Genius Mechanic: Chapter 187

Agaman Sea Star Contaminated Zone (Galactic Ranking Competition)

187. Bidirectional Energy Cannon

Proofread by An Zheee and Cloud Chip Cake

“Taking down one of Gale’s mechas isn’t easy; their formation allows them to provide support at any time,” Huo Yan said, glancing at the mechas around him. “Qi Sicheng has calculated everything about us.”

The timing was tricky, and this point was hard to exploit—Gale’s overall strength was just too formidable.

Gale’s rhythm was steady yet flexible, with mechas countering, controlling and counter-controlling each other. At most, they could only spare two mechas to deal with Qi Sicheng.

At first glance, this setup seemed unremarkable: KID’s Tank and Guardian against Gale’s Tank and Guardian, KID’s Artillery holding back Gale’s Stealth and Medical, and KID’s Medical holding back Gale’s Artillery. The four-on-five standoff looked like an advantage for KID, but the key was that Qi Sicheng alone could counter Lucy and Qingf, maintaining firm control over the strategic standoff.

KID’s advantage lay with their assault players, Ying Chenlin and You Su, but now they were being restrained by Gale’s mechas, making it impossible to apply heavy pressure to counter. Qi Sicheng had anticipated this, targeting You Su and Lu Xi in advance to restrain KID’s main attackers through multi-point coordination.

“It’s possible to take down a mecha,” Ying Chenlin’s eyes scanned the battlefield, “but we need to first block Gale’s support to have a chance at breaking through. Qingfeng, can you do it?”

“Taking down a mecha, huh…” Ji Qingfeng exhaled and said, “Tell me, who do you want to take down?”

Lin Yao was surprised, “Have we gotten to this point already?”

Lu Xi paused, “Do we even have a choice?”

“Everyone needs a dream. If we can’t gnaw through the tough bones, we’ll have to break them apart and deal with them piece by piece,” Ji Qingfeng said, stretching his muscles. “Just so we’re clear, we can’t take down Qi Sicheng, nor can we take down Lao Zhao. One has too much control, and the other is too tanky. Fighting them head-on is just asking for trouble.”

Ying Chenlin responded, “If we’re going to break something, let’s break Gale’s core.”

Ji Qingfeng hesitated, “Their core won’t be easy to break… Other mechas might come over during the process.”

At that moment, You Su’s voice came through the communication channel: “Is 10 minutes enough?”

In the live stream, the viewers noticed that KID had failed to apply heavy pressure on Qi Sicheng, with no way to force him off the flag point. The commentator quickly noticed the situation and said, “KID’s Stealth mecha is retreating, and their Control mecha is moving away. They’re choosing not to face Qi Sicheng directly; KID has changed their strategy.”

In the dimly lit seafloor, every mecha was in motion. Gale’s formation remained very stable, and despite Trace’s continuous suppression, Gale’s Stealth and Medical didn’t lose their composure. Their goal was clear: to restrain KID’s main attacker, Trace. So when Trace suddenly started to move back, Gale’s mecha pilots noticed the action and immediately began to maneuver their mechas to surround Trace.

【KID’s containment doesn’t seem to be a threat?】

【Indeed, it’s not much of a threat. They appear to have a mecha advantage, but their weapon reserves and team coordination are a bit behind Gale’s.】

【If this continues, KID won’t have any chance to contest the point with Gale.】

Outside the arena, YDS’ team, who had withdrawn from the Contaminated Zone, were still in the rest area. Ke Lin, dressed in his combat uniform, sat in YDS’s rest area, his eyes fixed on the live stream. Watching KID being suppressed by Gale, his expression didn’t change much, as he continued to focus on KID’s Medical.

Hu Luobu walked over and saw Ke Lin’s actions. “What’s going on?”

“KID has three weapons they haven’t revealed yet,” Ke Lin said. After leaving the Contaminated Zone, he confirmed with the team coach that aside from the weapons KID had exposed during their battle, there were still three weapons that KID hadn’t shown. “It’s strange.”

Hu Luobu replied, “It’s not strange for KID. Either they’re saving them as a surprise for the competition, or they don’t see the need to reveal them.”

For teams with limited combat reserves, even if they bring weapons, there are instances where they don’t use them. After all, it was important to be cautious during a match since the coaching teams of other bases will study the weapons they expose afterwards. If it’s not absolutely necessary, the weapons can be reserved for use in future matches or even the next season.

“It would be fine if it were any other weapon. But I’m puzzled by Trace,” Ke Lin continued. “He’s been using the Sniper Cannon all along.”

The Sniper Cannon is a super long-range weapon with an extensive range, but its charge time is the longest among all cannon-type weapons. Everyone knows Trace is an Artillery mecha pilot who enjoys carrying dual-cannons for weapons. His usual loadout is a Sniper Cannon and an Energy Cannon. But in his current standoff with Gale’s two mechas, he hasn’t used the Energy Cannon yet.

Hu Luobu, being an Artillery mecha pilot himself, became more serious when he heard this. “KID is hiding something.”

“They have a more suitable weapon, but they’re not using it…” Hu Luobu said, “KID’s command is clear; if they reveal their weapon, Gale will change their strategy. They can only afford to try it once.”

At that moment, the scene in the livestream suddenly changed.

Trace, who had been under pressure, suddenly shifted directions, moving from his advantageous position and charging toward Qi Sicheng. This movement was very drastic. Almost simultaneously, Qingf and Lucy, who had been near Qi Sicheng, also changed positions.

The commentator was stunned by this but quickly realized what was happening. “KID is switching roles! They’re changing who’s engaging their targets.”

【Switching who’s engaging? That can’t be possible!】

【Qingf is good at close-range maneuvers, and Lucy only has an Enhancement Cannon for control.】

These two mechas don’t have the same broad influence as Trace, who can compress an area with his Compressed Windstorm rounds. If they switch roles, they would easily be pulled into close-range combat. Just as everyone was focusing on KID’s three mechas, thinking they were about to switch and suppress their opponents, they saw Trace moving upward.

High-altitude maneuvers for mechas in the water are extremely dangerous. Qi Sicheng immediately understood You Su’s intention when he saw this. You Su was planning to perform high-altitude suppression. “Intercept his Sniper Cannon.”

“Close the distance; don’t give him a chance.”

Gale’s Stealth mecha launched a barrage of darts, aiming for You Su during the Sniper Cannon’s charging interval. Even before the darts could get close, You Su noticed them and quickly used his Sniper Cannon to blow them away. But it was clear that Gale’s Stealth and Medical mechas were exploiting the time it took for his Artillery mecha to charge, using the dart barrage’s suppression to close the distance with You Su.

“KID doesn’t seem to be planning a role switch?” the commentator observed, noticing something different. “All three KID mechas are moving together! Trace is trying to seize the high ground.”

Gale had only Qi Sicheng guarding the point. Trace’s original position was a long-range sniping spot, from which each of his cannon shots hit Qi Sicheng from the side or front. Qi Sicheng’s Ripple Staff could disturb the water currents to affect the speed or direction of Trace’s Sniper Cannon shots, ensuring that the cannon’s explosions remained within Qi Sicheng’s controllable range.

The Ripple Staff’s influence on cannon fire was limited; it couldn’t fully redirect damage like the Counter-Damage Shield and send the shells back along their original path. Sniper Cannon shots fired from the front or side were too easy for Qi Sicheng to control, so KID opted for high-altitude bombardment.

Qi Sicheng was stationed at the flag point, surrounded by underwater rocks. Overhead sniper fire would follow a shorter trajectory. No matter how much Qi Sicheng tilts his Ripple Staff, it wouldn’t be able to deflect the Sniper Cannon shots far enough away to keep the explosions at a safe distance. This means that Compressed Windstorm’s effect would have a maximum impact on Qi Sicheng.

“KID figured it out,” the commentator said during the livestream. “Close combat can’t get near Captain Qi, so they had to switch tactics and use long-range high-altitude suppression, aiming to force Qi Sicheng’s position to shift. But Gale won’t give KID the chance; their goal is clear—to lock KID down completely.”

【Oh right, if Captain Qi is attacked head-on, he can deflect the shot sideways, increasing the distance before the explosion. But if attacked from above, no matter how Captain Qi tries to dodge, the explosion will happen right next to him.】

KID’s attempt at high-altitude suppression wasn’t something Gale hadn’t anticipated; Qi Sicheng had already devised a strategy to counter it.

In the YDS rest area, Ke Lin kept his eyes fixed on KID’s movements. “Gale’s advantage in defending the point is too strong.”

Hu Luobu, noticing Ke Lin’s concern, said, “This fan-shaped arrangement is too strategically comprehensive.”

This kind of maneuvering is something only a team like Gale can pull off. Gale were an all-around mecha team with expertise in offense, defense, and control, and they had the advantage as the point’s defenders. They’d essentially locked onto the flag point and adjusted their positions as needed. Their front-line Tank and Guardian mechas prevented KID from launching a sudden assault, while their mid-line Stealth and Medical mechas, along with the rear-line Control and Artillery, were all set to fend off KID’s long-range attacks.

The flag point was in a fixed position, so no matter how KID attacked, their ultimate goal had to be the flag point.

Qi Sicheng built his defensive strategy on this premise, blocking front-line breakthroughs, locking down long-range suppression fire, and finally guarding the flag point alone.

If KID retreats, Gale won’t pursue.

If KID gets close, Gale will defend and fight them off layer by layer.

Just as viewers in the livestream thought KID could apply pressure on Qi Sicheng through high-altitude suppression, Gale had already shifted their positions. In the vast, unobstructed underwater space, Gale’s formation was fan-shaped. Its outermost layer consisted of the Tank and Guardian, the middle layer was composed of the mobile Stealth and Medical mechas, followed by the Control mecha, with their Artillery positioned on their flank.

This formation may seem somewhat dispersed, but with the Stealth and Medical mechas’ high mobility, they coordinated extremely well. No matter how they repositioned, they remained within the support range of Gale’s Artillery and Control mechas.

As Ji Qingfeng and Lu Xi retreated, Gale’s Stealth and Medical mechas had already moved in quickly, still locking onto You Su while remaining vigilant of Lu Xi and Ji Qingfeng.

“This isn’t right. Trace is closing the distance with Captain Qi and entering Gale’s defensive fan-shaped formation,” the livestream commentator pointed out. “He was originally within the range of Captain Qi’s Heavenly Thunder Cannon’s Thunder Pool, but now he’s moved into the mid-layer’s range, where Captain Qi’s Heavenly Thunder Cannon shots can reach him.”

At the same time, Qi Sicheng raised his Thunder Cannon and fired a shot at the advancing Trace in mid-air.

KID’s disadvantage was obvious, but just then, KID’s Control mecha, Lu Xi, suddenly activated her Spider Silk Cannon. Instead of weaving a spider web in the water as she had done before, she directly fired a web-shaped net. This net of spider silk was immediately detected by Gale’s Medical mecha, who quickly used a Water Flow Grenade to break it apart. However, the dispersed web still floated in the water.

You Su seized this moment, using his Sniper Cannon shot to block the Heavenly Thunder Cannon’s shot. The resulting explosion spread through the floating web, affecting Gale’s Stealth and Medical mechas who were moving forward. Lightning crackled and immediately stunned the two mechas.

Seeing this, Qi Sicheng halted his actions, realizing the situation. He immediately said, “Avoid those silk threads—they’re conductive.”

The floating webs in the water became a hindrance. Gale’s Medical mecha, equipped with a spatial-acceleration weapon, quickly repositioned after detecting the threads, avoiding the web’s range.

“The spider web restricted the Heavenly Thunder Cannon, but Lucy’s web this time was too small and too obvious. It wasn’t as effective as it was against YDS,” the commentator explained. “If Gale hadn’t detected the threads in advance and Captain Qi didn’t have the Ripple Staff, KID might have had a chance at breaking Gale’s formation.”

Lu Xi didn’t care about Qi Sicheng’s Heavenly Thunder Cannon; her goal was to intercept it and protect her team’s Artillery. Once she successfully blocked Qi Sicheng’s Heavenly Thunder Cannon, she immediately shifted her position to target Gale’s Tank. While she was repositioning, You Su, from his high vantage point, didn’t fire at Qi Sicheng. Instead, he seized the moment when Gale’s Stealth mecha was avoiding the attack and fired a Sniper Cannon shot directly at Gale’s Tank.

The unexpected shot caught everyone off guard. Zhao Lejie, who was hit, was sent flying a ways away by the Compressed Windstorm but quickly used his thrusters to return to his original position.

“What’s going on?! Are they trying to break through the front line!?” Zhao Lejie barely finished speaking when another Sniper Cannon shot was fired at his location. “F*ck! Again?!”

Trace took the high ground but didn’t attack Qi Sicheng?

The livestream audience was utterly baffled by this move, and even YDS’ Ke Lin paused in confusion, unable to grasp KID’s intentions.

“Why is he attacking Zhao Lejie!?” Hu Luobu was stunned. “If he keeps focusing on Zhao Lejie, Gale’s Stealth mecha will close the distance!”

On the battlefield, seeing this situation, Gale’s Artillery mecha hurriedly fired a shot at Trace. However, from another direction, Sink used his fully charged thrusters to reach a position within his range and quickly fired several Energy Cannon shots, intercepting Gale’s Water Dragon Energy Cannon.

Gale’s Artillery called out, “I’m being blocked by Sink. He’s intercepting me.”

“Stealth, pursue,” Qi Sicheng said calmly, not understanding KID’s intention to attack their Tank. “They’re swapping positions to restrain us. The charging speed of the Artillery can’t keep up.”

Sink blocking their Artillery and Lucy neutralizing the Heavenly Thunder Cannon weren’t the main issues. Artillery mechas have limited charging time. If KID’s Artillery tried to attack Zhao Lejie, it would expose a critical weakness, allowing Gale’s Stealth mecha to close the distance.

Gale’s Stealth mecha took advantage of this opportunity. With its innate speed, it used the Stealth mecha’s speed boost to quickly close in on Trace and thre tthree darts. At a distance, Trace was immediately pinned down by the close-range darts and stopped in place. Seeing the favorable situation, Gale’s Stealth mecha took the chance to switch weapons.

An Artillery’s defense was weak, and with a chance to get close to Trace, Gale’s Stealth mecha could perform a series of attacks.

Just as the Stealth mecha was six or seven meters away from Trace, a new weapon appeared before everyone’s eyes: a previously unseen Energy Cannon. The massive Energy Cannon, with its unique streamlined design, drew everyone’s attention to Trace’s new weapon.

【Trace changed weapons!?】

【No, it seems KID does have weapons to use.】

【Even if he pulls out the Energy Cannon, it won’t help. An Artillery is slower than a Stealth mecha and will be pinned down.】

Stealth mechas are the fastest-moving mecha, while an Artillery mecha’s speed is only slightly better than a Tank’s. An Energy Cannon’s high-damage dealing specs are difficult to utilize effectively at close range. Once the Stealth mecha evades, KID’s Artillery will enter the Stealth mecha’s combo range.

Gale’s Stealth mecha wouldn’t give Trace a chance to charge, and Trace wouldn’t be able to escape the Stealth mecha’s pursuit.

Qi Sicheng ordered harshly, “Avoid his Energy Cannon!”

Gale’s Stealth mecha was not to be underestimated. As soon as Trace drew out the Energy Cannon, the Stealth mecha had already anticipated its position and moved into Trace’s blind spot.

The commentator, realizing the danger, said urgently, “This is bad; the Stealth mecha closed the distance!”

In the wide field of view, the incoming Stealth mecha appeared like a nimble assassin, seemingly prepared to counter the Energy Cannon’s attack at any moment.

In the dimly lit cockpit, You Su’s eyes were slightly lowered, but there was no crosshair in his field of vision. As the Stealth mecha moved, the Energy Cannon’s barrel began to charge, aiming in the direction opposite to which the Stealth mecha was closing in.

Reversed? Is it a flick shot? Gale’s Stealth mecha was too familiar with KID’s Artillery and anticipated this maneuver. Just as the Stealth mecha was avoiding all possible directions You Su could attack from and moved into Trace’s blind spot, the charged Energy Cannon exploded instantly, sending a powerful burst of energy from the red-and-white mecha’s cannon.

Gale’s Stealth mecha was stunned—no flick shot!?

The Energy Cannon exploded at Trace’s reversed position. There was no recoil shot; instead, the massive Energy Cannon seemed to be filled with an immense propulsive force. Before Gale’s Stealth mecha could react, the entire red-and-white mecha was rapidly propelled in another direction, creating a distance of several dozen meters from the Gale Stealth mecha.

【A displacement weapon!?】

【Wait!? What’s happening!?】

“What’s going on!? Wasn’t that an Energy Cannon!?” Commentator A was surprised, “A propulsion device?”

Commentator B quickly added, “No, a normal propulsion device couldn’t achieve such speed. It’s more like an anomalous ability’s effect.”

Before he could finish speaking, Trace, after displacing several dozen meters, began charging again. The Energy Cannon aimed at the Tank and fired with incredible speed, directly hitting the distant Tank. The powerful propulsion force sent Gale’s Tank, Zhao Lejie, who was shielding, flying several meters away.

“Sh*t, when did he move in that direction!?” Zhao Lejie looked up and saw Trace had positioned himself above, “He changed so quickly!?”

“That Energy Cannon has a bidirectional effect!?” Outside the arena, Gale’s head coach stood up, gaze fixated on KID’s Energy Cannon, “Using an Energy Cannon for propulsion… How is this designed!? No, the key is how Trace is using it. Doesn’t he need to aim?”

Energy Cannons are artillery weapons. To ensure shooting accuracy, these weapons traditionally reduce recoil to avoid unnecessary damage from the recoil on the mecha. But KID’s Trace just used the recoil from the shot to instantly move from in front of Gale’s Stealth mecha to a position several dozen meters away.

“Using artillery recoil for propulsion?” Zhang Ge looked at the others, “Can such a weapon achieve this?”

A Gale designer replied, “It’s possible, but recoil introduces significant uncontrollability. The weapon’s design is unusual… This displacement speed seems like an anomalous effect, but it just attacked Xiao Zhao!”

Gale’s head coach suddenly remembered, “We’ve seen this weapon’s effect before, from that Steelwing Bird encountered in Qiu Jin.”

The Steelwing Bird’s ability was simple: to transform into a wind cannon for an efficient impact into its prey.

“Yuan turned that anomalous crystal into a multifunctional weapon!?” The weapon designer said, “How is that possible? Weapons with two functions require more data adjustments in a short time. Even if it can be made, the mecha pilot might not be able to operate it!”

The commentators were stunned. Before they could react to Trace’s weapon, KID’s Artillery mecha moved again.

The red-and-white mecha, not yet stable in the water flow, continued operating the bulky Energy Cannon without any hindrance. The specially designed Energy Cannon drew everyone’s attention. After one shot, the Energy Cannon charged again without pause, seemingly without any consideration.

Ying Chenlin landed in the distance, blocking Gale’s Artillery, which was about to attack You Su, twice. His gaze briefly settled on the distant moving figure, while the Energy Cannon continued its barrage. His attention remained on You Su for a moment, and then the man moved again.

It was a multifunctional Energy Cannon, a highly complex piece of technology and the weapon he had spent the most time developing.

The design initially utilized the Steelwing Bird’s anomalous ability. When the Energy Cannon was compressed and fired, the reverse streamlined design allowed the entire cannon to act as a propulsion device, enabling the mecha to achieve high-speed displacement. When the Energy Cannon fired outward, it functioned as a regular Energy Cannon.

The forward attack delivered powerful strikes, while the reverse propulsion allowed for rapid disengagement. The cannon was larger than other Energy Cannons, with an aerodynamic design that made it twice as heavy and twice as difficult to aim.

When designing weapons for everyone, designing ones for You Su was the most difficult. This person was peculiar; even with a very ordinary weapon, he could achieve superhuman results. He didn’t actually need an exceptionally powerful weapon or enhancements; he also didn’t need precise aiming. Some people are born with an innate talent for using cannon-type weapons.

Ying Chenlin swiftly adjusted his position in response to the changes in You Su’s distance, noticing that the weapon fired again and rapidly increased the distance from Gale’s Stealth mecha. He paused briefly, his gaze involuntarily fixed on You Su… so fast, even faster than he had anticipated.

The man operated in silence, leaving only the repeated roar of the Energy Cannon in the surrounding area.

Each second’s change was slightly faster than the data Ying Chenlin had memorized.

This weapon had significant drawbacks, such as poor aiming precision and difficulty in maintaining balance due to its bidirectional control. Additionally, it lacked other attack enhancements, and its effectiveness was reduced in water. The only advantage was its enhanced impact force.

In such high-speed displacement, the pilot’s physical condition and reaction ability were crucial. The pilot needed to quickly adjust after the displacements… If they couldn’t adjust in a short time, the weapon would be nothing more than a standard functional cannon. However, once the pilot could adapt, they could maximize the weapon’s potential.

In the arena, KID’s Artillery had created a distance that caught Gale’s Stealth mecha off guard. The mecha had to rush towards Trace immediately, but Trace had already anticipated this pursuit. After firing another shot at Gale’s Tank, Zhao Lejie, Trace once again used the Energy Cannon to achieve displacement.

Gale’s Stealth mecha hadn’t yet caught up with the enemy mecha before the distance between them increased yet again. “It’s really hard to chase with displacement!”

Qi Sicheng fired a shot at the high-altitude position, momentarily interrupting Trace’s aiming from above. “He’s using an Artillery; it takes time to charge for displacement. With this kind of sudden attack, his teammates might not be able to determine his direction.”

Qi Sicheng asked, “How strong is that weapon?”

Zhao Lejie felt like a pinball, toyed with by Trace’s Energy Cannon. “It’s not very powerful, but that weapon can push the mecha on impact. The impact force is too strong.”

Qi Sicheng paused slightly. The weapon’s attack power wasn’t high, so what was You Su’s aim in attacking Zhao Lejie? His gaze quickly swept across the radar, and he immediately noticed something unusual—the distance between Zhao Lejie and the Guardian had increased.

High above, after avoiding Qi Sicheng’s attack, You Su re-entered the cover provided by Lu Xi. His aiming sights were all over the place, almost relying on the radar alone to determine Zhao Lejie’s position.

You Su’s face remained calm. Seeing the movements of the other Gale mechas, he said, his gaze slightly distant, “Have you noticed? It’s too late.”

His Energy Cannon fired again at Zhao Lejie, the heavy impact pushing Zhao Lejie further away. He coldly said, “—Ji Qingfeng! 10 minutes!”

At that moment, KID’s Stealth mecha, which had been silently launching constant surprise attacks, reached the front line. Instead of attacking Zhao Lejie to support his teammates, he made a sudden move to get close to Gale’s Guardian.

“Yao Bao, go!” Ji Qingfeng swung out his curved blade and aggressively engaged Gale’s Guardian. “Now it’s time for a 1v1 between real men.”

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