Genius Mechanic: Chapter 185

Agaman Sea Star Contaminated Zone (Galactic Ranking Competition)

185. Final Two Teams

Proofread by An Zheee and Cloud Chip Cake

Thus, the Sea Rock Giant Fish charged out of the pile of pollutants, it headed straight out under KID’s influence.

Everyone in the live stream focused on KID, watching the Sea Rock Giant Fish devour all the swimming pollutants. Most of the surrounding A-level pollutants had fled, leaving only a few foolish B-level pollutants to be swallowed by the giant fish.

But it didn’t stop there. As the number of pollutants quickly decreased, KID changed their target. They actually guided the Sea Rock Giant Fish, luring it to hunt down the escaping A-level mutated pollutants.

The Sea Rock Giant Fish could only identify prey by scent, but KID had radar guidance. Using the bodies of pollutants as bait, they led the Sea Rock Giant Fish outward, breaking out of their previous position, and started to roam across the entirety of Agaman.

【…Why does this scene feel familiar?】

【You forgot? It’s just like what happened in Kemu Cave before, there they mined minerals, now they’re chasing fish in the ocean.】

【They’ve started to swim all over Agaman.】

【Wait? Could their direction be?】

The commentator suddenly said, “KID is leading the Sea Rock Giant Fish towards Gale!”

In the competition area, Gale’s mecha pilots had already taken a flag point and were constantly monitoring the status of the other two flag points.

There was no movement from Black Crow and YDS, but when the flag point occupied by KID started to move at high speeds, they immediately noticed something unusual.

“Maybe KID released the pollutant after capturing the point? But it’s strange that KID would let it go,” a Gale mecha pilot said. “Could it be that their mechas are too damaged to subdue that pollutant?”

Just as Zhao Lejie opened the radar to get a clearer look at the situation, he suddenly noticed the direction of its movement and was startled. “Wait, are they moving towards us?”

Qi Sicheng said, “It’s not ‘are they,’ the flag point is definitely moving towards us.”

The other Gale mecha pilots responded, “?”

“Everyone be on guard, watch out for a KID ambush!”

Gale’s mecha pilots split into two teams, one guarding the underwater flag point and the other focusing on the sea surface.

As the flag point on the radar got closer and closer, the barrel of Gale’s Artillery mecha was already charged. At that moment, waves began to ripple on the sea surface. Gale, fully prepared for battle, readied themselves.

Just as Gale’s Artillery mecha was about to fire, the next second, a massive splash erupted from the sea. Appearing before the Gale team was a giant maw filled with fangs and, behind it, the enormous body of the Sea Rock Giant Fish, on which several red-and-white KID mechas were mounted.

“It seems like they didn’t abandon the pollutant,” a Gale mecha pilot remarked. “…They’re using it as a mount.”

Zhao Lejie responded, “I can see that with my own eyes.”

Before either side could greet each other, the pollutant leaped from the water, its massive body bringing down a deluge of water from the sky. It opened its mouth wide and lunged at an airborne pollutant, swallowing it in one go. The next moment, right in front of Gale’s team, it plunged back into the water, sending a towering wave crashing towards Gale.

Perched on the Sea Rock Giant Fish, Ji Qingfeng spotted the familiar mechas in the distance and shouted, “Wow, Lao Zhao! What a coincidence!”

Zhao Lejie, who was drenched by the wave: “…?”

Coincidence, my as$; it was clearly indicated on the radar.

Ji Qingfeng added, “You guys carry on, we’re just passing through—”

The Gale mecha pilots, “…?”

After creating a massive wave, KID rode off into the distance, the giant pollutant moving straight towards an unknown direction.

Gale’s mechas were drenched by a wave for no apparent reason, and the livestream audience, who thought a battle was about to break out, were left disappointed.

Seeing KID leave, one of the Gale mecha pilots commented, “What are they up to?”

Another mecha pilot replied, “Seems like they’re showing off a bit. It was kind of impressive.”

Zhao Lejie exclaimed, “Damn! Boss, should we chase them? Weren’t we supposed to test their weapons?”

Qi Sicheng, his eyes fixed on the enormous pollutant, noticed the webs filling its open mouth and what Ji Qingfeng had been holding, “No need to chase them. KID wanted to trick us into attacking.”

KID and Gale brushed past each other. Ying Chenlin had intended to provoke Gale into attacking first, but it was clear that Gale wasn’t falling for it.

While the Sea Rock Giant Fish was devouring pollutants, Ying Chenlin redirected his focus to other parts of the Agaman Sea. Taking advantage of their high-speed movement, he used the opportunity to scout areas they hadn’t reached yet.

The livestream seemed to have hit the pause button, as everyone watched the pollutant’s movements. The Sea Rock Giant Fish moved exceptionally fast, and KID being who was riding it, they chased after the A-level mutant pollutants. Whenever they encountered a tough opponent, KID would assist the fish in fighting it.

Just when the audience thought KID was going to circle the entire Contaminated Zone, KID, upon spotting a small island, directed the Sea Rock Giant Fish to crash into it. The fish had had its fill of pollutants and was trying to escape from KID’s control, little did it know that KID had no intention of letting it go.

Ji Qingfeng: “Seems like it’s full.”

Lin Yao: “Then let’s take action.”

Using the shallow waters around the island to suppress the Sea Rock Giant Fish, the KID mecha pilots showed no mercy. They tricked the fish into a favorable combat area and, once it was full, attacked. The fish slaughter, previously interrupted, was resumed. This time, the Sea Rock Giant Fish, though strengthened by its meal, could not escape KID’s grasp.

【…So brutal.】

【Was that its last meal before death?】

【The Green Armored Beast didn’t have a good ending last time either!】

Meanwhile, on the other side, the battle was still unresolved.

When the livestream audience shifted their focus from KID to the official stream, they saw that the fight between Black Crow and YDS was still ongoing. For these two strong teams, this battle left no room for holding back—they had to use all their tricks to compete for control of the flag point.

It wasn’t easy for Black Crow to wrest control of the flag point from YDS for ten minutes, and YDS was equally unwilling to give it up. The fight dragged on for four hours until Black Crow identified a weak point in YDS’s formation. YDS’s Stealth mecha, hindered by wear and tear, became Black Crow’s focus and was heavily targeted.

In the 6v6 match, YDS fell behind after losing one mecha, putting them at a disadvantage in the team battle. Black Crow exploited this by using 2v1 tactics to dismantle YDS’s formation. As night fell on the fifth day, Black Crow seized the flag point from YDS, marking the end of the fifth day’s skirmish.

The livestream audience paid close attention to the intense clash between the two veteran teams, both of which gave their all.

【That match lasted so long!】

【YDS used up all their mechas’ durability, leaving only Captain Ke at the end.】

【Honestly, if YDS’s Stealth mecha hadn’t been eliminated so early, they might have won.】

【But in a scramble match, wear and tear accumulates, even with Medical mechas improving the margin for error.】

【Black Crow secured their spot in second-place; YDS almost overtook them.】

YDS’s rapid rise has been evident, with predictions from years ago that YDS would surpass Black Crow. In the new competition format, however, Black Crow still managed to stay ahead of YDS, securing a spot in the top three of Dawn’s rankings.

Seeing the fierce battle between YDS and Black Crow, the audience couldn’t help but contrast it with KID’s situation, leaving them unsure of how to react.

On one hand, KID seemed to have luck on their side, facing only YDS among the strong teams and eventually securing the moving flag point along with an S-level anomalous crystal. On the other hand, their victory wasn’t just due to luck; they managed to capture a flag point that Empty Cicada fiercely defended, repelled YDS from the flag point, and finally seized the moving flag point when all the other teams had given up on it.

No one questioned KID’s third-place ranking over YDS. A team that lasted till the end of the competition clearly wasn’t relying on luck alone.

“Black Crow seized the final flag point, but their damage rates are extremely high, with two mechas reaching the irreparable damage threshold of 60%,” the commentator continued. “As we approach the sixth day, among the remaining three teams, Black Crow has the highest damage rate, followed by KID, and lastly, Gale.”

The battle between Black Crow and YDS had drained them significantly. Given the current situation, it would be tough for Black Crow to gain an advantage over KID and Gale.

After Black Crow secured the last flag point, new flag points appeared on the sixth day, one near both KID and Black Crow.

Both teams rushed towards the newly appeared flag point as soon as it refreshed. Black Crow, being closer, became the first team to occupy the flag point. KID, although slightly farther, utilized their familiarity with the ocean, diving to avoid numerous pollutants as they approached the flag point.

【KID is so fast!】

【Didn’t you see how they used the ink sacs of the Slinking Cuttlefish? After riding the Sea Rock Giant Fish for a day and dumping its body on a deserted island, how could they not be familiar with the sea?】

The livestream even gave a shot of the Sea Rock Giant Fish. It ultimately met a grim fate at the hands of KID, with its corpse left near a small island. The anomalous crystal had been taken by KID, but the body remained unprocessed.

Watching the audience’s discussion, KID’s fans had a hunch that the body’s placement on the small island wasn’t random. It seemed KID strategically chose the island to prevent the Sea Rock Giant Fish’s body from drifting away with the currents, making it easier to recover the body later.

Just two hours into the sixth day, KID and Black Crow had each secured one of the newly refreshed flag points.

All eyes were on Gale, as their choice of which flag point to contest would result in a tough battle for the other two teams.

When Gale’s movements appeared on the radar, the commentator was stunned: “Gale isn’t going after KID?”

Surprisingly, Gale bypassed the historically weaker KID and went straight for Black Crow.

As the sixth day progressed, the remaining three teams became increasingly cautious.

“Gale’s Qi Sicheng is a smart strategist. He knows which side is at a disadvantage,” Jiang Simiao analyzed. “If the battle between Black Crow and YDS on the fifth day had been shorter, Gale would likely have targeted us, KID. But the prolonged fight means Black Crow’s mechas must have sustained significant damage.”

Commanders were no fools. Nearly a day’s worth of combat against a strong team like YDS meant Black Crow’s mechas were heavily damaged.

In contrast, KID’s battle readiness was unclear, so Gale prioritized targeting Black Crow over KID.

“If the situation were reversed and we were trailing, we would also choose to target Black Crow over Gale.”

Gu Xiaotian asked, “If Gale targets Black Crow, will Black Crow abandon their flag point to compete with us? We’re slightly weaker than Gale, so they might come after us.”

“Black Crow won’t abandon their flag point,” Jiang Simiao explained. “If capturing a flag point didn’t require a 10-minute occupation time, Black Crow might abandon their point to attack us. But the key is that securing a flag point takes time.”

In the competition area, KID’s mecha pilots, waiting at their flag point for Gale or Black Crow to engage, listened to Ying Chenlin’s analysis.

Black Crow’s combat system relied on long-range support, with multiple long-range mechas providing formidable rear-line pressure. This setup was ideal for defending the points, not attacking them. During the fifth day’s battle with YDS, Black Crow struggled to capture the flag point from YDS because they only had two front-line mechas, and their Stealth mecha, Chi Lizi, was also long-range. They excelled at providing sustained long-range firepower to prevent enemies from closing in but weren’t suited for aggressive point captures.

Simply put, for Black Crow, the difficulty in capturing a point from KID was roughly the same as capturing one from Gale.

The only difference was that Black Crow had previously clashed with Gale and knew their capabilities, while they were unfamiliar with KID.

Given the equal difficulty and their unfamiliarity with KID’s weapons, Black Crow was more likely to defend their point than to attack.

Ji Qingfeng: “So, they probably won’t come to fight us today?”

“No,” Ying Chenlin reasoned. “And it’s more likely that Black Crow won’t be able to hold their point. If they hadn’t fought YDS earlier, Gale might not have been able to capture the point from them.”

KID wasn’t certain about Gale’s strength; they had tried to provoke Gale into attacking, but Gale had been cautious and restrained.

Among the three major teams, Gale was the strongest, with mysterious and formidable power. As the top-ranked base in Dawn, Gale had a deep foundation built over many years that couldn’t be underestimated.

While everyone speculated on the battle between Black Crow and Gale, 13 hours into the sixth day, two mechas from Black Crow with high damage outputs were eliminated, and Gale captured the flag point from Black Crow.

When this information reached KID, Ying Chenlin was a bit surprised; he hadn’t expected Black Crow to hold out for only half a day.

Previously, they had clashed with Black Crow in Kemu Cave, where Wen Yi could match You Su’s cannon fire. Yet, Black Crow had only managed to hold out against Gale for half a day.

After losing two mechas, Black Crow didn’t choose to switch points but continued fighting Gale.

With only four mechas left, they had no chance to sneak attack KID’s point. Instead, they decided to take this opportunity to battle Gale to the end and gain combat experience against them.

The livestreams focused intensely on the fight between Gale and Black Crow, but the battle was one-sided.

In the end, all of Black Crow’s mechas were eliminated, Gale secured the flag point, and their damage levels were manageable.

With Black Crow out, the remaining teams were Gale and KID.

This result surprised everyone; many viewers hadn’t expected that the base facing Gale on the seventh day would be KID.

【Holy sh*t! Is it really KID that’s left in the end?】

【Black Crow and YDS suffered too much damage and couldn’t hold out.】

【Gale’s damage levels are impressively low!】

【I’m a bit surprised that KID managed to keep their damage levels so low.】

Although it wasn’t yet the seventh day, everyone’s focus was already on the final match-up between Gale and KID. After fighting Black Crow, Gale underwent Medical repairs, and the damage levels of all their mechas were below 20%, which was an excellent result for a competing team.

What surprised the audience was that KID also managed to maintain very low damage levels.

【KID’s most damaged mechas should be their Stealth and Tank.】

【But isn’t that still impressive? I remember their Stealth mecha took a lot of hits, yet its damage is only at 35% now???】

Considering KID’s battles—causing a tsunami with a huge explosion, capturing a point from YDS, chasing an S-level pollutant—each of these was a significant drain on resources. Yet, KID managed to keep their Stealth mecha at just 35% damage.

Other mechas had damage levels between 20% and 25%, with their Stealth having the highest at 35%.

It’s important to note that Medical mechas can only repair a mecha a limited number of times, and each time, the amount of damage they can fix is limited. KID’s Stealth mecha must have undergone numerous repairs, yet it still maintained such a low damage level. This wasn’t just due to good control.

【KID’s Medical, Sink, was previously KID’s mechanic…】

【A mechanic fixing mechas might not strictly follow the medical system’s procedures, only relying on the medical system’s assistance for repairs.】

【Don’t forget, KID spent 8000 star coins to bring back their mechanic!】

With the introduction of Medical mechas into the competition, each Medical mecha came equipped with a medical system that allows for automatic repairs with minimal input from the mecha pilot. As the new competition format has evolved, many teams have focused more on utilizing the functional aspects of Medical mechas, particularly the two weapon slots they carry, to enhance their tactical strategies.

Many people overlooked the core function of Medical mechas themselves. Now that KID’s mechas have maintained exceptionally low damage levels, the audience has started to pay more attention to the actual repair work. Indeed, while many mecha pilots can perform the role of a Medical mecha pilot, it is rare in the Dawn Alliance for a mechanic to also serve as a Medical mecha pilot. Once they learned that Ying Chenlin was formerly a mechanic, people began to focus on his identity as a mechanic, ignoring his background as a mecha pilot.

【Isn’t it extraordinary for a mechanic to become a Medical mecha pilot?】

【As a mechanic, I must disagree. The medical system already handles most of the intelligent repairs. The specialized mental power repair method is essentially to extend the lifespan of damaged mechas. However, a base mechanic focuses on restoring the damaged mecha to its original condition, and there is a difference between these approaches. Regular mechanics using a medical system’s assistance may find it less reliable than one-click repairs.】

【A mechanic may not necessarily excel as a mecha pilot! You can have a mechanic on the field, but their experience operating mechas isn’t as extensive as that of a dedicated mecha pilot.】

The livestream chat sparked discussions about KID’s medical operations, with many mechanics jumping in to provide relevant explanations.

Simply put, the medical system offers a one-click repair function. If this function is bypassed, a mechanic like KID’s would need to use their mental power to address every damaged point on the mecha, and then employ the medical system for manual repairs.

KID’s ability to last until the final day was unexpected for Jiang Simiao. Initially, their goal was to secure a spot in the top 8 and compete for a top 4 finish. Now, they were on the verge of securing a top 2 finish and competing for the top spot. Damage levels are critically important for the operational endurance of mechas. As a coach, Jiang Simiao knew that keeping a mecha’s damage level controlled at around 60% during prolonged battles provided space for the mechanics to perform their work effectively.

Noticing the discussions in the livestream and among others, Grandpa Gu calmly explained, “Their curiosity is understandable. Ying Chenlin indeed doesn’t rely on the one-click repairs alone. For other mechanics, a Medical’s intelligent system serves as an auxiliary tool. The system performs one-click repairs very well, but when it comes to repairing specific parts, it can be slower for most mecha pilots.”

KID’s damage levels have always been relatively low, and now, comparing them with Black Crow, Jiang Simiao observed that the slightest differences in damage were significant: “But Ying Chenlin’s repair work is impressively fast.”

Grandpa Gu pondered for a moment before saying, “That’s what puzzles me as well. His manual repair time is even faster than the medical system’s one-click repair. One reason is that he’s extremely familiar with KID’s mechas. He’s seen every part and can identify specific issues faster than anyone else… On the other hand, he seems very adept at using such auxiliary intelligent systems.”

As a mechanic, the repair room is where they spend most of their time. Young mechanics can freely move between mechas and perform various operations quickly. Grandpa Gu, being older, cannot operate as nimbly as younger technicians, so Shen Xingtang, considering this, added more auxiliary robots and repair equipment when the repair room machinery was updated.

These auxiliary tools were somewhat challenging for Grandpa Gu to use, and Ying Chenlin personally set them up for him.

Ying Chenlin’s setup was so meticulous that it even included spinal comfort adjustments. Grandpa Gu felt as if Ying Chenlin had previously used such equipment… He knew this seemed like a far-fetched notion, but Ying Chenlin did seem to understand these auxiliary tools very well and knew what would work best for him.

【Mechanics indeed have theoretical and operational advantages, but using the medical system for repairs during combat is a skill specific to Ying Chenlin himself.】

【Aren’t manual repairs using the medical system slower?】

【But KID’s Medical repairs them so quickly…?】

【That’s why they’re a freak. It’s my first time seeing manual repairs outpace machine repairs.】

【Considering the damage levels, does KID have a chance to compete with Gale?】

Time sped into the seventh day.

When the 24-hour countdown began, the last flag point appeared in the middle of the two teams’ positions. Before the commentators could analyze the situation, KID and Gale almost simultaneously headed towards the flag point.

At the same time, Gale moved towards the flag point several minutes ahead of KID.

“In the competition for the flag point, time is an advantage,” the commentator said, “The distances between it and the two teams are roughly the same, but Gale has a speed advantage. Their Medical mecha is equipped with a displacement device that is unaffected by water or wind, allowing for rapid movement.”

The Medical mecha’s weapon, a spatial domain weapon, accelerates the movement speed of all teammates within the same spatial range.

Jiang Simiao clenched his fists, “We’re finished… Their speed can’t keep up.”

“If we were defending, we’d have a chance, but as attackers, we have an 80% chance of losing.”

Meanwhile, at Divine Shield’s base in the First Star Domain, Aries System.

In the quiet base, a mecha pilot dressed in casual clothes leaned against the wall, holding a steaming cup of coffee. Her eyes were fixed intently on the large virtual screen in front of her.

The woman took a sip of coffee, the virtual screen was displaying the Dawn Galaxy’s ranking match.

“Captain Wu, you’re still watching the Dawn match?”

Wu Qingshuang’s gaze was fixed on Gale’s Medical mecha, which had a spatial displacement weapon, and she frowned slightly, “KID is in trouble. Gale will be the defending team.”

“Is it hard to play against Gale as the defending team?” asked the nearby mecha pilot who had just walked over.

Wu Qingshuang’s lips slightly parted, and she replied with a light laugh, “It’s difficult. Qi Sicheng alone can defend the point.”

The mecha pilot said, “So KID just needs to secure the position as defenders.”

Hearing this, Wu Qingshuang moved aside, and the large virtual screen was displayed to the pilot’s teammates.

On the screen, amid a storm, several red-and-white mechas struggled against the strong winds, with one mecha being blown several meters away by the swift winds.

Her mecha pilot teammate: “?”

Wu Qingshuang coldly remarked, “KID is facing a sea hurricane. Whether they can make it remains uncertain.”

TN:

I wish I could have seen more battles with KID facing off against the top teams. They were lucky. But at least we can look forward to them fighting the Dawn Top Dog!

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