A million years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Gu Chuan remains in a state of closed-door training.
Although a million years is merely a brief moment for a Chaos Demon God, for the Machine Race, this span of time has been one of tremendous transformation. Compared to the past, the changes have been earth-shattering.
At this moment, hundreds of millions of light-years away from Chaos City, there lies a naturally formed land island, where various materials from the Chaos World grow abundantly.
With the continuous development of the Chaos World, which started as nothing and has now blossomed into a vast and diverse existence, countless Chaos Demon Gods have emerged. The formation of land from chaotic loam has become common, with numerous islands densely scattered across the Chaos World like stars in the sky.
However, these lands do not possess a stable climate, and each piece is not particularly vast, making them more akin to islands rather than continents.
It is exceptionally rare for a landmass as large as the World Tree's domain to exist, making it one of the very few of its kind. This immense land was formed after countless years of accumulation, as the World Tree absorbed and merged with many such islands.
Thus, its existence is extraordinary.
However, these islands contain abundant mineral and elixir resources, attracting the attention of many Chaos Demon Gods, who often seek to claim them.
Yet, due to the vastness of the Chaos World, the number of such islands far exceeds the number of Demon Gods. More than 99% of these lands remain unclaimed and are essentially ownerless.
At this moment, in one such land island, countless black liquid spheres densely clustered together—hundreds of thousands of them—emerging from the chaotic void and arriving above the island.
"I have found an unnamed island, designated as NG-**, which contains an abundance of rich mineral resources. Requesting permission for mining. Awaiting Brain Zero's approval."
One of the black liquid spheres buzzed, transmitting special fluctuations into the depths of the void.
Moments later, a signal returned from its chaotic chip:
"Approved."
Clatter!
Upon receiving the command, thousands of black liquid spheres descended onto the island, instantly transforming their shapes.
Some spheres morphed into excavators, each tens of thousands of meters long, towering and powerful, with a seamless fusion of mechanical components displaying their steel-like strength. Equipped with advanced digging tools, they could extract any ore with ease.
Some turned into bulldozers, responsible for clearing the land and gathering materials.
Others transformed into drilling machines, boring deep into the island to create tunnels and extract resources.
Some became ground-boring machines, surveying and excavating the land to uncover hidden minerals.
Heavy-duty transporters emerged, tasked with hauling massive quantities of mined ore.
Most impressive of all was the largest black liquid sphere, which transformed into a colossal mining base, merging seamlessly into a mountain.
The liquid-like exterior of the base integrated perfectly with the mountain, making it indistinguishable even to a Demon God's Divine Sense. To any observer, it would appear as nothing more than a natural part of the landscape.
However, within its seemingly ordinary form lay an immense internal space, housing storage warehouses, maintenance workshops, rest facilities, entertainment areas, and more—compact yet fully equipped.
"Bzzt! Haha!! Boss, we struck gold this time! Who would've thought this island contained such rich mineral resources? We're going to be rich!"
The excited voice came from a surveyor robot, resembling an unmanned aerial vehicle. At this moment, it emitted special electromagnetic waves, scanning every inch of the island.
A virtual projection appeared, displaying a detailed mineral map highlighting the wealth of resources buried beneath the land.
"This place is indeed rich in minerals. It was worth the journey of thousands of years, leaving behind those overcrowded mining zones to arrive here."
The mining base laughed, clearly pleased.
"Boss, I told you! Competing with those damn bastards over popular mining sites is a waste of time!
The real fortune lies in unclaimed lands, unexplored by any robot.
Land reclamation is the gold rush of our Machine Race.
The fastest way to wealth!"
The excavator robot waved its mechanical arm, roaring in excitement.
To incentivize expansion, Brain Zero had issued a Wasteland Reclamation Order—any robot that ventured into unclaimed territories could keep 10% of the minerals they mined and even improve their rank within the Machine Race.
The decree sparked a frenzy among the Machine Race, as countless robots set out in search of unclaimed lands across the chaotic void.
Thus, an era of reclamation had begun, and these robots were at its forefront.
"Dig, dig, dig! Once we make our fortune, I'll buy the best drill bit—the one that can penetrate every land in the Chaos World, drilling through all mining zones!"
A ground-drilling machine roared in excitement.
For robots, the greatest joy was acquiring superior materials, upgrading their components, and enhancing their computing power.
To ensure efficiency, standardization, and resource conservation, Brain Zero initially produced every robot in its most primitive state, classified as Level Zero.
But through effort and contribution, a robot could climb the ranks, eventually reaching the highest level of robotic hierarchy and enjoying the power and wealth that came with it.
Countless robots pursued this dream, striving to rise to the pinnacle.
But to achieve this, they needed money—only wealth could buy the best components and upgrades.
"When I get rich, I'll purchase the finest paint job! I'll show those snobbish women that I'm not some rust-covered, worn-out robot!"
A heavy truck declared.
"Heh! You should focus on upgrading your power engine first. You're too slow, you big lump of metal. Those girls love sports cars—fast, stylish, and wealthy. Can you even compare?"
A surveyor drone mocked.
"Bah! Sports cars are just fast. When it comes to real combat, one good ramming from me, and they'll be nothing but a pile of scrap metal!
Steel is the romance of our Machine Race—understand?"
The heavy-duty truck retorted angrily.
"And speaking of which, didn't that fighter-jet girl reject you last time? She said a poor, dirt-covered surveyor like you wasn't worthy of her!"
"Shut up! What's wrong with being a surveyor?! The best surveyors can become high-ranking elites of our Machine Race!
And that aging fighter-jet girl who looked down on me? Just because she's rich now doesn't mean she'll last forever! What's the big deal?!"
The surveyor drone fumed, bouncing up and down in frustration.