Duanmu Longxiang didn't know that battle fort no.9 had already requested backup from the Mech King, but he knew how powerful the enemy was.
Therefore, Duanmu Longxiang quickly sent out a team to clean up the wasteland.
Just like what they predicted, the Slayer had decided to retreat after suffering heavy losses in this battle. They gave up all control of the wasteland and concentrated all their power inside battle fort no.9. This was to prevent a direct attack from the frontline base.
Duanmu Longxiang had left the frontline base many times in an attempt to lure the Slayer out.
Not only did Duanmu Longxiang not know where to start, but Qi Yuan also felt like he was in a pinch. It was not easy for him to lure the enemy out, but the enemy had chosen to retreat. They had no intention of fighting head on. This made it impossible for him to complete his last 2 checkpoints.
Although the frontline base had the advantage in a direct attack, it was still not enough to take down battle fort no.9.
Just like the sky defense system of the frontline base, battle fort no.9 also had a powerful defense system. It was enough to make up for the difference in power between the frontline base and the Slayer.
The defense system of battle fort no.9 was even more powerful than the Sky Dome system in a positional battle.
In order to find a way to take down battle fort no.9, the battle command had held many strategy meetings. However, the final conclusion was that they could only suppress the Slayer from the wasteland. Taking down battle fort no.9 head-on was as hard as climbing the sky.
After a huge victory, Qi Yuan's status in the frontline base had skyrocketed. It was not only his research ability, but Qi Yuan's fighting ability had also been recognized by everyone.
Facing Qi Yuan, who was at the peak of his power, Ke Shoulin decisively chose to remain silent. He had given up on all his little tricks against Qi Yuan.
Under Duanmu Longxiang's support, all the resources in the frontline base were given to Qi Yuan. Other than giving most of the Asterite to Qi Yuan, Qi Yuan had also gotten a relatively complete rank 6 mech body.
After repairing the broken mechanical wreckage, Qi Yuan used the data fortress, machinery modification, and the newly obtained mechanical marionette to turn it into his own marionette.
This was a puppet clone made from a peak Type 6 Mech Body, stronger than Crownless's clone. Not only did it have the strength of a peak Type 6 Mech, it also had the same appearance as Crownless. Even the energy waves were the same.
Looking at this puppet clone, Qi Yuan felt like he was looking into a mirror.
Back then, Crownless used this ability to create multiple clones that looked real. If it wasn't for the Sign In beam that exposed his real body, even he wouldn't have been able to find his real body.
Now that he had a mechanical puppet clone that could pass off as a real one, if he could use it well, it might be able to play an unexpected role.
After pondering for a moment, Qi Yuan placed the Leader's Medal on the Puppet Avatar. He wanted to see if this Puppet Avatar could fool others.
The mechanical marionette raised its head and smiled at Qi Yuan. Then, it straightened its collar and pushed open the door to leave the laboratory.
After witnessing the Mech Dynasty's desire to kill Qi Yuan, Duanmu Longxiang specially assigned a peak Type 6 Genetic Warrior to protect Qi Yuan.
Seeing Qi Yuan leave the lab, this Type 6 Genetic Warrior immediately saluted him.
Qi Yuan nodded and walked in front. This Type 6 Genetic Warrior followed closely behind.
He didn't notice that the one he was protecting was only a puppet clone.
The puppet clone walked around the camp and similarly, no one noticed anything strange. It even sat down and chatted with Pang Jiuchuan for a while. This peak Type 6 Deputy Division Head still didn't notice that the one chatting with him wasn't Qi Yuan's real body.
After confirming that this puppet clone could fool a peak Type 6 Genetic Warrior, Qi Yuan looked at Duanmu Longxiang's meeting room.
Would this seemingly flawless mechanical puppet be able to fool the senses of a Heaven Awaken Realm expert?
The puppet clone paused for a few seconds before walking toward the meeting room.
In the meeting room, Duanmu Longxiang was alone, frowning as he stared at the battle map.
At this moment, someone knocked on the door.
The powerful senses of a Heaven Awaken Realm expert allowed Duanmu Longxiang to sense the identity of the person without even opening the door.
"Come in!" Duanmu Longxiang said.
The puppet clone entered the room and stood beside Duanmu Longxiang beside the battle map.
Duanmu Longxiang didn't turn to look at Qi Yuan. Instead, he pointed at Fort No. 9 in the middle of the battle map and said,
"We've already cleared the wilderness and reduced the activity space of Fort No. 9 to the minimum. However, this last piece of bone is too hard to deal with."
"With our current strength, if we were to fight in Fort No. 9, our chances of winning would be less than 30%."
"Then we'll force them out of Fort No. 9!" The puppet clone said.
Duanmu Longxiang shook his head.
"I want to force them out as well. However, I've used all my methods these past few days, and the Slayers still haven't moved."
Duanmu Longxiang paused and suddenly asked, "Do you have any good suggestions?"
"That's the reason why I've come here," said the puppet clone.
Duanmu Longxiang's eyes sparkled. He subconsciously turned to Qi Yuan and was about to continue asking.
Duanmu Longxiang's eyes suddenly darkened. He suddenly unleashed his Heaven Awaken Force Field and covered the puppet clone.
"You're not Qi Yuan. Who are you?" Duanmu Longxiang asked in a low voice.
Qi Yuan controlled the puppet clone to laugh bitterly. Only when facing a Heaven Awaken Realm expert could one truly understand the power of a Heaven Awaken Realm expert.
Even though this puppet clone had the power of a peak rank 6, Qi Yuan still felt a pressure that penetrated deep into his soul under Duanmu Longxiang's Heaven Awaken Force Field.
It was as if Duanmu Longxiang only needed to lift a finger to destroy him.
"It seems like this peak rank 6 puppet clone of mine can't hide from the eyes of a Heaven Awaken Realm elite." The puppet clone said with difficulty.
Puppet clone!
Duanmu Longxiang carefully observed Qi Yuan in front of him. He didn't seem to believe it, but he still loosened his Heaven Awaken Force Field a little so that the puppet clone could speak more easily.
"I was thinking that if you couldn't find out about this puppet, I would use it to sneak into Fort No. 9 and see if I could blow up their energy storage. It seems like I underestimated the power of a high rank elite." The puppet clone said.
"You're really Qi Yuan's puppet clone?" Duanmu Longxiang frowned and asked.
The mechanical marionette shrugged.
"If you still don't believe me, you can come back to the lab with me."
"No need for that. Let your main body send me a private message." Duanmu Longxiang said.
Duanmu Longxiang already believed this puppet clone, but out of caution, he didn't release his Heaven Awaken Force Field immediately.
From the moment this mechanical puppet pushed open the door and entered the meeting hall, he did not notice any abnormalities at all. Whether it was its aura or energy waves, it was exactly the same as Qi Yuan. If it was not for that final glance that saw through the essence of this mechanical puppet, he might not have realized that this Qi Yuan in front of him was a fake.
At this moment, Duanmu Longxiang's private communicator rang. Qi Yuan had sent a message from the lab, explaining what had happened. Duanmu Longxiang finally felt relieved and retracted his Heaven Awaken Force Field.
"How did you do that?" Duanmu Longxiang asked in a strange tone.
He carefully looked at the puppet in front of him. This powerful camouflage ability could even fool his senses. It was shocking.
Duanmu Longxiang couldn't help but think of Crownless. Just like Qi Yuan's puppet clone, he couldn't tell the difference between the real and the fake ones. It made the soldiers suffer a lot.
"I got some inspiration from Crownless's clone. That's why I made this puppet clone." Qi Yuan said casually.
Duanmu Longxiang nodded and didn't dwell on this topic. He circled around the puppet and observed it carefully.
"I was able to discover the abnormality because I saw through its mechanical body. If your true body was also a mechanical body, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to discover that it was just a puppet avatar."
"You saw through it. If this puppet clone couldn't fool your eyes, then it couldn't fool the Slayer. My plan to infiltrate the fort was aborted before it even started."
Duanmu Longxiang heard this and couldn't help but laugh.
"If battle fort no.9 was so easy to infiltrate, I would've already sent people to blow up their energy storage. I wouldn't be here looking at this holographic map."
"By the way, you said that you came here for this matter?"
Qi Yuan nodded.
"There is a way to force the Slayer out, but I need time."
"What is it?"
Duanmu Longxiang's voice was a little excited. He knew Qi Yuan well. If Qi Yuan dared to say something like this, it meant he had enough confidence.
"As long as I can force the Slayer out of battle fort no.9, I have a 70% chance of defeating them even if we don't fight in the frontline base!"
Qi Yuan stared at battle fort no.9 in the holographic map with sparkling eyes.
"Pang Jiuchuan told me that every decision the Slayer made was carefully calculated. Just like the bait last time. If it was just me, the Slayer wouldn't have sent out so many people to kill me. But when I destroyed their surveillance network in the wilderness, the Slayer felt like I was a threat to the Mech Kingdom. That's why they sent out so many powerful forces to kill me."
"The Slayer chose to hide in his shell. It's not just because he doesn't think he can win if he fights outside, it's also because we aren't pressuring him enough."
"If I can make the Slayer realize that I have the power to destroy the entire fort, even if it's just a possibility, do you think the Slayer will fight to the death with us?"
Duanmu Longxiang went silent for a moment and said with certainty.
"Yes!
As long as the Slayer thinks that hiding in his shell will bring destruction, he will fight with all his might! "
"If that's the case, then I'll think of a way to increase the Slayer's power and force him out of his shell!"
Duanmu Longxiang gazed deeply at Qi Yuan. He didn't ask how Qi Yuan was going to force the Slayer out. Instead, he nodded in a serious manner.
"If you need anything else, just tell me. As long as the frontline base has it, I'll give you materials and people. Even if the frontline base doesn't have anything, I'll contact the Black Steel Shelter and have them send it to you!"
"I don't need anything else. I just want those machine remains from last time," Qi Yuan said.
"No problem," Duanmu Longxiang said.
"I'll send people to deliver them to you immediately."
Although those machine remains were already reserved, taking down battle fort no.9 was the most important thing. As long as they could take down the fort, no amount of machine remains would be a problem.
After leaving the meeting room, the puppet returned to the lab and began its intense work again.
Through the feedback from the Tooth of Despair, Qi Yuan found a fatal flaw in the impenetrable defense system of battle fort no.9. It was the data life form that helped the Slayer to control the fort – 009.
As a digital life form, the purpose of 009's existence was to help the Slayer manage the fort.
Not only did it control all the defense and recognition systems of battle fort no.9, but it could also give out non-combat commands to all the machines in the fort.
009 was the most crucial part of the defense system of battle fort no.9.
As long as they could hack into the logic of this digital life form, they could strip the entire defense system of battle fort no.9 clean.
The Mech King's Palace had gone far on the path of mech flying civilization. All kinds of digital life forms had become their core technology. These powerful digital life forms were the foundation of the Mech King's Palace.
Countless battles had proven that neither the Doomsday Munitions nor the Gate of Truth had the power to break through the logic of these digital life forms.
Therefore, when the Slayer took control of battle fort no.9, it had already developed a deep dependence on 009.
To Qi Yuan, tricking a digital life form was much easier than tricking an elite.
As the Blazing Angel became more powerful, Qi Yuan had discovered many advanced technologies from the data it had unlocked. This included a complete way to deal with digital life forms.
If he could break through 009's logic, the Slayer would do anything to kill him.