This is really not mechanical ascension-Chapter 60 - Evolution of the Four-Armed Machine Tool - Armored Exoskeleton!

This must also be one of Qin Xiao’s acts of revenge, and in response, Tu Zheng and others put up a new batch of bounties for the city guards.

Qin Xiao and Star Creation Company were still restraining themselves, not getting involved personally, just using roundabout tactics.

As for why his own bounty was particularly high, Li Ming figured it probably had to do with personal grudges.

The ones who put up the money for his bounty were likely the Fierce Tiger Gang, as I had previously killed Pang Wenlong and the city guards had made a big deal out of it, causing them to lose face—this was their chance for retaliation.

Li Ming continued to absorb metal energy while pondering to himself in secret.

The already besieged Bounty Hunters now had even more motivation to strike back, causing greater chaos.

“Fierce Tiger Gang…

Tu Zheng…” The man was once again tagged with a million Star Coins bounty, and Li Ming was beginning to consider whether he could take him down.

“Tu Zheng’s information is quite vague in the city guard’s database, an E-level Life Form, definitely over 60% in development progress, hm…

let’s say 90%…”

Thinking about it, Li Ming suddenly paused, realizing he was getting ahead of himself—having just become an E-level Life Form, he was already thinking about taking down a veteran E-level.

“He won’t be alone, and he will have plenty of life-saving measures and various pieces of equipment—like the situation with Feng Yue last time, which was a rare opportunity…” Li Ming suppressed his thoughts and focused on absorbing the metal energy.

It took Li Ming nearly ten hours to complete the absorption.

Nightfall arrived, dusty winds howled, and the severely desertified earth whipped up violent sandstorms.

11,236—that was the final count of metal energy, which made Li Ming’s heart race, even more than he had anticipated.

Originally, he had about two thousand left, and this time he absorbed more than nine thousand points of metal energy.

As for which Controlled Object to upgrade, he had already decided—it would naturally be the Armored Four Arms.

Though it wasn’t as concealed as other Controlled Objects, its power enhancement was the greatest.

At the low-level Life Form stage, no one could withstand a metal mechanical creation.

This was also one of the main reasons why most could not evolve to a higher-level Life Form and opted for mechanical modifications instead.

Nine thousand points of metal energy drained away, and the Armored Four Arms in the Control Bar emitted a dazzling radiance.

The electric arcs seemed denser, and the metal exterior appeared as if being sculpted by invisible hands.

The mechanical structures and components became more intricate, and the metal shell on the surface flaked off.

Instead of becoming bulkier, it shrank slightly, and even more remarkably, its massive base also underwent a significant transformation.

Like a silver liquid, it slowly morphed into a fitted back shell, while those four mechanical arms transformed into extensions emanating from the back shell.

“What is this…?” Li Ming was stunned—the power within his body surged, his bones crackled and popped, his muscles became more solidified, and his explosive strength increased by more than a few levels.

[Thunder-based Armored Exoskeleton–D: Evolved multiple times from a regular Mechanical Repair lathe, it has mixed in Thunder Element Mother Ore, and during the upgrade, it underwent a special transformation.

…

Control Effect: Power Amplification +100%

Control Ability–Armored Four Arms: Evolves four mechanical arms to assist in combat, with an added 50% Thunder Element Control.]

Li Ming stood up suddenly, hardly able to hide the astonishment in his eyes, then clenched his fists, trying to calm the tumultuous emotions inside him.

The upgrade of the lathe this time brought about significant changes.

The Control Effect had completely transformed; what was once Mechanical Repair of little use to him had now become a regular state of Power Amplification at 100%.

Having just become a Level E Life Form, his development should have been only at 1%, yet his energy level fluctuated around 5E, exceeding the pace of advancement.

Because of the Purple Lightning Bear Gene Seed, which inherently focused on strength, other aspects were slightly compromised.

After doubling, that would be 10E.

It didn’t seem like much now, but as his advancement progressed, this enhancement would become increasingly terrifying.

Moreover, with the addition of other abilities, stacked with “Charged Strike,” it would triple.

His ability had also changed, now augmented with control over the Thunder Element.

He couldn’t wait to experiment and instantly felt the difference; a heavy metal backplate covered his lower back, and shoulder armor with inverted triangle patterns, resembling overlapping feathers, extended and latched onto his shoulders.

Four delicate and silent mechanical arms slowly emerged, without any sound, with slender drill bits integrated into their structure, exquisite yet dangerous.

Another mechanical arm ended in a saw blade that had also turned into a drill bit, likely because he often used drill bits.

The cross pliers on the lower two mechanical arms had become blue metal claws, more flexible and with stronger clamping power.

Crackle and pop!

Brilliant blue arcs illuminated Li Ming’s cheeks.

With a slight motion of his mind, the arcs shot out from his fingertips like bullets, dissipating only after traveling ten meters and blasting a deep pit.

“More solid, more powerful, nearly doubled the disembodied distance—this is the effect of augmenting Thunder Element control…” Li Ming grinned, which finally turned into a laugh mixed with the howling wind.

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Level D was indeed a watershed.

As Li Ming understood, after becoming a Level D Life Form, ordinary kinetic weapons, like pistols and submachine guns, would hardly inflict fatal injuries anymore.

“Controlled Objects imbued with Special Energy undergo unique transformations during upgrades, depending on their usage habits.

I can’t neglect the collection of Special Energy in the future,” Li Ming pondered.

And now, it was time to take advantage of this chaotic period to fill up his empty Black Hole Network balance, starting with an old friend—the Fierce Tiger Gang.

……

“Damn, I knew these Bounty Hunters were up to no good, they’re definitely involved with these gangs…” Old Yao lay prone on an abandoned rooftop, covered with rags, holding an optical telescope.

A three-story building not far away had its curtains tightly shut, with surveillance cameras covering every corner.

“Old Peng, this here is the Fierce Tiger Gang’s Snake Head Port.

These Bounty Hunters are trying to leave; otherwise, once the patrol fleet blockades space, they’ll be sitting ducks.”

Old Yao whispered, containing his excitement, “I’ve been watching for several days, there are at least three Level F Bounty Hunters here.

Hitting this place could yield a huge bounty.”

“I’ve got two high-explosive bombs, want to try them out?”

“Okay,” Peng Gang replied succinctly.

“Let’s disguise ourselves first, pretend we’re Bounty Hunters to blend in, then wait for an opportunity,” he said, pulling out a Mimic Mask and adhering it to his face, taking a detour with Peng Gang towards the front of the building.

Thud!—Thud!

Thud!—Thud!

After a special knock, he gestured to the surveillance camera at the door.

It had a special meaning, proving they were insiders who knew the ropes.

But after a moment of waiting, no one opened the door.

Huh?

The code should be correct, thought Old Yao, puzzled.

He repeated it, but still, there was no response.

Just as he was about to knock a third time, the door finally opened.

“Goddammit, why so slow?

Were you in there sucking…” he began to speak roughly in imitation of the Bounty Hunters, but when he saw the figure who opened the door, he froze in place.

The person’s face was covered with white bandages, wearing sunglasses, dressed simply, with two silver-blue mechanical arms slowly retracting into his back.

Old Yao caught a glimpse of the worn-out floor, where blood was slowly seeping.