Chapter 353 - 328 Sinking

Two frigates activated four Iron Soldiers each,

But the other ship only had those four, Tony said it was to test their full autonomous combat capabilities without human supervision.

On this side, besides the four activated Iron Soldiers, there were four more in the hangar kept as spares.

A total of 12 Iron Soldiers, theoretically capable of overwhelming an armored unit with frontal firepower alone. But in practice, they all underestimated their enemy.

On paper, the Exoskeleton Soldiers’ frontal combat ability still couldn’t surpass that of the Mechas. However, combat was never just about firepower.

An unexpected surprise attack, terrain that was unfavorable for Mechas, specialized equipment that could disrupt electronic devices—all could completely eliminate the difference.

As for the other navy soldiers, there was no need to count them in the battle strength; in shipboard combat, they couldn’t even properly aim at the Super Soldiers.

Indeed, in Eric’s view, those wearing the high-tech Exoskeletons undoubtedly qualified as Super Soldiers.

Tap tap tap...

The footsteps were urgent and light. Apart from his own, he could hear another set of heavier footsteps behind him. Clearly, the enemy was also targeting the small speedboat at the bottom of the ship.

If he were the enemy, he would also choose to plunder the fuel and then make a run for it.

"Hah..."

Eric quickly turned a corner and arrived at the temporary hangar they had modified before departure—

Whoosh!

The door was pulled open, and despite the urgency of the moment, the scene in the hangar made him freeze:

"What the hell?!"

Several mechanical arms that had been modified into assembly limbs were sliding rapidly on the floor, operating...

The four Mechas had been completely disassembled, and their parts and armors were being incorporated into one of the Iron Soldiers in the center of the room.

This new Iron Soldier lay prone on the ground, fitted with additional and more agile mobility components, and two excessively sturdy arms. The missile pods could even slide across its surface, and the machine guns had been converted into new twin-linked machine guns...

A robot, modifying itself?!

"Insufficient resistance to impacts, solution: Concentrate armor. Conducting reconfiguration of the armor protection layer, equipping an active defense system against potential electronic warfare equipment attacks."

"Operational environment restricted, solution: Control size, increase flexibility... Equipment modification plan failed: Lack of high-precision parts."

"Increase power, propulsion device improvement."

"Fire control system recalibration in progress..."

"Combat plan reevaluation... Computing power limited..."

"Greetings, Commander Stevenson."

Eric walked in with a perplexed look: "What’s going on here?"

"The Critical AI is autonomously adjusting its equipment to adapt to the current combat situation, the current objective: Securing cargo from the target freighter remains unchanged."

"No, that’s changed!"

Eric quickly accepted this fact.

It sounded miraculous, but he was actually a top student who graduated from MIT, and, after getting closer to Tony, he also learned a lot about AI.

While he didn’t know exactly what changes had occurred in the Iron Soldier, he somewhat understood the meaning of "Critical Battle Mode."

He strode deeper into the ship.

"Change of plans, cover my retreat."

"Acknowledged, new objective: Provide cover for the Commander’s retreat and secure cargo from the target freighter."

"I meant retreat!"

"The two objectives are not in conflict."

"How will you fight without a Commander?"

After Eric spoke, he suddenly recalled that this so-called "Critical Battle Mode" seemed to be an independent combat mode that operates without a commander’s orders.

"Whatever, do as you like, I’m pulling out..."

Before he finished speaking, the Iron Soldier suddenly raised the newly modified twin-linked machine guns towards the door!

Bang!

The Exoskeleton stomped powerfully onto the floor, and Frank suddenly stepped through the doorway!

He was mentally prepared to immediately take down the enemy inside, but when he rushed out, he found himself facing an even more gigantic Iron Soldier!

The twin-linked machine guns in the hands of the giant Mecha were already firing—

Frank instantly felt a chill; his Exoskeleton’s systems surged with power, and he leaped backward!

At that moment, his neural activity spiked to the extreme as the nerve stimulation units exceeded safety thresholds. In his perception, time seemed to stretch out.

It was as if he could see the trajectory of each bullet cutting through the air, the projectiles passing by his body with the cold wind...

Bang!

With unimaginable agility, Frank managed to dodge the gunfire. The sound of bullets striking the metal walls roared like a beast, each impact accompanied by sparks and metal shrapnel—

In the narrow space filled with gun smoke and the scent of burning, Frank hid at a farther corner and immediately recovered his senses, firing a Spider Silk towards the upper level to make his escape!

Boom!

The accumulated heat in the wall eventually caused large areas to soften, and bullets violently punched through it!

Big chunks of wall crashed down in the spot where Frank had just been standing.

The gunfire ceased, leaving only the hissing sounds of the red-hot machine gun barrels cooling.

Click...

A piece of metal slowly tore apart and fell, and Eric watched in shock from the sidelines.

The firing rate of the twin-linked machine guns had completely exceeded theoretical limits, and only then did he realize that Tony Stark wasn’t just talking big.

If their soldiers on the front lines had this kind of suppressing power, that really would be impressively powerful.

Click!

With a loud crash, the giant Iron Soldier began standing up, using its enhanced arms to pry open the cramped space—

The engines roared to life, metal cried out from the strain as the passageway was forcefully widened!