《Genius Mechanic》


 CH 1

    1. Rebirth


    Amidst the lively and noisy atmosphere, a young person dressed in combat gear stood on a spacious award podium, raising the trophy high amid a shower of colorful confetti. The resounding cheers of celebration filled the entire mecha platform.


    "Congratulations to KID for winning the championship in the First Star Domain Mecha League!"


    KID had experienced a decline for many years, but after a decade, they had finally returned to their current position, stirring excitement among countless spectators.


    The virtual channel broadcast carried the excited commentary, displaying on the screen the blue mecha firing an energy cannon to secure victory. Especially eye-catching was the unique style of the energy cannon, its charging and firing perfectly synchronized, capturing the attention of many.


    Inside KID''s temporary maintenance room, two young apprentice mechanics stood together, their faces beaming with shared glory.


    "We finally won! We can go to the Star League next!"


    "Brother Ying, look at the mecha we assembled! That shot was so powerful!"


    "Tang-jie is being interviewed, and many people are asking about our weapons!"


    The apprentices glanced behind them at the cluttered corners of the maintenance room, where a wheelchair had been parked for a long time.


    A thin man sat in the wheelchair, a mechanical arm stained with black metallic oil resting on the armrest. His work clothes were marked with significant black stains, and his complexion appeared unusually pale. He couldn''t walk, and his right arm was also a mechanical prosthesis, relying on intelligent robots for movement.


    This was Ying Chenlin, one of their team''s maintenance engineers and the primary designer of the weapons used in the Star Domain tournament. However, due to his physical disability, he had not participated in battles with the team for many years and had never appeared in public.


    On the virtual screen, the live footage of the mecha league continued, and Ying Chenlin''s gaze was fixed on the large virtual screen in the maintenance room, focused on the shimmering trophy displayed there.


    After a long while, he swiped to another page and watched the virtual screen replaying the mecha''s combat operations. He paid attention to the details of the battle and also memorized the parts of the mecha that still needed repair.


    He said, "The mecha is heavily damaged. It''s going to be a major project when they come back."


    "Once they return, we should celebrate their victory first, right? Brother Ying, you shouldn''t always be thinking about work. Tang-jie said you need to rest."


    The apprentice shifted his gaze away from the virtual screen and enthusiastically spoke to the man, "By the way, Brother Ying, Tang-jie said that when we go to the Star League, she''ll have to drag you out of this maintenance room. Everyone outside keeps discussing who designed our team''s weapons..."


    Suddenly, the apprentice caught sight of something oozing out, and his pupils contracted!


    "Brother Ying! Your hand is bleeding!"


    "Quick, get the medical robot¡ªwhere''s the doctor?"


    The sleeve of his work outfit, tainted with metallic oil, was now spreading dark brown stains slowly. Ying Chenlin snapped back to reality and rolled up his sleeve, revealing the junction of the mechanical arm, which was rapidly staining with blood, particularly noticeable against his pale skin.


    A doctor from the base rushed in and hurriedly attended to his wound with medical gauze, but the bleeding couldn''t be fully controlled, and soon the alarm sounded. The pain engulfed his body, stabbing sensations coursing through every part, veins bulging, skin cracking, causing his entire body to tremble.


    As the excruciating pain surged, Ying Chenlin''s mind became muddled, and the piercing white light transformed into the dazzling colors of a distant memory, with a gigantic mecha silhouette appearing before him.


    "The patient has a history of genetic illness, and it has severely worsened. Directly transfer to the medical center."


    "That''s strange, his condition had been stable for several years!"


    The virtual screen continued playing the live scene of the mecha battle. The voice of KID''s boss, Shen Xingtang, seemed to come from a distant place. "Yes! The modified energy cannon was made by our maintenance engineer. He specially designed a set of mecha weapons for this competition. His name is Ying Chenlin, an outstanding maintenance engineer, and he was also a highly skilled single-pilot mecha pilot¡ª"


    Upon hearing someone call his name and the nearby cheers, it felt as if Ying Chenlin had returned to the days when he was still a mecha pilot, carefree and longing for vast and boundless battlefields.


    Out of habit, he reached for the necklace around his neck, a dull and lifeless necklace tainted with his blood, now faintly glowing.


    The voice gradually faded away, and just before losing consciousness, Ying Chenlin caught a glimpse of the partially assembled mecha in the maintenance room. The black and red mecha was halfway assembled, and a certain core energy seemed to emit a faint glow. It hadn''t embarked on its intended journey, just like how he hadn''t had the chance to touch the possibilities of the future.


    In the year 1257 of the Star Calendar, Ying Chenlin, the first winner of the Mecha Alliance''s single-pilot mecha grand slam and a mechanicfor the KID team, passed away due to illness at the age of 30.


    -


    The pain deep in his bone marrow gradually numbed. The mingled scent of metallic oil and blood gradually faded, and the dazzling light, like flowing water, receded. After everything appeared surreal and cracked layer by layer, it reassembled into a white room.


    "Submit the medical records."


    "Chenlin? Are you daydreaming?"


    Who''s calling me...?


    The voice of KID''s victory seemed to still echo in his ears. It felt as if he heard someone in the maintenance room calling for the doctor, and someone else calling him from nearby. When Ying Chenlin opened his eyes, everything around him appeared somewhat blurry, with white light and shadows overlapping, and his thoughts were muddled.


    A tingling sensation filled his brain, and a massive influx of information poured in bit by bit. Enduring the headache, he surveyed and assessed everything around him. This wasn''t the KID base''s maintenance room; there were no colleagues here, nor any mecha awaiting repairs...


    It seemed he had been taken to the medical center by the base''s doctor.


    But where was this? The mecha pilot examination room?


    In a spacious, pristine white examination room, two intelligent robots stood nearby, and not far away, the words ''Mecha Pilot Examination Room'' were displayed. Ying Chenlin''s gaze focused in the distance, and gradually, he saw someone standing there. On the other side of the table, there appeared to be a person wearing a white coat, facing away from him.


    Not long after, the slightly chubby man standing beside him suddenly turned around, revealing a familiar yet unfamiliar face.


    Ying Chenlin couldn¡¯t speak.


    Since becoming disabled and retiring, he hadn''t visited the mecha pilot examination room.


    In the examination room, two people were sitting, and the slightly chubby man called out to Ying Chenlin several times without a response. Noticing his pale complexion and the fine beads of sweat on his forehead, the man became concerned.


    "You''ve been sweating a lot. Are you okay?"


    "Chenlin?! Can you hear me?"


    Ying Chenlin''s head throbbed, and he instinctively tried to adjust his wheelchair but caught sight of something else. The previous balance was shattered in that moment, and he fell backward with a loud crash.


    A wave of pain spread through his waist and legs. As he gazed at his legs, the pain from the fall cleared his mind, and the chaotic memories gradually became clearer.


    "Chenlin!"


    His legs...? Ying Chenlin tilted his head and saw a tense chubby face.


    The slightly chubby man looked at him nervously. "Are you alright!? Why did you act strange during a simple examination?"


    Ying Chenlin glanced at the man beside him, recognizing the memories of the person''s youthful appearance from a distant past. "...Xun Bao?"


    The last time he saw Xun Bao was five years ago. It was impossible for someone to cross star systems and appear in front of him, and certainly not... looking so young.


    Xun Bao let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, you respond. I was talking to you just now, and you ignored me."


    He tried to help Ying Chenlin up but found him unresponsive. "Chenlin?"


    Ying Chenlin looked at his legs. "...I can''t walk."


    Xun Bao turned his head and yelled, "Doctor!"


    Ying Chenlin lowered his head and examined his hands. His gaze settled on his intact right hand, the veins faintly visible on the back of his hand, the distinct joints... and a pair of healthy legs.


    Under his pants was a soft touch, not the stiffness of machinery.


    Sounds of footsteps overlapped, and Ying Chenlin felt somewhat dazed as Xun Bao pulled him up. AI robots and doctors rushed over, and the surrounding sounds suddenly became more intense.


    "Chenlin?" Xun Bao looked at him anxiously. "Are you okay? Can you hear me?"


    Ying Chenlin''s voice was hoarse. "I''m fine."


    The doctor swiped on the virtual screen, repeatedly confirming the medical examination records. Ying Chenlin observed everything around him and saw his medical history on the public relations panel.


    [Ying Chenlin, male, 18 years old.]


    18 years old, the year 1245 in the Star Calendar... 12 years ago.


    Xun Bao looked at Ying Chenlin and then at the doctor beside him. Both he and Ying Chenlin had come for the routine adult mecha pilot examination. The examinations were all done, and they were waiting for the doctor to sign and confirm the medical records. But who would have expected Ying Chenlin to suddenly act strangely, sweating and not responding when called... and now, he couldn''t even walk.


    After a while, the doctor finally shifted his attention away from the medical records, his brows tightly furrowed. "This situation is a bit unusual. We need to re-screen several of the examinations."


    Xun Bao suddenly felt nervous. "What''s going on?"


    "Mecha pilots often undergo neural connections with mechas, and it''s possible that something went wrong in this process." The doctor observed Ying Chenlin''s condition, called for an assisting robot, and then contacted other examination rooms. "As a precaution, let''s also conduct a genetic screening."


    Ying Chenlin sat in the wheelchair, following the robot to undergo a full examination. He looked at the unfamiliar yet familiar surroundings, and as he passed by a certain medical room, he saw his current self in the mirror¡ªyoung, unblemished, and with all limbs intact... just like he was at 18 years old.


    In the year 1245 of the Star Calendar, he had just won the single-pilot mecha Star League championship. He was healthy, without any disabilities, and was a bright and vibrant 18-year-old.


    Everything felt like a dream, unreal and illusory.


    The examination didn''t take long, and Xun Bao thought they could leave after it was done. However, the doctor called them over and said they had to wait for the results.


    Leaving the examination room, as Xun Bao entered the temporary ward, he saw Ying Chenlin using the light brain to search for something, while a robot diligently scanned the condition of his legs.


    Seeing Ying Chenlin''s pale complexion, Xun Bao thought he was nervous because of the sudden situation. "Don''t worry. Let''s wait for the doctor to check the results. It might be a problem with the neural connection in the mecha cabin. Some other mecha pilots have had similar issues before."


    Ying Chenlin looked at Xun Bao and hoarsely asked, "Aren''t you going back to your store today?"


    Xun Bao was the owner of a mecha retail store, where he sold various mecha parts, running a small business.


    Ying Chenlin and he were neighbors and had a good relationship despite the four-year age gap.


    "Forget already? My store is undergoing renovations recently," Xun Bao looked at him with puzzlement. "Why don''t you let the doctor do another examination? Your memory seems a bit off. You can''t stay in this state. Your popularity is soaring, and several teams are approaching you to discuss contracts. Don''t let your condition be exploited."


    Contracts... Ying Chenlin caught a glimpse of the red dot flashing in the information panel of the light brain, recalling bits and pieces of what happened at the age of 18. In that year, he won the single-pilot mecha Star League championship and received invitations from various prominent mecha teams. According to his future development trajectory, he signed with a team and continued to excel in the single-pilot mecha competition, winning multiple trophies...


    Until he turned 20.


    Ying Chenlin''s gaze scanned everything around him, finally resting on the light brain. On it were the Star Network search results, and the current year was 1245. The 7th season of the single-pilot mecha tournament had just ended a few days ago. At the end of each season, he always came to the medical center for regular mecha pilot check-ups.


    Xun Bao looked at Ying Chenlin with bewilderment; he felt that his friend''s emotions were quite strange today.


    Ying Chenlin checked the time and asked, "Are the genetic results out?"


    In response, Xun Bao said, "They should be ready soon. There aren''t many people at the medical center today."


    Before he could finish speaking, the door to the ward was knocked open. The doctor''s expression was solemn as they swiftly approached, holding a medical tablet. The doctor spoke seriously, "The genetic results are out, and there seems to be an issue with your right hand."


    Xun Bao was taken aback, "Isn''t it about his legs? How did it become a problem with his hand?"


    "The legs showed no issues during the examination," the doctor paused and continued earnestly, "Through repeated checks and verification, we discovered a genetic mutation in the patient''s right arm."


    Xun Bao struggled to comprehend the situation, "Doctor, please be clear. Don''t scare us. My friend is a mecha pilot, and you can''t casually mention genetic mutations."


    "I''m not mistaken," the doctor handed the medical tablet to Ying Chenlin, "We suspect that you might have a genetic illness."


    Xun Bao''s face stiffened, "Are you joking?"


    Genetic illness was a type of disease that the current Star Alliance couldn''t completely cure.


    In the current development of the Star Alliance, a person''s physique and mental strength determined their physical condition, and genetic illness was a disease that could disrupt both of these aspects.


    Once a genetic mutation was detected, its location would be entirely uncontrollable. In severe cases, it could affect the entire body, leading to a progressive and irreversible deterioration.


    This type of genetic illness was not a common genetic problem that could be solved through research. The optimization of human physique and mental strength in the Star Alliance made it impossible to predict the severity of this disease. Even if they thoroughly researched human genes, they could not cure this fundamental genetic problem, leaving only extreme measures for control.


    Doctor: "Before a complete diagnosis, we will conduct multiple screenings. Genetic illness is not a minor issue. The examination showed no problems with your legs, and the discovery of the right arm''s mutation was an unexpected result during a thorough screening."


    Ying Chenlin lowered his head, looking at his right arm, realizing that the issue had already surfaced when he was 18 years old.


    In his previous life, the genetic backlash occurred two years later, resulting in a crucial defeat in an important competition. His mecha crashed, and it was only during the emergency treatment at the medical center that they discovered the mid-to-late stage symptoms of genetic mutation in his body.


    Back then, the mutation had affected not only his right hand but also his legs severely. The severity of the illness led to the disability of his legs and right hand. Even after removing the affected parts and fitting prosthetics, the nerve connections between his legs and the artificial limbs couldn''t be established. As a result, he spent a whole decade in a wheelchair.


    He endured the physical pain, the massive breach of contract compensation, and the shattered dreams of pursuing his chosen career.


    Listening to the discussions of the two men, Ying Chenlin examined his own arm. The flesh and blood were flawless, and the calluses on his fingers were evidence of the training he underwent as a mecha pilot. Glancing downward, he saw his legs still intact, yet to be amputated.


    Closing his eyes, he felt the abundant and smooth flow of his mental strength throughout his body, circulating through every limb and bone. It had been a long time since he felt such vigorous mental strength ever since his disability.


    This was the best he had ever felt.


    Meanwhile, Xun Bao continued discussing with the doctor, expressing concern over the impact of genetic illness on a mecha pilot. Ying Chenlin, who had been silent for a while, suddenly spoke up, "If it is genetic illness, how can it be treated at this stage?"


    The doctor turned to the young man on the hospital bed. He was dressed casually, and his exposed arm displayed well-defined muscles, emphasizing his exceptional physical condition.


    Having performed numerous medical checks for mecha pilots, the doctor understood their concerns about their bodies, especially when it came to illnesses. Any slight mishap could end their careers.


    "The simplest treatment method is to promptly remove the mutated genetic portion and combine it with medication for intervention and control."


    "We need to take a sample of your right arm tissue for further examination, and the results will be available in no later than three hours." The doctor hesitated, speaking the next sentence in the heavy atmosphere of the hospital room, "If it is confirmed as genetic mutation in your right arm, given the current situation, we will have only one treatment option."


    "We will recommend you undergo a genetic repair surgery, amputate your right arm, and replace it with a mechanical prosthesis."

 CH 2

    2. Retirement


    The examination lasted for two days, and Ying Chenglin was admitted to the hospital.


    After repeated examinations, it was confirmed that Ying Chenglin''s right arm was affected by genetic mutation.


    Following Ying Chenglin through the two-day examination, Xun Bao had to accept the result, saying, "The affected area is not large, and we don''t necessarily have to go with the amputation suggested by the doctors... I checked these days, and there were also some mecha pilots who had genetic diseases before."


    "The rate of deterioration of the mutation cannot be estimated, and the mecha''s neural resonance will also be affected," Ying Chenglin looked at his legs. When the genetic mutation was discovered, the doctors were worried that his legs might also be affected, but after careful examination, no problems were found. They could only attribute the cause to the side effects of mecha pilots'' neural connections.


    He knew that the loss of his ability to walk was not due to the neural connections. In the previous life, he had been disabled for so many years that the memory of walking had become unfamiliar. Now, with healthy legs given to him, it would take some time for him to regain the ability to walk.


    Xun Bao scratched his head and said, "But amputation... what about your career? You finally reached adulthood, and now you encounter something like this. How about trying medication first?"


    Currently, the main medium for mecha pilots to control their mechas is through mental resonance. Replacing the mechanical prosthesis would affect the operation of their mental power, indirectly hindering mecha piloting... Furthermore, undergoing genetic disease surgery would most likely affect their mental power and physique.


    "If we suppress it with medication, how long can it be suppressed? Besides, I can''t pilot a mecha in my current state," Ying Chenglin''s gaze remained calm, and he said earnestly, "Xun Bao, I don''t want to be disabled."


    Seeing that Ying Chenglin had made up his mind, Xun Bao''s eyes turned slightly red, "Then we''ll go for treatment. I need to go talk to the doctors about their plan. Who will be the lead surgeon? No, no, I have to find you a better doctor."


    As Xun Bao left to find the doctor, Ying Chenglin suddenly recalled that it was the same in his previous life.


    When he was seriously injured and diagnosed with a genetic issue, Ying Chenglin was just as busy and occupied as before. At that time, he was facing a substantial breach of contract penalty due to business agreements and needed to bear subsequent medical expenses. His later life was mostly ruined, and he didn''t want to burden his friends, so he ended up going to Sirius alone.


    Now, in this second chance of life, he still had to trouble his friends.


    The atmosphere in the hospital room became somewhat quiet. The diligent AI robot by the side skillfully and conscientiously peeled an apple for Ying Chenglin. The window was slightly ajar, letting the hot summer breeze blow in.


    Ying Chenglin''s gaze fell on the scenery outside the window, looking beyond the horizon.


    Over the next few days, the doctors came for follow-up examinations.


    In preparation for the surgery, Ying Chenglin needed to undergo phased physical adjustments, and the rehabilitation of his legs also became part of the process.


    As Ying Chenglin rested in the recovery room after a session of rehabilitation, sweat dripped from his forehead. In his hand, a holographic screen was playing something.


    The individual mecha competition was currently in its off-season, but the team mecha competition was still ongoing.


    Ying Chenglin wasn''t watching the current intense battles of the Interstellar League; instead, he was reviewing the replays of the top 16 matches in the Galactic Tournament between the KID team and the YDS team.


    "Are you interested in KID, or is it YDS?" Xun Bao, still holding a medical tablet, sat casually beside Ying Chenglin and continued, "Our individual mecha performance in the alliance is alright, but when it comes to team battles, we''re like trash. Not to mention our galaxy; the Dawn Galaxy has never produced a good team mecha squad."


    The first star region''s mecha league results were quite poor, and it was even worse for the Dawn Galaxy. They were considered the bottom-feeders in the first star region. In the past two years, a new powerhouse, SK, emerged in individual mecha battles, but as for team battles, well, the best result the Dawn Galaxy achieved in the Interstellar League was ninth place.


    Their performance in the first star region''s mecha league was quite poor, and the situation was even worse in the Dawn Galaxy. They were considered the bottom-feeders in the first star region. While their individual mecha performance in the past two years had improved, their team battles were dismal. In the Galactic Tournament, they never achieved anything beyond ninth place.


    Ying Chenglin remained silent, gazing at the unfamiliar IDs of the players from the KID team, momentarily lost in thought.


    "YDS has been in great shape lately, but KID''s performance has declined, and they have dropped out of the top 8 this season. It''s all because of their team''s mismanagement; the team is almost falling apart. The management even gave up their spot in the top 8, leading to a split. Recently, it seems they had a scandal too."


    Ying Chenglin asked, "Who is the current owner of the team?"


    "Just recently, there was a change. Now it''s Shen Xingtang," Xun Bao casually replied, "But changing owners won''t help. Last year, the management had problems, and some players were taken away during the split. Now, there are hardly any players left in KID. People are saying they might not even make it to the top 16 next season."


    As Ying Chenglin listened to Xun Bao''s rambling, memories from his past life and his current one blended together. Even if his genetic condition hadn''t been diagnosed at this stage, his current physical condition wouldn''t allow him to participate in mecha competitions.


    For the league, the single mecha competition had just ended, and there were two months of rest. But for Ying Chenglin, it had been ten years since his genetic mutation and disability at the age of 20. He hadn''t piloted a mecha for a whole decade. While his muscle memory from the age of 18 might still be there, his conscious understanding was blank for the past ten years.


    Without training, without practice, his mecha skills were probably only a third of what they were at their peak. Moreover, he had spent ten years without walking, so now he needed to catch up with all the information.


    Xun Bao asked again, "You seem interested in KID?"


    "Yeah," Ying Chenglin shifted his gaze away from the hologram, "Where''s the report?"


    Xun Bao suddenly remembered and handed over the medical board, "The reports and data you asked me to gather are all in here."


    He asked again, "Are you really sure about this decision?"


    "Yeah."


    Ying Chenglin closed the hologram page and opened a blank document. He imported the medical reports from the medical board and started to draft...


    Retirement application.


    As the single mecha season ended in less than two months, the mecha battle team season entered the Star Alliance League.


    On the StarNet of the First Star Domain, countless mecha fans were venting their frustration at the abysmal performance of the mecha battle teams.


    "F*ck! Stop complaining about the mecha battle teams, something big happened on the individual''s side!"


    "What''s the big thing!?"


    "SK retired!"


    Silently, a social media account that had been silent for over a month suddenly posted a new message.


    It was a retirement statement, posted by SK.


    At the central office of the First Star Domain''s Dawn Galaxy Mecha League, the communication requests from external sources were overwhelming the response machines. The staff were hurriedly dealing with the public opinion, as messages from the media, teams, and fans kept pouring in.


    Inside the conference room of the Mecha Alliance, the chairman of the Dawn Galaxy System, Li Jingyan, had just finished a call. He sat with his back to the door, and on the large virtual screen in his office, a video was playing.


    In the narrow terrain, the black and red mecha executed a reverse thrust, swiftly flying close to the dangerous terrain while using a momentary glimpse to launch a decisive counterattack.


    In the bustling virtual star network, the spectators excitedly raised their support cards.


    Countless media cameras focused on the victorious mecha in the center. The black and red mecha emitted a faintly cold light, gliding under the spotlight, displaying stunning brilliance. However, in all the video footage, only this black and red mecha was visible, and the mecha pilot was nowhere to be seen.


    On the virtual screen, [SK], the Dawn Galaxy Alliance player of the First Star Domain, was displaying his skills in the previous Singles Mecha Championship. It was this particular move that allowed him to shoot down the second star domain''s seeded player''s mecha at the critical moment, bringing the first Singles Mecha Championship trophy to the First Star Domain, and setting the first undefeated record in the history of the mecha league.


    The video was very captivating, but the title sent people''s blood pressure soaring.


    - [SK''s Retirement Throwback].


    "Chairman, I know there is a lot of talk outside now, but you''ve already replayed this video five times," an assistant said.


    Half an hour ago, the news of SK''s retirement exploded on the StarNet, triggering extensive discussions and topping several hot searches.


    SK, a member of the Dawn Galaxy Alliance in the First Star Domain, is of Chinese descent, with a SS-rated evaluation for both physical and mental attributes. At the age of 17, he first participated in the Singles Mecha Championship and stood out in the most fierce and brutal competition, eventually becoming the highly anticipated S-class mecha player in the First Star Domain.


    Young, with excellent physical attributes, and participating in mecha battles for just over a year, SK broke numerous records in the Singles Mecha Championship, achieving an unprecedented undefeated streak and making history as the first Grand Slam winner in the history of mecha battles. He became the new overlord of Singles Mecha Championship, bringing the first championship trophy to the First Star Domain in five years and achieving the first Singles Grand Slam title.


    With an array of impressive titles adorning SK, countless mecha fans were looking forward to his glorious future domination of the Singles Mecha Championship.


    However, now there is a retirement declaration.


    A genius mecha talent retired, and the era of his greatness came to an end.


    "We finally had a genius in our league." Chairman Li Jingyan seemed to age ten years as he watched the almost perfect maneuvers in the video, sighing heavily. "Our genius is gone, can''t I reminisce a bit longer?"


    Reminiscing is not an issue, but now all the pressure falls on them. SK was a mecha pilot from the Dawn Galaxy Alliance in the First Star Domain. His retirement application was approved by their higher authority, the Dawn Galaxy Alliance Mecha League, and his retirement declaration bore the official stamp of their headquarters.


    Staff: "Everyone outside is asking why we approved the application. Even the First Star Domain Alliance headquarters contacted us, inquiring about the reasons for approving his retirement. Should we disclose the reasons?"


    "I''ve already submitted the documents to the Star Domain headquarters," League Chairman Li Jingyan said wearily. "Let the news be suppressed for a while. If anyone asks, say that SK''s retirement process complies with regulations, and the applicant is SK himself. We won''t disclose any other reasons to protect the player''s privacy."


    One by one, the people in the meeting room left, leaving the "retrospective" video playing for the sixth time.


    "This child..." Li Jingyan''s gaze fell on the desk where SK''s profile documents were laid out. On top was the recently approved retirement application form, and he flipped it over, catching a glimpse of a certain "medical report" beneath it. But in the end, he didn''t open it.


    Despite having such extraordinary talent, why did he have to face this illness?


    After a while, the meeting room''s door suddenly opened again.


    Li Jingyan looked toward the back.


    A staff member politely knocked on the door, "Apologies, Chairman, for interrupting your reminiscing."


    He handed over a document, "Regarding the incident of the KID mecha mechanicviolating regulations in the team battle, new evidence has been submitted."


    ¡­.


    The news about SK''s retirement spread widely on StarNet, and mecha enthusiasts were eagerly asking for the reason behind his decision.


    In the Dawn Galaxy Alliance Mecha League, there is a clear regulation that allows registration of professional mecha pilots at the age of 17, but the Star Alliance law protects minors under the age of 18. SK is an anomaly; he broke the mecha league''s historical records at an astonishing speed, becoming the first underage professional player in the history of the mecha league. Due to the Star Alliance protection law, he has never appeared in any competitions so far, making him a mysterious figure in the eyes of mecha enthusiasts. Now, his sudden retirement has caused a huge stir.


    However, the Dawn Galaxy Alliance Mecha League did not offer any further explanations about SK''s situation beyond the necessary procedural information.


    Netizens have been discussing SK''s retirement for a long time, with some speculating that he retired to maintain his glorious reputation, while others suggested injuries as the reason. There were various opinions, but SK himself seemed to vanish from the public eye completely, leaving no trace.


    Another month passed quickly, and StarNet had new topics of discussion.


    In the present era, the entire world was divided into peaceful and contaminated regions, with the mecha competition being a highly popular new sport in the Star Alliance. The popularity of the mecha competitions has been increasing year by year. The Singles Mecha Championship and the Mecha Battle Team Championship were held at different times, with the Singles Mecha Championship just beginning in various star domains while the team mecha season had recently concluded.


    Topics like transfer periods, major changes in teams, and powerful mecha pilots forming alliances have always been hot topics in team mecha competitions.


    In the midst of these discussions, there was a league''s punishment list that garnered much attention. It listed the violations and corresponding penalties for various teams, including the names of those who violated the rules. This list sparked widespread debates.


    Among the player''s punishments, there was also a penalty for an engineer. The punished individual was the mecha mechanicof the Sirius KID Battle Team.


    In the league, active maintenance engineers, serving as the team''s medical personnel in team mecha competitions, must adhere to the rules of the mecha league.


    The mechanicof the KID Battle Team was reported for colluding with an investor and leaking data of the team''s combat mecha before the match. The severity of the violation was significant, leading to punishment by the league and potential legal consequences.


    Leaking data in a competition is equivalent to exposing all of KID''s mecha''s secrets. In the mecha arena, even a slight mistake can be a matter of life and death.


    Such malicious incidents are rare in the Dawn Galaxy Alliance Mecha League.


    Many people feel sorry for KID, while others find humor in his situation.


    With disastrous season results, team divisions, and personnel leaving, now with the incident involving the maintenance engineer, the entire network is waiting for KID to announce the dissolution of the team.


    Amidst this whirlwind of public opinion, KID''s official account, which has been silent for a long time, posted a message:


    [KID Mecha Battle Team:


    Rubbing the heat, recruiting a mechanic[smile][image]]


    The StarNet *peanut gallery quickly rushed to check it out.


    *onlookers who are interested in the spectacle but have nothing knowledgeable to say about it(sp. In online forums)


    --- Basic salary of 8000 credits, project share, competition bonuses to be negotiated separately, inclusive of meals and accommodation.

 CH 3

    3. Job Application


    The recruitment notice is concise, unlike the lengthy ones from other teams seeking engineers. KID''s advertisement can be read at a glance, especially the last item about salary.


    8000 star coins per month? Project sharing? Event bonuses to be negotiated? Meals and accommodation included?


    Are they recruiting engineers or assistants?


    [How much is the salary? 8K?]


    [As we all know, KID is very poor. Don''t bother applying.]


    The requirements are indeed not high, but the salary isn''t high either. Initially, netizens felt sorry for the KID team for having their data sold, but upon seeing the salary, they changed their minds.


    It''s widely known that the KID team is financially struggling, especially since a major management overhaul two years ago, and the investors pulled out. Currently, the KID team''s management is practically single-handedly supported by the boss, Shen Xingtang. The team operates on a shoestring budget, making them appear like a small workshop compared to other top teams.


    [Speechless, you were so frugal before, and now you won''t even spend money to hire engineers?]


    [There are so few engineers, yet you''re offering this salary, are you taking people as fools?]


    -


    When Doctor Wu entered the consultation room, he saw the young man sitting in the chair lost in thought. It had been two weeks since they last met, and the man''s complexion seemed even paler. His face was mostly concealed by the brim of his cap and long bangs covering his forehead.


    Noticing the sound, he turned his head slightly. "Doctor Wu."


    Doctor Wu asked the assistant robot to fetch the necessary tools. "Let''s first assess the situation."


    Ying Chenglin quickly took a seat in the examination position. He was dressed in loose long sleeves, and his right sleeve was rolled up, revealing a slightly muscular arm... However, the smooth muscles stopped at the elbow, where a delicate mechanical prosthetic began, connecting seamlessly with the flesh, appearing both peculiar and harmonious.


    Doctor Wu sat upright, and the assistant robot skillfully handed him a mechanical knife, with several parts neatly arranged on a sterile tray. A mechanical prosthetic was placed horizontally in front of him, and the outer mechanical plate had been removed, revealing the intricate mechanical nerves inside.


    Doctor Wu was performing routine adjustments on the mechanical prosthetic, while Ying Chenglin was browsing virtual screen news about mecha in the distance.


    At the moment, the virtual screen in the hospital room was playing entertainment news from the mecha community, and the host''s exaggerated voice seemed almost ready to pierce through the virtual audio, prompting Doctor Wu to quickly signal the nearby robot to lower the volume.


    After lowering the volume, the young man sitting across from Doctor Wu continued to stare intently. Doctor Wu shifted his gaze away and proceeded with steady hands, skillfully working inside the intricate prosthetic. He continued, "After the surgery, you need to be moderate. Your body is not as strong as before, and your physical condition has dropped to B-level. Rehabilitation should be done in moderation, understand?" When Doctor Wu glanced up, he noticed that the other person''s gaze had returned to the nearby display screen. He refrained from saying what was on his mind and continued examining the prosthetic.


    With the rapid advancement of technology, the physical and mental qualities of the StarNet people have also changed. Powerful physical attributes stem from their inherent genetic makeup, but external factors can interfere and make this genetic makeup unstable.


    His patient was a mecha pilot, a rare SS-talent, 18 years old, with a seemingly limitless future. However, during his routine genetic examination upon reaching adulthood, early signs of a genetic disease were discovered.


    Doctor Wu informed this young mecha pilot about the surgical plan ¨C to remove the affected right hand and replace it with a specially crafted mechanical prosthetic. For a mecha pilot, such an operation meant the end of their professional career. Yet, Ying Chenglin agreed to it.


    After the surgery, his mental strength dropped from S-level to A-level, and his physical condition from S-level to B-level.


    The sounds in the examination room had quieted down a bit. The virtual screen nearby still played news from the mecha arena, and Doctor Wu''s examination movements slightly quickened.


    Ying Chenglin watched the mecha on the virtual screen, calmly scanning it with his gaze. It seemed that he could discern the details of the mecha through these brief images. He observed intently until he noticed a short recruitment message rapidly scrolling in the upper section of the screen. His eyes brightened, following the movement of the light-colored text.


    [KID Team Recruiting mechanic¨C]


    Doctor Wu noticed the muscles in his patient''s body tensing for a moment, but the tension dissipated quickly.


    Doctor Wu still caught it. "What are you looking at?"


    Ying Chenglin looked away. "Nothing."


    "After this examination, you won''t need to come in every week. The instructions for the subsequent recovery have been transferred to your light brain," Doctor Wu said, skillfully reassembling the remaining components on the sterile tray inside the mechanical arm, and finally closing the metal plate. "Try it."


    Ying Chenglin instinctively flexed and closed his hand. The numbness in the joints gradually subsided. "Thank you."


    The connected mechanical arm was incredibly agile, functioning like a real hand. Ying Chenglin knew that even the most flexible mechanical limb was still an intelligent assistant, and the mental link was slow, but it was already much better than his previous life.


    "Don''t mention it," Doctor Wu said, looking at the young man in front of him. He observed how Ying Chenglin gradually adapted to the prosthetic, his expression carrying an indescribable calmness. Doctor Wu sighed faintly and glanced at the dazzling mecha on the virtual screen.


    Ying Chenglin loved mechas and couldn''t take his eyes off them during the matches. Such an outstanding mecha pilot, all because of a genetic disease...


    At this moment, Doctor Wu noticed the gray suitcase beside Ying Chenglin.


    Ying Chenglin stood up, the loose sleeves covering the mechanical limb as he firmly held the suitcase''s handle.


    Doctor Wu asked, "I haven''t asked you yet, but are you planning to go to another star for recuperation with that suitcase?"


    ---


    In the slightly deserted training room of Sirius A District, a young man dressed in blue sat cross-legged. A virtual light screen illuminated by the holographic computer was playing recent mecha news in front of him.


    After a while, the lights in the training room were turned on, and a young man with a suitcase walked in. Seeing someone in the training room, he paused briefly. "Lin Yao, up so early?"


    The young man with the suitcase was Xu Yaojun, formerly a mecha pilot for KID Team. During the transfer period a few days ago, his profile had been transferred to DE Team.


    Lin Yao shifted his gaze away from the holographic computer and saw the suitcase Xu Yaojun was holding. "What are you doing here?"


    "I came to pick up some things," Xu Yaojun said as he walked directly to the machine in the training room. "Hmm, there''s a training plan during the offseason over there, and the coach asked me to go ahead."


    Lin Yao''s tone was flat. "Done picking up?"


    "Yes," Xu Yaojun looked at Lin Yao and bit his lip decisively. "KID can''t find any technicians like this. There''s an opening for a Guardian mecha position in DE, and their coach appreciates you. If you..."


    "Xu Yaojun, you''re still not leaving?" The person who entered the room wearing a flashy coat was Ji Qingfeng, a mecha pilot of KID Team.


    At this moment, Ji Qingfeng still held two takeaway boxes in his hand. When he saw Xu Yaojun, he raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "Chatting with Lin Yao? Coincidentally, I just bought two breakfasts."


    Xu Yaojun''s expression darkened when he saw the newcomer. "It''s nothing."


    Ji Qingfeng didn''t hold back either. "Oh, that''s really embarrassing. You''ll have to stand here and watch us eat. Where were we in the conversation? Chat with me too."


    Xu Yaojun''s mood didn''t seem too good, especially when he saw Ji Qingfeng. His tone turned cold. "No need to chat."


    He continued, "So many mechas in the league are damaged, and the people from the base have all left. Do you still expect some idiot mechanic to come and repair your mechas? Ji Qingfeng, you probably don''t even have a mech now, right?"


    Lin Yao interjected, "Xu Yaojun, what do you mean?"


    Xu Yaojun sneered, "KID has no one left. Don''t waste your effort. Dissolving the team now might still allow you to retain some dignity." He glanced at Lin Yao once more, then picked up his suitcase and left.


    Seeing Xu Yaojun leave, Lin Yao wanted to follow, but Ji Qingfeng held him back. "What are you doing? Seeing him off?"


    "Seeing him off, my foot."


    "Why are you giving him face?" Ji Qingfeng took out one of the takeaway boxes and said to Lin Yao, who hadn''t moved, "What are you waiting for? I got up early to order breakfast. If you don''t want to eat supplements, move."


    Lin Yao suppressed his anger. "Are you afraid you can''t beat him?"


    "Nonsense. I can take on eight of him." Ji Qingfeng grinned.


    Lin Yao gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "Tang Jie treated him so well in vain. Initially, I thought he was just close to that person because of their good relationship, but who knew he transferred to DE."


    "And the matter with your mech, isn''t the damage his fault? Who else is being ambiguous about it?" KID Team had encountered too many issues recently; it could be said they were facing a string of misfortunes. Two years ago, many active mecha pilots were taken away by the management, resulting in a disastrous season for KID. The investors withdrew their funding when they saw this situation, and the other managers were busy dividing up what was left of KID, leaving only Shen Xingtang to keep the crumbling KID base and reorganize the team.


    From a well-known mecha base in the league to now a makeshift squad of only a few people.


    Last year, KID''s performance began to decline, and one after another, mecha pilots transferred out. During this period, they also discovered that their former team doctor and mechanic had leaked KID''s mecha data. Shen Xingtang had been busy resolving this issue during this time.


    There is no concrete evidence of the leaked data being sold to anyone. The other party is cautious in their transactions, and currently, the Mecha League has no concrete evidence. However, in this year''s competition, the DE team''s mechanic presented an adjusted gun weapon that bears a striking resemblance to one of the core weapons from the leaked data.


    Xu Yaojun has an extremely close relationship with the previous offending team doctor, and they often went in and out together. At first, they didn''t think much about it, until not long ago when Xu Yaojun''s contract expired, and he did not renew it, instead transferring to the DE team.


    Without any evidence, Shen Xingtang couldn''t say anything either.


    After a brief silence, Ji Qingfeng was the first to speak, "What''s the use of being angry? When we are full and prepared, we''ll meet the DE team in the competition. Why are you watching this program? The host wasn''t serious the last time he met us. They''re just recruiting a mechanic. How come he''s speaking sarcastically about us not working hard? I''m truly thankful to him."


    Lin Yao responded, "That''s true. We are putting in the effort. Tang Jie even spent money on an advertisement."


    Ji Qingfeng was taken aback, "Where did she buy it?"


    Lin Yao pointed to the scrolling banner above the program, "This one. It changes every half an hour. Tang Jie bought it for two days!"


    "I''ll be darned!" Ji Qingfeng muttered, "Having sold the Mecha Arena, they''re indeed wealthy enough to buy advertisements."


    Last week, their boss sold the Mecha Arena, and they earned a considerable sum.


    At this moment, an access notification sounded in the training room, suddenly startling the two who were still focused on the advertisement.


    "Who''s ringing the bell?" Ji Qingfeng turned his head, "Is there anyone in front?"


    Lin Yao mumbled, "I don''t think so."


    Ji Qingfeng walked over and glanced at the surveillance camera. Just as the call was connected, he saw a suitcase. Before he could see the person''s face, he turned around and headed out, saying, "Damn it, Xu Yaojun has the nerve to come back? I''ll go check it out."


    "Wait, I''ll come too," Lin Yao said.


    The training room was located in the basement of the KID building. Since the KID building was put up for rent, their headquarters had been relocated to the basement. Today, the team''s boss, Shen Xingtang, and the coach, Jiang Simiao, were out for something, and the access notification from the smart door automatically reached the training room.


    Ji Qingfeng rushed to the door with fierce momentum, but as he opened the door and saw the suitcase, he almost couldn''t control his rage. He quickly restrained himself and came to a halt, asking, "Xu Yao¡ª Who are you?"


    The young man stood tall, wearing a hat that obscured his face, and the only thing visible was the smart brochure he held in his hand.


    Ji Qingfeng recognized it; it was a special custom-made brochure by their boss, Shen Xingtang, placed in the advertising column in front of the KID building.


    He caught a glimpse of the words "KID Mecha Arena for Sale" written on the brochure,


    "The Mecha Arena has already found a new owner, and it changed hands last week."


    The young man said, "I''m not here because of the Mecha Arena."


    "Oh, then you must be here to rent the building?" Ji Qingfeng sneered, pointing to another location, "The contact information is over there."


    The desolate entrance of the building was empty, and on the bright advertising screen, the words were displayed prominently:


    [KID Headquarters Building for Rent, interested parties contact communication number jhk14581248 Shen Xingtang]


    The young man looked at the words and appeared slightly stunned.


    Ji Qingfeng saw that the person didn''t move and was about to ask more questions when he suddenly noticed the hand pressed on top of the suitcase.


    It was a mechanical hand. Nowadays, with the rapid development of Star Alliance''s medical technology, very few people need prosthetic limbs due to illnesses.


    "Why are you stopping at the entrance?" Lin Yao squeezed out from behind Ji Qingfeng and blinked when he saw Ying Chenlin. He asked in a daze, "Hello, who are you looking for?"


    Ying Chenlin snapped back to reality, removing his gaze from the information about the building for rent. He politely said, "Hello."


    Seeming to confirm, he asked, "Is this KID headquarters? I''m here to apply as a mechanic"


    TN:


    I changed the title from Genius Repairman to Genius Mechanic. I''ll also be referring to the occupation as "mechanic" instead of "maintenance technician" although it''s the literal translation but after some research, I found that "mechanic" is better suited in terms of job description, skills and scope.

 CH 4

    4. Alarm


    The mailbox was filled with smart flyers, all containing information about the sale of the mecha arena. The empty entrance of the base displayed a sign advertising the rental of the building. The KID team''s entrance looked desolate and quiet, as if the team had already shut down. If it weren''t for the StarNet recruitment notice with the base address attached, Ying Chenlin would have doubted if he had come to the right place.


    Someone came to apply, and Ji Qingfeng''s first thought was that the money spent on technical advertisements was not in vain.


    He composed his expression and opened the door seriously, saying, "This is the KID base. You came to apply, right? Come in."


    Ying Chenlin: "..."


    The person on the other side was dressed very casually, with a hat covering half of their face, making it difficult to see clearly.


    Ji Qingfeng gracefully made way, also pushing the short-statured Lin Yao to the side, and occasionally scrutinizing Ying Chenlin.


    Isn''t he too young for this? mechanics frequently work both inside and outside mechas, often requiring them to handle heavy repair tools. Generally, they should be in good physical condition.


    The person in front of him appeared somewhat slender and weak, perhaps due to the long-sleeved outfit they were wearing, or maybe their fair skin gave off an air of illness. It was hard to believe that such a person was engaged in mechanic work.


    "Ying Chenlin?" Ji Qingfeng looked at the resume sent to him and was momentarily stunned. Eighteen years old, B-level physique, A-level mental power, "Junior mechanic?"


    Ying Chenlin: "Yes."


    The resume didn''t include any other information; it only had Ying Chenlin''s basic personal details and the qualification certificate for a mechanic attached, without any other experiences. It was a very clean resume.


    Ji Qingfeng continued reading and noticed that the qualification certificate was issued just half a month ago.


    Very good, just certified and starting on the job. A newcomer among the newcomers.


    Throughout the journey in the base, Ying Chenlin didn''t encounter anyone else; only scattered intelligent robots roamed around. This place was located on the basement level of the former KID building.


    Before coming here, he had briefly learned about the situation at KID and knew that things were not in good shape, but he didn''t expect it to be this bad.


    A mecha training arena up for sale, a spacious training base being rented out, and everything crammed into this small underground space. Ying Chenlin''s gaze fell into the distance, observing what seemed to be a narrow underground passage. However, as he looked further, the corridor inside appeared deep and the stairs descended layer by layer, leading into a surprisingly spacious area.


    Basement level two? At the end of the stairs, there seemed to be a faint glow that gradually expanded, becoming more conspicuous.


    After Ji Qingfeng finished reviewing the resume, he casually said, "Let''s head to the meeting room for a written test."


    *Ding* Suddenly, a sharp alarm sound echoed from the end of the stairs.


    The piercing sound reverberated through the otherwise silent corridor!


    Ji Qingfeng abruptly stopped in his tracks.


    Ying Chenlin looked up at the surveillance cameras high on the corridor and the alarm lights on the ceiling. The lights on the corridor didn''t flash, so it wasn''t an internal malfunction.


    "What happened!?" Lin Yao quickly caught up from behind, and both of them focused their attention on the end of the corridor, immediately trying to determine the source of the alarm.


    Ji Qingfeng moved swiftly, leaping down the stairs from a higher point and urgently said, "The alarm is coming from below!"


    Ying Chenlin halted, watching the two mecha pilots disappear in the blink of an eye. His gaze then slightly shifted upwards.


    Next to the dark stairs leading down, there was a virtual screen emitting a faint blue light along with the alarm. He took a few steps closer and saw the words displayed on the virtual screen, revealing the destination at the end of the stairs.


    ¡ª"Temporary Maintenance Room."


    The basement level two of the KID base housed a vast space filled with various mechas.


    Ji Qingfeng rushed to the end of the stairs and saw the mechas standing behind transparent glass. One of them had its light source on, and there was a prominent red light flashing in its cockpit.


    Upon seeing this, Ji Qingfeng cursed and quickly accessed the permissions for the maintenance room, then hurriedly entered.


    As Lin Yao walked while sending communication requests to Shen Xingtang, there was no response from the other side. He stopped abruptly in the maintenance room, asking in a hurry, "What''s going on?!"


    On the icy-cold console, only a virtual screen was illuminated, displaying a striking error warning on the crystal blue virtual panel.


    Ji Qingfeng stood in front of the console, with the complex function keys giving him a headache. He cursed again and asked, "Did Shen Xingtang say anything before leaving? Why are there still mechas running here?"


    "No communication response. They said they were heading to the contaminated area in the morning, so maybe they can''t receive communication." Lin Yao tried several times to contact Shen Xingtang, but there was no reply.


    He took a closer look and said, "Ji Qingfeng, the one triggering the alarm seems to be your mecha."


    Ji Qingfeng looked stunned and exclaimed, "What?!"


    Lin Yao hadn''t encountered such a situation before and panicked, "Be careful. I''ll go cut off the power."


    Ji Qingfeng''s face turned pale, and he quickly stopped Lin Yao, "Wait, that''s my wife! Can we just cut off the power so easily? What if something''s wrong inside?"


    Lin Yao halted, "Then what should we do? Should we let your wife keep triggering the alarm?"


    Ji Qingfeng: "Will it lead to being scrapped if it keeps alarming?"


    Lin Yao looked at the multiple error messages popping up and wasn''t entirely sure, "It, it might."


    Ji Qingfeng resignedly turned around and looked at the chaotic buttons on the virtual screen of the auxiliary console. Underneath a bunch of error reports, there was a [Pause] option for the program.


    This mecha suffered severe damage in the last match of the previous season. Since the team''s mechanic had an accident, Shen Xingtang had been overseeing this mecha. It should have been taken care of before Shen Xingtang left, but now it was sounding an alarm.


    "We have no choice but to wait for Tang Jie to come back..."


    He was about to press the button when a calm male voice suddenly came from behind.


    "I advise you not to press it."


    Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao immediately turned back and saw Ying Chenlin standing at the entrance with his luggage.


    Noticing their gaze, Ying Chenlin pointed to the door, "The door on the way here was left open, sorry for the intrusion."


    Seeing Ying Chenlin, the two of them realized they had forgotten to close the door, and there was still an applicant behind them. Lin Yao remembered that the person in front of him was a mechanic and was about to speak when he heard Ying Chenlin continue:


    "This is the mecha''s self-diagnostic program, a procedure commonly used by mechanics after repairing a mecha. This particular mecha seems to have a preset timed self-diagnostic program, which is set to activate automatically by default, using the mecha''s internal energy source. Cutting off the power won''t work."


    Ying Chenlin took a few steps closer, but still kept a distance and didn''t enter the maintenance room. "Normally, self-diagnostic programs wouldn''t have errors. If there are errors and you forcefully pause it without identifying the root cause, it could very likely result in a mecha program coding error."


    Ji Qingfeng nervously asked, "What would happen then?"


    "You could lose the mecha''s internal data," Ying Chenlin said simply, "If your mechanic didn''t back up the data or make proper settings, it could be a fatal problem."


    Ji Qingfeng gritted his teeth, "That bastard probably didn''t save the data."


    Previously, the KID team''s mecha were managed by the disqualified team doctor, and only recently did Shen Xingtang take over the responsibility.


    Ying Chenlin added, "This is something only a mechanic can resolve. It''s best to solve it early; otherwise, the continuous running of the self-diagnostic program, even if there''s no issue, can lead to problems."


    Ji Qingfeng''s face turned anxious, "What kind of problems can occur?"


    Ying Chenlin replied succinctly, "Data corruption, and in serious cases, complete mecha paralysis."


    Ji Qingfeng: "...Is there a difference?"


    Damaged if we pause, paralyzed if we don''t pause!?


    "An error in the self-diagnostic program is a minor issue." Seeing their expressions change, Ying Chenlin hesitated and asked, "Are there any other mechanics in the base?"


    There weren''t any other mechanics... KID already had a small staff, and during the off-season, some took leaves, and others resigned, and more people left during this period.


    Some words are hard to say. Currently, there are no other mechanics in the KID team besides the intelligent repair robots.


    Ying Chenlin''s gaze scanned the error prompts on the virtual screen. He noticed the expressions of the two men. Besides the mecha with the alarm, there were other mechas in the maintenance room. On the left side near the program console was a disassembled mecha. Ying Chenlin thought about the rumors online, knowing that the KID team''s mecha data had been leaked, but the seller had not been identified.


    The base was empty, and apart from the robots, there were hardly any living people to be seen.


    "Our boss is not here, and there are currently no mechanics in the base," Ji Qingfeng didn''t know where to start and dared not touch the buttons on the program console. "You''re a mechanic. Is there any way to solve this situation?"


    Ying Chenlin pondered for a moment, then pushed his luggage to the railing near the door. He jumped up, using the railing as a platform, and leaped directly into the maintenance room, filled with scattered parts.


    Lin Yao called out, "Hey, wait!"


    Ji Qingfeng hadn''t had a chance to speak when he heard a voice from below, "Can I borrow a mechanical knife?"


    "Why do you need a knife?" Ji Qingfeng was about to step down from the railing. "Hold on, don''t mess around!"


    "Calm down! He has credentials," Lin Yao held him back and shouted to Ying Chenlin below, "Brother, can you handle it?"


    "I can silence the alarm," Ying Chenlin looked up at Ji Qingfeng. "Don''t worry; I won''t dismantle your wife."


    Seeing Ying Chenlin below picking up a tool about half an arm''s length, Lin Yao nervously said, "Okay, at least he has credentials." Then, he took a few steps and climbed up to the mecha''s knee. After observing for a while, he climbed up the large mechanical arm that hung down from the mecha and reached the cockpit. Ji Qingfeng walked over to the side and opened the cockpit door. Without much hesitation, Ying Chenlin slid into the cockpit with the mechanical knife.


    Ji Qingfeng said, "He has a knife now."


    Lin Yao started to get anxious, "It should be fine; he at least has credentials."


    Ji Qingfeng was even more anxious than Lin Yao. "Can a rookie license be considered valid credentials? If he makes a wrong move, my wife will be left short of a few pounds!"


    Lin Yao was about to comfort him when he suddenly remembered Ying Chenlin''s mechanical prosthesis, and the comforting words were stuck in his throat. He whispered, "We didn''t give him the mecha''s access key, so he can''t access the core data... It should be fine, right?"


    Ji Qingfeng didn''t care about those details. He was about to jump down to stop Ying Chenlin, but he caught a glimpse of the program console. The virtual screen that had been displaying error prompts stopped suddenly, and the topmost error prompt flashed once and then disappeared.


    The error disappeared...?


    Ji Qingfeng immediately looked at Ying Chenlin and saw him coming out of the cockpit, then climbing up to the mecha''s right arm.


    Lin Yao watched Ying Chenlin and blinked. "He seems to really know how to fix it."


    The mecha suffered severe damage in the last season, and the right arm was the most severely affected, with a fracture. After Ying Chenlin went down, they hadn''t told him any detailed information about the mecha, nor had they given him any specifics.


    The dimly lit room made it impossible to see the mecha''s external details clearly, but this person came out of the cockpit and headed straight for the damaged area, showing clear intention.


    It seemed that this person really knew how to fix mechas, and he seemed quite skilled at it.


    Ying Chenlin sat at the junction between the mecha''s right arm and torso, using his feet to stabilize himself without needing any other tools. He moved deftly using his feet... He glanced at his feet briefly but quickly averted his gaze, focusing on the partially repaired right arm of the mecha.


    If the mecha''s self-check program was set, it would indeed start at a certain time after the repair.


    It was clear that the person who set the self-check program was not the same person who repaired the mecha. The right arm was only halfway fixed, and if Shen Xingtang handled the repairs, she wouldn''t make such a mistake.


    Starting the self-check halfway through a repair, and the mecha not triggering an alarm, that was strange.


    Ying Chenlin carefully inspected the connection of the right arm, scanned the tools on the floor, and then jumped down from the mecha.


    Ji Qingfeng left Lin Yao waiting by the program console and walked over to Ying Chenlin. He saw him searching through the tools on a nearby workstation.


    "Can this be resolved?" Ji Qingfeng asked.


    Upon hearing this, Ying Chenlin turned his head, picked up a tool from the workstation, and replied as he walked, "It can be resolved."


    Ji Qingfeng wasn''t entirely sure, wanting to ask more questions, but Ying Chenlin had already climbed back onto the mecha and returned to the position of the right arm.


    After a while, a voice came from above.


    Ji Qingfeng looked up, and Ying Chenlin was sitting steadily on the mecha, looking down at him from above.


    Ying Chenlin asked, "Is the operator of this mecha left-handed?"


    Ji Qingfeng was taken aback. "Yes."


    Ying Chenlin''s gaze paused at the point where the right arm was severed. "Alright, I got it."

 CH 5

    5. Repair


    The lights in the maintenance room suddenly turned on, and blue-green holographic screens appeared throughout the room, brightening the entire space.


    Several mechas near the entrance of the maintenance room showed various degrees of damage. The severely damaged mecha had dents on its external armor, and Ying Chenlin was currently dealing with the extensively damaged right arm. He had already completed the basic reconnection of the severed part, but the interface was filled with exposed metal nerves.


    "Put up the program console," Ying Chenlin said.


    Lin Yao found the button on the program console and pressed it, causing the fault page to be enlarged and displayed in mid-air.


    Ying Chenlin looked up at the fault information in the air, quickly scanned it, and then used a pair of mechanical pliers to deftly remove the damaged internal metal nerves.


    Ji Qingfeng''s heart skipped a beat. Didn''t he say not to remove anything?


    He looked up and saw the young man sitting on top, taking out a fist-sized component and performing a series of manipulations at the interface of the mecha''s arm. He heard a clicking sound, and the component was fitted in.


    Ying Chenlin didn''t use anything other than the tools available on the maintenance station, including the components.


    Seeing this action, Ji Qingfeng couldn''t help but feel doubtful. Generally speaking, repairing a mecha is more challenging than assembling one. Repairing a mecha involves troubleshooting and requires the mental power of a mechanic to inspect the damage.


    Mecha pilots specialize in piloting mechas, while mechanics specialize in repairing them. The program console is only an auxiliary tool for judgment. They usually use their mental power to quickly and accurately identify the problems with the mechas.


    But the young man on the mecha didn''t seem to do any of that. He just entered the cockpit, came down to get a component, and started working like that. In fact, since Ying Chenlin started the repairs, Ji Qingfeng hadn''t felt a significant amount of mental power being used in the area, only a tiny bit of outwardly released mental power.


    At this moment, Lin Yao came down from the program console and said, "Da Feng, did you notice? His mental power is very weak."


    "Yeah," Ji Qingfeng frowned slightly, "How could it be weak to this extent? Shouldn''t it be an A-level mental power?"


    Just now, their attention was focused on Ying Chenlin''s junior mechanic credentials, assuming that his mental power was merely being concealed.


    The projection or concealment of one''s mental power is common; advanced individuals can control their mental presence.


    Ying Chenlin was an A-level mental power user, which was the only reassuring point for them... But so far, they felt little pressure from him, weaker than even someone with C-level mental power. Even when repairing the mechas, they couldn''t sense any other mental energy.


    "I''ll go take a look." Ji Qingfeng took a few steps outside, but suddenly saw that two error pop-ups disappeared from the top of the projection screen. Dozens of error messages had been displayed, but with a single movement of Ying Chenlin''s clamp, the top two disappeared.


    Lin Yao was taken aback.


    Ji Qingfeng blinked, "He doesn''t need to use mental power for repairs...? Is this guy relying solely on the error screen to troubleshoot?"


    Ying Chenlin continued his actions without pause, swiftly cutting the metal nerves with his mechanical clamp.


    The error messages on the console stopped increasing, and each error was now fixed. With Ying Chenlin''s repairs, the pop-up errors vanished one by one.


    Half an hour passed, and the dense array of error messages was reduced to the last two.


    Ji Qingfeng''s initial excitement had now calmed down. Seeing Ying Chenlin make another move, he hurriedly asked, "Brother, do you need any more tools?"


    "No, I''m good." Ying Chenlin slid down from the mecha''s right arm, gracefully returning to the cockpit.


    The cockpit was narrow, and the mental resonance was dim and faint. Ying Chenlin paused at the connection of the right arm''s metal nerves, cut off the last piece of the damaged nerves, and the outer program console popped up with a new command.


    [¡°Mech ID¡± Mecha self-check failure has been resolved. Would you like to continue the self-check?]


    "Alright."


    Ying Chenlin emerged from the cockpit, taking a few steps down from the mecha. "Pause the self-check program, and remember to disable the mecha''s self-check setting later."


    Lin Yao hastily clicked ''No,'' and the long-lasting alarm finally stopped.


    As they went to inspect the mecha''s issues, Ying Chenlin made way for them and casually surveyed the makeshift maintenance room.


    The spacious maintenance room was now more visible, but it was quite disorganized, with two mechas at the forefront and spare mechas further back.


    Though the maintenance room was more spacious than other areas, it still paled in comparison to the team base that Ying Chenlin had seen before. His gaze swept toward the distance, where he faintly spotted two teleportation devices. It was evident that this place used to be a mecha storage and teleportation area but had been temporarily repurposed as a maintenance room.


    Quickly retracting his gaze, Ying Chenlin relaxed his right hand, feeling a tingling sensation between his fingers.


    He stood quietly, his emotions unclear from his appearance.


    When Ji Qingfeng finished checking the mecha and came out, he looked up to see Ying Chenlin standing by the elevated program console.


    The slender figure of the young man stood upright with a suitcase beside his legs.


    At this moment, he had lowered his eyes, relaxing his hand with some discomfort.


    Is his hand bothering him?


    "Brother," Ji Qingfeng called out.


    Ying Chenlin turned his head and saw Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao standing behind him.


    Ji Qingfeng''s gaze inadvertently stopped at Ying Chenlin''s hand. "Thank you for this time. Without you, we wouldn''t have known how to solve this alarm issue."


    "You''re welcome. Troubleshooting the faults was a minor issue," Ying Chenlin replied gently. "Other mechanics could have done it too."


    "Still, thank you!" Ji Qingfeng noticed Ying Chenlin''s gaze and decided not to look at his hand anymore. "You''ve been busy for so long, you must be tired. Let''s go to the meeting room and talk. Lin Yao, go make some tea."


    "Sure!" Lin Yao quickly left the repair room.


    Ying Chenlin nodded.


    The chaos in the repair room finally ended, and Ji Qingfeng took Ying Chenlin to the meeting room.


    Though it was called a meeting room, it was actually combined with the training room, and nearby, two take-out boxes could be seen on the meeting table.


    This was KID base, but it was notably different from the KID in Ying Chenlin''s memory of the future.


    In the future, KID base was vast, and the meeting room was at least three times larger than this one. In the early days, KID faced many difficulties, and issues with management and mechanics were just the beginning. Later on, they would face a downturn in the new season of mecha league.


    Ying Chenlin''s gaze fell on the two mechanics not far away. He was also unfamiliar with Lin Yao and Ji Qingfeng, but he had browsed through the KID archives from a few years later and remembered the names of several mechanics recorded in an encrypted file, including Lin Yao and Ji Qingfeng.


    In the next season, KID made it to the top eight of the Dawn League, but encountered an unexpected accident during the quarterfinals. An outbreak occurred in the contaminated area, causing a major disturbance in the spatial magnetic field, and the entire KID team lost contact during that match.


    It was an unforeseen accident, and the team faced the threat of disbandment. However, it was Shen Xingtang who bore the tremendous pressure and persevered.


    Lin Yao had just entered the meeting room but quickly went out again, seemingly to answer a communication call.


    "Our boss had an urgent matter and went to the contaminated area this morning. It''s just the two of us here at the base," Ji Qingfeng said while searching behind the table in the meeting room. He soon took out a smart board and continued, "But she told us before that if anyone came, we should let them take the test."


    Ying Chenlin paused his recollection and looked at the set of questions handed to him by Ji Qingfeng. "Is this set of questions from your boss?"


    "How did you know?" Ji Qingfeng was surprised.


    Ying Chenlin took the test and hesitated for a moment. "I came across some information online."


    Ji Qingfeng patted his shoulder. "Well, you''ve prepared quite thoroughly for this interview with our team." He chuckled. "Not many candidates would go online to check information about us."


    ¡­..


    In a damp environment, the air was filled with a foul smell. A woman wearing overalls with disheveled hair, which was simply tied behind her ears and with a light, shallow scar on her exposed forehead, entered a space enclosed by a blue barrier amidst the chaos. Inside, she saw a man sitting there.


    "Simiao," the woman called out.


    The man, whose full name was Jiang Simiao, was the current strategist of the KID club. He wore glasses, and his slightly fair face exuded a scholarly aura. At the moment, several smart devices were placed in front of him, with one of them displaying a red light. He asked, "How''s the meeting going?"


    "Not well. They''re still arguing over there," Shen Xingtang said as she casually found a chair to sit on. She caught a glimpse of the communication records on Jiang Simiao''s light brain and asked, "What''s happening at the base? Have you asked about it?"


    "I just communicated with them. It''s a warning alarm on one of the mechas at the base," Jiang Simiao explained briefly about the situation at the base and the multiple communication calls from Lin Yao. "In the end, the mechanic who came for an interview helped solve the problem. They were concerned that you might inquire about it, so they sent the surveillance room''s video."


    As Jiang Simiao recounted the events, Shen Xingtang''s brow gradually furrowed.


    Jiang Simiao noticed her expression and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "It was just an external repair, not involving core data." Shen Xingtang held her light brain and continued watching the surveillance video. "Thank goodness I listened to him and didn''t pause the program; otherwise, when I returned, Ji Qingfeng''s mecha would have needed a complete overhaul."


    It was her negligence. She hadn''t expected the previous mechanic to be so unreliable that they had set up a timed self-check on the mecha.


    "It seems like he didn''t spend much time on the repair," Jiang Simiao said. "He used the tools available in our base, and he didn''t touch anything else. However, Lin Yao mentioned that this mechanic didn''t use mental power when repairing the malfunction surfaces."


    "He didn''t use mental power?"


    Shen Xingtang''s gaze on the video became more focused.


    The surveillance footage showed the spacious repair room, and Shen Xingtang immediately spotted the mecha with the warning light, as well as the young mechanic sitting on it. The mechanic''s attention was entirely focused on the mecha, and his movements were efficient as he systematically repaired the damaged sections.


    Then, she noticed his right hand¡ªit was a mechanical prosthetic.


    Jiang Simiao knew what she was thinking and explained, "Lin Yao said that the person has a mechanical prosthetic for his right hand."


    "Appearance isn''t the criterion for judging a person."


    Shen Xingtang''s tightly furrowed brow relaxed again as she watched the mechanic deftly working and cutting things. This was a very experienced mechanic; troubleshooting was theoretical knowledge for mechanics, but dealing with so many malfunctions at once was a tricky problem even for experienced ones on the job. A novice mechanic without practical experience would easily hesitate and miss the appropriate handling time.


    However, this person seemed different. His logic was clear, and his movements were precise.


    Not using mental power means he relies entirely on experience and judgment.


    His abilities are not as immature as his appearance suggests; rather, he seems like a seasoned veteran with around ten years of experience.


    Suddenly, Jiang Simiao''s light brain trembled.


    After turning back, he said, "There''s one more thing¡ªthey gave the test you prepared to the other person, and the answers just came in."


    Shen Xingtang swiped her light brain. Instead of watching the video, she opened the written test that Ji Qingfeng had sent. The virtual board displayed the questions from start to finish. The fundamental theories were flawless, and even the difficult points she had specifically set up were easily resolved. She chuckled lightly, "This person actually wrote a detailed analysis of weapon parameter adjustments for the practical question at the end..."


    Jiang Simiao was surprised, "So, you''re saying he''s truly knowledgeable and skilled?"


    "More than that, no academic school could write such things."


    After finishing reading, Shen Xingtang switched to the resume and opened the information about the applicant, Ying Chenlin.


    Junior mechanic, A-grade mental power, B-grade physique, 18 years old.


    Seeing Shen Xingtang''s brow furrow, Jiang Simiao asked again, "What''s wrong? Weren''t you impressed with him just now?"


    "I am impressed. I''m already willing to hire him on the spot," Shen Xingtang smiled and handed the resume to Jiang Simiao, "I''m just thinking, with the salary I offer, why would an experienced mechanic like him come to apply?"


    Shen Xingtang knew what kind of employees she could attract with the salary she offered. She offered a monthly salary of 8,000, and her requirements were just the entry-level standards for mechanics. To those experienced mechanics, her recruitment notice seemed like she wanted to hire apprentices, not real mechanics.


    As they spoke, the space they were in suddenly filled with loud alarm sounds.


    Jiang Simiao''s gaze flickered, and he immediately looked at the nearby machines. "Something''s happened."


    "We don''t have enough manpower here," Shen Xingtang''s expression turned serious. "Contact Ji Qingfeng and send them the coordinates."

 CH 6

    6. Rat Horde


    Sirius has a pleasant climate, with cool autumn winds.


    Ying Chenlin arrived at the hotel for a rest when it was already evening. He had spent some time at the KID base, and before leaving, he exchanged contact information with Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao. He didn''t bring much luggage this time, as some compressible items had already been delivered to the hotel in advance, leaving only the non-compressible mechanical equipment.


    "Why are you in such a hurry to go there? I thought you were heading to some famous team, but you ended up at KID. Moreover, you went all the way to the remote planet of Sirius," Xun Bao''s voice came through the holographic communication. Ying Chenlin lowered his eyes, seemingly indifferent, and replied, "Sirius is not bad."


    "So, how did the job interview go?"


    "Still waiting for the results," Ying Chenlin took out his clothes. "Their boss wasn''t at the base."


    Xun Bao couldn''t figure out why Ying Chenlin had traveled all the way to Sirius. He was still in the process of recovery, and even if he needed rest and recuperation, there was no need to go to such a remote planet. Having regular check-ups was troublesome, not to mention the inconvenience of dealing with things in a remote place. "You always act so independently. What if you don''t get the job?"


    Ying Chenlin hesitated for a moment upon hearing Xun Bao''s words and then said, "If I don''t get the job, I''ll figure it out then."


    "You ah, I don''t know if I should praise you for being open-minded or criticize you for being too carefree," Xun Bao''s throat tightened. Since Ying Chenlin accepted the surgery plan, he always felt that Ying Chenlin had changed a bit from before.


    It seemed like he had lost some of his vitality, and he always dealt with things with extreme calmness. That right arm was extremely important for a mecha pilot. Even an ordinary person like him would hesitate for a long time before deciding to amputate an arm. However, Ying Chenlin agreed to the plan without any hesitation, as if it was the result of careful consideration.


    During this period of time, Xun Bao sometimes couldn''t figure out what he was thinking.


    Xun Bao sighed, "Oh, that¡¯s right, the list of materials you asked me to find, I asked some friends, and the list has already been sent to your light brain."


    Upon hearing about the materials, Ying Chenlin''s eyes paused slightly, and he accessed the light brain to see the file that Xun Bao had sent. He replied earnestly, "Thank you."


    "What are you thanking me for? If you can''t stay on Sirius, remember to come back and find Brother," Xun Bao said with a smile. "I won''t say much more, I need to get busy with the shop."


    After a short chat, the two hung up the call.


    Ying Chenlin took out the maintenance toolbox from his luggage, and his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a mecha key pressed at the bottom of the box.


    It was the key to his single-pilot mecha, "Yuan." Since the end of the Star Alliance competition, it had been sent for maintenance and hadn''t been activated since his surgery.


    The mecha key, with a red string threaded through it, was only two adult finger lengths long. The black and red patterned key looked dull, like an ordinary cheap metal. Ying Chenlin held the key in his hand, and his meager mental power emanated from his fingertips, slowly enveloping the mecha as if entering a bottomless cave, but there was no response.


    After two minutes, Ying Chenlin withdrew his mental power.


    In his previous life, after his disability, Yuan''s intelligence was left inside the S-class mecha, and he could only barely preserve the intelligence contained within the mecha key. He failed to preserve all of "Yuan"... In the end, the process of reconstructing Yuan was only halfway completed before he was reborn into the present.


    Returning to the age of 18, without disabilities, and having his genetic condition under control. This was a situation he had never considered in his previous life, but starting over wasn''t an easy thing. Firstly, after the treatment, his physical qualifications declined. With an A-level mental power and B-level physique, such physical condition couldn''t support him to pilot his original mecha.

 CH 7

    7. Rat Horde


    As the sky gradually darkened, Ying Chenlin ventured deeper, three kilometers into the area, he had entered the deep region of the Banute map. The mecha''s built-in map displayed an alert, but he dismissed the "Abyss Exploration Warning," and the energy blade by his side was dripping with blood.


    In Ying Chenlin''s mecha''s field of view, a rat with sharp teeth stared with crimson eyes. After witnessing him beheading one of its kind, the rat turned and fled towards the outskirts of the Banute Contaminated Zone.


    [Emergency notification from the Banute Contaminated Zone Management Bureau: A mutated contamination source has been detected in the zone. All mecha pilots still deep inside the zone, please evacuate immediately!]


    The emergency message blinked only twice before it was disrupted by the chaotic magnetic fields, turning into a buzzing signal.


    "The contamination source issue, the mutation is at least of A-rank," Ying Chenlin analyzed.


    "But we don''t have enough Greenwall Ore at the outskirts; we can''t leave yet. We need to go deeper and investigate," he added.


    Inside the narrow cockpit, he was alone, and the neural connection remained unresponsive.


    Pausing for a moment, Ying Chenlin looked down at the black and red necklace hanging around his neck.


    The black and red mech necklace fell silently from his collar as he moved, making no sound.


    Unlike his former companion, the sentient S-rank mech named "Yuan," the current B-rank mech was ordinary and lacked any form of intelligence. All actions were executed based solely on the direct commands of the mecha pilot.


    "Forgot, you''re not here right now."


    Interacting with the intelligent mecha was like an ingrained habit etched into his memory.


    Ying Chenlin didn''t pursue the escaping sharp-toothed rat. He raised his right hand slightly.


    A slight sense of weariness passed through his nerves, making his hand holding the weapon feel particularly heavy. The fatigue brought on by piloting the mecha was faster than the fading of his memory.


    But he hadn''t reached the limit of exhaustion yet.


    Perhaps the level of his mental projection while piloting the mecha was relatively weak. Mutated plants and animals in the contaminated zone were highly sensitive to mental projections. His meager mental strength turned out to be an advantage, as ordinary mutated creatures couldn''t sense him. So far, the strongest mutated creature he encountered was the sharp-toothed rat.


    For now, the danger was temporarily averted. Ying Chenlin found a safe spot and disconnected the neural connection. He took out a syringe from his backpack and injected himself with the necessary medication. After completing these tasks, he turned his attention to the map with recorded routes and the pollution thresholds.


    The danger in the depths of Banute was higher. From the outermost perimeter to now, the pollution threshold had surged from 1240 to 2310, exceeding the maximum value ever recorded in the Banute Contaminated Zone. Clearly, something was amiss.


    Ying Chenlin turned off the notifications from the Banute Contaminated Zone Management Bureau. His A-rank mental power was more than enough to handle the B-rank mecha. However, his limited mental strength affected his response time significantly, and with proper rest, he could last in such a contaminated zone for a maximum of two days.


    Two days, at least he needed to make enough profit before leaving.


    Ying Chenlin glanced at the deeper parts of the Banute Contaminated Zone. He still wanted to explore further.


    The deeper parts of the zone held more unknown dangers, but the resources became more abundant. Materials like green wall ore were scarce at the outskirts but became much more common in the deep regions. There were also strange signs and peculiar energy-rich minerals. Almost every kilometer he walked deeper, he could find traces of mining and tunneling.


    A few such instances might be considered exceptions, but the deeper he went, the more numerous these holes became. The areas with such traces had significantly fewer resources, as if something had swept through and left only a mess behind.

 CH 8

    8. Rattan


    Just then, a strong gust of wind swept through the forest.


    Sensing an impending danger from behind, Ying Chenlin immediately collected the entire corpse of the giant sharp-toothed rat and instinctively stepped back. The ground beside him cracked open as a massive green vine-like object surged out from deep within the forest.


    Caught off guard, the others turned their attention to the creature. It was a mutated giant Rattan, with thorny spikes covering its green stems. Its speed as it burst out of the forest was incredibly swift, accompanied by a strong gust of wind. It struck the ground, causing several cracks in the earth, and then, after a brief pause, it retracted back into the ground, overlooking the surrounding mechas from a higher vantage point.


    The mechas'' visual displays flashed a severe warning of "Pollution level exceeded," indicating that this mutated Rattan had a pollution level of a staggering 3500!


    Nick was dumbfounded, "3500 pollution level?! What kind of monster is this?!"


    Without giving them any time to react, the Rattan made a quick decision and charged towards Ying Chenlin''s mecha. He narrowly dodged the attack, and the ground beside him cracked open in response.


    "Into the forest!" Nick shouted.


    Ying Chenlin avoided another attack from the Rattan and followed Nick''s direction, only to see several more Rattans surging out from the dark forest, heading straight towards them.


    It was evident that these creatures had emerged from deep within the contaminated zone, and their roots were likely not in this area. They seemed to be chasing something and had emerged from the depths to pursue their target.


    Ying Chenlin immediately thought of the recent outbreak of the rat  horde; these vines might be the true reason why those rats were fleeing towards the outskirts.


    The attack was sudden, catching Nick and the others off guard. They were struck by the Rattan and crashed into a nearby building. The mechas immediately displayed damage warnings.


    "Are you okay?!" Ying Chenlin asked.


    Nick replied with difficulty, "This thing packs quite a punch! My mecha''s frontal armor is cracked!"


    Ying Chenlin''s eyes narrowed slightly. The strength of this creature''s attack was much stronger than the high-level toothed rat  they had encountered earlier. With the current strength of his mecha, it probably wouldn''t withstand three strikes from this Rattan.


    He quickly scanned the various data inside the cockpit and assessed the remaining energy of his mecha. The situation was tricky; if it were just him alone, it wouldn''t be too bad. But with three other mechas running out of energy, the remaining power was only enough for him to engage in full combat or defense for half an hour.


    As Ying Chenlin pondered how to handle the situation, a strange voice suddenly came through the distress channel. The voice was fast and fierce, "Mecha JD1456, retreat!"


    Immediately after the command, a powerful energy cannon blast from behind Ying Chenlin hit the Rattan directly in front of him.


    Seizing the opportunity, Ying Chenlin used his magnetic cannon to restrain the Rattan, preventing it from retreating, and then it endured two energy cannon blasts.


    "12 o''clock," the voice from the distress channel spoke again.


    Ying Chenlin activated his energy blade and struck the Rattan behind him with a backhand blow. As soon as he hit, another energy cannon blast from behind hit the Rattan, directly shattering it.


    The team now had an additional member, which slightly eased Ying Chenlin''s concerns. He didn''t waste any opportunity and, after the Rattan was blasted back by the newcomer, he quickly advanced and cut off several vines with his blades.


    In the rear, the injured Nick finally reacted and noticed a faint mecha signal appearing at the edge of the radar map. "Brother, are you from the rescue team?"


    Before the question could be fully answered, the Rattan, which had lost its firepower suppression, went crazy again.


    "9 o''clock!" Ying Chenlin shouted through the distress channel.


    The new mecha pilot on the channel didn''t hesitate and immediately fired a shot, hitting the Rattan directly.


    Ying Chenlin switched to his energy blade and advanced, covering the blade with energy, making it incredibly sharp. He quickly cut off the scattered vines on the side.


    "Can you cut them off?" the unfamiliar voice asked.


    "The branches can be cut off, but not the two main ones," Ying Chenlin replied. He observed that the cut vines were sprouting new leaves. "¡­It can regenerate!"


    The unfamiliar voice said, "The true body of this thing is not here."


    The vines were extending from the forest, and their main body was located deep within Banute''s contaminated zone.


    There were two main vines, and the rest were derived from them. However, these severed vines could rapidly regenerate with time, making it impossible to cut them all.


    The others on the distress channel remained silent, unable to participate in the ongoing battle ahead. The speed at which the vines swung was too fast for them to keep up with.


    "What do we do with this thing''s regeneration ability!?"


    "We can''t kill them all; if we run out of energy, we''re done for."


    A regenerating pollutant... this is not something easily dealt with.


    Amidst the anxious voices of the others, Ying Chenlin suddenly asked, "Weapons?"


    The unfamiliar voice paused for a moment before responding, "Main weapon is a sniper cannon, and the secondary weapon is an energy cannon."


    Ying Chenlin inquired further, "You didn''t bring any control-type weapons?"


    The unfamiliar voice decisively replied, "None."


    Nick became even more frantic. So, their current combat capability was just three guns and one blade!? The only control-type weapon they had was a close-range electromagnetic cannon... How could they deal with this thing!?


    B-grade mechas had a clear weakness¡ªthey lacked strong attack capabilities with only two weapons onboard. Ying Chenlin chose this mecha because it had both the control-type electromagnetic cannon and the offensive energy blade, which were more than enough to deal with smaller pollutants... But they were clearly insufficient against the creature before them.


    He was a close-combat mecha, while the opponent was a long-range mecha. But with two additional long-range weapons, the situation was different.


    Ying Chenlin saw that Nick and the others had retreated to a safe high ground, so he said, "You take the lead, and I''ll assist you. Mount the sniper cannon."


    The unfamiliar voice paused for a moment, then chuckled, "Are you sure you want to use the sniper cannon for the main attack? I remember you only have the energy blade and the electromagnetic cannon, without any defensive weapons."


    "I''m sure," Ying Chenlin replied.


    In the next second, the B-grade mecha flew out, wielding the energy blade in one hand and mounting the electromagnetic cannon in the other, launching a direct frontal attack on the approaching Rattan.


    In the distance, on top of an abandoned building in the Abyss Zone of Banute, a gray mecha stood tall. Surrounding it were ruins covered with vegetation. The gray mecha switched its weapons, raising the sniper cannon and witnessing the battle in the forest through its viewport.


    Inside the cockpit, a man wearing a gray coat had a cold and stern expression. He manipulated the charging of the sniper cannon without hesitation.


    He watched the close-combat mecha in his field of view with interest. After about three seconds, a tremendous heat accompanied the energy fluctuations in front of the sniper cannon.


    In the next moment, the sniper cannon turned into a beam of light!


    In the forest, Ying Chenlin seemed to sense something. He fired the electromagnetic cannon at the Rattan and used its recoil to propel the entire mecha upwards, avoiding the sniper shot that came from a distance in mid-air.


    Boom! After the residual energy dissipated, Ying Chenlin swiftly activated his energy blade and delivered another decisive blow, coldly stating, "Continue."


    The man chuckled, his movements swift and decisive.


    The initial coordination was all based on his cooperation with the close-combat mecha. But starting from the moment he raised the sniper cannon, the main attacking order changed. In this unprotected wilderness, his attacks could also hit other mechas. The sniper cannon had greater speed and attack power.


    The B-grade mecha displayed flawless movements, utilizing the charging time of the electromagnetic cannon and the momentary repelling ability of the energy blade to perfectly control the situation, creating opportunities to strike.


    Inside the B-grade mecha was a pilot with an extremely proficient sense of operation.


    On top of the building, the gray mecha''s sniper cannon charged once more.


    The man said, "6 o''clock."


    The next shot from the sniper cannon followed, and Ying Chenlin stepped back to avoid it, hitting the Rattan once again.


    Their coordination was seemingly telepathic, with simple callouts leading to seamless cooperation.


    Nick and his two companions, hiding behind the abandoned building, were astonished. They witnessed the distant sniper cannon relentlessly attacking this area, while the B-grade mecha within the attack range continuously evaded the shots.


    This constant barrage of firepower proved effective, and the regeneration ability of the two vines showed signs of slowing down. As high-level pollutants with a basic level of intelligence, they retreated about ten meters deeper into the forest due to the relentless assault.


    After five minutes of continuous attack, the vines finally couldn''t withstand the firepower and quickly retracted into the depths.


    The sniper cannon ceased fire, and Ying Chenlin also stopped his actions.


    At the same time, Ying Chenlin noticed that the signal of the remote mecha disappeared from the radar interface, and the voice communication on the channel was also cut off.


    Ying Chenlin''s eyes flickered slightly as he looked towards the dangerous depths of the Banute Contaminated Zone, lost in thought.


    After a while, Nick and the others, who noticed that the gunfire had stopped, finally came out from behind the building. Nick asked in a low voice, "Is it over?"


    There was no response on the communication channel, and Nick and the others emerged from the smelly white smoke.


    At this moment, the personnel from the Contamination Control Bureau, who were responsible for monitoring the contaminated zone, arrived belatedly. They first noticed the distress signal from Nick and his group and rushed to the scene, only to find a scene of devastation.


    "The deep zone is very dangerous. We need to evacuate immediately!" said the leader of the rescue team.


    Nick felt relieved when he saw the rescue team arriving. "Thank goodness! You''re finally here."


    The rescue team was taken aback by the scene of destruction. "Are you three responsible for all these dead sharp-toothed rat s?"


    "We''re three here, and there''s also a mecha below... and one of your team members," Nick said, but he suddenly noticed the scorched battlefield covered in vine remnants. The B-grade mecha had disappeared, and the signals of the two mechas on the communication channel were gone.


    "Where''s my big brother!?" Nick asked anxiously.


    Meanwhile, the personnel from the Contamination Control Bureau fell into contemplation. Standing together, they looked thoughtfully at their detection system. Before they noticed the gunfire, there was a brief moment of high contamination levels, reaching 6000, but when they arrived, all they saw were the dead sharp-toothed rat s without any other sources of contamination.


    "Have there been sharp-toothed rat s here before?" one of the bureau''s personnel asked.


    One of the mecha pilots casually responded, "Not just that, there was also a high-level sharp-toothed rat  that was killed by our team leader who came to rescue us."


    The personnel from the Contamination Control Bureau became alarmed and asked, "A high-level sharp-toothed rat !? Where is its body?"


    Nick realized something was amiss at this point. He noticed the odd expressions on the bureau''s personnel. "The crystals, right? It seems they dropped, but that sharp-toothed rat  was just a B-grade. My big brother killed it with just a couple of strikes."


    "Are you sure?" the bureau''s personnel asked again.


    Nick nodded, "I''m sure. Otherwise, how could we have dealt with it? Look at the state we''re in."


    One of the members of the rescue team gestured to another person, who quickly left with a communicator in hand.


    After speaking, Nick and his friends went to take care of the mecha. As they walked away, Nick kept glancing back.


    One of his friends asked, "What''s wrong, Nick? Is your neck uncomfortable?"


    Nick covered his friend''s mouth and whispered, "Keep your voice down, don''t say anything reckless, and don''t mention my big brother''s situation to them."

 CH 9

9. Cooperation

 CH 10

10. Chaos

 CH 11

    11. Symbiosis


    Ying Chelin fired the electromagnetic cannon, hitting the vine. The mutated Nine-Dragon Rattan had very few stems and leaves, making it difficult to see its complete appearance in the dark forest. The way it swung the vines resembled a large octopus, with only green-brown vines visible.


    Just then, Ying Chelin suddenly noticed its roots.


    ---


    The DE team closest to the vine suffered the most damage. They originally thought the threat from the Nine-Dragon Rattan was manageable with their 12 mechas, but they were caught off guard when the normally docile vine suddenly went berserk.


    Xu Yaojun frowned as he watched the situation. Before leaving KID, he overheard Shen Xingtang and Jiang Simiao discussing the contamination source. Coupled with the damage to Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao''s mechas, he knew that snatching the anomalous crystal from KID would be a piece of cake for him.


    He volunteered for the mission in Banute''s contamination zone, seeking an opportunity to establish his reputation in the DE team after transferring from KID. DE had given him a chance, providing him with 11 A-level mechas as assistance, but little did they know that the sudden vine rampage would cause some mechas to be unable to hold their ground.


    "Don''t you know how to dodge? You suffer so much damage just from being flung once?" Xu Yaojun said coldly, "When it attacks, can''t you dodge?"


    "Xu-ge, it''s too fast."


    "Yeah, there are so many of its vines. It''s impossible to dodge them all."


    "Xu-ge, we''re not as skilled as you, and we don''t have competition-grade mechas."


    Xu Yaojun didn''t give up and commanded several waves to advance. However, the attacking vines were getting farther and farther away. After several rounds of encirclement, they hadn''t cut off many vines, but the mechas'' damage levels continued to rise.


    The other DE mecha pilots couldn''t help but complain. To prevent KID from getting a chance to intervene, most of them were tank and Vanguard mechas. There were only two Artillery and control mechas. They crowded in the front, blocking the vine''s attacks, while Xu Yaojun, with his competition-grade Artillery mecha, hid in the back. How could he still have the audacity to say that they were dragging the team down?


    The attack lasted for fifteen minutes, and not only DE but also the surrounding mechas suffered damage to varying degrees.


    Xu Yaojun felt the situation was tricky. He quickly found a suitable high vantage point and charged his energy cannon.


    The competition-grade mechas'' weapons had the effect of A-level anomalous crystals. Xu Yaojun''s energy cannon wasn''t an ordinary one; it had the additional effect of advanced incineration upon hitting the target, making it more powerful than an ordinary energy cannon.


    He immediately invested 20 units of energy, intending to create an opening with one shot. "Everyone, move back!"


    DE''s other members retreated one after another, and Xu Yaojun charged up and fired his shot.


    With a loud bang, the Nine-Dragon Rattan, which had been waving its vines, seemed to sense the danger. It suddenly retracted, revealing a large mouth with fangs hidden beneath the vines, directly devouring Xu Yaojun''s energy cannon!


    Xu Yaojun cursed, "Damn, this isn''t just a vine!"


    From a higher vantage point, Ying Chelin saw the scene and suddenly became serious.


    A contaminant capable of devouring energy cannons... This ability of the Nine-Dragon Rattan didn''t seem like a simple A-level anomalous crystal.


    "Devouring effect," You Su spoke up. "This thing isn''t just an ordinary vine."


    "Devouring!? Isn''t the Nine-Dragon Rattan''s ability regeneration?" Ji Qingfeng''s face showed surprise. "I remember that anomalous crystals with devouring effects are all S-level crystals, right...?"


    "Did we encounter an S-level anomalous crystal!?" Lin Yao''s eyes lit up. "Let me check it out!"


    Ying Chelin''s attention was on the Vanguard mecha charging down. Lin Yao was a melee mecha pilot, quickly darting between the vines. As he passed through, the vines were continuously cut off.


    However, the severed vines quickly regenerated. The regeneration ability was incredibly strong, recovering in nearly 10 seconds.


    This situation was bizarre. Initially, the regeneration ability of the vines wasn''t so potent, but as the battle progressed, it rapidly increased.


    Severed vines regenerated, while remote energy cannons would be devoured by the strange buds protected by the vine.


    It was as if all the energy devoured by the buds became nourishment for the Nine-Dragon Rattan...


    The scene became extremely chaotic. The DE team''s initial encirclement formation was completely disrupted by the Nine-Dragon Rattan, especially with the emergence of the devouring effect. Everyone around became vigilant.


    In the chaotic state, the sole objective of all the mecha pilots present was the Nine-Dragon Rattan''s anomalous crystal.


    That was an S-level anomalous crystal with a devouring effect. If made into a weapon, it would be a weapon with a devouring effect.


    More and more mechas attacked the Nine-Dragon Rattan, but the rampaging vine''s counterattacks became fiercer. It swept through the surrounding mechas, continuously sending them flying, causing more and more damaged mechas.


    Lin Yao entered the scene three times, cutting off the vines, only to see them quickly regrow. "This won''t work. Its regeneration is too annoying."


    "We''ve made a mistake."


    Amidst the chaotic and noisy environment, a young and calm voice came through the communication channel.


    Hearing the unfamiliar voice on the communication channel, Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao immediately looked at the B-level mecha that had remained silent all this time. This person''s presence was too weak. While the other remote mecha occasionally spoke, this B-level mecha had not said a word since they entered the communication channel.


    Ji Qingfeng said, "What did we get wrong?"


    Ying Chenlin highlighted a few points in the shared field of view and explained, "This is not just a pollutant; they have a symbiotic relationship."


    In the field of view, the pollution value at the coordinates of the Nine-Dragon Rattan had soared to 6000, and the value was still unstable.


    The grey-colored mech remained at the farthest distance, right at the limit of the Nine-Dragon Rattan''s attack range, observing the chaotic battlefield with indifference.


    You Su casually listened to the calm voice of the boy in the communication channel, and the high-magnification scope of the sniper rifle was continuously focused on the root of the Nine-Dragon Rattan, gradually revealing its appearance.


    The pollution value was indeed abnormal, reaching the standard of an S-level pollutant but was extremely unstable.


    In the communication channel, Ji Qingfeng''s doubts were resolved.


    "A symbiotic relationship, the Nine-Dragon Rattan and the flower buds coexist. The Nine-Dragon Rattan has strong attacking abilities and carries the regenerative ability of its anomaly, while the buds protected by its roots possess the power of devouring."


    You Su explained, "A single pollutant cannot possess two different anomalous abilities. If they have a symbiotic relationship, some of the connections make sense."


    The buds absorb energy and feed it back to the Nine-Dragon Rattan, while the Nine-Dragon Rattan provides protection to the buds.


    The more people there are, the more energy they give to the buds, and the stronger the Nine-Dragon Rattan becomes.


    Ji Qingfeng suddenly understood, "So, the members of DE have fattened up this Nine-Dragon Rattan!?"


    "Fattened up? Doesn''t that make it harder to deal with?" Lin Yao recalled, "I remember Xu Yaojun''s shot just now was over 10, and now it''s 15... How much did they fatten it up!?"


    A shot of 15???


    Ji Qingfeng almost fainted, "I¡¯m really grateful to him."


    In other words, the Nine-Dragon Rattan went berserk to this extent all because the other mechs provided it with enough energy.


    The surroundings of the Nine-Dragon Rattan were in complete chaos, and several mechs had already retreated hundreds of meters due to excessive damage. On the field, only five mechs from DE remained, and a few others were moving towards the exit of the contaminated zone to retreat.


    Ji Qingfeng saw the situation and said, "Wow, DE can''t handle this, so they''re going to find reinforcements outside?"


    "Seriously? If we can''t handle it, should we just run away?" Lin Yao added, "Then can we defeat it?"


    Both Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao were not the type to think deeply. The soaring pollution value had cut off external communication. They now only had two choices: either stay here and figure out a way or retreat from the contaminated zone and seek help.


    "No, our lineup is quite capable."


    Ying Chenlin flexed his right hand, reconnecting the long-disconnected neural connection to his right arm. "The reason why the Nine-Dragon Rattan has been so strong is that DE''s Artilleries have been continuously attacking its roots. And the melee mechas around are all protecting the Artillery mechas, leading to the current situation."


    Ji Qingfeng hesitated for a moment. "If we don''t destroy the roots, then how can we deal with it? It has regenerative abilities. Should we continue to fight it?"


    Ying Chenlin replied simply, "We kill the buds first, then the Nine-Dragon Rattan."


    Lin Yao became more active when he heard that it could be killed. "How do we kill it?"


    "Since the buds devour energy and are protected by the Nine-Dragon Rattan... then it''s straightforward. We just have to starve the buds of energy and use close combat weapons to deal with them," Ying Chenlin adjusted the field of view to lock onto the roots of the Nine-Dragon Rattan. "The premise is that we need to get close enough to lift the protective layer of the buds."


    Ji Qingfeng said, "Getting close is the difficult part. We only have one restraining lock chain for control weapons."


    Ying Chenlin suggested, "But what if we add the stun magnetic cannon and gun firepower?"


    You Su, who had been silent, suddenly spoke, "Let''s not rush."


    His gaze fell on the fleeing DE team in the distance. "I don''t like to leave opportunities for others. What about you guys?"


    Ying Chenlin paused for a moment while adjusting the mecha''s parameters, then suddenly looked at the gun and cannon mecha.


    Ji Qingfeng realized something and looked towards the location of the DE team. "To be honest, I feel the same way."


    He didn''t hesitate to reveal his other hobby, "I also like to see people getting beaten up. What about you guys?"


    Lin Yao became spirited and belatedly joined the topic, "Beat up Xu Yaojun?"


    "Xu Yaojun?" Ying Chenlin was puzzled.


    "Oh, the red mecha mixed in with DE, he used to be from our team..." Lin Yao didn''t mention the possibility of Xu Yaojun colluding with the mechanics and continued, "He''s familiar with DE''s management, and after leaving, he mocked me and Da Feng, saying that our mechs are all trash. When we first discovered the Nine-Dragon Rattan, it was the two of us. During the fight, he brought the people from DE to force us back."


    Ying Chenlin understood now.


    After a while, he said, "Then let''s beat him up."


    Lin Yao nodded, "Yeah!"

 CH 12

    12. Beat People Up


    KID¡¯s side didn''t take immediate action; instead, they chose to observe in hiding, watching the DE mechas... forced to take a beating.


    The Nine-Dragon Rattan, energized by the energy cannons, was formidable, using its full strength against the DE mechas. The DE team suffered heavy losses, especially the Vanguards, which were repeatedly swept by the Nine-Dragon Rattan, with most of them already heavily damaged.


    These mecha pilots had tried their best to cut through the vines and create a path for Xu Yaojun, but no matter how many shots he fired, the Nine-Dragon Rattan remained lively, leaving them all nearly crippled.


    Xu Yaojun''s expression was grim; the scorching effect of his weapon had not worked on the Nine-Dragon Rattan; instead, it only made it more furious. The Artillery mechas were different from Tanks and Vanguards; their main configuration focused on charged attacks, with very fragile defenses. Without front-line protection, his mecha was also damaged to some extent.


    After this wave of attacks, his mecha, which had already suffered damage during the competition, now reached a depletion level of 50, and it couldn''t hold on for much longer.


    Xu Yaojun was unwilling to give up; he charged again towards the Nine-Dragon Rattan, but the vine had already anticipated his move.


    Seeing his mecha''s depletion reach 60, Xu Yaojun exploded in anger, cursing, "I''m charging the energy cannon, can''t you tanks protect me?"


    He had never experienced such humiliation in the Alliance matches. As an Artillery mecha, he was always protected at the back.


    The DE members remained silent. They only had five mechas left to fight, and they didn''t even have time to protect themselves, let alone him.


    No one replied on the channel, and Xu Yaojun''s expression grew even more unpleasant.


    Just then, a voice suddenly came through the channel, "Look, some mechas are going up!"


    Following the sound, Xu Yaojun saw a familiar red figure; it was KID''s mecha.


    The red close combat mecha had its protective shield up, and after enduring the first wave of attacks, it quickly penetrated the vines and emerged halfway. Following closely behind was a Stealth mecha, moving even faster. After the close combat mecha cleared the way, the Stealth mecha quickly bound the vines with its restraining lock.


    These two... were Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao from KID?!


    "Their movements are so fast!"


    "Close combat and Stealth mechas working together to pave the way? Isn''t the Stealth mecha''s armor too weak for that!?"


    "There are Artillery mechas covering them!"


    Before Xu Yaojun could speak, while the Stealth mecha bound the vines within its range, a precise shot from a distant intercepting cannon hit the surrounding vines. The powerful firepower momentarily slowed down the Nine-Dragon Rattan''s movements. In that brief moment, KID''s two mechas had already followed the completely open path and charged straight towards the roots of the Nine-Dragon Rattan.


    A path that had been impossible to open had now been swiftly broken through by the three mechas'' coordinated control.


    Xu Yaojun sneered, "Do you think you can pave the way with a long-range sniper cannon? Doesn''t charging take time? Once the sniper cannon cover is gone, they''ll be sent flying by the Nine-Dragon Rattan."


    The DE members looked over and indeed, the long-range Artillery mechas'' firepower had some time interval for suppression.


    In just a few seconds, the Nine-Dragon Rattan had reacted, and other vines immediately swept toward those two KID mechas.


    Xu Yaojun: "Look, they''re about to-"


    Before he could finish speaking, a small burst of thunderous light suddenly emerged from the gap. A Thunder Magnetic Cannon shot hit the vines, causing the paralysis effect of the thunder magnetic field to stop the frenzied vines.


    A Thunder Magnetic Cannon!? What the heck is that!?


    A close combat mecha equipped with a Thunder Magnetic Cannon!?


    At this moment, the DE team finally noticed a close combat mecha flying close to the ground. It didn''t follow KID''s two mechas but flew on their flank, darting through the dancing vines during the intervals of attacks. Its movements seemed unhurried, but it dodged each attack perfectly.


    However, that wasn''t the most crucial part. The key was that this was a B-grade mecha, wielding a B-grade light blade and a Thunder Magnetic Cannon. It skillfully intercepted the charging interval of the intercepting cannon, successfully creating a continuous opportunity for KID''s two mechas to advance.


    Upon seeing this, Xu Yaojun''s expression changed slightly.


    Not far away, the Nine-Dragon Rattan was repeatedly paralyzed by the B-grade mecha''s Thunder Magnetic Cannon. It seemed to have noticed something, and its attack frequency suddenly increased. For a moment, vines around it went wild, rushing toward the B-grade mecha in a frenzy.


    In the makeshift communication channel, Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao from KID broke through the outer defense line of vines and immediately realized the problem. Ji Qingfeng shouted, "Brother, it''s coming your way!"


    Instead of immediately retreating, Ying Chenlin adjusted his mecha and executed a reverse flight, swiftly avoiding the vines in front of him. With a quick move, he fired a Thunder Magnetic Cannon shot.


    Ji Qingfeng was impressed by the skillful maneuver, "Your reaction speed is incredible."


    "You guys go ahead, don''t mind me," Ying Chenlin quickly replied, preparing to take another shot. However, he suddenly caught sight of a strong airflow in his field of view. Without hesitation, he adjusted his position, and an energy cannon from behind him intercepted the attack.


    "Thanks," Ying Chenlin said.


    You Su commented, "On the left."


    A new sniper shot was instantly launched, but the chaotic B-grade mecha seemed to have predicted its position in advance and quickly cleared the trajectory for the sniper shot.


    "Nice dodge," You Su remarked.


    "Pretty good accuracy," Ying Chenlin replied.


    You Su quickly charged the next shot, targeting Ying Chenlin''s position, and fired.


    The B-grade mecha once again evaded the attack, and the two of them established an unspoken understanding, working in tandem to create a new control chain.


    Meanwhile, Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao, who had already advanced deep into the battlefield, didn''t look back. They quickly grasped the changes on the field, and almost the moment they noticed the Nine-Dragon Rattan attacking the B-grade mecha, the two of them seized the opportunity and penetrated the layers of protection around the Nine-Dragon Rattan''s roots.


    The reason the Nine-Dragon Rattan could sustain such high-frequency attacks was solely due to the flower bud.


    The five mechas that remained with DE were severely damaged. They knew it was impossible to rely on them to drive KID''s team away and seize the extraordinary crystal. Although they were unwilling, they understood they could only wait for these people to weaken the Nine-Dragon Rattan...


    Xu Yaojun''s mecha had only 20 units of energy left. He allocated one shot to deal with Lin Yao and Ji Qingfeng, and the other shot to deal with the B-grade mecha that was running around everywhere.


    As long as he dealt with these three mechas, even the Artillery mecha lurking in the distance wouldn''t make it in time.


    Xu Yaojun calculated the firing range of the energy cannon while waiting for the Nine-Dragon Rattan''s roots to be severed.


    Ying Chenlin slightly glanced to the side and saw Xu Yaojun''s mecha on the left.


    Five minutes passed, and the Nine-Dragon Rattan finally couldn''t hold on.


    Seizing the opportunity, Xu Yaojun aimed at Lin Yao and Ji Qingfeng, and the energy cannon began its charging countdown.


    However, at that moment, a sniper shot from a distance struck Xu Yaojun''s right hand that was charging up the energy cannon, accurately disrupting the charging process.


    Suppressing the pain in his right hand, Xu Yaojun looked back in astonishment¡ªIt was the Artillery mecha!?


    From a higher vantage point, You Su''s targeting sight locked onto the damaged red mecha. The energy meter reached 5. His eyes were cold and indifferent, fixed on the mecha that was scrambling to avoid his view.


    Suddenly, he noticed a movement at the edge of his scope¡ªthe B-grade mecha, JD1456, silently entered his field of view.


    Unwilling to be stopped like this and seeing that the Nine-Dragon Rattan was about to give in, Xu Yaojun gritted his teeth and adjusted his weapon, intending to realign it with the two mechas near the Nine-Dragon Rattan.


    However, as soon as he raised his scope, another B-grade mecha appeared in his sight. It was covered in green sap from the Nine-Dragon Rattan, its white exterior was dirty, except for the auxiliary weapon, the Thunder Magnetic Cannon, which was glowing, charging up with electrical energy.


    The B-grade mecha faced him directly, as if it had been waiting for a long time.


    Xu Yaojun looked surprised. When did this B-grade mecha get so close to him!?


    Boom¡ª


    Xu Yaojun was paralyzed by the Thunder Magnetic Cannon, cursing angrily. The charging process of the energy cannon was interrupted once again.


    This shot brought his mecha''s damage level to the critical point. Xu Yaojun''s face twisted in ferocity, the intense pressure causing him to lose his last bit of reason. He disregarded everything and fired wildly in the direction of the B-grade mecha.


    Ying Chenlin evaded the scattered shrapnel and suddenly noticed something, raising his head to look in the direction of the gray mecha in the distance.


    At the same time, the sniper shot followed right after the Thunder Magnetic Cannon, taking advantage of the paralysis caused by the Thunder Magnetic Cannon on Xu Yaojun''s mecha. The shot with 5 units of energy precisely hit Xu Yaojun''s mecha''s right wrist, causing the entire right hand of his mecha, along with the weapon, to fall!


    You Su looked at the white mecha through his scope, his usually calm eyes showing a touch of interest. "Pleasant cooperation."

 CH 13

    13. Rank


    Xu Yaojun looked at the weapons on the ground with a pale face.


    The B-Class mecha was still hovering not far away, and Xu Yaojun finally understood. This B-Class mecha appeared to be covering KID''s mechas, but in reality, it was always monitoring him. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have been able to use the Thunder Magnetic Cannon to control him so quickly.


    Who is this person!? Xu Yaojun''s mind was in chaos. When did KID have these two mecha pilots? He had spent some time with KID, but he had never seen an Artillery mecha with such high accuracy, nor had he encountered a Vanguard mecha that could control with such proficiency.


    Xu Yaojun was unwilling to accept his failure. He was about to use his auxiliary weapon when suddenly a sharp pain struck. His mecha''s alarms blared one after another, indicating that the damage level had reached 80, rendering his mecha inoperable.


    He looked around in disbelief, but there was no one coming to his aid. DE''s communication channel was silent.


    The damaged Artillery mecha remained motionless, having lost its combat ability.


    Ying Chenlin paid no further attention to the severely damaged mecha that could no longer attack. He quickly rushed to support Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao, providing cover using the intermittent control ability of the Thunder Magnetic Cannon.


    With the loss of the flower bud, the Nine-Dragon Rattan could no longer withstand the continuous attacks from Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao. It exhausted its energy and withered away. Ji Qingfeng seized the final opportunity to cut straight into the Nine-Dragon Rattan and severed the last connection between the vine and the ground.


    As soon as this connection was severed, the frenzied vines of the Nine-Dragon Rattan came to a halt, and the cut-off vines did not regenerate.


    The chaos in the Barnutte Contaminated Zone slowly subsided as the pollution level dropped. Ying Chenlin frowned slightly as he approached the core point of the Nine-Dragon Rattan and the flower bud. He found that the individual pollution levels of the two pollutants were only around four thousand, far from the basic value of 6,000 for an S-grade pollutant.


    In other words, both of these pollutants were only A-Class mutants, not S-grade pollutants.


    Ji Qingfeng skillfully located the core point of the Nine-Dragon Rattan, using his light blade to push aside the decaying vines. Near the base, he discovered a deep green crystal surrounded by green light, as if it carried a gentle breeze. "There''s an anomalous crystal here."


    Lin Yao approached for a closer look. "Is it an S-grade crystal?"


    "I don''t know. We''ll have to take it back for testing," Ji Qingfeng replied, putting away the anomalous crystal from the Nine-Dragon Rattan. He glanced at Ying Chenlin''s position with a side-eye. "Brother, are there any crystals near the flower bud?"


    "Yes," Ying Chenlin replied, near the flower bud. In just ten minutes, the once vibrant pink bud had withered into a gray color. In the viscous substance beneath the gray petals, he found a small piece of pink crystal. The pink crystal had a black vortex within it, and the center of the vortex seemed to gather tiny sparks of lightning, though the lightning was very weak.


    You Su disinterestedly withdrew his gaze as people quickly gathered around, trying to join in on the excitement.


    It''s a pity that these two anomalous crystals would disappoint those people.


    After the mecha landed, the personnel from the management bureau learned about the situation, and several mecha pilots were eager to establish communication with KID''s mecha to inquire about the anomalous crystals.


    Ji Qingfeng asked, "Did Tang Jie come over?"


    "It seems our mecha is over there," Lin Yao looked outside.


    With the pollutant dealt with, their collaboration had come to an end. Ji Qingfeng was about to ask what the two foreign aid mecha pilots were planning, but suddenly noticed that the communication signal of the B-Class mecha disappeared from the channel.


    "Hey, where''s the B-Class mecha brother?" Ji Qingfeng was taken aback, "We haven''t distributed the spoils yet?!"


    You Su didn''t get involved in the matters of the management bureau and didn''t move from his high vantage point. Ji Qingfeng had already shared the information about the two anomalous crystals on the communication channel. You Su glanced at it uninterestedly, then turned his gaze far away in a certain direction.


    The signal of the B-Class mecha had disappeared from that location five minutes ago.


    The mecha''s necklace dropped from You Su''s collar. He snapped back to reality and put the necklace back in place.


    You Su warned, "If you move again, I''ll leave you here."


    The necklace obediently stayed still in his collar, even affectionately brushing against him.


    -*


    In the Banute Contaminated Zone, the appearance of the symbiotic pollutants and the consecutive acquisition of two types of anomalous crystals spread on the StarNet almost instantly after the zone''s warning was lifted.


    "What anomalous crystals!? Two S-grade ones?!"


    "Are you kidding me!? Did DE get their hands on them?"


    "DE? The same DE that couldn''t beat KID with their 12 mechas? And KID got both anomalous crystals?"


    StarNet users were stunned by the news. Not long ago, they were mocking Shen Xingtang for sending only two mechas on such a mission, but now seeing that KID managed to obtain two anomalous crystals within DE''s encirclement, they were instantly filled with curiosity.


    "Did KID really win against DE with just two mechas?"


    "Not exactly, there was also a Vanguard mecha and a hidden Artillery mecha on the scene. The Vanguard mecha didn''t seem to belong to KID, but they cooperated to defeat the pollutants."


    There are quite a few mecha pilots near the Banute Contaminated Zone, and in addition to some squads, there are also some mecha pilots inside the zone. Information from them helped to reconstruct the events surrounding the struggle for the anomalous crystals. One of the mecha pilots even recorded some on-site footage, which caught the attention of the crowd. At first, they noticed KID''s two mechas, and then the one that used the Thunder Magnet Cannon to clear the path.


    "Looking at the sniper rifle''s attack range, it should be an A-Class mecha. But this Thunder Magnet Cannon... a B-Class mecha?!"


    "A Vanguard B-Class mecha?! Isn''t that the most ordinary type of mecha? A light blade paired with the Thunder Magnet Cannon, what a plain weapon!"


    "And that mecha pilot??? Oh my god, how did he manage to fire the Thunder Magnet Cannon while using the light blade? The pollutant''s tendrils didn''t hit him at all."


    As they continued to watch, the crowd became more and more astonished. The B-Class mecha, considered the most common type, was maneuvered so skillfully in the footage that it was hard to look away. It seemed as if a B-Class mecha was displaying the finesse of an advanced-grade mecha in the hands of its pilot.


    The B-Class mecha seamlessly coordinated with the previously unseen Artillery mecha, flawlessly executing an excellent control chain.


    Apart from the B-Class mecha, people on StarNet also noticed a peculiar layout.


    "DE''s people are just useless. They were heavily injured by the pollutants in the early stage and had to call for reinforcements."


    "Oh, I also saw KID''s mecha mixing with them, but I have no idea why."


    "That seemed to be Xu Yaojun''s mecha?! Wait, isn''t Xu Yaojun not a part of KID?"


    As StarNet users fervently discussed the identity of the B-Class mecha, DE''s management remained cold-faced while dealing with the public opinion on StarNet. However, all the overwhelming discussions focused on KID, and they only received mockery... Moreover, Xu Yaojun''s transfer also caused a commotion.


    The boss of DE had a fierce expression: "Investigate! Find out who Shen Xingtang brought in for KID, that Artillery mecha, and that B-grade Vanguard mecha. Investigate them all!"


    "Boss, we did investigate. KID hasn''t acquired any mecha pilots with free contracts within the league during this period..."


    While the online discussions were lively, Ying Chenlin remained completely unaware.


    After leaving the Contaminated Zone, Ying Chenlin first went to the mecha reserve area to purchase a storage suitcase and packed the vast amount of materials collected inside the mecha into it. Finally, just before the lease period for the B-Class mecha expired, he returned to the mecha store.


    The boss inspected the mecha and looked at its dirty exterior, saying, "You sure use the energy thoroughly, huh? You leave only 5% when you have 100% capacity?"


    Ying Chenlin stood beside him and retorted, "Should energy also require payment?"


    "... " The boss was rendered speechless; indeed, energy didn''t require payment. "Mecha wear and tear have to be paid for repairs."


    He circled around to inspect the mecha a few more times and found that its ability wear and tear were complete, yet the mecha did not have significant damage.


    How was this possible?


    In the past, every mecha sent for inspection had some degree of wear and tear. With so much contamination on this mecha from the blood of the pollutants, how could they not find any issues...?


    As the boss continued to study the mecha, Ying Chenlin didn''t wander far away. He leaned against the door of the mecha parking area, his gaze sweeping over the bustling mecha pilots outside.


    News of the two anomalous crystals found deep within the Banute Contaminated Zone had long spread. The temporary base in the Contaminated Zone now gathered numerous information dealers, including those employed by league squads and various mecha media outlets.


    For Ying Chenlin, those two anomalous crystals were most likely of A-Class quality. As a mecha pilot, the regenerative and absorption properties of A-Class crystals held little significance to him. However, KID needed them much more.


    Before joining the Mecha League to participate in competitions, Ying Chenlin often piloted his mecha alone and ventured into the Contaminated Zone, becoming well-acquainted with the norms there. It had been many years since he last visited the zone, but seeing these unfamiliar faces now stirred up memories of the past.


    Ying Chenlin had already forgotten the emotions he experienced when piloting a mecha in his youth. When he was young, he feared nothing, but after his disability, he became cautious at every turn. Time hadn''t brought him many things; the only clear aspect was the prudence carved into his bones. He carefully copied a path to a healthy future, giving himself more choices.


    However, prudence occasionally didn''t work when facing a mecha.


    Lost in his thoughts, Ying Chenlin''s mind replayed the recent battle until the sensation of pain reached him. He snapped back to reality, feeling the persistent soreness in his right arm, which hadn''t ceased since leaving the Contaminated Zone. Overloading his still unrecovered right hand for the past two days brought more pressure than he had imagined. It was even a bit difficult to lift it.


    He thought to himself that after dealing with the materials, he might need to trouble Dr. Wu for some help.


    -


    Not far from the mecha store, in a luxurious establishment, Shen Xingtang held a record sheet of material wear and tear. "No way! You''re charging me for this little shaft wear? It''s just a 100-star coin part, and you''re asking for 300 star coins?"


    The boss, realizing Shen Xingtang understood the matter, looked a bit displeased. "You rented an A-Class mecha, the pride of my store. Mecha pilots in the Banute Contaminated Zone know that wear and tear is charged separately."


    Shen Xingtang didn''t want to spend an extra 200 star coins, so she turned around to get her toolbox, planning to fix the shaft on the spot for 100 star coins. Meanwhile, You Su stood outside the store, listening to Shen Xingtang arguing with the boss. He handed 100 star coins to Jiang Simiao, a gentle-looking person who didn''t seem like he''d be good at arguing, and then he walked into the crowd.


    After walking a few steps, he spotted a familiar white mecha parked at a stop in a mecha store. The outer layer of the mecha still bore remnants of Nine-Dragon Rattan leaves. A middle-aged, slightly plump man held a diagnostic device and moved about, mimicking the actions of the boss inside the mecha store.


    You Su suddenly halted, noticing a young man standing not far from the plump man. The young man leaned against a barrier, a storage suitcase commonly seen in the Contaminated Zone lying at his feet. His fair skin carried a hint of frailty.


    What caught You Su''s attention was the natural droop of the young man''s right arm, revealing a mechanical prosthesis beyond his sleeve.


    After observing for a while, he noticed that the young man''s right hand remained motionless, even when he pushed the suitcase, he used his left hand in the opposite direction.


    After a while, it seemed the young man agreed on a price with the boss, and he left the Contaminated Zone, dragging his suitcase.


    You Su''s gaze followed him for quite some time, recalling the mecha operation of JD1456M in the Contaminated Zone. The young man appeared to be a steady mecha pilot, but his coordination had some flaws, leaning more towards using his left hand.


    JD1456M''s movements weren''t as swift, and he seemed to prioritize avoiding danger rather than attacking. It gave a contradictory impression.


    "Been looking for you everywhere, what are you doing here?" When Shen Xingtang finished repairing the mecha and came out of the store, it took her a while to find You Su. "Aren''t you interested in those two anomalous crystals?"


    "Not interested," You Su replied casually. "What conclusion did the Bureau come to?" Speaking of the conclusion, Shen Xingtang remembered the recent meeting that had just concluded.


    Speaking of this conclusion, Shen Xingtang recalled the meeting that had just concluded not long ago.


    This time, according to convention, the two anomalous crystals belong to the KID Club. However, during the operation, there were still many doubts. For instance, why did the unstable pollutants, stacked together, appear in the reports at two different locations other than Nine-Dragon Rattan?


    The Bureau repeatedly tested after the Nine-Dragon Rattan and the bud''s death, but they never detected the high value of 6000 again. It was as if those two additional reports were just momentary anomalies.


    Shen Xingtang said, "The Bureau is still investigating during this period. They suspect that there might be another undisclosed pollutant lurking in the Banute area."


    You Su''s expression remained indifferent, showing little interest in the follow-up, and he didn''t pursue further questions.


    Instead, he asked about another matter, "Have you found out the identity of that Vanguard mecha?"


    Shen Xingtang paused for a moment at his question, then replied, "No, our team doesn''t need a Vanguard mecha, and I don''t intend to replace anyone."


    You Su chuckled lightly, "That''s a shame."


    "Not really," Shen Xingtang looked at him, carefully choosing her words, "There''s something you might consider. Since you plan to stay in Sirius for a while, and our team lost Xu Yaojun, we''re now short of a Artillery mecha."


    She said earnestly, "You Su, it''s been a few years since you participated in the league. Haven''t you thought about coming back and giving it a try?"


    Author''s Note: Here it comes! Congratulations to the two characters for finally crossing paths. From Big Brother You''s little treasure trove, let''s send some red envelopes to the comment section~

 CH 14

    14. Transaction


    You Su replied without hesitation, "Not interested."


    "You really don''t show any mercy," Shen Xingtang sighed regretfully, patting You Su on the shoulder, "Thanks for today."


    "No need to thank me," You Su said and turned, walking into the crowd of people.


    Jiang Simiao came over after being busy and saw Shen Xingtang standing there in the cold wind. He asked, "He rejected you again?"


    "It''s common. He''s never had the desire to participate in the league," Shen Xingtang raised an eyebrow, "He prefers staying in the Contaminated Zone over playing in the league. When I first met him, he was like that too. He can live his life in the Contaminated Zone."


    Jiang Simiao hesitated, "How do we handle the Artillery mecha situation then?"


    "What else? We still need him," Shen Xingtang said.


    "But didn''t you say you can''t convince You Su?" Jiang Simiao asked.


    "Try calling him more times," Shen Xingtang looked into the distance, where You Su''s figure was no longer visible amidst the bustling crowd, "We still have time. With You Su, we need to find something that piques his interest."


    Something that piques his interest... Jiang Simiao was even more troubled. Everyone knew that what currently interests You Su the most is the S-level anomalous crystals.


    "Oh, speaking of that Vanguard mecha, is there any news?" Shen Xingtang suddenly asked.


    "No, I asked both of them, but there''s no information about that Vanguard mecha. The operator behind that Vanguard mecha is indeed skilled," Jiang Simiao suddenly thought of something, "Our front-line mecha lineup is already chaotic enough. Shen Xingtang, you should at least consider the team composition."


    -


    The base outside Banute was not peaceful; news of the anomalous crystals continued for several days.


    Dr. Wu happened to be on vacation for the past couple of days. When he received the communication call from Sirius, he remembered the patients he had treated not long ago. Through a virtual screen, he listened to the patient''s account and couldn''t help but feel exasperated, "I warned you not to overuse it when you left. How did it become like this in the blink of an eye? Besides the soreness, are there any other reactions?"


    Ying Chenlin listened attentively to Dr. Wu''s nagging and replied seriously, "I''m just tired, no other problems."


    He also sent the medical report generated by the hotel''s medical robot to the doctor as an attachment.


    "Fatigued?" Dr. Wu hesitated slightly upon hearing this description. Ying Chenlin''s cooperation during the entire treatment process was exceptionally high, possibly due to the naturally superior physical condition of a mecha pilot. Other patients took anywhere from six months to several years to recover after surgery, but he achieved the expected results in just two months.


    Now, considering the situation of overusing the mechanical limb, which could cause fatigue, there was a possibility that the well-aligned mechanical nerves inside the limb might have issues, leading to impaired hand function.


    Dr. Wu asked Ying Chenlin to perform several more movements, but there was no impairment in his hand function. His reaction was more akin to muscle soreness resulting from intense exercise after a long period of inactivity.


    "It''s challenging to pinpoint the problem through a screen. Observe for a few more days and avoid using your right hand during this time," Dr. Wu advised, "I have a friend in Sirius. I''ll explain the situation to him, and next week, you can go to his hospital for a reevaluation."


    Ying Chenlin understood, "Thank you, Doctor."


    Dr. Wu replied, "No need to thank me. Just remember not to use your right hand during this period."


    After listening to Dr. Wu''s instructions repeatedly, Ying Chenlin confirmed the precautions before bidding farewell.


    After ending the conversation, Ying Chenlin''s gaze rested on the light-brain''s display, remaining motionless for a long time.


    After a while, his eyes moved, scanning the nearby opened vials containing syringes and certain scattered anesthetics, along with a special surgical knife that could be dismantled at any time.


    For a long time, he regained his focus, haphazardly packing all these items into a medical kit and returning to work.


    The room was filled with various materials scattered about. Ying Chenlin deftly picked up a sharp object placed on the table, enveloping it with his psychic power that emanated from his left fingertip. Nearby, several tools and completed parts, about the size of a fist, were also placed.


    Reinforcing the raw materials with psychic power during shaping protected the inherent properties of the materials better than just using physical methods. This was a technique an old maintenance technician at KID''s base had taught him during his previous life when he repaired mechas. However, back then, his psychic condition was even worse than it is now, and it took him much longer to shape the parts.


    After finishing the last piece, Ying Chenlin tossed the piled-up materials into a suitcase.


    The light-brain still displayed a message he had recently received, an electronic version of the contract sent by KID.


    After reading the contract, he looked towards the other side of the room where some items were still unattended.


    Today, he had to go and report to KID, but before that, he needed to deal with a few things.


    There were plenty of materials in the room, all of which he had collected from Banute''s contaminated zone in the past two days.


    Some materials were for his personal use, while others were utterly useless to him, like the crystals from the sharp-toothed rat s.


    -


    The trading market was located in Zone A, not far from Ying Chenlin''s hotel. Upon arrival, he inquired about the directions and headed straight to the auction house within the market.


    It was daytime, and the auction house had not yet started its business. Only a small door was open for people to enter and exit.


    Ying Chenlin had not visited the auction house often, and his impression of it mainly came from discussions among other maintenance technicians at KID''s base in his previous life. For professionals like them, the only place to acquire rare mecha materials and special parts was the unique environment of an auction house.


    The auction house in Zone A of Sirius was currently one of the top auction houses within the Dawn Galaxy.


    Previously, during the rat  wave, all the sharp-toothed rat s'' bodies were given to those three mecha pilots, while he kept all the crystals. The incisor crystals were still usable for polishing parts, but the sharp-toothed rat  crystals were of a medium grade and not suitable as chip materials for him.


    To deal with the goods, he could simply process them at the outskirts of the base outside the contaminated zone, where many merchants would accept them. However, if he wanted to sell at a good price, he needed to take some time to find a more suitable route, like the auction house.


    Apart from the people at the auction house, there were other wandering merchants, occasionally glancing towards the entrance as if waiting for an opportunity. Wearing a mask and hat to shield himself from the surrounding gazes, he pulled up the hood of his coat and walked straight to the entrance.


    "Here comes a young person."


    "I wonder what he''s selling. There have been too many people eyeing the auction house lately. Is it something from Banute?"


    Upon entering, he first arrived in the auction hall. The suspended large screen displayed various auction items. Ying Chenlin scanned the surroundings and noticed the attention he was receiving, starting from his attire and finally focusing on the single shoulder bag he carried.


    Since he entered the space, someone had already targeted him.


    However, Ying Chenlin did not pay further attention to those gazes and looked up at the preview of auction items.


    Yet, the grading of those items made him hesitant. Regrettably, those were things he could not afford to bid on.


    The reception hall was crowded, and not far away, people lined up, waiting to be served at the counter. Ying Chenlin stood at the back of the line and took out a C-grade crystal from his pocket, intending to inquire about its purchase price.


    Once again, the surrounding gazes fell on his hand, and whispers filled the air:


    "What is that, a pale gray crystal?"


    "A C-grade crystal, right? Can''t believe someone brought just a C-grade crystal to sell here?!"


    "Do you think he believes that the crystal will detect anomalies?"


    Ying Chenlin glanced at them out of the corner of his eye.


    The group of people averted their gaze.


    "Hello," a man in a suit approached from inside the auction house and kindly asked, "May I help you?"


    Ying Chenlin retrieved his gaze and noticed that the attention surrounding him had not dissipated. He handed the crystal to the man, saying, "I want to sell this C-grade sharp-toothed rat  crystal. I heard that you accept them here."


    The whispers from before echoed in Ying Chenlin''s ears, but he remained composed as he looked at the man in front of him. "I''ve heard that you buy them here."


    The auction house manager had been closely monitoring Sirius'' market these days, given that the incident in Banute''s contaminated zone had only recently been exposed, and materials had been sporadically flowing into the market during this time.


    The manager subconsciously sized up Ying Chenlin. His face was partially concealed by the hood and hat, and with his right hand in his pocket and a simple storage bag on his side, it was impossible to discern any details.


    After evaluating the crystal for a moment, which was a C-grade sharp-toothed rat  crystal that showed no signs of being mutated, the manager''s tone instantly became flat, "Hello, this is a C-grade mutated sharp-toothed rat  crystal. Would you like to sell it to our auction house?"


    Ying Chenlin nodded, "How much is the selling price here?"


    The Banute Contaminated Zone underwent significant changes a few days ago, and during this time, many mecha pilots have come to sell anomalous crystals. Quite a few C-grade anomalous crystals have been found, and there are even some B-grade anomalous crystals. When this person came to the auction house, all wrapped up so tightly, the manager even thought he might be a mecha pilot hiding his identity.


    Crystals with anomalous abilities and those without have different prices, and the commission rates also vary.


    ... To bring out just one crystal like this, it''s really wasting his time.


    As the manager led Ying Chenlin towards the reception desk, he said, "It depends on the situation. We have two types of services here: consignment and direct purchase. For consignment, our auction house charges a 4% handling fee."


    The manager glanced at Ying Chenlin and continued, "Currently, I don''t recommend the consignment service for you because the market price for C-grade mutated crystals is only 4,000 star coins, and our consignment service has interest restrictions. So for your item... instead of consigning it, you can sell it directly to us for 3,500 star coins."


    As they arrived at the reception desk, many people''s gazes turned their way, seemingly very interested in the inspection results.


    Ying Chenlin finished asking his previous question and fell silent.


    The manager didn''t want to waste any more time and was about to urge him to make a decision when he heard Ying Chenlin asking another unrelated question, "Then, how much is the typical purchase price for regular C-grade and B-grade sharp-toothed rat  crystals?"


    The manager felt a bit impatient but still replied, "We offer 1,800 star coins for C-grade sharp-toothed rat  crystals and 2,600 star coins for B-grade ones."


    Ying Chenlin remained calm, "For C-grade mutated crystals, 3,700 star coins, and for B-grade, 2,700, for regular C-grade, 1,900."


    The manager furrowed his brows slightly, "Sir, are you joking? Our purchase prices here are clearly marked."


    Ying Chenlin responded, "Is there no room for negotiation?"


    In the reception area, there were already many merchants present. Crystals sent for inspection were their focus, as different anomalous crystals could fetch varying high prices. Seeing that no agreement seemed to have been reached, they walked over to take a closer look.


    The manager noticed that the man was trying to raise the price while selling a crystal and immediately felt displeased, "Sir, the merchants in the contaminated zone offer 3,300 star coins for C-grade mutated crystals."


    Before the manager could finish speaking, a large bag was suddenly placed heavily on the table.


    A dull thud echoed, hinting at the weight inside.


    The manager was taken aback for a moment, and then Ying Chenlin opened the zipper, revealing an endless pile of C-grade sharp-toothed rat  crystals inside the bag. The interplay of white and gray light immediately drew the attention of the surrounding people.


    The manager exclaimed, "What?!"


    The commotion attracted nearby merchants who were previously engaged in their own business discussions. The previous lecturing tone vanished instantly. This was the public reception area, typically used for small transactions, but with so many sharp-toothed rat  crystals appearing at once, they couldn''t sit idly by. The gazes of everyone looking at Ying Chenlin immediately changed.


    "So many C-grade sharp-toothed rat  crystals?!"


    "Wait, there are even B-grade ones among them..."


    "Have they been tested? Are there any mutated crystals?!"


    "Oh my, due to the contaminated zone incident, sharp-toothed rat  crystals have become rare. To suddenly bring out so many..."


    The manager''s expression changed drastically. Although sharp-toothed rat  crystals were C-grade crystals, they were considered intermediate materials due to their unique properties. Many mecha pilots and mecha factories favored them. These contaminated crystals only appeared in the Banute Contaminated Zone and were in high demand. Once transported to other star systems, they could be sold for a good price.


    Mecha pilots didn''t want to incur significant transportation costs, so sharp-toothed rat  crystals were usually sold to merchants or auction houses. For example, they would sell regular C-grade sharp-toothed rat  crystals for 1,800 star coins, which could fetch 2,200 star coins in other star systems, leaving a net profit of 300 star coins after deducting transportation costs.


    Moreover, sharp-toothed rat  crystals rarely appeared in large quantities, and their prices in the Sirius market had always remained stable.


    Having so many sharp-toothed rat  crystals at once could only mean one thing ¨C a huge business opportunity ah!


    One of the nearby merchants couldn''t resist and said, "Brother, 1,900 star coins for C-grade sharp-toothed rat  crystals and 2,700 for B-grade. Sell them all to me."


    "Offering 20 star coins more than him," another person chimed in.


    "I''ll pay 30 star coins more!"


    The people around couldn''t sit still. A large quantity of sharp-toothed rat  crystals had flooded the market, and considering the current situation in the Banute Contaminated Zone... If they could intercept this batch of goods, the profits would far surpass finding one or two mutated crystals.


    As the manager listened to the various offers from the crowd, beads of sweat formed on his forehead. If only they had brought out these crystals earlier! With such a significant business opportunity, would he have bothered bringing the person to the public reception area?


    Seeing the increasing interest of the surrounding people, the higher-ups of the auction house took notice and hurriedly approached to assess the situation.


    The senior management decided to relocate and negotiate the price in a quieter place. Ying Chenlin didn''t want to waste too much time at the auction house. With so many crystals, he didn''t have the time to negotiate with other merchants. The best option to quickly get a high price in star coins was the high-level auction house of Sirius.


    The crystals were sent for professional machine testing at the auction house. While waiting, the senior management engaged in small talk with Ying Chenlin to gather information. However, this gentleman was obviously not an ordinary mecha pilot; he didn''t fall for any of the small talk. Having so many sharp-toothed rat  crystals implied he must have killed numerous creatures in the Contaminated Zone. This person was definitely a high-level mecha pilot.


    The senior management was secretly amazed. Other individual merchants or organizations in Sirius might not be able to present so many sharp-toothed rat  crystals. Operating this business through their auction house and selling them to companies in urgent need would undoubtedly bring in huge profits.


    The test results were quickly released, and Ying Chenlin immediately said, "Name your price."


    After considering the previous offers, the senior management replied, "We''ll buy C-grade sharp-toothed rat  crystals at 2,000 star coins each, and B-grade at 2,900 star coins each. You have a total of 25 C-grade and 17 B-grade crystals, which adds up to 99,300 star coins."


    "Three mutated C-grade crystals, we''ll buy at 3,600 star coins each... Also, one mutated B-grade crystal." The senior management noticed the unique B-grade crystal in the batch. Though it didn''t have any anomalous abilities, its traits were close to A-Class, and many alliance teams would buy such materials to build A-Class or championship-grade mechas.


    The senior management offered, "We can pay you 20,000 star coins for it. What do you think?"


    Ying Chenlin didn''t respond immediately, leaving the senior management feeling more uneasy.


    After a moment, Ying Chenlin finally spoke, "All of them for 130,000 star coins."


    The senior management was delighted at this response. The deal was quickly processed and 130,000 star coins were transferred to Ying Chenlin. The senior management observed him carefully and noticed that this young man was cautious. He left no other information at the auction house and even chose to receive the payment in person.


    The senior management handed a business card to Ying Chenlin. "Sir, if you ever want to sell crystals in the future, you can contact our auction house. Of course, we also have priority recommendation for rare materials that might interest you."


    "Thank you," Ying Chenlin said, taking the business card and leaving promptly.


    The other staff members were puzzled about why the senior management treated this person so well. The senior management explained that Ying Chenlin had agreed to sell the crystals to them in exchange for a favor. Giving him this batch of crystals was a small price to pay for recruiting such a high-level mecha pilot; it was a profitable move.


    One staff member asked, "But boss, we didn''t get his contact information. Is that okay?"


    The senior management, in a good mood after securing such a large deal, replied, "Remember this user ID. If this person comes to our auction house again, notify me immediately."


    The staff member looked at the simple ID¡ªYuan?


    ...


    When Ying Chenlin left the auction house, he noticed someone trailing behind him. The crowded market made it easy for him to lose the person, and he quickly shook them off.


    In a spacious area, Ying Chenlin flagged down a hovercar and glanced at the golden business card in his hand. It was given to him by the senior manager of the auction house. High-level auction houses like Sirius had a wide variety of materials circulating, and some lists of rare materials were exclusively available to their esteemed clients.


    "Sir, may I ask your destination?" the intelligent system of the public hover car inquired.


    Ying Chenlin snapped back to attention and replied, "Hello, I''m heading to the KID Base Building on Hope Road in Zone A of Sirius."


    Author''s Note:


    Here we go~


    Congratulations to Xiao Ying for making a profit by selling crystals!

 CH 15

    15. Component


    The corridor was quiet, with only the echoing sound of high heels.


    Inside the KID Base, Shen Xingtang had just finished a communication session with the Banute Pollution Control Bureau. She handed her luggage to Jiang Simiao, she had been busy with contaminated zone matters until today and finally had time to return to the base. "Where are those two?" she asked.


    Jiang Simiao pointed to the training room not far away.


    Shen Xingtang entered the training room and saw Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao huddled together, with a holographic display of a well-known trading website of the Union in front of them.


    "What are you both looking at?" Shen Xingtang asked.


    Ji Qingfeng didn''t lift his head. "What else can we look at? Of course, it''s materials and parts. We got two anomalous crystals this time. If they turn out to be S-grade anomalous crystals, I need to prepare materials for my wife''s weapon upgrade, which will cost a fortune."


    Lin Yao chimed in, "Da Feng, look at this, look at this."


    Shen Xingtang approached and saw the prominently displayed price on the homepage. "180,000 each?"


    Ji Qingfeng said, "If we buy three, it''s a 30% discount. Damn, it''s so tempting."


    Suddenly, he realized something and turned to look at Shen Xingtang. Immediately, his expression changed, and he said, "Ah, Boss, you''re back!"


    Shen Xingtang had indeed returned, and behind her was a trolley full of components. She pointed expressionlessly at the trolley beside her. "The ones for 180,000 are gone. You can get them for 20,000 each instead."


    The two men''s faces immediately turned sour upon hearing this.


    Shen Xingtang continued, "Don''t even think about the anomalous crystals. Both of them only turned out to be A-Class Variants after testing, not reaching S-grade."


    "What? Only A-Class after consuming the anomalous crystals!?" Ji Qingfeng couldn''t understand. "Boss, are the testing facilities you used reliable?"


    Shen Xingtang was also surprised. The two anomalous crystals had been tested, and they were confirmed to be Regeneration and Devour Variants, both at the A-Class level. Regeneration mutation was not uncommon in plant-based pollutants, but Devour, which had previously only been found in S-grade pollutants, was now showing up as A-Class. It was hard to fathom.


    "They''re reliable. Let''s talk about upgrading our weapons later," Shen Xingtang directly got to the point. "Did you cut off the power supply to the mecha the mechanic was operating during the interview the other day?"


    Ji Qingfeng nodded, "Yes, I did. Have you contacted them for the interview? I must say that the mechanic is quite impressive. Yao *b¨£o, and they did a lot of research just to come to us."


    *±¦(b¨£o) - baby/precious/treasure/basically a term of endearment. Baby Yao, how cute


    "I''ve already notified them to come over," Shen Xingtang said. "I need to go to the maintenance room. Ji Qingfeng, come with me."

 CH 16

    16. Gift


    The parts in the warehouse had been prearranged, sorted from inside to outside according to the priority of their quality. Ying Chenlin finished inspecting this section of the shelves and also did a quick search online about these parts. Even though these A-Class parts might not be the most expensive or top-notch ones, they represented the level of mid-range parts commonly found in the current market.


    Ying Chenlin had some understanding of the early material market. During the time around when he was 18 years old, he often entered the contaminated zone to collect materials, but parts were not within his familiar range.


    During his early days when he wasn''t well-versed in repair knowledge, the mecha''s parts were handled by mechanics commissioned by Xun Bao, who helped replace the parts. Ying Chenlin was only responsible for finding materials and selling them. Later, after signing contracts with other bases, he didn''t have to think about the parts anymore, as there were people who repaired the mecha for him.


    It was after he joined the KID base that he started working on part sculpting. At that time, the prices of parts in the entire market had dropped.


    During his early days, the parts he used had low conversion rates, which was normal. However, in the KID warehouse, he rarely purchased this type of parts, and he didn''t know that the general high-grade parts on the market would have such low conversion rates.


    There was no case of purchasing low-grade parts. He knew that at this time, the parts had not undergone further iterations, nor had they reached the level of parts five or six years later. He just didn''t expect the conversion rate of this type of parts to be so poor.


    He thought at most there would be a 5% difference, but he didn''t expect it to be nearly 10%.


    Ying Chenlin padded the parts in his hand and slowly released a thread of psychic power from his right fingertip into the parts. He closed his eyes slightly, and his consciousness followed the psychic power into the intricate interior of the parts, leaving no detail overlooked.


    [Shen Xingtang: I forgot to tell you that you can take the parts from the back of the shelves. There is an index on the intelligent system in the warehouse, and I have already entered your permission. The things are a bit messy, thank you for your hard work.]


    When Ying Chenlin opened his eyes, he noticed the message Shen Xingtang sent five minutes ago. He turned slightly and looked towards the deep interior of the warehouse, murmuring, "The workload is a bit large, but it''s manageable."


    He put the light brain in the cart next to him, grabbed the handle, and walked straight into the warehouse''s interior.


    Back in the temporary repair room, Shen Xingtang was still working. After finishing the treatment of the mecha''s right wound and not seeing Ying Chenlin coming out, she briefly sorted out other issues with the mecha.


    After finishing everything, there was no movement from the warehouse. Shen Xingtang felt puzzled; indeed, the warehouse was quite messy... but could it be that hard to find something?


    Coming down from the mecha, Shen Xingtang intended to check the situation in the warehouse. Just then, Jiang Simiao stepped into the repair room and said, "Xingtang, the supplier we contacted last time called. They said the price of the batch of parts we need for the next season will increase."


    "Increase?" Shen Xingtang halted in her tracks. "I didn''t even negotiate with them, and they have the audacity to raise the price?"


    "Yes," Jiang Simiao helplessly nodded. "They mentioned the recent incident in the contaminated zone. You know it''s currently sealed off, causing a scarcity of materials in the market. That''s the reason they provided."


    "How much are they raising it by?" Shen Xingtang asked.


    Jiang Simiao made a gesture to indicate the amount.


    Shen Xingtang couldn''t help but laugh in frustration. "Are they crazy?"


    Jiang Simiao replied, "They want us to give them an answer tonight."


    Shen Xingtang''s expression wasn''t pleasant. As she walked towards the warehouse with Jiang Simiao, she continued speaking, "This price is unacceptable. Besides, the contaminated zone is only sealed off for a few days, and the prices are high only during this period. They are trying to take advantage of the fact that we urgently need parts for the mecha repairs."

 CH 17

    "What kind of business?" Ying Chenlin looked at Shen Xingtang.


    "A business that turns trash into treasure," Shen Xingtang replied.


    The technology of mechas was constantly evolving, especially for basic materials like parts. New models were released almost every year, and for those with high replacement rates, it was normal to have two or three new models each year. Typically, mecha teams in the mecha Alliance would frequently replace parts to maintain their mecha hardware level.


    Among the parts in A3 warehouse, some were already destined to be phased out. Once new parts were added to the inventory, the old ones could only be sold at a discounted price to recover some funds.


    However, things were different now. The parts that Ying Chenlin had re-polished had performance levels almost equivalent to the highly-priced parts in the market. In such a case, why would they go and buy those parts at a higher cost...?


    "Chenlin, you may think that using mental power for polishing is a small matter," Shen Xingtang presented the so-called scrap parts and explained, "These parts with such performance levels are priced at around 100,000 to 150,000 credits in the market."


    Ying Chenlin had foreseen it, but hearing Shen Xingtang say it out loud, he was surprised. "Higher than I expected."


    "Yes, but that''s not the main point," Shen Xingtang said with a grin, "For example, this A-GZ1456. Its current market price is around 30,000 credits each, and you alone have increased its profit margin by almost 100,000 credits. As for those so-called scrap parts of yours, you can sell them within the alliance for at least 130,000 credits each."


    "Just now, that Mr. Xu, who called, wanted to sell us parts with 3% lower precision than your scrap parts, and he dared to ask for 100,000 credits. He even intended to increase the price. Moreover, these are A-Class parts, not competition-grade parts. There are many non-professional A-Class mecha mechanics in the Star Alliance, and they also need this type of parts."


    Shen Xingtang didn''t intend to keep anything from Ying Chenlin and explained all the pros and cons. "So, do you still think mental power polishing is a small matter? Your skills are not possessed by many mechanics in the alliance."


    Jiang Simiao had been worried about the KID supplier issue before, but now, after hearing Shen Xingtang''s explanation, he also understood, "So you turned down Mr. Xu."


    The warehouse fell silent for a moment. After a while, Ying Chenlin spoke, "Do you plan to sell these scrap parts?"


    "Sis doesn''t hide anything from you. I''m a businesswoman, so I want to propose a collaboration with you," Shen Xingtang laid out the benefits and disadvantages. She wasn''t sure about Ying Chenlin''s background, but honesty was the foundation of any collaboration. She said directly, "Since it''s a collaboration, these won''t be part of the KID mechanic contract. I can sign a profit-sharing agreement with you. Everything can be discussed."


    Looking at Shen Xingtang''s earnest expression, Ying Chenlin considered that in his previous life, he had dealt with part polishing in a relatively mature technological era. Later, as the technology for mecha parts improved, the difference in commission for polishing was almost negligible. Moreover, he had spent a long time in the base, where materials were provided by KID, so he didn''t really know much about the ten-year transformation of the parts market.


    Polishing parts was just a habit he had before repairing mechas.


    "Can I make a request?" Ying Chenlin asked.

 CH 18

18. Online Shop

 CH 19

19. Detection

 CH 20

    20. Sold Out


    S-grade anomalous crystals were extremely rare, and the "Quest" institute in Sirius might not even come across one in a year. The highest level of pollution in the contaminated areas near Sirius was Level 3, and the highest-grade anomalous crystals found there were A-Class. Even if an S-grade anomalous crystal appeared, it would have been acquired by the nearby mecha bases long ago.


    Mecha pilots rarely brought anomalous crystals for testing, especially one that had never appeared in any records before¡ªan S-grade dual-attribute anomalous crystal. Such a crystal would fetch a sky-high price in an auction.


    The researcher''s gaze couldn''t help but fall on Ying Chenlin. He briefly paused on the mechanical arm. This young man seemed too young, but from the time he entered the lab until now, he had shown very few emotions on his face.


    They had received many guests for testing, some were ecstatic with the results, some regretted their choices, and even some people from the mecha bases occasionally showed emotions during the testing process.


    But it was rare to see a guest like this one who remained so calm after obtaining an S-grade anomalous crystal.


    The researcher didn''t underestimate Ying Chenlin because of his appearance. He carefully introduced, "This type of anomalous crystal is extremely rare in the Star Alliance. We can also provide assistance to the testing party. If you need to sell this anomalous crystal, we can contact suitable organizations for auction. If..."


    "No need," Ying Chenlin interrupted.


    The researcher was slightly taken aback but didn''t continue. He placed the data tablet in front of Ying Chenlin and cleared all the data in front of him. "We are obligated to protect the privacy of our clients. We have sent you the test results, and the testing report is the only copy. All the remaining data has been destroyed. If you need further assistance, you can contact us again."


    Ying Chenlin thanked him and settled the payment before leaving.


    The researcher sighed, his face showing a bit of weariness.


    A colleague came in and looked at him, "What''s wrong? Was the guest just now troublesome?"


    "Not at all," the researcher thought about the two guests he received today. Not long ago, he had received a guest who brought a pile of A-Grade anomalous crystals for testing but remained unfazed. The other guest was the one just now, who showed no reaction to the S-grade dual-attribute anomalous crystal.


    "I just feel that Sirius might not be as simple as it seems."


    Outside the testing institute, many mecha pilots were coming and going.


    Ying Chenlin passed by them, the storage device hidden in his collar collided with the mecha key. He checked the time; he had spent quite some time here, and there seemed to be other matters to attend to at the base.


    In the KID''s internal group chat, discussions were in full swing.


    His communication device rang, and Ying Chenlin called for a floating vehicle, then answered the call, "Boss."


    On the other end of the noisy communication, Juniors Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao were excited.


    Shen Xingtang''s voice was faint, "Chenlin, are you back?"


    "All our parts are sold out!"


    Ying Chenlin hesitated for a moment. So fast...?


    -*


    Half a day ago.


    After a long silence, KID''s official blog finally made a post. Fans and followers rushed to the page, expecting KID to announce information about the new season of gunner mecha pilots. To their surprise, upon entering KID''s virtual page, they were directly redirected to a newly established virtual store.


    The virtual store was located right next to KID''s virtual image in the mecha market district. On the left side, there used to be a notice board hanging the old KID recruitment for maintenance staff, but now the notice was gone, replaced by an announcement of the grand opening of the KID Parts Store.


    [New Store Grand Opening! All parts inside the venue are on sale today! Buy 3 items, get 10% off, buy 10 items, get 20% off.]


    Once they entered, they were directed to the mecha market parts street. The store was simple, with basic decoration and a few glass display cases, lacking any extra adornments, looking like an ordinary three-no store. If it weren''t for the fact that they had been redirected from the KID official blog, the netizens would have thought they were in the wrong place.


    A sense of cheapness hit them in the face, causing the netizens rushing to the store to stop in their tracks.


    "Selling parts??? KID, are you really planning to perform poorly in the next season?"


    "There''s no news about mecha pilots, and the recruitment for maintenance staff is gone. Now they are still selling A-level parts... this operation is just like a massive clearance sale before going out of business."


    "When they do clearance sales, they offer discounts. Look at what KID has hung up in the store - an A-level part is being sold for 100,000! What are they thinking?"


    Many netizens entered the store to check it out, crowding in front of the display cases to view the part information. The parts sold by KID were not made from expensive materials but were common ones that could be found in the market or shopping websites, such as A-GZ1456, A-GZ6666, and about ten other models, all of them being A-level parts. The prices ranged from 90,000 to 110,000.


    Selling these old parts, which could be found in the market for 30,000, at such high prices... Did KID lose their minds?


    "I thought they were poor but had a bottom line. Now it seems like they are both poor and have no bottom line. Even if they are selling the parts as merchandise, how can they be so expensive without any autographs?"


    "I just read the part details. Precision conversion rate of 55%? Who doesn''t know that A-GZ1456''s best quality is only 50%? Can they understand the actual performance before selling parts? There are too many fakes. I''m reporting them. Don''t trust parts that haven''t been tested by professional institutions. "


    "Let''s try buying one; after all, KID has a good reputation. They won''t run away, right?"


    The store also displayed the testing rate of the parts, but not many people believed it. There were too many fake test results circulating on the internet. More buyers preferred to trust the testing results from professional institutions rather than those provided by the store itself.


    People familiar with mechas also had some understanding of parts, especially the part models and market prices. What kind of performance and quality the parts had were well-known and clearly marked.


    Promising 55% precision for A-GZ1456 was like deceiving people who knew nothing about mechas. Besides, any mecha pilot who needed a 55% precision part would be better off spending a few more thousand to buy a genuine part from a reputable supplier.


    A lot of people rushed in to watch the fun, and for a while, they were all spewing sarcasm at the things displayed in KID''s store. However, there were also quite a few people who were planning to do some charity because of KID''s reputation.


    "Too poor. Why don''t you guys go to other bases and do live broadcasts in the contaminated zones?"


    "Even rich ladies are buying. Are you doing charity?"


    "Buying one for 100,000? Other teams'' merchandise is not as expensive, you know!"


    - *


    Manager Liu had been staking out this store for a long time. Every time he messaged the shop owner, there was no reply. Today, just as he came online, he received a notification that the store was opening. He hurriedly brought his subordinates to the shop and saw a sea of people as soon as they entered.


    This almost drove him crazy. His immediate boss, Manager Zhou, had specifically instructed him to take all the other types of parts in the inventory. Seeing so many people, he was worried that they were just here to watch and that there wouldn''t be many actual buyers.


    He squeezed his way to the front of the display cases, and thankfully, the items were still there!


    "How much are we buying, boss?" one of his subordinates asked.


    Manager Liu replied, "Of course, as Boss Zhou instructed, we''re buying all of them."


    The shop had only been open for two minutes, and several parts had already been sold.


    The items might be expensive, but people were still willing to pay for them.


    The lively scene continued for a while, but suddenly, several of the display cases went dark!


    [Store inventory sold out. Welcome to come back next time!]


    Netizens: ???


    KID''s new store had around ten types of parts on display, with a total stock of about three hundred pieces.


    However, in just a short five minutes since the opening, all of these expensive mecha parts were sold out!


    At this moment, more people squeezed into the store.


    "What the hell, isn''t this a new store? Why are there so many people today?"


    "Is our forum''s traffic really that huge? The spatial traffic in this area has been fully utilized several times!"


    "Why are all the items sold out???"


    "Who is liu84567? How did they buy everything in seconds?"


    As more and more people gathered, the mecha enthusiasts who came to watch the fun were confused. One of them quickly stopped someone and asked, "Are you stupid? You could''ve gone to another store; they sell these parts for 30,000 outside, and here they''re selling for 100,000!"


    The person who was stopped replied, "Exactly! 100,000 for a 55% conversion rate part, where is it expensive? The store next door sells a 55% conversion rate part for 120,000, and its durability isn''t as high as this one! Besides, 55% is for A+ grade parts, while this is an A-Class part! A-Class parts with a 55% conversion rate are being sold for 150,000!"


    Ordinary A-Class mechas cannot use A+ grade parts effectively because the compatibility is not enough, and the mechas are prone to problems.


    The A-GZ series was a mid-to-high-grade part, almost an A+ grade mecha''s substitute part two years ago, which has now fallen in popularity. However, it''s still one of the few parts that can be used in both A-Class and A+ grade mechas.


    A-Class parts can be used in both A-Class and A+ grade mechas, but most A+ grade parts can only be used in A+ grade mechas and are not compatible with other A-Class mechas.


    Outside, there are parts with a 55% conversion rate, but those are low-end parts meant for A+ grade mechas and belong to the A+ grade. They are made with good materials, and 55% is a common conversion rate.


    However, A-Class parts achieving a 55% conversion rate, using materials that can reach this upper limit, have greater compatibility with various mecha types, making them top-tier parts for A-Class mechas. Moreover, they are 50,000 cheaper than the market price, so who wouldn''t be tempted by such parts?


    "It might be good, but there can''t be such cheap 55% precision A-Class parts, right?" Netizens were still skeptical. "There are so many fake products on the StarNet, and their test results haven''t been verified by official authorities..."


    The person who was stopped didn''t bother to explain and just showed them a forum video before squeezing to the front desk to ask the AI shopkeeper when they would restock.


    Those who were clueless finally realized that KID indeed opened a store selling parts, but instead of asking for high prices for the parts, they were actually offering discounts. They were leveraging KID''s reputation to do charity.


    Those who missed buying parts quickly rushed to the counter to find parts, only to discover that everything was sold out, and the shop had no plans to restock. Missing the chance meant missing it entirely, with no opportunity for compensation.


    "Damn! Who bought everything?!!"


    "This shop didn''t even set a purchase limit. Does the shopkeeper know how to do business? If it were an auction, they could make even more money!"


    "I misunderstood them. They might be poor, but at least they won''t rip us off."


    "Can anyone who bought multiple parts sell me one? I happen to need this part recently."


    This incident quickly spread on the StarNet''s forums, attracting many people, but they couldn''t find the few parts sold by KID. Instead, they heard about the magical properties of those parts from the perspectives of others. Many people couldn''t afford A+ grade mechas, and the upper limit of their A-Class mechas was restricted. If there were parts that could improve precision conversion rates, they might be able to achieve better results with their modifications.


    "Which factory does KID usually cooperate with?"


    "I checked, and it turns out the models are from the Canis Major factory, but I didn''t see them selling such high conversion rate parts in Canis Major''s store."


    "Damn, does the KID base actually have part designers? Has anyone found information about this yuan?"


    "No!"


    ¡­..


    The Sirius parts market, several developers are walking out. During the off-season, it''s a time of great harvest for the parts market, and major mecha bases need a large number of parts and materials. For developers like them, getting orders from famous teams means big profits.


    "Boss Xu, didn''t you sign a contract with KID from Sirius?" someone asked Xu, which immediately angered him. Last time, he thought KID would yield, but Shen Xingtang didn''t call him back for several days. He couldn''t bring himself to find Shen Xingtang again, so the deal was still hanging. "Let''s talk about it later; the price hasn''t been negotiated."


    "You lost a big order, huh? Can your factory still sell the parts you produce?" another boss teased with a smile. "Your kind of parts can only be received by bases like KID''s. Other teams'' bases have already signed the contracts, right?"


    Boss Xu''s face darkened, but he remained silent.


    At this moment, they saw a middle-aged man surrounded by others coming out of the parts market, seemingly discussing something. Xu found the man somewhat familiar. "Who is that...?"


    "Don''t you remember?" another developer next to him said, "That''s Boss Zhou from Jianheng Technology, the well-known A-Class mecha company in our Dawn Galaxy!"


    Boss Xu suddenly realized, "Why is he personally at the parts market? Doesn''t Jianheng have its own parts factory?"


    "They do, but I heard Boss Zhou has a new project starting. Rumor has it that he wants to readjust the performance of A-Class mechas and is looking for suitable parts technology."


    The person continued, "You know that our Dawn Galaxy''s mecha technology has always been inferior to other galaxies. Jianheng is a big company here in our Dawn Galaxy, and it''s normal for them to seek some breakthroughs. You want to push those parts that aren''t A-Class race-level parts to KID, right? I remember your factory''s craftsmanship is quite good. Maybe Boss Zhou''s company..."


    Boss Xu felt somewhat tempted.


    After parting ways with the other developers, he quickly had someone arrange a meeting with Boss Zhou''s secretary. Surprisingly, not long after, they agreed to have a detailed discussion.


    "Boss, what about KID...?" one of his subordinates asked.


    The moment KID was mentioned, Boss Xu''s tone changed: "I don''t have the time to waste with Shen Xingtang."


    His subordinate hesitated and said, "But KID opened an online shop on StarNet, and they seem to be selling the parts we wholesale to them last season. It''s trending on StarNet..."


    Boss Xu: "???"

 CH 21

    21. Candidate


    On StarNet, the news about KID''s shop selling special parts had already spread.


    "Is this thing really developed by KID themselves?"


    "Yuan, this ID is unfamiliar, I''ve never heard of it."


    "Do you think KID has such a parts designer? They couldn''t even hire mechanics and mecha pilots, how could they afford to hire such designers? Why would a big shot stay in KID''s small workshop?"


    Some people were only interested in taking advantage of the opportunity to get good parts, but others had a more far-sighted vision. They realized that the technology that could raise the conversion rate of the A-GZ series parts so high could potentially revolutionize the entire parts market.


    The discussion about parts technology increased, and some commercial companies rushed over smelling the profit, but they couldn''t buy a single part. All the parts were snapped up by a certain ID, and they couldn''t find a way to obtain any for research.


    Some people turned their attention to the Sirius''s parts market, hoping to find the source of KID''s parts from there.


    ...


    In the VIP lounge of the Sirius Mecha Parts Market:


    Secretary: "Yes, Boss Xu has already taken all the parts and will deliver them to our laboratory for testing."


    Boss Zhou: "Make sure he contacts the shop and we can establish a long-term business relationship."


    After waving his hand slightly, Boss Zhou fell silent, and the secretary didn''t say anything more.


    Boss Xu was in a bad mood; he had received news before coming here that the low-priced parts they sold to KID were being resold at higher prices. Already irritated by the situation with Shen Xingtang, hearing this news made him even more displeased. He was in the middle of messaging his subordinate when he heard voices at the entrance.


    Seeing Boss Zhou from Jianheng Technology Company entering, Boss Xu immediately put on a smiling face and handed over the prepared documents.


    "Boss Xu, I heard you recently got a batch of A-Class parts and originally planned to sell them to KID, is that right?" Boss Zhou suddenly asked.


    Mentioning KID, Boss Xu''s expression became a little unnatural, but he quickly suppressed it and said, "Boss Zhou, you know how business is, sometimes things don''t work out. Look, these are the new parts from our factory, and KID was also interested in getting them from us."


    Boss Zhou didn''t speak but looked through the prepared documents. After a while, he asked, "Your parts have a conversion rate of only 53% and are A-Class parts for the A-S-class mecha?"


    Boss Xu immediately stated his advantage, "Our parts are compatible with several new A-Class mecha models."


    "Don''t you have any old A-GZ series parts?" Boss Zhou asked.


    Boss Xu smiled, "The A-GZ series is outdated, and our factory hasn''t produced them for a long time."


    After hearing this, Boss Zhou felt a little disappointed. He found out from his subordinates that the supplier behind the shop was the KID base, and the person who brought out the parts was Boss Xu. However, the parts he brought were not as good as KID''s, just common A-S class parts available in the market.


    "Sorry, Boss Xu, but we don''t need these for now," Boss Zhou declined.


    Boss Xu''s face stiffened, "Boss Zhou, we can negotiate the price."


    Not wanting to waste time, Boss Zhou waved his hand, asking the secretary to see the guest off, and then contacted Manager Liu, "Find a way to get in touch with KID. We can discuss the technology for spiritual power modification of parts with them."


    In a dim hotel room, a messy tabletop held several A-Grade anomalous crystals. A man came out of the bathroom, and the stench of pollutants was partially washed away.


    The mecha key was casually placed nearby, and upon seeing it, he said, "Today was another fruitless day. Is the Feng Shui in Sirius not favorable for finding good anomalous crystals? How come we never come across good ones?"


    You Su didn''t respond but swept all the anomalous crystals on the table into the nearby backpack. He sat on the sofa with his legs casually bent, swiping through his Light Brain. He saw the bustling rumors on the StarNet about high conversion rate parts and the mysterious designer, Yuan. KID was currently in the limelight.


    Thinking about the person he met not long ago, a trace of meaning flickered in You Su''s eyes. "It''s not that Sirius is unfavorable; it''s just that those things didn''t fall into our hands."


    The electronic voice chimed in.


    "The Contaminated Zone has nothing, we can find them somewhere else," You Su said nonchalantly, lowering the virtual screen that popped up. "I checked, and there are quite a few S-class attack-type anomalous crystals hidden in the Mecha Alliance of the Dawn Galaxy."


    The electronic voice asked, "So, do we need to find Shen Xingtang?"


    "Shen Xingtang served in the Border Army, and she has repaired S-class mecha. Finding anomalous crystals is one thing, but you also need to find a mechanic for you," You Su recalled the video he saw not long ago and the rumors on the StarNet. Shen Xingtang never mentioned anything about parts before.


    Before the electronic voice could inquire further, You Su had already grabbed his T-shirt.


    There was a huge scar on the man''s back, stretching from his left shoulder all the way down. It had not been repaired for over a year. It still remembered the scene when it was heavily hit, losing its core weapon, and You Su was injured and bedridden for a month.


    Seeing that the man had put on his clothes, covering the scar, the voice asked, "Where are we going now?"


    You Su picked up his backpack, "Sell the anomalous crystals and check out of the hotel."


    ---


    While people were investigating Yuan''s relationship with KID on the StarNet, Ying Chenlin had just returned to the base.


    "What did the doctor say when you went for the checkup today?" Shen Xingtang asked with concern.


    Ying Chenlin replied, "Everything is fine. The doctor said I need to rest."


    In the training room, four people gathered around counting money. The parts were only recently put up for sale but were quickly swept clean by a regular customer who paid a price far beyond expectations.


    Ji Qingfeng said, "Seems like the guy knows his stuff. After grabbing all the parts, he kept asking for more. The boss told me not to reveal too much, so I didn''t pay much attention to him."


    Shen Xingtang knew this business well and spoke like an experienced person, "The income from merely selling the parts is alright, but the main point is to use this opportunity to establish the reputation of KID''s new shop. Afterward, they can open auctions and set purchase limits, and the profits from that are not something a few million star coins can compare to."


    Lin Yao said, "Boss, you seem to know a lot about this?"


    Jiang Simiao cleared his throat heavily, suddenly recalling the days when someone was intensely studying online store auction and limited purchase marketing strategies with Ji Qingfeng.


    Shen Xingtang glanced at him, "I may lack experience in opening an online store, but do you think I don''t know how to do business?"


    "Regarding those parts, someone will surely dig deep to find the source, but it''s all business relations. We can leave it for now," Shen Xingtang handed the data board to Ying Chenlin, "This is today''s earnings, after deducting the costs, the profits are all here."


    Ying Chenlin hesitated, "I don''t need it."


    Shen Xingtang said displeasedly, "What do you mean, you don''t need it!? Even siblings need to keep accounts clear, not to mention that I am your boss. I won''t mistreat my employees."


    Ji Qingfeng also chimed in, "Yes, Chenlin, you must take the money. We are just helping with some small tasks, but the part modification is all your work. There''s no reason not to accept payment."


    Lin Yao nodded, "Although our base is not rich, we pay the wages promptly and never delay them."


    Ying Chenlin replied, "Fine, put it aside for now. I have a list of materials, and I''ll need your help to collect them later."


    "I''ll send you the material list, and I''ll include the remaining star coins in your salary," Shen Xingtang said, not willing to see someone not take the money. "Recently, there might be some disturbances, and there will be many inquiries. Ignore any irrelevant news."


    On the internet, everyone was discussing core technology issues, but this wasn''t fundamentally a technical problem; it was a matter of Ying Chenlin''s talent. If it were another mechanic, who would have the time and patience to use mental power to impact the interior of parts, going through twists and turns to refine the details? One slight mistake, and tens of thousands of star coins would go down the drain.


    Shen Xingtang had also attempted it in the last few days but hadn''t succeeded.


    She wasn''t sure about other things, but Ying Chenlin''s skill in refining parts was not something learned haphazardly; instead, it required excellent patience, knowledge of part performance, and precise control of mental power.


    These were all matters of experience that couldn''t be mastered in just a decade or so.


    Shen Xingtang looked at Ying Chenlin with slight curiosity. The kid was so young; where did he acquire such skills? Moreover, she couldn''t fully understand him; she felt like he knew everything, yet he didn''t seem to have any guards up against her, as if he always trusted her.


    Ji Qingfeng said, "Can we increase the budget for refining weapon materials?"


    Lin Yao stared at Shen Xingtang, his eyes gleaming with hope.


    "Regarding the parts, the funds do seem abundant now," Shen Xingtang replied, coming back to reality. "We can indeed increase the budget for the weapons."


    Ying Chenlin looked at the people around him. Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao were visibly delighted, and Shen Xingtang had a relaxed smile on her face.


    With a glance at the simple KID base, Ying Chenlin''s mind recalled the files he had seen before.


    The files on KID''s entire team going missing.


    Ying Chenlin didn''t have a clear memory of the details in the files, and he only vaguely remembered Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao after seeing them in person. However, he could be certain that it happened within the past two years, likely during the 8th round of the first star domain''s Dawn Galaxy Tournament. The personnel of KID''s team at that time should include Ji Qingfeng''s group.


    Ying Chenlin could only remember some scattered details from the files, and most of the information was later revealed through public reports on the StarNet, causing a huge sensation.


    After the accident, a joint investigation team from several star domains conducted an investigation and filed a report. The accident occurred in the Contaminated Zone [FS], which was one of the high-risk Contaminated Zones in the Dawn Galaxy. [FS] was an important Contaminated Zone often used for league tournaments, and it was considered relatively stable, so the accident caught everyone by surprise.


    After the incident, [FS] was completely sealed off, becoming the most severe contamination accident in the history of the Star Alliance League, shocking the entire Star Alliance.


    During the subsequent investigation, the joint investigation team found traces of suspected pollutants after sending people for in-depth investigations multiple times. After comprehensive investigations, one of the core reasons that led to the accident was the appearance of a super S-class pollutant called [Black Hole].


    This pollutant was classified as super S-class because the extent of its impact was incalculable.


    Before Ying Chenlin''s rebirth, [Black Hole] had only appeared twice, and the Star Alliance could only predict its presence through contamination levels. It almost ignored the Star Alliance''s containment measures, and the only certain thing was that it only appeared in Contaminated Zones with a contamination level above 6000.


    If this lifetime followed the original trajectory, the fact that [Black Hole] appeared in the [FS Contaminated Zone] might happen again.


    "What are you daydreaming about?" Lin Yao looked at You Su.


    Ying Chenlin snapped back, "Just thinking about something."


    As he spoke, Shen Xingtang''s light brain lit up, and she glanced at it before rejecting the call.


    Jiang Simiao asked, "Is it Boss Xu again...?"


    "Someone surnamed Xu, trying to sell me parts again."


    Shen Xingtang didn''t need any more parts at the moment. This person had called several times today, seemingly trying to inquire about something. She had seen enough of this type and didn''t want to waste time arguing, so she said, "Let''s talk later."


    Before she could finish her sentence, Shen Xingtang''s light brain lit up again.


    "Why is it ringing again?" Shen Xingtang was about to hang up, but when she saw the caller ID, she paused. Immediately, she got up and walked to the side to answer the call.


    While the others were discussing the next arrangements, Ji Qingfeng asked, "Are Huo Ge and Xi *Mei coming back soon?"


    *mei - younger girl


    "It''s almost time. The vacation is about to end," Jiang Simiao replied.


    Ying Chenlin knew these two people; they had been repairing mechas in the KID base these days. He had also looked at the profiles of the mecha mechanics in the base, Huo Yan and Lu Xi, who were also KID''s league mecha mechanics.


    Hearing that, he realized that the position of KID''s base Artillery mecha was still vacant. Who was it according to the files again...?


    Ying Chenlin recalled for a moment and suddenly remembered something.


    Ji Qingfeng suddenly spoke, "By the way, Sanshui, has the candidate for the Artillery mecha been decided?"


    Before Jiang Simiao could reply, a voice came from behind.


    "It''s been decided." Shen Xingtang came in from the doorway with a smile on her face. "I just received a call, and they''ll report here tomorrow."


    Author''s Note:


    Here it is! Wishing You Ge a smooth reporting tomorrow, and there will be little red envelopes in the comment section~


    --------------------------------


    Let me recommend my friend''s new book, "No Dolls Allowed [Infinite]" by Chun Fengyao (It''s great! There are plenty of chapters! You can dive right into it!)


    The past experiences made Wen Shi no longer believe in anyone.


    The only one he could trust in this world was himself.


    ****


    Wen Shi was unexpectedly pulled into an infinite game.


    [Congratulations, player, for awakening the ''I Am Who I Am'' skill.


    I Am Who I Am: Spend one hundred star coins to summon a version of ''me'' from a parallel world.]


    Wen Shi was indifferent, "Summoning someone to their death?"


    Until...


    During a terrifying night at the haunted castle, the owner of the castle demanded to find the perfect bride. Before that, he would dispose of one player every night.


    The background story that was originally plain and ordinary completely collapsed when Wen Shi summoned a girl with a long sword.


    The girl affectionately called Wen Shi "little brother" while pointing the tip of the sword at the castle''s owner''s forehead.


    From that day on, the castle''s owner became completely terrified of marriage.


    At the contaminated apartment, Wen Shi accidentally summoned a sickly heartthrob.


    The weak heartthrob knocked on every door, smiling at the indescribable residents, "Will you take care of me?"


    On the Ghost Month''s 15th day, when ghosts roamed the streets, Wen Shi looked at the zombies he had summoned.


    Wen Shi: "Come, repeat after me. Ghosts roam the streets, and it''s very dangerous. We have to hide first."


    Zombie: "Gho-ghost, the food is very fragrant."


    Wen Shi: "We need to hide!"


    Zombie angrily said, "Hungry, food, no picky!"


    ****


    No friends? We''ll be your friends.


    No family? We''ll be your family.


    Wen Shi found the warmth of humanity again and encountered romantic love.


    After dating for a while, Wen Shi shyly said, "My family wants to meet you."


    The savage Boss, who was a Level 10 social phobic, asked, "How many?"


    "A tiny bit."


    Note: The versions of ''us'' from parallel worlds are of different ages and genders, with distinct personalities. Everyone is an independent individual.

 CH 22

    22. Mad Dog


    A certain name flashed through his mind just now, but when he tried to recall it carefully, he couldn''t remember anymore.


    He had seen too many records of mechs in the KID base, some he recognized, some he didn''t, and a lot of information was mixed together. He only remembered that particular record because of that incident.


    He recalled that there seemed to be something marked with an electronic pen next to the record of the KID Artillery mecha pilot.


    What was it? He lowered his head in thought.


    The others chased after Shen Xingtang, asking who the new Artillery mecha pilot was. Shen Xingtang simply replied that they would find out tomorrow, adding to the mystery.


    "I felt the last Artillery mecha pilot was quite mysterious. Could it be the one Tang jie mentioned?" Ji Qingfeng pulled Jiang Simiao into gossip.


    Jiang Simiao forced a smile and said, "It''s probably him."


    Lin Yao excitedly said, "That guy is amazing! I feel he''s more reliable than Xu Yaojun!"


    Ji Qingfeng asked, "Has that brother competed in our league before? I saw news about transfers in the last transfer window, and it seems all the mecha pilots transferring to the Dawn Galaxy have been confirmed. Could he be an external reinforcement from another star domain or galaxy?"


    Jiang Simiao didn''t know how to explain to them and finally said, "The new Artillery mecha pilot is not from another galaxy; he is of Chinese descent. He used to be a mecha pilot in the Dawn Galaxy but retired due to some reasons, so there was no news of him in the transfer window."


    "Retired? Tang jie wouldn''t find someone older, would she?" Ji Qingfeng said.


    "...Are you discriminating against older people?" Jiang Simiao responded.


    "Of course not! I didn''t even mention Old Huo, who''s 28. Men become more attractive as they age," Ji Qingfeng fluently added, "Tang jie is just giving him a chance to get reemployed with us."


    "He''s only 24," Jiang Simiao felt a headache, "Forget it, you''ll find out when he comes tomorrow."


    Ying Chenlin sat beside them, listening to their conversation. After a while, his neural implant buzzed; it was time for his medication. He excused himself and returned to his room.


    This kind of silent departure had happened many times. In the past few days, Ying Chenlin had either stayed in the maintenance room or his bedroom in the base. Everyone in the base was familiar with each other, but they weren''t used to dealing with such a reserved and quiet technician. Ji Qingfeng, in particular, felt a bit uncomfortable, "Is Lin *Di not used to the pace here?"


    *di - younger brother


    Jiang Simiao couldn''t hold back and said, "You''re even calling him ''Di''?"


    "He''s younger than me, and I call Lin Yao ''Baobei.'' It''s fine," Ji Qingfeng shrugged.


    Lin Yao nodded, not feeling anything wrong with the titles. "Is he not in good health? We don''t have a doctor here in the base, and I saw him injecting medication last time."


    Jiang Simiao remained silent, and he also had some doubts about Ying Chenlin''s background, along with Shen Xingtang. However, since he was willing to share such important technical knowledge with them, their sincerity was enough; suspecting others was unkind.


    Besides, after spending these days together, Ying Chenlin turned out to be a man of few words. Shen Xingtang also emphasized that he was still a KID, so they should take care of him when possible.


    "The medication he''s injecting should be a neural regulator. Changing prosthetics isn''t as easy as you think. If the fusion isn''t high, the pain at the amputation site is persistent," Jiang Simiao advised, "You two strong guys, try not to bump into him, okay?"


    Lin Yao: "Sure, no problem!"


    Ji Qingfeng: "You can trust us to handle it."


    "...," Jiang Simiao still couldn''t completely trust them, "Anyway, did today''s training plan meet the standard? Hurry up and go, don''t waste time here."


    After saying this, Jiang Simiao left, leaving Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao alone.


    "I feel like Lin Di knows a lot. The other day, I kept telling Tang jie that sometimes I can''t fully utilize the firepower on the right leg of my artillery mecha. She said she fixed that issue, but I tried a few times and still faced the problem," Lin Yao recalled their time in the maintenance room a few days ago, "At that time, Lin Di happened to be nearby, and he said something to Tang jie, and she realized the problem."


    "Yeah, now that you mention it, do you remember what happened to the right arm of my mecha last time?" Ji Qingfeng pondered, "Lin Di was also concerned about that."


    The communication between artillery mecha pilots and maintenance technicians had barriers; sometimes, the things they described would turn into something else on the mechanic''s side. The previous corpt mechanic in the base was also like that. Whenever they mentioned an issue, the technician would get irritated and say, "Amateurs should not guide the professionals," leaving them unsure whether they should speak up or not.


    Lin Yao grabbed a snack and nodded while eating, "Ah, right, right."


    Ji Qingfeng glanced at him, "Why are you including Di now?"


    Lin Yao confidently replied, "I''m 20! I''m two years older than him!"


    Ji Qingfeng looked at Lin Yao''s small stature and couldn''t help but think that this person didn''t look like a 20-year-old. However, when he thought of Ying Chenlin''s situation, he always felt that Ying Chenlin had some secrets, as if he knew much more than they did.


    Unaware of others discussing him, Ying Chenlin returned to his room when it was time for his medication. After injecting the medication, he didn''t return to the meeting room.


    He went to the medical station and got some extra medication. He wouldn''t need to go out for the next two months.


    Ying Chenlin briefly packed his belongings before focusing on the S-class dual-attribute energy crystal. Dual-attribute crystals were indeed rare, and in his many years as a maintenance technician, he could count the number of S-class dual-attribute crystals he had encountered on one hand. Each one was worth a fortune and was usually snatched up by well-known mecha bases from other star domains.


    Ying Chenlin infused his mental power into the energy crystal. The crystal floated slightly but quickly sank back down.


    As expected, an S-class energy crystal could only be assembled as the core material of a competition-grade mecha weapon. It was challenging to control it individually without S-class mental power support.


    There were also dozens of S-class mental power users in the First Star Domain mecha Alliance.


    Now, thinking back to the time in the Banute Contaminated Zone, where so many mecha pilots gathered, it was probably not just because of the two cohabiting A-class mutated pollutants. The real reason was likely this energy crystal, which had caught the attention of the Banute Contaminated Zone Management Bureau.


    Thinking of this, Ying Chenlin decided that after the Contaminated Zone reopened, he would find an opportunity to go back in.


    Revealing the S-class energy crystal was not convenient. Before it was dealt with, it might be detected by contamination value fluctuations in the detector. With this in mind, Ying Chenlin put the S-class energy crystal into a password-protected storage device that could block physical detection and attached it to his mecha key.


    Looking at the black and red mecha key, his eyes darkened, "It might take a while longer."


    The mecha key showed no other response. Without S-class mental power support, it was impossible to activate Yuan'' intelligence.


    Ying Chenlin put the key aside and took out the materials that he hadn''t processed or polished yet. He had processed most of the materials brought out by Banute, and the S-class energy crystal currently had no use, so he could only leave it aside. He planned to find Shen Xingtang tomorrow and give her the list of materials he needed.


    Thinking of this, he released a bit of mental power.


    His mental power revolved around the materials, swiftly following his commands. Ying Chenlin watched the materials move constantly and glanced at the time indicator on his neural implant.


    Time decreased.


    Working with many components in the KID base these days, he noticed that processing materials was faster than before. What used to take three minutes for a step now only took two minutes.


    However, calling upon his mental power was still stiff, and he couldn''t use too much at once. The symptoms of mental power depletion showed no signs of improvement... Ying Chenlin believed that practice makes perfect, but even in his past life, after processing so many components, he never experienced such symptoms. Could it be because he had undergone genetic surgery for the disease in advance?


    "I''m giving up, I don''t want to think about it anymore."


    "It''s good that my mental power has improved. At least some things are easier to handle now."


    Ying Chenlin didn''t dwell on it any further and continued to focus on processing the materials.


    Late at night, the black and red key on the bedside table was next to the storage device. At one moment, it emitted a faint light, but quickly disappeared as if nothing had happened.


    Suddenly, Ying Chenlin opened his eyes.


    He was sweating, and the panic from his disturbing dream still lingered.


    There were no windows in the underground base, and the indoor lights adjusted with time.


    It had been a long time since he last had nightmares.


    Ying Chenlin sat up and thought of getting some water from the water dispenser when he noticed some movement.


    At 4 o''clock in the morning, in the corridor, a suitcase was being dragged on the floor.


    Jiang Simiao was holding a bunch of bedding, with his glasses askew and his hair disheveled, following two people in front of him tirelessly.


    Shen Xingtang was in her pajamas, her hair was also messy.


    "So, why did you come over in the middle of the night!?"


    "Something delayed me, and I checked out of the hotel room."


    "Couldn''t you just extend one more night?"


    "Lazy."


    Shen Xingtang''s voice carried a hint of weariness, "Keep your voice down, the walls in this area were temporarily set up, so the soundproofing is not great."


    The two of them reached the end of the corridor, and Shen Xingtang used her access to open a room.


    You Su''s gaze fell on the cramped sleeping quarters, and he paused at the door. Shen Xingtang noticed and said, "Other things haven''t been prepared yet. I was planning to wait for you to arrive in the morning and then add whatever you need. Just send me a message if you''re missing anything related to the base."


    You Su''s voice was indifferent, "I won''t intentionally bully anyone."


    "As if you could." Shen Xingtang directly grabbed the bedding from Jiang Simiao''s hands and stuffed it into You Su''s arms. "Just go in and rest. I''ll explain the base''s matters to you tomorrow."


    At this moment, a door opening sound came from behind.


    Shen Xingtang turned back, and at the half-opened door on the opposite side, a sleepy-looking young man stood, with a few strands of hair sticking up, obviously just waking up.


    "Sister Tang." When Ying Chenlin saw Shen Xingtang, he slightly pushed the door.


    His gaze swept past Shen Xingtang and Jiang Simiao, finally resting on the other unfamiliar man.


    The man was also looking over, casually holding the bedding in his hands, his eyes particularly dark.


    Ying Chenlin slightly cleared his mind and looked at him puzzled.


    Shen Xingtang introduced, "This is our new artillery mecha pilot in the team, who will be living in the room opposite you from tomorrow. His name is You Su."


    "You Su...?" The name from the vague file seemed to become clearer in Ying Chenlin''s mind.


    Shen Xingtang continued introducing, "This is our newly arrived mechanic in the team, Ying Chenlin."


    You Su looked at him, and his gaze swiftly passed over his mechanical arm, "Hello, nice to meet you."


    In Ying Chenlin''s mind, a brief memory resurfaced.


    The old files he had read became clearer. In the gaps between the records of the artillery mecha pilots in the KID archives, someone had used an electronic pen to scribble a line:


    ¡ª¡ªYou Su,Trace, mad dog.


    Author¡¯s Note:


    You Su is a character with a complicated identity, and the details will be revealed later. Two more mecha pilots from KID will make their debut~

 CH 23

    23. Emergency


    Ying Chenlin nodded slightly, his expression unchanged, "Hello, Mr. You."


    Upon hearing such a polite address, Shen Xingtang smiled, "He''s not much older than you, you can just call him You Su directly."


    You Su observed the mechanic in front of him. Indeed, his youthful face could be mistaken for that of a child. He had a tender appearance, a slender figure, and was only of average height. Placed elsewhere, he would be seen as an underage KID. Perhaps due to just waking up, there was a small red mark on the side of his face, making his fair complexion look even paler.


    Aside from these, his right hand was a mechanical limb that extended up to his elbow joint, perfectly blending with his skin.


    Although his slender arm revealed a thin layer of muscles, it was evident that his physical condition was not as poor as his appearance suggested.


    While You Su was sizing up the other person, Ying Chenlin was also observing him.


    Artillery mecha pilot, mad dog.


    Ying Chenlin didn''t know the meaning behind that annotation, but he could confirm that the person before him was the artillery mecha pilot from KID in his previous life. He also had an accident during the black hole incident, but why was there an additional line of words in his file?


    Ying Chenlin brushed away his doubts and noticed that others were holding things in their hands. He asked, "Do you need any help?"


    "No need, we''ll prepare the things tomorrow," Shen Xingtang patted the KID''s shoulder, "Go to bed. You need enough rest for a good recovery."


    After saying that, she glanced at You Su, "Pack up and get some rest. We''ll sign the contract when you wake up."


    You Su withdrew his gaze and entered the room with the bedding in his arms.


    Ying Chenlin didn''t linger and only noticed the mecha necklace around You Su''s neck when he closed the door.


    As the door closed, the room returned to silence, with only a faint sound lingering.


    Ying Chenlin took a sip of water, opened his light brain, and searched the Star Web for ''Trace'' following his memory.


    Soon, a page popped up with some information about the mecha pilot You Su.


    During the daytime, outside the KID base conference room, Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao stood together, one of them staring at the data list and repeatedly confirming a certain ID. Going back to yesterday, they were excited about the arrival of the new artillery mecha pilot in the team, but now they wished they had a chance to stop Shen Xingtang''s reckless behavior.


    Ji Qingfeng asked for the fifth time, "Are we not mistaken?"


    Lin Yao widened his eyes, carefully comparing the data on the light brain, "No mistake, it''s him. He seems even more difficult to deal with than a few years ago."


    Jiang Simiao held the data and said, "Since the new mecha pilot has come to the base, let''s maintain a friendly attitude. You know that we are in a difficult situation. Now that we finally have a new mecha pilot coming in, let''s give it some time for adaptation."


    Ji Qingfeng pointed at the light brain and asked, "Sanshui, can you say that it''s friendly looking at this data?"


    "Wasn''t the last cooperation with him not very pleasant?" Jiang Simiao raised his glasses and patiently persuaded, "Moreover, the information written on the data is from five years ago. Who didn''t have a rebellious period in their youth?"


    You Su, ID: Trace.


    Registered former mecha pilot of the Dawn Alliance, proficient in artillery mecha, served for half a year before applying for retirement, with dual S physique, possessing an S-class mecha named [Theo].


    In the star calendar year 1239, he registered as a mecha pilot in the mecha Alliance, with a background in artillery mecha. He was active in various Contaminated Zones all year round, standing out as a lone wolf and known as the number one in the First Star Domain for single-handedly clearing half a Contaminated Zone.


    In 1240, due to his exceptional talent, he was hired by the Fei Base as an artillery mecha pilot. He had a solitary playstyle and a peculiar personality. In the same year, he received a six-month suspension from the mecha Alliance due to three consecutive penalties. Finally, he retired from Fei and never participated in the mecha Alliance again.


    Newcomers in the mecha Alliance may not be familiar with the name You Su, but they must have heard of the ID "Trace" because of his aggressive and crazy playstyle. He modified extreme artillery mechas and, on the field, he would shoot through both teammates and enemies, forcing the Alliance to modify the mecha elimination mechanism from 90% damage to 80%, making him the first mecha pilot to force the mecha Alliance to change its rules.


    Ji Qingfeng''s back turned cold, "The teammate he shot through last time seems to be a Stealth mecha."


    Lin Yao politely asked, "Will our base be fined? We only started implementing fines for violations two years ago. Wasn''t it a few thousand for breaking the league rules?"


    Ji Qingfeng replied, "Currently, the highest fine imposed is 20."


    Although I haven''t heard much about You Su in recent years, someone who would play with an S-class mecha core weapon until it''s scrapped... doesn''t seem like a good person to mess with. Jiang Simiao remembered this and suddenly felt a bit uneasy, glancing nervously towards the conference room door.


    Inside the conference room, with the door slightly ajar, people crowded outside as Shen Xingtang looked expressionlessly at You Su and pointed to the clearly written contract, saying, "Let''s get this clear first. If you violate the rules, you''ll pay the fines yourself. This base won''t reimburse you because we''re broke."


    You Su signed his name and asked, "Will mecha repairs be reimbursed?"


    Shen Xingtang asked, "The mechas are handed over to the base for management. What''s wrong with Theo?"


    When You Su pulled off the mecha necklace from his neck and placed it on the table, the S-class mecha Theo lit up friendlily. However, although it lit up, Theo didn''t make any sound, and You Su simply explained, "Ambushed by a super S-class mutated pollutant in the Frontier Contaminated Zone."


    Hearing "Frontier Contaminated Zone," Shen Xingtang took a sharp breath.


    As of now, the Star Alliance has developed and its territory includes five-star domains, each managed jointly by the highest executive officer of the respective star domain and its affiliated alliances, all of which maintain a friendly relationship to uphold the interstellar alliance.


    With the current peaceful development of society and the prevalence of mecha era, the only unstable factor is the Contaminated Zone.


    The initial responsibility of the mecha Alliance was to ensure the safety of the Contaminated Zones within the Star Alliance territory. Besides the well-known mecha Alliance League, the main task of active professional mecha pilots was to assist the managers of each star system in maintaining the living environment.


    That is the regular clearance of the Contaminated Zones.


    Through clearance, part of the resources is used for the development of the Star Alliance, while also stabilizing the rapid mutation of the Contaminated Zones.


    Mecha pilots can enter the ordinary Contaminated Zones, which are managed by a bureau for regular inspections and maintenance to ensure that the Contaminated Zones do not interfere with the normal life of citizens, and mecha pilots can freely enter and collect resources.


    There are two types of Contaminated Zones that mecha pilots cannot enter freely: high-risk Contaminated Zones and Frontier Contaminated Zones.


    High-risk Contaminated Zones are high-risk areas with unpredictable risks, with a pollution value of over 6000. The opening time requires multiple evaluations by the Star Alliance, and in most cases, non-active-duty mecha pilots are not allowed to enter.


    The Frontier Contaminated Zone, on the other hand, is an unknown area currently not under the management of the Star Alliance. It is located outside the five major star domains of the Star Alliance, an illegal area, and contains pollution sources with unpredictable strengths, full of dangers, usually guarded by the Star Alliance military''s mecha troops.


    Shen Xingtang never expected that You Su would dare to enter such a place alone. Going to that kind of place, even a slight mistake could cost him his life, let alone a single mecha.


    "You are truly crazy," Shen Xingtang pinched her brow, "I will keep an eye out for S-class materials for you, but they may not be available, I will try my best."


    You Su didn''t seem too concerned about it and asked, "Have you managed the mechas for the league?"


    "In the base, there are spare A-grade mechas. We can modify them into league-level ones in time." Shen Xingtang thought about it, feeling a headache coming on again. There were too many messes to deal with. Seeing that You Su had finished signing the documents, she packed up her things and said, "Let''s go to the repair room and take a look."


    In the repair room, Ying Chenlin had just come out of the mecha cockpit.


    Last night, a new member joined KID, so the repair room was unusually quiet, even Ji Qingfeng, who occasionally liked to visit, hadn''t come.


    Ying Chenlin finished checking several league-level mechas, and the most severely damaged ones had already been repaired. The important core components had also been replaced. As he was about to manually initiate the self-checking program, he suddenly noticed several drafts piled beside the program station.


    The drafts were messy, with some data recorded on top, written in Shen Xingtang''s handwriting.


    In addition to the data, there were detailed three-dimensional diagrams of weapons, with annotations and circles around each part. It was evident that the owner of the drafts had been busy with this matter.


    While the basic mecha parts and repair issues were solved, there was a bigger problem at hand¡ªthe leaked mecha confidential data from the former base mechanic.


    Each mecha had precise system core data, including vast amounts of information from the mecha''s basics to its core. Once leaked, it meant exposing the mecha''s weaknesses to others for calculation. These weaknesses were not visible to the naked eye but could be accurately determined through data calculations, such as the vulnerable armor plates and weapon attack intervals.


    Without being able to determine how much data the former mechanic had leaked, KID''s only option was to redo the mecha''s weak points. This was a colossal workload, and it was unclear if they could complete it before the season started. Furthermore, the coordination between the redone mechas and the mecha pilots was also crucial.


    During this period, Ying Chenlin noticed that Shen Xingtang had been frequently communicating with the two mecha pilots in the base, knowing that she was worried about the weapons. She had even consulted the mecha weapon designer with the blueprints a while ago.


    Ying Chenlin picked up the blueprints and scanned the details on the draft. As he flipped through a few pages, he reached the last one, which contained data on the two A+ mutated energy crystals that KID had obtained recently.


    Through testing, it was revealed that the two energy crystals had abilities of Devour and Regeneration. However, compared to the S-grade Devour, the bud''s Devour effect was weaker. As for the Nine Dragons Rattan''s Regeneration ability, it was stronger than the plant-type pollutants registered by the Star Alliance.


    Looking at the blueprints, Shen Xingtang intended to keep the Devour energy for the weapon, but she had no idea how to use the Regeneration energy.


    Currently, the core of mecha weapons was the energy crystal, which could bring outstanding effects to the weapons. For example, using Devour energy crystals for shield-type weapons could effectively absorb frontal damage, making it a top configuration for tank mechas.


    However, the position of the Regeneration energy crystal was somewhat awkward. Its main application on weapons was for the mecha to regenerate reserve energy, but using it on offensive weapons would be a waste of core energy.


    It was now late September, and the team mecha competition''s off-season would end in November. Redesigning the weapons for each mecha was unlikely, and even if they asked Ying Chenlin to do it, he felt there wasn''t enough time.


    Thinking of this, Ying Chenlin casually picked up an electronic pen beside the program station. He swiped open the three-dimensional weapon system and quickly sketched the initial shape of the weapon, which was the combat blade Shen Xingtang prepared for Ji Qingfeng''s mecha based on the drafts.


    After pondering for a moment, he made a quick stroke downward from the tip of the blade, turning the original straight blade into a curved one.


    Completely redoing it was impossible, but by modifying some core data based on the weapon''s style, they could render the exposed data useless.


    This part was relatively simple.


    Outside the corridor, Shen Xingtang led You Su towards the repair room. "Four of the league-level mechas are already fixed. What''s left is the core data. During this time, I''ll pay attention to the materials and see if I can replicate the weapon style of Theo for you, making it more comfortable for you to use."


    Of course, the best solution would be for You Su to pilot his own mecha, but Shen Xingtang wasn''t confident in fixing an S-grade mecha, and the materials were currently insufficient.


    After a while, Shen Xingtang''s pocket communicator buzzed, and she hesitated slightly, saying, "You go in first, I''ll take a call."


    You Su pushed open the door and as soon as he entered, he saw a figure with their back turned not far away.


    A young man was sitting in front of the program station, seemingly sketching something.


    You Su didn''t walk in but stopped at the doorway. His gaze swept from head to toe, observing the person for a few seconds. The young man at the program station noticed the movement, turned his head, and looked over.


    Ying Chenlin also noticed the footsteps behind him, thinking it might be Shen Xingtang coming over until he saw the man at the door. The man was dressed in simple gray casual clothes today, a far cry from his appearance earlier covered in dust in the early morning. He now appeared to be neat and clean.


    The man had a cold and stern expression, standing nearly 1.9 meters tall, exuding an indescribable aura. He seemed like a mercenary mecha pilot who frequently operated in the contaminated zones, lacking the formal demeanor of a mecha pilot from a legitimate league.


    Though somewhat laid-back, his behavior seemed relatively normal for now, without any signs of "madness."


    Ying Chenlin stood up, "Mr. You."


    You Su looked at him, and his thin lips slightly parted, "JD1456."


    Upon hearing the mecha number, Ying Chenlin''s eyes flickered, and his eyebrows subtly furrowed.


    Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside the door, followed by the emergency mission alarm inside the base.


    Both of them turned their gaze towards the warning lights. Shen Xingtang pushed open the partially closed door of the repair room, her expression serious, "There''s an urgent mission. We have to go to the Contaminated Zone on Tianyu Star."


    The Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone Management Bureau reported an anomaly within the Contaminated Zone. Numerous detection devices malfunctioned, and communication was lost with personnel. They requested assistance from KID Base''s mecha pilots.


    As the alarm sounded, the other three members of the team quickly arrived.


    Lin Yao, "Ah? The Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone?"


    Ji Qingfeng, "Isn''t that place far from us? How come we are qualified to go in! I remember the nearby mecha bases are Gale and YDS, right? Aren''t we going there to compete for resources?"


    The Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone was located on the edge of the Shuguang Galaxy, within a Level 4 Contaminated Zone, with an average pollution value of over 5000. It was filled with A-Grade pollutants. Due to its constantly unstable pollution levels, it had always been under the management of the Central Contaminated Zone Management Bureau in the First Star Domain and remained closed all year round.


    Such controlled contaminated zones were only opened when pollution levels exceeded expected values, allowing professional mecha pilots from the mecha League to enter for extermination. The last time Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone was opened was during the team competition as a designated zone.


    Because it was closed year-round, the resources inside were exceptionally abundant, attracting the attention of various mecha bases.


    In his previous life, Ying Chenlin often heard about the Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone since it was frequently opened as a designated zone during the league''s top-eight matches. However, why would they be chosen for an emergency mission?


    Jiang Simiao asked the question that was on his mind, "How did it become an emergency mission? Even if it''s open, they shouldn''t inform us. There are so many mecha bases ahead of us, and they should prioritize sending missions to the top-eight bases."


    "The Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone experienced unexpected fluctuations in its pollution levels. Most of the detection systems malfunctioned, and the mecha pilots and repairers who entered for maintenance lost contact with the Management Bureau. Since the Bureau can''t handle it, they sought assistance from the mecha League." Shen Xingtang checked the information on her light brain and sighed, "As for why the mission was given to us, it''s because of Huo Yan and Lu Xi."


    TN:


    Dear readers,


    Due to some unavoidable circumstances, I won''t be able to post updates for the coming week. I''ll try to deal with the issue as fast as possible and resume updates next week, the 21st that is. Sorry for the inconvenience.

 CH 24

    24. Quicksand


    The sudden situation on Tianyu Star caught everyone off guard. The mutation occurred in an instant, and no one had anticipated that the anomaly would deteriorate to such an extent.


    The Management Bureau was in the middle of an emergency meeting. The completely collapsed detection systems were unable to provide any information about the interior of Tianyu Star. The mecha pilots lost contact, communication systems malfunctioned, and all staff were working urgently to repair the situation.


    Upon seeing this, the head immediately said, "Try responding with the competition-level mecha."


    "The positioning system is still operational for now! The competition-level mecha systems are functioning normally during the competition. We can detect the latest entry of competition-level mecha using the competition-level mecha positioning system."


    "There are three teams from mecha bases entering Tianyu Star. We''ve detected the positions of 10 competition-level mechas, all in motion. The mecha pilots seem fine, and there have been no reports of damaged mechas."


    Competition-level mechas have special positioning systems due to the requirements of the mecha league. These systems use the mechas'' own energy and are closely linked to the response in the competition zone''s contaminated area. It''s fortunate that Tianyu Star is itself a competition-level contaminated zone, allowing them to locate the systems used during competition among all the collapsed systems.


    During the league, these systems are usually used for rescuing and evacuating eliminated mechas. Having the positioning information enables accurate location of mechas, facilitating quick support or rescue.


    "Since the competition systems are functioning, let''s find a way to restore emergency communication and contact the others," the head said with relief, as the situation wasn''t entirely out of control. "If that''s not possible, we can also notify other mecha bases for assistance."


    The staff urgently worked on correcting the system. However, during their attempts, another staff member rushed in. "Director, we have a problem. The jump system is affected and unable to perform jumps..."


    The expression on the head''s face changed slightly.


    The jump system is the most fundamental system for the Management Bureau and the contaminated zones. To prevent the contamination from affecting other areas, the outer perimeters of each contaminated zone are equipped with the Star Alliance''s highest protection shield, and entry and exit must be done through specially established jump teleportation systems.


    "Can''t we deactivate the protection shield of the contaminated zone?"


    "It''s not possible to cancel it. In the event of a complete system collapse in the contaminated zone, shields of Level 4 and above can only be forcibly removed by military mechas. Besides the jump system, there''s no other way for us to enter."


    The staff looked at the head, "What should we do now?"


    What to do? Unable to jump, and there''s no way for other mecha bases to help.


    Moreover, the pollution level in the contaminated zone hasn''t reached the threshold for the highest mutation, so they can''t initiate the highest alert to request military mechas to intervene. At this point, they can only work on repairing the systems externally, and the rest relies on the mecha pilots inside the contaminated zone.


    "Prepare the contingency plan. Once we receive reports of mecha damage, immediately inform the Star Alliance and request military mechas to intervene," the head said, looking at the screen with urgency. "Which mecha pilots are inside now?"


    "We have 10 mecha pilots who were temporarily recruited earlier, plus 14 mecha pilots from the Windstorm, YDS, and KID bases who arrived later. There are currently 24 mecha pilots inside the Tianyu Star contaminated zone," a staff member said. "Ten competition-level mechas have responded, while four competition-level mechas have not. The other mecha pilots inside are operating A-level mechas, totaling 10 A-level mechas."


    Both Windstorm and YDS mecha pilots are present. If even they can''t solve the problem, they''ll have to request assistance from the military.


    28 mecha pilots... Can they resolve the contamination source mutation on Tianyu Star this time?


    At the same time, outside KID Base.


    "Are you sure that KID Base is in the basement of this building?"


    Mr. Zhou from Jianheng Corporation was observing the doorbell of KID Building for the seventh time. The deserted entrance of the building was quite desolate, with news about KID Building being available for rent continually cycling. Mr. Zhou even jotted down the contact information of Shen Xingtang, behind the news.


    Manager Liu said, "It should be correct. KID is facing a financial crisis and recently sold the mecha arena. Now they''re renting out the building... well, the whole base has moved into the basement of the building."


    Mr. Zhou came here for parts-related matters. Unable to contact KID''s owner, Shen Xingtang, he came here and faced a closed door. He pointed to the contact number displayed next to the rental news, "Has this contact number not gone through?"


    Manager Liu awkwardly replied, "No."


    Mr. Zhou fell into silence. "Try sending a message, saying that we''re interested in renting the building. See if we can get in touch."


    At this moment, someone rushed over, holding a tablet.


    "Mr. Zhou, there''s news on the StarNet. There seems to be a problem in the Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone. Everyone from KID seems to have gone on a mission."


    StarNet, the Star Alliance''s platform, had almost daily announcements from the Contaminated Zone Management Bureau. Netizens on StarNet had become accustomed to these updates. However, when they saw news about abnormalities in the Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone and a joint emergency containment message from the Dawn Galaxy mecha League, some netizens immediately flocked to the official account of the Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone.


    This wasn''t news about a regular Contaminated Zone mutation. It was a competition-level Contaminated Zone, and also a high-risk Contaminated Zone, filled with AS-level pollution sources.


    Furthermore, there was now an urgent containment message jointly released by the temporary administration of Tianyu Star and the mecha League.


    Big news! The last time an emergency containment report was issued for a high-risk Contaminated Zone was five years ago.


    And it''s the Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone this time. Which bases are sending teams on this mission!?


    I checked the official messages, it seems to be Windstorm and YDS... and wait, KID is also involved!


    Windstorm is the first mecha base of the Dawn Galaxy, with a large number of active mecha pilots. It represents the strongest force in the Dawn Galaxy. YDS, on the other hand, is the base of the third-place team from the previous Dawn Galaxy group mecha league. These two mecha bases are located near Tianyu Star. It''s normal for the Management Bureau to assign the task to them promptly. However, they didn''t expect KID to be involved as well. KID, the underdog rumored to be on the brink of falling out of the top 16.


    How did KID manage to get involved!?


    KID has indeed been in the limelight recently. Just a few days ago, many StarNet users were discussing their online shop selling limited parts. Some were even waiting for new items to be listed. And now, KID Base turned around and went to the Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone.


    I knew KID Base was struggling financially, but I didn''t expect them to be so broke that they''re running missions while also running an online shop.


    Persistence in the face of adversity.


    Damn, they''re making me feel sorry for them.


    This was originally the off-season, and the popularity of the mecha League on StarNet was mostly focused on the individual mecha battles during the competition period. However, the containment notice for the Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone had sparked widespread attention. As time passed, astute citizens of the Star Alliance began to realize that something was amiss and started to focus on other details.


    Soon, they discovered that the containment of the Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone wasn''t so straightforward.


    Only three bases are sending teams on the mission, even though they''re elite teams from within the Dawn Galaxy. Despite being from the top-ranked first and third bases, the combined team has only 10 mecha pilots. Adding KID''s 4 mecha pilots, that makes a total of 14.


    The numbers just don''t add up.


    The first containment in five years, the situation doesn''t seem so simple.


    Huh? Can''t the bosses of the first and third mecha bases solve it by going in?


    Fun fact: The last time there was an emergency containment in a contamination zone was in another star domain, and more than fifty active mecha pilots from that alliance were sent. Don''t be fooled by the short notice. Situations like this high-risk contamination zone containment where communication with the mecha pilots is lost have never occurred before.


    Under the real-time official account of the Tianyu Star contamination zone, a large group of virtual avatars of netizens has gathered. Some even entered the competition area''s live broadcast room. As expected, the camera systems that usually livestream the conditions inside the contamination zone are all blacked out. The number of people is increasing, and the news is spreading wider.


    Inside the Tianyu Star contamination zone, the vision of everyone has been covered by yellow sand.


    When Ying Chenlin regained his ability to see again, most of the mechas were already covered by yellow sand. The communication system was making a buzzing sound, and communication with teammates was not cut off.


    Amidst the raging winds just now, he exerted effort to grab the exposed remains of the machine in the yellow sand to prevent the mecha from being blown further away.


    At this moment, the debris he grabbed suddenly snapped, and the force supporting the mecha instantly disappeared.


    Ying Chenlin was about to grab onto something else, but the next second, from the side of the debris, You Su suddenly grabbed his hand. "Don''t move."


    With one hand holding the exposed debris and the other pulling Ying Chenlin, You Su''s situation was the best among everyone, but he was also trapped in the quicksand, unable to move for the time being. He looked down at the seemingly calm sand next to him, and the pollution value had already surged to 6200.


    Amidst the crackling communication sound, the voices of the others were struggling to respond.


    Lin Yao: "I''m fine. I just grabbed Da Feng."


    "In... Oh my, what is this thing!" Ji Qingfeng''s entire mecha was in the yellow sand, and the powerful suction was pulling him rapidly downward.


    Ying Chenlin suddenly said, "You''d better not move."


    Seeing the sandstorm subside, Ji Qingfeng was about to use the thrusters, but he stopped upon hearing Ying Chenlin''s words. "What do you mean?"


    The raging wind subsided, and the field of vision ahead gradually cleared.


    Ying Chenlin saw Ji Qingfeng''s and Lin Yao''s mechas not far away. Both mechas were completely trapped in the sand, with no place to leverage, and were sinking downward at a visibly fast rate. "Quicksand. The more you struggle, the deeper you sink."


    Upon hearing this, Ji Qingfeng quickly hugged the waist of Lin Yao''s mecha in front of him. "Oh my."


    Lin Yao was somewhat out of breath from being squeezed, and after this action, he sank even further. "Don''t move!"


    Ying Chenlin, with the help of You Su''s hand, managed to resist the sinking to some extent. He coldly said, "Turn off the external energy of the mechas."


    After stopping their movements, the sinking speed of the four mechas trapped in the sand temporarily slowed down.


    Ying Chenlin tried to relax his body, sharing a connection with the mecha as the mecha pilot. As he relaxed, the control over the mecha gradually eased. The pressure from the lower part of the mecha was reduced, but the pressure from all around the mecha was still immense. He could manage to climb up using the debris, but Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao couldn''t do the same.


    You Su said, "The pollution value is approaching 7,000."


    An approaching pollution value of nearly 7,000, this eerie phenomenon is undoubtedly the mutation of the pollution source.


    Ying Chenlin looked at the various data reports inside the mecha. When he saw the coordinate information, he suddenly paused. The map landmark of Base Station C was right in front of them. "It seems like we''ve been blown to Base Station C."


    Lin Yao: "Huh?"


    Ji Qingfeng: "We got here with the wind?"


    Ying Chenlin looked into the distance, where most of the area was covered in yellow sand, with only a few sandstone formations and abandoned buildings protruding from the sand, as if this place had been buried by sand long before.


    The location where the vanguard team''s mecha pilots lost contact, Base Station C of Dawn Galaxy.


    An eerie silence spread among the group. The Bureau had never provided them with such information before. The task data they received only included the original conditions of Dawn Galaxy. Of course, this information didn''t account for Base Station C being covered by yellow sand or the perilous shifting sands all around.


    Ji Qingfeng remained silent for a while, then suddenly said, "We''re really lucky. It''s like an early burial."


    Lin Yao: "Does this ''early burial'' include you dragging me down? You just pulled me downward!"


    The two of them didn''t share a sense of unity.


    Ji Qingfeng asked, "Can''t we just use our thrusters to get out?"


    Ying Chenlin: "The range covered by the sand is large, and its density is high. The force you apply to it with your thrusters will gradually increase as you use them, adding to the pressure exponentially."


    Ji Qingfeng didn''t quite understand. "And then?"


    "Your thruster''s energy will be depleted. Congratulations, you''ll be exhausted here and buried alive." You Su explained with a hint of sarcasm. He simplified it, saying, "But with your mechas, you should be able to struggle a bit before being buried."


    Lin Yao: "..."


    Ji Qingfeng: "..."


    This explanation didn''t sound very comforting.


    Ji Qingfeng looked at the nearest mecha. Most of You Su''s mecha had already left the quicksand, with only its feet still buried.


    Ji Qingfeng tentatively asked, "You Su, you''re not the kind to stand by and watch others die, are you?"


    You Su said, "If you want to find solace in being buried, I can certainly grant your wish."


    Ji Qingfeng gave up struggling. "So, should we wait for rescue then?"


    Ying Chenlin looked up at the heights, where a hazy expanse of strong wind mixed with sand, making even flight stability difficult to maintain. "Such a significant pollution source anomaly would definitely have been detected by the Bureau. However, it''s been half an hour since the incident occurred, and the Bureau has taken no action, and communication systems have failed."


    He continued, "It''s highly probable that the entire defense and control system of Tianyu Star has collapsed. No one will come to rescue us."


    Tianyu Star is a Level 4 high-risk contamination zone. As a former competition zone, its internal environment should have been within the Alliance''s controllable range. Now, that ''control'' has completely disappeared, leaving behind the unrecorded yellow sand and what seems like the obliteration of Base Station C.


    They could abandon their bulky mechas and leave, but the high contamination within the area would likely kill them faster outside the mechas.


    It could be described as a hellish start. You Su held Ying Chenlin, while Lin Yao and Ji Qingfeng embraced each other in the midst of the quicksand.


    Lin Yao: "So, did Old Huo and Xi Mei also meet their end here?"


    Ji Qingfeng: "Well, now we truly are getting buried ahead of time."


    Ying Chenlin eased the force on his body, trying to maintain balance by leveraging the pressure of the fluid. He glimpsed three mechas farther away and calculated the distance. "Ji Qingfeng, does your right-hand weapon have a binding lock?"


    "Wait, lifting my hand is a bit difficult." Ji Qingfeng replied. "Yao Bao, hold on for a moment."


    With the mecha from behind pressing down on Lin Yao, he sank a little further.


    Ji Qingfeng finally managed to pull his mecha''s right hand out of the sand with great effort. "But the range of the binding lock isn''t enough. This weapon can only be used to restrain others..."


    Ying Chenlin interjected, "Restrain my mecha''s hand."


    Ji Qingfeng paused for a moment, then extended the binding lock from his hand. Its range was just enough to reach Ying Chenlin''s mecha, and Ying Chenlin grabbed onto the binding lock directly.


    Without energy propulsion, the binding lock was pulled taut instantly.


    A crackling sound resonated, echoing through Ji Qingfeng''s mind.


    "!?!" Ji Qingfeng''s forehead twitched as he suddenly realized something. "Wait a second, my wife can''t be straight!!"


    Lin Yao: "What do you mean by ''straight'' for your wife?!"


    The binding lock is a paired weapon for Ji Qingfeng''s competition-grade mecha, with an A-Grade pollutant [Water Serpent] as its core energy source. It possesses a potent binding effect that can immobilize enemies on the battlefield while also paralyzing them. However, weapons of this type require agility and often lack the durability of other weapons.


    This type of weapon is most effective when binding enemies that are overlapping each other.


    Using it solely as a straight rope... it might be fine under normal circumstances, but in this highly pressurized quicksand, it might not withstand the weight of two mechas.


    Ji Qingfeng stared at the taut binding lock with a heart pounding. "It''s not holding up under the force; if it breaks, we''re in big trouble."


    He said with a hint of regret, "And I just bought repair materials for it two weeks ago, cost me 500,000."


    Lin Yao empathized, "500,000, yeah, it definitely can''t break."


    "You adjust your balance using the force points from the extended weapon, and move slowly." Ying Chenlin relaxed his body, and with the help of debris, his mecha had emerged halfway. He let go of You Su''s hand and grabbed onto usable leverage nearby. "If it breaks, I''ll get it fixed for you, won''t cost 500,000."


    Ji Qingfeng felt touched, but thinking of something else, he expressed a bit of concern, "Lin Di, this mission is pretty dangerous. If we encounter problems later, remember to hide behind me and Yao Bao."


    Lin Yao nodded, "If you have any issues, the boss will definitely hold us accountable once we''re out."


    Ji Qingfeng glanced at You Su, "If things get really bad, stand behind You Ge¡ª"


    Ying Chenlin interrupted, looking at the two of them still in the sand, "First, get out of the sand before talking."


    In this environment, applying greater force would only complicate matters.


    Ying Chenlin and You Su could help rescue people, but most of Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao''s mechas were already trapped within. Pulling them out with propulsion alone was ineffective; the pressure from the expansive quicksand would only make the situation worse. The best approach was for them to find a sense of balance first, reducing the area covered by the sand on the mechas before rescuing them.


    However... Ying Chenlin looked down slightly. If this was due to pollution, theoretically, releasing his mental power should alleviate some of the pressure. Yet, the pressure he currently felt was still significant.


    You Su shifted outward, one foot emerging from the quicksand, but he noticed Ying Chenlin was still in the same position.


    He gazed at the right arm of Ying Chenlin''s mecha. "Move a bit closer, give me the lock."


    Suddenly, Ying Chenlin said, "I can''t move."


    You Su paused, looking at the others.


    Lin Yao, who had managed to shift a short distance, was held back by Ji Qingfeng. "Da Feng, don''t pull me down."


    "I''m not pulling." Ji Qingfeng looked down with some uncertainty, his voice trembling a bit. "There''s something pulling at my foot in the quicksand."


    TN:


    Sorry for the missed date, sh*t got more complicated than expected. Better late than never right? Enjoy this chapter and it''s cliff-hanger. You''re really going to like this arc. I promise!

 CH 25

    25. Gale


    The communication audio paused oddly for a moment.


    Lin Yao exclaimed, "Are you hallucinating?!"


    Ji Qingfeng retorted angrily, "You think I wouldn''t notice if someone touched my foot?!"


    The sensations from his limbs were conveyed through the mental touch of the cockpit. When a mecha pilot controlled their mecha, they shared a sense of empathy. The neural empathy could accurately transmit the five senses. The deeper the level of empathy, the more the changes on the mecha could be felt, including the pain from attacks and changes in the surrounding environment.


    Moreover, whatever was pulling him had quite some force behind it, and its influence on him was becoming even more pronounced.


    Ying Chenlin monitored the radar and noticed a faint signal overlapping with Ji Qingfeng''s mecha coordinates below. "Wait, there''s something."


    At this moment, a request to establish communication from an unfamiliar mecha popped up in front of them.


    Ying Chenlin immediately saw the incoming call message on the nearby channel.


    [mecha Gale, Zhao, anyone alive, bro!?]


    Generally, each mecha had its own unique identification number assigned at the factory, serving as a distinct identifier. This particular type of special code represented a competition-grade mecha affiliated with a mecha base or the ID of a mecha pilot.


    Meaning the message came from a mecha with the ID "Zhao" from the Gale Base.


    "Isn''t that Zhao Lejie from Gale Base!?" Ji Qingfeng was taken aback. "I remember the mecha pilots from Gale Base arrived before us, right?"


    The mecha pilots from the Gale Base joined the support mission later; they were not among the initial missing pilots.


    You Su switched to the nearby communication channel, and a voice suddenly emerged from the communication audio.


    "Finally, someone alive! I knew something was up above. Which base are you guys from?" Zhao Lejie''s voice sounded through the communication channel. "Bro, I''m holding onto you. Help me get out. I''m stuck down here."


    Ji Qingfeng was speechless.


    So, the one pulling him from below was this strange thing.


    Lin Yao exclaimed in surprise, "How did you end up stuck below?"


    "That ID... You guys are with KID, huh!" Zhao Lejie noticed the mecha codes that appeared in the system and quickly connected the dots.


    Ying Chenlin switched to the nearby public channel and heard Zhao Lejie''s voice, "Have you guys separated from the people at the Gale Base?"


    Zhao Lejie couldn''t quite distinguish KID''s mecha pilots, but when he saw the appearance of four mechas on the nearby channel, he paused for a moment. "We encountered a strong wind current when we arrived at this location. After that, the five mechas from our base got separated. By the time I realized it, I was already in the sand. I tried various methods, but none worked. The pollutant source directly pulled me in."


    Pulled in...? Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao were momentarily baffled. After all, they hadn''t been pulled down.


    Ji Qingfeng questioned, "Isn''t this just sand? How could it pull people in!?"


    "We sank downward as well. It seems like we weren''t pulled," Lin Yao added.


    Zhao Lejie, not understanding, wondered if this thing had a preference for certain individuals. Why was he the unlucky one?


    "Energy, first turn off your external energy," Ying Chenlin explained. "The contamination level here is clearly abnormal. Normal quicksand usually has limited depth and wouldn''t cause a mecha to sink so deep."


    "Oh! So that''s why you asked us to shut down our external energy at the beginning," Lin Yao suddenly realized.


    Ying Chenlin knew this phenomenon couldn''t be explained by conventional logic. They were dealing with multiple sand vortexes enhanced by high-intensity pollutants. These vortexes exhibited some characteristics of quicksand but couldn''t be completely understood through the principles of normal quicksand.


    However, these peculiar sand vortexes, influenced by the contamination zone, acted more like whirlpools beneath the surface, appearing calm but capable of swallowing mechas underground.


    With a contamination level as high as 6800, it was clear that the purpose of these pollutants was to pull them down. And their target was obvious¡ªthe energy carried by the mechas.


    mecha themselves were amalgamations refined from various high-pollutant substances. With the influence of energy and spiritual power, they were essentially walking prey.


    If this sand beneath them was a source of pollution, then devouring them was akin to feeding. Naturally, encountering them, it wouldn''t spare them.


    After Zhao Lejie deactivated his external energy, he indeed felt some of the pressure on his body lighten.


    However, this reduction was just that¡ªa reduction. He still couldn''t get out. The sand had practically infiltrated every crevice of his mecha.


    At this moment, the restraint lock, burdened with a weight it shouldn''t have borne, tightened further, emitting sounds of strain.


    Ji Qingfeng said with a heavy heart, "Brother, it''s not that I''m unwilling to save you, but if you keep pulling me, we''ll all meet our end here."


    "What do you mean?" Zhao Lejie asked.


    The restraint lock pulled even tighter, and Ji Qingfeng''s heart ached. "You''re pulling on my most vital part. Could you be a bit gentler?"


    Embarrassed, Zhao Lejie eased up on the pressure. "Huh?"


    Ying Chenlin kept a close eye on his surroundings, trying to figure out a solution. Suddenly, the nearby mecha moved. Without a word, You Su moved from the sand to Ying Chenlin''s side, taking hold of the restraint lock. The pressure on his arm lessened instantly.


    Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao, who were floating on the surface, were easily rescued. But Zhao Lejie, from the Gale Base, had almost sunk completely. While they could still manage to get him out, it would be time-consuming.


    However, since Zhao Lejie had deactivated his external energy, the intense interest of the S-class pollutant source seemed to wane. The pressure from the surrounding quicksand also lessened. Gradually, a portion of the sand around them turned into ordinary sand, and the overwhelming weight started to disappear.


    Taking advantage of this moment, both Ying Chenlin and Lin Yao managed to escape the quicksand. Only Ji Qingfeng and Zhao Lejie, whom Ji Qingfeng was pulling, remained. As the restraint lock was pushed to its limits, Ji Qingfeng took it back when the damage warning appeared. Fortunately, the distance was shortened. In the end, Lin Yao pulled out the melee weapon¡ªa long knife¡ªattached to his mecha to serve as a pulling device.


    Zhao Lejie was observing the KID''s team or rather, KID''s lineup.


    Most importantly, he was observing the two A-class mechas. Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao''s mechas were easy to identify since most S-class mechas had unique insignias. When the other party communicated with him on the nearby public channel, Zhao Lejie pretty much confirmed the identities of these two.


    But their identities were a settled fact. He was curious about the other two mechas.


    Since he started communicating with KID, these two mechas had been the ones engaged in the rescue effort. Analyzing their external appearance, it was clear that one was an Artillery mecha, and the other was a Vanguard mecha.


    The footage from the Banute Contaminated Zone had been reviewed countless times by their captain, Qi Sicheng. The strength of those two irregular mechas that had appeared back then was quite formidable. The window for mecha pilots to transfer among different bases was now closed, and KID remained silent.


    Due to the influence of high pollution, the conditions in this quicksand environment were uncertain. When he was first blown to this area, he was caught by an unknown pollutant source beneath the sand and ultimately dragged to the bottom. However, KID hadn''t panicked, or if they had, they''d swiftly found a solution.


    Before entering the Tianyu Star''s contamination zone, he had learned from the staff of the Bureau of External Affairs that the first batch of mecha pilots to arrive included KID''s Huo Yan and Lu Xi. These two obviously weren''t Huo Yan and Lu Xi, which meant they were other mecha pilots from KID... Yet the information available on the StarNet indicated that there were no other active mecha pilots in KID''s base.


    The mecha pilots behind these two mechas were far from ordinary.


    Who were these two...?


    Ying Chenlin didn''t focus on Zhao Lejie. The task of rescuing fell on the enthusiastic Lin Yao. Ying Chenlin took the opportunity to observe the surroundings.


    According to the advance information provided by the Tianyu Star''s administration, Base Station C should be a city ruin. The base station was established on a high tower in the middle of the ruins. The entire base station was protected by the highest defense system, capable of withstanding attacks from S-class pollutants. Therefore, there was currently no need to worry about the base station''s damage.


    The location of the base station should be nearby... The critical issue, however, was that the city was now buried under the yellow sand. Everywhere were quicksand vortexes, with occasional sandstorms and dust tornadoes.


    Inside the cockpit, the mecha''s AI, Theo, said, "The quicksand appearing on the Tianyu Star is somewhat reminiscent of the swamps we encountered before! Is there a high concentration of pollutants here? Can we find the anomalous crystals we''re looking for?"


    Environmental mutations caused by pollutants were the most challenging to deal with. The objectives became elusive, unlike trying to focus on a single target to deal with an enemy. Dealing with environmental mutations required tracing back to the source to find the root cause.


    You Su turned off the data and looked at the distant mecha.


    Ying Chenlin had somehow left the team and moved to a farther part of the ruins, seemingly observing something.


    Theo followed his mecha''s gaze and looked outside. Seeing the distant mecha, it said, "Why do you keep staring at them? This is the Tianyu Star''s contamination zone! There''s definitely an S-class pollutant here. Who knows, we might even encounter an S-class anomalous crystal."


    "Quiet," You Su said.


    Theo closed its mouth in a somewhat aggrieved manner, thinking that the others were much noisier.


    The time taken for the rescue was longer than expected. After disengaging their psychic energy, pulling and rescuing became easier.


    Lin Yao and Ji Qingfeng, who had been making a racket, finally emerged from the quicksand, and they also managed to pull Zhao Lejie out from the bottom.


    When Zhao Lejie was being pulled out, he felt a bit uncomfortable around his neck. Sitting on the ruins, he didn''t dare to activate his energy. "Thank you, I owe it to all of you."


    Lin Yao said, "The pressure behind seems to have lessened significantly."


    "Because he turned off his external energy," Ying Chenlin added, while observing the surroundings. He continued, "He was originally beneath us. If he hadn''t turned off the energy, he would have been prey. The quicksand was fixated on him."


    Beside them, Ji Qingfeng stared at his own restraint lock, his face ashen. He was now absolutely certain that his 500,000 was down the drain.


    It took Zhao Lejie some time to figure out the situation. "Isn''t that just a restraint lock?"


    Ji Qingfeng exclaimed, "Just a restraint lock? Do you know how much money I spent on it?"


    "How much? Considering you saved me this time, I should be covering the repair cost for your mecha," Zhao Lejie said. He then asked, "3,000,000 star coins?"


    Ji Qingfeng remained silent.


    Zhao Lejie continued, "How about 3.5 million?"


    The members of KID stayed silent, making Zhao Lejie feel a bit anxious. Did he underestimate the cost...?


    Within KID''s private channel, Ji Qingfeng took a deep breath and said, "Their base charges a whopping 3 million for weapon repairs! The boss has never spent so much money on repairing my weapons in his entire life."


    Lin Yao, who hadn''t seen much of the world, asked, "Is this what Dawn First Base is like?"


    Upon hearing 3.5 million, Ying Chenlin pondered for a moment and commented, "With 3.5 million, you could repair seven weapons."


    You Su stayed silent.


    While Zhao Lejie was still contemplating the implications of 3.5 million, the situation escalated in the public channel. The now more apprehensive Zhao Lejie asked, "What''s the verdict?"


    Ji Qingfeng was calculating how much discounted materials he could acquire with that sum. "Let me think."


    Zhao Lejie tried again, "Was it too low? How about 4 million?"


    KID''s side reacted with confusion.


    Zhao Lejie cautiously ventured, "450...?"


    KID''s side was thoroughly perplexed.


    Ying Chenlin drew a conclusion, "He''s wealthy."


    Ji Qingfeng chimed in, "Is he a benefactor?"


    Lin Yao added, "Even the ATMs at our base entrance don''t hold that much money."


    Finally, KID accepted the high offer of 4.5 million star coins, sacrificing Ji Qingfeng''s beloved restraint lock and happily welcoming Zhao Lejie''s friendly support.


    After making some repairs, Zhao Lejie was still unable to reach anyone else from Gale Base. The magnetic field in this area was peculiar, allowing close-range communication but preventing signals from being transmitted beyond a certain range.


    For now, he had to follow KID''s lead to understand the situation better. "What are your plans now... what are you all doing?"


    He was about to ask about KID''s group''s intentions when he turned his head and saw the other members of KID prying rocks nearby.


    "After finally entering the Tianyu Star''s contamination zone," Lin Yao stored the extracted A-class materials in the mecha''s storage compartment, "seeing is believing. We need to recoup our investment."


    Zhao Lejie turned his head and saw Ji Qingfeng also busy digging. "..."


    Has KID really fallen on such hard times?


    While KID was busy gathering materials, it didn''t hinder their progress. Lin Yao, puzzled, asked, "Given the current situation, what''s the plan? Isn''t this Base Station C? Are other mechas submerged as well? Are we actually going to dig out mechas to rescue people?"


    "Those who entered must be skilled mecha pilots. Both Hurricane and YDS are here. Maybe they''ve already escaped this place," Ying Chenlin said.


    "Of course, if they were truly weak, just consider I never said that," Ji Qingfeng added.


    For some reason, after being bombarded by these two, Zhao Lejie suddenly felt inadequate.


    "It''s not even feasible to rescue them," You Su''s gaze fell into the distance, where there were whirlpools of quicksand and ruins. "How long did it take you to pull up a mecha? If there are indeed mechas buried below, with just a few of us, searching and rescuing would be too late."


    The oxygen inside the mechas could support mecha pilots for about 7 days of activity or roughly 78 days of survival in a scenario where energy was not consumed at all. However, this was a high-risk contamination zone, and the possibility of energy being depleted could not be ruled out. In an underground environment without any oxygen replenishment, a mecha pilot with generally superior physical condition could survive a maximum of 5 days.


    Ying Chenlin stored the pried sandstone in the mecha and explained, "Moreover, I just scouted the area nearby and didn''t detect any other mecha signals. This leaves two possibilities: either they can''t respond to us anymore, or they''re not here."


    Before he could finish speaking, a sudden gust of wind swept up around them.


    The mecha pilots quickly reacted. Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao immediately stood in front of Ying Chenlin. "What''s going on? Wind again!?"


    The wind didn''t leave them time for conversation. Almost as soon as Ji Qingfeng asked, the wind arose from the ground and came sweeping toward them, unmistakably targeting them.


    "Find cover!" Zhao Lejie yelled.


    However, this wind wasn''t something ordinary cover could protect against. Ying Chenlin made a quick decision and used his weapon. He was piloting a Vanguard mecha, equipped with his commonly used energy blade. The blade pierced the ground, passing through the ruins and firmly anchoring the mecha to the ground.


    After enduring the first wave of wind, the following gusts grew even stronger.


    With such wind, let alone advancing to find the location of Base Station C, simply moving forward had become a problem.


    Ji Qingfeng exclaimed, "At this rate, we won''t be able to move at all! Let alone Base Station C, if this continues, our energy will be depleted, and we''ll all be stranded here."


    "We, from Gale, came in with five mechas. My team, led by our Boss, had already surveyed the area before coming here. The vicinity of Base Station C is covered in this type of quicksand and strong gusts. Before getting separated from the team, we had reached the high tower at point C. The ruins of the city are already buried in sand. The defense measures of the base station tower are intact," You Su explained.


    Zhao Lejie also realized the gravity of the situation. The contamination zone''s onslaught was relentless. Without any external support, their mechas were like sitting ducks. "Our Gale team got scattered, and we don''t know our current positions. We''re probably still near the tower. YDS''s team also seems to have Ke Lin and Hu Luobu."


    Ke Lin and Hu Luobu, prominent mecha pilots from YDS, were formidable in strength.


    Gale had Zhao Lejie and Qi Sicheng, while YDS had Ke Lin and Hu Luobu.


    Ji Qingfeng pondered for a moment. "That lineup is quite strong. How did you end up being blown here alone?"


    Zhao Lejie didn''t really want to bring up this matter but continued, "Perhaps if we can restore the detection equipment at point C, we might be able to establish contact with the outside world."


    "You won''t be able to leave that way either," Lin Yao looked at the distant quicksand, "Flying in this wind is uncontrollable. It''s easy to be blown into the sand and swallowed up again."


    The present problem was in front of everyone. The only solution was to reach the high tower at Base Station C, restore the systems, and establish contact with the outside world. However, the journey to point C was fraught with difficulties. The wind could blow them into the quicksand at any time, making flying too risky. They had no choice but to crawl forward.


    However, there might not be cover along the way, and they might not even make it far.


    The wind had already blown away into the distance, but it might return at any moment.


    As the group contemplated how to solve this issue, Ying Chenlin pulled his energy blade out of the rubble and casually remarked, "This is an easy one."


    You Su tilted his head slightly, looking at the mecha beside him.


    Zhao Lejie was astonished. "Do you have a solution!?"


    "If the threat is significant, then we might just have to eliminate the quicksand," Ying Chenlin looked at the data on the contamination zone in the mission details and said simply, "Without the quicksand, it becomes straightforward, doesn''t it?"

 CH 26

    26. Sandbag


    Inside the conference room of the Tianyu Star Management Bureau, a group of individuals had gathered, their gaze unwaveringly fixed on the virtual screen displaying the blue dots representing the top-tier mechas. It had been a full 6 hours since the last team of mechas entered, and there were still no signs of recovery for the crucial base stations C and D.


    "Can''t we fix the Jump Drive system yet?"


    "It''s not possible. Our system is perfectly functional on our end. The main issue is that the pollution on Tianyu Star has completely interfered with our system. The core problem can''t be resolved!"


    "Is there no other solution?"


    "Unless a mecha pilot can restore one of the base stations, we can''t establish contact from the inside." A staff member wiped their brow and explained earnestly, "Base stations C and D serve as the core of Tianyu Star''s defense and control system. The repair program can activate the highest defense authorization, and once that''s done, we can bypass pollution interference and establish communication between the two points."


    Amidst the cacophony of voices, representatives from the Bureau, Gale Base, YDS Base...


    The heads of the mecha bases were well-versed in handling such situations, but this was the first time they were facing such an urgent crisis.


    Currently, the location information on the virtual screen and the feedback reports from the competition system were their last lifeline. They relied on the mecha pilots executing the mission to solve the problem. If they couldn''t solve it, they would have to request the intervention of the Star Alliance military to directly dismantle the defense system established in Tianyu Star''s pollutant zone and execute controlled rescue.


    But if the defense system on Tianyu Star was destroyed, the high-Contaminated Zone would be completely exposed, potentially impacting the surrounding planets and space routes. The consequences were incalculable. Therefore, the best approach was to have the mecha pilots eliminate the pollutant source to avert the crisis.


    The current location information indicated that a large number of advanced mechas were gathered around base station C. But this safety was temporary, without additional confirmed information, their being out of contact was a risk.


    In the short term, the mecha pilots wouldn''t be in danger. However, if damage reports from mechas appeared, they would have to ensure the safety of the mecha pilots and resort to violently dismantling the defense system.


    "After our investigation and analysis of recent monitoring data, there may be more than one S-class pollutant source at the location of base station C." The head pointed at the map on the virtual screen. "There was a mutated A-class pollutant known as ''Centennial Orchid'' in that area before. Its roots penetrated deep into the bottom of the station. Due to the special nature of this mutated pollutant, it''s quite rare. We didn''t immediately remove it at that time. It hadn''t shown any signs of advancement for many years, but a few days before the anomaly on Tianyu Star, we detected a significant increase in its values."


    Others inquired, "So, are you saying that this ''Centennial Orchid'' might be the cause of the system failure on Tianyu Star?"


    The head presented the data on the mutated Centennial Orchid from the files, and the others gasped in shock.


    As a S-class Contaminated Zone, the vicinity of the base station was never within the competition area, and participating mechas were not allowed to enter the station''s range... This data about the Centennial Orchid was their first encounter with it, and especially seeing its slender roots stretching deep beneath the sand, it completely defied the conventional information about this plant. Its mutated leaves were divided, and it resembled a ferocious beast lurking in the sand, with its seemingly diminutive exterior concealing roots that spanned up to 10 kilometers.


    The mecha pilots entering the Contaminated Zone have the task of restoring the functionality of the base stations. They might not necessarily pay attention to these seemingly ordinary hidden pollutants.


    The YDS representative said, "Both Ke Lin and Hu Luobu have experience leading teams to deal with S-class pollutants."


    The Gale Base representative also spoke up, "Centennial Orchid can''t move, and it''s best to handle S-class pollutants of the plant type. Qi Sicheng and Zhao Lejie are also present. With their combined experience and Qi Sicheng''s wartime command abilities, you can rest assured."


    The conference room fell silent as the coordinates were displayed. "On the map, the mecha pilots closest to the Centennial Orchid right now are... KID''s Ji Qingfeng, Lin Yao, and Gale''s Zhao Lejie."


    The YDS representative: "?"


    The Gale Base representative: "...?"


    Why is Zhao Lejie mixed up with KID''s people?


    When KID was mentioned, everyone turned their gaze towards the KID representative sitting at the end of the conference room.


    Not long after leaving the control room, Shen Xingtang came out, still covered in grease. Noticing the attention from the others, she calmly stated, "We have four mechas going in, two are at the S-class level, and two at the A-class level."


    Seeing that others didn''t speak, Shen Xingtang continued, "Collaboration experience: 0. Team coordination level: None."


    "As for command," she thought for a moment, mentally skipping over Lin Yao, Ji Qingfeng, and the nonchalant You Su, and only the technician-turned-mecha-pilot Ying Chenlin remained. Regrettably, she added, "I''m sorry, our team doesn''t have that resource."


    Others remained resolute.


    Shen Xingtang''s expression remained neutral. "Directly disabling the defense system on Tianyu Star might be faster."


    Near the ruins and sand near base station C, five mechas stood on the debris.


    When Ying Chenlin spoke, Zhao Lejie''s first instinct was skepticism. "How do you propose solving it?"


    Solve the quicksand issue? How could that be solved!?


    "Didn''t you read the information about the Contaminated Zone before coming in?" Ying Chenlin cut straight to the point, "No matter how the Contaminated Zone on Tianyu Star mutates, the main cause of the anomaly must be a pollutant source or pollutant within the zone. It''s unlikely for external pollutants to appear within the comprehensive monitoring and defense system."


    Hearing this, You Su, with his fingers poised over two shared sensory nerves, came to a halt.


    He lifted his gaze slightly, looking in the direction of Ying Chenlin. "It wouldn''t be external pollutants. Only pollutants of a super S-class level could breach the Alliance''s defense systems. If such pollutants of that level truly appeared on Tianyu Star, the Alliance would have taken action."


    Ying Chenlin responded, "That''s why these sand whirlpools would trigger reactions in mecha''s energy and psychic power. It''s highly likely that the pollutants controlling them are behind this."


    Zhao Lejie paused for a moment. "This is a consensus, but with so many pollutants in the Contaminated Zone, how can you determine which pollutants are causing this?"


    "That''s why we need to eliminate possibilities. The data in Tianyu Star''s records provides detailed information on various pollutant anomalies." Ying Chenlin opened the data carried in the mecha''s system and continued while operating it, "We need to examine the data from the past week, first ruling out B and C-grade pollutants. Next, we eliminate A-grade pollutants that show no signs of mutation. These three types of pollutants won''t advance to S-class pollutants in a short time."


    Hearing this, Zhao Lejie frowned slightly. He also understood this logic. "But this is the Contaminated Zone on Tianyu Star, with a basic pollution value of over 5000. There are too many A-grade mutated pollutants. How can you determine which pollutant is affecting this stretch of sand?"


    Every mecha pilot understood that anomalies within the Contaminated Zone were caused by pollutant sources or pollutants. However, the sand ruins near base station C were evidently disturbed by the pollution, with their communication systems barely functioning over short distances. The system for detecting pollutant values had gone completely haywire. They could determine the current pollution level of this area, but couldn''t precisely locate the coordinates of the core pollutant causing this change.


    Ji Qingfeng also briefly pondered. "Unlocatable. I just used the detection system, and it shows the same pollution reading for all nearby areas. Pollution reactions exceeding 6800 are everywhere. The mecha''s detection system is now useless."


    Lin Yao added, "If only we could still communicate with the outside world. The Bureau''s detection system is more accurate and could lock onto coordinates."


    In theory, that approach would work. However, getting rid of the threat posed by the quicksand required assistance from the Bureau.


    Did that mean they had to locate and eliminate all nearby A-grade mutated pollutants, one by one?


    At that moment, Ying Chenlin said, "No need to contact the outside world. Didn''t we already have the coordinates?"


    Zhao Lejie was taken aback and started searching through the data. "What coordinates?"


    Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao were also surprised. Did the Bureau provide them with such coordinates?


    "In the information provided by the Bureau, there''s a detailed record of the activity coordinates of various pollutants over the past week," You Su said in a calm tone. "Isn''t that right?"


    Ying Chenlin was about to explain when he heard You Su''s words, so he continued with the explanation.


    "That''s right. Base station C has a base tower. The Bureau had already conducted research on the surrounding environment. Considering that the influence of this stretch of sand exceeds 10 kilometers, we first eliminate pollutants from the animal category that frequently move. Then we assess its impact range... There are only four remaining A-grade mutated plant-type pollutants."


    Ying Chenlin continued, publishing the list of eliminated pollutants on the public channel. Everyone stared intently at the data he presented. As the coordinates of each pollutant darkened, only one kind remained in front of everyone.


    "Near base station C, A-grade mutated plant-type pollutants with a wide coverage... We''re quite lucky; there''s only one left."


    Ying Chenlin concluded simply, "Here it is."


    Zhao Lejie read the name of the pollutant and took a deep breath. "Centennial Orchid."


    "Indeed, quite lucky." You Su sent the pinpoint information on the channel. "It''s only two kilometers away from us."


    Centennial Orchid, an A-grade mutated pollutant registered within the Contaminated Zone of Tianyu Star, had shown no signs of advancement for years, and its abilities remained unknown.


    In the sand ruins, dilapidated buildings were buried in the yellow sand. The surface of the sand was interspersed with exposed sandstone, and only a few plants grew.


    A quick glance revealed a distinct cluster¡ªCentennial Orchid''s leaves blanketed the sand. It sprawled across the ground, its inverted cone-shaped leaves broad and large, with deformed sawtooth-like edges, resembling an octopus in the sand.


    The tips of the leaves were withered, but the conspicuous feature was the female cones it bore.


    The fruits emitted a faint radiance, and a strange scent exuded from the crevices of its pores, as if condensing something eerie.


    This pollutant had existed within the Contaminated Zone of Tianyu Star for many years; it seemed almost as old as the zone itself. Over the years, it hadn''t displayed any anomalous abilities. It mutated from a B-grade pollutant to an A-grade, finally stabilizing as a quasi-S-grade pollutant with a consistent pollution value exceeding 6800.


    Sensing the approach of mecha energy, the calm sand began to subtly vibrate. Sand and dirt fell from the ruins, and a eerie sensation spread instantly.


    Ji Qingfeng looked at it from a distance and felt a bit apprehensive. "This thing doesn''t look easy to mess with."


    When Zhao Lejie saw this pollutant, he involuntarily inhaled a breath of cold air. He casually picked up a stone and threw it. However, before it could reach its target, the peculiar sand terrain around Centennial Orchid hindered its path. The stone never hit Centennial Orchid; as it fell to the ground, it gradually vanished, consumed by the sand within moments.


    Seeing this, the several mecha pilots exchanged thoughtful glances.


    Inside KID''s internal channel, Ying Chenlin observed the situation and said, "The records about Centennial Orchid aren''t very clear. We''ll have to figure out its specific situation through trial and error."


    Suddenly, You Su interjected, "Try it directly?"


    Ying Chenlin glanced around, noting that the approaching tornadoes were getting closer. "Yes, let''s try it directly."


    Ji Qingfeng didn''t even bother with honorifics anymore. "Bro!? What do you mean try it directly? Stick to its face to test?"


    You Su''s right hand swiftly switched to the sniper cannon and fired rapidly with lightning speed.


    Ji Qingfeng gulped. "Brothers, were we always this reckless?"


    Zhao Lejie was still analyzing the situation when an energy blast struck Centennial Orchid from a distance. Instantly, Centennial Orchid was provoked; its sprawling leaves stood upright, and it immediately swept towards their direction. Zhao Lejie dodged in a panic and exclaimed, "Wait, are you planning to just charge in like this!?"


    Lin Yao had already unsheathed his blade. "We''re right in front of it. Why worry about whether it''s good or bad? Let''s just get it done."


    Zhao Lejie hurriedly argued, "What about the lineup? What about strategy? What about coordination?"


    KID''s lineup consisted of two front-line defenders, one Stealth unit, and one ranged unit¡ªa classic close-combat front-line team, but lacking substantial control capabilities.


    Centennial Orchid''s position was fixed. For fixed pollutants like this, the best approach was to control it continuously and let the ranged mecha maintain maximum output.


    Just as he voiced these concerns, no one from the KID team spoke further.


    After a moment, Ying Chenlin looked puzzled. "But don''t we have a lineup?"


    Zhao Lejie was baffled. "What?"


    Ying Chenlin examined their formation. "Three melee, one ranged, plus you''re a Tank mecha. The front line is well-covered."


    Zhao Lejie: "???!!!"


    Lin Yao kicked away the leaves of Centennial Orchid and charged forward in his mecha. The mechanized longsword on his mecha swept away the leaves of Centennial Orchid. "Dodge a bit!"


    Zhao Lejie cursed inwardly and immediately took flight, joining the battle.


    What kind of lineup is this?! It''s a complete mess, with more melee than ranged. This is an S-Grade pollutant. Are they all just going to rush in and take hits?


    After firing a sniper shot, You Su swiftly retreated, drawing Centennial Orchid''s leaves with high-speed flight.


    At the first opportunity, Ying Chenlin flew to another section of ruins. The mecha he piloted was similar to the B-level mecha, equipped with electromagnetic cannons and light blades. "Lin Yao, Ji Qingfeng, move forward. We''ll provide cover for you."


    Lin Yao hesitated for a moment, then immediately followed Ying Chenlin''s lead!


    Wait a minute, isn''t Ying Chenlin a mechanic? How is he so skilled in combat maneuvers??


    Ji Qingfeng evaded attacks in a disheveled manner and muttered, "Damn, why does this scene feel so familiar?"


    Before he could figure out where the familiarity came from, Centennial Orchid''s leaves swiftly swept toward him.


    In the chaos, the five mecha pilots relied on their own abilities to dodge Centennial Orchid''s attacks. They narrowly passed each other during evasive maneuvers, nearly colliding.


    Zhao Lejie exclaimed, "It''s so chaotic that even my own mother wouldn''t recognize it!"


    S-class Centennial Orchid was far from the calm description in the records. Its leaves were large and fierce. Once they unfurled and struck a mecha, they were strong enough to flip it over. Moreover, the surrounding area was filled with vortexes of its influence, and one wrong move could send them into the quicksand, directly dragged under by the sand.


    Even the skies weren''t safe, as fierce winds loomed in the distance.


    They had to not only withstand Centennial Orchid''s attacks and the fierce winds but also ensure safe footing. Falling into the quicksand here would leave no chance for mutual rescue, as Centennial Orchid wouldn''t give them the opportunity.


    Seeing the leaves sweeping towards their rear, Zhao Lejie activated his energy shield to cover his back. "I''ll hold the leaves off for you while you find a way to deal with it¡ª"


    Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly realized that the area behind him was completely empty, without a single mecha standing.


    Instead, in the sky, several mechas were flying, observing him getting battered below.


    "Why are you running?!" Zhao Lejie angrily exclaimed.


    Ji Qingfeng sprinted away rapidly. "Are you crazy? It''s attacking you directly, and you''re not even dodging?"


    Zhao Lejie felt quite embarrassed. As the chief Tank mecha pilot at the Gale Base, it had always been his duty to protect his teammates when he activated his shield. However, now that he activated his shield, there was no one standing behind him. It made him feel foolish, and he had never felt so humiliated in his life.


    Ying Chenlin, noticing Centennial Orchid''s movements and the direction of its leaves'' sweep, focused on Zhao Lejie''s mecha. "How''s Zhao Lejie''s mecha''s damage tolerance?"


    Ji Qingfeng took a moment to explain, "Oh, his mecha is probably the Tankiest one in our Dawn Galaxy."


    Tankiest mecha in the Dawn Galaxy? Ying Chenlin''s gaze fell on the shield that Zhao Lejie had hastily retracted, then switched back to the public channel. "Zhao Lejie, let''s coordinate."


    Zhao Lejie raised his head in a daze. Were these people finally realizing the importance of teamwork?


    Ying Chenlin spoke seriously, "What''s the maximum damage absorption raTheo of your shield?"


    As one of the five major mecha types for team battles, Tank mechas usually carried two types of weapons. One was a defensive weapon capable of protecting the whole team, and the other was a close combat weapon to break through enemy lines. Zhao Lejie, the chief Tank mecha pilot at the Gale Base, had a resilient shield as his defensive weapon. The shield could offset physical damage and mitigate energy damage.


    Hearing Ying Chenlin''s question, Zhao Lejie quickly replied, "I have Resilience, which can absorb physical damage."


    To gain the trust of the others from KID, he added, "I can withstand continuous attacks from A-Grade pollutants for an hour. Against S-Grade pollutants, I can hold out for at least 20 minutes."


    Ying Chenlin''s interest was piqued. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "20 minutes?"


    Proudly, Zhao Lejie stated, "Exactly, 20 minutes."


    Ying Chenlin gave a direct order, "Coordinates: East 457, North 99. Open your shield, set energy output to 60. Once you reach the target coordinates, don''t move. Maintain energy output. We''ll control the energy output frequency; it won''t exceed your capacity."


    Zhao Lejie hesitated, his doubts apparent, but he followed the instructions and reached the specified position.


    "Stand there, don''t move," Ying Chenlin said coldly.


    Startled by the command, Zhao Lejie didn''t dare to budge, enduring the damage while his energy shield absorbed the hits.


    Centennial Orchid seemed to notice him, and in the next second, its assault intensified. Its leaves struck Zhao Lejie''s mecha in a rapid series of impacts.


    Ying Chenlin added, "Lower the energy threshold of the shield to 60."


    Zhao Lejie pushed the energy threshold, his face full of questions. Before he could voice them, another electromagnetic cannon shot over his head and grazed his energy shield, hitting Centennial Orchid.


    After firing the electromagnetic cannon, Ying Chenlin said, "Good, maintain it."


    Zhao Lejie was baffled. "Maintain it?"


    Yusuo''s sniper shot soared over Zhao Lejie''s head, accurately hitting Centennial Orchid''s leaf. He explained casually, "Haven''t you heard of sandbags? Just stand there."


    About ten kilometers away from the main tower of Base Station C in the Contaminated Zone of Tianyu Star, there was a sub-defense zone named "Temporary Defense Area."


    The defense system blocked external attacks, deflecting countless sand and dust particles onto the energy shield formed by the defense system. At this moment, nearly ten mechas had gathered within the defense area.


    This was the secondary defense area of Base Station C, situated about 15 kilometers away. It possessed the same defensive capabilities as the main tower of Base Station C. To evade the sandstorms and flowing sand, they were forced to activate the defense system of this area.


    The majority of the forces from the Gale Base and YDS Base had assembled here, along with a few mechas that had previously been trapped.


    "Still haven''t managed to contact Zhao Lejie?" asked a man in a mecha combat suit.


    "No word from the backup team. We''ve been unable to reach him since he got swept away by the wind." Another mecha pilot made another attempt. Due to the contamination zone''s magnetic field interference, communication beyond a certain range became impossible. "I hope the backup team is okay."


    Qi Sicheng had confidence in Zhao Lejie. "No worries, he''s in a Tank mecha."


    Hearing this, the others felt reassured as well.


    Qi Sicheng stood for a while before Ke Lin, the captain from YDS, approached. "The situation here is extremely bizarre. Given the current circumstances, reaching Base Station C from this harsh environment is nearly impossible. The risks are too high if we all set out together. Cooperation is our only option."


    Qi Sicheng nodded. Looking toward the control room, he solemnly said, "If we can''t break through..."


    Inside the secondary defense area, a few mecha pilots were gathered in the control room. The repair programs could fix the systems here, but they couldn''t remotely control the core systems of Base Station C.


    "Remote control is still out of commission."


    "Base Station C is currently secure, but the area around it is filled with quicksand, and the magnetic field is in complete disarray."


    "We still can''t get close."


    Qi Sicheng said, "Can the pollution detection system here be used? We need to confirm the pollution situation and determine the next course of action."


    If they couldn''t proceed further, they would have to make use of the detection system in this defense area, attempt to locate the pollution source, eliminate the pollution and pollutants first, and then proceed to Base Station C.


    "I''ll try to repair it!"


    "You can use the detection system here; it''s the highest level of detection system!"


    The programs embedded in their mechas were limited, while the programs in the base station system were primarily frontline technology from the Star Alliance.


    They couldn''t establish contact with the Management Bureau outside Tianyu Star, but as long as the pollution interference was eliminated, some of the functions of the base station systems within Tianyu Star could still be used. They couldn''t be employed for long-range and large-scale applications, but they should be functional for detecting the situation near Base Station C.


    Ke Lin also approached, his voice excited. "Quick, check."


    "The target location is 6 kilometers away from us, with a pollution value exceeding 6800. The core pollutant is¡ªa mutated pollutant, Centennial Orchid," the mecha pilot operated swiftly. "The detection system can connect to nearby concealed ground equipment. Let me see if I can restore the visual information!"


    All eyes were fixed on the virtual screen inside the control room, each person''s expression grave.


    In the next moment, the detection system barely captured a few seconds of footage, instantly displaying it before everyone.


    "That mecha, isn''t that the backup team?" a mecha pilot said.


    On the screen, there was a near S-Grade pollutant, Centennial Orchid, waving its massive leaves, and standing not far from it was a deep blue mecha.


    Zhao Lejie, in the deep blue mecha, bore the distinctive color-striped pattern of the Gale Team. At this moment, he had his energy shield activated and was outputting energy on a large scale, making him resemble a blue-glowing light bulb amidst the sand.


    Ke Lin, the captain of YDS, looked at Qi Sicheng with confusion and asked, "What''s Old Zhao doing?"


    Qi Sicheng''s brows furrowed tightly. "What is he up to?"


    The mecha pilot who captured the footage had a complicated expression as he explained, "Boss, it seems like the backup team is taking a beating."


    The Tank mecha stood out amidst the swirling sand of the ruins, its glowing energy shield dazzling the onlookers'' eyes.


    Its solitary figure appeared resolute, facing the lashings of Centennial Orchid head-on, neither dodging nor retreating, steadfast and unyielding.


    A mix of distress and strength.

 CH 27

    27. Rapture


    The blue mecha followed the command and landed on the nearest debris point to Centennial Orchid. The activated energy shield maintained a 60 output, and it stood completely still in its place. The protective shield, which should have safeguarded teammates, was glowing, but within Zhao Lejie''s shield, there was no one, making him appear especially foolish.


    And then what?! He''s just standing there taking hits!?


    Zhao Lejie couldn''t comprehend it. As the primary Tank of the Gale Base, he always stood at the forefront, taking on the responsibility of protecting allied mechas.


    This responsibility involved shielding teammates, not standing in the sand like a sandbag.


    Dealing with Centennial Orchid was most challenging due to the quicksand around it and the potential for sudden gusts of wind.


    Centennial Orchid thrived in sandy terrain, and there were only a few remaining ruins around it that could serve as footholds. These ruins were sufficient for a single mecha to stand on. Consequently, the difficulty of operation fell upon the mecha pilots. To effectively combat Centennial Orchid, mecha pilots needed to rely on flight and levitation, executing aerial maneuvers. However, this increased the likelihood of being blown away by wind or Centennial Orchid''s leaves.


    As Zhao Lejie stood on the debris, he had already analyzed the current situation in his mind.


    As the deputy captain of Gale, he had assisted Qi Sicheng in commanding during matches. Given the present circumstances, if he continued to endure these attacks, he might indeed hold out for 20 minutes. However, KID''s lineup wouldn''t yield a reasonable return for him.


    "The way you''re playing won''t work." Zhao Lejie didn''t understand why he found himself standing here taking hits while upholding his good quality of trusting teammates. Alone on the sandy debris, he continued, "Melee mechas can''t approach due to a lack of footholds, Centennial Orchid''s defense is incredibly high, and the output of the ranged Artillery mechas is insufficient¡ª"


    Before he could finish speaking, the mechas from KID, who were originally maneuvering around him, took flight.


    Zhao Lejie was momentarily stunned, then he saw two of KID''s melee mechas fly over him and directly reach a position behind Centennial Orchid.


    Applying rapid adjustments, Ying Chenlin used his thunder magnetic cannon to provide cover for the two melee mechas of KID, allowing them to approach Centennial Orchid. "Ji Qingfeng, Lin Yao, stay in your current positions, hug the edge of the energy shield, and keep the energy output below 40."


    Zhao Lejie exclaimed in shock, "Wait a minute? I''ve already set my energy to 60?? You''re trying to save resources, so why save energy as well?"


    What were these guys doing? He might not even last 20 minutes, so why were they conserving energy?


    Lin Yao decisively halted the charge of his mecha and swung his longsword at Centennial Orchid. He had initially prepared for a counterattack, but Centennial Orchid didn''t retaliate against him. Instead, it intensified its assault on Zhao Lejie in front.


    At the back of the formation, You Su observed the entire scene keenly, seeing every detail. He turned his gaze toward the nearby Vanguard Mecha. Unlike the previous times, Ying Chenlin didn''t follow KID''s two mechas into Centennial Orchid''s close-range attack range. He remained in the medium to long-range position, which, though positioned towards the rear, was always within the attack range of the Vanguard Mecha''s thunder magnetic cannon.


    Just a moment later, Zhao Lejie felt a subtle sense of something amiss. Centennial Orchid''s attack strategy was off!


    The next second, Ji Qingfeng, who was hiding behind Lin Yao, voiced Zhao Lejie''s doubt, "Why isn''t Centennial Orchid attacking Yao Bao?!"


    An S-class pollutant possessed a certain degree of cognitive ability; it couldn''t be indifferent when facing its prey.


    Zhao Lejie was baffled. Lin Yao was clearly closer to the S-class pollutant, yet the attacks weren''t directed at him. Instead, Centennial Orchid''s assaults on Zhao Lejie became more intense.


    With another shot from the thunder magnetic cannon, Ying Chenlin explained, "Because of the shield."


    A shield?! mechas didn''t possess taunting functions like in games; an S-class pollutant wouldn''t just keep striking a single stationary target.


    Ying Chenlin''s thunder magnetic cannon struck Centennial Orchid''s front. "Centennial Orchid can track our positions and target us for attack."


    Zhao Lejie naturally noticed this point. "S-class pollutants are highly sensitive; it''s not strange for them to lock onto us."


    Ying Chenlin cut to the chase, "Then how does it lock onto us?"


    "Of course, it sees... no, not sees." Zhao Lejie paused suddenly in his explanation. Apart from the sandy terrain near Centennial Orchid, there were also some ruins serving as obstacles. mechas were already fast runners. If Centennial Orchid was merely seeing them before attacking, it couldn''t predict their attacking movements... Instead of saying it saw them, it was more accurate to say Centennial Orchid could anticipate their actions. It initiated an attack on them before they attacked.


    That''s how it could accurately hit their positions.


    Lin Yao didn''t quite understand this. "Not seeing, is it blind?"


    Ji Qingfeng glanced at Lin Yao. "How could it be blind? Can a blind entity control quicksand to drag people in? Perhaps Centennial Orchid''s eyes aren''t actually..."


    As he spoke, several individuals in the communication channel suddenly caught on.


    Perhaps it wasn''t about seeing, but there must be a way it predicted their actions.


    "According to the data, Centennial Orchid''s root system is exceptionally developed, extending over a range of no less than 5 kilometers."


    Even Ying Chenlin wasn''t initially certain about Centennial Orchid''s fundamental characteristics until he came across the features mentioned in the data. If quicksand was indeed Centennial Orchid''s supernatural ability, then the only method it could control the quicksand was through its roots, utilizing its roots for hunting; its roots were its eyes.


    Its ability to react before their attacks was because it relied on energy recognition.


    During an attack, mechas might not exhibit clear movements, but there would undoubtedly be fluctuations in energy.


    Once they notice an energy reaction at a certain location, Centennial Orchid will undoubtedly prioritize attacking there.


    The communication channel was tinged with the sound of disrupted signals, but Ying Chenlin''s voice still came through clearly to the other mecha pilots present.


    Cautiously, Zhao Lejie inquired, "But why the shield?"


    Ying Chenlin replied, "The energy distribution of the shield is even, and its target area is substantial."


    Zhao Lejie immediately understood. So that''s why Centennial Orchid attacked him instead of going after Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao.


    From Centennial Orchid''s control over the quicksand, it was evident that its way of tracking prey involved sensing the energy and psychic power emitted by the mechas through its roots. Once a Tank mecha initiated the close-range activation of a 60-energy shield, it became the primary target.


    To protect teammates, the shield''s protective area was distributed evenly. In this situation, almost the entire area covered by the shield had an equal distribution of energy. Since Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao controlled their energy output and were within the edge range of Zhao Lejie''s shield, Centennial Orchid would consider the shielded area as a single target.


    How did this person become so familiar with the energy performance of Tank mechas?!


    Ying Chenlin explained, "As long as the output frequency of the two melee mechas is lower than yours, they generally won''t be locked onto."


    Lin Yao asked, "What do you mean? I didn''t understand."


    Ji Qingfeng chimed in, "Are you clueless? Have you never played a game? It''s like using a strong move to aggro. He uses his strong move, we stay at the edge of it and attack. He takes the aggro and gets hit, while we maintain a stable output."


    Zhao Lejie said, "So you knew about this from the start? Is that why you had me stand in this spot?"


    Despite working together to combat the pollutant, why did he end up feeling like a tool in the end?


    "At first, I wasn''t sure," Ying Chenlin explained. "So we had to try directly, but now it''s confirmed."


    Zhao Lejie''s thoughts churned. Was he being used as a test subject or what?


    Ying Chenlin earnestly praised, "It''s because you''re meaty enough that this works."


    Zhao Lejie was about to retort, but another sniper shot passed over him and hit Centennial Orchid directly.


    Centennial Orchid went berserk, its leaf lashes becoming even more frenzied against Zhao Lejie.


    Zhao Lejie exclaimed, "I can understand that melee mechas are affected by energy and can''t properly differentiate, but why are both of your outputs exceeding 60, yet it''s still targeting me?"


    Ying Chenlin looked at him perplexedly, seemingly unsure why Zhao Lejie couldn''t grasp this concept. He had to explain further, "It''s because of orientation. We''re both behind you. Unlike other plant-based pollutants, Centennial Orchid''s leaves can''t elongate and regenerate. Since you''re blocking its path to attack us and you''re standing in its way, it needs to eliminate you first before it can reach us."


    Unhindered, Ji Qingfeng emerged from behind Lin Yao to attack. He added, "You''re a Tank mecha, isn''t enduring damage part of your role?"


    Zhao Lejie retorted, "Then why don''t you leave from the edge of my shield if you''re so capable?"


    Ji Qingfeng playfully rubbed against the edge of the shield. "I''d be dumb to leave."


    KID''s four mechas were positioned at both ends. Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao were behind Centennial Orchid, while the other two A-level mechas were positioned behind Zhao Lejie.


    The formation of the second and third squads caused Centennial Orchid''s attack direction to disperse. The shields indirectly concealed the energy fluctuations of Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao. The other two A-level mechas scattered their energy everywhere, danomalousately drawing its attention.


    However, this arrangement only temporarily concentrated Centennial Orchid''s attacks and removed the threat of its leaves.


    Yet, avoiding the quicksand and the wind in their surroundings was inevitable. In an environment without solid ground, controlling mechas became extremely demanding. Zhao Lejie had initially thought that KID''s group would falter due to environmental factors, but the four of them didn''t collapse.


    Both Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao were flying in the air behind Centennial Orchid. The two mechas behind him were utilizing precise footwork to skillfully evade damage. Each shot landed precisely on Centennial Orchid, demonstrating a level of piloting skill that could only be described as professional.


    Zhao Lejie looked at the mechas around him with a complex expression. He understood that Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao were professionals, but the two A-level mechas from KID behind him were merely A-level. However, they were using their mechas'' abilities and the limited foothold in this challenging environment to maintain stability.


    Perfect energy charging, perfect hits.


    The thunder magnetic cannon hit to paralyze, and the sniper cannon locked onto core positions for bombardment.


    Although they were a combination of a Vanguard-type and an Artillery mecha, the hit rate gave Zhao Lejie an uncanny feeling, as if there were two Artillery mechas behind him instead.


    Zhao Lejie couldn''t take his eyes off the scene. The precision of these two mechas... it was almost frightening.


    Although he wasn''t an Artillery or Vanguard-type pilot, he knew that the key to ''cannon'' weapons was accuracy. Sniper cannons needed a stable environment to achieve precise hits, while the thunder magnetic cannon was a close-range weapon with higher accuracy at shorter ranges, which was harder to maintain at longer ranges.


    Their team captain, Qi Sicheng, had said that KID''s front-line wasn''t weak; it was the cooperation and support that were lacking.


    But the bold Artillery mecha pilot behind him was carrying both a sniper cannon and an energy cannon, while the Vanguard-type pilot was using a thunder magnetic cannon like a ranged weapon, all without any survival Control mechaanisms. Their technical prowess in this harsh environment was a bit frightening.


    Two KID mechas¡ªone an Artillery expert with precise accuracy in hazardous flight conditions and the other adeptly using close-combat weapons as if they were ranged weapons.


    If there were mecha pilots like this, certain bases in the alliance would be clamoring to recruit them.


    These seemingly unknown mecha pilots, one excelling in ranged weaponry with strategic vision and the other with impeccable close-combat maneuvers¡ªwhere did KID find such mecha pilots? They certainly weren''t active-duty mecha pilots within the alliance!


    At this moment, Centennial Orchid, an S-Grade pollutant, was becoming even more agitated as it struggled against multiple attacks. The once-calm sands around it gradually turned peculiar, forming vortexes and spiraling upward, creating sand tornadoes.


    Seeing this, Zhao Lejie hesitated and was pushed back a step by Centennial Orchid''s oncoming leaf lashes.


    Ji Qingfeng was taken aback and hastily moved closer to him. "Are you okay? Why did you get pushed back?"


    Zhao Lejie felt wronged. "If you can do better, then you try!"


    In the end, everyone was showing off, and he was the only one taking a beating.


    In the sniper scope, Ying Chenlin noticed the anomaly. Swiftly, she took aim and fired a shot. Her voice was stern and cold. "Step back!"


    Without any hesitation, Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao retreated. Sand tornadoes emerged around Centennial Orchid, launching successive attacks that prevented anyone from approaching. Zhao Lejie cursed and was struck by a sand tornado head-on. If he hadn''t pinned himself to the ground, he might have been lifted off the ground.


    "It''s no use!" Zhao Lejie exclaimed. "With those tornadoes, we can''t get close."


    Ying Chenlin, however, said, "We can get closer."


    Ying Chenlin turned to look at the position of the Artillery mecha, noticing that the energy charge had reached a threshold. The flying mecha fired a shot that dispersed the formed sand tornado.


    Lin Yao exclaimed, "Holy cow! What a badass!"


    Zhao Lejie was taken aback. This Artillery mecha had directly dispersed the sand tornado formed by the pollutant''s condensation.


    The Artillery mecha''s focused energy cannon already possessed tremendous firepower. In competitions, there were often instances of Artillery mechas fully unleashing their power to shatter the shields of Vanguard mechas. Now, this focused energy cannon shot directly struck the sand tornado, blasting open the obscured field of view caused by the tornado and providing Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao with a clearer sight.


    Ji Qingfeng noticed the energy cannon flying over his head and a cold sweat broke out on his back. "Ge, your energy cannon just grazed past my head."


    You Su''s tone was indifferent. "Is that so? Then make sure you stand firm."


    Ji Qingfeng began to feel uneasy, as if he had already anticipated being blasted away by the energy cannon due to unstable positioning.


    Ying Chenlin''s gaze swept left and right, and a new attack path gradually became clear in his mind. "Can you maintain accuracy?"


    You Su recharged the weapon. "I can continue."


    "Modify the shield to 70, and adjust the energy of the light blade to 50," Ying Chenlin''s tone was swift, continuing, "the Artillery mecha will provide cover for us."


    Zhao Lejie immediately raised the energy threshold and asked, "Energy threshold raised!"


    But what could raising the energy threshold achieve? His mecha''s energy couldn''t sustain such consumption. The energy cannon of the Artillery mecha, which was originally their main source of output, was now only being used to disperse the sand tornado and open up their field of view, resulting in reduced overall firepower.


    Zhao Lejie was in the midst of his thoughts when he suddenly saw something ¡ª


    As Zhao Lejie''s thoughts were halfway through, he suddenly saw something¡ª


    You Su''s gaze deepened, and the sniper cannon fired. At that moment, a figure flashed through the scope used for aiming in the sniper scope. The high-speed flying mecha found a gap in the adverse wind conditions, almost sticking right next to the trajectory of the sniper cannon.


    As the sniper cannon collided with the sand tornado, the Vanguard mecha took advantage of the impact. The energy-infused blade of the mecha''s light sword horizontally sliced through the sand tornado. The previously covered Vanguard mecha joined the battle.


    Ying Chenlin was wedged between the Vanguard mecha and the sand tornado. His light blade cleanly parted the leaves of the Centennial Orchid. "Keep going, don''t worry about me."


    Inside the cockpit, the calculating mecha pilot, Theo, stopped as he witnessed this scene. In less than a second, he passed through the trajectory of the high-speed flying sniper cannon.


    You Su quickly adjusted the energy buildup of the sniper cannon and briefly stated, "He calculated the timing of my energy buildup."


    Knowing his charging time, calculating it precisely to that moment ensured that even with overlapping trajectories, the sniper cannon would not hit.


    Theo said, "But what if he miscalculated, and your shot hit him just now?"


    You Su remained silent and used the brief displacement time to reach a new sniper point.


    To defeat the Centennial Orchid, they had to do so before Zhao Lejie''s shield mecha ran out of energy.


    In an instant change, all the mecha pilots were fully focused.


    You Su positioned himself at the far edge of the energy shield, wedged exactly on the edge of Zhao Lejie''s mecha. Calculating in advance, his sniper cannon grazed through the gap created by the sand tornado, directly blasting away the sand tornado on the attack path.


    Ying Chenlin''s gaze swiftly scanned the coordinate map, quickly reconfirming You Su''s position. When the opponent adjusted positions, he did the same.


    He naturally didn''t let go of this excellent opportunity for close proximity. The harsh environment posed a higher challenge for mecha pilots. He switched the weapons in his left and right hands, moving the original thunder energy cannon to his right hand, while the energy blade of the light sword was now on his left.


    The performance of A-level mechas couldn''t compare to that of tournament-level mechas. If Ying Chenlin wanted to shorten the time, he could only increase the frequency of his attacks.


    Ying Chenlin let out a sigh and concentrated his mental energy in his left hand. The depletion of his mental energy caused a tingling sensation in his left hand.


    However, that sensation vanished in an instant.


    In its place was the black and red necklace hidden under his collar. The faint glow of the necklace resonated with something intangible, causing a crack to appear on the surface of the storage device containing the S-Grade anomalous crystal.


    Ji Qingfeng suddenly turned his head, catching sight of Ying Chenlin''s mecha''s movement. He was about to speak up to stop his risky action.


    The Vanguard mecha was swift, agile, and adept at close-quarters combat. While the initial group of Ying Chenlin''s actions involved supporting from the rear, this maneuver, akin to the cutting edge of a blade, wasn''t something an ordinary mechanic could achieve.


    The fluid motion of the light sword''s precise strikes flawlessly connected with the railgun in his right hand. Ying Chenlin single-handedly plunged into an extreme output position. He faced the threats of the Artillery mecha''s firepower head-on. His movements flowed seamlessly, and in Ji Qingfeng''s memory, they overlapped with a certain figure from the past.


    "Oh my God!" A sense of familiarity immediately clicked in Ji Qingfeng''s mind.


    This uncanny familiarity! This light sword, this railgun! The rhythm of these actions was exactly the same as that B-level mecha pilot in the Banute Contaminated Zone back then!


    Lin Yao exclaimed, "What''s going on?"


    Ji Qingfeng was astonished. "The world is way too small!"


    Zhao Lejie angrily said, "Do you have time to chat??? Can you please focus on fighting! If you get any more distracted, you''ll end up in a sandpile!"


    Ji Qingfeng had no choice but to redirect his attention back to the Centennial Orchid. However, as he acted, his gaze kept unintentionally shifting towards Ying Chenlin''s direction. The more he paid attention, the more he could memorize the details of those actions.


    "???" Were mechanics this skillful now? How could they pilot mechas even more impressively than professionals?


    The dynamics on the battlefield underwent new changes. Zhao Lejie continued to steadfastly endure Centennial Orchid''s attacks. Lin Yao and Ji Qingfeng were positioned diagonally to his left front. The other two A-level mechas were stationed in front of the energy shield, one in front of the other.


    The Artillery mecha was responsible for dispersing the sand tornado, while the other three melee mechas were focused on severing Centennial Orchid''s highly offensive leaves.


    The attacks from the previous ten minutes had already inflicted considerable damage on Centennial Orchid. To mobilize the sand tornado, it seemed to have invested most of its strength into the sand, causing its overall defenses to weaken.


    One leaf, two leaves...


    Under the relentless assault of the three melee mechas, the leaves of the Centennial Orchid were falling.


    Without the ability to regenerate, it couldn''t withstand this high-intensity attack. Bereft of the shelter provided by its leaves, its power gradually drained as it manipulated the sand and sand tornadoes. Eventually, its sand tornado could no longer withstand the bombardment of the energy cannons, taking a direct hit on its body.


    Boom¡ª


    As the sand rain fell, it made a soft pattering sound against the mechas.


    The surrounding sand disappeared, leaving only the howling wind.


    "Is it dead for sure?" Ji Qingfeng asked.


    Lin Yao took a look, "Seems like it."


    Several people turned their gaze toward the spot where the Centennial Orchid had perished. Its leaves were in a state of decay, and the pollution level around it was gradually decreasing.


    The Centennial Orchid, which had been rooted in the Contaminated Zone of the Tianyu Star for a long time, was devoid of vitality. Ying Chenlin floated above the sand and used his blade to peel back the Centennial Orchid''s leaves, revealing a pale yellow anomalous crystal.


    An S-class anomalous crystal, likely carrying the anomaly of the Centennial Orchid''s [Flowing Sand].


    You Su''s gaze lingered on the crystal for a moment. Theo couldn''t help but excitedly chant in his mind, "Wow! An S-class anomalous crystal! We haven''t seen one in so long!"


    Indeed, S-class anomalous crystals were extremely rare, and encountering S-class pollutants was even rarer.


    However, this was the Contaminated Zone of the Tianyu Star, so the appearance of such pollutants wasn''t surprising.


    "It might not be useful for us," You Su adjusted the energy reserves within his mecha. His A-class mecha was easy to handle, with a significant difference from S-class models. "The Centennial Orchid''s anomaly is sand, and the anomalous crystal likely shares the same effect. This kind of functional anomalous crystal isn''t beneficial for us."


    Theo''s weapons were damaged, and the ones that were most compatible were the offensive-type anomalous crystals.


    Anomalous crystals could be categorized into four types based on their characteristics: offensive, defensive, utility, and auxiliary. The Centennial Orchid''s sand-based anomaly leaned toward soft control and lacked strong offensive capabilities. If used to equip a mecha''s weapons, it would only hinder Theo''s offensive performance.


    Meanwhile, on the announcement channel, a group of people were overjoyed by the appearance of the S-class anomalous crystal.


    "Is this really an S-class anomalous crystal this time?" Lin Yao flew over to Ying Chenlin''s side, staring at the crystal. "It looks quite ordinary."


    Ji Qingfeng: "With such a high pollution level, we definitely won''t make the same mistake as the Nine Dragon Vine did back then, right?"


    Zhao Lejie: "We''ll need to send it for testing to know the specifics, but based on the current situation, it''s very likely."


    Finally, Zhao Lejie deactivated his gleaming protective shield. He glanced around at the sand-covered area. The quicksand had disappeared, leaving behind a completely stable sandy terrain. He could confidently step on it without worry. "The quicksand''s gone. We can finally head to Base Station C."


    Through the internal channel, Lin Yao commented, "Ying Chenlin, that maneuver you just pulled off was really cool!"


    Amidst the chaos, everyone was focused on self-preservation. Lin Yao had initially intended to protect Ying Chenlin, but as it turned out, Chenlin didn''t need their protection and was even adapting well to the situation.


    Ji Qingfeng: "..."


    Could it not be cool? That maneuver was exactly like the tactics used by those skilled mecha pilots of the past!


    Ying Chenlin had initially been covering from the rear. They hadn''t observed closely, but upon reflection, the timing of the coordination with the magnetic cannon had been impeccable, as if it was executed by a seasoned professional mecha pilot.


    Recalling the precise maneuver where Ying Chenlin had cut in at the end, Ji Qingfeng mused that even with his highly agile Stealth mecha, he wouldn''t have dared to take such a risk. Yet, Chenlin not only did it but did it splendidly. With this thought, the voice of that cooperative brother from the past seemed to clarify, sounding almost identical to Chenlin''s voice.


    He switched to the internal channel and subtly inquired, "Ahem, Ying Chenlin, do you still have a B-class mecha?"


    Ying Chenlin, who was still stationary, didn''t continue hiding and briefly responded, "Yes."


    Ji Qingfeng thought, Just as I suspected. "I knew it! I absolutely wouldn''t mistake that kind of maneuver!"


    Lin Yao: "Huh?"


    Ji Qingfeng continued, "You''re clueless! I''m talking about the one from the Banut Contaminated Zone last time! Our B-class brother!"


    Lin Yao suddenly realized and followed up with, "Huh? Ying Chenlin is that mecha pilot?"


    Ying Chenlin didn''t reply. His attention was focused on his surroundings. As time passed, his brow furrowed tightly.


    While Lin Yao and Ji Qingfeng were engaged in an animated discussion on the internal channel, silence suddenly fell over the announcement channel.


    Zhao Lejie noticed the quietness on the communication channels. "Why isn''t anyone talking?"


    You Su had just managed to tune out Theo''s incessant chatter in his mind and turned his head slightly to see Ying Chenlin still stationary. He furrowed his brow slightly. "What''s wrong?"


    "Something''s off." Ying Chenlin stared at the unchanging communication signals and pollution levels in his field of view. "According to the usual pattern, after eliminating the pollution source, some functions should have been restored or alleviated in parts of the mechas'' programs... but until now, not a single program has recovered to normal."


    As soon as these words were spoken, several people immediately turned their attention to the mecha systems.


    If the cause of the magnetic field anomaly in this vicinity was indeed the Centennial Orchid, then after dealing with it, even if they couldn''t establish contact with the outside world, the systems within the region should have seen some relief.


    The surroundings grew increasingly eerie. After the quicksand had completely vanished, the entire sandy ruins fell into a strange atmosphere.


    Gradually, they began to hear the howling of the fierce wind.


    Ji Qingfeng exclaimed, "Holy crap! Look ahead!"


    With sand filling the sky, the howling wind carried sand particles, surging towards them like a sand tsunami.


    Without a second thought, Zhao Lejie rushed to the forefront. The protective shield he rapidly activated absorbed the powerful impact, showing faint cracks. Ying Chenlin furrowed his brow slightly. His gaze swiftly swept through all the reports within the mecha system, quickly assessing the current situation.


    Ji Qingfeng breathed a sigh of relief. "Zhao Ge, we owe you one!"


    Zhao Lejie ruthlessly interrupted, "Save your thanks for later."


    You Su looked at the pollution levels on the visual channel and stated, "The pollution level has halted at 5500. It''s not decreasing further. That''s good news, but this place probably harbors more than one high-level pollution source."


    Zhao Lejie fell into silence for a moment before saying, "You KIDs consider this good news!?"


    Lin Yao''s eyes lit up. "5500? That''s at least A+ grade mutation."


    Ji Qingfeng exclaimed, "Oh, so this means more money in our pockets, right? Where''s that thing?"


    Zhao Lejie sighed.


    "But do you want to hear some bad news?"


    Zhao Lejie, with a deadpan expression, remarked, "My mecha''s energy is down to 30."


    Lin Yao: "?"


    Ji Qingfeng: "???"


    Ying Chenlin lifted his head to assess the protective shield''s condition and stated matter-of-factly, "With 30 energy points left, you can''t sustain a shield output of 70."


    Ji Qingfeng''s brain hadn''t fully caught up. "What do you mean?"


    Ying Chenlin clarified, "It means this shield is about to break."


    No sooner had he finished speaking than the protective shield cracked with a snap, followed by popping sounds. In front of them, the entire shield shattered into points of light.

 CH 28

    28. Gold Scorpion


    Six kilometers away from the Centennial Orchid, in the secondary defense area, the mecha pilots in the control center detected a new signal in their monitoring systems.


    Mecha Pilot: "The fluctuations from the pollution source Centennial Orchid have disappeared."


    Only a few mecha pilots remained in the control center. The captain of the YDS team, Ke Lin, walked a few steps to the monitoring system. "The fluctuations have disappeared? Can the imagery still be captured?"


    "There''s nothing we can do. The real-time monitoring system on that side seems to have been disrupted by an external force, and we can''t confirm any visuals." The mecha pilot wore a worried expression. From the moment they captured that image until now, they only saw Zhao Lejie being attacked. They hadn''t received any further information, so in the end, Qi Sicheng had to lead a small team of mecha pilots to head out for a rescue operation.


    Another mecha pilot nearby expressed concern, "Deputy Captain, can he hold on until we arrive for the rescue?"


    "Don''t speak so negatively!"


    "Good things come to those who wait!"


    "Yeah, the pollution source fluctuations have disappeared!"


    Ke Lin stood nearby, staring at the monitoring data with a heavy gaze.


    Without reason, fluctuations from a mutated pollution source wouldn''t just disappear.


    The Centennial Orchid was their currently pinned-down core cause for the changes at Base Station C. Its sudden disappearance had only one possible explanation: the Centennial Orchid had been eradicated.


    Soon, someone entered to report the situation, "Team Lead Ke Lin, it seems like the sand outside has disappeared. We might be able to lead the main force straight to Base Station C."


    Ke Lin looked out through the transparent window of the secondary defense area. The strong gusts of wind were still present, but the outside sandy terrain had grown calmer.


    However, if the Centennial Orchid had vanished, then who could have cleared it? Based on the records, the Centennial Orchid, as a pollution source, had shown no significant activity within the Contaminated Zone for years. This is why the Bureau had allowed it to grow and observe near Base Station C. However, it was a pollution source that had reached S-level pollution value, and solving it was beyond the capability of just Zhao Lejie alone.


    Who was working with Zhao Lejie to handle the Centennial Orchid?


    Ke Lin suddenly recalled something. It seemed that before he came in, there was news of a squad coming in for support. "Was it the YDS and Gale in the base of the Tianyu Star?"


    "Not only that," another mecha pilot explained. "Before I came here, I heard the Bureau staff saying that there were also KID''s mecha pilots coming in."


    KID? Ke Lin''s team had faced off against KID''s team in the last season. At that time, KID''s battle tempo was utterly chaotic. "Who are the mecha pilots that came in?"


    "I''m not sure about that," the mecha pilot responded.


    Ke Lin looked at the detection system. Was this kind of pollution truly being resolved by KID?


    At this moment, the mecha pilot responsible for detection spoke again, "There''s something very strange. The fluctuations of the advanced pollutant have disappeared, yet the pollution levels around Base Station C have remained unchanged."


    "No change?" Ke Lin thought about the initial mission requirements. After the vanguard team of mecha pilots restored the functions of Base Stations A and B, problems arose only when they reached point C. This point C seemed to be the source of all the issues.


    He suddenly had a thought, "Can we still contact Qi Sicheng?"


    Others replied, "No, the signal here is extremely unusual. Once you exceed a certain range, communication becomes impossible."


    Ke Lin''s expression turned serious, "It seems like we''re surrounded by something. There''s more than one pollutant in this area."


    -


    Zi zi¡ªzi zi¡ª


    In the communication signal, it seemed like someone was speaking.


    Struggling in the sand for a while, Ying Chenlin''s mechanized giant hand brushed away the layers of sand, and the vague view before him gradually cleared up.


    You Su said, "Left hand."


    Ying Chenlin didn''t hesitate. With the help of the other person''s hand, he crawled out of the sand.


    The surroundings had changed. He wasn''t in the original location where they had eradicated Centennial Orchid, but had been blown to a different place by the sandstorm.


    Ying Chenlin first inspected the internal programs of his mecha. The systems that had been disrupted before hadn''t recovered, and even the positioning system within the mecha had become intermittent. The blinking light representing his teammates'' mechas flickered a few times and then disappeared, without any updates.


    Communication and range-detection tools had all failed.


    Trying to eliminate Centennial Orchid not only didn''t resolve this situation, but seemed to worsen some aspects.


    "We''ve lost contact with the others," You Su stood on the sand. After pulling Ying Chenlin up, he surveyed the surroundings. "It seems that Centennial Orchid isn''t the main cause."


    "There''s more than one pollutant," Ying Chenlin confirmed this. After all, Centennial Orchid was just a pollutant with a value of 6800. To affect signal communications over such a large area, the strength of this pollutant must far exceed that of Centennial Orchid.


    Being carried by the wind near Base Station C, Ying Chenlin always had a strange feeling. It was as if they had entered a monster''s domain, a completely isolated realm.


    "It seems like things have gotten a bit complicated."


    Ying Chenlin flipped through the data and didn''t find a corresponding pollutant target within the Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone. The closest match to his speculation was Centennial Orchid. If it wasn''t Centennial Orchid, could some kind of pollutant suddenly appear in the Tianyu Star Contaminated Zone?


    As he pondered this, he suddenly felt a sour sensation in his right arm, similar to what he had experienced when he overused his right arm in the Banut Contaminated Zone. It seemed that he should avoid using his right arm as much as possible in the upcoming time to prevent any further issues.


    The communication channel lacked both Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao, making it overly quiet.


    Ying Chenlin disconnected the neural connection to his right hand and looked at the nearby Artillery mecha. His understanding of this Artillery mecha pilot was based solely on the initial impression from that profile. From the recent battle, this individual''s skills far surpassed what was shown in the Banute Contaminated Zone.


    In the early morning when You Su joined the team, he had looked up some ofTrace¡¯s data.


    The core output of a team battle mecha lay in the Artillery mecha. In short, if the Artillery mecha''s performance was subpar, it could easily disrupt the entire team''s rhythm. He had watched some of KID''s previous match videos, in which the rear Artillery mecha''s output and the front row''s rhythm were completely mismatched, leading to severe disconnection.


    During their recent encounter with Centennial Orchid, You Su''s combat reactions were crucial. He chose to disperse the sandstorm the moment Centennial Orchid''s quicksand changed. This wasn''t recklessness; it was a result of his richer experience compared to an ordinary person.


    A mecha pilot with exceptional combat experience and physical attributes.


    You Su didn''t hear Ying Chenlin''s voice and asked, "Why aren''t you talking?"


    Ying Chenlin suddenly said, "You''re healthy."


    You Su paused slightly, "And then?"


    Ying Chenlin''s tone was calm, "It''s quite enviable."


    A healthy body with no hidden issues, years of accumulated combat memories¡ªnaturally suited for piloting mechas.


    "Young one, how old are you?" You Su asked.


    Ying Chenlin replied, "I''m 18 now."


    "18?" You Su adjusted the parameters inside the mecha while continuing, "At 18, your mecha piloting level is nearing a professional level. Your primary role is a junior maintenance worker, and you''re very familiar with the performance of team battle mechas. When did you start working with mechas?"


    Knowing clearly the capabilities of a mecha and how to push energy output to its limits while maintaining optimal performance at the edge.


    This wasn''t something an average maintenance worker could achieve. Every operation during mecha combat required the mecha pilot to be in control. It demanded a wealth of combat skills and the ability to combine those skills with theoretical knowledge, adjusting the mecha''s coordination in different situations to maximize benefits.


    Such individuals were either seasoned mecha pilots with over a decade of experience or people with an intimate understanding of mechas.


    Clearly, Ying Chenlin wasn''t the former, yet he was only 18 years old.


    Ying Chenlin fell silent for a moment, then answered, "I can''t remember."


    Can''t remember...?


    You Su glanced slightly sideways. Through the mecha, he couldn''t clearly see the other person''s expression. After adjusting the mecha''s parameters, he noticed that the Artillery mecha''s magnetic cannon in the right hand was hanging on the ground, and the pilot operating it was motionless.


    He thought about the recent battle and the intense combat exertion from the individual''s right hand. "What''s wrong with your hand?"


    Ying Chenlin paused for a moment and explained, "It''s sore."


    A faint frown appeared on You Su''s brow. "First, disconnect the neural connection."


    "It''s disconnected," Ying Chenlin relaxed his right hand as much as possible. He asked a question that had been on his mind, "Why do others call you a mad dog?"


    As soon as the question was asked, You Su''s sniper cannon''s angle lifted, aimed in Ying Chenlin''s direction. Energy accumulated at its core, radiating an imposing aura.


    Ying Chenlin didn''t move, and You Su didn''t let go either.


    "Scared?" With each step, You Su''s Artillery was lowered, eventually stopping at the core of the Vanguard mecha. Inside the armored plate was the cockpit where the mecha pilot was located. "Your teammates are behind you. I can fire a 70% charged sniper shot at your core position. One shot is enough to blast through your outer armor."


    Ying Chenlin replied, "Have you blasted someone before?"


    "Multiple times," You Su said lightly, "The outer armor cracked open."


    Ying Chenlin responded with an "Oh." Then he asked, "So, are you here to KIDnap someone else''s mecha?"


    "You''re not allowed to talk about these things on the arena." You Su found the way this KID spoke a bit amusing. "Shen Xingtang promised me to participate in the league as KID. If the prize for victory is an attack-type anomalous crystal, it will be given to me first."


    He looked at the vast expanse of the sandy ruins. "I''m not interested in league matches, but I am interested in anomalous crystals."


    An S-class attack-type anomalous crystal?


    Ying Chenlin asked, "You frequently enter the Contaminated Zone, but haven''t found one?"


    You Su suddenly felt that this KID had an innocent side. "Do you think an S-class attack-type anomalous crystal is easy to find?"


    Ying Chenlin didn''t know how to answer. Not too long ago, he had picked one up.


    On the contrary, he had yet to encounter an A-class+ variant of an attack-type special material.


    You Su''s mecha... he remembered it being an S-class mecha.


    Needing an S-class anomalous crystal, it could only be because the weapon core of You Su''s mecha was malfunctioning.


    "The weapon core, is it the sniper cannon?" Ying Chenlin asked.


    At his words, You Su inquired, "Why, are you going to help me repair it?"


    Ying Chenlin was about to say something when he suddenly noticed something in the blowing sand. A certain tower in the distance gradually became clear. An aura of defense spread from within the sandstorm, the tower radiating a blue light. He murmured, "Base Station C."


    Following his direction, You Su looked over. "It seems like we''re really lucky today."


    "Not necessarily good news," Ying Chenlin looked at You Su. "Do you have enough energy left?"


    You Su replied, "I have 50% remaining."


    50%, that wouldn''t be enough.


    Leaving aside how long it would take to restore communication between the Tianyu Star and the outside world, in an environment surrounded by pollutants, the mecha''s energy was their last line of defense. Ying Chenlin pondered for a moment. There was a solution, but until they reached the tower at the base station, the lower their energy, the more precarious their situation would be.


    Originally, there were other teammates with them, and cooperation could reduce energy loss.


    But after this sandstorm, they were brought near Base Station Point C.


    "Ji Qingfeng and the others should have been blown to a different location, not far from us," Ying Chenlin checked the interior of the mecha. "Before the radar malfunctioned, I noticed they were in the northeast direction."


    Northeast direction, the direction of Base Station Point C.


    You Su said, "Assuming we can make it."


    Ying Chenlin was puzzled and followed the direction that You Su was looking at. Soon, he saw a dense cluster of black shadows in the distance on the sandy ground. He looked slightly stunned and immediately found the corresponding pollutants from the data he had collected. They were thousands of mutated Gold Scorpions.


    B-Grade pollutant, the Gold Scorpions.


    And in front of this group of Gold Scorpions, there were two rapidly moving figures, their red mecha patterns standing out prominently.


    Through the scope of his sniper cannon, You Su saw the details. "KID''s mecha."


    The mecha at KID Base were all in shades of red, whether it was the advanced-grade mecha or the A-grade mecha. The mecha''s exterior patterns were adorned with the distinctive red markings that represented KID, mirroring the patterns on their own mecha.


    Something wasn''t right. Despite the proximity, there was no sound coming from their communication channel.


    Ying Chenlin said, "It probably isn''t Ji Qingfeng and the others."


    If it wasn''t Ji Qingfeng''s group, then who else could be piloting KID''s mecha?


    Two names surfaced in Ying Chenlin''s mind. Only two people were capable of operating KID''s marked mecha besides themselves.


    Their crucial mission objective on Tianyu Star ¨C KID''s two missing mecha pilots, Huo Yan and Lu Xi.


    "Huo Yan," Ying Chenlin suddenly spoke.


    Huo Yan, the current captain of KID''s team and a Tank mecha pilot.


    Upon hearing this name, You Su''s tone slightly paused, "Him."


    Ying Chenlin looked at You Su, puzzled.


    "I''ve crossed paths with him a few times," You Su''s tone was flat, devoid of extra emotion. He went on matter-of-factly, "Before joining KID, he was a mecha pilot in the First Star Domain''s Dawn Galaxy Frontier Defense Force."


    In just a moment, two mechas arrived at high speed. The one in front twisted its body to block, using its shield to send a mutated scorpion flying with a shield bash.


    Beside it was another mecha armed with two Artillery weapons. Following the first mecha''s movement, when the fired projectiles detonated, they unleashed viscous water streams that immobilized the Gold Scorpions on the ground.


    Two mechas arrived: one Tank and one control-oriented.


    The next second, a sizzling sound echoed through the nearby communication system. A unfamiliar male voice, rich and resonant even within the disrupted signal, emerged. "Anyone ahead, can you hear the communication?"


    At this moment, amidst the garbled transmission, a weak female voice chimed in, "Huo-ge, your voice is too loud, you''re breaking the mic."


    The deep-voiced man responded, "Really? Let me lower it then. Finally met some living beings after all that shouting along the way."


    With them, there were also several mutated Gold Scorpions. The Tank mecha at the forefront landed, and its shield-type weapon projected a protective barrier, keeping all the Gold Scorpions at bay. The man asked, "Why are you two just standing there? Weren''t you supposed to wait for rescue near the tower?"


    The girl noticed something, "Huo-ge, these seem to be our base''s mecha."


    "Our base''s people?" The man finally realized, scanning the two mechas. "Xu Yaojun and Xiao Yao? Wait, Xiao Yao isn''t very skilled with Artillery."


    Within the internal communication channel, You Su and Ying Chenlin confirmed the identity of the newcomers.


    Following the vanguard mecha team into the investigation of the missing mecha pilots were Huo Yan, a Tank mecha pilot from KID, and Lu Xi, a control-oriented mecha pilot.


    But why did these two suddenly appear in this place? Were there more complications beyond the initial disappearance of the vanguard team!?


    You Su switched to the public communication channel, and directly jumped into the conversation, "KID''s Huo Yan?"


    Upon hearing the voice, Huo Yan responded unexpectedly, "That''s us. Did you follow the rescue team from the Management Bureau in?"


    "After you went missing, the Management Bureau notified three bases to initiate an emergency rescue mission."


    You Su explained, "KID sent four people. We got separated from Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao. We''re the third group to enter."


    "I heard from the boss a few days ago that new recruits had come to the base. That''s you guys?" Huo Yan realized, looking at the silent Vanguard Mecha beside him, "I only heard about a new mechanic coming, the boss didn''t mention two mecha pilots."


    Huo Yan, who used to be a frontier defense force mecha pilot.


    After You Su''s comment, Ying Chenlin suddenly recalled something.


    In his later life, after joining KID, there were a few days each year when he would see special people visiting KID''s base. These visitors wore black military uniforms and exuded a unique aura, a calmness that had been through trials and tribulations.


    At first, he thought they were Shen Xingtang''s friends, but later learned they weren''t entirely.


    Those people carried bouquets and came to pay respects to a certain person from KID who had passed away.


    Out of curiosity, Ying Chenlin once asked the old mechanics in the maintenance room. They mentioned this event, saying it was a former mecha pilot from KID who had gone missing due to an accident. Every year, his juniors would come to visit, ostensibly to gather information, but in reality, they were paying respects to an unmarked grave.


    The old mechanic mentioned not knowing the person''s name, only recalling that the mecha pilot used to be in the frontier defense military.


    The mecha pilot had a good personality and often took care of his juniors. So, after he went missing due to an accident, his juniors would come to KID to visit him during their holidays.


    Ying Chenlin thought, was his disappearance due to the "black hole" incident in the records?


    The female mecha pilot Lu Xi... He glanced at the adjacent Control mechaa.


    However, they didn''t have time to delve further into the situation. At this moment, a violent impact sound diverted everyone''s attention.


    Scorpions were pouncing on the protective barrier, one after another, and their stinger tails were relentlessly jabbing into the barrier.


    Ying Chenlin looked up. Both mechas had some signs of damage. The Tank mecha''s exterior had a few breaches. The two mechas they were piloting were KID Base''s backup mechas. The original competition-grade mechas were left at the KID Base for post-match maintenance. The keys for the two competition-grade mechas were with them, but not here ¨C they were with Ji Qingfeng.


    Huo Yan and Lu Xi had been inside for two days already, and their mecha''s stored energy was even lower.


    B-grade mutated pollutants ¨C Gold Scorpions. In their original form, they were desert Gold Scorpions. After mutating, the stinger tails connected to their venom sacs carried neurotoxins. Normally, venomous stingers couldn''t break through a mecha''s protective layer. However, with so many venomous Gold Scorpions appearing simultaneously, the mecha''s exterior, no matter how sturdy, couldn''t withstand prolonged damage.


    Once the mecha''s protective layer was breached, the danger would befall the mecha pilot.


    Inside the mecha was a network of metal nerves connecting the mecha and the mecha pilot, facilitating shared senses. Once the toxin seeped in, the danger would be to the mecha pilot.


    "Talk later, are you ready?" Huo Yan poised himself, smoothly following up, "We''re about to make a run for it."


    Ying Chenlin was taken aback, "Run?"


    Lu Xi repeated, "Yes, run."


    Seeing everyone prepared, Huo Yan retracted his shield, and with a powerful boost from his thrusters, they soared upwards. The Gold Scorpions on the ground were getting closer and closer.


    "Run!"


    Engaging the thrusters, several mechas began flying against the strong wind, pulling along a group of mutated Gold Scorpions, creating a spectacular scene in the desert wasteland.


    The mutated Gold Scorpions were larger than regular Gold Scorpions. Even though they couldn''t fly, they could jump and latch onto the mechas.


    The wasteland was already swept by strong winds, and flying at low altitudes allowed them to maintain stability, while high-altitude flight would cause the mechas to lose control.


    Normally, these Gold Scorpions didn''t pose a significant threat, but their energy had been greatly depleted. Besides Huo Yan''s shield, they had no other protective weaponry.


    The Gold Scorpions below spotted their prey, their eyes gleaming, and they leaped directly towards the mechas flying at low altitudes. The energy emitted by the gun mechas was particularly enticing to them, holding a fatal attraction.


    "We came out to search for other mechas. Several mechas from the vanguard team are currently missing." Huo Yan took advantage of this moment to explain, "But unexpectedly, we encountered this group of mutant Gold Scorpions. They''ve been eyeing us for a long time, always hovering around the base station."


    The scorpion swarm was incredibly troublesome. They were numerous and had high defenses. Even a slight misstep would allow them to break through the successive attacks.


    Huo Yan and Lu Xi had average attack capabilities. They could only drag along these pollutants and couldn''t effectively counterattack.


    Ying Chenlin slightly lowered his gaze, able to see the rapidly crawling mutated Gold Scorpions below. They had targeted them and were sticking closely. Normally, they could easily shake off pollutants, but in the energy-depleted, windy desert environment, shaking them off became somewhat difficult.


    Moreover, these mutated Gold Scorpions...


    You Su noticed that Ying Chenlin had fallen behind in flight and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "B-grade mutated gold Gold Scorpions. They''re pollutants unique to the Contaminated Zones of the Tianyu Star," Ying Chenlin calmly explained, "They''re effective and expensive."


    Mutated Gold Scorpions were rare in other Contaminated Zones, and their crystal cores commanded high prices on the market.


    First, their shells could yield special materials that were often used to reinforce mecha exteriors, making them resistant to toxins. Second, their crystal cores had high conductivity, making them useful as strengthening materials for metal nerves, enhancing basic accuracy conversion rates.


    Toxic, but precious...


    You Su seemed to sense a tinge of regret in Ying Chenlin''s voice and asked, "And then?"


    Ying Chenlin replied, "Letting them go would be a waste."


    With a sidelong glance at the rapidly moving Gold Scorpions below, You Su chuckled, "If it''s a waste¡ª"


    "Then let''s not waste them."


    ---


    In the temporary rest area of the Tianyu Star Management Bureau, Jiang Simiao was attentively observing all the changes on the detection system. Seeing Shen Xingtang enter, he immediately inquired, "Has the signal from the Management Bureau been restored?"


    "It can''t be resolved in the short term," Shen Xingtang replied, her gaze slightly troubled. She wasn''t worried about Ji Qingfeng and the others. Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao had participated in tournaments and ventured into high-risk Contaminated Zones. As for You Su, he was practically a seasoned pro, treating the border Contaminated Zones like his own backyard.


    The remaining concern was Ying Chenlin... Thinking up to this point gave her a headache.


    Ying Chenlin was a well-behaved child usually. But allowing a mechanic into a Contaminated Zone, who came up with that idea?


    "I''m worried that Ji Qingfeng and the others might take Chenlin to dangerous places," Shen Xingtang expressed her concern. "Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao are both playful by nature, and then there''s You Su who doesn''t follow the usual rules. It''s fine for them as mecha pilots, but if Chenlin gets hurt, that wouldn''t be good."


    Jiang Simiao replied, "They should know better than to go to overly dangerous places."


    Shen Xingtang felt a bit troubled. "Let''s talk about this later. I''ll go to the control room in a while. The situation on Tianyu Star is so strange."


    Various documents were laid out on the table, but Shen Xingtang currently had no interest in looking at anything else.


    "There''s been a lot happening these days. Take a rest. I''ll let you know if there''s any news," Jiang Simiao offered, handing her a blanket. "The temperature here is a bit low."


    Shen Xingtang didn''t decline. She half-reclined on the nearby resting chair, absentmindedly picking up the folder placed next to her.


    The folder contained numerous documents. She had brought the materials from the maintenance room before their departure, thinking she could work on them when they had time. However, this unexpected situation had disrupted her plans.


    "Rest for now. We can deal with work later," Jiang Simiao said. In the middle of his sentence, he suddenly noticed that Shen Xingtang had sat up straight.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked.


    "Someone has tampered with my folder," Shen Xingtang stated.


    Her brow furrowed tightly as she pulled out a few additional sheets of paper that were intermingled with the folder''s contents. These papers were drafts she frequently used and were usually kept on the programming desk in the maintenance room. However, these extra sheets of draft paper had smudges of black machine oil on their corners, and the disorderly handwriting was clearly not hers.


    On these sheets of paper, rough outlines of weapons were sketched, and next to them were deduction formulas for weapon materials.


    Jiang Simiao paused upon hearing this. "That''s impossible. I haven''t left here, and I''m sure no one has gone through this document."


    If it wasn''t someone from the Tianyu Star Management Bureau, then the only possibility was that it happened in KID''s maintenance room.


    Shen Xingtang''s gaze on the drafts turned more serious. "Could it be Ying Chenlin?"

 CH 29

    29. Big Profit


    On the sandy ruins, groups of golden Gold Scorpions chased after the flying mechas ahead.


    Just as the mechas were about to increase the distance between them and the Gold Scorpions, the Artillery and Vanguard Mechas at the forefront suddenly came to a stop. Huo Yan, positioned at the rear, immediately spoke up upon seeing the Vanguard Mecha slowing down, "What''s going on? Running low on energy?"


    [The mecha KID-14258 invites you to join the team channel communication.]


    Huo Yan quickly agreed and as soon as he entered, he heard a concise request from Chenlin in the communication channel, "Huo Ge, lend a hand."


    Lend a hand? In the urgency of the situation, there was no time for lengthy explanations. When Lu Xi joined the channel, she wasn''t entirely clear about the situation, but the next moment she witnessed the Vanguard Mecha firing a shot at the Gold Scorpions below. The continuous paralysis effect slowed down the movements of the Gold Scorpions.


    Without hesitation, Huo Yan readily agreed, "Sure, what do you need us to do? Both of us have only 40% energy left, and we don''t have any backup sources."


    Ying Chenlin was about to explain, but was surprised by Huo Yan''s response. He changed his wording, "Get some scorpion materials."


    Huo Yan immediately halted his mecha and cooperated fully, "How can we help?"


    Saying he would help meant he would help. Huo Yan swiftly maneuvered his mecha, positioning himself in front of the Artillery and Vanguard Mechas without any hesitation.


    As the mechas slowed down, the Gold Scorpions below clustered even more tightly.


    In a situation of energy scarcity, dealing with the Gold Scorpions required focusing the available energy on a precise approach. Ying Chenlin was a solo mecha pilot. Solo mecha pilots needed to be versatile and knowledgeable. In the arena, they had no teammates and had to handle all decisions and solutions on their own.


    Unlike specialized team mechas that might sacrifice defense for enhanced attack capabilities, solo mechas were built with evenly distributed basic attributes, lacking exceptional attack power but possessing the ability to sustain prolonged combat.


    Transitioning from solo combat to team battles mainly involved a change in mindset¡ªdistributing tasks among multiple individuals.


    Ying Chenlin calculated the rate of energy consumption, confirming the feasibility of the target approach.


    "Artillery, ascend to a higher coordinate point; Tank, provide protection for them," Ying Chenlin scanned the surroundings briefly. "Control mecha, come with me. We need to gather all the Gold Scorpions together."


    "No problem." Huo Yan quickly flew to the side of the Artillery mecha and observed the situation below. "But there are too many Gold Scorpions. Do you have enough energy?"


    Among the three mechas, the Artillery mecha had the highest attack power. However, it faced a challenge. The attack program of the Artillery mecha gathered energy to a single point for shooting, limiting the range of the Artillery''s attack.


    He just noticed that the Artillery mecha had only about 50% of its energy remaining.


    Dealing with the Gold Scorpions individually would waste too much energy, and they might not even eliminate all the Gold Scorpions before losing most of their energy.


    Ying Chenlin said, "Gather them together."


    "Gather?" Huo Yan asked.


    Following behind Ying Chenlin, Lu Xi saw him swiftly maneuver into the midst of the Gold Scorpions. With a swift motion, he skewered one of the Gold Scorpions with his energy blade. "Set your weapon output to the lowest level and increase the frequency. You catch them."


    Catch? Lu Xi hadn''t fully understood yet, but the next moment she saw Ying Chenlin lifting a scorpion towards her position. Instinctively, she fired a burst of Water Stream Cannon.


    The sticky water flow burst captured the scorpion, and in the next moment, Ying Chenlin picked up another scorpion and brought it to her. The Vanguard Mecha''s movements were incredibly fluid, using only the left-hand energy blade to precisely control the orientation of each scorpion.


    Lu Xi''s eyes widened slightly, and she quickly followed up, "Again!"


    The idea of gathering was to use the synergy between mechas to group the slightly dispersed Gold Scorpions into a single position.


    While the Vanguard Mecha''s pace of picking up the pollutants wasn''t particularly fast, Lu Xi noticed that every time he passed her a scorpion, he timed it perfectly with her Water Stream Cannon''s charging interval. Not a second was wasted. Moreover, as the number of Gold Scorpions accumulated, she found that with a single shot from her Water Stream Cannon, she could immobilize several at once, as if it had been calculated in advance.


    Huo Yan''s gaze followed suit. Within his protection range, the Artillery mecha had finished charging its energy cannon. When the number of Gold Scorpions controlled by Lu Xi had reached a significant amount it precisely locked onto the scorpion pile gathered by the guardian and Control mechas, and with a resounding blast, the Artillery fired, hitting all the Gold Scorpions within its blast radius.


    "Interesting, we can play like this!" Huo Yan brightened up.


    Pollutants might be attracted to mechas, but they wouldn''t necessarily gather entirely within the attack range. The goal of the guardian and Control mechas was to group the Gold Scorpions within the Artillery''s firing range, allowing the Artillery to hit the maximum number of Gold Scorpions with a single shot, conserving energy without any waste.


    Each shot was utilized to its fullest, with not even a bit of energy wasted.


    Such an operation required multifaceted cooperation. Relying solely on an Artillery mecha and a Vanguard Mecha, the control-output loop might easily break, and the Artillery might not be able to accurately target amidst the Gold Scorpions'' siege, while the guardian couldn''t gather such a large amount of pollutants in one go.


    That''s why they needed to work together.


    However, this challenge was quite daunting. Firstly, the Vanguard Mecha had to gather pollutants to specific coordinates and calculate the Artillery mecha''s energy cannon''s hit range accurately to ensure all pollutants were within the coordinates. Though it seemed simple, it involved intricate maneuvers.


    These two newly arrived mecha pilots at their base were impressive!


    Ying Chenlin wasn''t able to use his right hand conveniently, and initially, only he and You Su were confident in executing this plan. He wasn''t certain if he could maintain his condition until later stages.


    However, Huo Yan and Lu Xi were different.


    The Tank mecha had a natural ability to protect the backline, clearing threats for the Artillery mecha and providing a stable shooting environment.


    On the other hand, the Control mecha was the most comprehensive type in the five major types of mechas in team battles. This type of mecha generally carried two types of control weapons due to its basic characteristics. The attack capability of Control mechas was usually moderate, but their attack frequency was high and energy-consuming. In fast-paced situations, they could achieve seamless control within three seconds.


    Lu Xi carried Water Stream Cannons and Thunder Magnetic Cannon.


    One was a group deceleration and immobilization ability, while the other had a paralysis effect within an area. This combination perfectly compensated for her control limitations.


    "We''ve been irritated by these Gold Scorpions for a while now. But the two of us, You Su and I, don''t have much combat power. Every time we went out to search for mechas, we would get entangled by them. It takes some effort to shake them off," Huo Yan protected You Su while casually swatting away a few Gold Scorpions. "It would be convenient if we could get rid of them. These things always move together."


    "The area near the tower is quite strange. The pollutants that were originally lurking there seem to have been triggered by something and have gone berserk. They''ve been constantly attacking the mecha pilots," You Su''s voice was a bit soft, unlike Huo Yan''s booming voice. "Their behavior is peculiar, and even some non-collective pollutants are gathering together."


    "They are being subjugated by lower-ranked ones," You Su explained at this moment. "There''s also a hierarchy among pollutants. Higher-ranked pollutants can interfere with the movements of lower-ranked ones. In areas with a pollution level above 5000, it''s common to see higher-ranked pollutants driving lower-ranked ones."


    However, it''s quite rare for lower-ranked pollutants to suddenly control all the nearby ones. This level of pollutants is likely more than just a 6800 pollution value.


    Ying Chenlin suddenly thought of something and asked, "Since you can be near the high tower, why don''t you enter and restore the base station program?"


    At this point, Huo Yan and Lu Xi  fell silent for a moment before explaining.


    "It''s not that we don''t want to enter, but we simply can''t," Huo Yan said. "Have you noticed there are many low-Grade pollutants around here? There are even more on the outskirts of the high tower. As soon as they detect our presence, they immediately chase after us. The high tower is practically surrounded by them."


    Huo Yan''s vanguard team of mechas had entered Base Station C after restoring two base stations. When they were about to approach the high tower, they were attacked by pollutants. The bizarre environment caused them to lose contact with the outside world. Strong winds and quicksand dispersed multiple mecha pilots.


    Moreover, the high tower of the base station was protected by a defense system, surrounded by low-level pollutants. After losing contact with the core output mechas, they attempted to break through the defense of the high tower, only to find that the magnetic field around the base station''s high tower was very strange. It even affected the functionality of some mechas.


    With some of their mecha pilots scattered and Tanks and Control mechas comprising the majority, their current formation lacked a strong core output position. They couldn''t forcefully break through. While dealing with these pollutants wasn''t difficult, their large numbers and collective actions posed a challenge. Before finding a suitable solution, acting recklessly would only deplete their mech''s energy and make their actions even more difficult.


    That''s why they came out to search for other disconnected mecha pilots and to attempt to find the missing rescue teams.


    "Base Station C''s high tower is the core pollution facility of Tianyu Star Domain. Several secondary defense zones have been established around it, from closest to farthest. In the end, we could only rest in the defense zone nearest to the base station," Huo Yan continued, "But recently, we received information that some mecha pilots might be in another secondary defense zone, which is why Lu Xi  and I came out to look for them."


    Compared to Huo Yan, Lu Xi ''s voice was a bit softer. "We just discovered that the quicksand seems to have disappeared. The situation is slightly better than before, which might make finding people a bit smoother."


    Finding people isn''t that simple... even if there''s no quicksand, there are still occasional strong winds.


    While many mecha pilots had entered, right now, Ying Chenlin had only encountered Zhao Lejie and Huo Yan among them. The truly powerful ones were the Gale and YDS mecha pilots, but they hadn''t encountered anyone yet. It''s evident that the environment in the Contaminated Zone had scattered many mechas. It was likely that personnel were spread throughout the endless desert around the high tower of the base station, not to mention the presence of the lurking S-class Centennial Orchid and another unknown pollutant...


    "It seems like they treat this area as a hunting ground," Ying Chenlin said.


    The pollutants dispersed the incoming mecha pilots and devoured them one by one.


    "Pretty much," Huo Yan concurred. "But this situation is really difficult to deal with, and our energy is running low."


    Energy? Something suddenly flashed in Ying Chenlin''s mind, and his gaze shifted to the internal data of the Contaminated Zone.


    The group skillfully dealt with the remaining scorpions, becoming more proficient with each round of cooperation.


    "These things are useless to us," Theo complained. "My metallic nerves don''t need this enhancement."


    Aiming through the scope, You Su locked onto the coordinates and fired a shot. "Is that so? Not interested in precision?"


    Theo believed that there was no need to enhance the mech''s resistance to toxins. Instead of increasing the load on his metallic nerves, he preferred using the enhancement to improve functionality. "But if it enhances precision, it''s not bad."


    "But do we have enough energy?" Theo reminded, "You Su, if you use up all your energy on these shots, you''ll be left with only 30%."


    You Su responded, "If it''s not enough, we still have you."


    "But I can''t activate... Wait a minute!" Theo exclaimed, shocked. "You want to drain my hard-earned energy to power this A-class mech?"


    At this moment, Huo Yan''s voice came through the communication channel, "Artillery, do you have enough energy?"


    You Su glanced at the virtual dashboard. With precise control, he wouldn''t need as much energy. He was about to reply when he suddenly heard a crackling sound in the communication channel, followed by an intermittently familiar voice.


    Ji Qingfeng''s voice fluctuated between loud and soft, "You... Chenlin!... Can you hear me!?"


    "This voice?" Huo Yan recognized it. "Da Feng!"


    As the distance closed, Ji Qingfeng''s voice became clear and audible, "Damn, isn''t this Old Huo''s voice! We''re on our way over."


    Huo Yan enthusiastically replied, "Sure, where are you?"


    Suddenly, Lu Xi  said, "Look at 9 o''clock direction."


    Ying Chenlin lifted a scorpion and followed Lu Xi ''s indicated direction, faintly spotting the figures of several mechas.


    But besides the mechas, there was a vast, dark mass behind them, as if something was surging.


    Ji Qingfeng''s voice became distinct, "Thank goodness, please save us."


    Three mechas were flying ahead, followed by an endless swarm of scorpions, their numbers stretching into the distance.


    The actions of the few individuals who were dealing with the scorpions stopped for a moment when they saw the vast swarm behind Ji Qingfeng and his team.


    Lu Xi  said, "There are so many."


    Huo Yan looked up and observed, "Indeed."


    Ying Chenlin seemed to ponder for a moment, "It looks like there''s even more material now."


    You Su looked at the situation unfolding before him. The situation was developing in a direction that interested him, "It''s getting interesting."


    Inside the cockpit, Theo guarded his energy bar nervously and said to You Su, "You Su, you can''t drain my energy!"


    Two groups of scorpions were about to face a new encounter, with three more mechas added to the mix.


    Zhao Lejie thought he was about to be rescued, but when he arrived, he saw a large swarm of scorpions ahead and immediately stopped his mech. "Crap, we''re getting attacked from both sides! Did you guys also stir up a scorpion nest!?"


    "A scorpion nest?" Ying Chenlin was puzzled.


    Lin Yao honestly explained, "We accidentally stumbled upon one while collecting materials with Da Feng, and then they chased us and attacked."


    Zhao Lejie was exasperated, feeling like he was having his life shortened just to be saved by these "kids." After being blown apart by the strong winds, they had crawled out of the sand and finally escaped danger. However, when the other two from KID saw A-class materials by the roadside, they insisted on collecting them. With one strike, they ended up disturbing a nest of scorpions.


    Not only had they been running non-stop, but now they encountered another swarm of scorpions. Their luck seemed to be at its absolute worst.


    "Why are you standing still?" Ji Qingfeng''s heart was pounding. "Why aren''t you running?"


    Huo Yan then flicked away a scorpion and replied, "We''re not running. Our new buddy here wants to collect some scorpion materials."


    The two groups of scorpions were converging, and Huo Yan deployed his protective shield to guard everyone. While You Su and Lu Xi''s control chains continued their operations, they had to maneuver around the scorpion attacks.


    "There are a bit too many people here, and we only have one Artillery mech," Ying Chenlin reevaluated the situation. "Zhao Lejie, come help."


    Ji Qingfeng was both apprehensive and excited. "Are we really playing something this thrilling?"


    Zhao Lejie was bewildered. "What? Seriously? You guys want to deal with all these scorpions!?"


    Before he could finish speaking, an energy cannon from above crossed over Zhao Lejie and blasted into the sand, killing a large portion of the scorpions.


    Only then did Zhao Lejie realize that the sand around him had accumulated the corpses of numerous scorpions. It was as if an intense battle had erupted here earlier.


    While scorpions weren''t difficult to deal with, their numbers were considerable. Expending energy to fight them wasn''t necessary.


    Zhao Lejie dutifully ran to the bottom to activate protective shields for others. "Are you all crazy? There are so many scorpions. Wasting energy on them is unnecessary. Besides, there''s an S-class pollutant watching us here. If we run out of energy, we''ll be sitting ducks. We might not make it to the rescue."


    Lu Xi weakly expressed her agreement. "I also think so."


    Zhao Lejie found a lifeline. "See, even the younger sister here agrees."


    Luxi added, "But can we continue for a bit more with our energy?"


    Zhao Lejie: "?"


    If it were the initial batch of scorpions, they would have been easily dealt with. However, the swarm brought by Ji Qingfeng and the others was noticeably larger than before. The combined numbers of the two groups of scorpions posed a greater challenge for precise control of output and energy cannon coordinates. Using the previous approach to deal with the scorpions wasn''t a problem, but accounting for energy consumption became the major issue.


    Huo Yan pondered for a moment and said, "If we clear out these scorpions, our energy might drop to below 20%."


    Zhao Lejie struggled against the scorpions, his humble energy bar supporting the overburdened protective shield. He managed to squeeze out a sentence, "We can''t contact the outside world, and there''s no rescue team bringing us new backup energy or mechas. I have a spare energy canister, but once these energy reserves are exhausted, we''ll truly be stranded and waiting to die here."


    Ji Qingfeng chimed in, "If you had a spare energy canister, why didn''t you use it earlier?"


    "Who knew the protective shield would crack while it was being loaded?" Zhao Lejie explained. "Besides, spare energy is our last supply. We can''t waste even a single unit."


    "We have spare mechas," Lin Yao spoke up at this moment. "Tang Jie told us to bring your mechas along."


    "Oh right, I still have Old Huo''s and Xi Mei''s competition-level mechas here," Ji Qingfeng added.


    Huo Yan and Luxi had brought their competition-level mechas along.


    Zhao Lejie didn''t quite understand KID''s way of thinking. "So, after we run out of energy, you want them to drag us along with their mechas? It''s not safe to change mechas and transfer energy in the wilderness!"


    Before they came to handle the emergency situation, they were equipped with basic supplies. Although they still had an energy canister, no one anticipated the situation would escalate to this level. Even external support had been cut off, which was an extremely rare occurrence.


    They initially thought there would be at most one S-class pollutant here, so most of their energy was focused on dealing with Bai Suilan. Little did they know that after Bai Suilan, there would be an even greater threat of pollution lurking behind. With insufficient energy, Huo Yan and Luxi from KID had spent more time here, and their energy was undoubtedly running critically low.


    Besides their basic supplies, they had almost lost all later energy support. Considering the unknown variables, wasting energy and time on these pollutants was unnecessary.


    At this moment, You Su fired an energy cannon, sweeping towards the unceasingly active Vanguard mecha below. He didn''t mind much about this. Even if he had only 5% energy left, he could continue staying in this polluted area. However, how did someone else feel about it?


    Unknowingly, everyone turned their gaze toward Ying Chenlin, who had been silent in contemplation.


    Lin Yao: "Chenlin, what do you think?"


    With smooth movements, Ying Chenlin deflected scorpions using the Vanguard mech. Suddenly, he asked, "How far is the nearest secondary defense area from here?"


    Huo Yan: "Here? Not far, it''s right next to the tower, about 3 kilometers away."


    "3 kilometers?" Ying Chenlin glanced at the instrument panel, "That should be enough energy."


    As he mentioned having enough energy, there was a brief pause on the communication channel.


    Given another chance, Zhao Lejie would rather be buried in the sand, waiting for the Gale Base team to discover him.


    "How are you planning to use it?" You Su openly shared the energy on the shared channel, "There''s no chance to switch mechas here, and even if we do, fully charged Tank and Control mechas can only provide us with a short period of security."


    Ying Chenlin explained, "Tianyu Star is a competition-level Contaminated Zone. Normally, there are no supply points here. However, as a core facility, the secondary defense area of the base station is also its reserve point, storing a significant amount of energy."


    "These energy reserves cannot be directly supplied to mechas during normal times. But in reality, the energy source of the base station and the energy source of mechas come from the same type of energy mineral. mechas of A-class and above can use various energy sources."


    Others: "???"


    Zhao Lejie was taken aback by this revelation. He knew that the base station and the defense area indeed stored energy reserves. "If we could fill the mech''s energy like this, then sure, we could manage. But extracting energy from the base station''s defense area requires specialized equipment and technical personnel..."


    The catch was that they didn''t have technical personnel. While the Management Bureau could remotely control supply to them before, it was now disconnected. Remote control was as severed as support, making it impossible to create temporary supply points.


    Ying Chenlin continued, "I have the necessary tools. If I find the energy storage point, I can operate it."


    Zhao Lejie: "!"


    Others: "!!!"


    Zhao Lejie was astonished, "You can do all that!?"


    Where did KID find this genius??


    Suddenly, You Su remembered when he had pulled the child out, Ying Chenlin had a mechanic''s toolkit with him. Energy resources... Maintenance techs dealt with mechas day in and day out; handling energy was fundamental.


    Lin Yao inquired, "Can we steal enough energy from that secondary defense area?"


    Ji Qingfeng chimed in, "Of course, it''s more than enough for us to recharge ten times."


    "Don¡¯t call it stealing ," Zhao Lejie shamelessly mused, "We''re here on behalf of the Management Bureau to complete a mission, so this is called requisitioning."


    After the discussion, everyone looked at the nearby scorpions that were watching them closely, and their lingering concerns vanished.


    Lin Yao flexed his fists, eager, "Dafeng, I''ll take care of the ones on the left."


    Ji Qingfeng noted, "The wind is too strong; those crystals are about to fly away."


    Huo Yan chuckled, "There''s more energy at the secondary defense area. We can''t finish them off here, so let''s move there and deal with another wave."


    Ying Chenlin looked at the strong wind around them, then turned his gaze to Zhao Lejie, who was the most idle among them.


    With no role to play in protecting the Artillery mecha (since Huo Yan''s Tank was sufficient for that task), Zhao Lejie was only left with picking off stragglers. He suddenly noticed that a Vanguard mecha amidst the scorpion pile seemed to be continuously glancing in his direction. Puzzled, he asked, "Vanguard buddy, what''s up?"


    "Do you want to find something to do?" Ying Chenlin inquired.


    Given that Zhao Lejie was going to sneak energy with KID''s group shortly, he hesitated, "What do you need me to do?"


    Ying Chenlin made a sound of understanding, seemingly waiting for this question, "Help pick up materials, I guess."


    Zhao Lejie could only join them, "What kind of materials do we need to deal with? It might be better to just pick up everything."


    "Are you daft?" Ji Qingfeng commented, "With so many scorpions, do you think the storage space in our mechas is enough?"


    Zhao Lejie: "?"


    It seemed that was true.


    After a while, voices of disdain echoed around.


    "Come on, Old Zhao, why are you still scavenging?"


    "For the shell of the scorpion, pick the hardest one to peel. I heard that''s valuable."


    "Crystal stones, don''t just pick the mutated ones."


    Ying Chenlin gently reminded, "Don''t forget the venom sac of the pincers."


    "I got it," Zhao Lejie mechanically operated. Was it him who had gone mad, or was it KID and this bunch of penny-pinchers?


    ---


    As the sandstorm raged on, Qi Sicheng led the mecha team to the specific coordinates of the pollutant Centennial Orchid. What they saw were the corpses of the pollutants, most of them withered.


    "The special crystals are missing," YDS''s Hu Luobu said, looking at the traces partially covered by the sandstorm. "It seems Deputy Captain Zhao has already dealt with the Centennial Orchid and left this place."


    "There are other mechas with him."


    Qi Sicheng surveyed the surroundings and vaguely saw the marks left by Artillery mechas.


    "Captain Qi, we''ve searched nearby and didn''t find the deputy captain!"


    The quicksand had disappeared, the Centennial Orchid was dead, and the deteriorated environment of the pollutant area hadn''t improved.


    "Let''s go!" Qi Sicheng didn''t hesitate, flying onward from the Centennial Orchid''s coordinates towards Base Station C''s tower.


    Not long after, a new report came over the communication channel.


    A mecha pilot reported, "Captain Qi, something''s not right. We''ve found a large number of dead pollutants!"


    Amidst the strong wind, the sand was filled with the corpses of pollutants. Each of them had an unclear cause of death, with half of their bodies buried in the sand, indicating they had been dead for quite some time.


    Qi Sicheng flew over as well, his brows furrowed. "These are B-Grade pollutant scorpions. How can there be so many?"


    "Captain Qi, there are more ahead!"


    "There''s also some over here!"


    "Captain Qi, there''s more here too!"


    "So many dead, everywhere, this doesn''t seem like a human-made situation."


    Hu Luobu from YDS''s team had a change in expression upon hearing this. "Could this be the work of that mysterious pollutant in the Contaminated Zone? I''ve heard our captain mention that advanced pollutants hunt for food... With this kind of combat power, it seems extremely dangerous."


    "It looks like we need to make more preparations from now on. Until we can confirm the support from the Management Bureau, our margin for trial and error is limited. We can''t be too reckless."


    Qi Sicheng felt a sense of unease. "If that''s the case, we need to find a way to contact the Management Bureau no matter what."


    The situation is still within controllable limits for now, but it might not be the case later on.


    Seeing the corpses of scorpion pollutants strewn everywhere, like locusts passing through, leaving nothing behind. Even the crystals connected to their cores had been dug out completely.


    Observing this, Hu Luobu analyzed, "These S-level creatures really know their stuff, huh? They''ve stripped the valuable parts off the scorpions."


    Qi Sicheng turned over one of the scorpion corpses with his weapon, feeling somewhat puzzled. He spoke in a deep voice, "The venom sacs of the scorpions are also missing."


    "Captain Qi, there are also heaps of dead pollutants over there."


    Hearing this, Qi Sicheng and Hu Luobu quickly walked over and saw a small mound of scorpion corpses.


    The pile of corpses had accumulated, and some had been blown away by the wind, making the scene particularly chaotic.


    Hu Luobu was secretly shocked. Could that high-level pollutant be so ferocious?


    And what''s with this morbid sense of humor???


    This situation put all the surrounding mecha pilots on edge. The pollution situation on the Tianyu Star was ten times worse than what the mission stated. The planned scenario and reality were far apart, and their energy resources were becoming a problem at this rate.


    A mecha pilot approached with concern, "Captain Qi, we''ve detected traces of mecha energy around us... Could the deputy captain have encountered some mishap?"


    TN:


    At this point, Old Zhuo might choose to have remained buried in the sand than having his life expectancy slowly shaved off by these adrenaline junkies

 CH 30

    30. Machinery


    "Encountering mishaps..." The mecha pilots present didn''t dare to speculate further.


    "It won''t happen!"


    "Don''t overthink!"


    Saying not to overthink was easier said than done, and they recalled the fleeting images they had seen earlier in the secondary defence zone. The scene of Zhao Lejie enduring hits with his protective shield was vividly etched in their minds, especially the high-frequency energy output. It was evident how difficult the situation had been.


    Vice Captain Zhao struggled so hard to maintain his energy shield, and that was at least an output of 50 or above. If they were to encounter another S-Grade pollutant...


    "He has other mecha pilots with him," Qi Sicheng looked at the cluster of pollutant corpses and succinctly said, "Until we find his mech, everything is unknown. Pair up in groups of two and search the surroundings, paying close attention to energy traces!"


    The others immediately went into action.


    Hu Luobu looked at this and couldn''t help but ask, "If a major problem really arises, how would you contact the Management Bureau?"


    "Only through the Base Tower," Qi Sicheng''s expression was somewhat peculiar. "I can''t help but feel something is off. The wounds on these pollutants are too clean as if they were caused by mecha weapons."


    Hu Luobu exclaimed, "How is that possible!? It''s not necessary to kill so many pollutants like this!"


    It would be enough to shake them off. There''s no need to kill them, and killing them would consume energy.


    In an environment like this, energy equated to life. He continued, "Who would be foolish enough to do this? And these cutting marks... You need precise energy control to extract materials so meticulously."


    Wasting energy to pick materials? That''s a possibility in special circumstances, but who would be foolish enough to use energy to sort materials?


    Qi Sicheng sighed, "I might have been overly suspicious."


    In the First Star Domain''s Dawn Galaxy StarNet, users gathered on the official website of the Tianyu Star''s Management Bureau began to keenly notice something amiss.


    Since the emergency notice was sent out until now, there hadn''t been any further updates from the Tianyu Star, and the initial three base squads that entered hadn''t shown any intention of receiving reinforcements.


    During an emergency mission, the Management Bureau would maintain real-time updates.


    This level of emergency lockdown was much more severe than typical Contaminated Zone missions, and normally, the Management Bureau in various Contaminated Zones would report developments. But this time, despite the severity of the lockdown, there had been no news.


    Disconnected, hours had passed without any news. The situation didn''t seem that simple!


    Could something have happened? Were there corresponding rescue measures?


    The Management Bureau usually had contingency plans. It seemed that if a major problem occurred, they might request assistance from the military.


    The detection system within the S-level Contaminated Zone was completely dark. The real-time situation inside couldn''t be seen on the official website.


    The longer they went without news, the more people on the StarNet became concerned about the situation in the Tianyu Star''s Contaminated Zone. Somehow, a user suddenly revealed on the virtual StarNet''s public community: "[It seems like a big problem has occurred. I''ve heard that after the routes were sealed, the jump system didn''t start again. The jump system might be malfunctioning.]"


    "The jump system is broken!?"


    That''s the jump system in the competition-level Contaminated Zone, equipped with the advanced jump technology of the Star Alliance. What kind of emergency situation would cause an internal jump to malfunction?


    Isn''t the Star Alliance''s jump system usually stable? (Apprehensive)


    It''s impossible for it to be broken. It''s more likely that the equipment within the Tianyu Star is damaged, causing problems with the intra-station jumps.


    What does that mean?


    It means that even if we send reinforcements now, there''s no way to enter the contaminated zone. We can only rely on the mecha pilots inside the Contaminated Zone to solve the problem.


    Originally, the netizens thought they could quickly resolve the issue, but unexpectedly, such a disturbance occurred. The media was quick to catch wind of it and started tracking and reporting on the situation in the Tianyu Star''s Contaminated Zone. Various speculative messages quickly spread.


    Inside the tense conference room, the staff nervously inquired, "Director, the online messages are getting out of control. The Star Alliance is asking if we need military assistance?"


    It was already difficult to keep things under wraps. The Tianyu Star was a competition-level Contaminated Zone, normally not accessible, but the official website on the StarNet provided real-time updates on the situation within the Contaminated Zone. Now that an incident had occurred, the reporting system was also malfunctioning, and without any feedback in a short period of time, it was bound to arouse suspicion.


    "Have other departments issue public statements regarding the current situation." The person in charge paced back and forth; the current situation was neither here nor there. "Did communication with the Star Alliance resume? Is the system still not restored?"


    A staff member said, "Not long ago, KID''s Boss Shen helped repair the detector. We attempted to connect to bases A and B, restoring a small part of the pollution detection function."


    The director furrowed their brows. "It can''t be fully restored?"


    "It can''t. The A and B base stations could only be barely connected because the mecha pilots previously updated the system with a patch. The system on the Tianyu Star is still semi-collapsed, completely sealed off from the outside. We took a shortcut." Shen Xingtang approached, her face showing a bit of weariness. "Still, the same thing stands. If you want to understand the full situation, you''ll have to dismantle the entire defense system of the Contaminated Zone."


    The staff member brought up the data. "There''s a very strange phenomenon: the pollution value in the area of the Tianyu Star has sharply decreased."


    Decreased?! The director exclaimed in surprise, "Does that mean Bai Suilan has been dealt with!?"


    The pollution value in the Tianyu Star''s Contaminated Zone was determined by a combination of the pollution sources and pollutants within the area. A sudden increase in pollution value was invariably accompanied by changes or the emergence of a pollution source. A decrease in pollution value could only mean that the pollutants with potential threats in the area had decreased.


    "No... From the side data, we observed a significant change in the pollution value near Base Station C four hours ago, but it quickly stabilized, still above 6000. This indicates that there''s still a possibility of an S-level pollution source within the area." The staff member looked at the graph. The densely packed red dots had become fewer. "The pollution in an area near Base Station C has significantly decreased."


    The others in the conference room couldn''t know the specific situation and could only analyze the data from these aspects.


    Hearing this, the expressions of the heads of the Gale and YDS bases slightly eased. The head of YDS said, "It seems that the mecha pilots have started taking action. YDS also has experience dealing with S-Grade pollutants, so we don''t need to worry too much."


    The head of the nearby Gale base furrowed her brow. "Something''s not right."


    The director stared at the detection data, his brows tightly knitted together. "No, the dead pollutants have exceeded 300."


    The head of YDS exclaimed, "300???"


    While it''s possible that the death of some pollutants could be attributed to mecha pilots'' eradication efforts, the sudden death of so many clearly isn''t the work of mecha pilots.


    "In the past four hours, pollutants with counts over 300 have been dying one after another." The staff member said nervously, "Director! We''ve never encountered a situation where such a large number of pollutants died!"


    Other staff members appeared bewildered. "What''s going on? Even during a locust-like pollution migration, it''s not this exaggerated."


    The head of Gale Base suggested, "It could be higher-level pollutants hunting."


    He looked at the situation with an odd feeling. He didn''t think this was hunting. If it were hunting, this pollutant would have a substantial appetite, being able to feed for four hours straight. But he couldn''t find any other reason. Whoever could create such a disturbance within the Contaminated Zone, other than pollutants, could only be mecha pilots. But would it be possible?


    The director finally made up his mind. "This situation is clearly abnormal. Request Star Alliance support immediately! I''ll take full responsibility. We must ensure the safety of all our mecha pilots!"


    In the Tianyu Star''s Contaminated Zone, three kilometers outside Base Station C, within the secondary defense zone, the mecha pilots who stayed behind all wore serious expressions. The mecha pilots skilled in technical work gathered in the control room of the secondary defense zone, their eyes fixed on the control system that remained unchanged, wearing worried expressions.


    "The mecha that was responsible for reconnaissance just returned. He said the nearby quicksand disappeared, and he found some pollutant corpses that seemed to have been cut. This is probably good news."


    A mecha pilot expressed confusion. "Cut...!?"


    The reporting mecha pilot continued, "Yes, and there were many deaths. He mentioned seeing no less than 50 corpses on his way back."


    "Not necessarily good news." The mecha pilot sitting in front of the control room, operating the system somewhat unskilfully, said, "An hour ago, we detected problems with the pollutant reports coming from 3 kilometers southeast. The pollutant reactions weakened. Although the foundation is damaged, the reports still hold some reference value."


    The most direct reason for weakened pollutant reactions is a reduction in the number of pollutants in the area. If it were under normal circumstances, they would consider this good news. However, given the current special situation and the eerie sand ruins environment¡ª


    The abnormal accumulation of pollutants, the harsh environment¡ªevery little change is potentially deadly.


    "This area is just a few kilometers away from us." The mecha pilot''s mood grew heavy. "It''s highly likely that the S-class pollutant is lurking just outside the defense zone."


    They''ve been trapped here for a while now, facing shortages of energy, incomplete forces, making it difficult for them to proceed with their next plan. They can only wait for mecha pilots returning from the outside to bring new information, hoping to lift the predicament they''re in.


    The three mecha pilots realized the situation was getting more serious.


    "Liu Ge, do we have any other options?" one mecha pilot asked.


    Liu Ge''s expression turned somber. "For now, we can only wait for other updates. Has KID''s Huo Yan and Lu Xi returned yet¡ª"


    Before he could finish his sentence, a mecha pilot dressed in combat gear rushed into the control room. "Huo Yan and Lu Xi have returned. They brought back several mechas! It seems like new mecha pilots!"


    Liu Ge was pleasantly surprised. "New mecha pilots!?"


    "What?!"


    "Has the Bureau sent reinforcements?!"


    "Hurry, let''s go together and see."


    Outside the secondary defense zone, there''s a docking area. Not far away, several mechas broke through the encirclement of pollutants, skidding into the defensive wall of the zone. As they braked at the docking area, they left a black mark on the ground, accompanied by a strong scent of blood. The mecha pilots who rushed over immediately smelled the foul stench of the pollutants and saw these marks on the mechas. Liu Ge''s mood grew even heavier; these individuals must have experienced a fierce battle with the ferocious pollutants.


    "They''re KID''s mecha pilots! There''s also a blue mech, that seems to be Gale''s!"


    Liu Ge urgently shouted behind him, "Is anyone injured? Quickly bring the treatment injections!"


    With so few mecha pilots left in the pollutants, there can''t be any more accidents among the rescue team.


    Outside, a few mecha pilots were anxious. After shouting several times with no response, they were about to pry open the cockpit. Just then, the cockpits of several mechas opened, and the mecha pilots in combat gear stepped out.


    Even before the mecha pilots approached, they heard their discussion.


    "It''s a pity we don''t have enough energy. Otherwise, we could have cleared out that group of pollutants from the east. That was a rattlesnake!!"


    "No worries, once we recharge, we can head out again. It''s not like a little time matters."


    The group that had just finished harvesting scorpion materials returned triumphantly, each of them full of enthusiasm, except for Zhao Lejie.


    Zhao Lejie''s mecha had only 2 units of energy left. The storage compartment of his mecha was filled with a pile of scorpion remnants and venom sacs. If there were a few more rounds of pollutants outside the defense zone, he would have to rely on others to drag him back from outside. Thankfully, luck was on his side, God didn''t let him fall into that dire situation.


    "Do you guys have a problem? What if we encountered that S-class creature on our way back?!" Zhao Lejie couldn''t help but speak out. "You''re not satisfied with clearing that pile of scorpions, now you want to go around and fight those snakes too!?"


    It''s really frustrating. Zhao Lejie thought they would be done after clearing that group of scorpions, but who knew that after the fight, Lin Yao saw a few A-class rattlesnakes in the distance. Without a second thought, he piloted his mecha and charged over, and the KID and the rest followed suit.


    After charging, they still chased and fought, nearly going a few kilometers away. If it weren''t for a strong wind, he truly believed that KID and the others could have exterminated all the pollutants on the Tianyu Star.


    "Capturing A-class rattlesnakes is not easy!" Ji Qingfeng exclaimed.


    Lu Xi added an explanation, "The rattlesnakes here don''t gather together often... and the crystal stones are expensive on the market."


    Zhao Lejie, "..."


    Oh well, consider it as if he hadn''t said anything. Explaining things to KID and his group would be futile.


    All the mecha pilots had disembarked, and not long after Zhao Lejie got down, he noticed someone when he looked back.


    Besides him, everyone else around him was also looking in the same direction.


    He was somewhat familiar with KID''s faces; even if they hadn''t met in person, he had seen their photos. However, among KID''s group, there were two unfamiliar faces. One was a tall man who stood next to the Artillery mech. He exuded a kind of cold aura that was hard to describe. He gave off a feeling of approachability but also felt distant, as if separated by a thousand miles.


    Apart from him, there was another person who stood out.


    Among the mecha pilots wearing combat gear was a young man in utility clothing. mecha pilots wore combat gear to facilitate better mental resonance, making the neural linkage with the cockpit smoother. The young man not wearing combat gear immediately became the focus of attention.


    You Su looked towards Ying Chenlin. His mechanic overalls covered his mechanical limb, and the utility belt tightly hugged his waist, accentuating his slim figure amidst the tall and robust mecha pilots.


    Perhaps his hand was uncomfortable; Ying Chenlin had his right hand tucked into the pocket of his overalls, hardly moving.


    As Ying Chenlin had just come out of the cockpit, he turned around just in time to see something being thrown towards him.


    He reached out and caught it, realizing it was a pollution-resistant isolator.


    You Su glanced at him and said, "Put it on."


    Combat suits had isolation effects. Without a combat suit, he had to rely on the isolator.


    "Thank you," Ying Chenlin looked up and noticed the unfamiliar mecha pilots around him.


    Single-player and team battles were two different domains, and the events were scheduled separately. In the early years when he participated, due to being a minor and to avoid the media, he often took the special passage to the arena. He rarely crossed paths with other mecha pilots. He had some impression of the single-player mecha pilots, but the team battle mecha pilots were quite unfamiliar to him. While recognizing mechas wasn''t too difficult, recognizing other pilots was another matter entirely.


    The first people he noticed were the ones who had disembarked alongside him. Zhao Lejie was about as tall as Ji Qingfeng. His combat suit''s arm area was defined by muscles, and he sported a stylish bald head. Huo Yan''s appearance matched his vibrant voice, robust and tall, with handsome features. Standing next to him, Lu Xi reached only to his shoulder, her long hair tied up high. Unlike Shen Xingtang''s striking appearance, Lu Xi''s features were delicate, giving off a gentle and warm impression. Her demeanor seemed amiable.


    Liu Ge, waiting on the side, was about to step forward to greet KID''s group and inquire about Huo Yan''s condition. As he approached, he saw that several of KID''s mecha pilots were rushing towards the cockpit area, seemingly going to retrieve something.


    "Huo Yan, you''re finally back," Liu Ge''s expression turned serious. "Not long ago, we detected changes in the external environment. It was right when you guys arrived. Did you notice a large number of deaths..."


    Before he could finish his sentence, a voice came from one of the mechas.


    "Hey, buddy up front, make some space. We need to put things down."


    "Yeah, yeah, move back a few steps."


    Seeing this, Huo Yan intervened, "Old Liu, we''ll talk later. Let''s handle these things first."


    "Handle things?" Liu Ge had barely stepped back when he witnessed the storage compartments of several mechas being opened, and various types of salvage crystals rained down from above, accompanied by a strong smell of blood.


    Gold scorpion limbs and venom sacs, sand rat fur, rattlesnake crystals... It wasn''t just Liu Ge who was astonished; the nearby mecha pilots were also frozen in place.


    Ji Qingfeng finished unloading and quickly walked over, holding a dismantling tool he seemingly got from nowhere. "Come on, let''s divide the loot. There are six of us, so let''s split the items into six portions. Old Zhao, do you need anything specific?"


    Zhao Lejie looked at some of the materials he had personally dismantled and couldn''t bear to continue looking. "I don''t have any specific needs."


    Lin Yao exclaimed, "Ah? These materials for enhancing are quite pricey!"


    "Our base has specially prepared repair materials for enhancement. We generally don''t use scorpion or sand rat materials," Zhao Lejie said, then noticed the odd glances around him.


    Ji Qingfeng nodded. "I know. No wonder it''s the top base of Dawn."


    Lin Yao chimed in, "Weapon enhancement, 4.5 million."


    Zhao Lejie, "..."


    Only then did Huo Yan remember that there were others around. He turned to Liu Ge, who had a strange expression, and asked, "Old Liu, you mentioned pollution in the southeast direction? We didn''t encounter any S-level guys on our way here; we ran into the scorpion swarm that had blocked us before."


    Liu Ge, "..."


    The corpses were right there; he wasn''t blind!


    The mecha pilots beside them had even less to say. They watched the pile of pollution materials and KID''s group busy dividing the loot. The group of scorpions that had troubled them before were now completely unrecognizable. They could even recall how ferocious those pollutants had been when attacking the base tower over a dozen hours ago.


    Now they were gone, replaced only by a heap of materials.


    Ying Chenlin habitually observed the people around him, then noticed the gazes directed at him. Seeing others dividing materials, he remembered what he had to do. He said to Huo Yan, "I''ll go get the tools."


    Huo Yan walked over to KID''s group and asked Ji Qingfeng, "The new mecha pilot looks even smaller than Lin Yao!"


    "He''s not a mecha pilot," Lin Yao explained in a hushed tone. "Tang Jie didn''t want us to talk about his situation. Chenlin is our base''s repair technician."


    Lu Xi was puzzled. "A repair technician? But why would a repair technician come to such a dangerous place in the Contaminated Zone?"


    "It''s because none of us knows how to work that repair program," Lin Yao added.


    Ji Qingfeng chimed in, "Chenlin does, so we brought him along."


    Lu Xi hesitated. "Isn''t the repair program automated?"


    "?" Ji Qingfeng was puzzled.


    Huo Yan continued, "There are attachments in the mission data. The automatic program is quite simple; just plug in the interface."


    "But You Su told me..." Ji Qingfeng turned to look at You Su, who was calmly watching him.


    "Oh, is that so?" You Su''s gaze was indifferent, and he nonchalantly said, "Then you guys can handle it when the time comes."


    Ji Qingfeng, "..."


    He and Lin Yao had been fooled by You Su. This guy definitely knew, yet he didn''t tell them!


    Zhao Lejie didn''t hear KID''s whispers. His gaze had been following Ying Chenlin, only retracting his gaze when Chenlin moved behind the mech.


    KID''s strength, he had some understanding of it before, but after nearly ten hours of cooperation, he found it increasingly hard to read KID. He knew Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao''s abilities well, and he had crossed paths with Huo Yan and Lu Xi in the previous season. However, the other two A-level mechas were beyond his grasp.


    Their coordination remained chaotic as usual, but this chaotic teamwork managed to take down an S-Grade pollutant and numerous B-level scorpions.


    A crucial reason for this was the presence of the Vanguard mecha and the Artillery mech. He was now certain that these two individuals were the two foreign players seen in the initial video from Banute''s KID. The precision control of the Artillery''s gun was astonishing, with reaction speed and ambush accuracy ranking among the best in the Dawn Galaxy. Yet, he hadn''t seen this person''s figure in the league before.


    The Vanguard''s performance varied greatly; it shone during the battle against S-Grade pollutants with remarkable maneuvers, but weakened when dealing with scorpions, even missing one or two. There was something he found frightening about this mecha pilot.


    The person''s overall perspective was intimidating, as if they could notice every detail, including those of enemies and teammates alike. Furthermore, this person possessed immense courage. Under normal circumstances, who would choose to eliminate pollutants in an energy-depleted situation? Not only did this person do it, but they also led KID''s team into the task. He could confidently say that if this person dared to act, KID''s team would follow.


    The ability to react swiftly in hazardous environments, pinpoint each mech''s role, adapt on the fly, and calmly identify enemy vulnerabilities¡ªit was as if they were watching the battlefield from a god''s perspective. With bravery and composure, these qualities, given a bit of nurturing, would make for a rare mecha league commander.


    "Old Zhao, why are you daydreaming?" Ji Qingfeng called out. "Come help us."


    Zhao Lejie turned his head to see KID''s group busy dividing the loot. "..."


    He couldn''t distinguish anymore; he couldn''t tell if KID''s group was composed of geniuses or idiots.


    "Huo Ge, why is your mech''s energy so low?" A mecha pilot walked over. In this environment, running out of mecha energy was a serious issue, indicating a decrease in the team''s combat effectiveness.


    Huo Yan chuckled in response. "Oh, that''s how it is. We just used up all our energy killing these things."


    He gestured toward the nearby materials.


    Liu Ge, "...Brother, have you considered the possibility of insufficient energy?"


    Most of the mechas left in the secondary defense zone had already consumed a significant amount of energy. Backup energy reserves had been depleted during the trial-and-error assault on the tower. They had expected support from the management area to address this problem, but looking at the remaining energy of these mechas, it didn''t seem likely that they could forcefully breach Base Point C.


    Huo Yan continued working on the materials, his tone relaxed. "No worries, it''s not a big issue. Where''s our energy storage room?"


    Liu Ge looked at him puzzled, but still answered, "The energy storage room is in the energy point inside the defense zone, near the energy conversion chamber. Why are you asking about this?"


    "Well," Huo Yan scratched his head and looked behind at the mech, "we''ll need someone from our base to explain that."


    Following his gaze, the mecha pilots saw the young mecha pilot with the distinctive attire already carrying a repair kit on his back, heading their way.


    "Hello, could you tell me the location of the energy storage room?"


    With the repair kit on his back, Ying Chenlin walked up to them.


    Others, "..."


    The secondary defense zone was a small base station, generally used to support the operation of the main base tower. To ensure the system''s functioning, energy within every defense zone was ample. The energy storage room was situated underground in the secondary defense zone, supporting the operation of all facilities in the entire area. They had the permissions granted by the Bureau to freely enter any part of the defense zone.


    Hearing that the group wanted to go to the energy storage room, most of the mecha pilots gathered around.


    "What''s going on?"


    "I don''t know, they suddenly asked for the address of the energy storage room."


    Zhao Lejie, amidst the crowd, said, "What else could it be? Emergency requisition of energy."


    mecha pilots, "Requisition energy???"


    However, the energy here was different from what their mechas used! As a Grade-A pollutant zone on Terra Realm Star, in order to maintain a fair competitive environment, they never set up extra energy points internally. They had thought about obtaining energy supply from the defense zone when their mecha energy was low, but after searching high and low, they hadn''t found a single canister of mecha energy.


    There was indeed some energy in the defense zone that could supply mechas, but the premise was to have the Bureau clear the output channels for these energy sources. Otherwise, mixing the energies together would render them unusable for mechas, as mismatched energies would damage mecha components.


    However, everything had happened too suddenly. They hadn''t even had time to react, especially given their total disconnect from the Bureau.


    The mecha pilots were full of confusion, but the young man with the repair kit had already entered the energy storage room.


    In the spacious area, a large energy device stood in the center, and various transport pipes connected to it were delivering energy to various parts of the defense zone.


    Ying Chenlin placed the repair kit down, rolled up his sleeves, and put on the repair gloves.


    His hands had been hidden by his sleeves and the repair kit, but now that they were exposed, the gazes of those around him instantly changed.


    Huo Yan suddenly stiffened, he saw Ying Chenlin''s right hand. "That kid''s hand."


    "Mechanical arm," You Su leaned against the wall nearby, his gaze level as he looked at Ying Chenlin. "Not just the wrist, his whole arm is mechanical."

 CH 31

    31. Energy


    Ying Chenlin''s mechanical arm wasn''t deliberately concealed, and the mecha pilots around him all noticed.


    Several pairs of eyes glanced towards Ying Chenlin, and while none of them said anything, their gazes held a mixture of incomprehension and curiosity. A prosthetic arm was a rare sight for mecha pilots. Despite the advances in mecha simulation, it still couldn''t match the capabilities of a normal human limb. Moreover, they were mecha pilots, and a 0.01-second error in reaction time could be fatal in critical moments.


    Most mecha pilots with prosthetic limbs couldn''t endure for more than a year in their profession and ended up becoming mercenary mecha pilots instead.


    And now, right in front of them, there appeared another mecha pilot with a prosthetic arm, and this person looked very young.


    Zhao Lejie was astonished. "A prosthetic arm?"


    Ji Qingfeng cast a sidelong glance at him. "What, you discriminate against it?"


    Zhao Lejie denied, "No, that''s not what I mean, it''s just unfortunate."


    A prosthetic arm was a potentially fatal weak point for a mecha pilot. Suddenly, he thought about the varying skill levels Ying Chenlin displayed, and it seemed like he had found the reason. In such a situation, prolonged mecha battles would be impossible.


    Unaware of the various glances behind him, Ying Chenlin entered the energy storage room and walked up to the energy device. He used the permissions granted by the Bureau to open the transport pipe accesses.


    Different pipes transported different types of energy. As a mechanic, understanding mecha energy was fundamental. Many of today''s mecha technologies were derived from the larger field of the Star Alliance''s mechanical engineering. At the end of the day, mechas were also large-scale intelligent machines. Therefore, in facilities like the defense zone, there would definitely be energy transport pipes designated for specific intelligent machines.


    His task was to use tools to clear out this pipeline, control the output threshold, and deliver the energy to the mechas lacking power.


    The energy storage room was a place that mecha pilots rarely visited.


    Other mecha pilots stood outside, perplexed, their attention focused on the lone busy figure inside.


    "Can this work? Redirecting energy from the energy storage room?"


    "His hand looks like it''s not easy to operate."


    "Indeed, it''s difficult. A professional would be needed for this. But we don''t have any mechanics here."


    In the crowd, Liu Ge stood on the side. He was one of the more experienced mecha pilots present and had some technical knowledge. He frowned as he watched the young person in the energy storage room, expressing concern, "This level of technical difficulty is quite high. Do you know how many types of energy support the entire defense zone? This place is a central energy converter with over a hundred energy pipes. Some carry individual energy, while others carry mixed energy... Trying to channel energy in this kind of storage room is extremely challenging. Regular technical workers would find it difficult, and it would require a mechanic very familiar with large-scale machinery, at least an advanced mechanic."


    His words had just finished when the young person in the energy storage room did something at the console. The entire energy storage room''s lighting immediately dimmed.


    "Can this work?"


    "Don''t damage the other pipes in the defense zone. The contamination outside can reach levels of up to 6000."


    Amidst the chatter, You Su remained outside the crowd.


    He stood with crossed arms, his gaze following the movements of the person around the energy storage room. Before long, the young man simply used one hand to grab onto the conversion device and nimbly ascended, smoothly landing at a higher point. He quickly retrieved tools from his backpack and switched tools with speed. He jumped from one pipe to another, even adjusting the hanging turntable switches at higher points.


    Theo asked, "Can he really produce energy?"


    You Su appeared indifferent, responding mentally, "Probably."


    Theo sounded helpless. "Are you planning to steal my energy?"


    "No need for yours." You Su''s gaze remained on the person. "For someone who can adjust the precision of parts so effortlessly, do you think several hundred pipes can stump him?"


    You Su might not understand repair knowledge, but he had seen engineering diagrams of parts. A mecha part the size of a fist contained thousands of engraved circuits. Most of KID''s recent parts were likely crafted by Ying Chenlin''s hands. Someone who could use psychic power to correct part materials would find differentiating energy sources in a few hundred pipes easier than drinking water.


    Half an hour passed, and as Zhao Lejie listened to the analysis of those around him, his anxiety grew stronger.


    Could this person really generate energy for them?


    At that moment, Ying Chenlin, who had been up high, jumped down and headed towards the entrance. "Done."


    "Done?" The onlooking mecha pilots were perplexed and exchanged puzzled glances.


    Ying Chenlin, carrying his repair bag, walked out. "I''ve connected the required energy to the processing room near the shutdown point. We can get the energy directly from there. We can''t charge with a key; we have to pull a charging cable."


    Ji Qingfeng chimed in, "I''ve got a charging cable."


    The group followed Ying Chenlin to the mech''s shutdown point. The narrow square of the secondary defense zone was now crowded with mechas. Ji Qingfeng extracted an energy line directly from the mech''s energy storage and guided it towards the processing room. By the time they reached there, Ying Chenlin had already opened the energy socket under the processing room''s control console.


    "Oh, wait, shouldn''t we test it first?"


    "Yeah, what if it''s an energy source that''s incompatible with the mechas? Won''t it contaminate the remaining energy of the mechas?"


    Ji Qingfeng simply inserted the cable, saying, "Just charge it."


    Each of the other mecha pilots added their opinions.


    "What''s there to test? We''re all out of energy anyway. Instead of waiting for support, it''s better to rely on ourselves!"


    "Can I charge too? My mecha only has 10% energy left."


    Huo Yan looked at Ying Chenlin. "Will the remaining energy be enough?"


    Ying Chenlin nodded. "It''s sufficient. The energy in this secondary defense zone is abundant."


    mecha pilots without energy didn''t hesitate either. They followed Ji Qingfeng''s lead and went to connect their mechas to the energy source. Zhao Lejie ran over to Ji Qingfeng''s mecha and noticed the glowing green light in the open cockpit that indicated charging. "Seems like it can work. The tournament-level mechas can be charged."


    "It really seems like it!"


    "Brother, you''re awesome!"


    The mecha pilots in the processing room were almost all gone. As Ying Chenlin picked up the repair kit from the ground, he suddenly noticed a mecha pilot in his thirties standing beside him. He remembered this person; he had spoken to Huo Yan earlier. He seemed to be surnamed Liu.


    The other person hesitated and finally asked, "How did you do it? Even a slight mistake in the pipes could shut down the entire secondary defense zone."


    Ying Chenlin made a thoughtful sound and explained briefly, "I just used my access rights to examine the information about the energy pipes. This processing room used to be a material processing point for the secondary defense zone, serving as a buffer zone."


    With the entire defense system open, the processing room inside wasn''t operational. Being close to the shutdown point, Ying Chenlin adjusted the energy flow of the internal pipes, channeling all the energy meant for the mechas to this area.


    "With the defense system open, whether this buffer zone is operational or not doesn''t make much difference. Cutting off the energy won''t matter." Ying Chenlin pointed to the control panel. "Rest assured, I''ve adjusted the energy output threshold. It can charge without damaging the mechas."


    Liu Ge didn''t intend to doubt Ying Chenlin. Worried about being misunderstood, he hastened to explain, "I didn''t mean it that way."


    "You''re very skilled. You''ve helped everyone."


    With the repair kit slung over his back, Ying Chenlin smiled faintly. "Yes."


    He then asked, "Aren''t you going to charge?"


    The mecha pilot, looking at the young man in front of him who was about ten years younger, blushed. "Thank you, little brother."


    People without energy were all running to connect their mechas to the power sources, and the processing room was becoming crowded.


    "So, we had this amazing guy, Brother Ying!"


    "Why ''brother''? It should be ''Ge'', charging energy is like saving my dog life."


    *the first is Xiongdi - younger brother and the second is ge - elder brother


    Ji Qingfeng accepted the praise. "Of course, our Chenlin is incredibly awesome!"


    A nearby mecha pilot chimed in, "No wonder you used up your energy so thoroughly. With Ying Ge here, it''s not a problem at all!"


    Zhao Lejie squeezed into the crowd while holding the charging cable. "..."


    Is there a possibility that even without energy, KID would still exterminate the pollutants they should and wouldn''t miss a single piece of salvageable material?


    The processing room was lively, contrasting the somewhat deserted exterior.


    Ying Chenlin walked out of the processing room and didn''t rush to charge. Instead, he found a corner and took out a syringe from his bag.


    The tingling sensation in his tired arm brought a sense of fatigue. The time for medication was delayed by a few hours compared to usual, fortunately without causing excessive strain.


    He skillfully injected the syringe into his vein and leaned against the shadow of the mech, quietly.


    Suddenly, he heard footsteps and looked up to see You Su standing not far away.


    Ying Chenlin looked at the other person for a moment and then averted his gaze, putting the empty syringe back into the bag. "Aren''t you low on energy? Don''t you need to go do something?"


    "Don''t feel like squeezing with others, and the evening event can wait," You Su said, glancing at him from the corner of his eye, then handed him something.


    Ying Chenlin was momentarily puzzled. "What''s this?"


    It was a small medical adhesive patch and a bottle of disinfectant.


    "This place isn''t completely contamination-proof. Be careful about infection when injecting in exposed environments," You Su shielded the light from outside. "The isolation patch is new, and I''ve used the disinfectant twice, it''s clean."


    Ying Chenlin looked at him and said, "Thank you."


    "You''re welcome," You Su''s tone remained as casual as ever. "I brought you in here, so I at least need to ensure your safety."


    He didn''t linger and quickly left after delivering the items.


    Ying Chenlin lowered his gaze slightly, looking at the disinfectant in his hand with a hint of curiosity. He didn''t think the other person would be someone who carries such things around.


    In the secondary defense zone, including KID and others, there were a total of 14 mechas. They took turns charging in the processing room for quite a while, finally replenishing the energy of each mech. After recharging, the mecha pilots'' fighting spirit was rekindled. During Ying Chenlin''s break, he received several "goodwill cards" and some people even offered him mechanical soothing agents, telling him to ask if he needed any help.


    Ying Chenlin remembered these gestures of goodwill, but he didn''t take the soothing agents.


    Those agents didn''t have much effect on him.


    With the charging completed, the mecha pilots gathered in the control room to discuss their plan to restore the testing at Base Station C.


    Everyone had something to say, and various plans to breach the defenses were put forward one by one.


    "The biggest problem now is the pollutants around us. There are too many pollutants near the base station tower."


    "We''ve conducted tests and haven''t found any S-level readings. Where is this high level of pollution coming from?"


    "Yeah, it''s too risky to charge directly at the tower without confirming the presence of S-Grade pollutants!"


    "The danger near the tower is too high."


    When the Scorpions were mentioned, everyone in the room thought about the pollutants and materials that KID had just finished separating. Liu Ge cleared his throat and continued, "Apart from the Scorpions, there are other pollutants that pose a significant threat to us."


    Thinking about the KID who were as fierce as wolves, Zhao Lejie suggested cautiously, "Maybe we don''t need to worry too much about them?"


    "How could we not worry!" one of the mecha pilots spoke up. "These B-Grade pollutants might not seem very threatening individually, but this place is so eerie. The pollutants move in groups, and even in large numbers, they are a threat to us. Deputy Captain Zhao, do you have any ideas?"


    Ideas...?


    Zhao Lejie suddenly looked toward the young man sitting farthest away. He was sitting back, lowering his head to relax his right arm. He hadn''t joined in any discussion or offered any opinions, just sitting quietly on the side.


    Ying Chenlin noticed the glances of the others. When he raised his head, he saw that the surrounding mecha pilots were all looking at him.


    Zhao Lejie cleared his throat. "Ying, do you have any ideas?"


    "Me?" Ying Chenlin asked.


    Zhao Lejie wanted to ask Ying Chenlin, after all, he had noticed that this person had an exceptionally clear perspective on things after spending some time with him. "Regarding breaking through the tower, do you have any ideas?"


    After a moment of recalling the various plans he had just heard, Ying Chenlin finally proposed, "How about keeping it simple?"


    Zhao Lejie didn''t know why, but he had a bad feeling. "Like what?"


    Ying Chenlin replied seriously, "Just charge straight in."