novelsite Chapter 34 Improvement
Chapter 34 Improvement
Time is like sand slipping through your fingers; the tighter you grasp it, the more silently it slips away.
Deep inside the warehouse, twenty-five STANAG composite armor plates were stacked like a mountain, their gray-green surfaces gleaming with a cold, hard sheen in the morning light. Wang Zhengyang ran his hand along the edge of the plate, the sensations emanating from his fingertips far more complex than those of ordinary people—it wasn't just a simple coolness, but a unique ability to sense the distribution of internal stress, crystal defects, and the subtle patterns left by heat treatment. Over the past seven days, this growing affinity with the mechanical metal had been quietly developing with each use.
As night fell, Wang Zhengyang remained alone in the hood area. Tonight's plan was to install five more armor plates, and at the same time... attempt to break through that threshold.
The engineering lights came on, illuminating the front of the vehicle as if it were daytime. The sixth armor plate was hoisted up, and Wang Zhengyang climbed onto the platform, his palms touching the cold metal surface.
This time, he held nothing back.
His consciousness was completely immersed in communicating with the metal. It wasn't manipulation, nor command, but a deeper understanding and resonance. He could "hear" the "memory" of this armor plate—the temperature during the factory rolling, the cooling process of the quenching liquid, every bump during transportation. He could "feel" the state of every stress point inside it, and guide it to find the most stable and comfortable form.
The seventh piece, the eighth piece, the ninth piece… the installation speed was astonishing. Wang Zhengyang was completely immersed in the feeling of becoming one with the mechanical metal, forgetting time and fatigue. He could feel a certain boundary within his body loosening, like cracks appearing on ice, like a seed about to sprout.
When the tenth armor plate was in place, the first qualitative change occurred.
Wang Zhengyang felt his affinity with the metal suddenly rise to a whole new level—no longer a vague feeling, but a clear, almost limb-like perception. The armor plate became exceptionally "obedient" in his hands, each weld point automatically reaching its optimal state, and every adjustment being incredibly precise.
If quantification is required, he is currently standing on the threshold of 0.47%. In his eyes, metal is no longer a cold, inanimate object, but a partner with properties, memory, and even "temperature." He can "see" the finer internal structure of materials, "understand" the causes of stress distribution at every point, and predict its reaction trend under stress.
But this is not the end.
Wang Zhengyang sensed that the energy after the breakthrough hadn't subsided; instead, it continued to rise. Like a flood breaching the first dam, it surged irresistibly towards the second. Between 0.47% and 0.48%, that barrier was thinner and more fragile.
He took a deep breath and decided to go with the flow.
The eleventh armor plate was hoisted. The moment Wang Zhengyang's palm touched the metal, he focused all his consciousness on that deep affinity with the machine. This time, the feeling was much clearer—he could not only perceive the state of the metal, but even vaguely sense its "fatigue level" and "health status," just as a doctor can judge a patient's physical condition through palpation.
This is not manipulation, nor is it alteration; rather, it is profound understanding and diagnosis. At the 0.48% level, he can detect the most minute defects and hidden dangers in metallic materials and predict what problems will occur under what conditions.
The twelfth piece, the thirteenth piece… the installation speed increased, and the precision became higher and higher. Wang Zhengyang was completely immersed in the “breathing” of the machinery, and the resonance with the metal reached an unprecedented depth.
The moment the fifteenth armor plate was welded, the second breakthrough occurred.
This qualitative change was profound and fundamental. Wang Zhengyang felt that his affinity with mechanical metal had stabilized at a completely new level—if it was 0.47% before, then at this moment, he was firmly standing on the threshold of 0.48%.
We are 0.5% away from truly awakening our mechanical control and repair abilities; we are just one final step away.
Wang Zhengyang stood on the platform, closing his eyes to feel the changes within his body. That affinity with mechanical metal had become as natural as breathing, as profound as blood. He could clearly perceive the state of all metal objects within a five-meter radius, "read" their manufacturing history and traces of use, and diagnose their most minute defects.
At the same time, his physical enhancements reached new heights. He tried clenching his fist and could feel the muscle fibers tightening like steel wire; his strength was at least twice that of an average person. When he jumped from the platform, the landing was light and silent; his knees and ankles perfectly absorbed the impact—a testament not only to strength but also to his exquisite control over his body. His vision could clearly distinguish the texture of welding points even in dim light, and his hearing could filter out background noise, allowing him to focus intently on the sounds of specific machinery operating.
This is not a simple improvement in physical fitness, but a comprehensive and profound evolution.
He opened his eyes and looked at the front of the Longyuan. Under the lights, the installed armor plates gleamed with a cold, hard, and solid luster, with almost no visible seams, like a single, complete piece of steel armor.
Overnight, the protection level jumped, his superpowers achieved two key breakthroughs, and his physical fitness was comprehensively improved.
A successful outcome on all three fronts.
Wang Zhengyang jumped off the platform and walked towards the fourth carriage. Late at night, Lin Luo'er and Li Xiaowei were still busy inside. Li Xiaowei was helping install the piping, humming an unknown tune. Lin Luo'er, meanwhile, was kneeling beside the water purification system, checking the seals of the pipe joints.
"Engineer Wang!" Li Xiaowei saw him first and waved enthusiastically. "Look, I've finished wiring the light panels! We'll test it tomorrow, and I guarantee those little seedlings will be bathed in 'sunlight'!"
Wang Zhengyang nodded and squatted down next to Lin Luoer. She was dealing with a slightly leaking pipe joint, her hands covered in sealant and her forehead sweating.
"This part wasn't handled properly," Wang Zhengyang pointed to the joint. "The inner wall isn't smooth enough, and scale will accumulate over time."
"I've already polished it..." Lin Luo'er leaned closer to look, her face almost touching the pipe. Wang Zhengyang could smell the faint scent of sweat and shampoo on her hair, and he could see the tiny beads of sweat on the tip of her nose.
"Let me take a look." Wang Zhengyang reached out, but instead of dealing with the pipes, he gently grasped Lin Luo'er's wrist and pulled her hand out of the sealant. "Take care of your hand first."
Lin Luo'er paused, looking down at her hands covered in glue. Wang Zhengyang had already taken out cleaning fluid and cotton cloths and began to clean them for her. The process was slow and careful; his fingers rubbed the back of her hands, occasionally touching her palms.
The two were very close, close enough to feel each other's body heat. The carriage was quiet, with only the faint sound of Li Xiaowei humming a song in the distance.
"Engineer Wang..." Lin Luo'er's voice was very soft, "You seem... a little different today."
"What's different?" Wang Zhengyang didn't look up and continued cleaning her fingers.
"I can't quite put my finger on it," Lin Luo'er said softly, "but it just feels like... the pressure on you seems to have lessened. And your eyes aren't as... tense as usual."
Wang Zhengyang paused for a moment. Indeed, his ability had broken through to 0.48%, and the comprehensive enhancement of his body gave him a greater sense of control over the impending apocalypse. The ever-present sense of urgency eased slightly at this moment.
"The project is progressing smoothly, so you can relax a bit," he explained simply, releasing her hand. "Okay, go rinse it with water. I'll handle this connector."
Lin Luo'er nodded and got up to walk towards the sink in the corner. Wang Zhengyang looked at the problematic pipe joint—with his current abilities, he could actually smooth the metal surface, but that would expose too much. He chose a more conventional method, taking out professional interior polishing tools from his toolbox.
When Lin Luo'er returned, the rendezvous had already been completed. She inspected it, her eyes widening: "Engineer Wang, how did you do that? In such a short time…"
"Practice makes perfect." Wang Zhengyang stood up, looked at her, and said, "That's enough for today. Go and rest."
"Okay." Lin Luo'er nodded, but didn't leave immediately. She stood in front of Wang Zhengyang, looking up at him, her eyes exceptionally bright in the night. "Engineer Wang, thank you."
"What are you thanking me for?"
"Thank you... for letting me participate in such an important matter." She said earnestly, "And thank you for helping me today. Also... thank you for being so kind to Brother Li and the others. It's really not easy for Chinese people to do business here, especially those Indians..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but Wang Zhengyang understood what she meant. He reached out and gently patted her shoulder: "Go to sleep. There's a lot to do tomorrow."
The touch was brief, but Lin Luo'er's face clearly flushed. She lowered her head and whispered, "Then Engineer Wang should get some rest too." Then she turned and quickly left.
Wang Zhengyang watched her disappear into the night outside the carriage before finally relaxing. His 0.48% supernatural power was flowing smoothly within him, every cell in his body brimming with energy. He walked to the window, gazing at the silhouette of the Longyuan ship in the night.
This train is gradually taking shape, transforming from an ordinary passenger train into a mobile fortress, an ark of life.
The vegetable-growing platform will support one hundred people.
The water purification system will provide clean water.
Armor will protect against danger.
The team is expanding, and the strength of the Chinese community is gathering.
As for superpowers, they are only one step away from true mechanical control and repair.
Wang Zhengyang closed his eyes, his mind racing with plans for tomorrow: Li Ruijun's team would begin full-scale chassis modification; the vegetable planting platform would be modified and installed; armor installation would continue; and... if those Indians really dared to come, he would let them know who they could mess with and who they couldn't.
Everything is important, and every minute is precious.
He opened his eyes; the lights of Berlin were still blazing in the night. No one knew that all of this would be extinguished in twenty-three days.
Only he knows.
Only he, under the shadow of the countdown, is building humanity's last ark.
As dawn broke over the eastern horizon, Wang Zhengyang was still standing by the window. A new day had begun.
The countdown clock silently ticked another tick.
There are 22 days left until the end of the world.
There are seventeen days left until the Longyuan is fully refitted.
And the breath of steel, in the silence before dawn, is steady and powerful.