Chapter 6, The Prisoners in the Laboratory

Tian Xingjian cried out in pain, and the expression of suffering on his face could make anyone unable to bear to look without shedding a tear, blurring their vision

Subsequently, the mechs simulated the forms of ground-based fighter aircraft, space fighters, small transport ships, and versatile land combat mechs suitable for all terrains

It seems that, although he has not undergone a military trial, he has likely already sentenced himself. This is now the only opportunity to atone for his sins and save his life. As soon as the fat man thought of this, he rushed to the pile of parts like a toy rabbit powered by a nuclear battery, working with the utmost speed. He aimed to achieve the best performance to have his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment.

This shape-changing metal was discovered thousands of years ago. However, although this metal can be controlled by a computer to resonate at special frequencies, allowing it to transform between liquid and solid states in a short period, its hardness has never been able to be increased. If it is made into an alloy to enhance hardness, the liquefaction will be insufficient, and the time consumed for transformation will also be prolonged. An alloy of liquefied metal that can reach the hardness level of steel is estimated to require a week for its liquid-solid transformation. Therefore, aside from certain special applications, this rare metal is rarely used in military contexts.

Tian Xingjian was at a loss for words, and after a long while, this foolish person with a silly expression asked: "This toy is quite valuable, right? How much can it be sold for?"

As she pressed the automatic remote control device in her hand, the cockpit cover of the mech sprang open. She climbed into the cockpit along the mechanical legs, and just before the cabin door closed, she shot a glare at the fat man and said, "Country bumpkin, take a good look."

This laboratory belongs to the Gary Palan Military Academy. Surrounding the academy is a military base specifically responsible for conducting military training for the cadets and ensuring the strict protection of the academy. All activities within the academy are related to the military, and all instructors and research personnel are military personnel, each holding a military rank

With a loud "bang!", the mech almost instantaneously deployed its limbs and reverted to its original form. Simultaneously, the external armor sprang out from the square openings and quickly covered its entire body

Since the land combat mechs are unable to adapt to the requirements of atmospheric aerial combat, what about the aviation mechs

This is still not enough! The most critical aspect is that this super alloy actually possesses the characteristics of a shape memory metal! The inventor of this metal is undoubtedly a genius among geniuses! This is truly a miracle that can only be created by divine talent!

Upon hearing this, the fat man turned pale immediately!

Oh my! Liquid metal with memory properties! Used for this... This woman has gone mad

For several weeks now, the one who has bullied the chubby person the most is this seemingly refined, pure, and harmless beauty. Therefore, this grip and twist are indeed clean and decisive

The soldiers who make mistakes are, after all, a minority, and among them, those proficient in mechanical maintenance are even fewer. The damaged mecha weapons from experiments and research have piled up into a small mountain, reaching a point where they must be addressed. Old Boswell finally set aside his work and rushed to the front command post to unleash a tirade. Only then did the army agree to send someone. However, unexpectedly, the chubby man equipped with a mechanical maintenance robotic arm was inadvertently pulled into the laboratory by the old man.

The old man pointed to a pile in the corner, indistinguishable as either mecha, books, or parts, and said to Tian Xingjian and the soldier: "Hurry up and fix it, the blueprints are on the computer, if you don't know how, look it up yourself! All the tools and parts are here, and food will be delivered regularly. Help yourselves. I have only two requirements: speed and quality! It is wartime, and our experiments must be conducted in a race against time. If you cannot keep up with my pace, you will be shot! If you damage this equipment, you will also be shot! If you cannot fix it, then you will definitely be shot!"

Alright, I admit, this thing is not a toy! The fat man was completely defeated; in the face of this mecha that absolutely dominates the pinnacle of today's technology, even the most shameless person cannot deny it, after all, facts are facts

The chubby man quickly became familiar with the researchers at the institute. This cowardly fellow eagerly volunteered for almost everything, especially excelling at repairing the damaged mechas and weapons during research and experiments. Coupled with his sweet talk and his easygoing personality, he was very well-liked by everyone in the laboratory

Where on earth is this! I'm just a mechanic, is it really necessary to keep me locked up so tightly! The fat man lamented in his heart

The old man cast a strange glance at the sweaty, pale-faced fat man, then said, "Listen carefully and get to work quickly!" With a wave of his hand, he went straight into an inner room, muttering as he walked, "How much time have I wasted! They all deserve to be shot, they all deserve to be shot!"

At the innermost part of the room, a humanoid mech, stunningly beautiful, left the fat man dumbfounded. This was not just a mech; it was a complete work of art. The mech was crafted from an unknown alloy, and the external armor made it impossible for the fat man to discern the material. The entire mech exhibited a soft blue luminescence, with a streamlined body complemented by robust localized designs, making it impossible to look away. The dual wings folded at the back of the mech appeared peculiar, raising the question: what kind of mech is this? Is it a ground combat mech? An aerial mech? A space mech?

The overweight man felt somewhat puzzled; this place did not resemble a prison, but rather a vast laboratory

This chubby person is truly talented

Now, two people are no longer enough for Milan; she quickly set her sights on the fat man who, after finishing the repairs, was aimlessly wandering around.

"This is a transforming mech." Milan introduced as he watched the chubby man circling around the mech.

What use is a soft and feeble thing, no matter how it changes? In the eyes of the overweight individual, this mech is probably not much better than his privately cherished high-fidelity rubber doll from ancient Earth. The hardness of these metals simply cannot meet the demands of combat! Moreover, such metals are often very heavy. For instance, gold is a relatively soft metal; liquefied metal is not only heavier than gold, but also softer and more expensive than gold.

The most intimidating person in the academy is not the dean with the rank of general, but rather the head of the academy's seventh laboratory, the old man who brought the fat guy in—Boswell. This eccentric old man is not a soldier and holds no military rank, yet he leads the academy's largest military laboratory and serves as the foremost mentor in mecha and weapon design. When war had not yet broken out, due to the academy's system, mechanical engineering students from m.hetushucom.com could still be arranged to assist with maintenance and other tasks. However, once the war began, all academy students were transformed into grassroots commanders, and the academy implemented a wartime system, leaving no students available to help with menial tasks. This infuriated Boswell! In this old man's eyes, aside from research, nothing else is worth paying attention to.

Milan jumped down from the mech and proudly asked, "How about that! Why don't you pout your lips again?"

With Milan's maneuver, the hefty individual was truly taken aback this time. The external armor of the mech disassembled into small, thin pieces as if by magic, and then quickly contracted together, resembling a compressed sponge, disappearing into a square hole at the back of the mech. Subsequently, the mech began to change; the first alteration was in color, as a strange flow of light flashed by, turning the entire mech black. Then, the limbs and head rapidly folded into the body, initiating a complete transformation. This transformation resembled melted cheese, and after a few seconds, the cheese solidified into a black meteorite with some realistic patterns. The mech began to change again; the first alteration was in color, as a strange flow of light flashed by, turning the entire mech black. Then, the limbs and head rapidly folded into the body, initiating a complete transformation. This transformation resembled melted cheese, and after a few seconds, the cheese solidified into a black meteorite with some realistic patterns.

Transforming mecha? The chubby man seemed a bit disheartened

Finally, as the mechanic finished dressing and stepped out, the old man led the two individuals through the last door. This was an automatic door made of alloy. Upon entering, a vast and spacious hall appeared before Tian Xingjian. The hall was filled with mechanical parts, mechs, weapons, and various equipment. In the center of the hall stood a massive central computer, flashing tens of thousands of electronic signal tubes. A group of people dressed in white dust-proof work uniforms were bustling about. Surrounding the hall were several passageways and doors. In the center of the hall stood a massive central computer, flashing tens of thousands of electronic signal tubes. A group of people dressed in white dust-proof work uniforms were bustling about. Surrounding the hall were several passageways and doors

The mechanic looked displeased, as if he had taken on an enormous burden, trailing behind the old man with his head down. He turned to quietly ask Tian Xingjian, "Brother, what have you done? Why have you been assigned to this monster?" The chubby man was taken aback, feeling a hint of unease, and replied, "I just arrived, I don't know anything." He secretly speculated, "It's over, it must be about the more than twenty instances of running away recorded by the battlefield automatic recorder." Since he joined the army, the chubby man had known that military regulations stipulated that deserters would face military trial, with punishments based on the severity of the situation, the harshest being the death penalty! Especially during wartime, soldiers who fled were almost invariably executed. Although he was a mechanic, the number of times he had run away was indeed a bit excessive.

In two days, everyone in the laboratory knew that they had struck gold this time. This stout individual worked longer hours than those of them who were engaged in frenzied research, and his speed was astonishing; he could repair some rare mechas or weapons almost without needing to consult the blueprints. By the time another mechanic received orders to leave, the mountain of broken items had already been nearly repaired by the stout man alone

With his silver tongue, he has long been very familiar with the chubby man who flatters and ingratiates himself.

Similarly, space mechs are also unsuitable for aerial combat within planetary atmospheres; they are even heavier than ground battle mechs. In the weightless environment of space, such mechs are permissible, but once in the atmosphere, they are undoubtedly targets for attack

As they watched the hardworking mechanic, the staff in the laboratory exchanged glances, as they rarely encountered such a diligent repairman. Typically, those sent here to assist were soldiers who had made mistakes outside and were here to face punishment. The workload was overwhelming, and they had no freedom, dealing with complex and intricate repairs, all of them lamenting their situation. Individuals like the stout man were quite rare.

The overweight individual feels somewhat overwhelmed

"Fatty, come here!" Milan shouted from the hall

This beautiful woman, with her innocent and demure face, is the youngest researcher in this laboratory, and she is almost unconditionally adored by those tech enthusiasts. Whenever she puts on a pitiful expression, even the most difficult requests are readily accepted. This exceptionally talented tech beauty is the darling of all the eccentric old men and middle-aged gentlemen.

In the center of the room, there were more than ten armored battle mechs parked on the ground. The design of these mechs mostly bore traces of ancient armored vehicles, and one particularly short mech had an energy cannon on top that was identical in shape to the turret of an M1A1 tank

Here he comes, what is it? Please, go ahead. Hehe. The chubby man wore his silly smile.

The overweight individual secretly curled his lips, but unfortunately, this action did not escape Milan's notice. She grabbed the overweight individual's ear and angrily exclaimed, "This is the most advanced mech in our laboratory, you deadweight! You haven't seen anything of the world, yet you dare to look down on it!"

Mechas that were prevalent in the new era of the space age, prior to the year 2000, have essentially become synonymous with waste. The advanced private mechas and combat mechas of today have completely abandoned the design concepts of that time. This is because modern mechas have a strong specialization in their functions; apart from localized deformation during movement, there is no need for full-body transformation.

The old man, accompanied by Tian Xingjian, walked straight into an unremarkable gray two-story building. As they reached the entrance, they saw a soldier wearing only shorts, equipped with a standard federal mechanical repair arm. The old man chuckled to himself and murmured, "Heh heh, have these guys who should be executed finally come to their senses? They actually sent two people knowing I am short-staffed." He called out to the soldier, "Hey! You, what are you staring at? I'm talking about you. Come with me!"

Hearing that it was not a gas chamber, the fat man felt a slight sense of relief. He hurried into the room to wash himself clean under the showerhead and put on a set of large antibacterial clothing

The old man led them through several twists and turns in the corridor, passing through several heavy iron doors before entering an elevator. After a series of manipulations on the elevator's control panel, a panel popped out. The old man placed his hand on the panel, and a green light scanned his palm from top to bottom, followed by a scan of the old man's pupils. Once confirmed, the elevator began its descent. After approximately five to six minutes, the elevator finally came to a stop. Based on the fat man's perception of the elevator's speed, they had descended at least five to six hundred meters underground. After a series of manipulations on the elevator's control panel, a panel popped out. The old man placed his hand on the panel, and a green light scanned his palm from top to bottom, followed by a scan of the old man's pupils. Once confirmed, the elevator began its descent. After approximately five to six minutes, the elevator finally came to a stop. Based on the fat man's perception of the elevator's speed, they had descended at least five to six hundred meters underground.

This day is unbearable! The fat man gasped in shock: "Liquid metal!!!"

Then came the voice of Milan through the electronic megaphone of the mech

***

Milan had already seen through the tricks of the fat man, and after giving him a hard twist, she let go and said indignantly: "Come here! https://www.hetushu.com I want to show you what a real transforming mech is!"

However, soon the fat man realized that the object before him was definitely not a toy, but a weapon. A weapon that could be considered the greatest invention in the history of mechas in a hundred years

Seeing the fat man move quickly, the old man nodded in satisfaction and said, "Hmm, your movements are quite fast." After waiting for a minute, noticing that another mechanic was still sluggishly putting on his clothes, the old man shouted at him angrily, "You, who deserve to be shot, hurry up and get dressed! Don't waste my time"

As they watched the overweight man appear to be perfectly at ease in this situation, the researchers were filled with curiosity: Could it be that this man had made a grave mistake? Or perhaps he was simply dispatched by the command center specifically to oversee the maintenance of the laboratory

In the large display cabinet against the wall of the room, some classic firearms from ancient Earth are showcased, including the Maxim machine gun, MP38 submachine gun, Mauser 1896 pistol, Browning, Mauser 98, M1 Garand rifle, M16, AK47, and so on

The elevator doors opened, revealing a corridor in front of the three individuals. After walking down the corridor for several dozen meters, there was a transparent disinfection chamber. The old man forcefully pushed the two people inside, repeatedly saying: "Hurry up and go in, after disinfection there are antibacterial suits next to you, take one and put it on yourself!"

The fat man immediately put down his work and ran over as fast as he could. He knew that in this "prison," the one person he could not offend, aside from Boswell, was this woman!

Seeing Milan with a smug smile, the overweight man foolishly repeated his mistake: "Where did you steal this mech from?"

"I can't handle it anymore! Come help me!" Milan was not at all polite, pulling the chubby one into her exclusive research room

The record of the fat man's escape has long been known to others. In their eyes, they merely think that this mechanic runs quite fast, without any sense of self-sacrifice or determination to fight for the country to the end, which inevitably leads to some disdain for this guy's cowardice. However, this will only affect the fat man's future prospects in the military at most. The label of a deserter does not apply to him.

This room, which is almost half the size of the main hall, is less of a studio and more of an ancient military museum. Whether it is the furnishings or the displays, even the mechs and weapons that are currently being assembled are all designed in an antique style

The greatest drawback of the fully transformable mech is its lack of utility! For instance, a heavy land combat mech that requires thick armor and weighs several dozen to even hundreds of tons, even if transformed into a ground-based aerial combat aircraft, would still be something that can be easily targeted by others. Excessive components, unnecessary weight, wasteful high-horsepower engines, and a bizarre fuselage that cannot fully comply with aerodynamic theories all present insurmountable challenges

Occasionally, they would speculate about what mistakes this fat man had committed outside, to be confined in this place for such a long time

A piece of metal identical to that of the mecha was placed into the metal measuring device by Milan, and the exaggerated readings led the overweight individual to suspect that the machine was malfunctioning! This material's hardness is six times greater than that of the hardest known superalloys, while its weight is comparable to that of the lightest ultralight alloys. More importantly, the unique ductility characteristic of liquefied metals allows for an infinite expansion of this metal's overall defensive capabilities

Upon this thought, the stout man felt a sense of unease in his heart, but once he arrived here, what could he do? Had he known it would be like this, he might as well have walked a few more days on the road, or perhaps simply chosen to live in seclusion in the mountains.

While boasting with Tian Jian, they would also curiously ask. However, how could the chubby one mention such a humiliating incident as escaping twenty-one times! Especially since there were a few beautiful women among these curious souls. The chubby one's firm policy of not confessing only strengthened their suspicions.

Space combat mechs, based on space aircraft carriers, do not require transformation. In a zero-gravity vacuum environment, what is the purpose of transformation? Unlike space fighters, which are designed for destruction, the mission of space combat mechs is to land and capture enemy warships, typically deployed towards the end of a battle. This occurs either when the outcome of the battle is largely determined or when the losses of the fighters are too great, necessitating the use of mechs as a supplementary force. Space combat mechs, with a humanoid form as their basic shape, are also suited for ground combat needs. This adaptability is based on the shape of the space mechs themselves, making transformation unnecessary.

As soon as the chubby man entered the research room, he was taken aback. Although he usually visits the studios of other researchers, it was his first time seeing a studio like Milan's.

In fact, apart from the combat maintenance teams specifically assigned to combat troops, other specialized mechanical maintenance personnel do not belong to the combat sequence. In the military, like field hospitals, they belong to the logistics sequence. During unfavorable battle conditions, they should be prioritized for evacuation. Except in special circumstances, they will not be sent to the battlefield. If no combat orders have been issued, then fleeing when one's own combat troops are defeated cannot be considered as fleeing without a fight.

From the perspective of the mecha design, metallurgy, and physics that the overweight individual has studied, this thing is indeed just a toy. Liquid metal sounds quite impressive, but in reality, this type of metal that can change shape at will has a significant drawback—it's soft

Milan is one of the beauties among this group of curious individuals. This stunning girl, only twenty years old, possesses an astonishing talent for science; however, she has a significant flaw: her manual dexterity is quite poor. Whenever she conducts experiments, her flustered and disorganized manner leaves everyone in the laboratory feeling exasperated. After a few minor accidents that should not have occurred, the laboratory simply assigned her two operators to be responsible for proving her theoretical discoveries through experiments and for creating her designs.

The severe wartime situation has already left the frontline command post established in the academy in a state of chaos and disarray, leaving no one with the time to attend to the whims of an eccentric old man. Moreover, the old man's irritable temperament has offended many of the mid-level officers responsible for assigning specific tasks. Consequently, this place has become a de facto punishment area for soldiers who violate regulations; when a soldier makes a mistake, they are sent to the laboratory to perform menial tasks.

Milan nearly lost his temper and said fiercely: "A toy? You go try it yourself and see if it's a toy!"

In this laboratory, where mechanical maintenance personnel work tirelessly day and night without any orders for reassignment since the establishment of this military research facility, there has been only one such individual. Coincidentally, this person is also very easy to work with. This fact makes everyone feel fortunate.