Chapter 110: Pinocchio’s New Ability

Such a lethal injury would have instantly killed any creature of flesh and blood, but the enemy was a mechanical puppet; as long as its power heart remained intact, it would not perish even if its entire head were blown off.

However, Li Nanke was not a man to be trifled with. Having knocked his opponent off balance and sent it crashing to the ground, he would never let such a perfect opportunity for a killing blow go to waste.

With a violent stomp against the ground, he vaulted high into the air, his blood-stained warhammer descending upon the Guardian’s chest.

In an instant, three magnetic coil columns on the Guardian’s back surged with electricity, unleashing a massive wave of current. A blinding, spherical field of energy expanded rapidly; any living thing caught in its path would be reduced to a charred corpse by the high-voltage discharge, and even one as physically resilient as Li Nanke would inevitably suffer from paralysis and rigidity.

This electrical discharge was even more devastating to ordinary puppets, capable of paralyzing them on the spot or rendering them completely broken. Even a puppet like Pinocchio, crafted from extraordinary metal, would be left standing in a daze, momentarily robbed of his senses.

"Too slow!"

Facing the indiscriminate, raging surge of electricity, a fierce glint flashed in Li Nanke’s eyes.

Shielding his pain with the Grace of Thorns and pushing his power-assisted armor to its maximum defensive capacity, the warhammer in his hands suddenly transformed into a giant hammer of flame!

The hammer of fire, like the weapon of a titan, dragged a trail of scorching heat as it descended from the heavens. The crimson waves, resembling beautiful silk or a surging waterfall, slammed down with the force of a cataclysm!

"BOOM!"

The earth shook and trembled; the glass in the surrounding buildings shattered and burst in unison, and the rising heat wave sent rubble flying in all directions.

Pinocchio had lost consciousness the moment the electrical discharge swept through. When his vision finally cleared, he felt a hand patting his shoulder.

"Go on, absorb that good stuff."

Li Nanke, having deactivated his power-assisted armor, stood beside him carrying his jagged, spike-covered warhammer, patting his shoulder gently.

Pinocchio looked toward the Guardian. The terrifying giant lay sprawled on its back, its metal chest armor melted and fractured, revealing a charred, gaping hole. The once formidable Guardian was now nothing more than a cold, lifeless wreck.

Li Nanke, meanwhile, looked refreshed. His body radiated heat like a furnace, with white steam rising from his torso, back, and head. Aside from a slight depletion of stamina, he hadn't suffered a scratch.

Mechanical puppets already possessed high-strength metal bodies and the reinforcement of Ergo, giving them physical durability far beyond human imagination. Yet, Li Nanke—a humanoid Tyrannosaurus rex—possessed a physical strength that surpassed even the puppets themselves.

"Boss is just too strong..."

Pinocchio’s heart was a whirlpool of conflicting emotions. He sighed silently, realizing he still had a long way to go if he ever hoped to surpass Li Nanke and transform from someone being protected into a true protector.

As Pinocchio approached, specks of azure light emerged from the Guardian’s body, streaming into his own. His left arm underwent a transformation; the metal hand melted and reshaped itself into an arm wreathed in magnetic coils, with arcs of electricity flickering and jumping just like the coils on the Guardian’s back.

Li Nanke’s heart lifted. "Come on, hit me with some electricity and let’s see the power."

"Boss, is that really a good idea?"

"What are you afraid of? I’m telling you to do it... Is it the Grand Covenant restricting you from harming humans?"

Pinocchio shook his head. "No. Ever since I woke up, although I can feel the presence of the Grand Covenant in my consciousness, for some reason, its binding power on me is negligible."

Even riot puppets with only basic consciousness could violate the Grand Covenant, let alone a puppet like Pinocchio, who possessed an advanced self-awareness approaching or even equaling that of a human. Li Nanke insisted that Pinocchio shock him, only to find the current much weaker than the Guardian's, likely because Pinocchio’s own strength was still too low.

Pinocchio could also release a large-scale "Electric Burst." While this ultimate move consumed a massive amount of energy and was ineffective against powerful, unique puppets, it was enough to leave lower-level puppets paralyzed or incapacitated for a long time.

Seeing this, Li Nanke smiled. According to the memories of Black Rabbit, while the Puppet Factory was teeming with puppets, most were low-level domestic or service models. Pinocchio’s new ability, combined with Li Nanke’s own "Magnetic Storm," could serve as the master key to entering the factory. If handled correctly, the Puppet Factory wouldn't be a death trap, but a place to rapidly increase their combat prowess.

Seeing the boy looking discouraged, Li Nanke ruffled his hair, turning his medium-length black locks into a bird's nest.

"Trust me, you'll be strong soon enough."

Li Nanke smashed open the doors of the police station with his hammer. The interior was a wreck, with overturned desks and scattered files, but there were no puppet officers on guard. After a brief search, he found some intact firearms, ammunition, and melee weapons.

However, the old-fashioned, gunpowder-based police pistols had limited power, so Li Nanke picked out a well-crafted longsword and tossed it to Pinocchio. This way, Pinocchio could wield the sword with his right hand while using his left for combat maneuvers, ensuring he wouldn't be left defenseless if his left hand were transformed into a magnetic coil. It was a pity that the chainsaw sword couldn't be powered by Ergo; otherwise, it would have been a great choice for Pinocchio.

Just as Li Nanke was about to leave the station, a rhythmic clacking sound came from a corner. Walking over, he found an old-fashioned telegraph receiver, clicking away as it printed out characters onto a strip of paper.

A large stack of telegrams had already piled up before the machine. Li Nanke picked up a few at random. They were of varying ages, but the content was identical, all from the same person in the same place:

[To the unknown gentleman or lady, greetings.]

[I am Venigni, the owner of the Puppet Factory. Yes, thank heavens, I am still alive.]

[All my workers have perished in the puppet riots. I was lucky to escape and have been hiding carefully since the chaos began.]

[Unfortunately, I am now trapped in my office in the central factory building. Just on the other side of the wall is the rioting supervisor puppet, the 'King of Flames'.]

[I am trapped here. My remaining food and water will not last much longer. I am in desperate need of help and rescue.]

[If you see this telegram, please contact the Stalker. I am willing to trade my entire fortune for my rescue.]

[I also possess two pieces of vital intelligence. This concerns not only the King of Puppets, the source of the riots, but also the survival of every human in the city of Krat.]

[Please, you must save me!]

Li Nanke raised an eyebrow and picked up the latest telegram. Venigni, the factory owner, claimed his supplies were exhausted, his words filled with despair and the desperate, repeated plea: "Come save me!"