Genius Mechanic

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~