Chapter 67: True or False Phoenix?
100 Grace Points for one seed.
It’s really expensive.
And a seed exchanged for 100 Grace Points can’t be equated to a Star Warrior.
How much is a young, strong, determined, and highly talented young man worth?
How much is one worth after completing the implantation surgery, surviving the transformation, and undergoing long and extremely rigorous training in the manner of a Star Warrior?
How much is the power armor designed and manufactured specifically for Star Warriors, which can connect neurally with them, worth?
Gu Hang still likes to use the system’s Grace Points to calculate value.
He has upgraded twice now, to LV3, with a total value of about 70 Grace Points. Activating costs 10 points, leveling up to 2 costs 10 points, leveling up to 3 costs 50 points.
And when he reaches level 4, it will require 200 Grace Points.
He is currently not a match for any Star Warrior; he estimates that he will have to wait until level 4 to be on par with an ordinary Star Warrior.
As for the Phoenix Battalion veterans, he probably needs to reach level 5 to compete.
And for someone like Salas Martins, Chaplain Rizo, and the bald warrior observed by Gu Hang, who are stronger than the four veterans, it might take even more.
Thus, it can be roughly estimated that a Star Warrior is worth about 300 Grace Points, and a veteran is worth around 800 points.
If Gu Hang wanted to use the system to create a Star Warrior from scratch, he would first need to exchange 100 points for a seed, then perform the implantation surgery.
If it fails, the 100 points would go to waste; he can only proceed if the recruit survives.
A surviving recruit, with only the hardware conditions but no experience or skills, would require at least 111 Grace Points to train to the level of a Tier 1 unit.
Then, he would need to figure out how to obtain a set of power armor.
In this way, he could get a standard “can.”
After completing this process, the Grace Points would cost at least over 200, assuming the power armor is worth 100, which indeed matches his earlier estimation of 300 points for a “can” based on his own combat power.
So, Gu Hang laments, “It’s really f*ing expensive!”
After a few months of mixing around, he doesn’t even know if the Grace Points he’s earned add up to 300.
But what stops Gu Hang, and makes him shiver at the repeatable branch event of “Phoenix Battalion’s Rebirth” that allows him to exchange for a gene seed, is the major hidden danger he quickly realizes.
If he exchanged for a seed and then encountered Martins, saying, “This is my support for you,” Martins would definitely not feel any gratitude.
Instead, he would pull out an explosive gun and ask him how he got the gene seed, and then send him to the Tribunal.
No amount of arguing would help; this seed is specially marked as from the Phoenix Battalion.
Every battalion’s gene seeds have certain differences.
It might be difficult for outsiders to distinguish, but for them, it’s obvious at a glance.
How would Gu Hang explain at that time?
He couldn’t possibly explain it.
This is a function he dares not use.
But soon, a bold idea rose in Gu Hang’s mind:
“Could I… take over the nest?”
In the future, when he’s wealthy, he could exchange for a bunch of gene seeds, secretly find people, ensure their loyalty, use psionic brainwashing, secretly implant the seeds, and secretly cultivate them.
The power armor could also be secretly purchased from some Foundry Worlds.
Once he has amassed enough strength, he could set up a feast, signal with a cup throw, and have seventy fake Phoenix Warriors trained by Gu Hang surround and kill the seven real Phoenix Warriors. Afterward, the real Phoenix Warriors would be his!
“Population replacement plan? Uh… doing this is really despicable…”
Gu Hang shook his head and put this thought aside.
Would I, Governor Gu, harm my allies?
Moreover, even though it sounds easy now, actually doing it would be very troublesome, with countless details to handle.
Let’s talk about it later.
Anyway, he can’t afford such high-end units now.
…
The Governor’s Government of Fury Owl Planet and the Phoenix Battalion henceforth entered into an informal alliance.
It’s informal because they didn’t sign any specific agreements or put anything in writing.
The Phoenix Battalion agreed that whenever Governor Gu has any troubles, he can issue a mission invitation to them. And they would consider whether to accept it and execute the mission as required.
Apart from the Governor’s mission invitations, they are generally free to do anything, though it’s best to inform the Governor out of respect for his planetary rule.
The Governor is also obliged to provide a base, supplies, and ongoing necessary support within his capacity for the battalion’s reconstruction.
In fact, this reconstruction support has already begun.
First is ammunition supply.
Wu Jiarong has received the Governor’s request; she has to start producing ammunition for explosive guns.
This is quite difficult; Fury Owl Planet’s current industrial base can’t produce it.
Diamond-tipped warheads, secondary propulsion, mass-reactive fuses, secondary explosion characteristics…
These rounds can both penetrate armor and explode, which requires very high manufacturing precision.
If it must be done, it’s not impossible, but it would rely on Wu Jiarong crafting them one by one by hand—her mechanized arms, modified on her body, can complete this work. Her few basic technicians might barely manage to do the job with the entire workshop.
The production volume would be quite limited.
Moreover, having her, the ‘technical leader’ of the Governor’s camp, spend a lot of time doing manual bullet crafting is obviously a waste of talent and would also affect the development of Gu Hang’s territory.
But overall, it’s a supply method.
Subsequently, Wu Jiarong also moved some equipment from the Phoenix Battalion’s ship, the Burning Feather, to study how to achieve mass production, at least allowing her basic technicians to take over this task.
Additionally, there’s the maintenance of the power armor, which currently only Wu Jiarong can handle.
As long as it’s not too badly damaged, she, as the technical specialist, can barely manage small repairs.
In fact, equipment maintenance in the battalion is generally handled by technical sergeants.
The former technical sergeants of the Phoenix Battalion had studied at the headquarters of the Mechanicus on Mars and were more skilled than ordinary technical priests.
But what can be done?
Given the current conditions, they have to endure.
Reconstruction is not easy; it requires hard work!
However, in another aspect, Governor Gu’s efforts in the battalion’s reconstruction have been recognized.
A construction team was specially assembled.
They will build a monastery at a location quite far from the camp.
Star Warriors pride themselves as the Emperor’s sons and Death Angels of the Emperor.
They always consider themselves the most steadfast believers in the God Emperor within the Empire.
They are indeed a military organization, but also a religious one.
Many Star Warrior battalions refer to their headquarters as ‘Fortress Monasteries.’
The construction site, already in progress, attracted some of the Phoenix Battalion warriors to visit.
They couldn’t help but think of their battalion’s former headquarters on their home planet.
This new one is worlds apart from the old one.
But at least, it’s a good start, and the battalion is getting back on track.
The next day, the seven Phoenix warriors left the houses previously arranged by the Governor and moved directly beside the monastery construction site.
They want to watch this monastery being built from scratch.