This is really not mechanical ascension
Chapter 724 - 377: How Can They Still Call for Reinforcements?

Chapter 724: Chapter 377: How Can They Still Call for Reinforcements?

"...The Empire claimed that regarding the allegations surrounding the Dominion Holy Image, they are prepared to form a joint investigation team with the Mechanic Association to verify the authenticity of the accusations..."

"...The Empire declared that the content of the Polk Declaration is an evil plan concocted by terror organizations to maliciously disrupt the interstellar peace. The entire text is fabricated nonsense; interstellar citizens are urged to discern carefully."

"...The Empire sternly rebuked the attack on the Empire Station in the Sea of Stars, asserting that it will spare no expense to bring these heinous criminals to justice!"

At the same time, they issued a warning to interstellar terrorists and rebels: any act of inciting disruption to the interstellar peace will be strictly prohibited and suppressed by the Empire!"

Three public announcements, each more severe in tone than the last. Li Ming gazed at the virtual screen in front of him, displaying a well-known interstellar blogger with a pink flower bud atop their profile.

Breaking down the Empire’s wording in the announcements, word by word, sentence by sentence, the blogger summed it up in three words—"They’re anxious."

"The Empire is in for some chaos this time," Li Ming thought to himself, as biting cold winds swirled around him. The icy ground stretched endlessly, and the frigid currents rampaged through the air, each breath feeling like inhaling sharp ice shards.

Li Ming, however, naturally felt no cold; rather, he felt increasingly refreshed. He flipped through more pages.

Online, discussions about Azure Dragon were equally vibrant, almost rivaling those about the Polk Declaration.

This was mainly because the Polk Declaration contained dense information that required a certain level of understanding to fully grasp, while the title "Divine Craftsman" carried undeniable clout.

The influence of the Mechanic Association was substantial; the sudden emergence of a Divine Craftsman naturally drew widespread attention. With its air of mystery, curiosity grew among people eager to uncover its hidden secrets.

As for Li Ming, the hype was noticeably less intense. Despite his absurdly high development potential, such things are more topic-based like IQ tests, discussed casually now and then.

Yet compared to figures like Polk, Azure Dragon, and Hammer Divine Craftsman, he seemed far less significant.

Li Ming shut down the intelligent terminal. His Tank Guard materialized, with several visible dents on its metallic shell.

But Li Ming had already used [Battlefield Doctor] to convert restoration blessings, amplifying it nearly two hundredfold.

On an imperceptible micro-level, mysterious energy flows were steadily surging, with metal particles undergoing precise reorganization and repair.

At an exceedingly slow but stable pace, the damaged areas were healing, as the metal particles merged and gradually filled the gaps.

Simultaneously, the Four Heavenly Kings were expelled from Li Ming’s body. Their injuries were far more severe and pronounced.

Due to higher material strength, their recovery was slower. Thankfully, they did not require metal energy.

Over the past few days, Li Ming had consistently carried out these repair efforts, achieving about 70-80% completion.

Unfortunately, only Controlled Objects like Tank Guard, along with the shared traits of the Four Heavenly Kings, could utilize restoration blessings for automatic repair. Other Controlled Objects were unable to do so.

As he entered repair mode, Li Ming quietly calculated.

Clearly, the interstellar landscape was about to descend into chaos. Yet he decided to lay low for a while, digesting the rewards from this recent ordeal.

At the very least, he needed to gain full control over the items he acquired from the Dominion Holy Image.

This would require over three billion units of metal energy, necessitating a period of accumulation.

Moreover, Divine Craftsman Azure Dragon promised substantial benefits. Not long ago, Li Ming had spoken with Ulrich, whose cunning had grown apparent during their animated exchange.

Ulrich had revealed that the Overlord-level figure of the Chaos Star Gap—Barbaro, the Planet Collector—had immediately gifted the Meteor Flame Star System to the Mechanical Court, granting them permanent usage rights.

This formidable chaotic Star Gap overlord had no qualms about expressing goodwill toward a Divine Craftsman.

By the same logic, the Mechanical Court would enter a phase of expansion soon, securing a significant portion of the Chaos Star Gap’s military arsenal.

Of course, Ulrich had also indirectly expressed his concerns: Prince Ryan, for all his stature, was certainly not a man of broad-minded temperament.

But Li Ming reassured him. In the Central World, Prince Ryan dared to act decisively only because of the presence of Costate.

Even if the True Azure Dragon manifested with considerably unexpected strength, Li Ming was far from fearful.

Li Ming simply could not believe the prince would risk a surprise ambush at such a critical juncture to invade the Chaos Star Gap or annihilate a planet—the risk and reward would hardly balance.

Furthermore, Li Ming was aware of the prince’s current plight; Ryan was scarcely in a position to go rogue. Acting recklessly while jeopardizing Abel’s life was trouble enough for him.

Meditating on the situation, Li Ming decided to accelerate developmental progress. Once he attained control over the Infinite Hammer and Holy Spirit Core, he could likely validate the boasts he’d made earlier without needing much time.

Sighing, Li Ming reflected on how he had been pushed into the fray against his will.

Originally, the entire matter held little connection to either Azure Dragon or himself. Despite gaining the greatest benefits secretly, there was no outward acknowledgment.

If Ryan hadn’t abruptly made his aggressive move, forcing Li Ming to counter, he might’ve developed in a more stable manner.

Now, though rewards were abundant, far more uncertainties had sprung forth. The Divine Craftsman title carried immense weight, but also immense threat. With Azure Dragon’s origins unclear, many people were sure to lose sleep.

Reanalyzing the situation, Li Ming reconfirmed, "There’s no way anyone knows I obtained those items; the Dominion Holy Image self-destructed."

"However, I need to provide the Pioneers with an explanation. I have no intention of being swept up in their schemes under the guise of rewards again."