Genius Mechanic: Chapter 179

Agaman Sea Star Contaminated Zone (Galactic Ranking Competition)

179. Spider Web in the Sea.

Proofread by Cloud Chip Cake

“Why aren’t YDS activating their shields!?” Zhang Ge asked in surprise as he watched the scene. “In underwater situations with wide-range control attacks like this, activating their shields should solve the problem.”

Gale’s head coach frowned. “Something’s off… YDS seems unable to activate their shields.”

“Unable to activate their shields? That’s impossible. Control effects last only 3 to 4 seconds at most, and YDS has two shields.”

“Trace’s Sniper Cannon charged for over 6 seconds just now. YDS’ Tank should have had enough time to activate their shield and resist.”

“You’re overlooking something,” Gale’s head coach said. “There’s another scenario where they can’t activate their shields: they’re experiencing continuous control.”

YDS was under an unknown continuous control, but none of KID’s mecha pilots had visibly used any control weapons.

Zhang Ge paused mid-sentence. “I didn’t see KID use any weapons… wait, there’s something strange about Lucy’s Water Flow Cannon. She hasn’t fired it yet, right?”

Ke Lin’s expression changed slightly. He quickly glanced at the other KID mechas, but none of them were using a thunder-attribute weapon.

His gaze then fell on the Stealth mecha surrounded by his Conduction Chain Spheres. This mecha had been using displacement to dodge his thunder-attribute spheres, yet now it wasn’t escaping and remained within the spheres. “Something’s wrong!”

Realizing this, Ke Lin swiftly retracted the spheres.

As soon as he withdrew the spheres, his controlled teammates immediately regained their mobility, and their Tank quickly activated their protective shield.

But it was already too late.

KID’s three long-range mechas resumed their rapid combat rhythm after the brief engagement. The scattered YDS frontline hadn’t yet regrouped, and successive quick attacks left YDS with no chance to rescue their Medical. YDS’s Stealth mecha had to retreat to the rear under the Tank’s protective shield.

With the Conduction Chain Spheres retracted, the restraint on Ji Qingfeng’s weapon was lifted, effectively freeing him. Seizing the opportunity, he quickly dove deeper. Ke Lin wasn’t about to let Ji Qingfeng exploit this chance, so he put away his sphere weapon and instantly drew out a long whip. He manipulated the whip with the same fluency as the spheres, and with a swift flick, the surrounding water currents were stirred into motion by the whip’s force.

Ji Qingfeng launched a sudden assault but was swept away further by the water currents. He immediately called out, “Ke Lin has taken out his second weapon, it’s capable of controlling water flows. Be careful!”

“It’s alright, the water flow doesn’t affect you much. Keep restraining Ke Lin.”

Ying Chenlin added, “We’ll find a way to break through their frontline.”

“Medical, open the shield and hold out against Yao,” Ke Lin quickly assessed the situation. “Artillery and Control, move in. Cover the Tank and Stealth. First, stabilize our original formation. KID’s goal is to disrupt us, don’t panic.”

Not panicking was essential—alongside figuring out why his Conduction Chain Spheres were attacking his teammates.

Maintaining a certain distance from his teammates, despite the enhanced effects of the Conduction Chain Spheres underwater, ensured they were unaffected.

At this moment, Ke Lin noticed KID’s three long-range mechas. He had a good idea of Sink and Trace’s weapons, but Lucy’s weapon, which looked similar to the Water Flow Cannon, was odd. Just then, he observed Lucy aiming her cannon at Hu Luobu. As it charged and fired, the energy dissipated in an instant. Something akin to a Water Flow Projectile seemed to emerge underwater, but its trajectory was hard to track.

Before Ke Lin could fully comprehend what happened to the projectile, he heard Hu Luobu shout in alarm. Both Hu Luobu and YDS’s Control had inexplicably taken damage, despite not being directly hit.

“No one fired at us!”

“I feel like my right arm got hit.”

YDS’ Artillery and Control were the furthest away, almost on the edge of the battlefield, supporting from outside. Trace’s Sniper Cannon hadn’t even targeted them—how could they be damaged? Ke Lin immediately said, “Both of you, check your vicinity for anything else immediately. KID’s Control just fired in your direction.”

“Check the energy and pollutant detection radars, aside from our own mechas’ energies, and see if there’s anything attached to you,” Ke Lin quickly added, “Lucy must have done something.”

In the chaotic underwater battle, compounded by the low light obscuring visibility, various searchlights and energy sources were being used. Clearly identifiable energy projectiles were easy to spot, but the presence of other strange cannon-type projectiles was another matter. In these hazy conditions, the first step was to eliminate anything attached to their own mechas.

YDS’ Control reported, “There’s something!”

He quickly checked his mecha’s surface for attachments and suddenly detected faint energy reactions. These energy reactions had entangled multiple areas of his mecha. As he began scanning and analyzing these reactions, he identified a grayish, nearly transparent spider silk-like substance.

“Send me the energy reaction report!” Ke Lin ordered immediately. “Cut that thing off.”

These spider silk threads were exceedingly difficult to spot in the dim underwater conditions, and they were relatively fine. Hu Luobu used the Tracking Cannon to gather up the spider silk and then blasted it apart, “It’s cut off. Could this be some kind of damage-conducting material? It can transmit over such a long distance.”

“Her weapon probably isn’t a Water Flow Cannon but one that can eject spider silk. The reason you’re taking inexplicable damage and being controlled is because of that,” Ke Lin explained, frowning. “She wrapped one end of the silk around you and the other end around the other mechas in the battlefield. Damage inflicted on the enemy gets transmitted to you.”

Hu Luobu was stunned, “When did she manage to do that?”

Ke Lin frowned, “When you were focused entirely on Sink and Trace.”

After receiving the energy reaction information Hu Luobu sent over, Ke Lin scanned the data, and his pupils constricted sharply.

Everyone was baffled by this sudden turn of events. The commentators in the livestream opened multiple detection systems to analyze the dim underwater scene. During this analysis, they noticed thread-like structures floating in the water.

Upon expanding the scope, they saw a huge, spiderweb-like energy field, with filaments similar to those tangled around the YDS mechas’ energy sources. They were everywhere, either drifting in the water, scattered around, or entwined with the mechas, seemingly forming an inescapable net around YDS’s frontline.

【WTF! What the hell is this?!】

【Pollutants from the seabed?】

【How could that be? Look at Lucy! It’s her weapon.】

Amidst the chaotic warfare, the agile Control mecha moved throughout the battle, its cannon’s charging port also giving off a similar energy reaction. The next second, these energy reactions shot out, connecting one mecha to another in an instant. Using this, she wove a massive conductive spider web in the chaotic battle.

“A weapon with conductive spider silk!?” Zhang Ge exclaimed, “How did she manage to weave such a large web without the other mecha pilots noticing? That’s incredible!”

“The underwater environment played a part too, with limited visibility making such small things hard to detect unless they’re attached to a mecha,” Gale’s head coach commented. “But even so, this isn’t just a simple use of the weapon… she’s very skilled, a fledgling natural commander.”

KID’s opponent was YDS, and YDS’s commander, Ke Lin, had an excellent strategic view, on par with Gale’s Qi Sicheng.

KID’s Control mecha pilot could actually weave such a large web right under Ke Lin’s nose???

The conductive spiderweb under the sea set the entire livestream ablaze. Everyone seemed blinded by the underwater environment, unable to fathom that someone could set up such a large strategy in these conditions.

【Lucy Xiao Jiejie is so strong!!】

【Oh my god, I have goosebumps!】

【YDS didn’t even notice her; how did she do it?】

In the maintenance area, Shen Xingtang stood before the maintenance platform, watching the coordinated efforts of KID’s mecha pilots in the competition. The Spider Silk Cannon that Ying Chenlin designed for Lu Xi was actually modeled after the Water Flow Cannon she was most skilled with to maintain the shooting feel, but the spider silk added an element of unpredictability. Ordinary projectiles are done with once fired, but the Spider Silk Cannon can shoot out an entire spider web with an adjustable size through its energy settings. The key feature, however, is its conductive property, which requires connecting both parties it entangles.

This weapon has many limitations. In broad visibility, no mecha pilot in normal combat would allow themselves to get tangled in such conductive spider silk. Before the silk even connects, the opponent would have noticed the peculiarity of the Spider Silk Cannon and cut it off.

In the realm of control weapons, the Spider Silk Cannon’s effectiveness is minimal. The spiderweb itself isn’t very sturdy and any mecha with attack capabilities could easily sever it. If its conductive ability isn’t utilized, it’s a control weapon inferior even to an A-level weapon.

But Lu Xi was different. She could transform this weapon into a multifunctional control cannon.

When Shen Xingtang first learned that Ying Chenlin had created this weapon, she was skeptical. She thought bringing this weapon to the ranking competition would be less effective than Lu Xi’s usual Water Flow Cannon. However, Ying Chenlin believed that Lu Xi could maximize the weapon’s potential.

Lu Xi is a quiet and unassuming girl. When Shen Xingtang first met her, KID’s main building was still intact. Lu Xi was a very small wallflower ¹ in the talent-packed KID, never having set foot in the arena and lacking presence.

Like Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao, she was a background player in the former KID, unable to compete. Later, when KID’s management had issues, selecting mecha pilots to take away, and the training camp dissolved, Shen Xingtang was entrusted with the chaotic aftermath, and Lu Xi stayed when everyone else left.

That’s how the current KID came to be.

That incident saw KID fall as a powerhouse, dropping from the top 8 to the top 16, burdened with many criticisms.

The team then was almost the same as it is now, except Xu Yaojun left, and You Su and Ying Chenlin joined.

In this underwater environment, if Lu Xi had directly fired a large spider web, YDS would have definitely noticed the huge web-like object floating in the seawater. But she didn’t. Instead, she chose to reduce the diameter of the Spider Silk Cannon’s projectiles to a size that was difficult to detect underwater and used rapid movements to complete the weaving. While her teammates helped disrupt the enemy’s view, she finished setting up this point-to-point underwater arrangement on her own.

She went from being unable to keep up with You Su’s pace to now becoming a core member of the team in the top 8 ranking competition stage, providing KID with a unique path to victory.

The underwater battle continued. YDS discovered the spider silk floating in the water and chose to cut it. However, Lu Xi didn’t stop. The time her teammates bought for her, and the extensive spiderweb she spent so much time weaving, meant that unless YDS could destroy every bit of the surrounding silk, they had no chance of escaping this control zone.

Noticing Ke Lin’s movements, Ying Chenlin warned, “YDS is changing formations. They’ve found the silk.”

You Su took a few steps back, “We can still suppress them. Lin Yao’s position is perfect. Ke Lin isn’t using the Conductive Chain Spheres to suppress Ji Qingfeng anymore. We need to keep the pressure going.”

“We can,” Lu Xi replied calmly. “I’ll handle controlling them.”

Hearing this, Ying Chenlin and You Su didn’t retreat. “Be careful,” Ying Chenlin said, “They might target you, especially the ranged ones.”

“They still have a weapon that controls water currents. Their Control mecha will likely try to seal you off,” You Su added, advancing from the side with his cannon. “Use the visual disparity between you when firing.”

The floating spider silk web wasn’t useless. Even if YDS cut off the silk attached to them, they couldn’t fully destroy the entire web.

Lu Xi reconnected a piece of spider silk to the floating web. When YDS’s Stealth mecha fired the Thunder Magnetic Cannon again, she linked one end of the silk to YDS’s Stealth mecha. The Thunder Magnetic Cannon missed, and the electricity traveled through the web, feeding back to YDS’s Stealth mecha.

【Sh*t! Lucy can still control!】

【She’s still using the web. I suspect she planned the placement of those webs from the start.】

【Of course they were planned. KID’s ranged mecha weren’t affected and have been continuously attacking YDS.】

【YDS’s Stealth mecha’s damage is up to 35%!】

“No, her Spider Silk Cannon’s diameter is too small,” YDS’s Control pilot exclaimed, eyes straining, “The energy readings are too hard to spot, and the seawater severely limits visibility!”

The communication in YDS’s channel carried a hint of frustration; they couldn’t completely sever Lucy’s control web.

Even if they cut the threads on their mechas, they would unknowingly get caught again. The entire sea area was filled with spider silk webs, making it difficult to determine whether a controlled spot had silk webs. The water itself dulled the color of the silk, and the water flow and dim environment further obscured visibility…

If it were just simple spider silk, it might be manageable, but the real problem was the large web initially woven in the area. It covered too wide an area and was constantly disturbed by Trace and Sink’s cannon fire, making it a minefield in the seawater. A slight misstep could get them entangled in these threads.

Even if they used the Tracking Cannon to disperse some silk, Trace and Sink would quickly gather it back together. The large AoE of the thunder-attribute weapons meant that if any shattered silk was in their attack range, the thunder attribute’s control would rapidly conduct through the water, turning every strike into a potential self-inflicted landmine.

Knowing the energy reactions of the web, their control weapons were effectively tying their own hands. They were positioned below the water flow, giving KID a significant advantage. They needed to change their position to avoid this control zone.

KID didn’t get involved in the web area; Yan focused on defense, Yao locked onto their Medical, and Sink and Trace executed quick attacks to disrupt their visibility. KID had a far better understanding of the web than they did.

Ke Lin’s wary eyes fell on Lu Xi, who was moving swiftly in the water. While each KID mecha pilot had strong core skills, his impression of this KID Control pilot was mainly her excellent support and coordination abilities. He hadn’t expected that the one dismantling YDS’s frontline’s formation was this unassuming girl.

If YDS continued to stay in this spot, the number of spider silk webs in the area would only increase, making it progressively harder to manage.

No way. The spider silk in the water would drift with KID Trace’s Sniper Cannon shots. If YDS retreated, Trace and Sink would push a large amount of silk in their direction. There was only one way to break free from this situation: float upwards, then dive back down to KID’s rear and re-establish their offensive.

The audience in the live broadcast watched the increasingly intense battle. When they saw YDS floating upwards, the commentator immediately said, “YDS has noticed the issue with the silk. They’re being controlled by Lucy’s web, and their front line is at a disadvantage. Retreating underwater is too slow, so the quickest way is to get out of the water and then re-enter at a better position.”

【Right, it’s hard to flank KID underwater.】

【YDS won’t be restricted once they’re out of the water. They can choose a better entry point.】

【Captain Ke’s ability to adjust is formidable. Once they find an opportunity, they won’t be limited by the web.】

At this moment, everyone in KID noticed YDS’s upward retreat, and Ying Chenlin and You Su had been waiting for this moment.

The movements of YDS’s frontline mechas immediately caught KID’s attention. Lin Yao inserted his Spatial Staff again, and Huo Yan retreated with his Counter-Damage Shield. Ying Chenlin stepped on his thrusters, charging towards the surface in tandem with You Su, who was preparing a long charge with his Sniper Cannon. Ying Chenlin suddenly retreated at high speed.

Hu Luobu noticed KID’s movements and warned, “Watch out for Trace! They’re following your tail.”

“It’s just Trace, no problem. We’re keeping an eye on him,” YDS’s Tank said. “We’ll float up and reposition. The water flow at the back makes it hard to move against the current, so KID can’t shoot the web over here again.”

Ke Lin, wary of Ji Qingfeng nearby, couldn’t move away. “Watch Lucy. If she switches to the Enhancement Cannon, Trace can coordinate.”

YDS’s Control said, “I’m keeping an eye on her. If she switches weapons, I’ll control her immediately.”

“Wait, shouldn’t we worry about Sink!?”

Hu Luobu had been targeting Sink but suddenly noticed Sink’s position was too far away. Even if he floated to the surface, the distance was too great. A Medical mecha’s damage was already low, and his Energy Cannon’s effectiveness decreased with range.

At such a long distance, he could intercept the Energy Cannon mid-flight, no problem—

Suddenly, Hu Luobu realized the issue and said in shock, “Wait!? Sink isn’t just far away, he’s intentionally retreating!”

【Sh*t, Trace is in pursuit! Can he catch up?】

【But it’s hard for him to handle it alone, right? YDS has two frontline mechas and their Medical mecha at the back.】

【Trace alone can’t take down YDS unless Lucy enhances him.】

【Enhance what? YDS is scared of Lucy now. Don’t you see how their Control is always watching her?】

【Wait??? Where’s Sink?】

【F*ck, why is he retreating!?】

Amid the turbulent waters, a hint of the dawn light seemed to fall from above. Among the swiftly moving mechas, KID’s Medical mecha was at the furthest point from the battle zone. He didn’t stop his thrusters, continuing to retreat rapidly. Under everyone’s gazes, he raised his Energy Cannon slightly, quickly charging energy at the muzzle of the fire-patterned cannon.

Sink aimed at YDS’s Stealth mecha.

TN:

Okay so here’s the thing, I’ve been translating using my work laptop during my free periods of time during the day, but they’re installing some sort of remote manager on the laptops that enables the management track all activities from the user. They’re doing this because we work remotely and with sensitive data. It’s partly for security purposes and partly to make sure we spend our time as we should. So unfortunately I won’t be able to translate on weekdays and as such the schedule will change from Mon-Friday to Sat or Sun for the rest of this month starting next week and in August. I’m hoping to get a personal laptop in September and return to the previous schedule.

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Translator Notes

1. Pei chen [陪襯] – to serve as a background in order to bring others greater brilliance/a foil[↩]