miracle Tree if it absorbs enough willpower.

The Omniscient Crystal's level of existence is no lower than that of the Miracle Walker, and each of the smaller crystals it split off from probably has the effect of reshaping the whole.

Now, having absorbed enough Primordial Spiritual Pivot and Faith Power, it has transformed from the original small crystal into the enormous black cube before us, becoming the strongest separate entity.

One thing is certain: the Omniscient Crystal in its current state is not yet what it will look like after it has been restored.

He was curious about what changes the Omniscient Crystal would undergo after taking the form of a black cube, but unfortunately, the Omniscient Crystal was destined not to give him the answer.

He was still somewhat unwilling to give up, and tentatively asked;
"What kind of energy do you need to absorb if you want to develop further?"

You can't ask what its true form is, but you can at least ask it what it wants to eat. Even in its early crystal stage, it showed a longing for the Primordial Spirit Pivot.

The Omniscient Crystal responded without hesitation this time:

"I am now at saturation. If I don't expend energy to activate my abilities, I no longer need to ingest any energy."

Got it, my energy bar is full, I can't eat anymore.

Just like Wu Chang's experience points, since he has already reached the maximum level in the Desolate Realm, no matter how much experience he gains, he cannot absorb it. If he wants to continue to level up, he can only enter the Realm of Reason by completing the upgrade dungeon to unlock the level limit.

How can we overcome the limitations of the Omniscient Crystal?

He couldn't help but ask, "Then what do you need?"

The Omniscient Crystal said, "I don't know. Perhaps I need an opportune moment."

Wu Chang grinned. Even if the Omniscient Crystal needed Shi Ji, he could ask the Light Society for help. But if it needed an unknown opportunity, where could he find that?

Well, there's always a way out. Even if we can't make any further progress for a while, turning from a separate entity into a parent entity is ultimately a good thing.

He put aside the matter of the Omniscient Crystal, remembered the reason he ended his meditation, and turned to He Yun to ask about the transformation of the Peace Messenger.

He Yun led Wu Chang to another spacious area. The layout of this space was different from the other training rooms. It was as if several blocks of a city had been cut off and completely transferred indoors.

Aside from the reduced scale of high-rise buildings, the city is basically a one-to-one replica of the real city, both in terms of street width and building footprint.

He Yun explained, "This area is called the Simulated Killing Field. It was originally a place where experimental subjects fought each other in large numbers, with rules similar to Battle Royale in your world."

"I liked the layout here, so I transformed it into a test track for mecha."

The two strolled through the city streets like lovers, eventually arriving at a huge warehouse. He Yun clapped his hands lightly, and the warehouse door opened, revealing a massive mecha modification workshop inside.

She activated her Mechanical Heart ability, and without any manual operation, the No. 1 mechanical pod near the edge of the warehouse automatically opened, and the upgraded Peacekeeper appeared in front of Wu Chang.

According to the original schedule, the renovation of the Peacekeeper was scheduled to be completed within a very tight timeframe. Even though He Yun could control multiple robots through the Mechanical Heart, there was not enough time to make detailed adjustments.

But with the Everlight Research Institute's hundredfold time flow, she instantly had much more time, allowing her to conduct a more thorough transformation of the Peacekeeper based on her current research into divinity. The Peacekeeper that appeared before Wu Chang was so different that it was comparable to the growth of the Omniscient Crystal.

The mecha's surface remained purple, but its height increased from six meters to ten meters, and its short, stocky body became long and slender.

He appears somewhat thin, but this is merely an illusion caused by changes in proportions.

After the Peacekeeper was upgraded, not only did its attack and defense remain intact, but its aesthetic appeal was also greatly enhanced, making it a pleasure to look at.

Even if the machine's performance hadn't been compromised, Wu Chang could grit his teeth and accept it, considering it a necessary detour He Yun had to take during the design process.

What's that saying again? Strength or weakness is just a matter of one version, but being handsome is a matter of a lifetime.

Wu Chang stared at the brand-new Peace Messenger, speechless for a moment. He had only planned to perform maintenance on the mecha, update the firmware, and optimize some functions, but who would have thought that He Yun would completely remake the Peace Messenger.

The reward must be substantial.

If such a meritorious official is not rewarded handsomely, wouldn't that discourage people's enthusiasm? He must personally warm him up later!
He Yun approached Wu Chang and asked, "Do you like it?"

Wu Chang suddenly gave He Yun a bear hug, saying, "I like her so much."

He Yun said with a smile, "Then why don't you go up and give it a try?"

Wu Chang nodded, released He Yun, and was about to enter the cockpit.

He Yun called out, "Wait!"

Wu Chang turned around, and as if remembering something, kissed He Yun.

"Sorry, I was in a bit of a rush and forgot about this."

He Yun rolled her eyes at him, annoyed, and accepted the "mechanical crown" delivered by the drone.

"I'm telling you to take this with you. I've already studied all the knowledge inside it. Keeping it is just for show. Your driving skills are too weak, so you'll need it."

Wu Chang took the mechanical crown and said without any embarrassment, "In my opinion, it's not as important as the kiss I just forgot."

Taking the mechanical crown, he walked towards the mecha once again.

Since the Peacekeeper was tailor-made for him and only he can activate it, this rework has made many optimizations to his abilities.

The most obvious difference is the way to enter the cockpit.

Other divine mechs, including He Yi's "Tyrant," require the pilot to open the mech's cockpit before entering.

However, the Peacekeeper's mech cabin incorporates Wu Chang's spatial magic abilities, and a special dedicated spatial teleportation array is set up inside the cabin. As long as Wu Chang has the thought of piloting, he can directly appear in the cockpit.

Just the way he enters the mech's cockpit already puts him far ahead of other pilots.

To prevent others with spatial abilities from breaking the teleportation array and getting into the cockpit first, He Yun also installed a countermeasure system inside the cockpit.

If an intruder fails to pass identification, the cockpit will unleash the power of steam, completely sealing off the space and trapping the intruder.

If the opponent is too powerful, the self-destruct system can be activated, turning the entire mech into a giant bomb and exploding with the opponent.

However, this feature is too expensive to demonstrate.

Wu Chang sat in the cockpit, feeling the various changes in the machine. In addition to the changes in details such as the way of logging into the machine, the effects of each skill have also been significantly improved.

First, there's the all-terrain combat mech. With increased size and improved energy efficiency, its endurance has increased from one hour to three hours, and its cooldown time has been reduced to 45 times the usage time.

For the specialized mecha section, the additional 100 points of all body attributes are increased without decay, becoming 110 points.

The increase may not seem like much, but in terms of mecha design, every 1% improvement is extremely difficult, let alone a 10% increase.

With a total increase of 50 points across five physical attributes, it's equivalent to one-sixth of a max-level player in the Wilderness Realm. Looking at it this way, the improvement is quite considerable.

Among all the Peacekeeper's skills, the one that has seen the most significant improvement, even to the point of qualitative change, is undoubtedly its core skill, Divine Mode.

The greatest improvement that acquiring the knowledge of the mechanical crown brought to He Yun was that it helped her fill the gap between extraordinary energy and divinity, a gap called the power of origin.

Her understanding of the power of origin allowed her to comprehend the source of divinity and the ability to create true lower-level gods.

"Item Skill: Divinity Mode"

"Skill Description: Removes the limiter from the Peacekeeper, enters Divinity Mode, and gains a demigod state. If the pilot possesses Origin Power, it will transform the Origin Power into divinity based on the amount injected by the pilot, thus activating True God Mode."

If the pilot possesses divinity, the effects of divinity will be amplified. In divinity mode, energy consumption is three times that of normal mode. Once the divinity stored within the machine is exhausted, it will automatically exit divinity mode.

"Currently stored divinity: 100/100".

The difference between a demigod and a lower god is not simply a matter of how much divinity one possesses.

The term "demigod" refers to a person whose divine seed has just begun to mature and who possesses divine power.

A demigod's divinity cannot leave their body; it can only be used for self-preservation, and its effectiveness is limited.

The divinity within a lower-level god is not only mature but also controllable by number, allowing it to detach from itself and influence others.

Having just entered the realm of a lower-level god, although still lacking specific characteristics, the target of the divine influence has expanded from myself to everyone, whether in attack or in defense.

This alone is something that even a demigod could never achieve; it is no exaggeration to call it a qualitative leap.

He piloted the new Peacekeeper, testing the new mech's performance on the field. After just a few maneuvers, he understood why He Yun had told him to put on the mechanical crown before starting the mech.

The upgraded Peacekeeper boasts enhanced performance, but also places higher demands on the pilot.

His master-level mechanical piloting skills allow him to handle ordinary mechs with ease, and he can even achieve a sense of oneness with the machine at times. However, when piloting the new Peacekeeper, he clearly feels powerless.

If you want to move quickly, the Peacekeeper's movements will be too large, just like the excessive recovery time of actions in the game, requiring a lot of effort to recover from the excessive movements.

If you operate cautiously and conservatively, you will have to pause for a moment after each action in the face of the body's rapid reaction, just like playing a game on a campus network with frighteningly high latency.

Even a master mech pilot looks like a greenhorn in front of the upgraded Peacekeeper.

Before boarding the aircraft, Wu Chang was still somewhat unconvinced by He Yun's comment, "Your piloting skills are too weak, so you'll need this." Now it seems that he was absolutely right.

He stopped being stubborn, raised the mechanical crown, and put it on his head.

Using the prop, the mechanical crown transformed into a burst of light and shadow, merging into his body. He heard the roar of a large steam engine at work, and gears turned before him. All his mechanical senses were crammed into his mind.

"The player uses the Mechanical Crown and gains the talent: Mechanical Emperor."

Talent Name: Mechanical Emperor

"Talent Description: All mechanical abilities you possess will be upgraded by one level and undergo mutation. Each skill can only be triggered once."

"The Mechanical Emperor talent has been activated. The player's current skill, Master-level Mechanical Piloting, has been upgraded and transformed into Grandmaster-level Mechanical Mastery."

Skill Name: Grandmaster-Level Mechanical Mastery

Skill Level: A

Skill Description: You can easily and precisely control any mechanical vehicle and weapon, and according to your own characteristics, you can endow the machine you drive with special abilities, developing its true potential. The movement speed, stability, agility, stamina, and damage of the mechanical vehicles and weapons you drive are increased by 30%.

When your opponent is a mech-type pilot, you can quickly anticipate their movements and predict them to some extent. When your opponent is also a mech-type pilot, if their piloting ability is lower than yours, they will be intimidated by the Grandmaster's aura, reducing their mech's performance by 5%-15%.

"Skill Notes: There are differences among Grandmasters. Some Grandmasters focus on the machine and regard the unity of man and machine as the ultimate ideal. Other Grandmasters have begun to use themselves to give the machine new possibilities."

(End of this chapter)