Genius Mechanic: Chapter 251

Asta Contaminated Zone(Star Domain Tournament: Start)

251. Day 7

The viewers in the livestream, caught up in the excitement of the battle, came to their senses when they saw that KID didn’t continue pursuing upward. One by one, they started offering suggestions in the chat. That was the team ranked third in the Star Domain! With their damage levels at 40% and no Medical mecha, if KID rushed forward and wiped them out in one wave, they’d truly make a name for themselves and become famous across the First Star Domain.  

In the third mining pit, KID’s six mechas hadn’t regrouped. The Control mecha, Lucy, and the Stealth mecha, QingF, remained at higher elevations, watching as YOU’s mechas flew away into the distance. Then, they turned and entered conveyor transport terminals to check for traps.  

“Why did this group leave so much trash behind for us to clean up?” Ji Qingfeng took a few steps back and stepped right into an immobilization trap. “How did their Medical even set so many traps? This is ridiculous.”  

Lu Xi had also stepped on several traps. These traps were set at tricky angles. Even though she had done her best to avoid the main paths, she still triggered them.  

From the perspective of a Control mecha pilot, she could only comment, “They have a strong awareness, the placement is spot-on.”  

During this investigation, viewers in the livestream saw the two KID mechas trigger traps one after another. Each activation set off a chain reaction. With traps like these, it was fortunate they hadn’t pursued YOU’s mechas. If they had chased after them, they might have ended up taking even more damage in return, which would have been a losing trade.  

“KID really isn’t set for further pursuit. YOU’s average damage level is 40%, but KID’s isn’t looking great either,” the commentator noted as they pulled up the damage data for KID’s mechas. “Their overall damage level is around 35%, with two mechas having particularly severe weapon damage.”  

The weapons with severe damage were the Counter-Damage Shield on KID’s Tank and the illusionary weapon on KID’s Stealth. The Counter-Damage Shield’s key function was to reflect damage, and it had been used to block YOU’s long-range artillery fire on the conveyor for an extended period, significantly wearing it down. Later, during the standoff alongside Trace against two YOU mechas, the shield was also used to block and deflect attacks from YOU’s Control mecha and resist some melee attacks from YOU’s Guardian, leading to the weapon’s damage exceeding that of the mecha itself.  

As for the KID Stealth’s illusionary weapon, it was heavily used for switching between teammate and enemy illusions. With the high frequency of intense combat on the conveyor, even though KID’s Stealth managed to evade all the long-range artillery attacks, the illusionary weapon’s chains were repeatedly struck by the YOU Guardian’s powerful close-range weapons during their melee engagements. After all, illusionary weapons, no matter how durable their chains were, weren’t meant to function as defensive equipment.  

While mecha damage was relatively easy to repair, weapon damage was much harder to fix. Although the damage wasn’t severe enough to render the weapons unusable yet, for KID, further pursuit wasn’t a viable option.  

With 40% damage levels, even without a Medical mecha, they still had half of their durabilities left to rely on. However, dragging the fight out any further would be a lose-lose scenario for both sides.  

While Ji Qingfeng and Lu Xi were checking the traps up above, Ying Chenlin was marking coordinates on the radar system.  

“What energy sources are you recording?” Ji Qingfeng asked. “The energy reactions triggered?”  

Ying Chenlin nodded. “Thanks for the help.” 

The weaponry of this trap-based combat style was stationary, meaning the power of each trap was almost fixed, highly suitable for capturing and recording their energy reactions when they burst.

It was rare to encounter mecha pilots who use traps in Dawn. The numerous samples left behind from this battle provided valuable data on their energy reactions, which they could take back as references. The YOU Medical’s unique combat style might come in handy someday.

After handing the recording task over to Ji Qingfeng, Ying Chenlin used the time to repair the others’ mechas. Given the special environment of the battlefield, and since YOU had managed to sneak in and ambush them, it was possible that after the next set of coordinates is exposed, other mecha teams might also show up at the third mining pit.

Inside the mining factory, several mechas were at rest. You Su’s mind was filled with Theo’s incessant chatter. The noisy AI of his mecha was bragging about its performance during its battles with the other mechas, insisting on checking its combat footage, claiming it wanted to show Yuan after leaving the Contaminated Zone.

Theo: “You should ask Chenlin later to help me export it.”

You Su: “Can’t you ask him yourself?”

A playful emoji appeared on the cockpit display screen as Theo responded, “I say it’s too troublesome ah! He’d have to enter the cockpit to do it, and every time Chenlin enters, he has to come into contact with your mental power.”

“Oh, oh, and these two clips! Be sure to highlight these—they’re our highlights.”

Hearing Theo mention the cockpit, You Su’s brow twitched slightly. Just as he was about to mute Theo, he suddenly sensed another mecha approaching him.

He paused and noticed Ying Chenlin piloting his mecha toward him.

Seeing him approach, You Su asked, “Am I the first for repairs?”

Ying Chenlin stopped briefly before replying, “Then I’ll start with Huo Ge’s.”

As Ying Chenlin’s mecha turned to leave, You Su suddenly raised his hand and grabbed the armor plate at the back of the other mecha.

Ying Chenlin was tugged back a step, his “neck” effectively grabbed. You Su always liked to pull at this spot.

“Where are you going?” You Su pulled him back to his side and casually muted Theo’s audio system, bringing peace to his mind.

Ying Chenlin barely steadied himself before hearing the voice close to his ear. “Start with what?”

“The right hand.”  You Su raised his right hand.

Recoil from Steel Wind Cannon shots was extremely strong. Frequent use resulted in cumulative wear and tear on the mecha’s arm. Whenever Ying Chenlin repaired You Su’s mecha, the most frequent repairs were on its right arm. This was especially true for the A-Class Competition-level mecha he previously used. Every time it returned to base, the arm components had to be replaced. Even though Ying Chenlin would always adjust the mecha’s parts to increase its load capacity, You Su would notice the improvements and push the limits even further the next time he fired the cannon.

Ying Chenlin connected his Medical mecha to You Su’s right hand. His mental power extended through the metallic neural pathways of the mecha, quickly locating the damaged points and making adjustments.

However, shortly after sending his mental power through, Ying Chenlin noticed a residual mental power inside the mecha—large amounts of You Su’s mental power, lingering in every corner.

Having interacted with You Su’s mental power many times, Ying Chenlin wasn’t a stranger to it. But for some reason, today, during the repair process, he found himself subtly affected by the faint traces of energy. This act of immersing his mental power into someone else’s mecha—a private and enclosed domain—felt oddly intimate, almost like stepping into someone else’s personal space.

He suddenly thought of You Su’s living quarters.  

“The right shoulder,” You Su said. “There’s a bent metal nerve there.”  

Ying Chenlin paused. “You can withdraw your mental power.”  

You Su didn’t respond, but he noticed Ying Chenlin’s mental power climbing up along his arm. The subtle tingling sensation grew stronger with the mecha’s touch, finally stopping at the shoulder.  

Nearby, Lin Yao, who was idle and playing with his broom after deactivating his ability, overheard the conversation and chimed in, “You Ge is a real man. Every time Chenlin fixes mine I have to withdraw my mental power. I get goosebumps easily.”  

Hearing this, Ying Chenlin instinctively lightened the touch of his mental power. “I’ll make it lighter next time,” he said.  

Lu Xi quietly suggested, “I think making it a bit heavier might be better.”  

Before You Su could say anything, he noticed that the mental power on his right shoulder had indeed lightened.  

He frowned slightly, just about to speak when the pressure on his shoulder increased again.  

Huo Yan sounded puzzled. “Huh? Do you guys really feel that way? I’m fine. I’ve seen plenty of Medical mechas at the frontier. After enough repairs, you get used to it—it’s no different from a doctor touching your hand. Maybe Xiao Yao just isn’t used to it.”  

“Huo Ge, you don’t understand, Yao Bao has soft skin and tender flesh. Maybe even a little  girl holding his hand would make him bashful.”  

Ji Qingfeng: “Young people at this age are full of sap ¹.”  

Lin Yao shot back, “You’re the one with soft skin and tender flesh. You’re the bashful one!”  

Ji Qingfeng: “You’re the only one who gets goosebumps in the entire team. Look at You Ge. A real man just endures it.”  

Ying Chenlin glanced sideways slightly but didn’t hear a response from You Su. However, he did notice that You Su’s mental power in the mecha seemed to withdraw slightly. “Too light?”  

You Su’s subtle movements had caught Ying Chenlin’s attention. “So attentive? I used to withdraw it before too.”  

Ying Chenlin was about to explain when You Su interrupted, “It’s fine. You don’t have to hold back.”  

Ying Chenlin gave a faint acknowledgement and continued repairing the nerve. “I just happened to notice.”  

“You’re paying so much attention to me?” You Su said lazily, a hint of amusement in his tone.  

Their brief exchange was quickly drowned out by the other voices in the communication channel.  

You Su’s gaze shifted to the mecha in front of him. The crouching posture of the other mecha made him recall the image of the youth in a repair suit, kneeling in KID’s maintenance room, head lowered while adjusting his boots—obedient and easy to pat.  

The tingling sensation in his right arm persisted. The mental power passing through felt like nails lightly scraping against muscle, an indescribable sensation.  

You Su closed his eyes to rest and suddenly felt a bit of regret; he shouldn’t have spoken rashly. 

In the livestream, with no battles happening, the audience’s attention shifted to KID’s mechas.  

KID’s Artillery mecha and Medical mecha were coincidentally situated on a narrow platform at the upper levels of the mining factory. The platform was just large enough for one mecha, but with two mechas, it looked cramped.  

【Does repairing a mecha really require hiding in a little corner?]  

【I think I saw Trace pull him over. To repair the right hand, they probably had to move further in.】 

【Then why didn’t Trace choose another spot? Isn’t that position uncomfortable?】  

【…Honestly, why does this feel like they’re crammed into a corner doing something else? Are they really repairing the mecha?】 

【Sink and Trace seem to have a good relationship. Didn’t Trace help Sink handle pollutants before so Sink could rest?】  

【That reminds me of back in Agaman. When Sink was resting mid-air, Trace stood by to block the wind for him.】  

【Really? How come I don’t remember that?】  

KID fans were unfazed upon hearing this. They didn’t pay much attention to such things. For them, being career-focused fans of KID was already overwhelming—who had the time to notice trivial details like positioning? Wasn’t this just about fixing a mecha?  

【What are you all imagining? KID is just a group of steel straight men, and Lucy’s a straight woman.】  

【Laughing to death, shipping CPs among a group of career-obsessed people? Give it up, it’s going nowhere.】  

They had once repaired their mechas in a cramped, dark cave, and even on a sunny beach that felt like a vacation spot. Fixing a mecha was just about finding a suitable spot—why would it require perfect timing, location, and harmony? It’s not like they were preparing for a wedding night. Why overcomplicate things?  

【Instead of focusing on this, isn’t the next wave of exposures coming up soon?】  

【Hurry up KID! Finish the repairs and start fighting!】  

The area designated Zone C was unique in its terrain. Besides the mining pits, the rest was barren sandstone. Comparatively, the mining pits were more suited for tactical maneuvers. KID’s location—the third mining pit—was somewhat central among the pits, making it highly likely other teams would pass by.  

As YOU retreated in disarray, shortly after leaving the third mining pit, a new wave of exposed coordinates was published in the public systems of all mecha pilots in Zone C. Seeing the data near the third mining pit revealed that KID had a full roster of six mechas, while YOU had only four remaining. Upon learning this, the expressions of the commanders of all teams in the zone turned grim.  

YOU was the team that placed third in last year’s Star Domain Tournament. Their commander’s skills and the team’s overall strength were undoubtedly top-tier. Even in the Star Alliance Tournament, they were a team other Star Domain powerhouses would approach with caution. And yet, this formidable team was repelled by KID in the third mining pit, losing two mechas in the process?!  

KID earned a total of seven points—a score that wouldn’t seem high in other competitions. However, in the Star Domain Tournament, with strong teams abound and the difficulty of eliminating even one mecha immense, seven points secured them a solid first place.  

After this battle, the audience’s perception of KID’s mecha pilots shifted completely.  

Initially, some viewers had dismissed KID’s chaotic fighting style as opportunistic. But now, with KID turning the tables on the third-strongest team, YOU, even after being ambushed, and taking down two of their mechas, the truth was evident. From a perspective of pure strength, KID outclassed YOU.  

This was an up-and-coming dark horse—a team with the potential to contend for a top-four spot in the Star Domain Tournament!  

As KID continued to perform outstandingly, the audience’s attention broadened, and the Dawn Galaxy, to which KID belonged, also caught the eye of Star Domain Tournament viewers. Upon further examination, they discovered that aside from Zone C, the rankings of the Dawn Galaxy teams in other divisions were mixed. However, the most astonishing part was that every division’s top five included at least one team from the Dawn Galaxy.  

In Zone A, Gale showed steady and orderly progress, displaying a commanding presence. In Zone B, YDS excelled with a mature playstyle of coordinated front and back-line control. Meanwhile, in Zone D, Black Crow showcased immense long-range pressure, achieving absolute dominance in aerial combat with their triple-long-range strategy. Each team embodied a distinct combat style, featuring mature operational systems and excellent coordination among their mecha pilots.  

【Gale ranks third in Zone A, YDS fifth in Zone B, Black Crow fourth in Zone D… and with KID ranking first in Zone C, isn’t the Dawn Galaxy ridiculously strong this year!?】  

【Of the eight participating teams, four are in the top four. Even the Aries Galaxy isn’t this impressive.】  

【Wasn’t the Dawn Galaxy weak before? How has their performance changed so dramatically in just two years?】  

【These four teams are the top four mecha teams from the Dawn Galaxy’s preliminaries.】  

【Now I believe there was no favoritism in them securing eight slots… If the top four teams are this strong, it’s entirely possible for them to have earned all eight spots.】  

The Dawn Galaxy’s stellar performance was undeniable. Switching to the perspectives of other Dawn teams, viewers observed that, far from retreating, they seized opportunities and fought intelligently against other Star Domain teams. Even though their matches lacked the thrilling pace of KID’s, they advanced steadily and methodically. These mecha teams were anything but bottom-tier. With this level of skill and performance, it felt as though the Dawn Galaxy had undergone a dramatic transformation over the past two years, like a crash course in excellence that propelled their teams to a qualitative leap forward.  

The live broadcast’s camera panned to the leaders from the various galaxies seated on the packed VIP platform. When the view shifted to the Dawn Galaxy’s delegation, viewers could see Li Jingyan sitting upright in the center, calmly and seriously watching the match. Meanwhile, the other Dawn Galaxy leaders seated beside him wore alternating expressions of relief and anxiety, nervously clutching handkerchiefs and repeatedly wiping away sweat.  

KID’s match against YOU had ignited the passion of the livestream audience. Typically, battles of this caliber were only seen in the final stages of the Star Domain Tournament. Yet, just three days into the competition, a dark horse team was already making waves. The KID livestream’s popularity surged once more, shooting up to become the top-ranked stream in Zone C.  

Inside KID’s stream, viewers watched as their mechas finished repairing and replenishing from the wear and tear of battle. Just as everyone assumed they were gearing up to leave the mine and continue accumulating points, KID’s mechas began heading downward instead. The two melee mechas moved to the lower levels, while others remained at the mid-levels, and two stayed on the upper levels. Their familiar positioning jogged the audience’s memory—next, they saw KID sharpening their blades as they prepared to face pollutants.  

The viewers: “…”  

Your mechas are fully repaired and in excellent condition. Instead of going out to hunt for other teams, why are you staying here!?  

Aren’t you worried about your points getting overtaken?  

【They really don’t seem worried about being overtaken.】  

【This plot feels familiar—during the Keze Floating Island elimination round, they did the same thing after taking first place.】 

【Don’t worry, they’ll leave once they’ve cleared all the pollutants in this mine.】  

As one of the major mines in Zone C, the third mine pit was rich in energy minerals, which naturally attracted a large number of pollutants. Following the earlier chaos and the fierce battle between KID and YOU, the number of defeated pollutants in the area had already skyrocketed. KID hadn’t finished cleaning up their earlier batch, and now, with a new wave of pollutants piling up, there was no way they’d leave without collecting the spoils.  

“This mine’s pollutants are all of the same types,” Ji Qingfeng commented as he lured a large portion of the enemies. “This Contaminated Zone doesn’t even compare to Agaman. Back in Agaman, marine pollutants filled up our shop’s display cabinets over multiple batches. These guys? They’d only take up one batch at best.”  

Lin Yao: “Yeah, not as good as Slared either. Looking back, we should’ve brought an extra storage container for Slared’s haul.”  

Huo Yan: “This Contaminated Zone formed recently. Among the zones, this one has the most pollutants, but even the sandstone area outside has fewer varieties. I heard there’s supposed to be an S-Level pollutant somewhere, but the pollutants here are so disorganized it’s unlikely there’s an S-Level nearby.”  

Ji Qingfeng: “So how was this Contaminated Zone even rated?”  

Ying Chenlin, staring at the mine’s bottom, replied, “Probably because of the minerals. If these energy minerals weren’t contaminated, they could be refined into energy fuel, which makes them rare and valuable.”  

Without these abundant minerals, this place wouldn’t have been used as a frontier fortress by the Aries Galaxy in the first place.  

Earlier, they had tried extracting a small portion of the minerals. Most were too contaminated to be useful, but a few had enough value to be collected.  

For two days, viewers watched as KID’s team immersed themselves in the “joy” of clearing pollutants. Even the roaming commentators stopped bothering with KID’s livestream. Initially, they had enthusiastically described KID’s assembly-line cleanup operations, but eventually, they ran out of material and gave up due to the lack of entertainment value.  

The official livestreams didn’t fare any better. Multiple times, they would cut to KID’s perspective only to quickly switch away with a sense of regret.  

Expecting KID to actively seek out battles was pointless. Meanwhile, the rankings showed other teams gradually increasing their scores. Even the battered YOU team managed to gain an additional point.  

【Are they even a mecha team? Do they have no ambition at all?】  

【You’re hoping they’ll go out and pick fights? You’d be better off waiting for someone else to pick a fight with them.】  

Would other teams dare challenge KID? Viewers were curious about this as well.  

Switching to the public interface to track the movements of other teams, they saw that, over the past two days, several teams had passed through the central area near the third mine pit. However, every time a team approached the mine, they would accelerate their thrusters and quickly fly past without even glancing down or probing the area. None stayed near the third mine pit for more than half a minute.  

【Is the Horned Dragon team really this cowardly? Go down there and fight KID!】  

【Did I just see DAJ avoid them for the second time? They even detoured!】  

【What about the other teams? These guys are arrogantly clearing pollutants—doesn’t anyone plan to teach them a lesson?】  

Initially, after the chaotic battle, there was still hope that some teams might come to test KID.

But YOU was □□ ² so ruthlessly that they lost two mechas, even their captain. Who would dare casually come looking to pick a fight with KID? Going down to the mining pit might mean not coming back out.  

The other teams couldn’t be counted on, so the audience could only hope for the team ranked second in Zone C, ZUOY, to take on KID. However, after waiting for ZUOY to pass by the third mining pit, the audience watched with full anticipation, only to see ZUOY’s six mechas fly steadily over the third mining pit without even looking down.  

【ZUOY was fourth in the Star Domain last season. Even YOU who were ranked third got □□. If I were ZUOY’s captain, I wouldn’t go either.】  

【What are they doing? ZUOY is securing their rank now. If they don’t get crippled by YOU and avoid KID, they might make it securely into the top two!】  

The Star Domain Tournament’s system allowed the top two teams in each zone to advance to the second half of the competition. However, since the Star Domain only had 10 slots for the Star Alliance Tournament, the top 10 teams in the overall ranking could contend for the remaining two slots outside of each zone’s top two. These two slots were contested by all four zones. After the first half ends, rankings are refreshed based on mecha points. For the teams, if they couldn’t compete for the top two in their zone, they still needed to fight for a qualification to participate in the Star Alliance Tournament.  

Under this system, other teams dared not slack off, let alone waste resources and risk mecha losses to deal with stronger teams. Continuous operation over the 12 days was far more critical to them.  

In KID’s livestream, viewers watched as team after team steered clear of KID, who had leaped up to become the giant boss of Zone C that everyone detoured away from.  

Finally, on the seventh day of the competition, ZUOY’s mecha points surpassed KID’s, making them first in Zone C, while KID dropped to second.  

Having stayed in the third mining pit for so long, KID’s team seemed to finally realize something. The main issue was that they had picked all the usable pollutants in the area clean. Only then did they remember to get back to their actual task, and the several mechas left the pit bottom.  

【Finally ready to do your actual job?】  

【Upstairs, I recognize you. I can’t believe you’ve been in KID’s livestream room as long as I have.】  

【I want to see how they plan to win the Star Domain Tournament with this kind of slacking.】  

【You guys are taking this too seriously. Why so serious? Why not stop and count how many pollutants they’ve cleaned up with me?】  

【…[Asta Contaminated Zone Initial Image][Current State] You wouldn’t know without comparing. Can this fucking third mining pit even be called a pollutant-dense area? I’ve never seen such a clean Contaminated Zone.】 

The conveyor belts in the third mining pit, operating freely, were utterly empty, with not a single extra pollutant in sight. At a glance, it appeared even more desolate than the sandstone desert outside. The only part not barren was the pit bottom, where a massive crater left by KID’s mining activity had been filled to the brim with pollutants, even forming a small hill. The pile consisted entirely of B-Class pollutants that KID had deemed unworthy.  

The livestream audience was at a loss for words. The slacking KID seemed to have finally realized it was time to get to work.  

Two of their mechas had been standing outside the third mining pit for hours, and not even a single pollutant had passed by, let alone another mecha.  

【Abandon the pit already. If they head to the second mining pit now, they can still fight Horned Dragon’s team.】  

Just as the audience assumed that KID was finally giving up on the third mining pit and preparing to leave, they saw KID’s mechas split up. Using the third mining pit as a centre point, they spread out in a bizarre formation.  

The mechas were spaced so far apart that they were beyond the range for mutual support.  

Except for the Stealth mecha, which remained in the mining pit, all the other mechas separated.  

【Wait??? What kind of strategy is this?】  

【They’re completely splitting up???】  

Hearing that KID was making a move, the commentators rushed to lock onto the livestream. “It looks like a refresh is coming up. Could it be that KID is about to—”  

Suddenly, the public information system displayed the coordinates for the second refresh of the seventh day. The refresh was centered on KID’s Guardian.  

When the public information system revealed the data, the other mechas quickly regrouped and returned to the third mining pit. Meanwhile, KID’s exposed Guardian was positioned in the sandstone area outside the pit, separated from the others and hiding behind a relatively concealed sandstone boulder. In its hands, it clutched a broom tightly.  

The commentators quickly realized, “KID is putting on a show—they’re using the public system to create false visuals!”  

【I’ve got a bad feeling about this.】  

【No way…?】  

【Are they planning to start ambushing people???】  

TN:

Getting war flashbacks from the hostage situations in Keze when they became bandits and highway robbers😭.

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Translator Notes

1. Young and vigorous[↩]
2. It was censored in the raws. From the comments, it seems to most likely be 被干, which means “fucked/beaten up”[↩]