Ning Chuan withdrew his focus from the dormant robot and redirected it to the boundless ocean of garbage before him.
Swinging the reinforced four-meter-long rake, with Spirit Power flowing through it, he felt more in control than ever.
This time, his target was a pile of wreckage flickering with faint blue electrical arcs in the distance.
It appeared to be a damaged energy core, surrounded by scattered, charred metal fragments etched with intricate patterns.
“Looks like a relic from some high-tech world.
Hopefully, it doesn’t explode again…” Ning Chuan muttered to himself, carefully extending the rake’s teeth toward it.
Just as the rake was about to touch the arc-flickering wreckage…
“Alert!
High concentration of Chaotic Spatial Energy fluctuations detected!
Immediate evacuation recommended!”
A sharp warning tone suddenly echoed in his mind, causing Ning Chuan to freeze mid-motion.
A cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.
Almost instinctively, he retracted the rake and took two quick steps backward.
Almost the moment he pulled back!
The energy core at the center of the wreckage suddenly emitted a blinding white light, followed by a muffled explosion!
Boom!
It wasn’t a violent blast but more like a spatial collapse!
Centered on the energy core, the surrounding garbage twisted and compressed inward in a bizarre manner, forming a briefly existing miniature black hole that swallowed all metal fragments, dust, and even light within its range!
The entire process was silent yet terrifying, lasting less than a second before the singularity abruptly vanished.
In its place remained an absolutely smooth, circular indentation, as if the matter there had been erased from existence.
Ning Chuan stared dumbfounded at the instantly cleared area, his heart pounding wildly.
That was close!
If not for the Recycling Station’s timely warning, the consequences of recklessly touching it would have been unimaginable!
Even standing within the platform’s safe zone, who could predict what such bizarre spatial-level forces might trigger?
“This damned place… is truly full of traps!” Still shaken, he completely abandoned the slight sense of complacency that had arisen from his two previous successful recoveries.
Ning Chuan became even more cautious, avoiding objects with clearly unstable energy fluctuations.
Instead, he focused on the most “lifeless”-looking, relatively ordinary large metal or mineral debris.
Relying on the reinforced rake’s length and the strength enhanced by his Spirit Power, he successfully recovered several massive, unidentified dull metal ingots, some broken giant bone fossils, and even a small pile of crystal fragments containing faint earth-element energy.
Decomposition beams lit up repeatedly.
“Acquired: High-Density Tungsten Steel Ingot x 2”
“Acquired: Ancient Earth Dragon Lizard Vertebra Fossil x 1”
“Acquired: Shattered Earth Crystal x 5”
“Reward Points: 28”
His total points slowly but steadily increased to 43.
Although the materials he obtained didn’t seem particularly high-grade, they were safe and reliable.
Just as Ning Chuan prepared to swing the rake again, his peripheral vision inadvertently swept over the dormant robot wreckage lying at the center of the platform.
A sudden thought occurred to him.
The robot’s intelligence core still emitted a faint, abnormal fluctuation and could even transmit emotional fragments, indicating it wasn’t entirely “dead.”
Its energy core was completely depleted and shattered, its power system entirely non-functional…
Energy…
could Spirit Power be considered a form of energy?
activate it?
Even if just to elicit the slightest reaction?
Once this thought emerged, it could no longer be suppressed.
Ning Chuan knew this was risky; the Station had already warned of “unknown risks.”
But whenever he thought of that trace of pure sorrow and the potential high intelligence it might possess, he couldn’t help but want to try.
What if?
What if he could repair it just a little?
A sentient robot from a highly advanced technological world—even if just a wreck—its value far surpassed that of mere metal ingots!
Taking a deep breath, Ning Chuan walked over to the robot.
First, he carefully prodded the robot’s arm with the rake.
There was no reaction.
He then tried channeling a wisp of Spirit Power through the rake handle.
The Spirit Power sank like a stone into the sea, completely blocked by the cold metal shell.
It seemed more direct contact was needed.
After a moment of hesitation, he finally crouched down, extended his right hand, and cautiously pressed it against the relatively intact metal shell on the robot’s back.
The touch was cold and lifeless.
Experimentally, Ning Chuan slowly channeled strands of his refined Spirit Power, that of a twenty-level Soul Master, through his palm into the robot’s frame.
At first, the Spirit Power flowed like a trickle into a dried-up riverbed, instantly absorbed and dissipated by the cold metal, without stirring even a ripple.
Ning Chuan didn’t give up, maintaining a low-intensity output of Spirit Power.
One minute, two minutes…
Just as he was nearly convinced that Spirit Power was ineffective and about to give up—
Suddenly!
The metal shell beneath his palm grew faintly, almost imperceptibly…
warm!
At the same time, deep within the robot’s chest cavity, a faint, almost ancient-sounding “click” echoed, as if a gear sealed away for millennia tried to engage but failed.
There was a reaction!
Ning Chuan’s spirits lifted, and he immediately increased the intensity of his Spirit Power output!
More Spirit Power surged into the robot’s body, like a revitalizing spring rain flowing through broken conduits, depleted circuits, and rusted joints…
Hum…
A low hum emanated from within the robot, no longer the previous lifeless silence.
Its lowered head seemed to shift slightly.
A thick layer of grime covering its optical sensor suddenly flaked off a small piece.
Beneath it, a faint, dim, flickering red light—like a candle in the wind—struggled to…
ignite!
The red light was extremely weak, yet it carried a tenacious will to survive!
It worked!
It truly responded to Spirit Power!
Ning Chuan was overjoyed, his Spirit Power output surging even more fiercely.
However, the moment that red light flickered to life…
“Warning!
Detected rapid increase in unknown intelligent core activity!
“Warning!
Partial activation of intelligent core defense protocols detected!
Hostile behavior pattern identified!”
“High risk!
Recommend immediate cessation of energy supply!
Cease immediately!”
The Station’s alarm suddenly grew urgent and sharp!
Ning Chuan’s heart jolted violently!
Hostile behavior pattern?
Before he could react, a sudden change occurred!
The previously curled-up, lifeless robot wreck abruptly swung its right arm upward!
Though the movement was stiff and twisted, filled with the sluggishness of mechanical failure, its speed was astonishingly fast!
Its right hand was not a palm, but a severely damaged weapon interface that still retained sharp structures, thrusting straight toward Ning Chuan’s throat, which was within reach!
A chilling killing intent mixed with mechanical precision rushed toward him!
“Not good!” Ning Chuan was terrified out of his wits, instinctively wanting to lean back and dodge, but the distance was too close, and the mechanical arm’s speed far exceeded his reaction limit!
Just as the sharp metal was about to pierce his throat, at the critical moment—
Hum!!
The complex silver patterns on the platform’s surface suddenly erupted with unprecedented dazzling light!
A solid, deep blue barrier instantly appeared before Ning Chuan, like the sturdiest shield!
Clang!!
A sharp metallic clang rang out!
The robot’s mechanical arm slammed into the barrier, bursting with a shower of dazzling sparks!
The immense impact seemed to make the entire platform tremble slightly!
The barrier remained unmoved, perfectly blocking this sudden fatal strike.
The mechanical arm was firmly blocked by the barrier, unable to advance an inch, but its joints still emitted a grating “creak,” frantically applying pressure forward.
That faint red light flickered rapidly, exuding a relentless, desperate madness!
Ning Chuan fell back onto the platform, his face pale, his heart almost leaping out of his throat!
Just a little more!
If not for the platform’s absolute safety rule, he would have been killed by this “ungrateful” robot just now!
“Threat detected!
Initiating forced suppression program!” The Station’s voice was cold and merciless.
Several silver light cables shot out from the platform’s surface, like agile metal tentacles, instantly wrapping around the robot’s limbs, torso, and head, tightening abruptly!
Creak… Crack!
A harsh metallic twisting sound rang out as the robot’s wreckage was completely immobilized.
The newly lit red light flickered frantically a few times before finally dimming rapidly and extinguishing unwillingly.
Its entire body went limp again, reverting to motionless scrap metal, even more broken than before.
Several joints, pulled by the light cables, showed obvious new deformations.
The platform’s light slowly faded, returning to its original state.
Everything fell back into dead silence.
Only Ning Chuan’s panting echoed across the empty platform.
Staring in shock at the lifeless robot on the ground, sweat soaked his clothes, rolling down his back.
Adventure… truly comes with immense risks!
This steel creation from an unknown world, even in such a broken state, was anything but a docile lamb hidden within.