Genius Mechanic: Chapter 202

Slared Contaminated Zone(Star Alliance Mission)

202. Don’t touch randomly.

Proofread by Cloud Chip Cake and An Zheee 

In the snow-white mountains, every hovering mecha instinctively avoided the area where the avalanche had occurred. It wasn’t until the buzzing sound of the falling snow disappeared into the ice fog magnetic field covering the entire mountain range, that they saw the collapsed Snowy Mountains amid the dense fog.

Due to the impact of the avalanche, the ice fog magnetic field became thinner, but it still covered the mountain range. The mechas from the other teams, positioned at a distance, could barely make out some details of the snowy plains through long-range scopes. When they scanned the safe area above the snowy plains, they only spotted a single SLY mecha, which belonged to Alice.

The signals of the other SLY mechas were completely obscured by the ice fog magnetic field, leaving behind only the freshly flattened snowy plains and the gradually thickening fog above.

“Did the mountain collapse…?”

“Was that SLY’s weapon?”

“How could it be SLY’s weapon? Alice does have the nickname ‘madwoman,’ but she’s not crazy enough to attack her own people, right?”

“This destruction must have been calculated, right? Was there really that much snow here to bury the mechas?”

“The snow layer is quite loose, as if it recently experienced a blizzard…”

They all knew how special the gravitational magnetic field in the Snowy Mountains region was. To cause such a strong landslide and avalanche under such gravitational influence wasn’t as simple as using Sniper Cannon rounds to bombard the area.

The snow layer across the entire plain was now much thicker than before, and with this thickness, it could completely bury mechas. Just how many calculations did the mecha pilot who triggered this avalanche have to make?

GBK’s elite team, led by Bai Xuyan, was tasked with scouting the Snowy Mountains region. When they arrived near the mountain, all they saw was Alice’s mecha hovering high above.

“Was this triggered by SLY?”

Bai Xuyan had received information about a large-scale energy fluctuation and an avalanche warning not long ago. Now, seeing the thoroughly demolished Snowy Mountains, he coldly chuckled when his teammate asked the question over the comms, “No.”

He had seen the same handiwork before in Coria. Back then, he was the one buried, and now, it was SLY’s turn.

The teammates following along were all astonished by what they saw.

If it wasn’t SLY, then it had to be KID!

Are those mecha pilots insane? To deal with SLY, they even calculated themselves into the mix.

With such a strong explosion, SLY didn’t manage to escape; they were all buried underneath.

A deep purple GBK mecha hovered next to a lone SLY mecha. Despite two strong teams meeting here, they didn’t engage in a big fight, instead both watched the vast, snow-covered scene below. In an environment with increased gravity, the weight of the snow pressing on the mechas would only multiply, making it difficult for SLY’s mechas to dig themselves out of the snow.

Alice glanced at the GBK mecha and remarked, “Vice-Captain Bai, you’re a bit late.”

Bai Xuyan, unfazed by Alice’s probing, replied, “I think I arrived just in time.”

“You still underestimate KID. They’re not that easy to deal with.”

Alice looked at Bai Xuyan and said, “Two mechas.”

Bai Xuyan’s expression darkened slightly at this: “Only two?”

Alice was indifferent to whether she had lost face or not, it was clear to everyone that she had been plotted against, “Yes, just two mechas.”

One Medical mecha and one Artillery mecha, together caused this large-scale avalanche, trapping SLY’s entire team.

“In this kind of magnetic field, KID can’t even use their spatial weapon.”

Alice’s eyes were filled with excitement as she continued, “They’re crazy enough, I like it. Who’s commanding them again?”

Bai Xuyan didn’t respond to Alice’s words.

But Alice continued, “So, Vice-Captain Bai, you’re also here to investigate the snowy plains? Too bad you arrived a bit late.”

“The information you want is also buried under this snow layer.”

Bai Xuyan: “What the hell do you mean?”

Alice stared at the snowy plains below, thinking about how much longer her teammates would need to dig themselves out. Complete loss of communication only increased the difficulty for her in providing rescue. Her teammates would have to rely on self-rescue; if they couldn’t dig themselves out of this snow layer, they might as well not be mecha pilots for SLY…

KID probably triggered the avalanche not just to deal with them. In a magnetic field where coordinates and positioning systems were malfunctioning, spatial weapons were completely unusable.

They never intended to escape from the start. This avalanche was something they had planned to trigger.

“I said, Vice-Captain Bai, that you arrived a bit late.” Alice’s eyes were blazing with interest, all of it provoked by the mecha pilots who orchestrated this avalanche. “KID made things more difficult for us, burying everything nice and clean.”

—

The snow covered the entire snowy plains, burying all traces of the battle underneath. In a deep tunnel-pit, buried 100 meters underground, two mechas were pressed together, dragged down by the roots of a plant-type pollutant within the tightly packed snow layer.

The snow layer above pressed in and collided, but the minerals and pollutant corpses in the tunnel provided significant cushioning, preventing the two mechas from being crushed by the surrounding environment. The dragging force abruptly stopped at a certain point, and the digging motion down the deep pit ceased.

Ying Chenlin released the roots he had been gripping tightly. Once released, the roots lost their strength, falling limp over Ying Chenlin’s mecha as if they had withered. The Shadow Fox buried beneath had long passed out during the ordeal, and the thin oxygen in the snow had put it into a state of hypoxia, leaving it half-dead.

“It seems to have stopped,” Ying Chenlin said.

You Su: “Then we should be nearby.”

After a moment of silence, Ying Chenlin said, “I made a miscalculation.”

You Su glanced at him, sensing a hint of regret in his tone, and chuckled, “Didn’t you calculate it well? You buried them all.”

In such an environment, it would have been very difficult for just the two of their mechas to effectively counterattack mechas positioned high above them with unknown weapons. The ice fog obscured the enemy’s view while also serving as their camouflage. Engaging the enemy head-on would have led to no results, and under such uncertain conditions, there was a high likelihood of being knocked out early. If something happened in that environment, and with no teammates around, the Star Alliance’s rescue might not come.

Ying Chenlin had quickly calculated the mechas positioned higher up, luring them down, and then used the ice fog to lay mines in the Snowy Mountains… all while calculating a retreat path, executing a very well-thought-out counterattack.

“I miscalculated. I thought this pollutant would take us to its lair,” Ying Chenlin said, reflecting on his mistake as if evaluating his error. “Under normal circumstances, we should have had more time to gather more information on this pollutant before taking action.”

You Su heard the young man reflecting on his actions and commented, “Haven’t you taken enough risks?”

Ying Chenlin paused at his words and looked around at the narrow ice layer: “Taking risks requires a corresponding calculation basis. In the environment just now—”

“The burying was necessary. If we had run in that situation, they would have reached the snowy plains and found traces on the ground.”

To deal with the root pollutant, Ying Chenlin had left many marks on the ground where roots had emerged in the ice fog. The strong teams weren’t foolish; if they arrived quickly, there had to be something else drawing them here.

With the emergence of such a large-scale pollutant, it was highly likely that it was someone else’s target.

With Huo Yan and the others missing, they would definitely have to explore this underground area. Ying Chenlin had no intention of paving the way for others; the traces on the scene had to be dealt with, and the mechas following closely behind also had to be addressed. Triggering the avalanche accomplished both tasks at once.

“They won’t be able to come down for a while. With the gravity’s influence, clearing this snow won’t be easy. Even if they do, they probably won’t find any traces of our previous battle.”

You Su: “The air underground is thin, and the nutrients are scarce. If this pollutant can cover such a wide area, there must be something else underground.”

Rather than dwell on this, it was better to think about how to reach the underground.

The underground tunnel was narrow, and although the minerals had helped alleviate some of the pressure, the two mechas had no room to move. Ying Chenlin’s entire mecha was pressed against You Su’s, allowing only slight movement in the narrow tunnel. During the explosion, he had embraced You Su to minimize the impact area and increase the downward dig’s speed, and now, they were stuck in a curve in the tunnel.

They were both stuck in this snow layer.

Ying Chenlin lay on top of You Su, observing the surroundings. From underground, it was impossible to discern their current direction, nor could they see anything related to the root-like pollutant. He tested the surrounding snow layer with his hand. It was no longer snow but rather an extremely hard layer of ice.

“Excavation is a bit difficult,” Ying Chenlin said. “I’ll figure something out.”

“The magnetic interference around here is also severe; the system still hasn’t fully recovered,” Theo remarked, curiously examining the limited view he had from inside You Su’s cockpit. “You Su, can you move a bit? I can’t see anything!”

Just as You Su was about to move, he suddenly realized his position was awkward—he was underneath Ying Chenlin. His back was pressed against the Shadow Fox’s corpse, one side of his body was pressed tightly against the hard ice layer, and the other side was closely pressed against Ying Chenlin.

The only thing he could see was Ying Chenlin.

Theo urged again, “You Su!”

You Su was about to tell it to be quiet, but before he could speak, he felt a strange sensation near his leg.

The sensation moved, and You Su shifted his gaze downward.

He couldn’t see the movement below, but he knew where the feeling came from—Ying Chenlin was touching him.

Ying Chenlin, lying on top of You Su, didn’t notice. He even casually used You Su’s mecha for support, moving around as he examined the surrounding ice layer. Each movement heavily resonated with You Su, like an annoying teasing, brushing against his shoulders, arms, waist…

The neural link between a mecha pilot and their mecha connects their senses and limbs with the machine. At such close proximity, they could even feel each other’s mental power seeping out from their mechas. With the two mechas pressed together, it was as if they were intimately connected, and every movement was within the other’s sensory range.

When Ying Chenlin’s hand rested on the waist and abdomen of You Su’s mecha, a particular feeling surged into You Su’s mind, as if something had been triggered.

At this moment, Ying Chenlin’s movements became more pronounced. He even moved towards the side of You Su that was pressed against the ice wall. Initially, they were only touching on one side, but now his entire mecha was tightly pressed against You Su’s.

You Su found himself speechless, and Ying Chenlin continued to shift closer.

The movement became increasingly obvious.

After assessing the hardness of the ice layer, Ying Chenlin tried to move the weapon box to a more spacious area. Just as he was about to do so, he was caught off guard by a voice in his ear.

“Don’t move.” You Su’s voice was hoarse.

Ying Chenlin paused. “I’m getting my weapon.”

The space was too small. If he didn’t move in You Su’s direction, he wouldn’t be able to retrieve the weapon. After explaining, Ying Chenlin finally took out the staff. However, his hand, which was braced on You Su, suddenly slipped due to the melting ice water, causing him to fall heavily onto You Su. In response, You Su let out a muffled grunt.

The muffled sound was particularly loud in the cramped space, causing Ying Chenlin to freeze. He hesitated before asking cautiously, “Are you hurt?”

You Su didn’t respond.

Ying Chenlin grew even more concerned. It was dark inside, and at such a close distance, he hadn’t turned on the searchlight to check the condition of You Su’s mecha. He nervously asked, “Is the cockpit damaged? Where are you hurt—”

“Ying Chenlin,” You Su interrupted him. “Stay still and don’t move.”

Ying Chenlin stopped moving, remaining silent.

The ice layer and darkness created an oppressive sense of confinement that had never been so palpable before. Every subtle change around them became more pronounced.

In the midst of this, Ying Chenlin felt You Su’s mental power.

When a mecha pilot’s mental power covers the metal nerves, it can leak out. In this confined space, You Su’s overwhelming S-Level mental power became even more apparent. The two were so close that despite the mecha’s shells separating them, Ying Chenlin could somehow sense a peculiar feeling, stronger than any time he had ever entered You Su’s cockpit.

Ying Chenlin remained still, his entire mecha pressed against You Su’s. Close contact with You Su’s mecha was something Ying Chenlin had experienced before. He had touched You Su’s mecha, he’d even entered the deeper parts of it, and had handled all of its components…

But under the influence of You Su’s mental power, it felt like You Su’s presence was everywhere.

You Su wasn’t doing well either. After Ying Chenlin stopped moving, a certain feeling grew more intense, making him uncomfortable and uneasy.

Silence felt like a form of torment. After half a minute, You Su, who had been trying to rest his eyes, realized that Ying Chenlin hadn’t moved for half a minute.

You Su asked, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

It took Ying Chenlin a moment to respond. “Your mental power is a bit chaotic.”

“I’ve disconnected the link.” You Su detached his mental connection with the mecha, his voice low. “You can move now.”

Ying Chenlin noticed that the surrounding mental power had retreated. “I think it’s better if I don’t move.”

You Su: “…”

Ying Chenlin earnestly explained, “If the cockpit is damaged, my movements could cause more severe damage. It’s fine, I can just stay here—”

In the darkness, a short, raspy laugh interrupted Ying Chenlin’s words.

Ying Chenlin was slightly startled, but before he could continue, a lazy voice rang in his ear.

“Ying Chenlin, I’m a normal man.” You Su’s tone was as lazy as ever, particularly clear in the narrow, dark ice layer, with barely noticeable hoarseness. “Don’t touch me randomly, got it?”

You Su continued, “The cockpit isn’t damaged. You can move.”

Ying Chenlin paused briefly. “Oh.”

The conversation between them ceased.

You Su had disconnected the neural link, and his mental power had withdrawn, but Ying Chenlin’s mental power hadn’t.

As silence settled in, only the sound of their breathing remained. You Su, who had been trying to rest his eyes, opened them. “Didn’t I say you could move?”

“Shh,” Ying Chenlin suddenly said. “The ice is vibrating.”

You Su was interrupted by his voice and immediately sensed the anomaly.

He had no choice but to reconnect the neural link, and as soon as he did, he felt vibrations coming from the other side of his body.

Zhao Lejie turned his hand over ¹ and swung his blade, breaking through the ice layer in front of him. Chunks of ice fell, fully opening the spaces between them.

Huo Yan’s light swept into the narrow space, revealing two familiar red and white mechas positioned at an angle. He was stunned. “What are you doing here?”

Ying Chenlin also wanted to ask, “Were you pulled down here by pollutants?”

At this moment, Lin Yao noticed the fox pollutant pinned under You Su’s mecha and the roots beside it. “Ah, it’s this one!”

So much had happened after the ice fog’s magnetic field descended. They had been at the bottom of a pit, spared from being blown away. The pit was already deep enough, and Lin Yao had managed to hold it up with the force of his space. By the time the blizzard completely engulfed them, the upper layer of the space was already covered in a thick layer of snow.

Huo Yan explained, “After we were covered in snow, the foxes suddenly decreased.”

They had been fighting Snow Foxes in the pit when they were suddenly attacked by a special pollutant from underground. Strange roots pulled the slain pollutants downward. Lin Yao refused to let that happen and snatched the pollutants back from the roots. They fought deeper and deeper underground, and by the time they realized, they had chased the pollutants even further down.

Those roots had eventually pierced through the ice layer and escaped. Lin Yao and the others couldn’t catch up and, on their way back, found the upper layer of their space already pressed down by heavy snow. The blizzard was too fierce, and they didn’t dare to wander around and risk separating from their teammates. They waited for a while, but no one came to find them.

At Huo Yan’s suggestion, they continued to track the pollutants, digging their way here, where they encountered Ying Chenlin and You Su.

Ying Chenlin recalled the pit’s location at the time. To prevent pollutants from crawling out, their pit had also been dug very deep, around twenty or thirty meters. If they continued digging downwards, it wasn’t far from their current position.

No wonder they couldn’t find the pit; the blizzard had buried it…

Where did such a fierce snowstorm come from? Could there be some unknown pollutant lurking around?

While they were talking, Lin Yao and the other two quickly broke apart the surrounding ice layers, freeing Ying Chenlin and You Su from the narrow ice crevice.

The path Zhao Lejie dug out was relatively spacious, allowing mechas to pass through freely. Ying Chenlin landed in the tunnel they had dug, and as he looked up, he saw You Su beside him, reconnecting the shared neural link. The mecha landed steadily next to them.

Even though the path was wide, the two of them ended up close to each other upon descending.

Despite being surrounded by multiple mechas, Ying Chenlin still found himself drawn to You Su’s mental power. As he was lost in thought, he heard a voice nearby.

“How did you get here?” Huo Yan asked, noticing Ying Chenlin and You Su’s current situation, along with the pollutants and minerals. He realized that their circumstances were probably more complicated.

Ying Chenlin briefly explained what had happened aboveground, including their encounters with the Shadow Foxes and attack from an elite team. “We chased the pollutant down here. We didn’t encounter Wen Yi’s team during the process; they might have been blown farther away by the snowstorm.”

Zhao Lejie looked up at the winding path overhead, managing to find where it leads in the snow. He said, “Then let’s hurry up and go up to regroup.”

“We can’t take the path above,” Ying Chenlin explained. “When we buried SLY, we also buried our escape route.”

Zhao Lejie: “…? Buried who?”

Ying Chenlin: “SLY.”

Zhao Lejie’s scalp instantly tingled. How could these people talk about burying someone so casually? And the ones buried weren’t just any team—they were SLY! Knowing that it was too late to say anything, he asked, “… What do you plan to do now?”

“Dig down. The thing SLY is interested in is probably below.”

Ying Chenlin knew this was the path they had to take. If they could solve the magnetic field problem, they’d be able to teleport out of the underground. He had tested the ice layers here, and they were relatively easier to dig through. Although he wasn’t sure if cannons could blast through them, the priority was to follow the root tendrils downward.

As he was thinking, his peripheral vision caught on You Su beside him, his gaze lingering on You Su’s cockpit.

You Su listened to the ongoing discussion with his eyes closed, not participating in their conversation.

Just then, he heard the mecha beside him move slightly.

“Who’s digging?” Zhao Lejie turned around and saw Lin Yao and Huo Yan in the rear, while KID’s two main mechas were positioned right behind him, tightly blocking his retreat.

You Su glanced up and saw Zhao Lejie’s spotlight shining on them. His voice was hoarse and unapproachable, “What are you shining at?”

Zhao Lejie quickly turned away, picking up his blade begrudgingly and resignedly chipping away at the ice.

He’ll dig, okay? Why the hostility?

If you're enjoying the story don't forget to support the author! You can also support me on KOFI for site maintenance, raws purchase or as an energy boost~ 

 

AFFILIATE AD

Want to develop your career or work on a new hobby but don't have the financial resources? Check out these courses encompassing all aspects and topics. Want to build your own website or app, but don't even know what <!DOCTYPE> is, how about these IT Courses. Don't want to keep waiting for slow translators to update? 别担心！中文课程来拯救你了! Did you just become a Teacher and have NO idea what the f*ck you're doing? Early Childhood Education For Dummies 101 is in session! Lied on your CV that you can work under pressure but are now hiding in the bathroom playing ostrich? You still have to come up for air anyways so how about taking a Self Development course to manage stress and improve mental health. Whatever you're interested in, at the click of a button. And the best thing it's all for free! And...you can get an accredited certificate! START LEARNING BEFORE YOU'RE TOO OLD TO RETAIN ANYTHING OR GET FIRED FROM YOUR JOB! Or if you are fired, Build A New Resume to reel in the next one~

 

 

Translator Notes

1. Fig: Do something easily[↩]