Chapter 16

After completing all three parts of the robot, I proceeded with the assembly process. It was relatively straightforward, resembling the assembly of Lego pieces and incorporating some small formations to connect all the parts. The assembly only took 10 hours to complete. As I looked at the finished robot, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

"This is a work of art," I thought to myself. "Look at it—the strong shoulders, the large hands and legs, the sturdy appearance. It's perfect." After admiring my creation, I placed the robot on one of the walls. There were box-shaped metal structures on the walls, each with a long cable extending from it. These were the charging stations. I connected the cable to the energy pipe of the tower and placed some lightning elemental crystals on the box, along with some formations to convert the pure energy into elemental energy.

I plugged the cable into the back of the robot's neck and left it there, knowing that if my estimation was correct, the robot would be fully activated in 16 hours. The robot had a total active time of 32 days, thanks to the use of electric-based machinery rather than energy-based systems. After positioning the robot in the corner, I went to bed to get some rest.

The next morning marked the testing stage. Once the robot was fully charged, I activated it and commanded it to go to the woods. In my hand, I held a tablet made with the same crystal used for the crystal card and communication token. This tablet would allow me to monitor the robot's performance, tracking its energy usage and even the angle of its stance. Through this monitoring, I could measure the robot's capabilities and limitations, and perhaps identify areas for improvement.

Upon arriving in the woods, I began testing the robot's capabilities, from lifting heavy weights to running, punching, carving, and other tasks. Meanwhile, I observed the tablet, monitoring every change in the measurements. By the end of the day, I had managed to assess the robot's capabilities.

The test results exceeded my expectations. Initially estimated to lift only 1 ton, the robot proved capable of lifting up to 5 tons while experiencing a fivefold increase in energy usage. The robot's speed was initially estimated at 150 km/hour but increased to 250 km/hour after the test. These findings provided valuable insight into the robot's performance and potential improvements.

As the testing phase concluded, we returned to the tower. Before entering, I assigned the robot to continue monitoring the woods, testing its reporting abilities. This task would also serve as a way to further assess the robot's performance. With that set, I made my way inside the tower, ready to catch up on some much-needed sleep.

"The joys of sleep," I mused to myself.

The following morning, I woke up and headed outside. Using the tablet, I called the robot, and within fifteen minutes, it arrived from the woods. I gave a voice command for it to report the situation, and the robot skillfully presented the information. After listening to the report, I decided to visit the woods myself to verify the details. Surprisingly, the robot's report was quite accurate, although there were a few minor discrepancies that could be easily fixed with some modifications.

Once I confirmed the robot's reporting ability, I commanded it to search for a level 5 beast. This was intended to test the detection and scouting abilities I had implanted in its brain. Although these activities were not initially intended for this version of the robot, I wanted to evaluate the program I had created. Writing a program from inscriptions was challenging, especially without a computer to test it on.

"Wait... maybe I need to create a computer in the future. There would be no downside to it, after all," I pondered.

After giving the command, I continued with my day as usual—training, reading, and relaxing.

Meanwhile, approximately 7,000 kilometers away from Zen Tower, there lay a vast area shrouded in mist. Rumors circulated that a new type of swarm monster inhabited the misty region. Any beast that ventured into the mist would emerge running for their lives. Witnesses claimed even level 20 beasts were seen fleeing in fear, causing no one to dare challenge the mist. Unbeknownst to most, within the mist, a large dome pulsated with dark energy. Dozens of red trees with white skull-shaped leaves dotted the area—the infamous skull trees. Beneath these trees, pits filled with corpses lay scattered.

Among the trees, a man dressed in peculiar armor could be seen plucking the leaves. In one corner of the dome stood a pagoda, its color a deep crimson red. On the highest floor of the pagoda, a man wearing a full jade green robe sat calmly, his eyes unperturbed by the surrounding death energy.

In the man's hands, there is a scroll filled with calculations. "Hmm... hmm, this is good, the production is increased, and the local area is already handled," the man in green spoke.

"Is there any problem?" he continued.

A voice sounded out from a dark corner. "Yes, my lord, this one is quite troublesome," the shadow in the corner spoke.

"What is it?" the man in green responded.

"It's the death energy, my lord. Slowly, our workers are showing signs of aging. Some of the senior ones are already bedridden. If we don't handle this, the energy can also corrode the formations."

The man in green sighed and then looked at the line of trees. Currently, if someone focuses enough, they can see a black-red mist moving around inside the dome, and those are the death energy.

Apparently, the formation is not letting out the energy, as the formation thinks that the death energy is a part of something that needs to be concealed. The man is quite satisfied with the formation, as not letting the energy escape means not attracting attention. The big boss is not foolish enough to let something as conspicuous as a large amount of death energy remain in their territory.

However, based on the information from the shadow, the death energy is dangerous if it is allowed to roam freely. The man in green continued pondering and then said, "Ask some formation masters to come here, find the one with the most enemies, and offer them a very generous reward. That way, they are guaranteed to accept the task."

The shadow nodded and said, "Yes, my lord," before disappearing.

Meanwhile, in the capital city of the Purple Valley Empire, inside a towering pavilion adorned with gold and black colors, a group of men sat around a circular table, engaged in discussion.

"So should we hold it at the end of the year?" one of the men asked.

"I think so. With this many items, it's guaranteed that this year's auction will be crowded," another man said, and others followed with approving nods.

"Isn't this too soon? There's a rumor that in some corner of the empire, there is a heavenly treasure waiting to be uncovered. Many people claim to have felt the heavenly energy," another man spoke.

"Aren't you too scared, old man? Why not hold the auction this year, and if the treasure is recovered next year, we can still have another auction," another man responded.

"Yes, old man, let's not waste our time. The treasure can be discovered at any time, while the year is impatient," another man added.

After a heated discussion, the majority of the men voted to start the auction at the end of the year.