62. Peel Off
When the Blood-Devouring Crows' leader crow broke away from the flock, it was destined to bear an unbearable burden of life. It was bombarded by consecutive shots from a super long-range sniper cannon, followed by dozens of attacks from close-range Stealth Mechs. Its wings couldn't even stay upright, and when it started to descend, it was swiftly cut down, ending its life. All this change of fate took no more than half a minute. KID's Tank and Guardian mechas saw that the leader Crow was captured, so they turned off their bright headlights and left without looking back.
With the loss of their leader, the originally attracted protective shield of the flock of crows vanished. The flock completely fell into chaos without the leader's guidance. More than a hundred Blood-Devouring Crows scattered and fled the area in a state of panic, leaving only a remnant of soldiers when the retreat was over.
Huo Yan gazed at the distance with regret, "What a pity."
If resources had been ample, they wouldn't have spared a single crow.
At this moment, Lin Yao watched the Blood-Devouring Crow flock fly away, deeply reminiscing about the times when they were still in the Tianyu Star's contaminated zone. There were few opportunities to return to the contaminated zone after killing and obtaining resources.
In the livestream chat, the live perspective from the contaminated zone showed the departing raven flock, and KID's group watching them from their original position.
The commentator, sensing something inexplicable from their actions, silently interpreted their regret, then spoke after a brief pause, "It seems like this one-sided beating has come to an end. KID didn't pursue further."
"Suddenly, I remembered this is the second day (profound)."
"Why's that?"
"Is this your first time watching a KID match? If it was on the last day, those Crows probably wouldn't even have their legs left."
"I suddenly recalled something... Do you all remember when KID, Gale and YDS went on a mission before the league started?"
"The time they were dispatched to the Tianyu Star's excluded competition-level contaminated zone?"
"You don't mean?!"
As KID casually took a mutated Blood-Devouring Crow, the same news reached the head of the monitoring team. After hearing the news, the leader fell into silence for a long while. They ordered the removal of the contaminated zone's Blood-Devouring Crow alert and looked at the recorded kill information on the data panel with a complex expression. There were only a few Blood-Devouring Crows left in the entire contaminated zone flock, and this wave of actions had effectively wiped out half of them.
They instructed their subordinates to handle the matter concerning the Blood-Devouring Crows in the contaminated zone, then turned and walked back into the maintenance area.
Within the maintenance area, silence reigned. The atmosphere there was a stark contrast to the outside world. About ten members of the Alliance maintenance technical team waited nearby, while two individuals remained on a mecha that was on the verge of being scrapped. One person was near the cockpit, and the other was working on the energy source.
"Removing the cockpit?" The YDS mechanic asked, "Are you sure? Removing the cockpit is even more technically challenging."
Ying Chenlin replied, "If we don't remove the cockpit, the mecha pilot could be affected by the energy source shock."
The YDS mechanic remained silent for a moment, then asked, "What's your plan?"
Ying Chenlin lowered his gaze to meet the mechanic's eyes and began explaining his thoughts on the plan.
As they exchanged ideas to modify the rescue plan, the others below watched in bewilderment.
When the KID mechanic proposed the idea of dismantling the cockpit, most people in the arena didn't voice their opinions, but some technical personnel were quick to question it. Dismantling the cockpit was a significantly more challenging task than the initially formulated plan. The original situation was already difficult to handle, and now adding cockpit dismantling to the equation only further complicated the rescue.
"Is this person crazy? The difficulty of dismantling the cockpit at this level of damage isn't just a notch or two higher."
"Dismantling the cockpit increases the technical complexity, and it will also consume more time. The oxygen chamber won't last that long."
What was originally a relatively straightforward task of removing exterior panels had turned into dismantling the cockpit.
The person in charge wasn't a seasoned YDS mechanic but rather a young KID mechanic. From the standpoint of those who jumped to conclusions, even if this person possessed the necessary technical skills, their age and experience were concerning factors. This led the maintenance personnel to hold some concerns.
Present among them was a senior mechanic who cautiously spoke up after observing the situation, "I roughly understand why he proposed dismantling the cockpit. The location of the neural connections to the metal is too tricky. It's intertwined with the mecha pilot's brain and body within the cockpit, creating a delicate psychosensory connection."
If it was just injuries and lack of oxygen, lying in the medical bay for a period would lead to recovery. However, if the reverse current of the metal nerves surged and directly impacted the cockpit, the mecha pilot wouldn't simply be injured. They might face brain damage or even mental breakdown.
Another person added, "At the very least, let's stick with the original plan to rescue the pilot."
"Our main goal is to save lives. A rapid rescue can preserve his life. But these are mecha pilots. Since they've entered our arena for the competition, we're responsible for their professional careers as well."
Outside the maintenance area, a medical team was already waiting. While dismantling the cockpit was not impossible, it necessitated altering the entire rescue plan. Now, a new difficulty had arisen. Among the most experienced mechanics present, the YDS mechanic currently on the field was the most experienced. According to the original plan, his position was inside the mech's cockpit. With the exterior panels already removed, he couldn't just abandon his position.
In addition to the dismantling of the exterior panels, the psychosensory connection between the two mechanics, both inside and outside the mech, had now formed a delicate balance. It wasn't very suitable to introduce new personnel to the process.
The person in charge frowned at this situation. "We can't pull back now. Only the KID mechanic will operate inside."
Upon hearing the leader's command, the members of the maintenance team looked up towards the young person already working at the higher level. They immediately made a new decision.
"We'll assist in creating detailed visual images."
"Where is the mechanic from their team? If they release the internal details of the mech, we can suggest the quickest disassembly route."
"Focus on locating the oxygen chamber."
At this moment, Ying Chenlin seemed to have concluded a discussion with the YDS mechanic. As he lowered his head, he observed the bustling activity of the other maintenance personnel. From a higher vantage point, a particular scene became exceptionally clear. For a brief moment, he felt as if he had returned to the maintenance room of KID's base in a previous life, where he faced mobility challenges and was assisted by KID's team members using assistive tools.
The increased output of energy from the YDS mechanic near the power source stabilized the nearby metal nerves. "I'm ready over here."
Without hesitation, Ying Chenlin responded, "Proceed."
He quickly locked onto the next target.
Having already removed seven or eight exterior panels, most of the cockpit's outline was now exposed.
Ying Chenlin raised his head and confirmed the position of the oxygen chamber beside the cockpit. He climbed a few steps to the upper portion of the cockpit's exterior, his hand deftly reaching into the armor's interior. His nimble fingers carefully brushed against the metal nerves, ultimately finding a new coupling.
Through the fine lens of the assisting mechanics below, they noticed Ying Chenlin's direction of operation. "Send the oxygen chamber schematics up! Others, prepare the external oxygen supply tube!"
The hovering repair AI with the updated blueprint flew to Ying Chenlin's side, and he glanced at the details on the diagram.
For Ying Chenlin, handling a half-arm length mechanical clamp posed no operational difficulty. With one hand on the coupling, he swiftly dismantled the last panel with the mechanical clamp. Compared to the cautious disassembly approach of the other mechanics, his method was both clean and quick, leaving the cut armor edges neat. Among the present mechanics, no one could guarantee to achieve his level of proficiency.
With a crisp sound, yet another exterior panel plummeted from above. As one piece was removed, Ying Chenlin immediately moved on to the next one.
The mechanics intently watching the internal monitoring screen clearly saw the entirety of Ying Chenlin's actions from the rear. In the monitored images, the complex metal nerve pathways and components within the mecha seemed to pose no hindrance to him. His hands, with only a slight touch, rapidly located the corresponding nodes and achieved the disassembly efficiently.
In a short amount of time, the oxygen chamber on the side of the cockpit was exposed to everyone. Ying Chenlin activated the nearby supply tube for the oxygen chamber, connecting it to an external oxygen source. This ensured that in all subsequent operations, the mecha pilot wouldn't experience oxygen deprivation.
The responsible person looked worriedly upwards. With the oxygen supply completed, the most challenging part was yet to come.
The YDS mechanic asked, "What's your next move?"
"Remove the left side first," Ying Chenlin's hand rested on the exterior of the cockpit. His red and white clothing was already stained with oil marks, and the mechanical clamp was swiftly used to dismantle the final exterior panel. His gaze rested on the jumbled metal nerves. "There are metal nerves connected to the power source pipe on the left side."
Ying Chenlin tilted his head downward. "I need a KS-1 model mechanical shear."
The mechanics immediately fetched it, and a flying robot quickly delivered it to him.
The YDS mechanic was momentarily stunned. A small-scale mechanical shear? Could he be thinking—
Ying Chenlin received the small mechanical shear, handing over the mechanical clamp to the robot. He found the correct angle of entry and, the next second, his entire body entered the fractured chassis.
Outside the arena, the match in the Qiu Jin Gorge Contaminated Zone was proceeding. Some viewers suddenly noticed the absence of personnel at the maintenance station in the preparation area. Mechanics from each major team were supposed to be standing at their team's monitoring station, closely monitoring the conditions of the mechas within the Contaminated Zone.
With KID's mechas having just garnered attention, the focus naturally turned to the preparation area.
However, there were no mechanics present at KID's preparation station.
"KID's mechanic is missing?"
"Seems like it's not just him. The YDS mechanic is also gone."
"It looks like the damaged mecha was sent to the repair area, and a few mechanics from the preparation area went to help."
The impact on the preparation area was broadcasted live, but the repair area was not.
Mechanical damage was a common occurrence, but to suddenly mobilize so many mechanics to the repair area indicated the severity of the situation. Officially requesting mechanics from other teams to assist was a sign that the situation for the damaged mechas inside the arena was dire.
Jiang Simiao exclaimed, "Could it be?"
Shen Xingtang sat up slightly, "During the match, the repair area is considered part of the arena. The situation there lies on the edge of controllability. We should activate the repair area's defense system. I'll go inquire about the situation."
At the chairman's platform, various leaders received news of the unexpected situation in the repair area. The head of the Qiu Jin Gorge Pollution Zone Management Bureau inquired, "Haven't the mecha pilots been rescued yet?"
A staff member replied, "The on-site rescue plan has been modified. They're going to detach the cockpit."
"Is it that serious? Can the repair team handle it? Who's the lead operator?"
"The lead operator is not from our team..." The staff member worriedly continued, "The report over there was from KID's mechanic, named Ying Chenlin."
In the maintenance area, the mechanics around the cockpit were gone. What remained was a fully guarded maintenance zone. The medical team outside had already prepared for immediate rescue, and the maintenance area was set up for emergency defense in case of operational errors leading to an explosion.
Everyone nervously watched the monitor cameras. Small robotic units floated around the cockpit, clearly capturing KID's mechanics. At this moment, one of them was inside the sealed cockpit, intertwined with other parts. His body was leaning against various bearing components, distributing his body weight evenly and maintaining a slightly forward-leaning posture.
He didn't use his hands to support any other components; instead, his entire weight was supported by his two legs.
Utilizing this peculiar balance, the mechanic used a small mechanical cutter in his hand to swiftly differentiate between the metal nerve connections in the body, decisively selecting which ones to sever.
The cockpit, as the core of the entire mech, was equivalent to the mech's heart. It contained all the metal nerves and components on the periphery, connecting every part of the mech. The complexity of these metal nerves was unparalleled, and the most challenging aspect was detaching the cockpit from the important parts of the mech's body, which involved damaging crucial components.
Under normal circumstances, this operation would be manageable and many mechanics could do it with sufficient time. However, the current situation was critical. The mecha was severely damaged and barely operational. To maintain the functionality of a certain part of the mech's power system, they couldn't perform a complete power shutdown. In this context, the difficulty of the operation skyrocketed, as the mechanic had to avoid disturbing the metal nerves that influenced the limbs or causing vibrations in the power source.
Each step felt like walking on a wire.
The YDS mechanic below was firmly controlling the power source. From the moment the other mechanic entered the mecha to the present, aside from the initial vibration, there had been minimal disturbance to the power source's metal nerves. He lifted his head slightly.
Such a level of skill required more than ten years of maintenance experience. Yet, based on KID's mechanic's appearance, he couldn't be over 20 years old.
At this age, with this level of skill, describing him as a genius wouldn't be an exaggeration.
As each minute and second passed, Ying Chenlin inside the mecha was already showing tiny beads of sweat on his forehead. Nevertheless, his hands remained steady, his calm gaze scanning the distribution of metal nerves around him.
Finally, he reached the most challenging part—the intricate intersection of metal nerves connecting the cockpit's neural sensory nerves.
"The metal nerves on the left side need to be severed, about ten of them, to completely detach the mech's adhesion to the cockpit," the mechanic observing the internal situation through the monitoring system said, using tiny robotic assistants to help with observation. However, the metal nerves were incredibly tangled, intertwined with the neural sensory nerves, and making a mistake during the operation could have repercussions for the mech's pilot. The mechanic cautiously warned, "Mr. Ying, I need to remind you, there's no support inside."
Inside, it was a completely dense gathering of metal nerves.
Normally, such an operation would require the use of small robotic units. However, the current situation exceeded the capabilities of robotic assistance. This area connected the cockpit to the limbs and was small with no other parts nearby. It was the only area inside the mecha that consisted solely of metal nerves and neural sensory nerves.
Ying Chenlin responded, "I understand, thank you."
He glanced up at a high point, saying, "I'll need you to control the robotic unit to turn on the flashlight later."
Flashlight? The mechanic was puzzled.
Ying Chenlin cut a discarded section of metal nerve to the side, wrapping it around his waist and tying it to a small tool clamp he carried. His mechanical limb gripped the external components of the cockpit. By using his arm's force, he managed to raise himself slightly, clamping the tool clamp onto a broken junction at a higher point.
With no support, he had to create one himself.
This series of actions flowed seamlessly, securing the clamp. He entered a location on the left side of the cockpit, legs lodged in a crevice. The support was now distributed between the waist's metal nerves and his legs, creating a suspended support.
Upside-down, Ying Chenlin calmly instructed, "Turn on the flashlight."
The flashlight on the small robotic unit illuminated the intricate internals, revealing the situation inside.
As the flashlight's beam illuminated the area, the internal situation entered Ying Chenlin's view. He didn't even blink, carefully using his mechanical limb to maneuver the various metal nerves, carefully separating the neural sensory nerves. The neural sensory nerves were extracted from the intertwined network and directed to an unaffected area, where he severed the connecting metal nerves of the cockpit.
Everyone held their breath, watching intently without making a sound to disturb his actions.
The maintenance personnel were stunned by this sight. What kind of body manipulation was this!?
Not just the league staff, there were also mechanics who had been engaged in team maintenance work for years. Their eyes were fixed on KID's mechanic, marveling at his almost serene control. He hadn't touched any other nerves. Every detail from head to toe was under his precise command. He maintained the most stable limb control within the confined space.
This was no longer mere surgical procedures, it was too stable. It was even more stable than a robot.
But it was a human above, a young mechanic who appeared inexperienced at a glance. Yet, he achieved precise control comparable to a machine.
The head of the team dared not blink his eyes. He could only watch this scene through the monitor. Such a maintenance scene had never been seen before. He had witnessed countless mechanics repairing mechas, mostly determining the positions of internal components' nerves through blueprints and using auxiliary mental manipulation to troubleshoot. Such maintenance methods were often on the periphery, and if the internals were involved, they would only use robotic assistance to complete the work.
This was the first time he had seen someone squeeze into such a confined space and complete such precise work in an upside-down posture.
Do note that the metallic neural wire that controlled the source was less than 30 centimeters from his waist.
Ying Chenlin asked, "Check the metal nerve underneath."
The maintenance personnel responded, "To your right, beneath the bearing component."
Upon hearing the instruction, Ying Chenlin quickly confirmed the location and proceeded to cut the nerve with precision.
At this point, a few beads of sweat had formed on his forehead, trickling down into his hair. He remained calm and said, "Continue."
The maintenance personnel didn't slacken, "Diagonally ahead, beneath the transfer joint board, entwined within the largest bundle of white outer casing nerves."
Ying Chenlin narrowed his eyes, using the lights from above as guidance to avoid other nerves. He reached towards the location of the joint board, gripping it tightly with his right hand. His body contorted into an eerie curve in the air. He used his mouth to hold a small mechanical cutter while using his free hand to unravel the bundled nerves. He finally located the target and cut it with the mechanical cutter.
He said, "Continue."
Seconds and minutes passed. No one knew how much time had gone by. The scene was filled with nothing but the sound of Ying Chenlin's actions and the maintenance staff's reports. It was only when Ying Chenlin cut the most crucial nerves from among the numerous metallic nerves that the people around finally reacted. He straightened slightly, a bit exhausted, and they finally realized.
The young man leaned against the checkpoint, his chest rising and falling gently. His calm gaze scanned around the cockpit, ensuring that he had left the mech's interior without any mistake.
"Are you done cutting...?" someone asked with a slight tremor in their voice.
The maintenance personnel, who had been reporting the whole time, replied, "Done."
The most difficult task of stripping the cockpit had been completed. Ying Chenlin emerged from within, facing the YDS mechanics below who had been watching him the entire time. He paused for a moment, "You can let go now. Thanks for your hard work."
The reception line for the source had also been severed.
The YDS mechanic let go, while other maintenance personnel hurried forward to assist. Some controlled the external oxygen pipes, while others got onto the mecha to assist with the stripping process. When the cockpit was finally pulled out by an external giant mechanical hand, not a single sympathetic nerve had been tugged, nor was the source nerve disturbed.
Standing outside the crowd of workers, the YDS mechanic looked at the KID mechanic who was in the same position.
The latter stood straight, his gaze unwavering. Even after he had disembarked from the mech, he continued to focus on the cockpit that had been pulled out by the giant mechanical arm.
As the cockpit was placed on the ground, the medical team rushed in.
The doctor examined the mecha pilot, saying, "The mecha pilot hasn't been affected!"
The arena erupted into cheers! Among the maintenance personnel, the mechanic from this team covered his eyes, tears streaming down his face. He had almost given up hope on saving their own mecha pilot.
Ying Chenlin breathed a sigh of relief. The exhaustion surged over him at this moment. He tried to calm himself through breathing, relieving the fatigue in his body. He looked at the lively maintenance area and the damaged mecha in front of him.
Images of another mecha gradually surfaced in his memory. Many years ago, when his genetic disease had flared up during a league match, he was severely injured. It was similar to what was happening now. He and his mecha had been brought to the maintenance area. The cockpit was stripped out, and he had lain inside the cold rescue device, looking up at the damaged Yuan mech.
Thinking of this, he slightly grasped his collar and the mecha key hidden beneath his clothes.
After a while, he let go of his grip and shifted his gaze away.
What am I thinking? He had a chance to start anew. His life had already changed.
The surrounding workers were busy. Ying Chenlin didn't linger, as he didn't want to disturb them. He was about to leave when he suddenly spotted a worker. He remembered that this person had been following him here. It seemed like they were responsible for reporting on the pollution area.
By the time the supervisor had finished arranging all the follow-up tasks, Ying Chenlin had already disappeared.
"Where's KID's mechanic?" The supervisor hadn't even had a chance to thank him.
The worker said, "Mr. Ying has already returned to the preparation area."
"He left in a hurry. Before leaving, he mentioned that he wanted the battle data from KID in the pollution area during this time."
At the mention of KID, the supervisor's head suddenly throbbed. He thought about the group of bloodthirsty crows.
He said, "Battle data? Didn't KID avoid encountering any other teams during this time? It was just those bloodthirsty crows, right?"
The worker hesitated before replying, "Yes... he wanted the battle data for that period involving the bloodthirsty crows."
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62. Peel Off
When the Blood-Devouring Crows' leader crow broke away from the flock, it was destined to bear an unbearable burden of life. It was bombarded by consecutive shots from a super long-range sniper cannon, followed by dozens of attacks from close-range Stealth Mechs. Its wings couldn't even stay upright, and when it started to descend, it was swiftly cut down, ending its life. All this change of fate took no more than half a minute. KID's Tank and Guardian mechas saw that the leader Crow was captured, so they turned off their bright headlights and left without looking back.
With the loss of their leader, the originally attracted protective shield of the flock of crows vanished. The flock completely fell into chaos without the leader's guidance. More than a hundred Blood-Devouring Crows scattered and fled the area in a state of panic, leaving only a remnant of soldiers when the retreat was over.
Huo Yan gazed at the distance with regret, "What a pity."
If resources had been ample, they wouldn't have spared a single crow.
At this moment, Lin Yao watched the Blood-Devouring Crow flock fly away, deeply reminiscing about the times when they were still in the Tianyu Star's contaminated zone. There were few opportunities to return to the contaminated zone after killing and obtaining resources.
In the livestream chat, the live perspective from the contaminated zone showed the departing raven flock, and KID's group watching them from their original position.
The commentator, sensing something inexplicable from their actions, silently interpreted their regret, then spoke after a brief pause, "It seems like this one-sided beating has come to an end. KID didn't pursue further."
"Suddenly, I remembered this is the second day (profound)."
"Why's that?"
"Is this your first time watching a KID match? If it was on the last day, those Crows probably wouldn't even have their legs left."
"I suddenly recalled something... Do you all remember when KID, Gale and YDS went on a mission before the league started?"
"The time they were dispatched to the Tianyu Star's excluded competition-level contaminated zone?"
"You don't mean?!"
As KID casually took a mutated Blood-Devouring Crow, the same news reached the head of the monitoring team. After hearing the news, the leader fell into silence for a long while. They ordered the removal of the contaminated zone's Blood-Devouring Crow alert and looked at the recorded kill information on the data panel with a complex expression. There were only a few Blood-Devouring Crows left in the entire contaminated zone flock, and this wave of actions had effectively wiped out half of them.
They instructed their subordinates to handle the matter concerning the Blood-Devouring Crows in the contaminated zone, then turned and walked back into the maintenance area.
Within the maintenance area, silence reigned. The atmosphere there was a stark contrast to the outside world. About ten members of the Alliance maintenance technical team waited nearby, while two individuals remained on a mecha that was on the verge of being scrapped. One person was near the cockpit, and the other was working on the energy source.
"Removing the cockpit?" The YDS mechanic asked, "Are you sure? Removing the cockpit is even more technically challenging."
Ying Chenlin replied, "If we don't remove the cockpit, the mecha pilot could be affected by the energy source shock."
The YDS mechanic remained silent for a moment, then asked, "What's your plan?"
Ying Chenlin lowered his gaze to meet the mechanic's eyes and began explaining his thoughts on the plan.
As they exchanged ideas to modify the rescue plan, the others below watched in bewilderment.
When the KID mechanic proposed the idea of dismantling the cockpit, most people in the arena didn't voice their opinions, but some technical personnel were quick to question it. Dismantling the cockpit was a significantly more challenging task than the initially formulated plan. The original situation was already difficult to handle, and now adding cockpit dismantling to the equation only further complicated the rescue.
"Is this person crazy? The difficulty of dismantling the cockpit at this level of damage isn't just a notch or two higher."
"Dismantling the cockpit increases the technical complexity, and it will also consume more time. The oxygen chamber won't last that long."
What was originally a relatively straightforward task of removing exterior panels had turned into dismantling the cockpit.
The person in charge wasn't a seasoned YDS mechanic but rather a young KID mechanic. From the standpoint of those who jumped to conclusions, even if this person possessed the necessary technical skills, their age and experience were concerning factors. This led the maintenance personnel to hold some concerns.
Present among them was a senior mechanic who cautiously spoke up after observing the situation, "I roughly understand why he proposed dismantling the cockpit. The location of the neural connections to the metal is too tricky. It's intertwined with the mecha pilot's brain and body within the cockpit, creating a delicate psychosensory connection."
If it was just injuries and lack of oxygen, lying in the medical bay for a period would lead to recovery. However, if the reverse current of the metal nerves surged and directly impacted the cockpit, the mecha pilot wouldn't simply be injured. They might face brain damage or even mental breakdown.
Another person added, "At the very least, let's stick with the original plan to rescue the pilot."
"Our main goal is to save lives. A rapid rescue can preserve his life. But these are mecha pilots. Since they've entered our arena for the competition, we're responsible for their professional careers as well."
Outside the maintenance area, a medical team was already waiting. While dismantling the cockpit was not impossible, it necessitated altering the entire rescue plan. Now, a new difficulty had arisen. Among the most experienced mechanics present, the YDS mechanic currently on the field was the most experienced. According to the original plan, his position was inside the mech's cockpit. With the exterior panels already removed, he couldn't just abandon his position.
In addition to the dismantling of the exterior panels, the psychosensory connection between the two mechanics, both inside and outside the mech, had now formed a delicate balance. It wasn't very suitable to introduce new personnel to the process.
The person in charge frowned at this situation. "We can't pull back now. Only the KID mechanic will operate inside."
Upon hearing the leader's command, the members of the maintenance team looked up towards the young person already working at the higher level. They immediately made a new decision.
"We'll assist in creating detailed visual images."
"Where is the mechanic from their team? If they release the internal details of the mech, we can suggest the quickest disassembly route."
"Focus on locating the oxygen chamber."
At this moment, Ying Chenlin seemed to have concluded a discussion with the YDS mechanic. As he lowered his head, he observed the bustling activity of the other maintenance personnel. From a higher vantage point, a particular scene became exceptionally clear. For a brief moment, he felt as if he had returned to the maintenance room of KID's base in a previous life, where he faced mobility challenges and was assisted by KID's team members using assistive tools.
The increased output of energy from the YDS mechanic near the power source stabilized the nearby metal nerves. "I'm ready over here."
Without hesitation, Ying Chenlin responded, "Proceed."
He quickly locked onto the next target.
Having already removed seven or eight exterior panels, most of the cockpit's outline was now exposed.
Ying Chenlin raised his head and confirmed the position of the oxygen chamber beside the cockpit. He climbed a few steps to the upper portion of the cockpit's exterior, his hand deftly reaching into the armor's interior. His nimble fingers carefully brushed against the metal nerves, ultimately finding a new coupling.
Through the fine lens of the assisting mechanics below, they noticed Ying Chenlin's direction of operation. "Send the oxygen chamber schematics up! Others, prepare the external oxygen supply tube!"
The hovering repair AI with the updated blueprint flew to Ying Chenlin's side, and he glanced at the details on the diagram.
For Ying Chenlin, handling a half-arm length mechanical clamp posed no operational difficulty. With one hand on the coupling, he swiftly dismantled the last panel with the mechanical clamp. Compared to the cautious disassembly approach of the other mechanics, his method was both clean and quick, leaving the cut armor edges neat. Among the present mechanics, no one could guarantee to achieve his level of proficiency.
With a crisp sound, yet another exterior panel plummeted from above. As one piece was removed, Ying Chenlin immediately moved on to the next one.
The mechanics intently watching the internal monitoring screen clearly saw the entirety of Ying Chenlin's actions from the rear. In the monitored images, the complex metal nerve pathways and components within the mecha seemed to pose no hindrance to him. His hands, with only a slight touch, rapidly located the corresponding nodes and achieved the disassembly efficiently.
In a short amount of time, the oxygen chamber on the side of the cockpit was exposed to everyone. Ying Chenlin activated the nearby supply tube for the oxygen chamber, connecting it to an external oxygen source. This ensured that in all subsequent operations, the mecha pilot wouldn't experience oxygen deprivation.
The responsible person looked worriedly upwards. With the oxygen supply completed, the most challenging part was yet to come.
The YDS mechanic asked, "What's your next move?"
"Remove the left side first," Ying Chenlin's hand rested on the exterior of the cockpit. His red and white clothing was already stained with oil marks, and the mechanical clamp was swiftly used to dismantle the final exterior panel. His gaze rested on the jumbled metal nerves. "There are metal nerves connected to the power source pipe on the left side."
Ying Chenlin tilted his head downward. "I need a KS-1 model mechanical shear."
The mechanics immediately fetched it, and a flying robot quickly delivered it to him.
The YDS mechanic was momentarily stunned. A small-scale mechanical shear? Could he be thinking—
Ying Chenlin received the small mechanical shear, handing over the mechanical clamp to the robot. He found the correct angle of entry and, the next second, his entire body entered the fractured chassis.
Outside the arena, the match in the Qiu Jin Gorge Contaminated Zone was proceeding. Some viewers suddenly noticed the absence of personnel at the maintenance station in the preparation area. Mechanics from each major team were supposed to be standing at their team's monitoring station, closely monitoring the conditions of the mechas within the Contaminated Zone.
With KID's mechas having just garnered attention, the focus naturally turned to the preparation area.
However, there were no mechanics present at KID's preparation station.
"KID's mechanic is missing?"
"Seems like it's not just him. The YDS mechanic is also gone."
"It looks like the damaged mecha was sent to the repair area, and a few mechanics from the preparation area went to help."
The impact on the preparation area was broadcasted live, but the repair area was not.
Mechanical damage was a common occurrence, but to suddenly mobilize so many mechanics to the repair area indicated the severity of the situation. Officially requesting mechanics from other teams to assist was a sign that the situation for the damaged mechas inside the arena was dire.
Jiang Simiao exclaimed, "Could it be?"
Shen Xingtang sat up slightly, "During the match, the repair area is considered part of the arena. The situation there lies on the edge of controllability. We should activate the repair area's defense system. I'll go inquire about the situation."
At the chairman's platform, various leaders received news of the unexpected situation in the repair area. The head of the Qiu Jin Gorge Pollution Zone Management Bureau inquired, "Haven't the mecha pilots been rescued yet?"
A staff member replied, "The on-site rescue plan has been modified. They're going to detach the cockpit."
"Is it that serious? Can the repair team handle it? Who's the lead operator?"
"The lead operator is not from our team..." The staff member worriedly continued, "The report over there was from KID's mechanic, named Ying Chenlin."
In the maintenance area, the mechanics around the cockpit were gone. What remained was a fully guarded maintenance zone. The medical team outside had already prepared for immediate rescue, and the maintenance area was set up for emergency defense in case of operational errors leading to an explosion.
Everyone nervously watched the monitor cameras. Small robotic units floated around the cockpit, clearly capturing KID's mechanics. At this moment, one of them was inside the sealed cockpit, intertwined with other parts. His body was leaning against various bearing components, distributing his body weight evenly and maintaining a slightly forward-leaning posture.
He didn't use his hands to support any other components; instead, his entire weight was supported by his two legs.
Utilizing this peculiar balance, the mechanic used a small mechanical cutter in his hand to swiftly differentiate between the metal nerve connections in the body, decisively selecting which ones to sever.
The cockpit, as the core of the entire mech, was equivalent to the mech's heart. It contained all the metal nerves and components on the periphery, connecting every part of the mech. The complexity of these metal nerves was unparalleled, and the most challenging aspect was detaching the cockpit from the important parts of the mech's body, which involved damaging crucial components.
Under normal circumstances, this operation would be manageable and many mechanics could do it with sufficient time. However, the current situation was critical. The mecha was severely damaged and barely operational. To maintain the functionality of a certain part of the mech's power system, they couldn't perform a complete power shutdown. In this context, the difficulty of the operation skyrocketed, as the mechanic had to avoid disturbing the metal nerves that influenced the limbs or causing vibrations in the power source.
Each step felt like walking on a wire.
The YDS mechanic below was firmly controlling the power source. From the moment the other mechanic entered the mecha to the present, aside from the initial vibration, there had been minimal disturbance to the power source's metal nerves. He lifted his head slightly.
Such a level of skill required more than ten years of maintenance experience. Yet, based on KID's mechanic's appearance, he couldn't be over 20 years old.
At this age, with this level of skill, describing him as a genius wouldn't be an exaggeration.
As each minute and second passed, Ying Chenlin inside the mecha was already showing tiny beads of sweat on his forehead. Nevertheless, his hands remained steady, his calm gaze scanning the distribution of metal nerves around him.
Finally, he reached the most challenging part—the intricate intersection of metal nerves connecting the cockpit's neural sensory nerves.
"The metal nerves on the left side need to be severed, about ten of them, to completely detach the mech's adhesion to the cockpit," the mechanic observing the internal situation through the monitoring system said, using tiny robotic assistants to help with observation. However, the metal nerves were incredibly tangled, intertwined with the neural sensory nerves, and making a mistake during the operation could have repercussions for the mech's pilot. The mechanic cautiously warned, "Mr. Ying, I need to remind you, there's no support inside."
Inside, it was a completely dense gathering of metal nerves.
Normally, such an operation would require the use of small robotic units. However, the current situation exceeded the capabilities of robotic assistance. This area connected the cockpit to the limbs and was small with no other parts nearby. It was the only area inside the mecha that consisted solely of metal nerves and neural sensory nerves.
Ying Chenlin responded, "I understand, thank you."
He glanced up at a high point, saying, "I'll need you to control the robotic unit to turn on the flashlight later."
Flashlight? The mechanic was puzzled.
Ying Chenlin cut a discarded section of metal nerve to the side, wrapping it around his waist and tying it to a small tool clamp he carried. His mechanical limb gripped the external components of the cockpit. By using his arm's force, he managed to raise himself slightly, clamping the tool clamp onto a broken junction at a higher point.
With no support, he had to create one himself.
This series of actions flowed seamlessly, securing the clamp. He entered a location on the left side of the cockpit, legs lodged in a crevice. The support was now distributed between the waist's metal nerves and his legs, creating a suspended support.
Upside-down, Ying Chenlin calmly instructed, "Turn on the flashlight."
The flashlight on the small robotic unit illuminated the intricate internals, revealing the situation inside.
As the flashlight's beam illuminated the area, the internal situation entered Ying Chenlin's view. He didn't even blink, carefully using his mechanical limb to maneuver the various metal nerves, carefully separating the neural sensory nerves. The neural sensory nerves were extracted from the intertwined network and directed to an unaffected area, where he severed the connecting metal nerves of the cockpit.
Everyone held their breath, watching intently without making a sound to disturb his actions.
The maintenance personnel were stunned by this sight. What kind of body manipulation was this!?
Not just the league staff, there were also mechanics who had been engaged in team maintenance work for years. Their eyes were fixed on KID's mechanic, marveling at his almost serene control. He hadn't touched any other nerves. Every detail from head to toe was under his precise command. He maintained the most stable limb control within the confined space.
This was no longer mere surgical procedures, it was too stable. It was even more stable than a robot.
But it was a human above, a young mechanic who appeared inexperienced at a glance. Yet, he achieved precise control comparable to a machine.
The head of the team dared not blink his eyes. He could only watch this scene through the monitor. Such a maintenance scene had never been seen before. He had witnessed countless mechanics repairing mechas, mostly determining the positions of internal components' nerves through blueprints and using auxiliary mental manipulation to troubleshoot. Such maintenance methods were often on the periphery, and if the internals were involved, they would only use robotic assistance to complete the work.
This was the first time he had seen someone squeeze into such a confined space and complete such precise work in an upside-down posture.
Do note that the metallic neural wire that controlled the source was less than 30 centimeters from his waist.
Ying Chenlin asked, "Check the metal nerve underneath."
The maintenance personnel responded, "To your right, beneath the bearing component."
Upon hearing the instruction, Ying Chenlin quickly confirmed the location and proceeded to cut the nerve with precision.
At this point, a few beads of sweat had formed on his forehead, trickling down into his hair. He remained calm and said, "Continue."
The maintenance personnel didn't slacken, "Diagonally ahead, beneath the transfer joint board, entwined within the largest bundle of white outer casing nerves."
Ying Chenlin narrowed his eyes, using the lights from above as guidance to avoid other nerves. He reached towards the location of the joint board, gripping it tightly with his right hand. His body contorted into an eerie curve in the air. He used his mouth to hold a small mechanical cutter while using his free hand to unravel the bundled nerves. He finally located the target and cut it with the mechanical cutter.
He said, "Continue."
Seconds and minutes passed. No one knew how much time had gone by. The scene was filled with nothing but the sound of Ying Chenlin's actions and the maintenance staff's reports. It was only when Ying Chenlin cut the most crucial nerves from among the numerous metallic nerves that the people around finally reacted. He straightened slightly, a bit exhausted, and they finally realized.
The young man leaned against the checkpoint, his chest rising and falling gently. His calm gaze scanned around the cockpit, ensuring that he had left the mech's interior without any mistake.
"Are you done cutting...?" someone asked with a slight tremor in their voice.
The maintenance personnel, who had been reporting the whole time, replied, "Done."
The most difficult task of stripping the cockpit had been completed. Ying Chenlin emerged from within, facing the YDS mechanics below who had been watching him the entire time. He paused for a moment, "You can let go now. Thanks for your hard work."
The reception line for the source had also been severed.
The YDS mechanic let go, while other maintenance personnel hurried forward to assist. Some controlled the external oxygen pipes, while others got onto the mecha to assist with the stripping process. When the cockpit was finally pulled out by an external giant mechanical hand, not a single sympathetic nerve had been tugged, nor was the source nerve disturbed.
Standing outside the crowd of workers, the YDS mechanic looked at the KID mechanic who was in the same position.
The latter stood straight, his gaze unwavering. Even after he had disembarked from the mech, he continued to focus on the cockpit that had been pulled out by the giant mechanical arm.
As the cockpit was placed on the ground, the medical team rushed in.
The doctor examined the mecha pilot, saying, "The mecha pilot hasn't been affected!"
The arena erupted into cheers! Among the maintenance personnel, the mechanic from this team covered his eyes, tears streaming down his face. He had almost given up hope on saving their own mecha pilot.
Ying Chenlin breathed a sigh of relief. The exhaustion surged over him at this moment. He tried to calm himself through breathing, relieving the fatigue in his body. He looked at the lively maintenance area and the damaged mecha in front of him.
Images of another mecha gradually surfaced in his memory. Many years ago, when his genetic disease had flared up during a league match, he was severely injured. It was similar to what was happening now. He and his mecha had been brought to the maintenance area. The cockpit was stripped out, and he had lain inside the cold rescue device, looking up at the damaged Yuan mech.
Thinking of this, he slightly grasped his collar and the mecha key hidden beneath his clothes.
After a while, he let go of his grip and shifted his gaze away.
What am I thinking? He had a chance to start anew. His life had already changed.
The surrounding workers were busy. Ying Chenlin didn't linger, as he didn't want to disturb them. He was about to leave when he suddenly spotted a worker. He remembered that this person had been following him here. It seemed like they were responsible for reporting on the pollution area.
By the time the supervisor had finished arranging all the follow-up tasks, Ying Chenlin had already disappeared.
"Where's KID's mechanic?" The supervisor hadn't even had a chance to thank him.
The worker said, "Mr. Ying has already returned to the preparation area."
"He left in a hurry. Before leaving, he mentioned that he wanted the battle data from KID in the pollution area during this time."
At the mention of KID, the supervisor's head suddenly throbbed. He thought about the group of bloodthirsty crows.
He said, "Battle data? Didn't KID avoid encountering any other teams during this time? It was just those bloodthirsty crows, right?"
The worker hesitated before replying, "Yes... he wanted the battle data for that period involving the bloodthirsty crows."
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