Night in Lianfen, in a room of an inn, lay the fully dissected remains of a dragonfly, stretched out on a wooden table. A few steps away, another dragonfly, bound and alive, struggled faintly on the floor. At the table, an attentive figure carefully conducted its experiment on the lifeless insect.

"It indeed seems feasible to craft a drone from this dragonfly," Orion mused. Having invested hours meticulously studying the carcass, the robot now discerned a promising possibility of drone creation.

After dissecting the dragonfly and spending hours experimenting and understanding its intricate anatomy, Orion embedded several tiny cables into the dragonfly's thorax. These cables connected directly to both the direct and indirect flight muscles of the dragonfly. By administering precise electrical charges to these muscles, Orion could induce contractions that manipulated the wings' movements. The direct flight muscles controlled the upstroke and downstroke of the wings, while the indirect flight muscles adjusted the wing's angle during each flap.

Given that a dragonfly has four independently operated wings, they possess an unparalleled agility in the air, capable of hovering, darting, and even flying backward. Orion aimed to replicate these capabilities in its drone design.

Satisfied with the initial experimentation, Orion cleared the table of the dissected dragonfly remains, shifting focus to the intact specimen. Picking up the living dragonfly from the floor, Orion euthanized it gently. Methodically, it began removing unnecessary internal structures, preserving the vital components required for flight. Numerous cables were then meticulously embedded within the dragonfly's thorax, each linked to specific muscles.

These cables interfaced directly with Orion's electrical systems, allowing it to control which muscle received an electrical impulse and when. After extensive trials, adjustments, and iterative experimentation, Orion finally achieved controlled flight with the deceased dragonfly. Securely tethered to the table, there were no risks of the prototype drone erratically crashing or veering off course. In a short span, Orion's AI mastered the nuanced movements, achieving stable hovering and directional control, including forward, sideways, backward, and rotational movement.

"Success!" Orion declared. The hours of effort had not been in vain, although there was still room for refinement. The robot dedicated the remaining hours of darkness to enhancing the prototype further.

As morning dawned, Orion tidied up the room and made preparations to depart the inn and the village then headed back to the Lander. Having amassed a substantial amount of information during its stay, Orion decided to visit a sprawling city to the east after returning to the Lander. From the orbit, the city was expansive, surrounded by vast tracts of fertile farmland. Upon referencing the accumulated data, Orion identified the city as Fengxian, the capital of Jiulong province in the Zhenyu kingdom. Today's main objective is to gather information on the best route to Fengxian and to acquire additional materials for drone fabrication. With a plan in mind, Orion checked out of the inn and set a direct course for the bustling market.

Orion returned to the stall where it had previously purchased dragonflies. This time, the robot procured dragonfly wings and exoskeletons. Orion also purchased specific liquids/medicines that aid in the preservation of the dragonfly and its muscles. Additionally, Orion acquired other substances that help maintain and nourish the dragonfly wing muscles, along with a variety of other items and materials essential for its projects.

Unexpectedly, Orion also managed to secure fireworks and firecrackers. This discovery prompted another wave of inspiration. Not only had Orion devised a means to enhance its situational awareness, but it had also potentially increased its offensive capabilities. However, given the limited availability of fireworks, firecrackers, and the necessary materials to create them in this village, Orion decided to prioritize this line of research and development upon reaching a larger city with more resources available.

Orion also gathered information on the route to Fengxian. First, Orion would need to head to the nearby city of Yanjing before continuing to Fengxian. One option available is to join a caravan. By paying a certain fee, Orion could secure a spot on a horse-drawn wagon. These caravans also come with bodyguards, ensuring a relatively safe journey. Caravans bound for Yanjing depart from Lianfen Village twice a week. Upon reaching Yanjing, Orion could then join another caravan directly headed for Fengxian.

Orion departed the village around midday, making its way through the forest. By sunset, it had safely reached the Lander, having not come across any dangerous animals, spirit beasts, or bandits.

Inside the secure confines of the Lander, Orion got to work. Using the available equipment and spare parts, it first addressed the pressing issue, completely repairing its damaged shoulder and left arm. The robot tirelessly worked through the night. After the repair work, Orion focused on constructing drones, and by dawn, two drones had been completed. Orion designated them as SO-1 models (Surveillance Ornithopter - Model 1).

The drone's design closely resembles that of a dragonfly, albeit with a shorter tail. Orion constructed the fuselage by assembling cut exoskeleton pieces, which were meticulously shaped and then fused together using a special adhesive. Thanks to Orion's capability to create a 3D model, it had a clear blueprint of how each component should be crafted and integrated. The drone's original head, with its prominent eyes, has been replaced with modified gimbal CCTV cameras originally intended for Mars base monitoring. These cameras provide high-resolution color imagery, IR night vision, and thermal imaging. A battery unit, tucked within the drone's fuselage and tail, provides ample power, supporting over 5 hours of continuous operation.

At the moment, the drone doesn't possess autonomous flight capabilities and requires manual control from Orion. Its radio communication antenna offers a maximum range of 1 km. However, once a GPS and global satellite communication system is established, there are plans to significantly boost the drone's communication capabilities, enhancing both video feed transmission and control commands from Orion. Additionally, integrating an autopilot system is on the horizon. Currently, the Orbiter can't provide coverage for the entire planet.

Under the morning sun, Orion conducted a test flight of the drone, evaluating its performance through various maneuvers, while also assessing the clarity and efficiency of its camera. The results were satisfying. When the drone hovered above Orion, its camera captured a comprehensive view of the surroundings. Orion even managed to simultaneously control two drones, significantly expanding its situational awareness. With the capability of Orion's processor and AI, handling even more drones concurrently seemed feasible. Now, any potential ambush against Orion would be much less likely to succeed.

Having successfully developed the drone, Orion now prepared to return to the village and join a caravan headed for Yanjing. One pressing matter was the Lander — Orion was reluctant to leave it behind. When an attempt to store the massive vehicle within the storage ring failed, Orion pondered aloud, "Why can't I store it? Is it too large? Or is the storage ring already full?"

Lacking the spiritual sense cultivators used to inspect the ring's contents, Orion opted for a different approach. Emptying the ring of all its contents, the robot was eventually able to store the Lander. Now, surrounded by a multitude of scattered items, Orion mused, "Unique problems require unique solutions."

Orion retrieved the Lander and began the laborious process of emptying its storage. Methodically sorting items, it prioritized storing items inside the Lander that weren't immediately needed. This way, since accessing those would necessitate extracting the Lander first, it saved essential space inside the ring. After ensuring the Lander's compartments were packed to the brim, Orion managed to store it within the ring and then placed any remaining items back inside.

"Excellent, that did the trick," Orion noted with a hint of satisfaction.

As night approached and with the lander now stored in the storage ring, Orion decided to spend the night atop a tree. Using a grappling hook and an electric winch, Orion swiftly ascended to the treetop. Remaining motionless and silent throughout the night, Orion managed to remain undetected amidst the bustling nocturnal activities of the forest's residents as they hunted and preyed on one another.

At dawn, Orion set off immediately for Lianfen, moving with a swift pace. Above, an SO-1 drone accompanied Orion, providing an aerial perspective. After inquiring earlier, Orion found out that a caravan to Yanjing was set to depart around midday today, so time was of the essence. The drone's utility became evident when it detected two bull-like creatures locked in a fierce battle, allowing Orion to detect the threat from a distance and take a detour to avoid them.

Upon arriving in Lianfen, Orion promptly registered with the caravan, paying a fee of 2 silver coins. The journey to Yanjing would span approximately two days and one night. While passengers would ride in horse-drawn carriages and be protected by bodyguards, they were responsible for their own food and drink. Although Orion didn't require sustenance, in an effort to blend in, Orion purchased a small animal-skin bag from a stall. Orion filled the bag with essentials like a water gourd, rations, dried meat, fruits, and a folded bamboo mat for sleeping.

After a while, the caravan departed, attracting a significant number of travelers heading towards Yanjing. Some planned to disembark at villages en route. Among the crowd, at least 30 passengers could be counted, and it wasn't just humans; cargo was abundant. Two carriages brimmed with goods, a testament to Lianfen village's thriving trade, courtesy of the bounties from the Yuezhi forest. The village was renowned for its medicinal plants and products derived from both common animals and rare spirit beasts.

Ensuring the safety of the caravan, six bodyguards were on alert. Among them, two were seasoned cultivators. The most powerful among them was named Li Jun, an adept at the 2nd stage of the Qi Condensation realm. Accompanying him was a slightly younger cultivator named Zhang Feng, who was at the 1st stage of the Qi Condensation realm.

As the caravan began its slow journey eastward, Orion, seated in one of the carriages, silently admired the picturesque surroundings. All the while, an unusual-looking dragonfly hovered overhead, shadowing their progress.