Chapter 24: Nightingale’s Hope (Part 8)

Seeing this, Lin Fan couldn't help but shake his head with a smile: "It seems I need to give you all some proper guidance."

He tapped the starfire c9, which instantly transformed into its mech form. With a fluid leap, he climbed into the cockpit, and the mech started up immediately.

He approached the three with a steady gait and opened the communication channel, saying: "Don't panic, listen to my commands. First, let's start practicing with the most basic balance; try adjusting the center of gravity distribution of your mechs."

Under Lin Fan's guidance, the three gradually figured out the tricks.

Starting from being overly cautious, Yin Miaoxue's frost moon e1 was finally able to walk steadily, and the ice blades were no longer a burden; instead, they flexibly helped adjust the center of gravity.

Princess Hu Qinlan's Spirit Water X9 Mech appeared increasingly fluid. She gradually mastered the use of the water-flow propulsion device, even becoming able to glide, turn, and dodge obstacles in the parking lot.

Princess Jin Xuan fully utilized the explosive power of the Flame Shadow R7 Mech. Although the thrusters were unstable at first, after a few adjustments, she was already able to use them to complete short-distance leaps and land steadily in the air.

From clumsy to skillful, the trio's progress was evident.

By the second half of the night, the three were already able to complete some high-difficulty maneuvers.

Yin Miaoxue controlled the frost moon e1 to perform precise slashes with its ice blades, cutting through targets as easily as slicing tofu.

Princess Hu Qinlan had the Spirit Water X9 Mech complete multiple consecutive rolling maneuvers, and it turned rapidly within a narrow area, displaying astonishing flexibility.

Meanwhile, Princess Jin Xuan piloted the Flame Shadow R7 Mech, activated full-speed thrusters, and landed with an elegant mid-air backflip. The mech's heavy cannon accurately aimed at a distant abandoned car and blasted it into fragments with a single shot.

Lin Fan piloted the starfire c9 to assist from the side while observing the trio's performance.

He nodded, his tone filled with satisfaction: "Not bad, you have already mastered the basic operation of the mechs and can even perform tactical maneuvers. If you encounter a sudden attack again, at least you won't be caught off guard."

The three climbed out of their mechs, drenched in sweat, but with excitement and a sense of accomplishment that they couldn't hide on their faces.

Princess Jin Xuan wiped the sweat from her forehead and said proudly: "Lin Fan, you can rest easy now, right?"

Yin Miaoxue smiled slightly, her tone carrying a hint of playfulness: "Controlling the frost moon e1 isn't that hard; I feel like I can fully command it now."

Princess Hu Qinlan nodded gently, her tone soft: "Thank you, Young Master. It is only because you were here to guide us that we were able to improve so quickly."

Lin Fan smiled. Looking at their expressions, which showed they still wanted more, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction in his heart: "Alright, that's it for today. We have serious business to attend to tomorrow."

The three cast a reluctant glance at their mechs, but still nodded obediently: "Alright, we'll listen to you."

The morning sunlight spilled into the parking lot. The four finished their night of training and walked out of the basement level one after another.

Just as Lin Fan stepped out of the basement, Zhang Tie's excited shout came through the communication channel: "Boss! Come quickly and see, we've finished it!"

He was stunned and turned back in disbelief: "Only one night? You guys got it done?"

Lin Fan secretly marveled; the technical level and execution efficiency of these two brothers were truly astonishing.

He looked at Princess Jin Xuan, smiled, and patted her perky buttocks: "You go back and rest first; I'm going to go see their masterpiece."

Princess Jin Xuan blushed and gave a coquettish huff: "Hmph, remember to wake us up when you get back!"

Yin Miaoxue and Princess Hu Qinlan also carried smiles of fatigue but satisfaction as they went upstairs with Princess Jin Xuan.

Lin Fan walked quickly to the second basement level. As soon as he entered, he saw Zhang Tie and Zhang Ming standing in front of a mechanical warrior, their faces full of excitement and their eyes filled with a sense of accomplishment.

Zhang Tie immediately came up to meet him, his tone unable to suppress his pride: "Boss, come, take a look at our latest masterpiece—the 'Starfire Warrior'!"

Zhang Ming waved his hand, and the mechanical warrior appeared before Lin Fan, its metallic sheen glistening under the lights.

The Starfire Warrior's appearance was clearly more sci-fi and refined than Nightingale's previous mechanical troops: it stood about three meters tall, its torso slender yet not appearing thin, with silver curved armor covering the joints, and lines that were fluid and aesthetically pleasing.

The main body armor was made of titanium-platinum alloy and was dark silver in color.

A circular energy core was embedded in the chest, with a light blue halo surrounding the outer ring of the core, representing the power source of the Curvature Engine, which was also the hallmark design of a Level 3 civilization.

A high-energy ion cannon was embedded in the right arm, with heat dissipation vents carved into the muzzle.

The left arm was equipped with a retractable high-frequency oscillating blade, its sharpness comparable to a super-alloy blade.

The head was covered with a helmet-like sensor device, and the face position was a single screen capable of switching displays, which could both display data and mimic human facial expressions.

Zhang Tie pointed to the core of the Starfire Warrior and said excitedly: "Boss, this is the Level 3 civilization's Curvature Engine! It's not just a power source; it can also absorb a portion of kinetic energy during battle and convert it into a defensive barrier. It's simply a revolutionary design!"

Zhang Ming added: "And the operating System of this Starfire Warrior has an instruction response speed that has been increased by three times! With just a little training, it's practically an invincible battlefield killing machine!"

Lin Fan circled the Starfire Warrior and couldn't help but nod.

Compared to Nightingale's previous mechanical troops, the Starfire Warrior was a level above in both design aesthetics and combat performance.

Although Nightingale's mechanical warriors were numerous, their design was more focused on large-scale assault tactics, with a rugged appearance and relatively monotonous weaponry.

The Starfire Warrior, however, was refined and comprehensive, and with the technically overwhelming Curvature Engine, it could easily fight multiple enemies as a single unit.

Lin Fan looked at Zhang Ming and Zhang Tie with a complex gaze.

"Earth's top-tier technology barely reaches Level 2.5. Even if I gave you the blueprints, building this kind of thing in one night is truly suspicious. Speak up, are you two aliens lurking on Earth?"

Zhang Tie and Zhang Ming looked at each other and scratched their heads in some embarrassment.

Immediately, Zhang Tie reached out, swiped his arm gently, and a holographic projection instantly unfolded.

A string of information appeared in the air: Zhang Tie: Graduated from Galactic Federation University, holding dual doctorates in Computer Intelligence and Mechanical Engineering, having published multiple revolutionary papers. Zhang Ming: Graduated from Future Engineering Academy, specializing in Quantum Mechanics and Engineering, having won multiple technological Breakthrough awards.

Lin Fan looked at this information, his pupils slightly constricting: "Future Engineering Academy? Galactic Federation University? These are all top-tier institutions? You two… what is going on?"

Zhang Tie scratched his head awkwardly and smiled: "Boss, we just… were born at the wrong time."

Zhang Ming sighed and took over the explanation: "Actually, we dreamed of becoming scientists since we were young, to do something for the world. But reality is cruel. By the time we got our degrees, we realized that this era had no use for us at all. Many fields haven't developed to that level yet; no one was interested in our technology and concepts."

Zhang Tie continued with a bitter smile: "In the end, let alone doing scientific research, we couldn't even feed ourselves. We used up all our savings, only to end up with a sack full of books and knowledge with no place to be used. With no other choice, we could only open a repair shop and barely scrape by by refurbishing cars."

Lin Fan was lost in thought. They clearly had the potential to change the world, yet they were suppressed by fate to the point of only being able to struggle at the very bottom. He was no stranger to this kind of disparity.

Just then, Xiao Du's soft and cute voice rang in Lin Fan's ears: "Congratulations, Master! Clue One: Arranged Fate, completion rate 90%. Please head to Zhang Ming and Zhang Tie's alma mater as soon as possible to uncover the truth behind the scenes."

Upon hearing this, Lin Fan looked at Zhang Tie and Zhang Ming thoughtfully.

He faintly felt that the story behind these two was far more complex than they themselves realized.

He patted Zhang Ming and Zhang Tie on the shoulders and smiled: "Don't be discouraged, you two. From today on, your technology will shine brilliantly!"

Zhang Ming and Zhang Tie's eyes showed gratitude: "Boss, we fully support you!"

Lin Fan turned and left the second basement level, secretly making up his mind. "Arranged fate, I want to see exactly who is playing tricks behind the scenes."