44: upgrade

After dropping Liu Yuqin and Li Zhe home, Lu Jianchuan intended to leave, but Liu Yuqin held onto him tightly.

“Xiao Chuan, you’ve been busy all day and haven't even had a bite of food. How could Auntie feel right about that? You're not allowed to leave; you’re eating here. Auntie will just whip up a couple of dishes, it'll be quick!”

Her tone carried an earnestness that brooked no refusal. Unable to decline, Lu Jianchuan had no choice but to stay.

The familiar aroma of cooking soon wafted from the small kitchen. When the food was served, though not extravagant, it was piping hot. Liu Yuqin kept piling food onto the plates of Lu Jianchuan and Li Zhe.

Li Zhe shoveled a few mouthfuls of rice, then habitually fished his phone out of his pocket, his fingers sliding across the screen.

“Xiao Zhe,” Liu Yuqin sighed softly upon seeing this, “eat properly, don't keep staring at your phone.”

Li Zhe didn't even look up, his fingers still moving rapidly: “Mom—this mealtime is the only time I can relax! Just let me play for a bit...”

Liu Yuqin opened her mouth to speak, but seeing the exhaustion on her son's face, her heart softened after all. She said in a low voice: “...Then eat quickly, the food is going to get cold.”

Lu Jianchuan sat opposite them, eating quietly without interjecting.

For a moment, the room was filled only with the sounds of chewing and the audio from the phone video. Suddenly, Li Zhe’s finger stopped sliding on the screen as the exaggerated voice of a video blogger came from the phone:

“...Family, who gets this?! The follow-up to the high-definition video of the ‘Urban Armored Hero’ that went viral across the entire internet is here! The authoritative image expert ‘Papi Wang’ has released a deep-dive analysis video, interpreting it frame by frame!”

“The conclusion is—these special effects are absolutely top-tier domestically, even world-class! Look at this metallic texture, these particle effects, the simulation of physical collisions... No wonder it could pass for real and spark a heated debate across the web! If this were made into a movie, it would definitely be the light of Chinese Tokusatsu!”

Lu Jianchuan’s hand holding the chopsticks paused imperceptibly, then returned to normal as he continued eating in silence.

The video blogger’s voice continued: “I told you it was special effects! Back then, a bunch of people were swearing it was real!”

“This team is awesome, and their marketing is great too; they actually managed to create the effect of an urban legend.”

“I heard that some witnesses at the scene also clarified later, saying they participated in an immersive AR advertising test. Their memories were a bit confused, and only now have they realized it was special effects...”

While watching the video, Li Zhe casually said to Lu Jianchuan and his mother: “See, Mom, Bro, I told you so. How could it be real? It’s all been clarified now; it’s a test video made by a special effects team, made to look like the real thing.”

His tone was very flat, carrying a sense of realization as if saying 'as expected.'

Liu Yuqin wasn't interested in such things and only gave a vague response: “Oh, special effects... then they're quite impressive. Hurry up and eat.”

Lu Jianchuan didn't speak, he just picked up his bowl and took a sip of soup.

After dinner, Lu Jianchuan helped Liu Yuqin clear the dishes and then prepared to leave. Liu Yuqin thanked him profusely as she saw him to the door, with Li Zhe following beside them. “Bro, today... thank you, really.”

Li Zhe looked at Lu Jianchuan and spoke very seriously.

“It's nothing, just doing what I should.”

Lu Jianchuan patted his shoulder, “Prepare well for the college entrance exam, don't overthink things.” Just then, the phone in his pocket vibrated several times. He calmly took out his phone; the screen lit up, showing a message from ‘.’

.: There is a matter that needs confirmation with you.

.: To enhance the armor's efficiency, particularly energy endurance and adaptability to specific environments, a permanent modification to your body is required.

.: Plan: To construct a brand-new biological organ within your abdominal cavity, tentatively named the ‘Bio-Armature,’ for more efficient energy storage and conversion. This organ will be deeply integrated with your nervous System, remaining hidden under normal conditions and not affecting daily life.

.: This modification aims to reduce your own energy consumption during transformation and combat, alleviating subsequent burdens. However, the modification itself carries unknown risks, and the process is irreversible.

.**: Are you willing to accept this modification? If not, please inform me. I will seek other alternative plans; although the effects will be diminished, there will be no need to alter your body.

Lu Jianchuan’s gaze lingered on the phone screen for a long time, the dim light of the hallway reflecting off his calm profile. Seeing him looking so focused, Liu Yuqin and Li Zhe assumed it was a work matter and didn't disturb him, just waiting quietly.

Adding an organ... inside his body?

The idea far exceeded his common sense, bringing a flicker of instinctive resistance and shock. But when he saw 'reduce energy consumption, alleviate subsequent burdens,' the hunger and weakness that had nearly consumed him after de-transforming earlier that day instantly returned as a vivid memory.

That feeling not only affected him personally but would also make him fragile when he needed strength the most, leaving him unable to protect those he wanted to protect.

He thought of the warehouse where Uncle Li had sacrificed himself, of the massive White Star in the plaza, of the potentially even more powerful threats that might appear in the future... and of the people beside him who needed his protection.

After a brief silence, a flash of determination crossed his eyes. His fingers tapped out a reply on the screen.

Lu Jianchuan: I accept. If this is the price I must pay to gain greater strength and better fulfill my duties, I am willing.

.: Received. Your determination has been recorded.

.: Supplementary explanation: During the organ construction and deep linking period, the armor interface must be temporarily closed for a System-level reconstruction. Estimated time: 8-12 hours. During this period, you will be unable to activate the armor.

.**: Confirm to start the upgrade at this time?

Lu Jianchuan took a deep breath. Being unable to transform meant that during this time, he would lose his greatest reliance and turn back into an ordinary policeman. But he knew even more clearly that brief fragility was in exchange for more lasting strength in the future.

Lu Jianchuan: Confirmed. Start now.

.**: Instruction confirmed. ‘Thunder Energy Storage System’ upgrade, initiating.

Just after reading the message, Lu Jianchuan felt an extremely slight itch, like an electric current passing through, coming from the cold ring-like object on his left wrist.

He instinctively touched it with his right hand and found that the texture of the ring was quietly changing. Those subtle, almost biological textures were slowly smoothing out and disappearing. Within a few breaths, it actually turned back into its original appearance—a futuristic 'watch' that just looked a bit too exquisite.

At the same time, he felt a strange, deep sense of warmth coming from inside his lower left abdomen. It wasn't intense, but more like a warm current quietly being injected, slowly circling and settling there.

Immediately following that, an extremely faint soreness began to emerge, as if muscles were being lightly stretched or nerves were being subtly plucked. It was very faint, almost negligible if he didn't focus on it, but it indeed existed, reminding him that a change transcending common sense was quietly occurring deep within his body.

He lowered his sleeve, covering the device that had returned to its watch form, and hid the strange sensation in his abdomen along with it. He looked up and gave the waiting Liu Yuqin and Li Zhe a smile no different from usual: “Auntie, Xiao Zhe, there's something at the station, I'll head back now. You two get some rest early.”