41. Fatten
“Who is this qpdik01!? Haven't seen this ID before!”
“Searched. The match record timestamps are off, most likely an experienced player's alternate account.”
When the two elimination messages appeared, the other mecha pilots inside the virtual battlefield swiftly raised their alertness levels, quickly seeking appropriate cover. mecha pilots who frequently engaged in virtual battles were familiar with certain IDs. For example, the Artillery mecha pilot Ace789 from CEF4 was well-known. When they spotted professional mecha pilot IDs in the United Front Hall, they typically opted to avoid their areas of fire. However, there was another kind of danger—unknown threats.
A mecha pilot who could eliminate two opponents at the start of an S-level 6000-rating match wasn't relying on luck.
As the two elimination notifications flashed by, the KID team was in full retreat. Lin Yao took a quick glance back and then braked behind a building, asking, "You Ge, weren't you supposed to cover us with artillery fire?"
You Su swiftly changed positions. "Covering doesn't conflict with getting kills."
When the five mechs had just respawned, they were in the same area, but unfortunate luck placed them in an area dense with buildings. They had to evacuate from the respawn point first. In this sort of environment, the cannon fire of Artillery mechas was most conspicuous.
However, You Su's focus wavered.
In the distance, this scene was captured in the perspective of the viewpoint entered by Ying Chenlin. He was still using You Su's perspective. With the opponent's swift movements, he observed that the other KID mechs had already spread out.
You Su possessed strong individual skills. In this relatively confined moving space, he didn't choose to retreat due to the presence of lurking enemies, but decisively chose to take the initiative from the very beginning.
Ying Chenlin's line of sight followed the constantly shifting view within You Su's movements, capturing the lurking situation around him. To apply the single mecha strategy, the first step was to split up the KID mechs. The Abandoned Bio-factory Contaminated Zone was clearly a scene with many potential ambush points. They couldn't become targets of ambush.
During You Su's swift movement, using You Su's mech's field of view, he had already noticed several lurking mechs. When playing as a lone mech, any variable could change the course of the match. He reminded them, "There are many mechs around here."
Lin Yao spoke in the channel, "Wow, that's exciting!"
"Having many mechs around definitely means there are artillery units lurking in the back. It's most annoying to encounter cannons in this kind of map, especially sniper cannons—each shot is on target."
Ji Qingfeng added, "I've spotted one lurking mecha here."
Huo Yan asked, "Should we retreat or engage directly?"
Lin Yao: "Can we engage directly?"
The area where You Su was currently located happened to be a part of the Abandoned Bio-factory with denser buildings. This type of terrain was very suitable for ambushing Artillery mechas, and generally, where Artillery mechas were, their teammates would be nearby as well.
"We can." Ying Chenlin pondered for a moment before saying, "But first, we need to lure out the mecha from the Third Star Domain that you mentioned."
Ji Qingfeng was puzzled, "Lure out? They're from Star Alliance Sixth, is it that easy to lure them out?"
Huo Yan thought for a moment, "It's a bit difficult to preemptively lure them out. In the virtual battlefield, we have to judge the mechs' IDs ourselves."
Ying Chenlin said, "I have a method that can capture someone."
Ji Qingfeng's eyes lit up, "If we can capture someone, then it's simple! Find his location, and I'll go assassinate him immediately."
"This method won't work for team fights, and there won't be any backup," Ying Chenlin paused slightly, "And first, we need to create chaos here."
You Su listened to the calm and steady voice of the young man in his ears.
"Create chaos?" He responded lazily, "That's easy."
---
Near the buildings surrounding the Abandoned Bio-factory, mechs that remained in the vicinity were listening for sounds and positioning themselves, constantly vigilant of their surroundings. However, once they moved, it was easy to enter the firing range of others. mecha pilots with ample combat experience chose to find suitable cover and wait for the right moment.
"It's a sniper cannon. He's an artillery pilot with a sniper cannon." Chi Lizi happened to be near qpdik01 and witnessed his elimination of another mech. He observed the airborne mecha moving to another location, reported the information, and quickly withdrew. "This mecha pilot plays aggressively. He dares to be so conspicuous at the start. They're most likely a five-person squad."
A five-person squad? Hu Luobuu was alerted by this information, "There should be cover around the artillery pilot. Be cautious and don't get caught in their encirclement."
“I just noticed this too. There's a string of IDs in the coordination lobby that seem to be connected, probably a five-person squad.”
“This artillery pilot seems quite reckless. Turns out he has teammates supporting from behind.”
“Lizi reacts quickly, locking onto the ID from the start!”
When encountering a well-equipped five-person squad with a competent core Artillery mecha, such teams usually have excellent coordination. Even if the Artillery mecha exposes its position, there will be teammates quickly returning to provide support. As long as someone fires, there's a high chance of being counter-ambushed by the opponent.
"We can counter-ambush them, first deal with qpdik01's teammates."
Other mecha pilots also noticed qpdik01. There were quite a few hidden mechs in the area, and their obvious presence at the beginning made it easy for others to notice them. Just at this moment, one mecha pilot couldn't resist firing a shot towards qpdik01's position.
Upon hearing the gunfire, Hu Luobuu immediately switched his view to the vicinity, intending to lock onto qpdik01's teammates during this opportunity. However, as he scanned the distant view, there wasn't a single mecha going to support the artillery.
What's going on!?
No one is supporting qpdik01?!
qpdik01 appeared at a higher location. He controlled his mecha to fly backward, seemingly noticing the position of the mecha pilot who fired the shot. The sniper cannon in his hands aimed again, and in the process of flight, he quickly fired two shots at the opponent's position!
Hu Luobuu quickly aimed and took a shot with a tracking cannon during this opportunity, intending to lock onto qpdik01's position.
He carried both an energy cannon and a tracking cannon. The tracking cannon had a locking feature, so at this moment, firing meant the opponent wouldn't likely be able to dodge. At this point, qpdik01 in his field of vision quickly reacted. He flew backward to evade Hu Luobu's energy cannon, aimed his sniper cannon at the direction of the tracking cannon, and fired a shot. The resulting explosion and smoke cloud covered everyone's vision.
He completely disappeared.
Hu Luobu was surprised, "Didn't they say they were in a squad?"
Chi Lizi was equally puzzled, "Why isn't anyone protecting him!?"
Other viewers in the live stream room were also shocked by this situation. Team fights rely on cooperation, especially for Artillery mechas that are vulnerable to being surrounded. Even if there isn't a mecha babysitter for control, there should at least be teammates ready to provide support.
“??? Mistook the mech?”
“No, that mecha is qpdik01, is he soloing???”
“Solo my foot, are those four character IDs that look the same as him in the coordination lobby fake?”
Not only did Chi Lizi notice this on his side, but the other two members of the Third Star Domain's CEF4 squad also noticed the issue.
Artillery pilot Ace frowned, "Lina, did you find him?"
Control mecha Lina replied, "Your 6 o'clock."
Ace shifted his view to the 6 o'clock direction, intending to locate the target, and immediately noticed several mechs approaching.
Before they could capture qpdik01's position, the collision between the tracking cannon and the sniper cannon caused an immediate outbreak of battle in the area. The lurking mecha pilots in the vicinity almost all spotted each other, and gunfire and impacts erupted one after another, revealing the hidden mechs in the area amidst the successive artillery barrage.
qpdik01 wasn't hit or damaged. Instead, this area became a hotspot for artillery fire.
Ace used the chaos to search for a new sniping spot, but this situation caused him to frown uncomfortably. "It's too chaotic."
Yes, it was truly chaotic.
With the firing of the first cannon, within the narrow cluster of buildings, a single careless move could lead to a direct collision, making many mecha pilots uncomfortable.
The explosions and smoke caused by the artillery fire obscured parts of the field of view. Hu Luobu retreated while locking onto other mechs during the confusion. "Damn, this is too chaotic!"
In the virtual battlefield, friendly fire was possible. In the midst of continuous artillery fire, many mechs were forced to defend themselves due to their exposed positions. It was as if that Artillery mecha had precisely calculated its flight path and launched a cannonball onto this serene lake surface.
It wasn't just chaos; it was accelerating the conflicts of everyone involved.
All the mecha pilots here were high-ranking, and each had their own judgment of the situation. mecha pilots like Hu Luobu, who attacked while moving, were not the only ones. Due to this, the artillery fire hadn't ceased since it was ignited by qpdik01.
Just when it seemed like it might stop, another artillery shot would reignite it.
Hu Luobu noticed something and exclaimed, "Damn, qpdik01 is doing it on purpose. He's provoking a dispute! Don't let him use us as pawns."
Chi Lizi used a flight line to halt at a certain spot, locking onto a distant mech. "Someone's watching."
---
In the distance, the various KID mechs weren't in the same area, but they were all looking towards the intense battlefield.
The other members of KID didn't intend to support You Su's tactics. The basic principle of a solo mecha pilot was to treat everyone except themselves as enemies. Support wasn't necessary; the goal was to quickly enter the battlefield without revealing their own mech.
"This is getting really intense!"
"How many mechs are even involved in this fight? There are at least 15 mechs hiding there."
"That area is the favorite hiding spot for Artillery mechs. It's easy to find targets!"
At that moment, Lin Yao suddenly shifted rapidly to a new position, dodging a sniper shot that had been aimed at him. Then, he voiced a question, "There's a long-range mecha targeting me. It's strange; I just passed by that area, and no one was there."
Flight comes with the sound of thrusters. Lin Yao's hearing is excellent, and he's certain that no one has passed by from his direction.
"Long-range Stealth Mecha?! Hold on, could Chi Lizi be here too?" Ji Qingfeng was taken aback.
Huo Yan nodded, "I think I saw his ID just now, but he changes his nickname quickly. I'm not sure if I mistook him for someone else."
Ji Qingfeng said, "Who else could it be? The one who plays as a long-range stealth sniper and streams every day, it's only him!"
Lu Xi added, "And Hubert, he's here too."
You Su asked, "Long-range stealth?"
Ji Qingfeng had some knowledge about stealth mechs, "Chi Lizi, the stealth mecha pilot from Black Crow Base, usually carries a sniper cannon and a zipline."
Dealing with a combination of guns and control from the Third Star Domain is already tough, and now a few professional mecha pilots have infiltrated as well, and they're all long-range mechs. This is like rubbing salt in the wound for KID, whose long-range offensive capabilities are weak. When it comes to long-range confrontation, they definitely can't compete. They can only engage in close combat, but getting close to these experienced combat mecha pilots is likely a challenging task.
Lin Yao courteously inquired, "Should we catch them all?"
Ji Qingfeng sighed, "Chi Lizi must have brought his Control mecha teammate along, and Hubert might have a teammate too. Trying to capture them isn't as easy as catching chickens like an eagle."
Lu Xi corrected, "Catching chickens like an eagle is actually quite difficult..."
Huo Yan stood next to a mechanical chimney tower in an abandoned factory. He used the angles of light and shadow to conceal his mecha and looked up at the current situation distribution. After Ying Chenlin suggested using a solo approach, they all scattered.
The commotion provides the greatest cover; amidst the sound of artillery all around, the movement sound of mecha thrusters becomes minimal. Among all of KID's mechs, only You Su and Lu Xi are currently equipped with long-range weapons. You Su lacks control weaponry, while Lu Xi doesn't have core-damage weapons. In the scenario where they have only a single long-range core, the area-based support plan initially suggested by Jiang Simiao isn't quite suitable; it could easily be traced back to them.
Especially in this kind of setting, with three close combat mechs among KID's ranks, except for Ji Qingfeng's stealth mecha that holds an inherent advantage, Huo Yan and Lin Yao are the easiest targets for gunfire to lock onto.
Huo Yan roughly understood Ying Chenlin's idea. Providing no support for teammates is viable if the teammates have the ability to extricate themselves from danger on their own, which happens to be the case with You Su.
Huo Yan said, "If Hu Luobu and Chi Lizi are here, they'll probably be vigilant against Ace from the Third Star Domain and won't show themselves easily."
Ying Chenlin responded, "Ace is an Artillery mecha, and Hu Luobu is also an artillery. According to your analysis, Chi Lizi is also half a long-range Artillery mecha. As long as we stay out of their firing range, the likelihood of being eliminated prematurely is low."
"Team matches in the virtual battlefield's matchmaking system are based on mecha roles. In a single match, there would be only around ten gun-based mechs, including Control mechas. Adding Control mechas, there would be at least twenty long-range mechs. Our goal is to lock onto the long-range mechs, and at this stage, the three of them are unlikely to leave this area."
This is a virtual battlefield, not actual combat. In actual combat, strategies like retreating for the sake of the team's victory are possible.
However, in most regular virtual battles, many professional mecha pilots aim to exercise, so they generally wouldn't retreat in such a situation—especially considering the three people they're concerned about belong to teams with high professional rankings, which adds to their confidence in their own abilities.
You Su chuckled, "What, are we going to take down all the long-range mechs in one go?"
"But we can't do it openly; if they catch onto our intentions, they won't stick around in this location."
Ying Chenlin opened the records list and said, "Then let's keep it simple and fatten them up first."
"Fatten them up?" The concept had never been heard of in team battlefields.
Lin Yao scratched his head, "What do you mean by 'fatten them up'?"
Ji Qingfeng looked utterly bewildered, "I've heard of fattening up pigs for slaughter, but fattening up and slaughtering mechs?"
Lu Xi pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you mean providing them targets? In a battlefield, isn't it harder to kill fattened targets?"
The virtual battlefield doesn't work like a game where killing more opponents grants more buffs. It's more about the state of the mecha pilots, especially experienced ones in major competitions. Once they get into their groove, the difficulty of eliminating them only increases.
Ying Chenlin agreed with a nod, "But they're intelligent; we might have to stage a little act."
"An act?" Huo Yan smiled, "This is simple; leave it to me."
Ying Chenlin looked at Huo Yan's direction with confusion.
Huo Yan explained simply, "Back when I was on the Frontier, I participated in some literature and arts joint performances."
Ji Qingfeng was shocked, as if he was hearing this for the first time, "Old Huo, you've had such cultured times? What did you perform?"
Huo Yan smiled, "Not bad, I played the lead role in a stage play."
- *
Chi Lizi watched as the mecha that had evaded his sniper shot quickly disappeared from view. He commented, "That mecha fled. It seems they're not planning to meddle further inside."
"Running away won't lead to victory. Let's ignore them," Hu Luobu remained cautious of his surroundings. "Ace's kill count is increasing. Looks like he's also keeping an eye on this spot."
"That mecha just ran away so fast! It's rare for a mecha to escape Leeds' hands."
"Luck, maybe? That person ran away and hasn't returned."
The news of Chi Lizi, Hu Luobu, and the Third Star Domain Artillery mecha pilot Ace colliding during the livestream quickly spread as the room's popularity surged. Curious online viewers flooded in, greeted by images of the Abandoned Bio-Factory and the silent battle environment.
"Did Chi Lizi and Ace clash?"
"And what about Hu Luobu! Betting the honor of being the third artillery in Dawn Galaxy, he can't lose to Ace!"
More and more people started paying attention to this match. Twenty minutes had passed since the match began, and with no changes in the map, the Abandoned Bio-Factory remained the place with the most hidden mechs. Everyone followed Chi Lizi's perspective and noticed that Ace from the Third Star Domain was still lingering in the same location. In virtual battlefields, the survival-based victory criterion is to stay alive until the end. If multiple teams have mechs surviving until the end, the team with the better record takes precedence.
Ace's goal was simple: he wanted to rack up a higher score in this area.
This made the spectators of the match a bit anxious, as multiple teams surviving until the end might lead to a tense final showdown.
This made the spectators of the match a bit anxious because continuing like this would put them at a disadvantage. In a match with only so many mechs, the situation only becomes tougher as it drags on.
"Why doesn't Chi Lizi just go directly to take out Ace?"
"Ace is using the most basic mecha appearance every time he enters a match. Do you think he's easy to find?"
"A long-range stealth mecha against long-range Artillery mechas is already a disadvantage. I feel like this round is hanging by a thread."
The sounds of gunfire gradually ceased. After mutually wearing each other down, the other mechs didn't act recklessly; instead, they chose to avoid direct conflict.
However, this sequence of events had resulted in the elimination of several mechs, and the notifications of eliminations kept appearing.
"Seems like others have noticed too."
"After all that chaos and eliminating a bunch of people, qpdik01 is still alive and kicking."
"qpdik01 is a troublemaker. Now that no one can find him, he probably ran away."
As the smoke cleared, all mechs nervously fixated on the radar map, remaining vigilant of the others.
Chi Lizi quickly hooked onto a high point of the abandoned factory using his zipline, silently transitioning to cover behind it by contracting the zipline's extension. However, as soon as he initiated this movement, he noticed a Tank mecha exposed in plain view.
The Contaminated Zone map of the Abandoned Biological Fo-actory was inherently small, and the surrounding area included an adjacent industrial park for reference. Apart from the undulating structures within the factory, the rest of the surroundings consisted of broad open spaces.
In this vigilant atmosphere, when the Tank mecha appeared, all mecha pilots who noticed its position hesitated for a moment, refraining from immediately targeting it.
Hu Luobu looked at the Tank mecha in his field of view, almost expecting to see the word "decoy" written on it. "Are we really going to fall for such an obvious decoy?"
“Is this Tank part of the high-level scheme?”
“Just got played by qpdik01 recently, now everyone's being cautious.”
“Yeah, who's foolish enough to shoot first.”
Seeing this, Huo Yan took a few steps to a more conspicuous location. He believed he had exposed himself enough, but why wasn't anyone shooting in his direction? He puzzledly asked, "Is my movement okay?"
"As expected from someone who has played the male lead in cultural performances, I think it's fine," Ji Qingfeng remarked upon seeing the situation, "but it seems they aren't taking the bait."
"Ah? They're not falling for it? Can we still use our 'fattening up' strategy?" Lin Yao wondered.
Ying Chenlin noticed the caution among the surrounding mecha pilots and said, "No worries, we just need to add a bit more fuel to the fire."
Upon hearing this, Lu Xi hesitated for a moment, then in the next second, she saw You Su, who had been hiding in the shadows in her field of view, launch a shot toward Huo Yan who was running below.
Huo Yan, with years of combat experience, reacted swiftly as he realized the attack. He rolled in a rather ungainly manner and left a black trail on the ground with his thrusters!
Ji Qingfeng, with a puzzled expression, looked at the crater created by You Su next to Huo Yan, "Brother, how much energy did you just use?"
Lu Xi replied, "I'd estimate around 40%."
You Su added, "I thought we were supposed to add fuel to the fire? If we're acting, let's make it a bit more convincing."
Lu Xi asked in confusion, "Do I also have to attack Huo Ge?"
Ying Chenlin explained, "Just use an incendiary shell; don't actually restrain him."
Seeing You Su and Lu Xi in action, Lin Yao became eager, "Should we join in too?"
Ji Qingfeng retorted, "…Join my foot! You want to join in and act like 'Three Little Swans' with Huo Ge?"
The sudden eruption of gunfire shattered the previous silence. Huo Yan was 'genuinely' forced into evasive movements by You Su's sniper cannon. In a crucial moment, he even executed an extreme flip using his shield, spinning around like a graceful dancing swan. This drew the attention of other observing mecha pilots!
Following the appearance of a sniper cannon from one direction, a control mech's incendiary shell emerged from another direction.
Chi Lizi first performed a wide-ranging search around the Tank mecha for areas that could be supported, furrowing his brows, "There are no mechs around him… He seems to be alone."
Other cautious mecha pilots made their assessments, and the Tank mecha below appeared to realize that its positioning was exposed. It swiftly maneuvered the mecha as if preparing to retreat. Seeing this, the lurking mecha pilots in the vicinity immediately sensed the issue: this was a lone Tank mech, and it was about to run!
“This operation 666 ah!”
“Looks like the Tank messed up its positioning. The sniper cannon just narrowly missed hitting it.”
Almost all the gun-based mecha pilots who noticed him raised their artillery weapons. Chi Lizi's reaction speed was incredibly fast. He immediately completed the charging and aiming process. In the instant his sniper cannon shot out, the Tank mecha below seemed to have predicted it and activated its protective shield.
Boom! All the sniper shots hit the shield. The Tank mech's shield even emitted a friendly shimmer as it quickly retreated.
Chi Lizi: "???"
Seeing the flickering shield, a bad premonition suddenly surged in Hu Luobu's heart. "Wait, Chi Lizi!"
In the next second, a sniper shot from the opposing side whizzed past and hit Chi Lizi's left side. He awkwardly used a zipline to escape. "Damn it! The Tank's just acting!"
In the distance, Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao were watching from a safe location.
Ji Qingfeng: "Looks like they're getting into a fight!"
Lin Yao: "Huo Ge truly lives up to his dance background. His little swan dance is impressive."
Ji Qingfeng: "Wasn't he in stage plays?"
Lin Yao: "Huh? Weren't you talking about the little swan?"
The battle that had previously calmed down erupted once again. An artillery shot from afar swiftly pounded the mechs that had locked onto the Tank mech. Hu Luobu quickly switched his target to support Chi Lizi. After hitting one of the mechs, he swiftly retreated while running, saying, "The artillery shots are coming from another direction, probably Ace. He's using the Tank mecha to lock onto the positions of other mechs. That Tank mecha is likely a random teammate of Ace!"
Chi Lizi immediately changed his position. "Don't attack that Tank mech. Lock onto the others. I'll assist you and boost our record."
After the appearance of the Tank mech, the previously stabilized battlefield was ignited once again.
The pace of the battle was extremely fast. Many mechs were consecutively eliminated due to their locked positions. About five minutes passed, and in less than half an hour since the start, only 20 participants remained in the virtual battlefield.
Ace, the pilot of the artillery mech, hiding behind a certain building, frowned. He kept an eye on the Tank mecha below. It was positioned at a tricky angle, making it impossible for him to hit directly from his direction. "There should still be another team on the opposite side working with the Tank."
The opponents were skilled. They had already eliminated his three random teammates on this side. The number of remaining mechs in the area was dwindling.
Ace had a strange feeling. Despite seemingly dictating the pace, he felt like he was being led around. He had surveyed the area, and there were hardly any organized teams around. At most, two or three individuals formed a group. The most significant threat should be the combination of long-range stealth with artillery. However, the control mecha of that combination had already been taken out by them.
Lina spoke up, "Ace, no one is firing anymore."
Ace realized it wasn't that no one was firing; it was that the number of long-range mechs in the area recklessly locking onto the decoy Tank had decreased.
As the gunfire gradually subsided, Hu Luobu, who had been swept into the chaotic brawl earlier and had been focused on clearing the surrounding mechs, suddenly realized something during a brief moment of respite. "Wait, have all the members of the initial suspected five-person team been eliminated?"
Chi Lizi paused and quickly switched to the battle records list in the virtual battlefield. At the end of the list, he saw a few mechs with an elimination count of zero. "They're still here."
Hu Luobu was taken aback, they're all still here?
An uneasy feeling crept over him, "Chi Lizi, something's off. The number of long-range mechs on our side has decreased. Since just a while ago, the frequency of gunfire has dropped."
“??? What do you mean? None of these guys were eliminated in that chaotic battle?”
“But we clearly eliminated a bunch of mechs just now!”
“Are they not here? Running away won't do them any good; they'll still lose without any records.”
“Do you all remember qpdik01? Is there a chance he hasn't run away?”
Just at this moment, a certain artillery mecha that had been moving along with the sound of gunfire came to a halt behind a building to the side. In its field of view, a mecha was aiming its cannon, locking onto their direction.
Ying Chenlin watched the mecha in his field of view and commanded, "Take action."
Almost as he finished speaking, You Su's artillery mech, charged to 60%, fired its shot with a resounding boom!
Hu Luobu was about to say something when his field of view suddenly turned black and white!
Chi Lizi noticed his teammate getting hit and swiftly used his grappling hook to retreat, "Hu Luobu!"
[Your teammate obo145 has been eliminated!]
[Player qpdik01 eliminates player obo145.]
“???”
“What the heck! Hu Luobu got sniped with just one shot?”
“How's that possible? His mech's damage level wasn't even close to the limit; he should've been able to withstand at least two shots!”
“A single shot with the power of two shots?? How much energy did qpdik01 unleash?”
Within the team, Lin Yao remarked, "Hey? Did You Ge get the wrong person? Why did he eliminate obo?"
As You Su withdrew, Ying Chenlin closely monitored the changing situation in his field of view. He quickly checked the virtual battlefield records and advised, "We fattened up quite a few just now; let's go for a continuous sweep."
TN:
Huo Ge the Little Swan is the real MVP here! Well our power couple too for being the brains and muscle behind the plan. Doesn’t Hu Luobu feel a psychological shadow from this play? I mean who else would pull such a wild chaotic tactic apart from a bunch of kids high on sugar or adrenaline?!
jjwxc tutorial.
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41. Fatten
“Who is this qpdik01!? Haven't seen this ID before!”
“Searched. The match record timestamps are off, most likely an experienced player's alternate account.”
When the two elimination messages appeared, the other mecha pilots inside the virtual battlefield swiftly raised their alertness levels, quickly seeking appropriate cover. mecha pilots who frequently engaged in virtual battles were familiar with certain IDs. For example, the Artillery mecha pilot Ace789 from CEF4 was well-known. When they spotted professional mecha pilot IDs in the United Front Hall, they typically opted to avoid their areas of fire. However, there was another kind of danger—unknown threats.
A mecha pilot who could eliminate two opponents at the start of an S-level 6000-rating match wasn't relying on luck.
As the two elimination notifications flashed by, the KID team was in full retreat. Lin Yao took a quick glance back and then braked behind a building, asking, "You Ge, weren't you supposed to cover us with artillery fire?"
You Su swiftly changed positions. "Covering doesn't conflict with getting kills."
When the five mechs had just respawned, they were in the same area, but unfortunate luck placed them in an area dense with buildings. They had to evacuate from the respawn point first. In this sort of environment, the cannon fire of Artillery mechas was most conspicuous.
However, You Su's focus wavered.
In the distance, this scene was captured in the perspective of the viewpoint entered by Ying Chenlin. He was still using You Su's perspective. With the opponent's swift movements, he observed that the other KID mechs had already spread out.
You Su possessed strong individual skills. In this relatively confined moving space, he didn't choose to retreat due to the presence of lurking enemies, but decisively chose to take the initiative from the very beginning.
Ying Chenlin's line of sight followed the constantly shifting view within You Su's movements, capturing the lurking situation around him. To apply the single mecha strategy, the first step was to split up the KID mechs. The Abandoned Bio-factory Contaminated Zone was clearly a scene with many potential ambush points. They couldn't become targets of ambush.
During You Su's swift movement, using You Su's mech's field of view, he had already noticed several lurking mechs. When playing as a lone mech, any variable could change the course of the match. He reminded them, "There are many mechs around here."
Lin Yao spoke in the channel, "Wow, that's exciting!"
"Having many mechs around definitely means there are artillery units lurking in the back. It's most annoying to encounter cannons in this kind of map, especially sniper cannons—each shot is on target."
Ji Qingfeng added, "I've spotted one lurking mecha here."
Huo Yan asked, "Should we retreat or engage directly?"
Lin Yao: "Can we engage directly?"
The area where You Su was currently located happened to be a part of the Abandoned Bio-factory with denser buildings. This type of terrain was very suitable for ambushing Artillery mechas, and generally, where Artillery mechas were, their teammates would be nearby as well.
"We can." Ying Chenlin pondered for a moment before saying, "But first, we need to lure out the mecha from the Third Star Domain that you mentioned."
Ji Qingfeng was puzzled, "Lure out? They're from Star Alliance Sixth, is it that easy to lure them out?"
Huo Yan thought for a moment, "It's a bit difficult to preemptively lure them out. In the virtual battlefield, we have to judge the mechs' IDs ourselves."
Ying Chenlin said, "I have a method that can capture someone."
Ji Qingfeng's eyes lit up, "If we can capture someone, then it's simple! Find his location, and I'll go assassinate him immediately."
"This method won't work for team fights, and there won't be any backup," Ying Chenlin paused slightly, "And first, we need to create chaos here."
You Su listened to the calm and steady voice of the young man in his ears.
"Create chaos?" He responded lazily, "That's easy."
---
Near the buildings surrounding the Abandoned Bio-factory, mechs that remained in the vicinity were listening for sounds and positioning themselves, constantly vigilant of their surroundings. However, once they moved, it was easy to enter the firing range of others. mecha pilots with ample combat experience chose to find suitable cover and wait for the right moment.
"It's a sniper cannon. He's an artillery pilot with a sniper cannon." Chi Lizi happened to be near qpdik01 and witnessed his elimination of another mech. He observed the airborne mecha moving to another location, reported the information, and quickly withdrew. "This mecha pilot plays aggressively. He dares to be so conspicuous at the start. They're most likely a five-person squad."
A five-person squad? Hu Luobuu was alerted by this information, "There should be cover around the artillery pilot. Be cautious and don't get caught in their encirclement."
“I just noticed this too. There's a string of IDs in the coordination lobby that seem to be connected, probably a five-person squad.”
“This artillery pilot seems quite reckless. Turns out he has teammates supporting from behind.”
“Lizi reacts quickly, locking onto the ID from the start!”
When encountering a well-equipped five-person squad with a competent core Artillery mecha, such teams usually have excellent coordination. Even if the Artillery mecha exposes its position, there will be teammates quickly returning to provide support. As long as someone fires, there's a high chance of being counter-ambushed by the opponent.
"We can counter-ambush them, first deal with qpdik01's teammates."
Other mecha pilots also noticed qpdik01. There were quite a few hidden mechs in the area, and their obvious presence at the beginning made it easy for others to notice them. Just at this moment, one mecha pilot couldn't resist firing a shot towards qpdik01's position.
Upon hearing the gunfire, Hu Luobuu immediately switched his view to the vicinity, intending to lock onto qpdik01's teammates during this opportunity. However, as he scanned the distant view, there wasn't a single mecha going to support the artillery.
What's going on!?
No one is supporting qpdik01?!
qpdik01 appeared at a higher location. He controlled his mecha to fly backward, seemingly noticing the position of the mecha pilot who fired the shot. The sniper cannon in his hands aimed again, and in the process of flight, he quickly fired two shots at the opponent's position!
Hu Luobuu quickly aimed and took a shot with a tracking cannon during this opportunity, intending to lock onto qpdik01's position.
He carried both an energy cannon and a tracking cannon. The tracking cannon had a locking feature, so at this moment, firing meant the opponent wouldn't likely be able to dodge. At this point, qpdik01 in his field of vision quickly reacted. He flew backward to evade Hu Luobu's energy cannon, aimed his sniper cannon at the direction of the tracking cannon, and fired a shot. The resulting explosion and smoke cloud covered everyone's vision.
He completely disappeared.
Hu Luobu was surprised, "Didn't they say they were in a squad?"
Chi Lizi was equally puzzled, "Why isn't anyone protecting him!?"
Other viewers in the live stream room were also shocked by this situation. Team fights rely on cooperation, especially for Artillery mechas that are vulnerable to being surrounded. Even if there isn't a mecha babysitter for control, there should at least be teammates ready to provide support.
“??? Mistook the mech?”
“No, that mecha is qpdik01, is he soloing???”
“Solo my foot, are those four character IDs that look the same as him in the coordination lobby fake?”
Not only did Chi Lizi notice this on his side, but the other two members of the Third Star Domain's CEF4 squad also noticed the issue.
Artillery pilot Ace frowned, "Lina, did you find him?"
Control mecha Lina replied, "Your 6 o'clock."
Ace shifted his view to the 6 o'clock direction, intending to locate the target, and immediately noticed several mechs approaching.
Before they could capture qpdik01's position, the collision between the tracking cannon and the sniper cannon caused an immediate outbreak of battle in the area. The lurking mecha pilots in the vicinity almost all spotted each other, and gunfire and impacts erupted one after another, revealing the hidden mechs in the area amidst the successive artillery barrage.
qpdik01 wasn't hit or damaged. Instead, this area became a hotspot for artillery fire.
Ace used the chaos to search for a new sniping spot, but this situation caused him to frown uncomfortably. "It's too chaotic."
Yes, it was truly chaotic.
With the firing of the first cannon, within the narrow cluster of buildings, a single careless move could lead to a direct collision, making many mecha pilots uncomfortable.
The explosions and smoke caused by the artillery fire obscured parts of the field of view. Hu Luobu retreated while locking onto other mechs during the confusion. "Damn, this is too chaotic!"
In the virtual battlefield, friendly fire was possible. In the midst of continuous artillery fire, many mechs were forced to defend themselves due to their exposed positions. It was as if that Artillery mecha had precisely calculated its flight path and launched a cannonball onto this serene lake surface.
It wasn't just chaos; it was accelerating the conflicts of everyone involved.
All the mecha pilots here were high-ranking, and each had their own judgment of the situation. mecha pilots like Hu Luobu, who attacked while moving, were not the only ones. Due to this, the artillery fire hadn't ceased since it was ignited by qpdik01.
Just when it seemed like it might stop, another artillery shot would reignite it.
Hu Luobu noticed something and exclaimed, "Damn, qpdik01 is doing it on purpose. He's provoking a dispute! Don't let him use us as pawns."
Chi Lizi used a flight line to halt at a certain spot, locking onto a distant mech. "Someone's watching."
---
In the distance, the various KID mechs weren't in the same area, but they were all looking towards the intense battlefield.
The other members of KID didn't intend to support You Su's tactics. The basic principle of a solo mecha pilot was to treat everyone except themselves as enemies. Support wasn't necessary; the goal was to quickly enter the battlefield without revealing their own mech.
"This is getting really intense!"
"How many mechs are even involved in this fight? There are at least 15 mechs hiding there."
"That area is the favorite hiding spot for Artillery mechs. It's easy to find targets!"
At that moment, Lin Yao suddenly shifted rapidly to a new position, dodging a sniper shot that had been aimed at him. Then, he voiced a question, "There's a long-range mecha targeting me. It's strange; I just passed by that area, and no one was there."
Flight comes with the sound of thrusters. Lin Yao's hearing is excellent, and he's certain that no one has passed by from his direction.
"Long-range Stealth Mecha?! Hold on, could Chi Lizi be here too?" Ji Qingfeng was taken aback.
Huo Yan nodded, "I think I saw his ID just now, but he changes his nickname quickly. I'm not sure if I mistook him for someone else."
Ji Qingfeng said, "Who else could it be? The one who plays as a long-range stealth sniper and streams every day, it's only him!"
Lu Xi added, "And Hubert, he's here too."
You Su asked, "Long-range stealth?"
Ji Qingfeng had some knowledge about stealth mechs, "Chi Lizi, the stealth mecha pilot from Black Crow Base, usually carries a sniper cannon and a zipline."
Dealing with a combination of guns and control from the Third Star Domain is already tough, and now a few professional mecha pilots have infiltrated as well, and they're all long-range mechs. This is like rubbing salt in the wound for KID, whose long-range offensive capabilities are weak. When it comes to long-range confrontation, they definitely can't compete. They can only engage in close combat, but getting close to these experienced combat mecha pilots is likely a challenging task.
Lin Yao courteously inquired, "Should we catch them all?"
Ji Qingfeng sighed, "Chi Lizi must have brought his Control mecha teammate along, and Hubert might have a teammate too. Trying to capture them isn't as easy as catching chickens like an eagle."
Lu Xi corrected, "Catching chickens like an eagle is actually quite difficult..."
Huo Yan stood next to a mechanical chimney tower in an abandoned factory. He used the angles of light and shadow to conceal his mecha and looked up at the current situation distribution. After Ying Chenlin suggested using a solo approach, they all scattered.
The commotion provides the greatest cover; amidst the sound of artillery all around, the movement sound of mecha thrusters becomes minimal. Among all of KID's mechs, only You Su and Lu Xi are currently equipped with long-range weapons. You Su lacks control weaponry, while Lu Xi doesn't have core-damage weapons. In the scenario where they have only a single long-range core, the area-based support plan initially suggested by Jiang Simiao isn't quite suitable; it could easily be traced back to them.
Especially in this kind of setting, with three close combat mechs among KID's ranks, except for Ji Qingfeng's stealth mecha that holds an inherent advantage, Huo Yan and Lin Yao are the easiest targets for gunfire to lock onto.
Huo Yan roughly understood Ying Chenlin's idea. Providing no support for teammates is viable if the teammates have the ability to extricate themselves from danger on their own, which happens to be the case with You Su.
Huo Yan said, "If Hu Luobu and Chi Lizi are here, they'll probably be vigilant against Ace from the Third Star Domain and won't show themselves easily."
Ying Chenlin responded, "Ace is an Artillery mecha, and Hu Luobu is also an artillery. According to your analysis, Chi Lizi is also half a long-range Artillery mecha. As long as we stay out of their firing range, the likelihood of being eliminated prematurely is low."
"Team matches in the virtual battlefield's matchmaking system are based on mecha roles. In a single match, there would be only around ten gun-based mechs, including Control mechas. Adding Control mechas, there would be at least twenty long-range mechs. Our goal is to lock onto the long-range mechs, and at this stage, the three of them are unlikely to leave this area."
This is a virtual battlefield, not actual combat. In actual combat, strategies like retreating for the sake of the team's victory are possible.
However, in most regular virtual battles, many professional mecha pilots aim to exercise, so they generally wouldn't retreat in such a situation—especially considering the three people they're concerned about belong to teams with high professional rankings, which adds to their confidence in their own abilities.
You Su chuckled, "What, are we going to take down all the long-range mechs in one go?"
"But we can't do it openly; if they catch onto our intentions, they won't stick around in this location."
Ying Chenlin opened the records list and said, "Then let's keep it simple and fatten them up first."
"Fatten them up?" The concept had never been heard of in team battlefields.
Lin Yao scratched his head, "What do you mean by 'fatten them up'?"
Ji Qingfeng looked utterly bewildered, "I've heard of fattening up pigs for slaughter, but fattening up and slaughtering mechs?"
Lu Xi pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you mean providing them targets? In a battlefield, isn't it harder to kill fattened targets?"
The virtual battlefield doesn't work like a game where killing more opponents grants more buffs. It's more about the state of the mecha pilots, especially experienced ones in major competitions. Once they get into their groove, the difficulty of eliminating them only increases.
Ying Chenlin agreed with a nod, "But they're intelligent; we might have to stage a little act."
"An act?" Huo Yan smiled, "This is simple; leave it to me."
Ying Chenlin looked at Huo Yan's direction with confusion.
Huo Yan explained simply, "Back when I was on the Frontier, I participated in some literature and arts joint performances."
Ji Qingfeng was shocked, as if he was hearing this for the first time, "Old Huo, you've had such cultured times? What did you perform?"
Huo Yan smiled, "Not bad, I played the lead role in a stage play."
- *
Chi Lizi watched as the mecha that had evaded his sniper shot quickly disappeared from view. He commented, "That mecha fled. It seems they're not planning to meddle further inside."
"Running away won't lead to victory. Let's ignore them," Hu Luobu remained cautious of his surroundings. "Ace's kill count is increasing. Looks like he's also keeping an eye on this spot."
"That mecha just ran away so fast! It's rare for a mecha to escape Leeds' hands."
"Luck, maybe? That person ran away and hasn't returned."
The news of Chi Lizi, Hu Luobu, and the Third Star Domain Artillery mecha pilot Ace colliding during the livestream quickly spread as the room's popularity surged. Curious online viewers flooded in, greeted by images of the Abandoned Bio-Factory and the silent battle environment.
"Did Chi Lizi and Ace clash?"
"And what about Hu Luobu! Betting the honor of being the third artillery in Dawn Galaxy, he can't lose to Ace!"
More and more people started paying attention to this match. Twenty minutes had passed since the match began, and with no changes in the map, the Abandoned Bio-Factory remained the place with the most hidden mechs. Everyone followed Chi Lizi's perspective and noticed that Ace from the Third Star Domain was still lingering in the same location. In virtual battlefields, the survival-based victory criterion is to stay alive until the end. If multiple teams have mechs surviving until the end, the team with the better record takes precedence.
Ace's goal was simple: he wanted to rack up a higher score in this area.
This made the spectators of the match a bit anxious, as multiple teams surviving until the end might lead to a tense final showdown.
This made the spectators of the match a bit anxious because continuing like this would put them at a disadvantage. In a match with only so many mechs, the situation only becomes tougher as it drags on.
"Why doesn't Chi Lizi just go directly to take out Ace?"
"Ace is using the most basic mecha appearance every time he enters a match. Do you think he's easy to find?"
"A long-range stealth mecha against long-range Artillery mechas is already a disadvantage. I feel like this round is hanging by a thread."
The sounds of gunfire gradually ceased. After mutually wearing each other down, the other mechs didn't act recklessly; instead, they chose to avoid direct conflict.
However, this sequence of events had resulted in the elimination of several mechs, and the notifications of eliminations kept appearing.
"Seems like others have noticed too."
"After all that chaos and eliminating a bunch of people, qpdik01 is still alive and kicking."
"qpdik01 is a troublemaker. Now that no one can find him, he probably ran away."
As the smoke cleared, all mechs nervously fixated on the radar map, remaining vigilant of the others.
Chi Lizi quickly hooked onto a high point of the abandoned factory using his zipline, silently transitioning to cover behind it by contracting the zipline's extension. However, as soon as he initiated this movement, he noticed a Tank mecha exposed in plain view.
The Contaminated Zone map of the Abandoned Biological Fo-actory was inherently small, and the surrounding area included an adjacent industrial park for reference. Apart from the undulating structures within the factory, the rest of the surroundings consisted of broad open spaces.
In this vigilant atmosphere, when the Tank mecha appeared, all mecha pilots who noticed its position hesitated for a moment, refraining from immediately targeting it.
Hu Luobu looked at the Tank mecha in his field of view, almost expecting to see the word "decoy" written on it. "Are we really going to fall for such an obvious decoy?"
“Is this Tank part of the high-level scheme?”
“Just got played by qpdik01 recently, now everyone's being cautious.”
“Yeah, who's foolish enough to shoot first.”
Seeing this, Huo Yan took a few steps to a more conspicuous location. He believed he had exposed himself enough, but why wasn't anyone shooting in his direction? He puzzledly asked, "Is my movement okay?"
"As expected from someone who has played the male lead in cultural performances, I think it's fine," Ji Qingfeng remarked upon seeing the situation, "but it seems they aren't taking the bait."
"Ah? They're not falling for it? Can we still use our 'fattening up' strategy?" Lin Yao wondered.
Ying Chenlin noticed the caution among the surrounding mecha pilots and said, "No worries, we just need to add a bit more fuel to the fire."
Upon hearing this, Lu Xi hesitated for a moment, then in the next second, she saw You Su, who had been hiding in the shadows in her field of view, launch a shot toward Huo Yan who was running below.
Huo Yan, with years of combat experience, reacted swiftly as he realized the attack. He rolled in a rather ungainly manner and left a black trail on the ground with his thrusters!
Ji Qingfeng, with a puzzled expression, looked at the crater created by You Su next to Huo Yan, "Brother, how much energy did you just use?"
Lu Xi replied, "I'd estimate around 40%."
You Su added, "I thought we were supposed to add fuel to the fire? If we're acting, let's make it a bit more convincing."
Lu Xi asked in confusion, "Do I also have to attack Huo Ge?"
Ying Chenlin explained, "Just use an incendiary shell; don't actually restrain him."
Seeing You Su and Lu Xi in action, Lin Yao became eager, "Should we join in too?"
Ji Qingfeng retorted, "…Join my foot! You want to join in and act like 'Three Little Swans' with Huo Ge?"
The sudden eruption of gunfire shattered the previous silence. Huo Yan was 'genuinely' forced into evasive movements by You Su's sniper cannon. In a crucial moment, he even executed an extreme flip using his shield, spinning around like a graceful dancing swan. This drew the attention of other observing mecha pilots!
Following the appearance of a sniper cannon from one direction, a control mech's incendiary shell emerged from another direction.
Chi Lizi first performed a wide-ranging search around the Tank mecha for areas that could be supported, furrowing his brows, "There are no mechs around him… He seems to be alone."
Other cautious mecha pilots made their assessments, and the Tank mecha below appeared to realize that its positioning was exposed. It swiftly maneuvered the mecha as if preparing to retreat. Seeing this, the lurking mecha pilots in the vicinity immediately sensed the issue: this was a lone Tank mech, and it was about to run!
“This operation 666 ah!”
“Looks like the Tank messed up its positioning. The sniper cannon just narrowly missed hitting it.”
Almost all the gun-based mecha pilots who noticed him raised their artillery weapons. Chi Lizi's reaction speed was incredibly fast. He immediately completed the charging and aiming process. In the instant his sniper cannon shot out, the Tank mecha below seemed to have predicted it and activated its protective shield.
Boom! All the sniper shots hit the shield. The Tank mech's shield even emitted a friendly shimmer as it quickly retreated.
Chi Lizi: "???"
Seeing the flickering shield, a bad premonition suddenly surged in Hu Luobu's heart. "Wait, Chi Lizi!"
In the next second, a sniper shot from the opposing side whizzed past and hit Chi Lizi's left side. He awkwardly used a zipline to escape. "Damn it! The Tank's just acting!"
In the distance, Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao were watching from a safe location.
Ji Qingfeng: "Looks like they're getting into a fight!"
Lin Yao: "Huo Ge truly lives up to his dance background. His little swan dance is impressive."
Ji Qingfeng: "Wasn't he in stage plays?"
Lin Yao: "Huh? Weren't you talking about the little swan?"
The battle that had previously calmed down erupted once again. An artillery shot from afar swiftly pounded the mechs that had locked onto the Tank mech. Hu Luobu quickly switched his target to support Chi Lizi. After hitting one of the mechs, he swiftly retreated while running, saying, "The artillery shots are coming from another direction, probably Ace. He's using the Tank mecha to lock onto the positions of other mechs. That Tank mecha is likely a random teammate of Ace!"
Chi Lizi immediately changed his position. "Don't attack that Tank mech. Lock onto the others. I'll assist you and boost our record."
After the appearance of the Tank mech, the previously stabilized battlefield was ignited once again.
The pace of the battle was extremely fast. Many mechs were consecutively eliminated due to their locked positions. About five minutes passed, and in less than half an hour since the start, only 20 participants remained in the virtual battlefield.
Ace, the pilot of the artillery mech, hiding behind a certain building, frowned. He kept an eye on the Tank mecha below. It was positioned at a tricky angle, making it impossible for him to hit directly from his direction. "There should still be another team on the opposite side working with the Tank."
The opponents were skilled. They had already eliminated his three random teammates on this side. The number of remaining mechs in the area was dwindling.
Ace had a strange feeling. Despite seemingly dictating the pace, he felt like he was being led around. He had surveyed the area, and there were hardly any organized teams around. At most, two or three individuals formed a group. The most significant threat should be the combination of long-range stealth with artillery. However, the control mecha of that combination had already been taken out by them.
Lina spoke up, "Ace, no one is firing anymore."
Ace realized it wasn't that no one was firing; it was that the number of long-range mechs in the area recklessly locking onto the decoy Tank had decreased.
As the gunfire gradually subsided, Hu Luobu, who had been swept into the chaotic brawl earlier and had been focused on clearing the surrounding mechs, suddenly realized something during a brief moment of respite. "Wait, have all the members of the initial suspected five-person team been eliminated?"
Chi Lizi paused and quickly switched to the battle records list in the virtual battlefield. At the end of the list, he saw a few mechs with an elimination count of zero. "They're still here."
Hu Luobu was taken aback, they're all still here?
An uneasy feeling crept over him, "Chi Lizi, something's off. The number of long-range mechs on our side has decreased. Since just a while ago, the frequency of gunfire has dropped."
“??? What do you mean? None of these guys were eliminated in that chaotic battle?”
“But we clearly eliminated a bunch of mechs just now!”
“Are they not here? Running away won't do them any good; they'll still lose without any records.”
“Do you all remember qpdik01? Is there a chance he hasn't run away?”
Just at this moment, a certain artillery mecha that had been moving along with the sound of gunfire came to a halt behind a building to the side. In its field of view, a mecha was aiming its cannon, locking onto their direction.
Ying Chenlin watched the mecha in his field of view and commanded, "Take action."
Almost as he finished speaking, You Su's artillery mech, charged to 60%, fired its shot with a resounding boom!
Hu Luobu was about to say something when his field of view suddenly turned black and white!
Chi Lizi noticed his teammate getting hit and swiftly used his grappling hook to retreat, "Hu Luobu!"
[Your teammate obo145 has been eliminated!]
[Player qpdik01 eliminates player obo145.]
“???”
“What the heck! Hu Luobu got sniped with just one shot?”
“How's that possible? His mech's damage level wasn't even close to the limit; he should've been able to withstand at least two shots!”
“A single shot with the power of two shots?? How much energy did qpdik01 unleash?”
Within the team, Lin Yao remarked, "Hey? Did You Ge get the wrong person? Why did he eliminate obo?"
As You Su withdrew, Ying Chenlin closely monitored the changing situation in his field of view. He quickly checked the virtual battlefield records and advised, "We fattened up quite a few just now; let's go for a continuous sweep."
TN:
Huo Ge the Little Swan is the real MVP here! Well our power couple too for being the brains and muscle behind the plan. Doesn’t Hu Luobu feel a psychological shadow from this play? I mean who else would pull such a wild chaotic tactic apart from a bunch of kids high on sugar or adrenaline?!
jjwxc tutorial.
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