Genius Mechanic: Chapter 191

Accidentally posted 192 instead of 191. Sorry for that everyone.

Agaman Sea Star Contaminated Zone (Galactic Ranking Competition)

191. Bumper Harvest

Proofread by Cloud Chip Cake and An Zheee 

“Dawn Galaxy’s 16th Team Battle League Ranking Tournament has concluded! First place is KID!”

When the tournament system announced the message, many spectators were still processing the intense battle. The arena then erupted into deafening cheers. These cheers filled the Agaman Sea Star Contaminated Zone’s whole venue and spread across StarNet. Many people, initially stunned, were quickly caught up in the event’s atmosphere.

KID, who had just missed the top 8 last season, emerged as a dark horse and surpassed Gale in Dawn Galaxy’s rankings, becoming the number one, the dominant team in the new competition system. Gale fought KID until the very last moment, and even though the outcome was decided 10 minutes before the end of the seventh day’s countdown, Gale did not cease their attack, nor did KID let up on their defense. The two sides continued to battle until the final results were announced.

【Oh my god, both sides are so strong!!!】

【KID really took down Gale, WTF WTF WTF!!!】

【Sink!!! That final energy control was so impressive, it gave me goosebumps.】

【Trace and Yan were great too! I was so nervous at the end, their energy was almost depleted!】

In KID’s base, Gu Xiaotian excitedly talked to Jiang Simiao, who was still in a daze. They had indeed secured second place and fought their way to first. This was the top spot in the Dawn Galaxy! Something that the former KID giants hadn’t achieved was now accomplished by these young guys!

Jiang Simiao’s eyes were filled with tears, and he was speechless for a long time.

The young Gu Xiaotian, thrilled, spoke with Grandpa Gu and Dr. Erik, as the KID lounge, with only three people, was filled with joy.

In the rest areas of the other teams; Ke Lin admired the mechas on the virtual screen: “A very impressive match.”

Black Crow’s Wen Yi didn’t stay long. He turned to Chi Lizi and said, “After the ranking ceremony, we’ll return and train harder.”

Li Zi made a couple of “oh oh” sounds, repeatedly turning his head to look behind him. “I really want to have a match with them.”

Wen Yi replied, “There’ll be a chance.”

At Aegis’ base, the mecha pilots had just finished watching the grueling, multi-hour battle.

Captain Wu Qingshuang calmly turned off the virtual screen and sent all the pilots to training. When she turned her head, she saw the head coach of Aegis standing behind her.

Before the head coach could speak, Wu Qingshuang was already talking: “The Star Domain Competition is a tough fight; we don’t just have old rivals.”

The KID livestream became the hottest topic in Agaman Sea Star Contaminated Zone, with a huge influx of viewers. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the new champions. Just three days ago, they hadn’t even expected KID to reach the top four, let alone make it this far.

KID’s fans were in disbelief. Most of their ambitions had only been to see KID secure a top 8 position, but KID’s performance in the Agaman Contaminated Zone had been outstanding. They were no longer just a team relying on flashy plays and opportunistic strategies; they could now bring down even strong teams like Gale.

Long-time KID fans were emotional, while new fans were ecstatic.

【Holy shit, brothers… KID really won.】

【My mom, I’m suddenly so excited!!!】

【Sink was amazing, from the moment he started switching attacks with Trace I couldn’t relax.】

【We won, we won, KID won!!!】

Far away, in a mecha parts store in Mingguang Star, a fat shopkeeper, who had been watching the match, nearly forgot to collect the payment. After being reminded by the customer, he took the money and, wiping away his tears, looked at the victory information on the livestream. Xun Bao couldn’t help but wipe his nose, “Well done, Chenlin. You should stay on the battlefield.”

Jiang Yu, who had just come out of a Contaminated Zone, was drenched in sweat. As soon as he exited the mecha’s cockpit, he heard the news from afar. He stared at the message on his light brain for a long time before finally breaking into a relieved smile.

The number of viewers in the livestream kept increasing, with more and more from the Dawn Galaxy’s StarNet joining in.

Many people crowded into KID’s livestream, witnessing the rise of a new dominant force in Dawn. The applause from all mecha pilots echoed on.

Every leader at the podium stood up and gave a warm round of applause. Li Jingyan, with a kind gaze, locked onto the remaining five mechas on the field, softly said amidst the overwhelming cheers, “They are all Dawn’s strongest.”

In the arena, the five mechas stopped fighting. Zhao Lejie, feeling dizzy, leaned back in his cockpit and said, “Boss, we lost.”

“Yeah, we lost.” Qi Sicheng’s gaze drifted to the mechas in the distance. Losing wasn’t shameful; encountering a strong opponent was a rare experience. Gale had held the top spot in Dawn for too long. The future seemed like a gray and endless road, hard to see and even harder to traverse. The Star Alliance beyond was far more expansive.

He severed part of his mental connection, feeling both exhausted and a bit of excitement. “We’ll train harder when we get back. Next season, we’ll reclaim our position.”

At the flag point, Ying Chenlin looked at the victory reminder that appeared in front of him. His eyes were fixed on the virtual frame with the winning text. After many years, he once again saw the emblem of victory in a galaxy competition from inside the cockpit. The feeling was like being transported back to his younger self, receiving the final recognition on a battlefield where he had given his all.

He forgot about his exhaustion until he heard Huo Yan’s voice, which brought him back to the present.

When Huo Yan’s voice reached his ears, Ying Chenlin’s vision suddenly went black. He quickly tried to control the program interface, but before he could disconnect mentally, someone grabbed his mecha from behind with one hand.

As Ying Chenlin recovered from the darkness, he looked up and saw a mecha beside him. “You Ge.”

Not calling him by his full name? You Su was amused by the informal address and chuckled, “You still have the strength to call out. Seems like you haven’t passed out.”

Ying Chenlin replied honestly, “I’ve lost my strength.”

You Su pulled him along with one hand. “Don’t fall asleep.”

Ying Chenlin’s head was buzzing. “…Mm.”

“Hey? Captain Huo, can you still stand?” Zhao Lejie opened an external channel. “You’ve really got some strength. You held on well.”

“How could we admit defeat?” Huo Yan said with a smile. “But it feels like my back’s been strained. Fortunately, it’s over. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to keep up with you.”

Qi Sicheng flew over to Huo Yan’s side and asked, “Can you still fly?”

Huo Yan endured the soreness in his back. “I can manage.”

But the younger ones were exhausted. After more than ten hours of fighting, they were definitely worn out.

Several mechas rose from the depths of the sea. In Agaman’s deep night, with a few stars visible in the distance, the Agaman Sea Star Management Bureau’s rescue team had already parked their ship and opened the docking bays for the mechas as they surfaced.

You Su noticed the movement of the mecha and asked, “What are you looking at?”

Ying Chenlin, being pulled backward, didn’t forget to glance toward the other side of the sea and replied, “Lin Yao told us to retrieve the fish before he was eliminated.”

You Su laughed at the response. “Do you have the strength to go back and get it?”

Ying Chenlin thought for a moment.

Huo Yan laughed heartily. “It seems like you’re out of strength. No worries, Da Feng went out first. He probably told the boss.”

The rescue ship brought everyone back to the Agaman Jump Zone. As soon as they disembarked, a large number of medical staff rushed over. Routine physical checks were conducted, and those who were fine were already leaving. Ying Chenlin was immediately placed on a stretcher. When the doctors arrived, he saw Dr. Erik among the medical team, who was talking to the medical staff, presumably reviewing Ying Chenlin’s medical report.

Ying Chenlin glanced around. Many in the medical team were busy, making the entire Jump Zone quite lively.

He tilted his head slightly, his exhausted brain feeling like rusted gears, moving slowly and aimlessly as he looked at the equipment high above the Jump Zone.

You Su didn’t stay too far away. He sat next to Ying Chenlin’s medical stretcher. Among the KID team, he was in the best condition. His physical fitness was so impressive that the examining doctor couldn’t stop praising him. As soon as the examination was done, You Su looked over at the nearby young man, who lay quietly on the stretcher, staring blankly at the high-up equipment, seemingly lost in thought.

“Are you okay to go up to the awards podium later?” Huo Yan came over after finishing his check, seeing Ying Chenlin still lying on the stretcher. “Should we let you rest a bit?”

Dr. Eric, who had just finished the examination and was waiting for the results, was about to speak when the young man on the stretcher sat up, seemingly ready to go with them. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, instead throwing a glance at Shen Xingtang.

As the Dawn Galaxy’s competition came to a close, all mecha pilots were undergoing checks, but the excitement outside the arena didn’t stop.

News on StarNet spread wildly. The hashtags #GaleSecond# and #KIDFirst# were everywhere on the Dawn Galaxy’s intranet. Discussions about KID surged, and videos of the final match were spread by major bloggers, attracting countless viewers to see this team’s newly crowned kings.

Everyone waited in the live broadcast room for the mecha pilots to appear after their checks. When it was time for the awards ceremony, all members of KID were present. The mecha pilots stood in a line on the Agaman stage, their figures of various heights standing straighter than anyone else.

The red and white team uniforms stood out prominently on the dazzling awards stage. The exhausted mecha pilots had smiles of joy on their faces.

Fans of KID who had come along with Sink had mixed feelings upon seeing this scene. Some cheered out loud, while others looked at the straight-backed figures on the stage, their emotions focused on the sight of Sink standing on the awards podium for the first time.

He wasn’t limited by age restrictions but was standing on the podium again after his right-arm’s injury.

From a brilliant Individual Soldier to a team player, the once-highlighted achievements of Sink, which were all about solo brilliance, now seemed to be buried amid the teamwork of team battles. Many people said Sink was strong, but despite the praise, many still viewed him with skepticism, especially after news spread about his right arm’s injury preventing him from playing for extended periods.

On the battlefield, Sink showcased peak performance after peak performance, with astonishing plays that turned the tide of the game. Every second of the ranking matches was hard-fought. Now, Sink’s actions demonstrated that while he could win the galaxy championship as an Individual Soldier, he could also claim the galaxy championship in team battles.

【Wuwuwu, I’m crying.】

【Dawn team battle champion ahhhh!】

【So amazing!】

【Sink can fight even longer! KID, go for it!】

When Li Jingyan arrived at the award stage, he saw a group of exhausted but smiling young people. His gaze lingered on them for a moment before settling on the slightly shorter boy in the crowd. The boy’s face was pale, but his expression was one of clear joy, shared with his teammates.

Ying Chenlin, hearing his teammates’ quiet discussions, turned his head and saw Li Jingyan not far away.

Their eyes met, and Li Jingyan had already walked up to KID.

The cheers in the venue were deafening. Li Jingyan handed the championship trophy to the team’s captain, Huo Yan.

The host asked KID if they had any words to share.

The KID members hadn’t prepared any acceptance speeches in advance. They had planned to look up someone else’s acceptance speech on StarNet and follow it, but they were rushed and hadn’t memorized it. When they stepped on stage, their minds were blank.

They were too tired from the intense game and still riding the high of their victory.

Ji Qingfeng said, “We are awesome.”

Lin Yao echoed, “We are incredible.”

Then came their hearty, carefree laughter.

【Did KID not prepare a draft?】

【I suspect they didn’t even plan on winning first place.】

【Laughing my head off, they didn’t say a single polite word.】

The audience and hosts were nearly amused by their performance. Jiang Simiao, watching the interview from backstage, smacked his head, thinking how could these people not have a bit more class when receiving an award?

Shen Xingtang leaned on the backstage entrance, her gaze fixed on the lively mecha pilots. Her eyes were filled with indescribable emotions. As she scanned everyone, she realized that apart from happiness, she felt a sense of something hard to explain, the feeling that everything had been hard-earned.

This feeling was hard to describe, as though the KID team, despite coming together only for a little over two years, had achieved something that felt like it spanned a much longer time.

Jiang Simiao noticed Shen Xingtang’s silence and asked, “Xingtang, aren’t you happy?”

“I am,” Shen Xingtang said, slightly tilting her head up. “I’m just feeling a bit sentimental.”

Fortunately, there was a reliable Huo Yan in KID. After eliciting laughter from the audience, Huo Yan managed to give a brief summary. After the lengthy interview process, the KID members headed backstage. Ying Chenlin had just taken a few steps when he saw Li Jingyan waiting for him at the backstage entrance. He informed his teammates and quickly made his way to Li Jingyan.

“Why did you come over?” Li Jingyan asked.

After catching his breath, Ying Chenlin said, “I saw you here, and I wanted to thank you.”

Li Jingyan looked at the young man before him, suppressing his own excitement, and said, “Welcome back.”

Ying Chenlin, upon hearing this, solemnly replied, “Thank you.”

In the brightly lit corridor, after finishing his conversation with Li Jingyan, Ying Chenlin turned toward KID’s lounge. The fatigue he had been holding back grew heavier amidst the lively noise of the venue. As he walked, his vision began to darken. Just as he was about to steady himself, someone grabbed his collar.

Before Ying Chenlin could react, he heard You Su’s voice.

You Su’s voice had a slight accent that made it hard for Ying Chenlin to understand. The exhaustion he had been enduring hadn’t eased, and his vision was becoming more blurred. He felt the hand on his collar tighten, and before he could fall forward, he was pulled upright by a sudden force.

Looking up slightly, Ying Chenlin saw You Su standing in front of him. “Aren’t you going with them?”

Instead of answering, You Su asked, “Can you walk?”

Ying Chenlin felt dizzy, and the sudden onset of dizziness made it hard to recover. As he tried to speak, he saw a flash of red in his dim vision. He was momentarily stunned, and before he knew it, he found himself draped over You Su’s shoulder.

“You Ge?” Ying Chenlin was surprised.

You Su simply said, “Hold on to yourself.”

The man’s back was broad and steady, and his steps were very firm.

Ying Chenlin rested his head slightly on You Su’s shoulder, closing his eyes to fend off the encroaching darkness. As he walked with the steady steps, You Su’s unique scent seemed to envelop him, somewhat like the mental power left in You Su’s cockpit, but with a gentler feeling.

The steady rhythmic footsteps gave a reassuring sense of stability.

Ying Chenlin, in his drowsy state, thought that it seemed like You Su was always there whenever he was on the brink of fainting.

The corridor was bustling with people, but You Su’s steps were quick and steady, soon arriving at KID’s lounge. As he was about to call for Dr. Erik, he noticed the pressure on him had lessened slightly. Turning his head, he could detect a faint breathing near his ear.

Along with the breathing, there was a rhythmic heartbeat that grew stronger, though it was hard to tell whose it was.

Suddenly feeling a bit overheated, You Su asked in a low voice, “Ying Chenlin?”

Ying Chenlin had fallen asleep.

The KID mecha pilots hurried over upon seeing the situation and breathed a sigh of relief when Dr. Eric confirmed that Ying Chenlin had merely fallen asleep from exhaustion.

“He should be resting, but he insisted on coming to the awards stage with you,” Shen Xingtang said, unable to do anything about it. “It would’ve been a shame not to go to the awards stage. He needs to get a good rest when we get back.”

“Then let him rest,” Ji Qingfeng said, about to say something else when he noticed You Su standing nearby. “You Su, why are your ears so red? Did something bite you in the Contaminated Zone?”

Dr. Eric looked over at You Su.

You Su: “…”

Nearby, in the other mecha team’s rest area, preparations were underway for departure. The members of Gale’s team, having received their second-place trophy, looked over at KID’s area and saw KID’s members huddled together, unsure of what was happening.

“The KID team really gets along well,” a Gale mecha pilot commented.

Zhao Lejie noticed the tall Artillery mecha pilot on the edge of the crowd. As he looked over, the pilot glanced back with a cold and fierce expression.

What a joke. Their team must have some bullying going on. Zhao Lejie had heard from Hu Luobu, who had just passed by, that Trace was blocking Sink in the corridor, grabbing him by the collar and cornering him against the wall, not sure what they were discussing.

“Where’s Zhang Ge?” a mecha pilot asked.

The Gale team’s head coach turned and saw Zhang Ge, who was standing on the other side, sending messages. “I heard he’s busy with planning for the KID online store.”

“He was supposed to resign,” Zhao Lejie said. “Why hasn’t he resigned yet?”

Gale’s head coach didn’t know how to explain. Zhang Ge had originally planned to resign, but the news of KID defeating Gale was hard for him to accept. To study their future top competitor, KID, he had temporarily set aside his personal grievances and postponed his resignation, intending to gather more information about his opponent through the KID online store.

Gale’s head coach said, “He has new career plans now.”

Zhao Lejie: “???”

“Why haven’t they left yet?” Zhao Lejie asked. “Aren’t they going to grab discounted tickets today?”

Qi Sicheng said, “I heard Jian Heng has prepared a spaceship that’s waiting for them outside. Besides, they probably aren’t in a hurry to leave.”

Zhao Lejie: “?”

Qi Sicheng’s expression was calm as he turned off his holographic device and looked into the distance. “For example, how to handle that S-Level pollutant they left in the Contaminated Zone.”

KID wasn’t in a hurry to leave. Besides the pollutants left in their storage chambers, there was a significant S-Level pollutant still waiting to be recovered from the Contaminated Zone.

As soon as the match ended, Ji Qingfeng reported the S-Level pollutant’s situation to Shen Xingtang. The application had been submitted to the Agaman Contaminated Zone Management Bureau during their physical examinations. At that time, the League committee members were still present. As soon as KID finished the match and filed the application to retrieve the pollutant’s remains, the news quickly spread throughout the League’s management.

According to current League regulations, anything obtained from a Contaminated Zone indeed belonged to the mecha pilots who cleared it. However, most of what was obtained from the competition was already in storage chambers brought out by the pilots, and the competition zone would be sealed off and not reopened.

KID’s situation was unique. The Sea Rock Giant Fish was so large that it couldn’t be handled by a standard storage chamber. KID’s application was well-founded, and the League couldn’t deny it. Furthermore, KID was the star system’s champion, which expedited the approval process. After submission, the permit was approved within six hours.

Upon hearing this, KID was excited and, without hesitation, took their backup mechas into the Contaminated Zone.

The staff said, “They also applied to borrow large storage equipment from the League committee.”

Agaman’s director said, “… Let them borrow it. Their mechas couldn’t handle much anyway, and the Sea Rock Giant Fish can only be stored using large equipment.”

The Agaman leadership had to send a team to accompany them. As soon as KID entered the Contaminated Zone, they efficiently located the Sea Rock Giant Fish’s corpse. Before the Management Bureau’s personnel could assess the surroundings, KID had already swiftly begun disassembling the Sea Rock Giant Fish.

Since the Sea Rock Giant Fish was KID’s possession, the Management Bureau could only watch as they dismantled it.

… Until the Management Bureau personnel saw KID open up the Sea Rock Giant Fish, revealing the pollutants inside, and began to disassemble the Sea Rock Giant Fish into pieces, packing it into the storage equipment provided by the bureau.

KID’s mecha pilots said, “These things were inside the Sea Rock Giant Fish. We can keep them, right?”

The staff replied, “… That’s fine. The Sea Rock Giant Fish is your property.”

Ji Qingfeng said, “There’s quite a lot. We need to work quickly.”

Lin Yao said, “I’ll handle the stomach.”

Hearing the staff nod of approval, KID finally relaxed and proceeded to extract the pollutants from the Sea Rock Giant Fish’s enormous stomach, filling the storage equipment provided by the bureau to the brim.

The Agaman staff watching nearby: “…”

This scene was also transmitted to the Agaman Management Bureau’s control room. The amount of pollutants KID extracted from the Sea Rock Giant Fish’s stomach was monitored by the staff for as long as it took.

The control room fell silent until the director’s exhausted voice was heard.

“Check… how many A-Level mutant pollutants are still left in the sea areas.”

TN:

In the latest episode of KID making Management Bureau directors go bald.

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