Married to a Fierce Wolf 30

Chapter 30

The massive humanoid mecha was a striking sight, cold and silent.

Its head was lowered slightly, dormant, awaiting activation.

Shi Nuo instinctively looked up, taking in the mecha’s pristine appearance. It had clearly never been used.

He wasn’t familiar with mecha models and could only identify the common types. He had seen similar ones before, but none as perfect as this.

At least in terms of its sleek, streamlined design.

Even those who weren’t mecha enthusiasts could appreciate its impressive appearance.

And the more he looked, the more impressive it seemed.

Shi Nuo’s expression shifted from surprise to awe, his gaze fixed on the towering machine.

The mecha was complex, and even with his limited knowledge, he could see several concealed weapon systems, ready to be deployed when needed.

He remained silent, captivated by the cold, inhuman beauty of the machine.

Hugh Elvis also observed the mecha, his expression unchanged, the rhombus-shaped black crystal on the silver chain in his hand swaying gently.

His senses were fully extended, picking up the subtle changes in the wind as it flowed around the mecha.

He smelled the cold metallic scent, his senses reaching out, penetrating the mecha’s outer layers, perceiving the intricate structure of its alien metal and crystal muscles and bones.

Invisible mental energy extended from his mind, and he closed his eyes, establishing a connection with the mecha.

The dormant energy within the mecha’s steel muscles and bones surged.

A heavy, slightly muffled metallic clang echoed as the mecha’s lowered head slowly rose, its mechanical blue eyes lighting up.

The awakened mecha moved its arms, the steel limbs grinding against each other, the sound not unpleasant, even strangely captivating.

Like a moving building, it took a step forward, the ground trembling under its weight.

Shi Nuo saw the metal plates on its back shift and rearrange themselves, separating and combining until a massive sword materialized, strapped to its back.

The mecha’s right hand flexed, its enormous fingers closing and opening, as if testing its strength. Then it reached behind its back, grasped the hilt of the black sword, and swung it effortlessly.

Its movements became increasingly fluid. Despite its massive size and intimidating power, its agility made it a terrifying force.

Its left hand transformed into a heavy weapon, energy gathering along its arm, the faint blue glow deceptively simple yet radiating a palpable threat.

Shi Nuo assumed it was about to fire, his heart pounding, but the mecha retracted the weapon, its hand returning to its normal five-fingered form.

“Long Xu,” Hugh Elvis said suddenly, opening his eyes.

Shi Nuo, startled, looked at him, his gaze shifting from the mecha.

“Its name,” Hugh explained, then clenched his right hand. Simultaneously, the mecha, Long Xu, mirrored the movement.

Whether through mental control or a projection of his own actions, the connection between him and the mecha was seamless, instantaneous, as if they were one.

He lowered his hand, and with a thought, the mecha’s massive right hand descended.

The steel giant’s hand stopped just beside him, the wind generated by its movement ruffling Shi Nuo’s hair. He instinctively took half a step back, startled by its proximity, and Hugh Elvis’s arm wrapped around his waist, holding him steady.

Hugh Elvis, using the mecha’s fingers as a foothold, leaped onto its palm, carrying Shi Nuo with him. Then, with another effortless movement, he lifted them both to the mecha’s shoulder.

A door opened on the side of the mecha’s head, and they entered the cockpit.

Shi Nuo looked around curiously.

The space inside was large, the control panel filled with buttons, levers, and other manual controls.

However, the more convenient method was to establish a mental link with the mecha, as Hugh was doing now. Without touching any of the controls, he released his mental energy, and multiple virtual screens appeared before them, displaying various data.

Shi Nuo had taken introductory mecha operation courses in middle school, where students were assigned mechas based on their mental strength. He had some basic knowledge and could understand some of the data.

He saw the mecha’s detailed specifications displayed on one of the screens and, seeing that Hugh was focused on the weapon database, reached out and dragged the screen closer, studying the information.

Long Xu.

So that was its name.

The mecha’s model number was unfamiliar to him. It probably wasn’t a commercially available model.

After a moment of hesitation, he whispered, “How did you get this?”

Before seeing Long Xu, he hadn’t imagined that the exiled Hugh would have a mecha.

“Its design began after I was born. It took ten years to build. It’s a custom-made mecha, specifically for me,” Hugh Elvis replied, his attention shifting from the screens. He held out the silver chain, his finger tapping the rhombus-shaped black crystal. “A spatial storage device.”

Shi Nuo took the necklace and finally understood what the black crystal was: an incredibly rare deep space crystal, capable of containing and folding space within it, highly stable and valuable, a rare material often used in custom-made mechas.

These crystals came in various colors. He had seen a few online but never in person. This one was black, its color understated, its surface smooth and cool to the touch.

Hugh, his gaze returning to the data on the screens, said casually, “Long Xu’s core contains some of my genetic material. No one else can operate it.”

As if anticipating Shi Nuo’s question, he added calmly, “It was completed when I was ten. Even though my condition was unstable, it was my mecha, so I always kept it with me. When I was sent here at fifteen, I brought it with me. I drove away the construction workers, and after they left, I checked the house, destroyed all the monitoring devices, and then, since I couldn’t use the mecha, I hid Long Xu in the basement.”

Shi Nuo listened attentively, then held out the necklace to return it.

Hugh Elvis didn’t take it, glancing at the silver chain. “Keep it. Wear it as jewelry. The crystal is stable, no radiation. It’s a valuable gem.”

It was more than just a valuable gem. If it weren’t so rare and useful as a spatial storage material, it would be a highly sought-after gemstone in its own right.

Even the silver chain wasn’t ordinary silver. Shi Nuo saw the faint, flowing pattern on its surface, resembling dragons or clouds, another valuable material.

Ignoring the chain, the spatial storage crystal itself was rarely seen on the market. If one appeared, it would fetch an exorbitant price. Shi Nuo wasn’t ignorant of its value. “Long Xu should be stored away. It’s not appropriate for me to have this,” he whispered.

Hugh took the necklace, and Shi Nuo breathed a sigh of relief.

A giant mecha and a spatial storage device, their combined value immeasurable, and a custom-made mecha at that, built specifically for Hugh. He couldn’t bear the responsibility. What if he lost it?

But Hugh Elvis, after taking the necklace, simply stood before him, unclasped the chain, and placed it around Shi Nuo’s neck.

Shi Nuo was wearing a shirt buttoned all the way up.

After fastening the clasp, the Alpha tucked the black crystal pendant inside his shirt.

Shi Nuo felt the cold crystal against his skin, beneath his collarbone, quickly warmed by his body heat.

“Within a hundred-meter radius, Long Xu can be stored and retrieved at will. You don’t have to be right next to it,” Hugh explained, then, seeing that the chain and pendant were hidden beneath Shi Nuo’s shirt, turned back to the data on the screens.

He added, “The clasp is a genetic lock, not a normal one. It’s waterproof. You don’t have to take it off when you shower.”

Shi Nuo had no choice but to wear it.

After a few minutes, seeing Hugh’s focused expression as he studied the complex data, he tentatively tried to open the clasp at the back of his neck, but it wouldn’t budge. It seemed only Hugh could open it.

“Sit down. This will take a while. I need to make some adjustments,” Hugh Elvis said, pressing a button on the control panel. The floor behind the panel shifted, and two pilot seats rose.

“Okay,” Shi Nuo sat down obediently.

The seats were intelligent and adjusted automatically to his height, providing comfortable support for his back.

The mecha moved, and Shi Nuo could see the outside world clearly through the glass panel, which served as the mecha’s eyes.

A real-time display appeared before him, divided into several sections, showing thermal imaging, a 2D image, and environmental monitoring data, even clearer than looking through the mecha’s eyes.

He was familiar with the basic functions of a mecha. A holographic visor hung from the back of his seat, which, when worn, would link his vision to the mecha’s.

Shi Nuo wasn’t particularly interested in mechas. His limited mental strength meant he could only pilot ordinary ones. But after six months on this planet, with no entertainment, seeing Long Xu today, and being inside its cockpit, he couldn’t resist picking up the visor.

His vision expanded, the house below looking small, the horizon stretching far into the distance.

A few minutes later, Hugh made the mecha move, running.

The holographic visor provided not only vision but also sound, a fully immersive experience.

After familiarizing himself with Long Xu’s controls, Hugh Elvis brought the mecha back to the house.

He turned his seat to face Shi Nuo. “Make a list of anything you need. I’ll go and buy it.”

Realizing what the Alpha meant, Shi Nuo removed the visor, his eyelashes trembling. “We can leave?”

Hugh nodded. “Yes. Long Xu is a large-scale mecha, capable of space travel. It can also transform into a small starship.”

Shi Nuo had so many questions. If they could leave, why had they stayed here for so long? And if they could leave, could they go somewhere else?

Even if they didn’t return to the First Star System, to the Elvis family or the Shi family, they could live anywhere else.

But the words caught in his throat.

Hugh’s intention was clear. He would go out, purchase supplies, and return.

Meeting the Alpha’s gaze, Shi Nuo suppressed the thought of leaving, burying it deep within his heart. He nodded and, activating a virtual screen, began to compile a list.

His fingers trembled slightly, his mind racing, unable to focus. He took a deep breath and typed two lines.

Solid poultry fat, ten boxes. Vegetable oil, twenty pounds. Rice, one hundred pounds. Noodles, twenty pounds.

Tens of pounds, even a hundred, seemed like a lot, enough for several months, but if they had a mecha and could leave whenever they wanted, buying too much wouldn’t be necessary. The food might spoil.

He suddenly realized, he could also leave with Hugh.

Shi Nuo took a few deep breaths to calm himself and turned to ask the question that had been on his mind.