After Winning The Esports Championship I’m Going To Pilot A Mecha: Chapter 154

154. Spark

Countless Aberrations surged forward like a flood, innumerable steel mechas roaring with their cannons, and the warships in the sky loomed like dark clouds. Within Jiusheng City, the three factions converged, with countless eyes fixed on this satellite city.

“There he is!”

“The energy shield of that mecha is about to give out!”

“Kill him!”

The 【Dawn】 piloted by Ji Mingzhu was undoubtedly the most dazzling presence on the battlefield. Surrounded by Aberrations and mechas attacking from all directions, 【Dawn】’s unstoppable momentum was like a god descending, awe-inspiring and intimidating.

Several mechas charged head-on, forming a siege around 【Dawn】. Multiple laser blasts roared, striking the energy shield of 【Dawn】. With a cracking sound, the energy shield finally gave out and shattered.

“Clang—”

Inside the cockpit, Ji Mingzhu’s eyes narrowed slightly. As he operated the controls, the long-handled Miao Dao in 【Dawn】’s hand turned into a lethal and dangerous lightning bolt. The combination of superior mech and unmatched piloting skills made all mechas before him fall in a single encounter. This invincible display struck fear into the hearts of the pilots witnessing it.

In just a few minutes, the number of Aberrations and mechas slain by Ji Mingzhu was uncountable. However, everyone knew that this state couldn’t last long. No matter how strong Ji Mingzhu was, he was still flesh and blood. Despite the L-class mecha’s advanced capabilities, it would eventually run out of energy against the overwhelming numbers of mechas.

With the energy shield shattered, Ji Mingzhu found himself in a perilous situation. Without the shield’s protection, he had to divert more attention to defending against omnipresent attacks, requiring more skillful maneuvering to evade them.

“Boom—!”

A laser beam shot from the side, and Ji Mingzhu maneuvered 【Dawn】 to dodge. The power core hummed as it rotated, executing a Left-Style Blade Flip, taking out three mechas in succession. He then sidestepped an attacking mecha from behind and countered with a swift slash.

Yao Xiangrong’s expression turned rigid as he stared at the L-class mecha in the center of the battlefield, feeling as if he were seeing a monster.

Despite the L-class mecha’s godlike prowess, the overwhelming number of enemies took its toll. After several minutes, 【Dawn】’s outer armor began to crack, and the floating cannons behind it suffered significant damage. Ji Mingzhu’s movements started to slow down.

There’s a chance!

Seeing this, the pilots of the Netherworld Organization were revitalized. Seizing the opportunity, they maneuvered into the L-class mecha’s blind spot, attempting a sneak attack.

But the next moment, a blinding laser beam descended from the sky, forcing the mechas surrounding Ji Mingzhu to retreat.

Another colossal mecha had arrived!

Sensing this, Ji Mingzhu looked up to see a cross-shaped lance and a massive blue mecha. Except for its color, it was almost identical to 【Dawn】, displaying a battle style both seasoned and proficient.

Red Guard Commander Zuo Quanzong!

“Red Guard Commander!”

Ji Mingzhu, visibly surprised, slashed a nearby mecha away and asked, “Why are you here?”

“There’s no reason for kids to fight on the battlefield while we hide in the back,” Zuo Quanzong’s voice came through the comms.

Zuo Quanzong’s appearance caused many in the virtual meeting to stand up.

Some were his students, others his former colleagues, and a few had been his fans in their youth.

The name Zuo Quanzong held different meanings for each of them, like a guiding star.

“Everyone…”

One person in the virtual meeting scanned the room and said slowly, “Are we really going to sit here and watch all this happen?”

The room fell silent.

“The Satellite City is the painstaking work of humanity. Inside the Satellite City, besides the tycoons and those in power, there are far more defenseless civilians. If the Red Guard Commander is willing to step forward, then what excuse do we have, sitting here, holding the most resources, and just watching everything happen? Isn’t that shameful?”

He shouted, “The Netherworld Organization doesn’t represent us. Even if they win this war, it won’t be a victory for humanity but a victory for schemers. No matter what you all think… I choose to follow the Red Guard Commander.”

With that, his figure gradually faded from the virtual meeting.

In his youth, he was a devout fan of the Red Guard Commander. Because of Zuo Quanzong, he chose to join the Calamity Control Bureau and eventually became the head of the Division. His choice was unsurprising and moved many.

“I also…”

“Rather than sitting here, it’s better to follow the Red Guard Commander. At least he stands on the side of all humanity.”

“Sorry, everyone, I’m leaving first.”

One by one, the figures gradually faded away, and the virtual meeting room grew from noisy to quiet.

Zuo Quanzong’s arrival significantly reduced Ji Mingzhu’s pressure. The two L-class mechas coordinated perfectly, quickly gaining the upper hand. Neither the Netherworld Organization’s mechas nor the vast numbers of Aberrations could approach.

“The allure of the Cosmic Deity is indeed great… Making wishes to deities is something people have always believed in, no matter the era.”

Zuo Quanzong’s voice echoed in the cockpit again, causing Ji Mingzhu to pause: “Red Guard Commander… you know?”

“After all these years, I haven’t been idle.”

Zuo Quanzong replied, “Both the Netherworld Organization and Feibo want the Cosmic Deity to arrive, hoping to use its power to change this world. Although tempting, its arrival would only bring destruction and disaster. The affairs of this world must be resolved by this world.”

Zuo Quanzong, having held a high position for many years, was certainly not ignorant. He knew that whether it was the Netherworld Organization or Feibo, whichever side succeeded would only plunge the world into a worse predicament. Although he wasn’t clear on Ji Mingzhu’s exact identity or why he made all three parties, including Sky City, so anxious, he knew he had no choice but to step forward now.

“Mingzhu, have you decided what to do?”

Ji Mingzhu snapped back to attention. He maneuvered [Dawn] to once again block the attacks from several Aberrations, his tone resolute: “Yes… I’m going to end this.”

“I found it!”

Yao Guang finally located the fallen battleship of Sky City amidst the debris, his face lighting up with excitement.

Since Ji Mingzhu had drawn most of the attention and shifted the battlefield to the outskirts of Jiusheng City, Yao Guang and his team’s actions had not attracted notice.

The Sky City battleship before him was still intact. Yao Guang entered it and saw several corpses of the Immortals with shattered heads. He carefully bypassed these bodies and found the control console’s light brain inside the battleship.

To activate the Sky City [Spark] in Cang Lan’s possession, it was necessary to first connect to the Sky City’s network to send commands.

Facing the complex data on the light brain, Yao Guang’s expression showed some confusion.

“How is it? Can you get in?”

Tian Ji, standing guard outside, couldn’t help but ask when he saw Yao Guang’s expression.

“…It’s a bit difficult.”

Yao Guang connected his light brain and attempted to access Sky City’s network. The network level of Sky City was many times higher than that of the satellite cities, and even the network of the Calamity Control Bureau was built with Sky City’s help. Even though Yao Guang was a top hacker and among the best in humanity, he found himself somewhat helpless in the face of Sky City’s complex and unfamiliar network.

“We have to be faster.”

Tian Ji said, “Mingzhu won’t hold out for much longer… Time is running out.”

“I know!”

Yao Guang shouted, disregarding everything else, and directly started using brute force to crack into Sky City’s network.

The sounds of distant battles echoed in his ears. The noise from the battleships overhead, and the commotion created by countless mechs and Aberrations could be heard clearly from any corner of Jiusheng City. Even though he wasn’t in the midst of it, Yao Guang knew just how much pressure Ji Mingzhu was under at that moment.

But… does it really have to be this way?

Yao Guang’s hands kept moving over the light brain, and his eyes unconsciously reddened.

The object used to summon the cosmic deities was stored within Sky City. It was an organ stripped from the Mother Aberration, a foreign entity not native to this planet. Even Ji Qiming had not found a way to destroy it; he could only use Sky City to mask its signal.

Hundreds of years ago, Ji Qiming couldn’t do it, and it was even less feasible now. That signal organ, like the Mother Aberration, would only grow stronger over time. After such a long period, its signal strength had reached a horrifying level. Even if Ji Qiming were revived, he would still be powerless against it.

The only entity capable of destroying it was the Mother Aberration, the [Disseminator], but Qi Ling’s goal was to summon the cosmic deities, so it was impossible for him to do so.

However, there is a second [Disseminator] in the world, and that is Ji Mingzhu.

The mission of a [Disseminator] is to bring the cosmic deities to a new world and spread the so-called divine glory. To destroy that signal emitter, the Disseminator would have to pay with their life.

This is also why Ji Qiming and Cang Lan were unwilling to tell Ji Mingzhu the truth. Cang Lan even preferred to erase Ji Mingzhu’s related memories rather than let him find out.

“…”

Tian Ji was silent for a moment before saying, “This is Mingzhu’s decision, Yao Guang.”

“So… are you going to abandon me again?”

Yao Guang’s eyes were red, filled with unwillingness. “Tian Quan and Miss Baisha too…”

Tian Ji didn’t know how to comfort him and stood there feeling somewhat helpless.

The data streams on the light brain were flashing wildly, and Yao Guang’s commands were being blocked. He had tried many times, but each attempt ended in failure.

“Bang!”

Yao Guang slammed his fist hard against the light brain. “I can’t get in…”

The self-reproach Yao Guang felt for being unable to help Ji Mingzhu was driving him nearly mad. He felt as if he were still the same as before, unable to help or change anything.

“I’ll handle it.”

A voice spoke up, and another figure appeared behind Tian Ji.

Both Tian Ji and Yao Guang turned around simultaneously, stunned.

“Shen… Shen Hong?!”

No, it wasn’t Shen Hong.

Shen Hong was still commanding Sky City’s warships and Titans. The person before them had the exact same face as Shen Hong but with a completely different aura. He had light blue eyes and a face as if meticulously sculpted by a deity, so beautifully crafted it was like a work of art, making one hold their breath.

“Cang Lan?”

Yao Guang asked tentatively.

The person nodded, his voice deep and magnetic. “Sorry, it took a bit longer to reclaim my body.”

Sky City was now embroiled in a desperate battle, with almost no one left to guard the interior. Cang Lan used the permissions of Jin Qing to easily locate his body stored in Sky City.

Yao Guang stared blankly at Cang Lan, even as Cang Lan took the light brain from his hands, he did not react.

“Cang Lan… weren’t you just…?”

Earlier, at the Tian Shu location, Cang Lan had strongly protested against Ji Mingzhu’s suggestion to sacrifice himself to prevent the cosmic deities’ arrival, leading to a heated argument between them. Yao Guang had never seen such a fierce dispute between Ji Mingzhu and “Ashu.”

Cang Lan turned to look at Yao Guang and shook his head gently.

“I said I would protect Mingzhu… no matter when.”

“But, if what Mingzhu said just now is true…”

Yao Guang was somewhat disoriented. “What should we do? How can we do it? Without the 【Disseminator】 interference, the biological signal emitter cannot be destroyed. Even if it’s forcibly destroyed, the signal that erupts in that moment will immediately spread. The Mother Aberration has already become a Titan. Now, the only remaining 【Disseminator】 is Mingzhu, right?”

“Wait a minute…”

Yao Guang suddenly realized. “Titan? You mean Titan?”

[Verification Successful.]

The data stream flashed by, and soon, the firewall that had stumped Yao Guang was easily breached, allowing the light brain to successfully access the Sky City network.

Cang Lan turned to Yao Guang and gave him a smile. His smile was dazzlingly handsome, like the embodiment of the sun god, making Yao Guang momentarily dazed.

The next second, Cang Lan activated the [Spark].

……

Boom——

Ji Mingzhu and Zuo Quanzong’s two L-class mechs had held on for as long as they could. Even the two strongest pilots of the current era could become exhausted when faced with endless enemies.

The floating cannons behind the L-class mechs had long run out of ammunition, and their energy reserves were almost depleted, even the energy shields could no longer be activated. Just as the two were growing anxious, they suddenly detected an unusual disturbance.

The disturbance was so great that it covered the entire battlefield’s noise. The roars of the Aberrations and the blasts of laser cannons momentarily stopped. Everyone, including Shen Hong and Qi Ling, noticed something and looked up.

“Look up!”

“Heavens… Sky City…”

“Sky City… is falling!!”

Someone shouted in alarm, and everyone, forgetting the battle, looked up.

The majestic Sky City seemed to have lost its propulsion. The massive steel island, like a giant meteor, was slowly losing its ability to float. The warships floating around Sky City were overturned by the impact. This miraculous city, symbolizing power and embodying all of humanity’s beautiful imaginations, was crashing down toward the ground with a deafening roar!

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