Chapter 96: Chapter 96: We Have Hostages in Our Hands

Inside Zhanzheng College.

Unlike the Four Great Martial Mansions that focus solely on martial arts, the Four Great Academies each have their specific roles.

Among them, Zhanzheng Academy serves as a massive academy supplying an entire Polar Star Battlefield and even the entire Great Xia Empire with weapons.

Its resources, capabilities, funds, and even channels are among the best in the Empire.

Under full operation.

In just a few days’ time.

A Zaku robot with a completely green body was already standing in the experimental field.

The fierce sound of artillery fire clashing.

The heavy machine gun mounted on Zaku’s arm continuously spewed flames outward, the heavy recoil completely ignored by the robot… The giant target in front, originally neatly arranged, fell like a wheat field swept by a violent wind.

The flat ground turned into a chaotic mess in the blink of an eye, as if it had been plowed by artillery fire.

And it kept changing targets according to the experimental plan, turning directions, charging and stopping abruptly, and no matter how intense the movements were, the accuracy of the weapons was not affected in the slightest.

“Try its melee ability.”

Zhong Yuebai watched as weapons suitable for armored vehicles were used so flexibly on Zaku.

Her eyes gleamed, and she instructed through the intercom to the pilot inside.

“Understood!”

Accompanied by the earth-shaking tremors, Zaku strode forward, each step bringing a shuddering rumble.

Wang Qingya stood from a distance, thinking that this is much heavier than a Mecha… if it wants to fly, the energy for the thrusters might still be a problem.

But after all, this is just a Zaku for experimental use temporarily built in just a dozen or so days; as long as its applicability is confirmed, it will suffice.

And during the run, the robot’s hand flipped out a huge thermal axe, accompanied by energy heating.

The gigantic Zaku suddenly came to a halt, and the thermal axe slashed downward, carving a huge gap in the massive titanium alloy steel plate in front of it, then used both arms to grip the crack forcefully, tearing it apart…

The gaping crack was torn apart, creating a passage large enough for the giant robot to enter.

……………

Half an hour later.

“Alright, that’s the end of the experiment, you can come down now.”

Zhong Yuebai said to the Zaku that had wreaked havoc on everything around it.

“Instructor, can I stay inside for a little longer?”

An excited voice came from inside.

Exclaimed, “It’s awesome, really awesome… God, I feel like piloting this thing, I could take down a warship; if the speed of flight could be resolved, this would be the perfect killing machine!”

“Suit yourself.”

Zhong Yuebai had no objection to the request of this student who had been unwillingly drafted temporarily.

Men, liking these machines isn’t a bad thing.

She turned and smiled at Wang Qingya, asking, “Was the previous Mecha like this?”

Wang Qingya replied, “Not exactly, that one might be a bit more advanced, and the technology applied was also a bit more high-end, so it already exploded; perhaps because I took too large a step.”

“It’s fine, this time we’ll step together, then the step won’t be so big. Just wait, I’ll go report to the Pavilion Master.”

Zhong Yuebai looked at Pavilion Master Zhang of Zhanzheng Academy, who had been watching the experiment from the stands.

And the dozen or so elderly professors with white hair.

Elder House Master Zhang is already over eighty years old, but he is spirited, looking like an elder in their fifties or sixties… And now, these old fellows, whose combined ages exceed a thousand years, are all staring intently at the Zaku.

Watching Zhong Yuebai walk up, Pavilion Master Zhang praised, “A truly perfect killing weapon, the recoil of the heavy machine gun is extremely strong, and coupled with its massive size and ammunition capacity, it makes it impossible for a small human to operate solo; aside from armored vehicles and miniature starships, I’ve never seen anyone that could so flexibly handle this heavy machine gun.”

“This is just the most basic weapon, so if we can solve the energy problem of spiritual weapons, then these weapons can be upgraded to spiritual energy or light energy laser weapons. By then, even in the cosmos, these robots can perform exceptionally well, unlike now, where they can only be used internally on planets.”

“It’s already enough; every beginning is difficult, and the subsequent development can be done slowly.”

Pavilion Master Zhang looked at Wang Qingya and asked, “Are all these ideas from that little girl alone?”

“In fact, Xiaoya had the idea for such broadly applicable combat robots a long time ago, but it didn’t match the current state at all back then; her ideas were very immature, so I dismissed them.”

Zhong Yuebai glanced apologetically at Wang Qingya in the distance and sighed, “That was my mistake, almost allowing a pearl to be covered in dust. If the broadly applicable combat robot were researched successfully, there’s no doubt it could exhibit remarkable combat power both inside and outside of planets, especially in confrontations between two armies.”

With firepower no less than a tank, yet more flexible and suitable for both ranged and melee combat, if there is any downside, it might be that its energy consumption is too high. But a war is inherently a money burner, so this problem is not really a problem.

Zhong Yuebai earnestly said, “So, Dean, what about my proposal?”

“This…”

Pavilion Master Zhang looked troubled and sighed, “Director Zhong, you should know that as early as the sophomore year, each student’s personal profile is transferred to the academic library. He has expressed interest in Bei Xuanwu Martial Mansion, so his student record is naturally filed with Bei Xuanwu Martial Mansion as well. For me, a dignified head of the academy, to bow to the Martial Mansion to ask for someone is quite embarrassing. But of course, if Xu Lingjun’s brain is valuable enough for me to lose face once…”

“I believe this Xu Lingjun absolutely has this value, and his value far exceeds your imagination. Even if you, Pavilion Master, have to lose face a hundred times, and make a hundred requests, it would be totally worth it.”

Zhong Yuebai said resolutely.

Pavilion Master Zhang gave Zhong Yuebai a resentful glance, thinking to himself, truly it’s not you losing face, and yet you speak of it so lightly as if a hundred times is nothing.

But recalling the rivalry between the Four Great Academies and the Four Great Martial Mansions…

It’s actually not really a rivalry.

It’s just that people on the technology side generally think martial artists are simple brutes with muscles but no brains, while those on the martial arts side generally think scholars on the technology side are bookworms who have learned themselves dumb.

Both sides just look down on each other

If he were suddenly to ask Bei Xuanwu Martial Mansion for someone, surely he’d be ridiculed, with people saying, aren’t we all brutes, why are you coming to ask for someone?

“By the way, this is Xiaoya’s previous report. I have always kept a backup, and this is the new report Xiaoya made under Xu Lingjun’s guidance. Take a look at it.”

Zhong Yuebai said seriously, “Of course, the suggestions Xu Lingjun made are actually quite amateurish, but it’s precisely because of this outsider perspective that I am even more impressed by his boundless imagination. Humans created airplanes because they saw birds flying. To us who delve into technology, rich imagination is the most important, especially when these outsider suggestions are very reliable, and can be achieved with our current technology.”

Pavilion Master Zhang flipped through Wang Qingya’s first document, glanced a few times, nodded approvingly, and said, “Brilliant ideas, though they are fraught with difficulty, for someone to think this far is impressive, Director Zhong, you were hasty before.”

With that said.

He then turned to the second document.

After reading it, he paused, and read it again from the beginning.

Looking up, he seriously said, “Rest assured, Director Zhong, I’ll do whatever it takes to steal Xu Lingjun from Bei Xuanwu Martial Mansion. Xu Lingjun is a talent, and it’s too much of a waste for him to just be a brute. This matter I’ll have to carefully figure out a way. But after all, it concerns someone else’s life, he might have to agree first…”

“Don’t worry, Pavilion Master, his fiancee is here.”

Zhong Yuebai glanced at Wang Qingya below who was seriously calculating data.

Smiled and said, “Based on my years of experience, Xiaoya is still a girl, you know, men like novelty. If it’s both novel and legal, it’s irresistibly enticing. From this point of view, we already have a hostage in hand.”

“But strictly speaking, Xu Lingjun is just as much Wang Qingya’s hostage.”

Zhang Zhiheng couldn’t help but sigh softly, thinking to himself, hopefully, we don’t lose both the bride and soldiers in this deal.