Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 45 The Concept of Soul-Guided Mechs!
The mainland will be plunged into complete panic and chaos!

The existing balance of power will be completely broken.

The noble status of Soul Masters is under mortal threat, which will inevitably trigger the most frenzied counterattack.

The blacksmiths' association was the first to be affected!

As the source of weapons, the association will become a thorn in the side of all Soul Master factions!

They will spare no effort to completely eradicate this source of disaster!

From top-level employees to apprentices, probably no one in the association will be spared!

Become the public enemy of the mainland!

It's not just Soul Masters; those forces that rely on Soul Masters, and even some ordinary people's forces that fear the loss of control over their power, may regard the Association as the culprit who "opened the gates of hell."

Lou Gao thought of the ordinary craftsmen's families who relied on the association for a living, and their fate... Lou Gao's face turned deathly pale, and even a fine layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

That idea I just had wasn't just naive, it was downright...stupid!
He is pushing the entire association, and the thousands of mouths that trust and rely on him, into an abyss!

"call……"

Lou Gao exhaled a heavy breath, as if expelling all the delusions he had just had.

The fervor and confusion in his eyes vanished completely, replaced by a deep sense of solemnity and lingering fear.

He slapped his forehead hard, his voice tinged with a mixture of annoyance and relief.

"Foolish! I'm really getting senile! I was so excited about the power of this thing that I almost... almost caused a disaster! Xia, you're right! Absolutely right!"

Lou Gao's eyes became incredibly sharp and clear. He stared intently at Lin Xia, his tone extremely serious.

"Xia, whatever that method you just mentioned, just keep it buried in your heart! Never mention it again, and never try it! Just pretend... you never even had that thought!"

Lou Gao's gaze swept over the blueprints and the pistol on the ground, and he said in a deep voice:

"This thing is too powerful and too dangerous. We will only make a small number for our own use, as a trump card to save our lives in critical moments! Moreover, we must never show it to anyone unless it is a matter of life and death or a last resort!"

Lou Gao paused, his voice becoming even lower.

"Even if... even if we do successfully join the Spirit Hall and gain its protection, this must be kept strictly confidential!"

"This must never be exposed to anyone in the Spirit Hall! Not even the Pope! This is not just a weapon; it is a taboo that could overturn the continent's格局 (geju, overall situation) and bring about annihilation!"

"It can only be you, and also our last resort, master and disciple!"

Lou Gao's gaze fell on Lin Xia, filled with expectation and a heavy entrustment.

"Until you possess absolute power—power enough to intimidate all heroes and disregard the rules—this thing must never be revealed! A tall tree catches the wind, and possessing a treasure invites trouble! We blacksmiths... understand this principle best!"

Lin Xia met Lou Gao's solemn and resolute gaze, nodded solemnly, and did not hesitate at all.

"Teacher, I understand! I am well aware of the implications! Otherwise, I wouldn't have brought it up, so please rest assured!"

The master and apprentice exchanged a glance, both seeing the same solemnity and determination in each other's eyes.

The elation of the successful test had long been replaced by a heavy sense of responsibility and crisis.

Lou Gao bent down and carefully wrapped the pistol in a thick velvet cloth, his movements extremely solemn.

"Keep this safe. This gun... you'll keep it for now. Remember, be extremely careful!"

Lin Xia took it and carefully stored it in her spatial soul tool. Looking at the complex and indescribable expression in her teacher's eyes, Lin Xia's own thoughts grew wildly like weeds.

Memories of more powerful weapon prototypes from my past life—rifles, sniper rifles, and even more terrifying beings—uncontrollably surged through my mind.

What made him even more eager was the concept of a soul-guided mech that combined mechanical structure with soul power, which could grant the wearer boundless power!

"No, we can't stop like this..."

Lin Xia thought to herself.

"The enthusiasm that the teacher has finally ignited shouldn't be completely extinguished because of concerns. We just need to be more cautious and discreet!"

Thinking of this, Lin Xia took a deep breath, breaking the heavy silence in the training ground. Lin Xia's voice carried a deliberately suppressed excitement, yet it was full of persuasiveness.

"teacher!"

Lin Xia looked up at the building, her eyes burning with intensity.

"Actually... I have many more ideas about weapons in my mind. Pistols are just the most basic type. There are also types with greater power, longer range, and stronger penetrating power... even more!"

Lin Xia paused, lowering her voice even further, with a hint of mysterious allure.

"I also have some ideas about moving armor! A special piece of equipment that can cover the whole body, be driven by soul power, and greatly enhance defense and even attack power!"

Lou Gao was lost in thought about the weapon's power and potential risks when he heard this. He looked up abruptly, and the almost extinguished flame in his eyes suddenly reignited, burning even hotter than before!
I was so frightened by the terrible consequences of mass production that my mind went blank for a moment, and I forgot the most crucial point!
I'll manufacture it secretly, what am I afraid of!

Lou Gao slapped his thigh loudly, his face instantly clearing of regret, replaced by a look of ecstatic realization.

"It would be a waste not to develop good ideas! Let's do it! We absolutely have to! Bring out all your ideas!"

The master and apprentice hit it off again, and the heavy gloom was temporarily dispelled by their fervent desire for technological exploration.

For the next ten days or so, the core forging room in the backyard of the blacksmiths' association, which was the most heavily guarded and had been ordered by Lou Gao to be off-limits to anyone, became the master and apprentice's secret workshop.

Lin Xia's brain was like a highly efficient plotter, running day and night.

More complex and precise drawings were quickly produced.

Rifle structural diagrams, scope schematics, sniper rifle rifling requirements...

And, the initial framework of his envisioned soul-guided mecha—a prototype of armor combining precision mechanical joints, energy conduction circuits, and a core soul power drive unit.

Lou Gao has completely transformed into a "human-shaped precision machine tool," and his Thousand-Fold Golden Hand technique has been used to its fullest extent.

Having gained successful experience with pistols, he quickly mastered the blueprints for rifles and sniper rifles provided by Lin Xia.

The diamond chisel guided the vibrating soul power, carving intricate rifling lines into the rare metal.

The heavy, black hammer strikes, folds, and fuses, transforming the parts on the blueprints into solid entities that gleam with a cold, hard luster.

Long barrels for sniper rifles, magazines for rifles, more complex firing mechanisms... one after another, weapon components that are ahead of their time are born in the hands of master craftsmen. The finished products piled up in the corner exude a chilling murderous aura and a precise mechanical beauty.

However, when the research focus shifted to soul-guided mechs, progress suddenly slowed down, and it could even be said that progress was extremely difficult.

This has transcended the realm of purely mechanical structures and entered the true realm of soul tools.

Although Lin Xia had advanced ideas and a little understanding of the original work, he and Lou Gao only had vague concepts about how to stably and efficiently convert soul power into energy to drive the armor, how to inscribe and solidify the soul guidance array, and how to make the cold metal "understand" the soul master's instructions.

(End of this chapter)