News of Haisi County’s destruction spread quickly.
The Eternal United States had been trying to control public opinion, but with little success.
This wasn’t just a small town that had been destroyed, but a major, strategic county.
It was as if the Iron Armor Man had taken a crap on their heads and then asked them for toilet paper.
The Xuan Empire, on the other hand, remained relatively quiet. Even the death of Duke Feng was suppressed.
After all, Duke Feng’s mission had been part of a clandestine plan, so few people knew about it, making it easier to cover up.
So, upon learning that the Iron Armor Man had used an unknown Sacred Object to annihilate Haisi County and hearing his final, threatening words, they quietly canceled their plans to deal with him.
The losses Qi Suian had caused before paled in comparison to the potential future destruction of an entire county.
Although they all guessed that Qi Suian’s unknown Sacred Object probably couldn’t be used consecutively, the problem was, they didn’t dare to gamble.
If they won the bet, great. But what if they lost?
Who would bear such a heavy responsibility?
It certainly wouldn’t be the King or the Emperor—it would be their subjects.
Besides, as long as Qi Suian didn’t use that unknown Sacred Object again and stayed out of the war, both nations could accept a few deaths and the loss of a few Sacred Objects.
The former could be replaced, and the latter could be created through various means.
So, as long as Qi Suian behaved himself, they could pretend he didn’t exist.
And so, Qi Suian’s life became much easier. No one was hunting him, and no one was bothering him.
"It’s true what they say: ’One punch thrown saves you from a hundred more.’"
"Words of wisdom," Qi Suian mused.
Don’t mind the harsh words coming from the Eternal United States and the Xuan Empire.
Things like "a debt of blood must be paid in blood" and "he’ll die without a burial place."
It was all talk and no action, nothing but empty threats.
Qi Suian, however, ignored their posturing.
He didn’t care what they said; he only cared what they did.
He could understand their tough talk. They had to save face, after all. If they showed no reaction at all, they’d never be able to control public opinion.
Qi Suian now found a place to lie low for a while.
The main reason was that he was out of intercontinental ballistic missiles, which made him feel insecure.
He wasn’t wasting time, though. He began R&D on Energy Equipment.
The Melting Furnace had burned through the large number of Sacred Objects he had tossed inside, raising the Tai Sui God’s armor value to 104 and freeing up three module slots.
At the same time, however, the percentage increase provided by even pristine Sacred Objects had dropped to a practically useless level.
Therefore, for Qi Suian to evolve the Tai Sui God again, he would probably need a massive amount of Sacred Objects.
So he decided to take a break and see what he could plot after obtaining the Divine Intent system.
As for now, Qi Suian naturally prepared to fill those three module slots.
He had already created prototypes for three Energy Modules: a Magic Array Core, an Elemental Restraint Shield, and an elemental thruster.
He then installed all of them, obtaining three SSS-grade modules. Unfortunately, they didn’t form a set.
[SSS·High-Energy Virus Attachment Array]
[SSS·Multi-Elemental Composite Protective Layer]
[SSS·Micro Elemental Particle Acceleration Device]
The first was an integrated module for energy, conversion, and control. It could enhance all subsequent modules created using the Profound Elemental Attachment Technique.
It also gave the Tai Sui God autonomous control over elements.
However, it couldn’t control the elements in the environment because there were no so-called elements to be found. It could, however, absorb various forms of energy, such as solar and wind power, for its supply.
Of course, it couldn’t compare to the Supernova Strong Nuclear Reactor; that was a dedicated Energy Module.
However, that particular Energy Module was only meant to be supplementary to the Energy Equipment, not a truly practical component in itself.
Its main purpose was balance and regulation.
Moreover, as long as energy was supplied by the Supernova Strong Nuclear Reactor, the Enchantment Array could directly convert it into elemental energy.
Combined with the control systems, this would directly transition the Tai Sui God from its original role as a Heavy Firepower Warrior into a High-Tech Mage.
As for the shield, it was different from the previous "Aegis of Embers" shield module. In addition to being an Energy Shield, it was infused with various elements, allowing it to significantly resist energy- and elemental-based damage.
Since it wasn’t a purely defensive shield module, its quality and upper limits weren’t as high.
Fortunately, the name at least included the words "Protective Layer." In terms of shielding, it was far more specialized than the Aegis of Embers.
Its weak point was physical defense, but it had extremely high resistance to energy, elements, and other Phase Techniques.
Of course, it also resisted harsh environments, providing effective protection against high temperatures, extreme cold, corrosion, and so on.
It might not hold up against a heavy slap, but it could endure the resulting psychological trauma.
And the last one was simply a device for acceleration.
The Wind Master’s aviation system couldn’t keep up, which affected his escape efficiency.
The reason he didn’t choose a weapon was also very simple.
’Against enemies I can beat, a weapon is just the icing on the cake.’
’But against enemies I can’t beat, acceleration can save my life.’
’So I can wait for the next module, or even the one after that.’
The main issue was that Qi Suian hadn’t decided what kind of weapon to use.
Things like Light Sabers and Elemental Laser Cannons were all difficult choices.
So, Qi Suian chose to ignore it for now and cross that bridge when he came to it.
"Zhineng, I remember you said that once the armor value reaches 100, the Eternal Morning Star satellite module can release a satellite projection, right?" Qi Suian asked the crucial question.
[Yes. The satellite module is currently being calibrated, preparing for projection.]
[However, due to factors such as world parameters, environmental energy, the Tai Sui God’s evolution count, and armor value, there will be some variations.]
[Therefore, it will not be able to achieve the complete observation you envision.]
"It’s fine. The main purpose is to uncover the map and enhance the modules," Qi Suian said, having already prepared for this.
To put it simply, certain Sacred Objects with concealment or shielding properties would prevent the satellite from capturing an image.
However, for Qi Suian, launching the satellite meant a significant increase in his control over the surroundings, as well as access to more information channels.
At the very least, he wouldn’t be flying blind in the future, even if he entered a Doomsday World with no technology.
’Being nearsighted is better than being completely blind, and it might not even be as bad as being nearsighted.’
In the future, as he acquired more modules and the evolution count increased, the satellite’s effectiveness would naturally continue to improve.
A few minutes later, a projection resembling starlight floated up into the sky.
It finally settled outside the atmosphere and cloaked itself.
Afterward, a series of modules, such as the reconnaissance network and the Treasure Map of the Lost, underwent a world-shaking transformation.
To give Qi Suian a better view, Zhineng integrated everything into a single global map.
"I’m still missing a lot of modules, and some areas are un-scannable," Qi Suian muttered, looking at the map.
The capitals of the two nations, for instance, were just blank spots.
Other areas were more sporadic. Although there were blind spots due to Sacred Objects, he could at least make out the general details.
"The Treasure Map of the Lost has been offline for so long, but it’s finally back online."
Qi Suian’s gaze fell upon a special red dot on the map.
"This location... this is where the Dragon Whale Sect is, isn’t it?"
’An opportunity. I have to find a way to kill the protagonist and steal his fortune.’
It had been a long time since Qi Suian had encountered one.
He guessed it was because the "rapid growth" effect of the protagonist’s halo had allowed them to evade the detection range of the Treasure Map of the Lost.
The reason was simple: Qi Suian hadn’t been fully developed yet, so the system was being more cautious.
And the Dragon Whale Sect had powerful experts; if Qi Suian went there, he’d likely die.
But now, with a satellite, things were different.
He had to admit, he grew fast. If he wanted something blown up, he blew it up.
’Still, there are some problems. The satellite projection doesn’t seem to fool people with powerful perception.’
Don’t ask how Qi Suian knew. Right after he was done looking, the satellite projection was destroyed by an unknown attack.
So, Qi Suian launched another one.
’As long as I don’t try to observe the truly powerful, they won’t be able to detect it.’
’With the effects provided by the Shadow Navigator unit and The Eyeless’s force field device, it’s good enough for now, as long as I don’t spy on the strong.’
’If I want to guarantee my safety further, I’ll probably need stealth and concealment modules.’
’It was either the King of the Eternal United States or the Emperor of the Xuan Empire.’
’Or maybe the Sect Leader of the Dragon Whale Sect.’
-----------------
"Who could be causing such a stir now?" The Sect Leader of the Dragon Whale Sect sensed the prying gaze but couldn’t trace its source.
Then, the prying gaze quickly shattered.
The Sect Leader of the Dragon Whale Sect was not the burly man Qi Suian had imagined, but a beautiful woman with an exquisite figure.
Her name was Fan Fengfei, and she had inherited her father’s position.
Not through her beauty, but through martial prowess and ruthless methods.
"Oh well. The Doomsday Game is full of turmoil. It’s only natural for powerful people to emerge."
"Isn’t that Iron Armor Man a perfect example, rising from obscurity to his current status?" Fan Fengfei had also received intelligence about the Iron Armor Man destroying Haisi County.
She was therefore scheming, considering how to deal with the Iron Armor Man. Otherwise, he would sooner or later make his way to Longjing City and cause trouble for her.
But after thinking it over and over, she realized it simply didn’t align with her interests.
First, the Iron Armor Man had only killed two Outer Disciples. Even if one was the chief, it was of little consequence.
A failed recruitment attempt was a common occurrence.
Second, there was no conflict of interest, so there was no need to offend him.
It was better to let the Iron Armor Man continue to plague the Eternal United States and the Xuan Empire.
"Right now, that other matter is more important."
"I now have five Eternal Love Sacred Objects in my possession. Once I gather the remaining pristine Sacred Objects..."
"...and merge with a living Divine Being who has yet to mature, my Divine Intent will surely reach a new level. It might even be possible to innovate and achieve an even higher realm of power."
The so-called living Divine Beings were those who possessed incredible luck and unbelievable talent.
They were practically the protagonists from storybooks.
Under normal circumstances, a Divine Intent Sect would focus on nurturing a living Divine Being to ensure its own security.
But Fan Fengfei’s luck was just too good.
’Why nurture a living Divine Being when I can become one myself?’