Chapter 1815 - 466: Wings and Thorns_2

Chapter 1815: Chapter 466: Wings and Thorns_2

The two argued fiercely, neither willing to back down, while the surrounding management and scholars remained silent as if cold and fearful.

At that moment, the heavy metal door of the command room silently slid open.

A figure walked in slowly.

The sound of the argument abruptly ceased.

Lie Zhua’s firm and angry expression vanished instantly, and Huixin’s furrowed brow relaxed.

The two turned almost simultaneously, their faces showing a respect that would never appear before outsiders, and said in unison to the newcomer:

"Mr. Hu."

Tu Hu nodded, still holding his signature glass bottle. He walked to the table, placed the bottle on it, and glanced at the two contrasting plans.

One side was a complex structural concept of the exoskeleton armor.

On the other side was a blueprint of Life Evolution, depicting the flow of energy within a biological entity and the transformation of cells.

"It’s quite lively." Tu Hu’s voice was calm, showing no trace of anger or joy:

"You continue, I’ll listen."

Lie Zhua took a deep breath, trying hard to keep his tone calm, but his eyes remained fervent:

"Mr. Hu, I believe we should concentrate our resources on prioritizing the Thunder Armor Plan, the individual exoskeleton combat system. It can immediately form combat power to deal with any impending threat."

Huixin immediately responded:

"Mr. Hu, Lie Zhua’s plan has high short-term benefits, but its upper limit is fixed and heavily reliant on logistics. My ’Starfire Plan’, though requiring a significant initial investment and slow to show results, will achieve a fundamental leap for our race once it breaks through. The strength of individuals is what sustains the civilization’s eternity."

Tu Hu said nothing, picking up Lie Zhua’s armor design diagram, closely examining the energy conduction section, and then looking at Huixin’s life network diagram, his gaze lingering on the Energy Nodes for a moment.

He tilted his head back to drink a sip of wine, the spicy liquid sliding down his throat, dispelling some pain from within:

"Lie Zhua wants the now, Huixin wants the future." He placed the bottle down, eyes sweeping over the two individuals:

"Armor can be repaired, can be replaced, but once bones are broken, it’s difficult to reconnect them."

Huixin’s gaze sharpened, while Lie Zhua’s eyes brightened.

But Tu Hu shifted his tone:

"Yet the present and the future are equally important; these two paths do not necessarily require a single choice. The core issue remains a lack of resources."

He looked at the two young leaders and provided his direction:

"Then, the resource issue can be saved from other areas. Tentatively classify the Thunder Armor Plan as a Grade A project, concentrating resources. I want to see a combat-ready prototype within three years."

Lie Zhua straightened his chest, sharp gleams bursting from his eyes:

"Yes, Mr. Hu!"

Tu Hu then turned to Huixin:

"Your Starfire Plan will be classified as a long-term project, fully under your control without interference. I need you to produce feasible phased results, remember, steady and careful, this plan aims not for speed but for correctness."

Huixin nodded solemnly:

"I understand, Mr. Hu, I will definitely not disappoint you nor the tribe members."

"Go on." Tu Hu waved his hand:

"The path must be taken step by step. Strength is not absolutely internal or external; usable, effective strength that can protect the tribe is good strength."

The two bowed respectfully again and then exchanged a glance.

The competitive tension under a common goal was not reduced by Tu Hu’s words as they quickly left the command room to carry out their respective missions.

Once all tribe members departed, Tu Hu stood alone in the empty hall, watching the everlasting lights outside of New Star Valley.

The flame of civilization is burning along different paths.

At this stage, he could not distinguish clearly which was better; what he could do was to walk both paths together, then choose the optimal one.

His choice had already set the tone for New Star Valley’s future development.

In the days to come, resources, like blood, were precisely pumped towards two completely different directions, making the entire tribe like an efficient dual-core engine, racing on the tracks of the present and future.

Under Lie Zhua’s efforts, the "Thunder Armor Plan" progressed rapidly.

The workshop district roared day and night, new alloy was smelted, and complex energy circuits etched within the armor.

In just two and a half years, the first practical "Thunder Armor Type One" exoskeleton armor came out of the assembly workshop.

It covered the warrior’s main body and limbs, with a streamlined dark gray appearance, joints connected by flexible conductive materials, and a small integrated Energy Core at the back providing power to the whole armor.

Upon activation, fine blue energy patterns glided across the armor’s surface.

During wear tests, Thunder Armor Type One significantly enhanced the user’s Strength, Speed, and load-bearing ability, with both arms equipped with interfaces capable of mounting Crystal Energy Guns, while the shoulders had preset mount points, leaving space for heavier weapons in the future.

When ordinary warriors wearing Thunder Armor Type One easily lifted stones requiring several people to move, and maneuvered through complex terrains at speeds far beyond the average person, the observing crowd burst into enthusiastic cheers.

Lie Zhua stood at the edge of the test field, arms crossed, his face showing undisguised pride.

This was the strength he wanted, able to immediately arm the troops, forming effective combat power.

In contrast, Huixin’s "Starfire Plan" seemed somewhat dormant.

Her laboratory was located deep within the Archive Hall, a constant temperature and humidity environment filled with various observation instruments and culture dishes.

There was no clamor of the workshop here, only the low discussions of researchers and the faint humming of instrument operation.