LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 34: Entering China - 34
Aqua's POV - Shanghai
The hoodie snugly wrapped around me, its soft, fluffy trim adding a touch of comfort.
"Nicely done," I murmured, praising Helena's design. I quickly replicated two more hoodies and handed them to Amy and Helena.
("Rupture, find a landing spot. Don't forget to put on the new hoodie,") I instructed over the comms, transmitting the specs for the anti-sensor and optical camouflage hoodies to her and her crew.
"So, what's our mission here, Master?" Helena asked, tilting her head curiously.
"Gather tech and intel," I replied. "If possible, extract someone important—hopefully with their family intact."
"A stealth mission lasting a few weeks, I assume?" Amy asked, a small smirk playing on her lips.
"Seems like it," I confirmed with a sigh.
Rupture soon sent over the landing coordinates, and we dove toward the designated area. As the submarine bike neared the spot, I glanced at Helena and Amy.
"You two, get off first," I instructed.
They nodded in unison, jumping off the submarine bike and landing gracefully on opposite sides of the railing. Both quickly pulled up their hoodies, vanishing from sight.
I still found it bizarre that a hoodie covering only the upper body and thighs could render someone fully invisible—including their legs—but it worked. That's what mattered.
Unsummoning my submarine rigging, I leapt over to the other side of the railing, softening my landing with nanoswarms to avoid cracking the ground.
Rupture's team had already assembled nearby, their hoodies obscuring their forms against the dim lighting.
"First order of business: locate a radar tower or some kind of military installation to hack," I instructed.
"Affirmative," Rupture replied sharply. She led her team—Sakura, Danielle, and Lib—westward, disappearing into the shadows.
Amy crossed her arms as we began moving. "To be fair, randomly stumbling across a military base seems harder than just creating a situation that forces the deployment of an MCV."
She had a point. "If the goal were only to acquire tech, I'd agree. It'd be faster," I admitted. "But we're here to rescue Yunru and her family too."
"And who's Yunru, Master?" Helena asked, her tone curious but composed.
"She's... one of two people I want to bring into our faction," I explained. "She's a genius who eventually creates her own faction in the future. The timeline's already a mess, so I'd rather get to her early—before all the drama unfolds."
Amy smirked, clearly enjoying herself. "Another girl, huh?"
I rolled my eyes and gently elbowed her. "You know how I feel about this. Especially when she's not even eighteen yet! If my memory is correct that it"
Helena chuckled softly as we moved beneath the cloaking effect of the hoodies. The city around us was silent, cloaked in darkness. It was just past 1:00 AM, and the air was thick with humidity—a sure sign of impending rain.
"So... adoption? Like what you did with Unicorn?" Amy teased.
"Unicorn's little sister?" Helena chimed in, her curiosity piqued.
I sighed. Sharing fragments of my memories with these two when creating them had its downsides.
"Kind of, I guess? Yunru's far too smart to fit that mold, though," I admitted. "Thanks for reminding me about Unicorn, though. I should work on designing a light carrier next."
Helena nodded. "She was the first ship you... marr- adopted, wasn't she?"
I cleared my throat. "Yes. Adopted. That's the word we're using."
We continued walking along the river, the stillness unnerving. No guards, no conscripts, nothing.
"This feels too empty," I muttered. Impatience gnawed at me as I approach a nearby light pole, extending my nanoswarms into the electrical lines to spread out and gather data.
"Do you want me to scout for an isolated area to set up a sensor tower, Aqua-chan?" Amy asked, preparing her grappling hook.
"That should work. Take Helena with you to start building. I'll analyze the city's grid in the meantime," I replied.
They nodded and moved out swiftly, their movements silent under the cloaking effects of their hoodies.
As I expanded the nanoswarm's reach through the electrical network, a clearer map of the city emerged. The military presence was disappointingly light—only a small outpost with barracks and gun turrets. No vehicles, no significant infrastructure.
"Are they not worried about counter-invasions?" I muttered, shaking my head.
Tracing the city's power supply further west, I identified its source. If I had to guess, it was likely a nuclear reactor—a common energy supply for China's military infrastructure. If so, the military base would be nearby.
Retracting my nanoswarms, I made a mental note of the location. My next stop would likely be Nanjing, though my knowledge of Chinese geography was limited.
I headed toward where Amy and Helena were likely working on constructing the sensor tower. If all went well, we'd secure the data we needed and complete the first crucial step of our mission which is gathering intel.
The rain started to pour, a steady drizzle at first, then growing heavier. My hoodie, designed with anti-sensor and optical camouflage properties, seemed to handle the rain well enough, though it didn't prevent water from pooling around my feet. I realized that no matter how effective the camouflage was, the lack of splashes where I stood might give me away. I quickened my pace, heading westward toward the city. From the ground, I could see a hill—the only elevated point in sight. That seemed like the most logical place for Amy and Helena to set up the sensor tower.
As I moved, my thoughts wandered back to the power armor project. I'd been overthinking it—especially the "lining" issue. Seriously? Lining? Why was I worrying about that when nanoswarms could handle the entire problem? The adaptability of nanoswarms was one of their greatest strengths, but they still required two essentials: power and resources.
The beauty of nanoswarms is their adaptability, but they still require two things to function: power and resources. Unlike the instant barricade grenades or MREs I've designed before, this project demands a steady, constant supply of both. Power is straightforward—I only need two compact nuclear fusion reactors to sustain the suit and ensure the nanoswarms operate at peak efficiency. These reactors will provide all the energy the armor and its nanoswarm systems require.
As for resources, that's trickier. Nanoswarms are highly efficient, but they're fragile and often need to replicate themselves after being damaged. This means the armor must carry a stockpile of materials for constant self-repair and operational stability. The real challenge is finding a balance: how to make the armor robust and self-sufficient without making it costly.
This power armor needed to be durable and practical for mass production, not just an expensive prototype for elite units. It should allow squads to tackle heavily armored targets like tanks with coordinated firepower, but not be invincible on its own.
For the design, I decided to draw inspiration from the Terran power armor in StarCraft. The first problem was figuring out how pilots would get in and out of the suit. The Fallout power armor system is neat, but it's too easy for unauthorized individuals to slip inside. My solution? A biometric lock. Pilots would enter the suit via a seamless system where nanoswarms would "melt" open the armor and reseal it after entry.
I'll implement full-body biometric authentication to ensure only authorized personnel can activate the suit. With the underarmor already acting as a secondary layer, integrating this system should be straightforward.
Next, I adjusted the Terran design. I removed the exhaust vents on the back and replaced them with an armored backpack inspired by the Space Marines. This backpack will store the resources needed for nanoswarm operations. The fusion reactors? They'll sit where the exhaust used to be, heavily armored but also ejectable. If the reactors sustain critical damage, the suit will jettison them immediately to protect the pilot. The explosion from a damaged reactor would be catastrophic—far worse than even my corrosive bombs. But Pilot safety first.
The suit itself would be crafted from a lightweight titanium alloy, with hydraulic joints and active movement assistance to enhance mobility. Internally, nanoswarms would cover the joints for smooth, unrestricted motion.
For aesthetics, I want the armor to be something civilians look up to—a symbol of protection and power. I decided on a "Holy Knight" aesthetic, complete with a sleek knight-like helmet. The helmet will have visible slits but its just there to create face on the knight helmet's instead, an array of sensors will provide a full 360-degree view, projected directly into the pilot's field of vision inside the helmet.
well now that I think about it.. let make this power armor sealed tight.. so first temperature control.. nanoswarms can fix that through out the whole suit.. the reason for sealed? Anti bio weapons and radiations...
that done.. time for shield I mean at first I gonna give them basic grey shield made from nanoswarms.. it is a circle shield like in Rome? Wait no like Spartan in Ancient Greek..
Sealing the suit entirely was non-negotiable. A fully enclosed design would provide protection against biological weapons and radiation, with nanoswarms maintaining temperature control for comfort during extended missions.
Finally, the shield. Initially, I considered a basic circular shield, perhaps reminiscent of ancient Roman or Spartan designs. But then I thought: why not go all in on the knightly theme? A knight's shield, long and adorned with a coat of arms, fits perfectly. My faction doesn't have a coat of arms yet, but I'll figure that out soon. The shield will also serve a practical purpose—it'll have a sharp tip at the bottom, allowing it to pierce the ground and act as an anti-tank barrier, capable of withstanding one or two shots. That's more than enough to buy time for counterattacks or an escape.
I arrived at the spot where Helena was building the sensor tower. "Hello, girls!" I called out, waving as I approached.
Helena jumped down from the completed tower and rushed to hug me. "Master~" she said, her tone warm and playful. I hugged her back, patting her head gently.
"So, why were you up there? Your nanoswarms can handle the construction just fine," I asked, curious.
"No particular reason," Helena replied with a shrug, pulling back slightly from the hug.
Amy approached us next, wrapping me in a quick, firm hug. "Hello, Amy," I greeted her with a smile.
"Any military bases in the area?" I asked, shifting to the mission at hand.
Helena shook her head. "Nothing major around here, just a few outposts," she said, her tone turning serious.
That was concerning. Where was the Chinese military? Surely, they would have stationed more significant forces in this region. "Alright. I'll cloak this sensor tower with anti-sensor coating," I said, reaching into my nanoswarm reserves. A quick application of the coating rendered the tower virtually undetectable.
"And now we're heading to Nanjing first," I added, earning nods of agreement from both girls. With the tower cloaked and operational, we started moving toward our next destination.
"By the way," I began as we walked, "I was working on a project while heading here." I sent the detailed plans to both of them via nanoswarm link.
"Knight?" Amy asked, skimming through the data.
Helena grinned. "Looks mass-production ready, but we'll need to test its functionality first, Master~."
"I agree. We'll also need to create the underarmor and redesign the guns to fit the aesthetic," I replied.
"I call dibs on those guns," Helena said with a playful giggle, her eyes twinkling.
I chuckled and turned to Amy, only to realize she wasn't visible. Oops, we were still cloaked. I reached out, fumbling slightly until I found her hand.
"Amy, I need your help with the underarmor design," I said, sending her a rough sketch of my initial concept.
"You mean for the power armor? The layer underneath?" she clarified.
"Yeah, basically. It's going to be a basic protective suit—a bit like a bodysuit, but more flexible and practical for extended use," I mumbled.
"Don't forget waste management," Amy added casually.
I blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Oh. Right. That."
How could I forget something so essential? Soldiers wouldn't have the luxury of taking off the suit mid-battle. I mentally added a discreet and efficient system to the list of task nanoswarm need to do to break down waste materials—something that wouldn't even cross the wearer's mind during use.
The underarmor's initial design was simple: a full-body suit offering bulletproof protection, resistant to small arms fire, including Ignis pistols, to prevent friendly fire accidents. The problem?
"It's just a full-body swimsuit," I muttered to myself, shaking my head. Sure, it worked, but it didn't exactly scream "professional military gear." With a holster strapped to the waist and a plate carrier over the chest, it looked even worse—practical, yes, but also oddly mismatched.
"Eww," I said aloud, staring at the blueprint. The crotch area was also a problem. The snug material created an unflattering bulge that was, frankly, distracting.
To improve it, I layered the protection differently. The new design incorporated reinforced sections that simulated pants and a jacket, breaking up the form into a more tactical, structured appearance. The lower body would feature armored "pants" for flexibility, while the upper section mimicked a lightweight combat vest for mobility and protection.
For the pockets, I wanted something creative and functional. Standard plate carriers weren't cutting it. Instead, I designed modular utility pockets that could attach directly to the suit without adding bulk. These could hold ammunition, grenades, or other small tools, keeping everything within easy reach.
The material itself was crucial. I opted for a composite of synthetic fibers created from nanoswarms, offering ballistic resistance, laser deflection, and anti-thermal properties. The suit would handle small projectiles and a few anti-armor rounds before failure while remaining breathable and lightweight. Naturally, it would be immune to Ignis laser pistols, ensuring no friendly fire mishaps.
Now for aesthetics. The full black design was practical but uninspiring. I added subtle trim lines in faction colors—blue, silver, or even gold—to make it stand out. These trims wouldn't just look good; they'd also help identify rank or specialization at a glance.
"How does it look?" I asked Amy.
"It looks good. I assume the trims are for ranks?" Amy replied.
"Yep," I said, popping the "p" for emphasis.
By this point, the first research box had likely finished. The Japanese language module had only taken about two hours, thanks to the computational power of my research box.
[Research boxes #1 'Japanese Language' - finished]
I distributed the knowledge to all the Wargirls and tasked the next research box with developing a full-body biometric lock system.
[Research boxes #1 'Full body Biometrics lock' Estimated time: 1 days]
If I'd been working on my old PC, this task would have taken years. Even on a server, it would've been months. But now, with our current computational resources, it was doable in a single day.
I thought about it briefly. Maybe I was handling this the wrong way, but that's just how AI systems are trained—iteration upon iteration. So yeah, it was bound to take some time till I got around 90% accuracy and not overfit the AI model.
"Okay, that's done. Now, we just need to wait for Hele—"
"I'm done, Master~," Helena cut in, sending me the finalized blueprints for the Ignis Assault Rifle and Ignis Pistol.
I pulled up the schematics, starting with the assault rifle. At first glance, it resembled a gunblade. I blinked in surprise, trying to locate Helena's position since we were still cloaked.
"Don't worry, Master," Helena said, as if sensing my confusion. "It still has the same firepower as before, but now it can double as a melee weapon capable of cutting through light tanks without any problem."
Curious, I examined how the gunblade integrated into the power armor. It was designed to sit at the waist, knight-style. The blueprint even included a holster—half-open on one side for easy weapon draw.
"Helena-chan~" Amy chimed in, her tone teasing. "Which anime inspired this?"
Even I wasn't entirely sure. It didn't seem to mimic any specific gunblade but rather drew inspiration from various media. The design was sleek, resembling a longsword with a single cutting edge and a barrel mounted on top for rapid laser fire.
"So, the blade's primarily for thrusting with slashes as a secondary, but having only one edge limits other uses…" I trailed off, narrowing my eyes at a small detail on the blueprint. "Wait. Why is there a mini reactor in the blade?"
Helena giggled. "Oh, why don't you figure it out, Master~?"
I sighed, digging deeper into the specs. Instead of a standard energy pack, she'd integrated a fully functional reactor. Infinite ammo was now a reality with this weapon. Additionally, the reactor fed energy to reinforce the blade, allowing it to vibrate at high speeds for increased cutting power.
"Vibrating the blade? That only works if the user has a few seconds to set it up…" I muttered. "But if someone's crazy enough to try sawing through a tank, they could actually succeed with enough time."
"Exactly," Helena replied cheerfully.
"So, you've basically combined a chainsword with a gun?" I asked.
"Yep," she said, her tone brimming with pride.
Next, I checked the Ignis Pistol. Thankfully, it looked normal—like a heavily modified Glock. Its design was simple and effective, with a holster integrated into the underarmor for easy access.
"So, Amy, how would you train the recruits with these weapons?" I asked. "Do you think the girls will even want to join? Oh, and by the way, the power armor includes medical nanoswarms, so anyone can act as a field medic."
Amy thought for a moment before answering. "I'll need to test the gear first. Can't be a good instructor if I don't fully understand the tools I'm training them to use, right?"
"Fair point," I replied.
We continued walking along the road toward the outskirts of a Shanghai.
"Time for bikes," I said, glancing at Helena and Amy. "One each?"
They both nodded in agreement. With a quick command, they summoned their own bikes, sleek machines humming to life with a faint whir of fusion-powered engines.
I followed suit, summoning my own and mounting it. Without another word, we accelerated, heading toward Nanjing at high speed, the landscape blurring past us.