Chapter 1417: Say It or Don't
The number of visitors touring the mechanical castle was considerable, especially recently, as the construction of new starships had attracted many craftsmen. Many came specifically to understand the preferences of Platinum Eye or to seek inspiration—mechanical innovation also relies on occasional flashes of insight.
The robots responsible for explanations were somewhat insufficient.
"Is that pink armor set pretty?" Yan Jiayu pointed to a set of pet mechanical clothing in the children's mechanical hall. It was an auxiliary mechanical exoskeleton developed to help disabled pets move freely.
"I think Da Mao doesn't need it," Xu Huo said, turning around to face a pitch-black face.
Yan Jiayu flashed a mouthful of white teeth. "But it's so beautiful."
Xu Huo checked the price on the message collection terminal and showed it to her. "It's still on sale."
Seeing the price, Yan Jiayu's fondness for it diminished considerably. She turned and gestured to Tu Xiaoxiao, who had dispersed into the crowd, then said to him, "Take your time looking around. We'll be back in a while."
Xu Huo nodded. "If you need any help, just say so."
Yan Jiayu made an "OK" gesture, put her protective hood back on, and dove into the crowd.
Xu Huo continued walking along the exhibition corridor.
This mechanical castle was a very ancient castle, bearing even more signs of renovation than Rose Castle, though its scale was much larger. From the floor plan, it could almost be called a castle complex, situated right at the center of Fifth-Fifth Avenue, with other government institutions and some important buildings surrounding it.
Besides various life-related machines and robots, the castle also displayed numerous weapons, including the new energy cannon that Bai Kou had previously lent out. That was already an outdated product; the latest energy cannons had reduced in size while maintaining their original lethality, now not even as long as an arm.
In addition, there were various reconnaissance and defense weapons, as well as all kinds of jammers.
Inside, Xu Huo spotted the S-class jammer used by the Gentleman player, with relevant introductions in the exhibition projection.
High-level instruments like this, which had wide coverage and exceptional effects, were mostly consumables. That meant they weren't like the space-specific jammer Xu Huo had purchased, which could be reused. The more functions an item had, the more restrictions it faced.
For example, the jammer used by the Gentleman player was called Black Dove K27. It could seize control of ordinary robots and interfere with space instruments and items. Because it combined two functions, it was a consumable, typically usable only three or four times before it was completely scrapped.
Of course, thanks to Black Dove K27's space-interference capability, similar space items could also affect it.
In general, many weapons and instruments developed by Platinum Eye had no usage threshold—even ordinary people could use them. Whether due to restrictions on instruments and weapons or because the raw materials for such tools couldn't be reused, large weapons and instruments that were simpler to operate and had lower difficulty levels were usually expensive consumables. This was especially true for weapons; most thermal weapons couldn't be stored in the luggage compartment. New energy cannons had found a loophole, but their price was astronomical—using one could cost tens of millions.
Many visitors had great enthusiasm for machinery, but faced with such prices, they could only sigh in despair.
However, some parts design blueprints were attached nearby, and many craftsmen were happy to study how to achieve the same effects while reducing costs.
Xu Huo followed the corridor into a small lounge. Outside was a small garden, where the faint sound of dripping water could be heard. He hesitated for a second before stepping inside.
The moment he entered the small garden, the surrounding buildings immediately vanished, replaced by a pitch-black space. The sound of dripping water came from afar and also echoed beneath his feet.
Looking down at the ripples spreading from under his feet, Xu Huo lifted his foot and walked deeper.
As he moved, circles of ripples spread outward, gradually colliding with ripples spreading from ahead. The two sets of ripples merged and created new patterns, slowly covering the vast black space.
In the distance, a gate made of overlapping gears of various sizes stood alone in the darkness. The metallic silver light illuminated a considerable area in front of the gate, revealing that the ripples formed by the water droplets were coming from behind it.
Xu Huo approached and lightly tapped the gears on the gate. The interlocking gears began to turn, accompanied by the unique mechanical "click-clack" sound, and the gate slowly opened.
Unexpectedly, inside was a sea of flowers.
At the same time, the sound of dripping water became more pronounced.
Pushing through the flowers, Xu Huo struggled deeper and finally found the source of the dripping sound deep within the flower sea. It was a tree that required two people to wrap their arms around. The trunk and leaves were various shades of purple, with numerous branches bending and drooping from the crown, somewhat resembling a willow tree. At the tip of each branch was a slender bud, and the dripping sounds came from the nectar falling from the hanging stamens.
The nectar dripped at a low frequency. Beneath one of the flowers, a crystal cup had been placed, already nearly half full.
Xu Huo circled around the purple tree and saw the woman half-lying behind it.
She leaned against one side of the soft couch, her head resting on her outstretched right arm. A few drops of the constantly falling nectar would land on her arm, then slide down her hanging fingers to the ground. But she didn't seem to mind, or perhaps she was unaware, as her eyes were tightly closed, as if she had fallen asleep.
Her sleeping posture wasn't good. The blanket that should have covered her had long since slipped to the ground, pulling down half of her black skirt and revealing her slightly curled feet. Her long, silky black hair spread generously over half her body, intertwining with gems of the same color on her dress, making it hard to tell whether the soft luster came from the gems or her black hair.
The rich fragrance of the flower sea and the faint mist rising around the purple tree added a unique hazy beauty to the scene. Xu Huo quietly admired it for half a minute before picking up the blanket from the ground. Just as he was about to cover her, the person on the couch suddenly opened her eyes and stared coldly at him. "Want to die?"
"Not for now." Their eyes met, and a hint of amusement appeared in Xu Huo's eyes.
Bai Kou sat up, grabbed a nearby handkerchief, and casually wiped her hands. "How did you end up at Platinum Eye? Have you been to Zone 001 yet?"
"I've already obtained He Pu's belongings." Xu Huo placed the blanket aside and stood at the head of the couch to speak with her.
"Is that so?" Bai Kou's breathing rhythm had a noticeable pause, but she didn't ask what the belongings were.
"Don't you want to know more specific information?" Xu Huo said. "What He Pu went through so much trouble to hide from you must have its special value."
Bai Kou lifted her gaze, her eyes growing colder. "Say it or don't."