301: Chapter 301 Mass Production of Mechs

The cheers from the previous round still echoed in the workshop, but Chen Qiaoshou didn't have time to savor the joy.

He slumped in his operator's chair, the hum of the metal rails still ringing in his ears. Staring at the data stream jumping on the main control screen, his eyelids felt as heavy as lead weights.

He didn't move, just remained slumped there with his finger still resting on the edge of the start button, like a string stretched to its limit—afraid that if he relaxed, it would snap.

"Seventy-two hours..." his throat was parched and burning, "the simulation is finished."

A line of text popped up on the System interface:

[Continuous operation test complete. Stability meets standards. Recommendation: Transition to full-capacity production mode.]

He turned his head toward the door.

Chen Wuwang was already standing there, his long silver hair tied back loosely. His Mechanical Prosthetic Eye emitted a faint blue light as it scanned every inch of the entire assembly line.

The guide rails ran smoothly, and the energy flow circulated endlessly in the circular grooves without a hint of noise.

"We can start mass production," Chen Qiaoshou said, his voice raspy.

Chen Wuwang didn't respond; he walked straight to the main console and pulled up the history logs.

The playback showed—tenth round of assembly, zero human intervention;

Fifteenth round, automatic pressure adjustment;

Twentieth round, a sudden fluctuation in the diversion valve, System recalibrated within three seconds;

Thirtieth round, external vibration interference, buffer protocol activated.

He watched for a moment, then suddenly reached out and pressed 'Full Mode Start' on the control panel.

Vrrr—

The entire assembly line accelerated abruptly. The mechanical arms moved so fast they left afterimages, grabbing components, positioning, assembling, and inspecting in one smooth motion.

The temperature of the energy-conducting rails climbed, but remained steadily within the safety zone. The psionic patterns pulsed like a heartbeat.

"It's not that we 'can'," his voice was low, yet it suppressed all other noise, "it's that we 'must'."

Chen Tiezhu stood up from beside the seventh rail, still clutching a testing chip, his brow furrowed. "Are we really going full throttle? At this speed, if even one link jams, the real core is what explodes!"

"It won't explode," Chen Qiaoshou grinned, the bloodshot veins in his eyes still visible. "Did you forget? We're now people who have turned our entire bodies into vital points. If it wants to blow up, it has to ask this line for permission first."

Chen Tiezhu snorted and didn't reply, but his footsteps moved a few paces toward the drop-off zone.

The first complete mecha slid out of the final inspection channel and stood on the platform.

Its body was cold silver with angular shoulder plates. The leg transmission structure was embedded with psionic patterns, and the energy core in its chest pulsed slowly like a living heart.

The entire machine vibrated slightly upon landing, then immediately entered standby mode, remaining perfectly still.

The workshop fell silent for a moment.

Chen Qiaoshou was the first to clap. Two sharp 'claps' sounded exceptionally loud in the cavernous factory.

"Assembly of the first standardized mecha, 'Iron Spine-I Type', is complete. Serial number 001. Inspection passed," the broadcast announced.

The second unit came off the line.

The third unit.

The fourth unit...

One after another, they lined up neatly in front of the platform like a silent army.

The watching technicians shifted from whispers to low exclamations of awe. Several young disciples couldn't help but rush forward, pulling out Image-Recording Talismans to snap photos of the mechas, shouting:

"Look, look! I got it! Our family's iron lumps are so cool!"

An old craftsman with a head full of white hair stood at the back of the crowd, his eyes reddening as he murmured, "They're alive... our Chen family finally has its own iron army... If the ancestors could see this, they'd wake up laughing."

Chen Tiezhu stood to the right of the formation, arms crossed, his gaze scanning the new units over and over.

He suddenly bent over and reached out to touch the calf armor of mecha number 003, his fingertips sliding along the patterns.

"The welds are smooth," he muttered. "Even the stress points are symmetrical."

"Naturally," Chen Qiaoshou walked over, leaning his shoulder against the console. "Material pre-processing, assembly sequence, cooling rhythm—the System calculates the optimal solution for everything. If it's even one step wrong, the System itself won't allow it."

"Stop bragging," Chen Tiezhu glared at him, but the corners of his mouth twitched upward. "You brat... you actually pulled it off."

"It wasn't me who pulled it off," Chen Qiaoshou shook his head. "This line grew itself. You said Artifact Refining needs a soul; well, now it has one. More than one, actually."

Chen Tiezhu didn't speak again, just stared at the row of mechas for a long time.

Chen Wuwang walked slowly toward the front of the array, his Mechanical Prosthetic Eye scanning the status readings of every unit—energy stable, structure intact, psionic synchronization rate 98.7%.

He stopped, turned, and faced Chen Tiezhu and Chen Qiaoshou.

"What you have built are not just iron shells," his voice wasn't loud, but it carried through the entire hall, "they are lives."

He raised his hand toward the silver army, his tone suddenly growing heavy: "With these mechas, our Chen family's strength will increase tremendously. Let's see who dares to provoke us easily now!"

As his words fell, the workshop erupted.

Applause, cheers, and shouts of approval blended into one.

The young people excitedly slapped each other on the shoulders, while the old craftsmen nodded to one another, their eyes shining.

Someone shouted, "The Family Head is mighty!"

Someone roared, "The Chen Family Iron Army is invincible!"

Chen Qiaoshou sat back down at the main console, his eyes locked onto the mass production progress bar jumping on the screen. It now showed 016/∞. His shoulders finally relaxed, and his long-standing fatigue seemed to be swept away.

Chen Tiezhu remained standing to the right of the formation, arms crossed. His eyes repeatedly appraised the new units, and after a long while, a heartfelt smile slowly appeared on his face.

Chen Wuwang didn't move; he just stood there with his back straight, facing the gathered clansmen.

The three claw marks on his right cheek were clearly visible under the lights, but his gaze was strikingly bright.

The workshop was brightly lit, the rails hummed incessantly, and the mechas were arrayed like a forest, their cold silver luster reflecting the figures of the people clearly.

Then let it keep running and see where the limit truly lies.

Chen Tiezhu walked over and patted his shoulder. "Don't get cocky too early. Once three hundred units are off the line, I'll treat you to three days of drinking."

"If you had said that earlier, I could have skipped two all-nighters," Chen Qiaoshou laughed.

"Stop being cheeky!" Chen Tiezhu raised his hand as if to strike him, but pulled it back halfway, muttering, "I'll admit, you've got guts."

As the two were talking, the System notification sounded again:

[Assembly of the 15th mecha is complete]

[Cumulative production: 15]

[Pass rate: 100%]

"It's still stable," Chen Qiaoshou looked at the data. "At this rate, all seven workshops in the Eastern Wasteland can be upgraded with this line in three days."

Chen Tiezhu didn't say anything, his gaze continuing to roam over the new units. He then walked to the latest mecha off the line and gently patted its arm.

In the workshop, the applause hadn't ceased, and the cheers hadn't stopped.

Chen Wuwang still stood at the front of the mecha array, facing his clansmen, his expression firm and steady.

The first ray of morning light slanted in through the high window, falling on the chest plate of mecha number 001, reflecting a cold silver light like a blade sweeping across the floor.