Genius Mechanic: Chapter 156

Kemu Cave Contaminated Zone(Galactic Promotion Competition)

156. Killing Three Birds With One Arrow

Proofread by Cloud Chip Cake and An Zhee

【It didn’t collapse?!】

【There seems to be a reason why Kemu Cave can serve as an underground Contaminated Zone.】

【Is its defense that strong?】

Everyone in the live stream was startled by KID-Trace, and upon closer inspection, they found that the 100% charged Sniper Cannon shot only caused a few superficial cracks on the cave walls. Everyone couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

The Kemu Cave Contaminated Zone’s Management Bureau was very wealthy, and daring to host the Round 16-8 matches, they had made full preparations. Some commentators immediately pulled up the information on Kemu Cave and found that the different layers of the cave were filled with various unique mineral belts. This time, the match area was in the lowest layer of Kemu Cave, where the surface rock layer is filled with a mineral called [Brorite].

【Hahaha, that scared me to death. So Trace can’t blast his way through now?】

【I was initially worried that KID’s behavior of directly destroying the terrain to move up was too unfair, but now I feel relieved.】

“This time around, the location they were warp-teleported to is different from the area we reviewed before, and it’s also different from the location used in the Individual Soldier matches.” Jiang Simiao listened to others mention Brorite, his face showing a bit of frustration. “If it were in the previous Individual Soldier match area, there wouldn’t be so much Brorite, and You Su’s shot would have hit Chenlin’s position directly.”

Gu Xiaotian, hearing Jiang Simiao’s words, felt like Jiang Simiao seemed displeased with the presence of Brorite. He cautiously asked Shen Xingtang, “Jiang-ge doesn’t seem very happy?”

But wasn’t Jiang-ge very worried about You Su and the others destroying the terrain during combat? Before they set off, he specifically instructed them to try not to destroy the terrain. Wouldn’t the presence of Brorite be a good thing? At least now, You Su and the others wouldn’t be hindered during combat.

“Men are always contradictory.” Shen Xingtang glanced at Jiang Simiao. “The real concern should be how to resolve the situation Chenlin is in.”

In the lowest layer of the Kemu Cave Contaminated Zone, Ying Chenlin, who was ambushed by pollutants, was still on the move.

He ignored the lingering vibrations in the cave. While moving forward, he tried to use his searchlight to get a clearer look at the pollutants. However, the sheer number of pollutants almost covered his entire field of vision as they swarmed when his searchlight swept over them.

There were too many pollutants. The detection system’s report was filled with dense data, and Ying Chenlin had no time to differentiate between the pollutants. He flew forward with the pollutants, inevitably encountering another mecha ahead.

The other mecha had its thruster activated, but its signal didn’t appear on the radar—it was a Stealth mecha!

Ying Chenlin instinctively paid attention to the opponent’s hand movements, squinting slightly. A black stealth mecha—it was Black Crow.

【Damn! It’s Black Crow’s Chi Lizi!】

【Did KID and Black Crow encounter each other so early on?】

【Are they going to have a 1v1 battle? (Excited)】

KID’s support couldn’t reach the underground for now, and Black Crow’s support couldn’t either.

The two mechas were almost alone in the cave. Black Crow’s communication channel received Chi Lizi’s report of being ambushed by pollutants. Chi Lizi said in surprise, “The opponent is Sink. I’ve already put some distance between us, but he brought too many pollutants. Should I retreat?”

Wen Yi’s voice was the first to respond in the channel: “Don’t retreat. Stay in the underground. Sink’s situation is more severe than yours. Control your energy output and don’t let the pollutants target you.”

Chi Lizi asked, “Should I engage?”

“Don’t engage. There’s no need to waste resources here.”

Wen Yi’s voice was calm and measured, delivering the most rational analysis with a gentle tone: “Encountering Sink at this stage is a good thing.”

Hearing his captain’s words, Chi Lizi immediately understood. He adjusted his route and positioned himself directly in Ying Chenlin’s path.

Above the cave, You Su’s shot didn’t penetrate the cave wall. Without lingering in place, he immediately moved towards the surrounding caves, trying to get closer to Ying Chenlin’s position below. However, the complexity of the three-dimensional honeycomb maze made it difficult; even if their coordinates overlapped, he couldn’t determine how far apart they were vertically.

“What kind of pollutants are attacking you?” You Su asked.

Ying Chenlin replied, “They should be Night Bats, B-level pollutants. There are too many of them.”

He noticed the Black Crow mecha’s movements slowing down. While maneuvering his mecha, he used his sight to observe the situation from a distance. “Black Crow is making new moves.”

“Find a safe place and shut down all the mecha’s energy systems.” You Su said as he moved quickly, “Pollutants that have survived in caves like these for a long time are extremely sensitive to sound and light. The reason they’re attacking you is likely related to your mental power while piloting the mecha.”

Ji Qingfeng added, “But Chenlin is with Black Crow’s people over there. If he shuts down the mecha’s energy, won’t that be a problem?”

Shutting down all energy and retracting his mental power would leave the mecha with only basic defense functions. If Chi Lizi decided to attack at that moment, Ying Chenlin would have no means to counterattack.

Ying Chenlin caught a glimpse of Chi Lizi’s mecha’s movements up ahead and suddenly said, “Not necessarily. We just need to ensure he doesn’t have a chance to attack.”

The bottom layer mostly consisted of straight paths or simple bends. With the mecha charging forward along with a large group of pollutants, an encounter between the two mechas was inevitable. Surprisingly, Chi Lizi of Black Crow did not choose to retreat upon facing KID’s Sink. Instead, he stood firmly in Ying Chenlin’s path.

Chi Lizi’s Stealth mecha commonly wielded a long-range Sniper Cannon and Grappling Hook. Stealth mechas were already highly agile, and the Grappling Hook added to this flexibility, making him almost uncontrollably agile. On the other hand, KID’s renowned solo pilot, Sink, used a Binding Lock and Energy Cannon in the last match. Both mecha pilots carried similar weapons, but Ying Chenlin had control abilities, whereas Chi Lizi had anti-control abilities. Additionally, Chi Lizi’s attack power surpassed Ying Chenlin’s.

“Lizi and Sink are both strong. In terms of solo combat ability, Sink has the upper hand over Lizi, but Lizi’s mecha has higher attack power,” the commentator spoke excitedly upon seeing the situation. “Both mecha pilots have their advantages. This battle depends entirely on their performance. However, with pollutants around, this environment isn’t suitable for fighting.”

【Will they fight?】

【Fighting amidst so many pollutants, it’s hard to say.】

In Gale’s base, Qi Sicheng frowned at this scene and said, “They probably won’t fight.”

Zhao Lejie asked, “If they aren’t going to fight, why is he still there? Why doesn’t he run out of Sink’s direct path?”

At this stage, it was hard to say. Whoever initiates the fight will attract the pollutants’ aggro. Chi Lizi wouldn’t waste such a significant advantage. With so many pollutants around, engaging with Ying Chenlin would result in mutual destruction even if he wins.

“Don’t underestimate Black Crow,” Qi Sicheng watched the match intently. “Wen Yi’s tactics, though not as famous as Ke Lin’s, have kept Black Crow steadily in second place. His skill is considerable, and he never does anything that puts him at a disadvantage. Since Chi Lizi has the chance to confront Ying Chenlin directly, Wen Yi wants to extract the information he needs.”

Zhao Lejie asked, “What do you mean?”

Qi Sicheng explained, “Wen Yi wants to use Sink to gauge KID’s formation.”

Outside the arena, viewers had an omniscient perspective, knowing that neither Ying Chenlin nor Chi Lizi would receive immediate support. However, the mecha pilots inside were unaware of each other’s support status, making it prudent to avoid fighting in such an unfamiliar environment.

Pollutants already posed a threat, compounded by the unknown number of enemy mechas. In this situation, whoever initiated the attack would suffer first.

As the distance between the two mechas closed, everyone inside and outside the arena watched their movements closely, especially Chi Lizi, who had a slight advantage. Just when everyone thought Chi Lizi would make a move, a mecha suddenly launched an attack from the darkness.

Sink initiated an attack on Lizi!

This move surprised everyone. Sink was already being chased by a large number of pollutants. Attacking at this stage would only make the pollutants lock onto his position more accurately. Moreover, initiating an attack was practically challenging Chi Lizi directly!

Chi Lizi, of course, wasn’t going to sit and wait to be defeated. He seemed to have anticipated that Sink would take the initiative to attack. Using the Grappling Hook, he latched onto the cave wall above, and the Stealth mecha’s ability to quickly traverse, aided by the Grappling Hook, allowed him to instantly move behind Ying Chenlin. The long-range Sniper Cannon in his hand began to charge.

“Captain, Sink didn’t bring an Energy Cannon; he brought a Rapid-Fire Cannon,” Chi Lizi quickly reported.

Wen Yi hesitated slightly upon hearing about the Rapid-Fire Cannon. “A Rapid-Fire Cannon? Probe if he has an Energy Gun.”

【Wait, I just realized Sink didn’t bring his previous Energy Cannon?】

【A Rapid-Fire Cannon???】

【I remember seeing that combination on StarNet, right? A Rapid-Fire cannon and an Energy Gun!】

【And wasn’t that setup shown in Chi Lizi’s live stream?】

【Black Crow must have studied that combination. Why is Sink using it then?】

The combination of a Rapid-Fire Cannon and an Energy Gun offers a significant advantage to a Medical mecha by greatly increasing its attack frequency. However, this high-frequency attack only further depletes energy. When viewers noticed Sink using a Rapid-Fire Cannon, many couldn’t understand why. Since Sink’s attack strategy targeting Medical mechas appeared in the Dawn Galaxy League, many had assumed that Sink was the same player who frequently used this tactic in virtual battles recently.

However, while the Rapid-Fire Cannon and Energy Gun combination greatly enhanced Sink’s offensive capability, it also meant Sink lost his control abilities.

Can a Medical mecha without control abilities still manage a solo kill?

Zhao Lejie was puzzled. “Sink’s tactics are almost fully exposed. Why would KID still use this setup? Isn’t this the same configuration from Chi Lizi’s live stream?”

Qi Sicheng also frowned slightly, seemingly unable to understand Sink’s purpose in bringing a Rapid-Fire Cannon. “It’s very strange.”

As Sink’s weapon was exposed, Wen Yi quickly analyzed KID’s configuration. Given the high consumption of the Rapid-Fire Cannon, Sink was highly likely to be carrying an Energy Gun. Sink was one of KID’s core members, and Black Crow, known for its flexibility and control, wouldn’t risk letting a Medical mecha serve as their core attacker without sufficient control.

Trace was KID’s constant core attacker, always carrying dual cannons as a standard setup.

Huo Yan and Ji Qingfeng could control, but their abilities were limited to close-range control.

As for Lin Yao, it’s common knowledge that he doesn’t use cannon-type weapons.

Lu Xi’s usual weapons are an Enhancement Cannon and Water Flow Projectiles. Relying solely on Water Flow Projectiles to deal with Black Crow’s long-range mechas seemed like wishful thinking. Wen Yi understood Sink’s capabilities. Initially, he judged that if Sink could handle an Assault Medical role, he could also manage a control Medical role. Therefore, he considered it more likely that Sink would use a control Medical setup in this match…

But Sink didn’t. He used a Rapid-Fire Cannon.

“The breakthrough point in this match isn’t Sink. Be cautious of the other KID mecha pilots,” Wen Yi quickly analyzed the situation, undeterred by Sink’s weapon choice. “Pay close attention to Ji Qingfeng and Lu Xi, especially Ji Qingfeng. That Stealth mecha poses a significant threat to our long-range mechas.”

In the live broadcast, during the round of exchanges between Sink and Lizi, Lizi completely dominated.

Stealth mechas had a natural advantage since their radar signals didn’t show up.

In such a dark environment, detection methods like radars were ineffective against Stealth mechas, meaning the opponent’s mecha couldn’t predict the attack direction in time.

Chi Lizi’s Grappling Hook provided him instant-movement and the ability to break out of control effects. Combined with the advantages of his Stealth mecha, he can launch attacks from unseen positions. Viewers saw Chi Lizi use the Grappling Hook to maneuver behind Sink, and in the next second, his charged long-range Sniper Cannon fired in Sink’s direction.

The Sniper Cannon’s speed was swift, but just as it was about to hit Sink, the red mecha in the darkness suddenly collided with nearby pollutants, narrowly avoiding the sniper shot. In the split second after dodging the Sniper Cannon shot, Sink’s Rapid-Fire Cannon changed directions and fired towards Chi Lizi’s position.

Sink had reacted in such a short time, counterattacking in the direction of Lizi’s Sniper Cannon.

【Sh*t… dodging a Sniper Cannon like that!】

【How did he do it?】

“Is this guy a monster?” Chi Lizi immediately used his Grappling Hook to change positions, evading Sink’s counterattacking Rapid-Fire Cannon shot.

Wen Yi cautioned, “Be extra careful; his individual combat skills are stronger than yours. If he doesn’t use any other weapons in the next five minutes, retreat immediately.”

Both parties changed positions incredibly swiftly. While Chi Lizi was ambushing from a distance, Ying Chenlin remained completely calm. Although the radar showed no signs of the Stealth mecha, Ying Chenlin remembered the timing of the Stealth mecha’s charged Sniper Cannon precisely. With so many pollutants around him, Chi Lizi had to encounter them if he wanted to attack, which meant even the stealthiest attack would produce a brief, unusual sound upon contact with the pollutants.

The Stealth mecha’s attacks would avoid the range of Ying Chenlin’s spotlight, so frontal attacks were impossible. Hence, he only needed to pay attention to sounds from the sides and rear. Once the initial position was determined, Chi Lizi’s landing point could be judged based on the Grappling Hook’s distance and the cave’s unique structure.

【Wow, these two are incredibly agile.】

【Considering the terrain, it’s surprising that neither has hit the other yet.】

Ying Chenlin swiftly dodged an attack, and in the next moment, his Rapid-Fire Cannon shot collided mid-air with Chi Lizi’s Sniper Cannon shot, sparking intense flames. He lowered his eyes slightly, noting the increasing number of pollutants as the clash continued. He needed to escape their attacks quickly.

The Rapid-Fire Cannon’s speed exceeded that of a Sniper Cannon, leading to more frequent clashes underground. Wen Yi noticed Chi Lizi’s situation and suddenly realized something: “Lizi, retreat immediately.”

Chi Lizi paused slightly, and in that instant, Ying Chenlin, who had been attacking from above, suddenly dropped. His mecha’s spotlight shut off abruptly, plunging the once-bright underground space into complete darkness.

Chi Lizi hesitated for a moment and instinctively checked Ying Chenlin’s position on the radar.

With that sweep, he realized Ying Chenlin’s signal had vanished from the radar. “Captain, Sink’s radar signal has disappeared.”

Wen Yi frowned tightly. A vanishing radar signal? Did Ying Chenlin carry stealth weapons?

But everyone outside the cave saw that Ying Chenlin hadn’t used any stealth weapons. The moment he shut off the spotlight, he took a direct hit from Chi Lizi’s cannon, falling into the black water on the ground, and turning off all the mecha’s energy, including his mental power.

【What the heck!? He turned off the mecha’s energy mid-battle?】

【Is Sink crazy!? Without the mecha’s energy protection, one shot from Chi Lizi could cause massive damage.】

The dark environment and the vanishing radar signal left Chi Lizi momentarily confused. He halted his attack and cautiously monitored his surroundings, careful not to expose his position. But it wasn’t over. When Sink shut off all energy and stopped moving, he lay motionless in the black water. With no target to attack, the surrounding pollutants immediately locked onto Chi Lizi high above.

Having lived long in darkness, the pollutants’ visual acuity had significantly degraded. They attacked based on reactions to sound, light, and mecha’s energy. Wherever the reaction was strongest in the darkness, they would charge towards it.

Chi Lizi suddenly realized, “Captain, Sink set me up.”

He had no choice but to lead the pollutants away. “They’re all attacking me now.”

“Stay calm,” Wen Yi advised. “Reduce your energy consumption and retreat, use the Grappling Hook to escape the battle. We’ll prepare to cover you.”

Chi Lizi’s Grappling Hook was an extremely useful tool for disengagement. The Grappling Hook could shift positions without relying on control capabilities, and each teleportation would reduce the response of the mecha’s energy. This was his guarantee for engaging with Ying Chenlin in such an environment. However, he didn’t expect Ying Chenlin to find a way to redirect all the pollutants’ aggro towards him.

Chi Lizi could only move upwards; he couldn’t maneuver underground anymore. He was somewhat puzzled. “Isn’t his other weapon an Energy Cannon? KID actually gave Sink such a weapon? Aren’t they afraid of energy consumption?”

【Lizi, don’t be stupid! He didn’t activate any weapon; he just shut down!】

【Damn, who would have thought of shutting down mid-battle! Sink even took a wave of damage. If it were me, I would definitely suspect the opponent had special weapons!】

“Sink played a double-edged move this time!” Zhao Lejie exclaimed, shocked. “Not only did he hide another weapon, but he also shifted a lot of trouble to Black Crow!”

Ying Chenlin naturally knew what consequences Chi Lizi’s attacks would bring without the mecha’s energy protection. But he needed to escape from these pollutants, which meant he had to deal with Chi Lizi first.

If Chi Lizi fled first, he could simply shut down the mecha’s energy. But if Chi Lizi didn’t flee, he had to prevent Chi Lizi from firing at him.

Being cautious was a good thing, but being too cautious would make him overly defensive.

As long as Chi Lizi was on the defensive, it would give him a chance to escape.

The opponent not only wouldn’t fire, but they also had to deal with this pollutant problem for him.

With all the energy in the mecha shut off, Ying Chenlin couldn’t see anything and couldn’t hear his teammates’ voices. He didn’t move but cautiously observed his surroundings through the cockpit’s walls.

The sounds were too faint, so he could only judge by counting seconds.

From the recent skirmish with Chi Lizi and the current situation, he had basically confirmed certain theories. In terms of dealing with pollutants, Ying Chenlin’s experience was not as extensive as You Su’s. Even though he knew about the light-avoiding reflex of the Night Bats, he couldn’t be entirely sure if there were alternative pollutants among these pollutants.

Shutting down carried too much risk. He preferred to have a complete theoretical understanding of the pollutants, but the practical experience of dealing with pollutants was still more extensive.

You Su dared to suggest shutting down when things were uncertain; this certainty came from his years of experience fighting in Contaminated Zones.

Ying Chenlin had no reason not to trust his teammate. Special survival environments would alter the behavior of pollutants, possessing certain assimilative and regressive characteristics. Just as humans would experience degradation if they didn’t use certain abilities for a long time, pollutants were the same.

Since these pollutants had survived underground for a long time, it indicated they had unique ways of hunting for prey.

Ying Chenlin thought quickly, and when the seconds in his mind reached a certain value, he decisively powered up. The newly lit faint mental power didn’t attract a large number of pollutants. At this moment, the pollutants were being influenced by Chi Lizi and moving upwards.

When Ying Chenlin powered up, everyone in the live broadcast immediately looked in Sink’s direction, and then noticed Sink switching weapons.

【Oh my, isn’t this an Energy Gun?】

【He brought both a Rapid-Fire Cannon and an Energy Gun. Black Crow was fooled by a feigned shot!】

【Chi Lizi even fled. Could they have misunderstood KID’s weapon?】

“He switched to the Energy Gun??” Zhao Lejie paused here, seemingly not anticipating the purpose of using the Energy Gun. “Could he be planning to use the Energy Gun to enhance an energy explosion!?”

“It won’t explode,” said Gale’s Medical mecha pilot. “The Energy Gun is a weapon used by Medical mechas. Although it’s energy-based, it has specially adjusted energy projectiles. To enable Medical mechas to remotely replenish energy for teammates, these energy projectiles are infused with a neutralizer to reduce flammability and volatility. It’s impossible for KID to use energy projectiles to achieve the effect of an energy fuel explosion.”

At this moment, Sink’s Energy Gun targeted the pollutants above. The output threshold of the Energy Gun was lowered to the minimum, and compressed energy projectiles were fired blindly into the darkness, hitting the flying bats above steadily.

The energy projectiles were too mild and had a certain guiding nature.

Some pollutants didn’t even realize they were being attacked, while others seemed to detect the energy. In the chaotic darkness of the underground, the pollutants didn’t attack Sink but crowded towards the high ground.

Sink’s Energy Gun didn’t stop and kept shooting at the high ground, the Medical mecha was half-hidden in the cave’s black water and wasn’t discovered by any pollutants.

The audience in the live broadcast couldn’t understand this operation, and the commentators were also confused, saying, “Sink powered up, but he switched to the Energy Gun and is shooting at the pollutants!”

【Shooting at pollutants with an Energy Gun? Isn’t that a waste of energy?】

【Huh? He’s shooting with such low output, and the pollutants haven’t noticed him. What is he trying to do?】

Qi Sicheng had been paying attention to Ying Chenlin’s movements. He noticed that the mecha in the darkness wasn’t moving at all, and even Sink hadn’t made any moves; he just lay there in the black water. His attention shifted to the Energy Gun and the pollutants, all of which were influenced by Chi Lizi and moving upwards. Suddenly, he realized something. “Immediately model the directions those pollutants are moving in.”

The nearby data analysts said, “There’s too much data for so many pollutants; how do we model it?”

“Use energy reaction detections!” Qi Sicheng said.

The staff from Gale’s work team immediately took action. Soon, they discovered that the pollutants carrying energy reactions were becoming special highlights in the area with high pollution reactions under external energy monitoring systems. They were influenced by Chi Lizi and moving upwards, unexpectedly branching out into several routes.

In the darkness, in front of Ying Chenlin, a weak light screen was shining, forming a special multi-dimensional coordinate system. He switched the radar to the front view from his perspective while lying-down, and the pollutants carrying special energy reactions spread out like trees in a honeycomb maze.

Qi Sicheng’s expression froze, and he immediately looked at Ying Chenlin. “He’s using Chi Lizi and the pollutants to navigate the maze!”

TN;

WTF Ying Chenlin is so smart!

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