34. Sand Lizard
Three mecha pilots remained within the tower's control room, waiting for the completion of the repair program. KID and the remaining four dashed towards the mecha parking area. Lin Yao and Ji Qingfeng followed closely behind You Su. They had no interest in the pollutant version of "Spot the Difference." Rather than staying inside and staring at those dizzying red dots, they'd rather make the most of this time and go outside.
"Hey, wait for us!" Ji Qingfeng finally caught up with You Su with some effort and asked, "What should we do now?"
"They'll need some time to identify the pollutants. We can't just wait around," Ying Chenlin observed the surroundings, making a brief judgment. He had just noticed the coverage range of the pollutants. If their assumptions were correct, and the pollutant possessed only spatial enhancement as its abilities, then its defensive capabilities were likely weak.
Based on this analysis, it was highly probable that it resided within the core protection circle of the pollutants.
The closer a lower-ranking pollutant was to it, the stronger its influence on the pollutant would be.
S-grade pollutants had the highest level of intelligence. If it was inherently weak, it would certainly command other pollutants to protect it. In that case, the likelihood that pollutants closer to it would be attracted by external factors would decrease.
Ying Chenlin proposed a suggestion, "Why don't we circle around the base station tower?"
Inside the base station tower's control room, three mecha pilots focused on the ongoing repair program. Once the communication signal was strengthened, they promptly began establishing a range communication channel according to the system's intelligent prompt.
Fortunately, this operation wasn't too complex. When the signal was sent out, the surrounding mecha pilots simultaneously received a communication request from the base station tower.
With the communication request established, mecha pilots began joining one by one.
When Hu Luobu saw this situation, he remarked, "They've entered the control room!"
The fact that they could enter the control room indicated that contacting the Bureau of Management was only a matter of time.
Now, the remaining issue was the S-grade pollutant that had triggered the anomaly on Tianyu Star.
Qi Sicheng's solemn expression eased slightly, and he immediately said, "This is Gale's Qi Sicheng. What's the current situation within the base station tower? Have you investigated the B-grade pollutant 'Poisonous Poppy' in the lab?"
The voice that replied was not that of the young mecha pilot but a more rugged male voice, "Poisonous Poppy's pollution levels are normal. It's not the direct cause."
A hint of doubt appeared on Qi Sicheng's face upon hearing this response. The mecha pilot quickly explained the current situation and then said, "As directed by Ying Ge, we will promptly investigate any abnormal pollutants in the vicinity and provide you with intelligence."
It was Ying Chenlin again...?
Qi Sicheng's residual light swept through the communication channel's mecha codes, finally locking onto the mecha that was supposed to arrive.
"Have all the nearby mecha pilots come in?"
"It's easier when everyone's here. Now, do we need to find that S-class pollutant in this mess of pollutants?"
"The leader of YDS is here too! Ke Lin."
In the distance, Ke Lin's group, still approaching the tall tower, also received a communication request. He quickly agreed and upon entering, discovered that almost all the mecha pilots were inside, including the vanguard team and Qi Sicheng's group.
Ke Lin: "Have you all entered the base tower?"
"Isn't that Captain Ke Lin?"
"So, the rescue lineup is this impressive? Both Captain Qi and Captain Ke Lin are here!"
"Finding the pollutant is just a matter of time now!"
Qi Sicheng said, "Cut to the chase, gather in the defense area."
Not long after he finished speaking, he suddenly noticed that four mechas seemed to be flying out from the base tower.
Outside the bright tower's defensive shield, the mechas' silhouettes were exceptionally clear. Qi Sicheng narrowed his eyes and saw the faintly reflected red stripes on those mechas – were those the mechas KID entered the tower with? Weren't they supposed to remain inside the tower? How did they get out?
Just as he was wondering, a blast of energy cannon fire streaked through the air.
The energy cannons of the Artillery mechas, when fired at night, ignited the surrounding oxygen due to their energy accumulation, and the energy blasts carried a massive amount of energy, immediately capturing the attention of the moving pollutants.
Not stopping at one shot, he followed up with two more shots, both hits were remarkably accurate.
Zhao Lejie, who was operating the protective shield to corral the pollutants nearby, looked up in surprise. "F*ck, whose cannon is that? Are they trying to cause trouble?"
The surrounding mecha pilots all controlled their energy outputs, fearing to attract the pollutants' attention. However, the energy blasts from the Artillery mecha paid no heed. In fact, the energy they carried was immense, surpassing even the Tank mechas.
After the Artillery mecha barrage, the Guardian mechas fired a Thunder Magnetic Cannon towards the base entrance. The combined firepower of the two mechas caused an even more pronounced explosion. Some of the pollutants, which had been charging towards the Tank mechas, stopped in their tracks. A portion seemed to have realized the threat, turning and charging towards the base entrance.
However, the KID team was quick to react. Using the disturbance caused by the barrage, they recklessly employed their thrusters and fired at the pollutants below. Their previously steady strategy in the stable nighttime environment was suddenly disrupted.
"Those are KID's mech!"
"What are KID’s people up to?"
Zhao Lejie adjusted his vision to a closer range and immediately spotted KID's group of daring individuals. He felt like he would never understand the thought process of this bunch. "Ji Qingfeng, what are you and the others doing now!?"
Ji Qingfeng let out a sigh and smiled, saying, "We're looking for the S-class pollutant!"
"??? You call this looking for pollutants? If I were a pollutant, I'd stay away from you," remarked Zhao Lejie.
Making such a grand display by firing Artillery like that, even the S-class pollutant would want to steer clear!
"No time to explain," Ji Qingfeng seemed unfazed, then continued, "Don't just stand around, join the barrage, change direction while firing, strength in numbers."
Huo Yan said, "Why didn't you take me along when you started firing?"
Lu Xi was conveniently positioned in the middle, hesitating between continuing to support Huo Yan and turning back to assist their teammates. "Huo Ge, I'll head over to their side first."
Other mecha pilots: "..."
Has the reckless behavior started as soon as they entered the base tower? And they're firing everywhere. How could the Artillery mechas, which are so vulnerable, rush to the front like that?
In reality, Kid and the other three charged, and they charged quite openly. Artillery mecha with Guardian Mech, and Stealth mecha with Guardian Mech, the groups of two circled the base tower from different directions, leaving no corner untouched.
"Damn, Ji Qingfeng." Seeing several mecha pilots running towards Kid's side, Zhao Lejie controlled his mecha to turn his head. "Don't cut your sentences short like that. If you're going to say 'charge,' at least tell me how to charge! My mecha doesn't have any cannons!"
"I don't have cannons either!" Ji Qingfeng said, "If you don't have cannons, don't you have a blade? Just charge in and start slashing!"
Hu Luobu looked at Zhao Lejie running away from his side, and confusion clouded his mind. He looked puzzled and exclaimed, "What the hell are you doing, Old Zhao!?"
Zhao Lejie swiftly drew his energy blade weapon. "I'm heading over there!"
The pollutants that had been previously kept in check by the Tank mechas began to react to the commotion. Their organized approach began to unravel as their howls mixed with the chaos caused by Kid's bombardment. The entire exterior of the tower was soon plunged back into the same state it had been over an hour ago – a chaotic battlefield.
The mecha pilots standing nearby were caught off guard. Perhaps they were shocked by the Tank mech's shield operation just now. Now that they heard Kid mention firing everywhere, their immediate reaction wasn't skepticism but rather how to join in.
"Where the hell do we fire!?"
"Damn it, where do we strike?"
The mecha pilots' confused voices intermingled in the communication channel. Ke Lin, who had just arrived, along with the other mecha pilots, stood uncertainly outside the battle zone. They were a bit away from the base tower, yet the continuous explosions in the distance were visible. The mecha blades and shields of the mechas intertwined, creating a spectacle of burning energy in the air.
The new mecha pilot: "..."
"Ke Lin, what's this all about?"
"Should we join in too?"
Who's in charge here? What's happening on the field? Should they charge towards the base tower or hunt down the pollutants?
Ke Lin had never witnessed such chaos before. Even his rationality was telling him to turn away from the battlefield for safety. He couldn't fathom this group of mecha pilots. He could only turn to the one person among them he deemed rational, "Qi Sicheng, what's going on!?"
Qi Sicheng replied, "I don't know."
Ke Lin: "?"
Qi Sicheng happened to be near the base station. He flew to a higher position and used his mech's targeting system to observe Kid's group. From a higher vantage point, he could better observe the movements of Kid's mechas. After a while, he noticed some details and his pupils slightly contracted.
Kid's flight was systematic; they were luring the pollutants and doing so with a purpose.
Spatial-enhancement abilities... lower-being subjugation... gathering pollutants! Qi Sicheng quickly grasped Kid's group's objective, "They're searching for the S-class pollutant."
Ke Lin was taken aback, "Qi Sicheng?"
Qi Sicheng didn't linger in place; instead, he swiftly flew towards the 12 o'clock direction of the base tower. "The pollutants here were lured by the S-class pollutant. If it possesses spatial-enhancement abilities, regardless of whether it enhances its subjugation of lower beings or other traits, the premise that it influences the pollutants won't change."
"Meaning, the closer the pollutants are to the S-class entity, the more deeply they're affected. If there's a group of pollutants that behaves significantly differently from the others, it indicates that the S-class pollutant is among them!"
Kid was using this method, employing the simplest and most direct approach to attract pollutants, thereby deducing the movement patterns of the pollutants below.
Qi Sicheng said, "Don't stop, follow their method. Everyone, split up. Zhao Lejie, take two others to the 9 o'clock direction. Ke Lin, take your team to the 3 o'clock direction of the tower. I'll cover the 12 o'clock direction, and leave the 6 o'clock direction to Kid."
As others heard Qi Sicheng's instructions and noticed Kid's movements, they immediately grasped the situation.
Upon hearing Qi Sicheng's voice on the channel, Ying Chenlin paid slight attention to the 12 o'clock direction and saw a mecha already heading there. He didn't explain much further; instead, he switched to communication with the base tower and inquired, "How's the repair progress?"
The mecha pilot responded, "95%!"
Inside the tower's central control room, the mecha pilots kept their eyes on the repair progress and also on the unusual data popping up on the biological recognition system. Various types of pollutants were listed – mutated scorpions, mutated rattlesnakes, and more. It was easy to overlook data if they weren't careful.
Amid the confusion of the battlefield, the three individuals in the control room spotted the suspicious coordinates and reported them immediately.
Mecha pilots across the chaotic battlefield were flying in various directions. Apart from the three in the control room, others were dispersed around the tower, some wielding blades, some holding cannons, each one venting their courage against the pollutants.
"Isn't there just too many of them? It's hard to find anomalies in this heap."
"Just look for groups of pollutants acting strangely. Any group that isn't running with the crowd is likely hiding something."
"What about the control room? Any coordinates with mutated pollutants? Report!"
The three in the tower's control room: "..."
Liu Ge grabbed his communicator and let out a frustrated tirade, "Aren't you capable of finding them on your own? We only have three pairs of eyes, how can we keep up? If you're so capable, come in here and look for yourselves. I'll swap out and go out to chop at them!"
The mecha pilots fell silent.
Outside Tianyu Star, within the Management Bureau's meeting room, a group of individuals wore worried expressions. The person in charge had already contacted the Star Alliance on the border, and they were sending an elite team from the frontier to Tianyu Star. However, it would take at least an hour for them to arrive.
The person in charge continued, "Now we can only wait for the Frontier Military to arrive and devise a new rescue plan."
Directly attacking and destroying Tianyu Star's defensive layer is undoubtedly a risky move; they must ensure the safety of the mecha pilots during the process.
The faces of several base leaders weren't as composed as before. Clearly, the extended period had put pressure on everyone. Losing communication was already an extremely rare occurrence, and in the countless contamination zone missions across the Dawn Star System, instances of complete loss of control were few and far between.
Just at that moment, the door of the meeting room was opened with a soft sound.
An out-of-breath staff member leaned against the wall, "Good news! Signal at Base Station C has been restored!"
The person in charge stood up abruptly, "What!?"
"Signal at Base Station C has been restored. Attempting to establish a communication channel."
"Enhancement program is back to normal. The factor affected by the contaminated environment is rising."
"Communication connection failed, retrying."
"Trying the second system for connection."
"Positioning system restored, image system restoration in progress—"
The group rushed to the central control room. The person in charge had never run so fast in his life. As he entered the control room, he saw various signals gradually lighting up on the main screen. He hurriedly said, "Use the strongest signal system. Activate the Tianyu Star's Tournament Mode System. Inside, there are Tournament-class mechas. Their signal source is the strongest for point C."
The program to repair Base Station Point C was equivalent to installing an enhanced version of a signal transmitter.
The most challenging part was establishing communication with that side. As long as they could establish a successful connection, they would be able to maintain communication between the two points.
Finally, after nearly a hundred failed attempts, the systems of the Tianyu Star Bureau, responding simultaneously to the Tournament Mode System and the regular system, broke through the layers of interference caused by the contaminated environment, establishing contact with Base Station Point C.
The person in charge grabbed the communicator, "This is the Tianyu Star Bureau. If you hear this, please respond."
"This is Base Station Point C, mecha ID HJKLIUYI," the voice of a mecha pilot came through amid crackling electrical sounds.
A sense of relief swept through the central control room. They immediately focused on the changes in the positioning system. The Tournament-class mechas that had already lit up were mostly gathered around the base tower. However, their distribution was chaotic, and the positions of some mechas were rapidly changing.
The person in charge quickly communicated with the mecha pilot they had reached. Just then, the Tianyu Star Bureau finally restored the ground-based information near the base tower. The virtual screen suddenly displayed nearby imagery.
In the visual perspective, a dense mass of pollutants occupied the entire view. Among them were scorpions, rattlesnakes, sand ravens—various pollutants that shouldn't have appeared together or that were active at different times.
Staff members: "???"
Did they switch the perspective? What the hell is going on?
Shen Xingtang's gaze closely followed the signals of the competition-class mechas. Seeing a few familiar figures, she finally let out a breath of relief. It seemed that their group of characters hadn't encountered any problems. But in the next second, her attention shifted elsewhere.
The leaders of Gale Base and YDS Base looked at the latest messages on the positioning system and then turned to the image system. They saw their own team members scattered everywhere—some in the east, some in the west, and some still en route to the base tower.
They wanted to ask what was going on, how could this random pairing happen? Their elite teams were completely disorganized now!
Before they could finish speaking, several mechas flew out from the mass of pollutants, their shields shining brightly.
The YDS leader couldn't help but glance at the people from Gale. "What were your maintenance engineers thinking? Why did they make the shields of the competition-class Tank mechas so bright?"
The Gale leader fell silent for a moment and then said, "Could it be that they did it themselves?"
In no time, an energy cannon shot through the imagery they were observing. Right behind it was a blue mecha wielding a light blade high above its head. One person charged forward with the blade, while another raised a cannon and followed closely behind. The scene was like a masterpiece.
Shen Xingtang said, "Aren't those mechas from your base? I remember their mecha IDs are zhao and obo—Zhao Lejie and Hu Luobu?"
The Gale leader replied, "Don't know them."
YDS said, "Could Boss Shen have mistaken them?"
Meanwhile, a mecha pilot rapidly communicated with the leader, explaining the current situation, "We suspect an unknown S-class pollutant has appeared on our end. This pollutant seems to possess spatial-enhancement abilities, but we haven't been able to locate it."
"It's damn hard to find. It's more complicated than my marksmanship drills."
"Oh, by the way, do you have a lot of people over there?"
"We only have three pairs of eyes. It's impossible for us to keep up! Can you help?"
"Look?" The people in the central control room turned their gaze toward where the communication was coming from.
Mecha ID HJKLIUYi sent an exaggerated data packet very amicably. When they opened it, it was full of densely packed biological information. "Come on, strength in numbers. Let's all search together."
The Tianyu Star Bureau faced the most perplexing task guidance in its history. After regaining contact with various mecha pilots that had been cut off for hours, they found themselves in a completely unpredictable battlefield. mecha pilots scattered far and wide, gunfire and light filled the sky, pollutants of unknown origin sprinting across the ground—there wasn't a moment of peace, either above or below.
Especially the firepower of that group of mecha pilots. Fortunately, their shots grazed the defense systems of the base tower several times without distinguishing between friend and foe. Those who knew what they were doing understood they were executing a mission, while those who didn't thought it was doomsday.
This scene was even more extravagant than the Frontier Military's attack on the defense system!
The person in charge trembled and asked, "Where's Captain Qi and Captain Ke Lin?"
"Captain Qi is in the north, Captain Ke Lin is in the east... and Kid's Captain Huo, is in the south." A staff member asked, "Should we attempt communication with them?"
The person in charge hesitated.
But even communication wouldn't solve the problem!
The staff member asked, "Director, should we help review the data packets? They've been urging us."
The person in charge gritted his teeth, "Check!"
Near the base tower, mecha pilots entering Tianyu Star's Contaminated Zone worked in pairs. They swiftly searched around the tower's vicinity. While Huo Yan was heading toward where Ying Chenlin and the others were located, he suddenly noticed the environment around him becoming peculiar. The pollution values within the mech's program started fluctuating. It dropped from 6800 to 6500, then suddenly leaped to over 7000.
"Be careful, the pollution fluctuations are strange!" Huo Yan had barely spoken when the surrounding sand dunes began to tremble.
Ying Chenlin reacted abruptly, locking onto a spot about a hundred meters ahead.
There was a pollutant showing subtle movements there. While other pollutants were drawn away by the mech's energy, this one appeared agitated but hadn't moved too far. He immediately flew in that direction.
Meanwhile, in the central control room of the tower, a mecha pilot suddenly discovered something. Amid countless biological data, they noticed an extremely peculiar pollutant. This pollutant's appearance was remarkably similar to a B-Grade pollutant that had long been extinct on Tianyu Star—the Sand Lizard. However, it wasn't the Sand Lizard's slightly small and thin form. Instead, it was over two meters long, with yellow-white patterns across its body and eerie crimson eyes.
The next second, the Sand Lizard opened its mouth, revealing sharp teeth and fangs. A bizarre sound wave emanated from its direction.
On the communication channel, Ke Lin and Qi Sicheng were the first to notice the spatial anomaly. Yet, before they could respond, invisible barriers suddenly erected throughout the sandy ruins, forming a massive transparent hexagonal structure that partitioned the area into multiple spaces.
mecha pilots in flight were obstructed by these descending barriers, as if crashing into invisible walls that prevented them from advancing.
The descending spatial barriers enclosed the mecha pilots and the pollutants, confining them in a limited space. The hindered space hindered the mechas' flight, while the pollutants relentlessly lunged at the mechas.
Zhao Lejie’s eyes widened "Damn, is this space way too exaggerated?!"
Qi Sicheng observed the slightly exaggerated spatial manifestation, furrowing his brow. "It seems our guess was right. This pollutant's ability is spatial enhancement."
Lin Yaoexclaimed, "This thing is so cool!"
"Is being cool or not cool the issue here?" Zhao Lejie retorted. "We're firing everywhere, and you can see how it's agitating that guy!"
Ji Qingfeng chimed in, "How was I supposed to know this guy was a sore loser and goes all-out when cornered?"
"Can we please focus and solve the problem first instead of chatting?" Hu Luobu looked at the pollutants locked in the same space with him. "I'm in a freaking Artillery mech, stuck here with this bunch of high-attack pollutants!"
Zhao Lejie glanced at his own situation. He was in the neighboring space to Hu Luobu. "Did the Tank say anything? I'm grinding them down until their energy runs out."
In the far reaches of space, the Bureau of Management simultaneously noticed new changes in the pollution levels on Tianyu Star. Around the base tower, sudden shifts in the landscape appeared, causing the person in charge's expression to shift slightly. "Why is it so strange?"
"Director! The pollution levels in other parts of Tianyu Star have returned to normal!"
"Anomalies are now only present at base station point C!"
A staff member nearby shouted, "Director, there's a spatial disturbance within the Contaminated Zone!"
Shen Xingtang hurried to the window, gazing at the planet through it. Her focus remained fixed on the position of base station point C. The yellow haze that previously obscured the planet gradually dissipated, replaced by separate patches of yellow mist.
The previously congregated haze of yellow sand had become fragmented.
"We've identified a suspected mutated target!"
"Reports of pollutants! Director, it's information about an unseen pollutant— competition-level mutant Sand Lizard!"
With the concretization of space, the Sand Lizard that had lurked in the environment seemed to no longer tolerate the mecha pilots' provocation. As various parties locked onto it, this high-level pollutant that had lurked in Tianyu Star's Contaminated Zone for years finally emerged.
The person in charge was incredulous, "The Sand Lizard was supposed to be extinct long ago. How did this one evade our surveillance?"
"Director, it's bad. The Sand Lizard's spatial division has formed a large independent space, separating the mecha pilots."
"The Sand Lizard is directly south of the base tower, and there are six mechas nearby."
"Quickly switch to the nearby ground-based information and show me the visuals!" the person in charge urgently commanded.
As the images were brought up, mecha information near the Sand Lizard became clear. At first glance, there were the red-themed mechas divided into two spaces. As the camera zoomed in, a competition-level Guardian mecha quickly flew across the group's field of view. The movements seemed odd.
The person in charge paused. "Is that KID's mech? What was he doing just now?"
"ID kidyao, mecha pilot Lin Yao," a staff member slowed down the footage.
In the scene, the Guardian mecha that had flown past suddenly backtracked, darting into the group of pollutants. It pierced the head of a particular pollutant, quickly retrieved something, and shot back out.
Seeing this action, everyone in the room fell into silence.
The staff member observed carefully and explained, "Director, it seems like he was picking up an energy crystal."
34. Sand Lizard
Three mecha pilots remained within the tower's control room, waiting for the completion of the repair program. KID and the remaining four dashed towards the mecha parking area. Lin Yao and Ji Qingfeng followed closely behind You Su. They had no interest in the pollutant version of "Spot the Difference." Rather than staying inside and staring at those dizzying red dots, they'd rather make the most of this time and go outside.
"Hey, wait for us!" Ji Qingfeng finally caught up with You Su with some effort and asked, "What should we do now?"
"They'll need some time to identify the pollutants. We can't just wait around," Ying Chenlin observed the surroundings, making a brief judgment. He had just noticed the coverage range of the pollutants. If their assumptions were correct, and the pollutant possessed only spatial enhancement as its abilities, then its defensive capabilities were likely weak.
Based on this analysis, it was highly probable that it resided within the core protection circle of the pollutants.
The closer a lower-ranking pollutant was to it, the stronger its influence on the pollutant would be.
S-grade pollutants had the highest level of intelligence. If it was inherently weak, it would certainly command other pollutants to protect it. In that case, the likelihood that pollutants closer to it would be attracted by external factors would decrease.
Ying Chenlin proposed a suggestion, "Why don't we circle around the base station tower?"
Inside the base station tower's control room, three mecha pilots focused on the ongoing repair program. Once the communication signal was strengthened, they promptly began establishing a range communication channel according to the system's intelligent prompt.
Fortunately, this operation wasn't too complex. When the signal was sent out, the surrounding mecha pilots simultaneously received a communication request from the base station tower.
With the communication request established, mecha pilots began joining one by one.
When Hu Luobu saw this situation, he remarked, "They've entered the control room!"
The fact that they could enter the control room indicated that contacting the Bureau of Management was only a matter of time.
Now, the remaining issue was the S-grade pollutant that had triggered the anomaly on Tianyu Star.
Qi Sicheng's solemn expression eased slightly, and he immediately said, "This is Gale's Qi Sicheng. What's the current situation within the base station tower? Have you investigated the B-grade pollutant 'Poisonous Poppy' in the lab?"
The voice that replied was not that of the young mecha pilot but a more rugged male voice, "Poisonous Poppy's pollution levels are normal. It's not the direct cause."
A hint of doubt appeared on Qi Sicheng's face upon hearing this response. The mecha pilot quickly explained the current situation and then said, "As directed by Ying Ge, we will promptly investigate any abnormal pollutants in the vicinity and provide you with intelligence."
It was Ying Chenlin again...?
Qi Sicheng's residual light swept through the communication channel's mecha codes, finally locking onto the mecha that was supposed to arrive.
"Have all the nearby mecha pilots come in?"
"It's easier when everyone's here. Now, do we need to find that S-class pollutant in this mess of pollutants?"
"The leader of YDS is here too! Ke Lin."
In the distance, Ke Lin's group, still approaching the tall tower, also received a communication request. He quickly agreed and upon entering, discovered that almost all the mecha pilots were inside, including the vanguard team and Qi Sicheng's group.
Ke Lin: "Have you all entered the base tower?"
"Isn't that Captain Ke Lin?"
"So, the rescue lineup is this impressive? Both Captain Qi and Captain Ke Lin are here!"
"Finding the pollutant is just a matter of time now!"
Qi Sicheng said, "Cut to the chase, gather in the defense area."
Not long after he finished speaking, he suddenly noticed that four mechas seemed to be flying out from the base tower.
Outside the bright tower's defensive shield, the mechas' silhouettes were exceptionally clear. Qi Sicheng narrowed his eyes and saw the faintly reflected red stripes on those mechas – were those the mechas KID entered the tower with? Weren't they supposed to remain inside the tower? How did they get out?
Just as he was wondering, a blast of energy cannon fire streaked through the air.
The energy cannons of the Artillery mechas, when fired at night, ignited the surrounding oxygen due to their energy accumulation, and the energy blasts carried a massive amount of energy, immediately capturing the attention of the moving pollutants.
Not stopping at one shot, he followed up with two more shots, both hits were remarkably accurate.
Zhao Lejie, who was operating the protective shield to corral the pollutants nearby, looked up in surprise. "F*ck, whose cannon is that? Are they trying to cause trouble?"
The surrounding mecha pilots all controlled their energy outputs, fearing to attract the pollutants' attention. However, the energy blasts from the Artillery mecha paid no heed. In fact, the energy they carried was immense, surpassing even the Tank mechas.
After the Artillery mecha barrage, the Guardian mechas fired a Thunder Magnetic Cannon towards the base entrance. The combined firepower of the two mechas caused an even more pronounced explosion. Some of the pollutants, which had been charging towards the Tank mechas, stopped in their tracks. A portion seemed to have realized the threat, turning and charging towards the base entrance.
However, the KID team was quick to react. Using the disturbance caused by the barrage, they recklessly employed their thrusters and fired at the pollutants below. Their previously steady strategy in the stable nighttime environment was suddenly disrupted.
"Those are KID's mech!"
"What are KID’s people up to?"
Zhao Lejie adjusted his vision to a closer range and immediately spotted KID's group of daring individuals. He felt like he would never understand the thought process of this bunch. "Ji Qingfeng, what are you and the others doing now!?"
Ji Qingfeng let out a sigh and smiled, saying, "We're looking for the S-class pollutant!"
"??? You call this looking for pollutants? If I were a pollutant, I'd stay away from you," remarked Zhao Lejie.
Making such a grand display by firing Artillery like that, even the S-class pollutant would want to steer clear!
"No time to explain," Ji Qingfeng seemed unfazed, then continued, "Don't just stand around, join the barrage, change direction while firing, strength in numbers."
Huo Yan said, "Why didn't you take me along when you started firing?"
Lu Xi was conveniently positioned in the middle, hesitating between continuing to support Huo Yan and turning back to assist their teammates. "Huo Ge, I'll head over to their side first."
Other mecha pilots: "..."
Has the reckless behavior started as soon as they entered the base tower? And they're firing everywhere. How could the Artillery mechas, which are so vulnerable, rush to the front like that?
In reality, Kid and the other three charged, and they charged quite openly. Artillery mecha with Guardian Mech, and Stealth mecha with Guardian Mech, the groups of two circled the base tower from different directions, leaving no corner untouched.
"Damn, Ji Qingfeng." Seeing several mecha pilots running towards Kid's side, Zhao Lejie controlled his mecha to turn his head. "Don't cut your sentences short like that. If you're going to say 'charge,' at least tell me how to charge! My mecha doesn't have any cannons!"
"I don't have cannons either!" Ji Qingfeng said, "If you don't have cannons, don't you have a blade? Just charge in and start slashing!"
Hu Luobu looked at Zhao Lejie running away from his side, and confusion clouded his mind. He looked puzzled and exclaimed, "What the hell are you doing, Old Zhao!?"
Zhao Lejie swiftly drew his energy blade weapon. "I'm heading over there!"
The pollutants that had been previously kept in check by the Tank mechas began to react to the commotion. Their organized approach began to unravel as their howls mixed with the chaos caused by Kid's bombardment. The entire exterior of the tower was soon plunged back into the same state it had been over an hour ago – a chaotic battlefield.
The mecha pilots standing nearby were caught off guard. Perhaps they were shocked by the Tank mech's shield operation just now. Now that they heard Kid mention firing everywhere, their immediate reaction wasn't skepticism but rather how to join in.
"Where the hell do we fire!?"
"Damn it, where do we strike?"
The mecha pilots' confused voices intermingled in the communication channel. Ke Lin, who had just arrived, along with the other mecha pilots, stood uncertainly outside the battle zone. They were a bit away from the base tower, yet the continuous explosions in the distance were visible. The mecha blades and shields of the mechas intertwined, creating a spectacle of burning energy in the air.
The new mecha pilot: "..."
"Ke Lin, what's this all about?"
"Should we join in too?"
Who's in charge here? What's happening on the field? Should they charge towards the base tower or hunt down the pollutants?
Ke Lin had never witnessed such chaos before. Even his rationality was telling him to turn away from the battlefield for safety. He couldn't fathom this group of mecha pilots. He could only turn to the one person among them he deemed rational, "Qi Sicheng, what's going on!?"
Qi Sicheng replied, "I don't know."
Ke Lin: "?"
Qi Sicheng happened to be near the base station. He flew to a higher position and used his mech's targeting system to observe Kid's group. From a higher vantage point, he could better observe the movements of Kid's mechas. After a while, he noticed some details and his pupils slightly contracted.
Kid's flight was systematic; they were luring the pollutants and doing so with a purpose.
Spatial-enhancement abilities... lower-being subjugation... gathering pollutants! Qi Sicheng quickly grasped Kid's group's objective, "They're searching for the S-class pollutant."
Ke Lin was taken aback, "Qi Sicheng?"
Qi Sicheng didn't linger in place; instead, he swiftly flew towards the 12 o'clock direction of the base tower. "The pollutants here were lured by the S-class pollutant. If it possesses spatial-enhancement abilities, regardless of whether it enhances its subjugation of lower beings or other traits, the premise that it influences the pollutants won't change."
"Meaning, the closer the pollutants are to the S-class entity, the more deeply they're affected. If there's a group of pollutants that behaves significantly differently from the others, it indicates that the S-class pollutant is among them!"
Kid was using this method, employing the simplest and most direct approach to attract pollutants, thereby deducing the movement patterns of the pollutants below.
Qi Sicheng said, "Don't stop, follow their method. Everyone, split up. Zhao Lejie, take two others to the 9 o'clock direction. Ke Lin, take your team to the 3 o'clock direction of the tower. I'll cover the 12 o'clock direction, and leave the 6 o'clock direction to Kid."
As others heard Qi Sicheng's instructions and noticed Kid's movements, they immediately grasped the situation.
Upon hearing Qi Sicheng's voice on the channel, Ying Chenlin paid slight attention to the 12 o'clock direction and saw a mecha already heading there. He didn't explain much further; instead, he switched to communication with the base tower and inquired, "How's the repair progress?"
The mecha pilot responded, "95%!"
Inside the tower's central control room, the mecha pilots kept their eyes on the repair progress and also on the unusual data popping up on the biological recognition system. Various types of pollutants were listed – mutated scorpions, mutated rattlesnakes, and more. It was easy to overlook data if they weren't careful.
Amid the confusion of the battlefield, the three individuals in the control room spotted the suspicious coordinates and reported them immediately.
Mecha pilots across the chaotic battlefield were flying in various directions. Apart from the three in the control room, others were dispersed around the tower, some wielding blades, some holding cannons, each one venting their courage against the pollutants.
"Isn't there just too many of them? It's hard to find anomalies in this heap."
"Just look for groups of pollutants acting strangely. Any group that isn't running with the crowd is likely hiding something."
"What about the control room? Any coordinates with mutated pollutants? Report!"
The three in the tower's control room: "..."
Liu Ge grabbed his communicator and let out a frustrated tirade, "Aren't you capable of finding them on your own? We only have three pairs of eyes, how can we keep up? If you're so capable, come in here and look for yourselves. I'll swap out and go out to chop at them!"
The mecha pilots fell silent.
Outside Tianyu Star, within the Management Bureau's meeting room, a group of individuals wore worried expressions. The person in charge had already contacted the Star Alliance on the border, and they were sending an elite team from the frontier to Tianyu Star. However, it would take at least an hour for them to arrive.
The person in charge continued, "Now we can only wait for the Frontier Military to arrive and devise a new rescue plan."
Directly attacking and destroying Tianyu Star's defensive layer is undoubtedly a risky move; they must ensure the safety of the mecha pilots during the process.
The faces of several base leaders weren't as composed as before. Clearly, the extended period had put pressure on everyone. Losing communication was already an extremely rare occurrence, and in the countless contamination zone missions across the Dawn Star System, instances of complete loss of control were few and far between.
Just at that moment, the door of the meeting room was opened with a soft sound.
An out-of-breath staff member leaned against the wall, "Good news! Signal at Base Station C has been restored!"
The person in charge stood up abruptly, "What!?"
"Signal at Base Station C has been restored. Attempting to establish a communication channel."
"Enhancement program is back to normal. The factor affected by the contaminated environment is rising."
"Communication connection failed, retrying."
"Trying the second system for connection."
"Positioning system restored, image system restoration in progress—"
The group rushed to the central control room. The person in charge had never run so fast in his life. As he entered the control room, he saw various signals gradually lighting up on the main screen. He hurriedly said, "Use the strongest signal system. Activate the Tianyu Star's Tournament Mode System. Inside, there are Tournament-class mechas. Their signal source is the strongest for point C."
The program to repair Base Station Point C was equivalent to installing an enhanced version of a signal transmitter.
The most challenging part was establishing communication with that side. As long as they could establish a successful connection, they would be able to maintain communication between the two points.
Finally, after nearly a hundred failed attempts, the systems of the Tianyu Star Bureau, responding simultaneously to the Tournament Mode System and the regular system, broke through the layers of interference caused by the contaminated environment, establishing contact with Base Station Point C.
The person in charge grabbed the communicator, "This is the Tianyu Star Bureau. If you hear this, please respond."
"This is Base Station Point C, mecha ID HJKLIUYI," the voice of a mecha pilot came through amid crackling electrical sounds.
A sense of relief swept through the central control room. They immediately focused on the changes in the positioning system. The Tournament-class mechas that had already lit up were mostly gathered around the base tower. However, their distribution was chaotic, and the positions of some mechas were rapidly changing.
The person in charge quickly communicated with the mecha pilot they had reached. Just then, the Tianyu Star Bureau finally restored the ground-based information near the base tower. The virtual screen suddenly displayed nearby imagery.
In the visual perspective, a dense mass of pollutants occupied the entire view. Among them were scorpions, rattlesnakes, sand ravens—various pollutants that shouldn't have appeared together or that were active at different times.
Staff members: "???"
Did they switch the perspective? What the hell is going on?
Shen Xingtang's gaze closely followed the signals of the competition-class mechas. Seeing a few familiar figures, she finally let out a breath of relief. It seemed that their group of characters hadn't encountered any problems. But in the next second, her attention shifted elsewhere.
The leaders of Gale Base and YDS Base looked at the latest messages on the positioning system and then turned to the image system. They saw their own team members scattered everywhere—some in the east, some in the west, and some still en route to the base tower.
They wanted to ask what was going on, how could this random pairing happen? Their elite teams were completely disorganized now!
Before they could finish speaking, several mechas flew out from the mass of pollutants, their shields shining brightly.
The YDS leader couldn't help but glance at the people from Gale. "What were your maintenance engineers thinking? Why did they make the shields of the competition-class Tank mechas so bright?"
The Gale leader fell silent for a moment and then said, "Could it be that they did it themselves?"
In no time, an energy cannon shot through the imagery they were observing. Right behind it was a blue mecha wielding a light blade high above its head. One person charged forward with the blade, while another raised a cannon and followed closely behind. The scene was like a masterpiece.
Shen Xingtang said, "Aren't those mechas from your base? I remember their mecha IDs are zhao and obo—Zhao Lejie and Hu Luobu?"
The Gale leader replied, "Don't know them."
YDS said, "Could Boss Shen have mistaken them?"
Meanwhile, a mecha pilot rapidly communicated with the leader, explaining the current situation, "We suspect an unknown S-class pollutant has appeared on our end. This pollutant seems to possess spatial-enhancement abilities, but we haven't been able to locate it."
"It's damn hard to find. It's more complicated than my marksmanship drills."
"Oh, by the way, do you have a lot of people over there?"
"We only have three pairs of eyes. It's impossible for us to keep up! Can you help?"
"Look?" The people in the central control room turned their gaze toward where the communication was coming from.
Mecha ID HJKLIUYi sent an exaggerated data packet very amicably. When they opened it, it was full of densely packed biological information. "Come on, strength in numbers. Let's all search together."
The Tianyu Star Bureau faced the most perplexing task guidance in its history. After regaining contact with various mecha pilots that had been cut off for hours, they found themselves in a completely unpredictable battlefield. mecha pilots scattered far and wide, gunfire and light filled the sky, pollutants of unknown origin sprinting across the ground—there wasn't a moment of peace, either above or below.
Especially the firepower of that group of mecha pilots. Fortunately, their shots grazed the defense systems of the base tower several times without distinguishing between friend and foe. Those who knew what they were doing understood they were executing a mission, while those who didn't thought it was doomsday.
This scene was even more extravagant than the Frontier Military's attack on the defense system!
The person in charge trembled and asked, "Where's Captain Qi and Captain Ke Lin?"
"Captain Qi is in the north, Captain Ke Lin is in the east... and Kid's Captain Huo, is in the south." A staff member asked, "Should we attempt communication with them?"
The person in charge hesitated.
But even communication wouldn't solve the problem!
The staff member asked, "Director, should we help review the data packets? They've been urging us."
The person in charge gritted his teeth, "Check!"
Near the base tower, mecha pilots entering Tianyu Star's Contaminated Zone worked in pairs. They swiftly searched around the tower's vicinity. While Huo Yan was heading toward where Ying Chenlin and the others were located, he suddenly noticed the environment around him becoming peculiar. The pollution values within the mech's program started fluctuating. It dropped from 6800 to 6500, then suddenly leaped to over 7000.
"Be careful, the pollution fluctuations are strange!" Huo Yan had barely spoken when the surrounding sand dunes began to tremble.
Ying Chenlin reacted abruptly, locking onto a spot about a hundred meters ahead.
There was a pollutant showing subtle movements there. While other pollutants were drawn away by the mech's energy, this one appeared agitated but hadn't moved too far. He immediately flew in that direction.
Meanwhile, in the central control room of the tower, a mecha pilot suddenly discovered something. Amid countless biological data, they noticed an extremely peculiar pollutant. This pollutant's appearance was remarkably similar to a B-Grade pollutant that had long been extinct on Tianyu Star—the Sand Lizard. However, it wasn't the Sand Lizard's slightly small and thin form. Instead, it was over two meters long, with yellow-white patterns across its body and eerie crimson eyes.
The next second, the Sand Lizard opened its mouth, revealing sharp teeth and fangs. A bizarre sound wave emanated from its direction.
On the communication channel, Ke Lin and Qi Sicheng were the first to notice the spatial anomaly. Yet, before they could respond, invisible barriers suddenly erected throughout the sandy ruins, forming a massive transparent hexagonal structure that partitioned the area into multiple spaces.
mecha pilots in flight were obstructed by these descending barriers, as if crashing into invisible walls that prevented them from advancing.
The descending spatial barriers enclosed the mecha pilots and the pollutants, confining them in a limited space. The hindered space hindered the mechas' flight, while the pollutants relentlessly lunged at the mechas.
Zhao Lejie’s eyes widened "Damn, is this space way too exaggerated?!"
Qi Sicheng observed the slightly exaggerated spatial manifestation, furrowing his brow. "It seems our guess was right. This pollutant's ability is spatial enhancement."
Lin Yaoexclaimed, "This thing is so cool!"
"Is being cool or not cool the issue here?" Zhao Lejie retorted. "We're firing everywhere, and you can see how it's agitating that guy!"
Ji Qingfeng chimed in, "How was I supposed to know this guy was a sore loser and goes all-out when cornered?"
"Can we please focus and solve the problem first instead of chatting?" Hu Luobu looked at the pollutants locked in the same space with him. "I'm in a freaking Artillery mech, stuck here with this bunch of high-attack pollutants!"
Zhao Lejie glanced at his own situation. He was in the neighboring space to Hu Luobu. "Did the Tank say anything? I'm grinding them down until their energy runs out."
In the far reaches of space, the Bureau of Management simultaneously noticed new changes in the pollution levels on Tianyu Star. Around the base tower, sudden shifts in the landscape appeared, causing the person in charge's expression to shift slightly. "Why is it so strange?"
"Director! The pollution levels in other parts of Tianyu Star have returned to normal!"
"Anomalies are now only present at base station point C!"
A staff member nearby shouted, "Director, there's a spatial disturbance within the Contaminated Zone!"
Shen Xingtang hurried to the window, gazing at the planet through it. Her focus remained fixed on the position of base station point C. The yellow haze that previously obscured the planet gradually dissipated, replaced by separate patches of yellow mist.
The previously congregated haze of yellow sand had become fragmented.
"We've identified a suspected mutated target!"
"Reports of pollutants! Director, it's information about an unseen pollutant— competition-level mutant Sand Lizard!"
With the concretization of space, the Sand Lizard that had lurked in the environment seemed to no longer tolerate the mecha pilots' provocation. As various parties locked onto it, this high-level pollutant that had lurked in Tianyu Star's Contaminated Zone for years finally emerged.
The person in charge was incredulous, "The Sand Lizard was supposed to be extinct long ago. How did this one evade our surveillance?"
"Director, it's bad. The Sand Lizard's spatial division has formed a large independent space, separating the mecha pilots."
"The Sand Lizard is directly south of the base tower, and there are six mechas nearby."
"Quickly switch to the nearby ground-based information and show me the visuals!" the person in charge urgently commanded.
As the images were brought up, mecha information near the Sand Lizard became clear. At first glance, there were the red-themed mechas divided into two spaces. As the camera zoomed in, a competition-level Guardian mecha quickly flew across the group's field of view. The movements seemed odd.
The person in charge paused. "Is that KID's mech? What was he doing just now?"
"ID kidyao, mecha pilot Lin Yao," a staff member slowed down the footage.
In the scene, the Guardian mecha that had flown past suddenly backtracked, darting into the group of pollutants. It pierced the head of a particular pollutant, quickly retrieved something, and shot back out.
Seeing this action, everyone in the room fell into silence.
The staff member observed carefully and explained, "Director, it seems like he was picking up an energy crystal."
