46. Lock Scythe
The official livestream camera continued to follow the young man, observing as he completed the registration process at the registration booth like any other mechanic. He carried his toolkit and entered the central control area of the preparation zone, standing among other slightly older mechanics.
The profession of a mechanic required experience, an experience accumulated through years of repairing. Even the mechanic certification exam added to one's experience. This is why there were relatively few advanced mechanics within the league, and most were at least 30 years old.
KID actually managed to hire a mechanic? And such a young one at that?
From the close-up shots just now, it was apparent that KID's new mechanic was still quite young. Could such a young mechanic really possess enough experience?
The commentary in the official livestream continued, and the relevant information about this mechanic was displayed alongside, saying, "The mechanic sent by KID this time is not the experienced Shen Xintang, but a new mechanic named Ying Chenlin."
In the case of a central backstage like this in the playoffs, mechanics analyze all the data from their own mechas. A young person with limited experience might not even comprehend certain sudden situations. KID, no matter what, would need to send an experienced person. After all, Shen Xintang was a retired senior mechanic with battlefield experience. This young man probably hadn't even earned an intermediate mechanic certification, right?
Moreover, the most crucial part was that the mechanic's right hand appeared to be a mechanical one.
“KID always manages to surprise me with something new.”
“A prosthetic right hand? A mechanical hand? Are you kidding? Can its precision even be adjusted?”
“I doubt he could even lift the exterior panels!”
Nowadays, appearances of mechanical prosthetics are rare. Judging from the fact that the prosthetic lacked artificial skin covering, it was likely due to a more severe condition that required regular removal and possibly hadn't even passed the postoperative recovery phase.
Mechanics deal with intricate work. Even a minor error in adjusting the internal parts of a mecha could affect the entire mech's performance. A team's accompanying mechanic, aside from monitoring backend data during matches, also performed final adjustments to the mechas before the match. Most mecha bases dispatched their most experienced mechanics for this role, and yet KID entrusted such an important position to a rookie.
That mechanic appeared so frail and delicate. With that weak appearance, could he really bear the responsibility of this role?
Since Ying Chenlin was a mechanic, KID's substitute position would remain vacant.
The contingency plan Gale had prepared was rendered futile because this wildcard factor from KID wasn't even taking the field.
"It seems the rumors before about Shen Xintang finding a young apprentice were probably about him." Qi Sicheng's expression remained tense. "How's his skill as a mechanic?"
"I don't know this specifically. I didn't see him repairing mechas when we were in the Contaminated Zone... But I know he's technically inclined." Zhao Lejie felt a slight headache. He wasn't sure whether he should feel relieved or not. "His technical level is decent, but as for repairing mechas, I really don't know. Back then, he only worked on an energy core."
---
In the venue, due to the revelation of KID's new mechanic, a small portion of the audience started discussing the matter.
The boss of team DE, not far away, saw this scene. His peripheral vision swept toward the large screen showing the preparation zone. Inside stood KID's new mechanic. The news about this mechanic had been checked by his people. Apparently, he was just a junior mechanic, with experience and credentials nowhere near those of seasoned mechanics.
"I didn't expect Shen Xintang to actually not be in there," the DE boss observed this and became more assured of his plan. "That new mechanic seems unremarkable. They can go all out now."
In the venue, Jiang Simiao and Shen Xintang arrived at KID's exclusive resting area. The spacious area accommodated only the two of them.
Jiang Simiao glanced toward the preparation zone. "He's already inside, doing final adjustments before the match."
Shen Xintang raised an eyebrow, her light brain displaying comments from others: "New mechanic? Our Chenlin is far more reliable than certain other mechanics."
As they conversed, they suddenly noticed the gaze coming from the adjacent DE team.
Shen Xintang withdrew her gaze, catching the provoking look from the DE boss. "Any recent news from DE?"
"Not at the moment. They replaced their lineup with Xu Yaojun and kept the other four from last season. Also, I heard they've got deep pockets. They recently acquired a batch of anomaly crystals from the materials market to create weapons for Xu Yaojun. Don't you remember? Back during the Banute Contaminated Zone incident, You Su's right hand was blown off, and his weapon seemed to have been damaged too."
Shen Xintang remained wary of DE. This team had played dirty tricks against them last season. Caution was necessary.
At that moment, Jiang Simiao suddenly said, "The chairman has actually come today."
In the central VIP viewing area, several league leaders were present, and amid them, a middle-aged man in a formal suit stood out. Chairman Li Jingyan had just arrived and was escorted to the viewing area by the staff, attracting some whispers.
Li Jingyan, the league chairman, was also an early-era mecha pilot in the Dawn Galaxy mecha League. He had risen to fame as a youth, becoming the first individual champion in the history of the Dawn Galaxy mecha League. After retiring, he had taken up a position in the mecha league and had been serving as the chairman of the Dawn Galaxy mecha League for six years now.
The promotion playoffs were different from the final ranking matches. Li Jingyan usually only attended the final ranking matches. This was the first time he had appeared at the promotion playoffs.
The virtual screen in the center projected the scene from the preparation zone. The eight teams from Zone D had entered the preparation zone, and the mechanics from each team were conducting final pre-match checks on the mechas.
After Li Jingyan took his seat, he looked at the virtual screen, where a certain camera was focused on KID's preparation zone.
Five red and white mechas were parked there. The young man emerged from the cockpit, having taken off his outerwear. He was now wearing the distinctive uniform of a mechanic.
Li Jingyan gazed at him, as if he could see another figure moving and weaving between the mechas.
Seeing the data was different from seeing the person in person.
Only through firsthand observation could Li Jingyan come to a definite conclusion.
"Chairman?" one of the leaders beside him called for him.
Li Jingyan averted his gaze. The match was about to begin.
Inside the preparation zone, Ying Chenlin finished his final check on all the mechas. The match was just ten minutes away. As he descended from the mechas, he noticed the virtual cameras constantly floating around. He lifted his gaze slightly, seeing the vast venue and the audience outside the virtual protective barrier.
Ying Chenlin said, "I've checked the weapons, no issues."
Ji Qingfeng stretched his muscles, "This forest Contaminated Zone is too comfortable. Hopefully, the match mode will favor us later."
Lin Yao added, "But our luck has always been bad! What if we end up in Survival Mode again? I really don't want to play Survival Mode."
Ying Chenlin responded, "I can handle Survival Mode too."
Shen Xintang and Jiang Simiao were seated at a distance in the resting area, looking in their direction.
Seeing a group of people standing together and discussing something, Jiang Simiao spoke up, "They probably have some new ideas again."
"Fiarge Contaminated Zone is advantageous for us," Shen Xintang glanced at the mechas in the preparation zone. Regardless of the match mode in the Fiarge Contaminated Zone, at least in some aspects, their KID team wouldn't lose. Especially after Ying Chenlin made adjustments to those weapons.
Jiang Simiao sighed, "I just hope they perform well and we secure the fourth spot."
For some reason, whenever he saw them huddled together discussing, he had a bad feeling.
Shen Xintang chuckled, "What's there to fear? This isn't the second Tianyu Star."
"But I'm afraid it might turn into the second Tianyu Star," Jiang Simiao responded.
Soon, the door between the preparation area and the resting area closed. The rumbling of the mecha thrusters was the only sound around.
In the audience seating, the cheers from the audience grew louder as the mecha pilots entered their cockpits.
Ying Chenlin quickly walked to the monitoring station in the preparation zone. It was the central control system connected to KID's mechas, monitoring the data of all KID mechas. He pressed the confirmation button at the control panel. KID's mechas entered the preparatory jump phase, and a plethora of data appeared on the virtual screen in front of Ying Chenlin.
[System entering preparatory jump phase. All team mechanics, please confirm.]
[Confirmation received. A total of 5 tournament-grade mechas of the KID team are entering the jump zone. Data loading.]
When Ying Chenlin confirmed, at that very moment, in the jump zone, KID's mechas were transported into the Fiarge Contaminated Zone as it opened. The real-time virtual reality scene presented itself in front of Ying Chenlin. As the accompanying mechanic, he couldn't communicate with the mecha pilots of KID, but he could clearly observe the data of each mech, facilitating real-time monitoring of the mecha pilots' conditions.
Fiarge Contaminated Zone, Level 3, average contamination level 2000 - 4000.
Unlike simulated data in virtual battlefields, the tournament-grade contaminated zone emulated all the environmental changes within a contaminated zone. The official system of the mecha league spanned the entire contaminated zone, constantly monitoring the condition of every mech.
This was a highly forested contaminated zone, where the tall trees provided ample cover from the sun due to contamination effects. Once a mecha entered the forest, it was difficult to lock onto, with numerous internal hiding spots.
The difficulty of this contaminated zone lay in two aspects: first, locking onto enemies in a multi-cover environment; second, interference from numerous plant-based pollutants. The hit rate of ballistic mechas would increase in difficulty as the number of tree cover spots rose, making it a disadvantage for ranged mechas. It was more suitable for close combat mechas.
For KID, this was a clearly advantageous contaminated zone.
In the next moment, the match mode for the Fiarge Contaminated Zone was displayed.
[Fiarge Contaminated Zone [Zone D], Match Mode [72-Hour Score Rush].]
[Loading complete. Welcome to the Fiarge Contaminated Zone.]
As all the mechas entered the contaminated zone, the crowd erupted into enthusiastic cheers at the announcement of the 72-Hour Score Rush rule.
In the team mecha league, the 72-Hour Score Rush mode was highly popular among spectators.
[72-Hour Score Rush: Within 72 hours after all mechas enter the Fiarge Contaminated Zone, each enemy mecha eliminated by a mecha pilot accumulates one point for the team. There is no upper limit on the score. When all mechas of a team are eliminated, the team is out. The team with the highest accumulated score wins.]
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 15th Dawn Galaxy Team mecha League Zone D Promotion Playoffs. We can see that mecha pilots from all teams have jumped into the contaminated zone. The mode for this match is the 72-Hour Score Rush."
Inside the live broadcast room, the commentators were explaining the rules of the 72-Hour Score Rush, "In a scoring mode like this, it mainly depends on the team's combat level. Unlike the Survival mode, where you can improve your rank by avoiding combat, the Score Rush mode means no points without combat."
Another commentator added, "That's right, but strategy is important in battles too. Among the 8 teams in Zone D, many are proficient in direct combat. There are both strong and new teams among the 8. Considering the current situation, securing a high score relies on the strategies of the mecha pilots."
The 72-Hour Score Rush was a fast-paced match mode in the mecha league, focusing primarily on combat. Teams wouldn't earn points without engaging in battles. In this mode, over the course of 72 hours, the team that eliminated the most mechas would have a higher chance of winning.
"So, it's a Score Rush mode from the start? This is so fast-paced!"
"Then BZZL1 is like a walking boss. If they run into a strong team in Score Rush, that could be troublesome."
"To get a high score in Score Rush, just find weaker teams to rack up points!"
The match began, and all the mechas entered the Fiarge Contaminated Zone. The form of the match emerged as soon as all mechas entered. In the blink of an eye, the scenery before all the mecha pilots changed dramatically. The forest covered everyone's field of view. The contamination system's red lights were on, and the mechas rapidly took flight the moment they jumped into the contaminated zone.
The commentator explained, "In this Zone D, we have 8 teams. Since it's a Score Rush mode, the final lineup will be decided by the battlefield rankings. In a way, to secure a spot in the next round, the best strategy is to avoid encountering strong teams in the early stages. Conflicts with strong teams can lead to quick elimination, making it impossible to accumulate points."
Currently, BZZL1 was the strong team in Zone D. They finished fourth in the previous season and had comprehensive strength.
Avoiding strong teams meant conservatively advancing, steering clear of BZZL1, choosing slightly weaker opponents to rack up points.
The on-site audience, as well as the viewers on the StarNet, instinctively focused their attention on the arena. There were a total of 8 teams on the field. With unified color-coded stripes on the mecha suits of each team, when viewed from a distance through virtual cameras, one could see teams teleporting and departing from their respective refresh points, venturing deeper into the contaminated zone.
"It seems everyone is well-prepared, and their formations for advancing are very conservative. Wait a minute! Why is there a lone mech?"
Before the commentator could finish, a camera within the contaminated zone suddenly locked onto a specific spot in the forest. A red and white striped mecha was swiftly flying, surrounded by emptiness. It was the only one darting through the woods, and about a kilometer away from it was a cautious team moving forward. "It's KID's mech, an Artillery mecha, and it has no support behind it."
“??? What is KID's mecha doing?”
“Their front and back lines are disjointed.”
“Hold on! Why is the Artillery mecha in a different position!?”
“Wait, you guys, look at their Vanguard mecha and Stealth mecha, they are positioned so far forward!”
In the scene, KID's lead mecha accelerated swiftly, and the sound of its thrusters immediately alerted the nearby teams. The team nearest to KID's Artillery mecha spread out randomly, following the thruster traces on their radar and encircling the advancing mechas.
While the distribution of the major teams couldn't be clearly seen within the arena, it was easily discernible for the audience outside.
There was a squad of mechas ahead of KID's advancing direction, and about 3 kilometers behind that squad, another team of mechas was approaching towards them. With only 8 teams of mechas in the entire contaminated zone, a three-way clash was about to erupt.
Among these three teams, the relatively dispersed KID was in the most disadvantaged position.
At the YDS Base, Ke Lin and Hu Luobu were also observing the match.
Hu Luobu: "If this goes on, they'll definitely clash in less than three minutes. KID's luck is just too bad."
"This kind of contaminated zone should be advantageous for KID, but their front line has a serious weakness." Ke Lin watched the match screen, focusing on the stealth and Vanguard mechas leading the charge. Even the Tank mechas were trailing behind them by a hundred meters in flight distance.
KID's standout feature used to be their front line, which was powerful and skilled.
However, their front line couldn't operate without the support from the rear. The stealth mech, Ji Qingfeng, was using a close combat setup with bind locks and energy blades. The Vanguard mech, Lin Yao, carried a light blade and a protective shield instead of ranged weapons like other Vanguard mechas. While these two were strong, they couldn't hold the line.
Even if Ji Qingfeng used the bind locks skillfully, its control duration was only a few seconds, and due to the inherent fragility of the binds, they could only control a single target. This meant that such a front line could handle individual mechas, but if they had to deal with a group of advancing mechas, KID would be in a passive position.
Hu Luobu: "The Artillery mecha is way out of the support range, and the front and rear lines are about to disconnect."
KID's vulnerability had reappeared. Just like the last season, their front line was too fast, and their rear line couldn't keep up.
Ke Lin closely monitored this situation. He didn't believe KID hadn't noticed this problem, so why were they still advancing in this manner!?
In the live broadcast room, the commentators' voices continued, "The opponents facing KID head-on in this match are the dark horses of the elimination rounds, hailing from the FDTX Base. This team is known for their teamwork, and they used a formation like this to wipe out three mechas in a previous match."
“This is a suicidal advance.”
“KID isn't even trying for the top 32?”
“Their coordination must be terrible; think about what Trace did before retiring.”
As expected, within the arena, KID's front line clashed with an opposing team head-on.
"It's KID's Vanguard!"
"Flank them and cut them off!"
"Watch the positions of their other teammates; there should be more coming!"
FDTX, experienced in battles, had researched their opponents ahead of time. Upon seeing the red mechas, FDTX's commander immediately shouted, "Pay attention, it's KID. Their rear Artillery mecha has strong offensive capabilities. Clear out the Artillery mecha first!"
The gunfire was imminent, almost the moment KID's mechas entered the scene, attacks erupted from the depths of the forest.
All of FDTX's members immediately locked onto Lin Yao, the Vanguard mecha at the front. While the Stealth mecha darted away swiftly to save itself, the Vanguard mecha was an exposed target. As soon as the Vanguard mecha saw the situation, it activated its protective shield to block the frontal attack. It moved nimbly through the barrage, diverting everyone's attention.
Commentator: "FDTX's objective is clear—they want to dismantle KID's formation and break them down one by one!"
At this moment, FDTX's Stealth mecha flanked from behind, intending to immobilize Lin Yao. Just then, a bind lock suddenly shot out from the forest, intercepting FDTX's Stealth mecha before it could take action.
Seeing this scene, cheers erupted from the audience stands. Ke Lin couldn't help but frown, "They miscalculated. Ji Qingfeng is about to be ambushed! FDTX's Control mecha is here too! He's about to face a counter-ambush!"
FDTX's Stealth mecha was immobilized by Ji Qingfeng, and in a split second, a long-range shell suddenly attacked from behind. FDTX's stealth and control mechas were operating together. When the Stealth mecha was exposed, the Control mecha immediately switched to targeting Ji Qingfeng!
The immobilizing shell [Immobilizer] hit its mark, and Ji Qingfeng was frozen in place. FDTX saw their opportunity.
"Isn't this handing them a chance?!"
"FDTX's control is solid. Their Stealth mecha has single-target control, while the Control mecha has single and area control. Is KID's Stealth mecha an idiot?!"
In the preparation area, Ying Chenlin calmly watched the live feed from the actual arena.
Silence enveloped the surroundings as his gaze remained fixed on Ji Qingfeng.
Here it comes, the prey is trapped.
Just at that moment, Ji Qingfeng triggered a movement in his left hand. The bind lock that was attached to FDTX's Stealth mecha suddenly detached and changed direction, shooting toward the Control mecha lying in ambush within the forest. The chain quickly snapped shut, and the target of control changed in an instant.
This maneuver happened in the blink of an eye. The bind lock was just bound to the Stealth mecha a moment ago.
Hu Luobu caught onto the detail, "The bind lock switched targets?! Since when does the bind lock react so quickly?!"
The bind lock was a single-target control weapon that required the mecha pilot to manually lock onto the target. Its hit rate was highest at close range and far inferior to artillery-like control weapons at long range. Moreover, switching the bind lock's target required time. Doing something like rapidly controlling two targets within a short timeframe was completely impossible!
KID's Stealth mecha didn't stop. After identifying the control mech's position, it immediately advanced. In just two seconds, it reached the FDTX control mech. The energy blade was fully charged, slicing into the control mech. The attack frequency of bladed weapons increased, and within a mere three seconds, Ji Qingfeng executed multiple strikes.
The FDTX Control mecha was paralyzed by the unique paralyzing ability of the bind lock, enduring this onslaught.
How could a single-control weapon possibly manage double control simultaneously?! The audience in the stands didn't comprehend, and the FDTX mecha pilots were equally perplexed.
The commentator, taken aback by this scene, stammered, "The FDTX Stealth mecha hasn't moved, and the Control mecha is also immobilized. What's happening here!?"
"Get closer! Let's examine KID's Stealth mech's weapon!"
The virtual camera swiftly locked onto KID's stealth mech. Ji Qingfeng's bind lock was now fully exposed to everyone; the body of the lock itself had little difference from the original bind lock on Ji Qingfeng. The only change was in the lock head's position, which had transformed into a small scythe shape.
Why modify the bind lock head to a scythe shape!?
This weapon design somewhat resembled a flying grappling hook, but it differed significantly in appearance.
In the midst of everyone's astonishment, Ji Qingfeng's actions continued unabated. While still moving, he seemed to have locked onto the control mech's position. He skillfully switched the bind lock's target while controlling the FDTX Stealth mecha nearby, preventing it from approaching, and also maintaining close control over the control mech's continuous attempts to break free.
The FDTX team realized the problem. Their commander immediately shouted, "Control, find a way to break free!"
Though the Control mecha was the type least vulnerable to close combat, it was now unable to escape KID's stealth mech's entanglement.
The bind lock was originally a hard control weapon that required the mecha pilot to have a high hit rate. KID's Stealth mecha had taken this to the extreme.
The commander's heart tightened. This was bad. They might be forced into KID's strategy. "Try to lead him into the forest and shake him off using obstacles!"
The FDTX Control mecha gritted its teeth and had to abandon their own Stealth mecha that had fallen behind, planning to take a detour and charge forward.
The area was a forest, filled with obstacles. In the forest, the hit rate of the bind lock, like KID's Stealth mecha had, would decrease.
Behind him, KID's Stealth mecha held the bind lock in its hand, and the motion of swinging the chain was fluid and graceful, following him like a shadow. The FDTX Control mecha looked back in terror, "This Stealth mecha is following me!"
The next second, the sound of KID's Stealth mecha suddenly echoed through the forest. Ji Qingfeng's voice resounded all around through the extended communicator, "No, little brother in front, why's a Control mecha running away ah?!"
FDTX Control mech: "..."
Why the hell are you chasing me? Only a fool would stay put.
FDTX's commander noticed the exchange, "Hold on! We're coming to support you, lure him towards us."
Not long after, the FDTX communication channel buzzed with the trembling voice of the Control mech, "Captain, I might not be able to escape."
The next moment, KID's Stealth mech's bind lock ensnared him.
Just as he was about to escape certain danger, he was swiftly pulled deep into the forest.
TN:
IT’S ABOUT TO GO DOWN! This scene is reminiscent of a horror movie haha. Ji Qingfeng’s debut as Crospy in The Burning: Remake or Maybe Jason in Friday The 13th.
jjwxc tutorial.
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46. Lock Scythe
The official livestream camera continued to follow the young man, observing as he completed the registration process at the registration booth like any other mechanic. He carried his toolkit and entered the central control area of the preparation zone, standing among other slightly older mechanics.
The profession of a mechanic required experience, an experience accumulated through years of repairing. Even the mechanic certification exam added to one's experience. This is why there were relatively few advanced mechanics within the league, and most were at least 30 years old.
KID actually managed to hire a mechanic? And such a young one at that?
From the close-up shots just now, it was apparent that KID's new mechanic was still quite young. Could such a young mechanic really possess enough experience?
The commentary in the official livestream continued, and the relevant information about this mechanic was displayed alongside, saying, "The mechanic sent by KID this time is not the experienced Shen Xintang, but a new mechanic named Ying Chenlin."
In the case of a central backstage like this in the playoffs, mechanics analyze all the data from their own mechas. A young person with limited experience might not even comprehend certain sudden situations. KID, no matter what, would need to send an experienced person. After all, Shen Xintang was a retired senior mechanic with battlefield experience. This young man probably hadn't even earned an intermediate mechanic certification, right?
Moreover, the most crucial part was that the mechanic's right hand appeared to be a mechanical one.
“KID always manages to surprise me with something new.”
“A prosthetic right hand? A mechanical hand? Are you kidding? Can its precision even be adjusted?”
“I doubt he could even lift the exterior panels!”
Nowadays, appearances of mechanical prosthetics are rare. Judging from the fact that the prosthetic lacked artificial skin covering, it was likely due to a more severe condition that required regular removal and possibly hadn't even passed the postoperative recovery phase.
Mechanics deal with intricate work. Even a minor error in adjusting the internal parts of a mecha could affect the entire mech's performance. A team's accompanying mechanic, aside from monitoring backend data during matches, also performed final adjustments to the mechas before the match. Most mecha bases dispatched their most experienced mechanics for this role, and yet KID entrusted such an important position to a rookie.
That mechanic appeared so frail and delicate. With that weak appearance, could he really bear the responsibility of this role?
Since Ying Chenlin was a mechanic, KID's substitute position would remain vacant.
The contingency plan Gale had prepared was rendered futile because this wildcard factor from KID wasn't even taking the field.
"It seems the rumors before about Shen Xintang finding a young apprentice were probably about him." Qi Sicheng's expression remained tense. "How's his skill as a mechanic?"
"I don't know this specifically. I didn't see him repairing mechas when we were in the Contaminated Zone... But I know he's technically inclined." Zhao Lejie felt a slight headache. He wasn't sure whether he should feel relieved or not. "His technical level is decent, but as for repairing mechas, I really don't know. Back then, he only worked on an energy core."
---
In the venue, due to the revelation of KID's new mechanic, a small portion of the audience started discussing the matter.
The boss of team DE, not far away, saw this scene. His peripheral vision swept toward the large screen showing the preparation zone. Inside stood KID's new mechanic. The news about this mechanic had been checked by his people. Apparently, he was just a junior mechanic, with experience and credentials nowhere near those of seasoned mechanics.
"I didn't expect Shen Xintang to actually not be in there," the DE boss observed this and became more assured of his plan. "That new mechanic seems unremarkable. They can go all out now."
In the venue, Jiang Simiao and Shen Xintang arrived at KID's exclusive resting area. The spacious area accommodated only the two of them.
Jiang Simiao glanced toward the preparation zone. "He's already inside, doing final adjustments before the match."
Shen Xintang raised an eyebrow, her light brain displaying comments from others: "New mechanic? Our Chenlin is far more reliable than certain other mechanics."
As they conversed, they suddenly noticed the gaze coming from the adjacent DE team.
Shen Xintang withdrew her gaze, catching the provoking look from the DE boss. "Any recent news from DE?"
"Not at the moment. They replaced their lineup with Xu Yaojun and kept the other four from last season. Also, I heard they've got deep pockets. They recently acquired a batch of anomaly crystals from the materials market to create weapons for Xu Yaojun. Don't you remember? Back during the Banute Contaminated Zone incident, You Su's right hand was blown off, and his weapon seemed to have been damaged too."
Shen Xintang remained wary of DE. This team had played dirty tricks against them last season. Caution was necessary.
At that moment, Jiang Simiao suddenly said, "The chairman has actually come today."
In the central VIP viewing area, several league leaders were present, and amid them, a middle-aged man in a formal suit stood out. Chairman Li Jingyan had just arrived and was escorted to the viewing area by the staff, attracting some whispers.
Li Jingyan, the league chairman, was also an early-era mecha pilot in the Dawn Galaxy mecha League. He had risen to fame as a youth, becoming the first individual champion in the history of the Dawn Galaxy mecha League. After retiring, he had taken up a position in the mecha league and had been serving as the chairman of the Dawn Galaxy mecha League for six years now.
The promotion playoffs were different from the final ranking matches. Li Jingyan usually only attended the final ranking matches. This was the first time he had appeared at the promotion playoffs.
The virtual screen in the center projected the scene from the preparation zone. The eight teams from Zone D had entered the preparation zone, and the mechanics from each team were conducting final pre-match checks on the mechas.
After Li Jingyan took his seat, he looked at the virtual screen, where a certain camera was focused on KID's preparation zone.
Five red and white mechas were parked there. The young man emerged from the cockpit, having taken off his outerwear. He was now wearing the distinctive uniform of a mechanic.
Li Jingyan gazed at him, as if he could see another figure moving and weaving between the mechas.
Seeing the data was different from seeing the person in person.
Only through firsthand observation could Li Jingyan come to a definite conclusion.
"Chairman?" one of the leaders beside him called for him.
Li Jingyan averted his gaze. The match was about to begin.
Inside the preparation zone, Ying Chenlin finished his final check on all the mechas. The match was just ten minutes away. As he descended from the mechas, he noticed the virtual cameras constantly floating around. He lifted his gaze slightly, seeing the vast venue and the audience outside the virtual protective barrier.
Ying Chenlin said, "I've checked the weapons, no issues."
Ji Qingfeng stretched his muscles, "This forest Contaminated Zone is too comfortable. Hopefully, the match mode will favor us later."
Lin Yao added, "But our luck has always been bad! What if we end up in Survival Mode again? I really don't want to play Survival Mode."
Ying Chenlin responded, "I can handle Survival Mode too."
Shen Xintang and Jiang Simiao were seated at a distance in the resting area, looking in their direction.
Seeing a group of people standing together and discussing something, Jiang Simiao spoke up, "They probably have some new ideas again."
"Fiarge Contaminated Zone is advantageous for us," Shen Xintang glanced at the mechas in the preparation zone. Regardless of the match mode in the Fiarge Contaminated Zone, at least in some aspects, their KID team wouldn't lose. Especially after Ying Chenlin made adjustments to those weapons.
Jiang Simiao sighed, "I just hope they perform well and we secure the fourth spot."
For some reason, whenever he saw them huddled together discussing, he had a bad feeling.
Shen Xintang chuckled, "What's there to fear? This isn't the second Tianyu Star."
"But I'm afraid it might turn into the second Tianyu Star," Jiang Simiao responded.
Soon, the door between the preparation area and the resting area closed. The rumbling of the mecha thrusters was the only sound around.
In the audience seating, the cheers from the audience grew louder as the mecha pilots entered their cockpits.
Ying Chenlin quickly walked to the monitoring station in the preparation zone. It was the central control system connected to KID's mechas, monitoring the data of all KID mechas. He pressed the confirmation button at the control panel. KID's mechas entered the preparatory jump phase, and a plethora of data appeared on the virtual screen in front of Ying Chenlin.
[System entering preparatory jump phase. All team mechanics, please confirm.]
[Confirmation received. A total of 5 tournament-grade mechas of the KID team are entering the jump zone. Data loading.]
When Ying Chenlin confirmed, at that very moment, in the jump zone, KID's mechas were transported into the Fiarge Contaminated Zone as it opened. The real-time virtual reality scene presented itself in front of Ying Chenlin. As the accompanying mechanic, he couldn't communicate with the mecha pilots of KID, but he could clearly observe the data of each mech, facilitating real-time monitoring of the mecha pilots' conditions.
Fiarge Contaminated Zone, Level 3, average contamination level 2000 - 4000.
Unlike simulated data in virtual battlefields, the tournament-grade contaminated zone emulated all the environmental changes within a contaminated zone. The official system of the mecha league spanned the entire contaminated zone, constantly monitoring the condition of every mech.
This was a highly forested contaminated zone, where the tall trees provided ample cover from the sun due to contamination effects. Once a mecha entered the forest, it was difficult to lock onto, with numerous internal hiding spots.
The difficulty of this contaminated zone lay in two aspects: first, locking onto enemies in a multi-cover environment; second, interference from numerous plant-based pollutants. The hit rate of ballistic mechas would increase in difficulty as the number of tree cover spots rose, making it a disadvantage for ranged mechas. It was more suitable for close combat mechas.
For KID, this was a clearly advantageous contaminated zone.
In the next moment, the match mode for the Fiarge Contaminated Zone was displayed.
[Fiarge Contaminated Zone [Zone D], Match Mode [72-Hour Score Rush].]
[Loading complete. Welcome to the Fiarge Contaminated Zone.]
As all the mechas entered the contaminated zone, the crowd erupted into enthusiastic cheers at the announcement of the 72-Hour Score Rush rule.
In the team mecha league, the 72-Hour Score Rush mode was highly popular among spectators.
[72-Hour Score Rush: Within 72 hours after all mechas enter the Fiarge Contaminated Zone, each enemy mecha eliminated by a mecha pilot accumulates one point for the team. There is no upper limit on the score. When all mechas of a team are eliminated, the team is out. The team with the highest accumulated score wins.]
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 15th Dawn Galaxy Team mecha League Zone D Promotion Playoffs. We can see that mecha pilots from all teams have jumped into the contaminated zone. The mode for this match is the 72-Hour Score Rush."
Inside the live broadcast room, the commentators were explaining the rules of the 72-Hour Score Rush, "In a scoring mode like this, it mainly depends on the team's combat level. Unlike the Survival mode, where you can improve your rank by avoiding combat, the Score Rush mode means no points without combat."
Another commentator added, "That's right, but strategy is important in battles too. Among the 8 teams in Zone D, many are proficient in direct combat. There are both strong and new teams among the 8. Considering the current situation, securing a high score relies on the strategies of the mecha pilots."
The 72-Hour Score Rush was a fast-paced match mode in the mecha league, focusing primarily on combat. Teams wouldn't earn points without engaging in battles. In this mode, over the course of 72 hours, the team that eliminated the most mechas would have a higher chance of winning.
"So, it's a Score Rush mode from the start? This is so fast-paced!"
"Then BZZL1 is like a walking boss. If they run into a strong team in Score Rush, that could be troublesome."
"To get a high score in Score Rush, just find weaker teams to rack up points!"
The match began, and all the mechas entered the Fiarge Contaminated Zone. The form of the match emerged as soon as all mechas entered. In the blink of an eye, the scenery before all the mecha pilots changed dramatically. The forest covered everyone's field of view. The contamination system's red lights were on, and the mechas rapidly took flight the moment they jumped into the contaminated zone.
The commentator explained, "In this Zone D, we have 8 teams. Since it's a Score Rush mode, the final lineup will be decided by the battlefield rankings. In a way, to secure a spot in the next round, the best strategy is to avoid encountering strong teams in the early stages. Conflicts with strong teams can lead to quick elimination, making it impossible to accumulate points."
Currently, BZZL1 was the strong team in Zone D. They finished fourth in the previous season and had comprehensive strength.
Avoiding strong teams meant conservatively advancing, steering clear of BZZL1, choosing slightly weaker opponents to rack up points.
The on-site audience, as well as the viewers on the StarNet, instinctively focused their attention on the arena. There were a total of 8 teams on the field. With unified color-coded stripes on the mecha suits of each team, when viewed from a distance through virtual cameras, one could see teams teleporting and departing from their respective refresh points, venturing deeper into the contaminated zone.
"It seems everyone is well-prepared, and their formations for advancing are very conservative. Wait a minute! Why is there a lone mech?"
Before the commentator could finish, a camera within the contaminated zone suddenly locked onto a specific spot in the forest. A red and white striped mecha was swiftly flying, surrounded by emptiness. It was the only one darting through the woods, and about a kilometer away from it was a cautious team moving forward. "It's KID's mech, an Artillery mecha, and it has no support behind it."
“??? What is KID's mecha doing?”
“Their front and back lines are disjointed.”
“Hold on! Why is the Artillery mecha in a different position!?”
“Wait, you guys, look at their Vanguard mecha and Stealth mecha, they are positioned so far forward!”
In the scene, KID's lead mecha accelerated swiftly, and the sound of its thrusters immediately alerted the nearby teams. The team nearest to KID's Artillery mecha spread out randomly, following the thruster traces on their radar and encircling the advancing mechas.
While the distribution of the major teams couldn't be clearly seen within the arena, it was easily discernible for the audience outside.
There was a squad of mechas ahead of KID's advancing direction, and about 3 kilometers behind that squad, another team of mechas was approaching towards them. With only 8 teams of mechas in the entire contaminated zone, a three-way clash was about to erupt.
Among these three teams, the relatively dispersed KID was in the most disadvantaged position.
At the YDS Base, Ke Lin and Hu Luobu were also observing the match.
Hu Luobu: "If this goes on, they'll definitely clash in less than three minutes. KID's luck is just too bad."
"This kind of contaminated zone should be advantageous for KID, but their front line has a serious weakness." Ke Lin watched the match screen, focusing on the stealth and Vanguard mechas leading the charge. Even the Tank mechas were trailing behind them by a hundred meters in flight distance.
KID's standout feature used to be their front line, which was powerful and skilled.
However, their front line couldn't operate without the support from the rear. The stealth mech, Ji Qingfeng, was using a close combat setup with bind locks and energy blades. The Vanguard mech, Lin Yao, carried a light blade and a protective shield instead of ranged weapons like other Vanguard mechas. While these two were strong, they couldn't hold the line.
Even if Ji Qingfeng used the bind locks skillfully, its control duration was only a few seconds, and due to the inherent fragility of the binds, they could only control a single target. This meant that such a front line could handle individual mechas, but if they had to deal with a group of advancing mechas, KID would be in a passive position.
Hu Luobu: "The Artillery mecha is way out of the support range, and the front and rear lines are about to disconnect."
KID's vulnerability had reappeared. Just like the last season, their front line was too fast, and their rear line couldn't keep up.
Ke Lin closely monitored this situation. He didn't believe KID hadn't noticed this problem, so why were they still advancing in this manner!?
In the live broadcast room, the commentators' voices continued, "The opponents facing KID head-on in this match are the dark horses of the elimination rounds, hailing from the FDTX Base. This team is known for their teamwork, and they used a formation like this to wipe out three mechas in a previous match."
“This is a suicidal advance.”
“KID isn't even trying for the top 32?”
“Their coordination must be terrible; think about what Trace did before retiring.”
As expected, within the arena, KID's front line clashed with an opposing team head-on.
"It's KID's Vanguard!"
"Flank them and cut them off!"
"Watch the positions of their other teammates; there should be more coming!"
FDTX, experienced in battles, had researched their opponents ahead of time. Upon seeing the red mechas, FDTX's commander immediately shouted, "Pay attention, it's KID. Their rear Artillery mecha has strong offensive capabilities. Clear out the Artillery mecha first!"
The gunfire was imminent, almost the moment KID's mechas entered the scene, attacks erupted from the depths of the forest.
All of FDTX's members immediately locked onto Lin Yao, the Vanguard mecha at the front. While the Stealth mecha darted away swiftly to save itself, the Vanguard mecha was an exposed target. As soon as the Vanguard mecha saw the situation, it activated its protective shield to block the frontal attack. It moved nimbly through the barrage, diverting everyone's attention.
Commentator: "FDTX's objective is clear—they want to dismantle KID's formation and break them down one by one!"
At this moment, FDTX's Stealth mecha flanked from behind, intending to immobilize Lin Yao. Just then, a bind lock suddenly shot out from the forest, intercepting FDTX's Stealth mecha before it could take action.
Seeing this scene, cheers erupted from the audience stands. Ke Lin couldn't help but frown, "They miscalculated. Ji Qingfeng is about to be ambushed! FDTX's Control mecha is here too! He's about to face a counter-ambush!"
FDTX's Stealth mecha was immobilized by Ji Qingfeng, and in a split second, a long-range shell suddenly attacked from behind. FDTX's stealth and control mechas were operating together. When the Stealth mecha was exposed, the Control mecha immediately switched to targeting Ji Qingfeng!
The immobilizing shell [Immobilizer] hit its mark, and Ji Qingfeng was frozen in place. FDTX saw their opportunity.
"Isn't this handing them a chance?!"
"FDTX's control is solid. Their Stealth mecha has single-target control, while the Control mecha has single and area control. Is KID's Stealth mecha an idiot?!"
In the preparation area, Ying Chenlin calmly watched the live feed from the actual arena.
Silence enveloped the surroundings as his gaze remained fixed on Ji Qingfeng.
Here it comes, the prey is trapped.
Just at that moment, Ji Qingfeng triggered a movement in his left hand. The bind lock that was attached to FDTX's Stealth mecha suddenly detached and changed direction, shooting toward the Control mecha lying in ambush within the forest. The chain quickly snapped shut, and the target of control changed in an instant.
This maneuver happened in the blink of an eye. The bind lock was just bound to the Stealth mecha a moment ago.
Hu Luobu caught onto the detail, "The bind lock switched targets?! Since when does the bind lock react so quickly?!"
The bind lock was a single-target control weapon that required the mecha pilot to manually lock onto the target. Its hit rate was highest at close range and far inferior to artillery-like control weapons at long range. Moreover, switching the bind lock's target required time. Doing something like rapidly controlling two targets within a short timeframe was completely impossible!
KID's Stealth mecha didn't stop. After identifying the control mech's position, it immediately advanced. In just two seconds, it reached the FDTX control mech. The energy blade was fully charged, slicing into the control mech. The attack frequency of bladed weapons increased, and within a mere three seconds, Ji Qingfeng executed multiple strikes.
The FDTX Control mecha was paralyzed by the unique paralyzing ability of the bind lock, enduring this onslaught.
How could a single-control weapon possibly manage double control simultaneously?! The audience in the stands didn't comprehend, and the FDTX mecha pilots were equally perplexed.
The commentator, taken aback by this scene, stammered, "The FDTX Stealth mecha hasn't moved, and the Control mecha is also immobilized. What's happening here!?"
"Get closer! Let's examine KID's Stealth mech's weapon!"
The virtual camera swiftly locked onto KID's stealth mech. Ji Qingfeng's bind lock was now fully exposed to everyone; the body of the lock itself had little difference from the original bind lock on Ji Qingfeng. The only change was in the lock head's position, which had transformed into a small scythe shape.
Why modify the bind lock head to a scythe shape!?
This weapon design somewhat resembled a flying grappling hook, but it differed significantly in appearance.
In the midst of everyone's astonishment, Ji Qingfeng's actions continued unabated. While still moving, he seemed to have locked onto the control mech's position. He skillfully switched the bind lock's target while controlling the FDTX Stealth mecha nearby, preventing it from approaching, and also maintaining close control over the control mech's continuous attempts to break free.
The FDTX team realized the problem. Their commander immediately shouted, "Control, find a way to break free!"
Though the Control mecha was the type least vulnerable to close combat, it was now unable to escape KID's stealth mech's entanglement.
The bind lock was originally a hard control weapon that required the mecha pilot to have a high hit rate. KID's Stealth mecha had taken this to the extreme.
The commander's heart tightened. This was bad. They might be forced into KID's strategy. "Try to lead him into the forest and shake him off using obstacles!"
The FDTX Control mecha gritted its teeth and had to abandon their own Stealth mecha that had fallen behind, planning to take a detour and charge forward.
The area was a forest, filled with obstacles. In the forest, the hit rate of the bind lock, like KID's Stealth mecha had, would decrease.
Behind him, KID's Stealth mecha held the bind lock in its hand, and the motion of swinging the chain was fluid and graceful, following him like a shadow. The FDTX Control mecha looked back in terror, "This Stealth mecha is following me!"
The next second, the sound of KID's Stealth mecha suddenly echoed through the forest. Ji Qingfeng's voice resounded all around through the extended communicator, "No, little brother in front, why's a Control mecha running away ah?!"
FDTX Control mech: "..."
Why the hell are you chasing me? Only a fool would stay put.
FDTX's commander noticed the exchange, "Hold on! We're coming to support you, lure him towards us."
Not long after, the FDTX communication channel buzzed with the trembling voice of the Control mech, "Captain, I might not be able to escape."
The next moment, KID's Stealth mech's bind lock ensnared him.
Just as he was about to escape certain danger, he was swiftly pulled deep into the forest.
TN:
IT’S ABOUT TO GO DOWN! This scene is reminiscent of a horror movie haha. Ji Qingfeng’s debut as Crospy in The Burning: Remake or Maybe Jason in Friday The 13th.
jjwxc tutorial.
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