Nine-year-old Nangong Wentian sat on the stone steps in the orphanage's backyard, holding a tree branch and idly scratching lines into the dirt.
The autumn wind swirled fallen leaves around him. In the distance, the rice paddies had been harvested, leaving only bare stubble. The sky was high, the clouds thin, and occasionally flocks of migratory birds passed overhead, heading south.
But he wasn't watching any of that. His eyes were fixed on the crooked lines and numbers he'd drawn on the ground, his brow slightly furrowed.
Xiao Guang walked out from the back kitchen, holding two roasted sweet potatoes. He handed one to Nangong Wentian, then squatted down to look at the markings on the ground.
"What's this?" he asked.
Nangong Wentian took the sweet potato, took a bite, and mumbled, "Formulas."
Xiao Guang stared at the numbers for a long time but couldn't understand a single thing. The symbols weren't any writing he recognized, and the numbers weren't simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. They were densely packed together, like some kind of mysterious incantation.
"What formulas?" he asked again.
Nangong Wentian didn't answer, continuing to write and draw on the ground with the branch. After a good while, he finally stopped and let out a long sigh.
"Important things," he said.
Xiao Guang scratched his head. "What kind of things?"
Nangong Wentian glanced at him, thought for a moment, and tried to explain in a way he might understand. "Very old technology, passed down from a long, long time ago."
Xiao Guang nodded, not fully comprehending. He was long used to Wentian spouting strange words—things like "UC," "GN," "Minovsky"—he didn't understand them, but he knew they were all impressive things.
"So this... formula, what's it for?"
Nangong Wentian pointed at the numbers on the ground. "Calculating an alloy. Mixing titanium and ceramics. High strength, light weight."
Xiao Guang's eyes lit up. "Like that unbreakable bowl?"
"Much more impressive than a bowl." Nangong Wentian used the branch to draw a simple shape on the ground. "This is the armor for an MS."
"MS?" Xiao Guang was momentarily stunned. "That... robot?"
Nangong Wentian nodded. He knew Xiao Guang occasionally saw military news on TV and knew the term "MS." Although Orb strictly controlled military news, some footage always managed to leak out.
Xiao Guang's mouth fell open. He looked at the formula on the ground, then at Nangong Wentian, his expression growing complicated.
"Wentian," he lowered his voice, "do you want to build that?"
Nangong Wentian was silent for a moment, then said, "That's for the future. It's too early to talk about now."
Xiao Guang didn't ask further. But in his heart, he knew that Wentian's "future" would definitely come.
Nangong Wentian continued his calculations on the ground. These formulas were retrieved from the "Star Core"—the Titanium Alloy/Ceramic Composite Armor formula for the UC Era's RX-78-2 Gundam.
That formula was mature in the UC world. Using titanium alloy as the base, adding micron-level ceramic particles, and undergoing special heat treatment to form a perfect composite structure. Its strength was 1.8 times that of ordinary titanium alloy, yet it was 20% lighter.
The problem, however, was that the formula relied on Minovsky Particle-assisted smelting.
Minovsky Particles could penetrate the metal lattice, allowing the ceramic particles and titanium base to bond at the atomic level. Without Minovsky Particles, the ceramic particles and titanium base were like oil and water—even if mixed, they would separate.
The formula needed to be simplified.
Use pure alloy instead of composite materials. Use trace elements instead of ceramic particles. Use conventional heat treatment instead of particle assistance.
Easier said than done.
He had already simulated it over a hundred times in the "Star Core" and found several possible formulas. But simulation was simulation, reality was reality. Whether those formulas could actually be produced still depended on actual smelting.
Now, he was conducting the final theoretical verification.
A tree branch scratched against the ground, leaving behind strings of numbers and symbols.
Ti-6Al-4V base—this was the most common titanium alloy in the SEED World, with mature technology and easy availability.
Added elements: vanadium, chromium, molybdenum. Proportions: 0.3%, 0.2%, 0.1% respectively.
Heat treatment process: solution treatment at 950 degrees, held for two hours, water quenched. Then aging treatment at 550 degrees, held for four hours, air cooled.
Expected performance: tensile strength 1350MPa, yield strength 1200MPa, elongation 8%. Approximately 35% improvement over standard Ti-6Al-4V.
He stopped and stared at the numbers, silently calculating in his mind.
1350MPa. This value was already close to the UC Era standard. Although it couldn't compare to genuine titanium alloy/ceramic composites, in this world, it would undoubtedly be top-tier.
If it could be made...
"Wentian," Xiao Guang suddenly said, "where did you learn all this?"
Nangong Wentian looked up at him. There was no suspicion in Xiao Guang's eyes, only pure curiosity.
"From books," he said.
Xiao Guang shook his head. "I don't believe it. I've read all the books here, and none of them have this."
Nangong Wentian fell silent for a moment, then said, "Some books, you can't see."
Xiao Guang was taken aback, then nodded thoughtfully. He didn't press further, only asking, "Can I read those books?"
Nangong Wentian looked at him, a complex emotion welling up inside.
Xiao Guang was fourteen now. Over these five years, he had always stayed by his side, helping keep watch, helping find parts, helping with things others didn't understand. He never asked why, just quietly did what was needed.
But now, he was starting to ask.
He wanted to learn.
"Yes," Nangong Wentian said. "Later, I'll teach you."
Xiao Guang grinned. "Okay!"
The autumn wind rose again, sweeping up fallen leaves on the ground. The formulas drawn on the ground were partially covered by the leaves, becoming blurred.
Nangong Wentian used the tree branch to brush away the leaves and continued his calculations.
He needed to confirm every detail.
The gift from UC wasn't just the formula itself, but also that rigorous attitude—every data point must be precise, every step must be verified, every possible problem must be anticipated in advance.
He couldn't let down this gift.
"Wentian," Xiao Guang suddenly remembered something, "that MS Armor you mentioned... if it's really made, can it be sold for money?"
Nangong Wentian was taken aback for a moment, then smiled. "Yes. But it's not just about selling it for money."
"What else can it do?"
Nangong Wentian looked up, gazing toward the distant sky. A few clouds drifted lazily at the horizon, with no destination in sight.
"It can protect people," he said.
Xiao Guang followed his gaze and nodded, only half understanding.
The sun gradually sank westward, casting golden rays across the backyard, stretching the shadows of the two into long, elongated shapes.
Nangong Wentian stood up, brushed the dirt off his clothes, and tossed the sweet potato skin into the trash bin.
"Let's go," he said. "It's time to head back."
Xiao Guang stood up and followed behind him. After a few steps, he suddenly asked, "Wentian, do you think we'll really be able to build that kind of robot someday?"
Nangong Wentian didn't turn around, only replying, "Yes."
"How long will it take?"
"A long time." Nangong Wentian paused. "But that day will come."
Xiao Guang nodded and asked no more.
The two walked one after the other into the back kitchen, disappearing through the door.
In the yard, the formulas drawn on the ground were still faintly visible. The autumn wind blew in gusts, scattering the fallen leaves and gathering them again. Under the cover of the leaves, the numbers and symbols resembled some mysterious prophecy, quietly awaiting the moment of realization.
In the back kitchen, the screen of the Star Core was still lit, displaying the final line:
UC formula simplification completed, awaiting verification.
The cursor blinked in the darkness, like a distant star.