Genius Mechanic: Chapter 50

Fiarge Contaminated Zone

50. Mutual Bite

Proofread by Cloud Chip Cake and An Zheee

After the sniper shot, thick smoke enveloped the sandy terrain, and the whole world seemed to descend into another level of desolation.

“Trace eliminated Xuyj!” exclaimed the commentator excitedly, “DE has lost three mechas! Congratulations to KID for accumulating 4 points, currently leading the match!”

Consecutive kills in the Contaminated Zone were met with enthusiastic applause from the watching audience.

【Wow, that was so cool!】

【I was nervous from the moment I saw him charging up that sniper shot.】

【Trace’s shot was incredibly accurate; how is his hit rate so high?】

At this moment, several mechas with damage levels of 80% displayed energy shielding, and the League’s elimination emergency response team rushed to the elimination site for rescue. Simultaneously, all mechas actively participating in the match received both an elimination notice and an [Emergency Report]. The League had revoked DE’s team participation rights.

“Revoked their participation rights?!” Ji Qingfeng raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. “The League’s acting so swiftly?”

Huo Yan also expressed some astonishment, “The speed of their investigation has indeed improved significantly.”

Lin Yao remained still, dumbfounded in his current position, while Xu Yaojun’s mecha in the distance also remained motionless. “Huh? So they’ve been eliminated. Do we still have any points?”

Lu Xi explained simply, “The points should have been tallied before the revocation.”

In the livestream chat, the special circumstances within the Contaminated Zone also caught the audience’s attention. An announcement from Division D’s organizing committee, stating that they were temporarily suspending all actions of DE’s team, left everyone stunned.

【DE violated the rules!?】

【At this point in time, they suddenly issued a notice. It seems like a lot of staff members went to the preparation area just now.】

【Really? How come the violation was only discovered now? Doesn’t the League have a monitoring team?】

Going back a dozen minutes, when League officials arrived at the arena for handling, DE’s mechanic overheard their conversation and slumped to the ground in utter despair.

Ying Chenlin turned his head slightly and spotted the middle-aged man in the well-fitted suit amidst the slightly crowded inspection area.

He blinked, even though he had received greetings from the other party during his time in the hospital, this was the first time he had ever seen Li Jingyan in person.

Li Jingyan stood next to League staff, and when their gazes met, he gave a subtle nod.

Ying Chenlin straightened up a bit and suddenly noticed some commotion at the entrance of the preparation area.

Several staff members hurriedly informed the organizing committee to proceed with the next steps. The personnel from the manual inspection team in the preparation area also rushed over. Upon seeing the scene, their expressions bore a hint of anxiety.

The head of the team apologized to Li Jingyan, “Sorry, this was a mistake on our manual inspection team’s side.”

By the time they had completed their examination of everything, when it was time to inspect the testing station area in the preparation zone, Li Jingyan had already instructed the workgroup to take control of DE’s testing station.

“Did you receive a report during the match?” Li Jingyan inquired with a slight pause.

The team leader replied, “Yes… As you know, reports during the match require our workgroup to investigate all possible causes.”

They had received an environmental anomaly investigation report from KID’s mechanic midway through. The workgroup had already started the investigation. Later, they noticed the abnormality on the field and immediately conducted a comprehensive investigation of the battle environment between KID and DE.

Li Jingyan nodded, continuing, “No other systems raised alerts, so it should be related to the weapon core, right?”

The team leader’s forehead was covered in sweat. Their actions had been quite swift, but they hadn’t anticipated the chairman personally intervening to control the situation, making their actions seem negligent. “Yes, we’re conducting a comprehensive investigation. We didn’t find any issues elsewhere. We were planning to come and inspect DE’s mecha cores.”

Li Jingyan stated, “We’ve already conducted our investigation here. DE’s weapon cores have issues.”

The team leader was taken aback, “But shouldn’t any issues with weapon cores have been detected during the initial mecha audits?”

“The audit system was negligent,” Li Jingyan explained, “They must have used a specialized anomalous crystal to bypass the audit system.”

The establishment of monitoring points in the preparation area was to enable mecha maintenance personnel to monitor the data of mechas in real-time, preventing sudden mecha malfunctions that could endanger the mecha pilots. The monitoring of exceptional data in the entire arena consisted of two levels: intelligent monitoring and manual monitoring. The latter included both the official workgroup and the mecha maintenance personnel of the teams.

Manual inspections covered all data within the Contaminated Zone, but couldn’t consider every aspect, which was why special monitoring points were established to assist the mecha maintenance personnel in their examinations.

DE’s violation managed to evade both the arena’s intelligent monitoring and manual inspections. The only point exposed was an internal anomaly report from DE’s Artillery mecha pilot Xu Yaojun’s weapon energy. Under normal circumstances, weapon energy anomalies were common; when Artillery mecha pilots charged to over 80% energy, there was a chance of energy anomalies triggering, causing a precursor system warning. However, as long as these warnings were compliant with regulations, maintenance personnel could easily deactivate them.

However, in most cases, Artillery mecha pilots rarely exceeded 80% energy charge during matches, so even if warnings appeared, they wouldn’t occur frequently.

DE’s use of a dual-attribute anomalous crystal for this special weapon stored the illicit energy and simultaneously concealed energy fluctuations. This allowed them to effortlessly circumvent the Alliance’s intelligent and manual inspections.

The energy fluctuations generated when using this weapon, however, couldn’t be concealed, necessitating the assistance of the maintenance personnel behind the scenes.

All mecha equipment data has been thoroughly reviewed by the Mecha Alliance before the start. Once approved, the Alliance won’t expose mecha data during matches.

In short, they exploited the intelligent loopholes in Varicolored Giant Rodent’s anomalous crystal audit system and the League’s detection system, collaborating with their mechanic to deceive everyone. If DE’s Artillery mecha pilot had exceptional acting skills and didn’t use their weaponry at such high frequencies, even with human inspections, it would be challenging to detect these unauthorized modifications.

This information quickly spread, and the official live broadcast from the preparation area was disconnected. Officials intervened to halt the match.

Discussions online became increasingly fervent. After all, this was just the first match of the qualifiers, and not even 12 hours had passed since it began. To find such a significant issue so soon was unexpected.

DE had always been quite imposing, and their performance last season was still acceptable. They continually stirred up tensions within Sirius, consistently squeezing KID for resources. Due to management issues, KID’s reputation had declined in the Sirius system lately, and there were even claims that this season, DE would surpass KID without a doubt.

And now, both teams were clashing in the Fiarge Contaminated Zone, and DE not only lost but did so while cheating.

【What does this mean?! DE cheated??】

【Seems like it’s a mecha problem. I saw the staff members head into the preparation area. Unauthorized modifications of the mechas, that’s what happened.】

【No way! Who’s responsible for the unauthorized modifications?! Wasn’t DE getting thrashed by KID?】

【Cheating with unauthorized modifications and still getting thrashed—this is just too funny.】

The match in the Fiarge Contaminated Zone was ongoing. All the DE mecha pilots were escorted out by the Alliance’s rescue team. Due to the unauthorized modifications, DE’s match was terminated, and all their results were voided. They were about to face punitive actions from the Alliance.

Shen Xingtang received the news because KID’s team mechanic had submitted a report during the match.

“An environmental anomaly report?” Shen Xingtang listened, catching a glimpse of Ying Chenlin in the distance.

An environmental anomaly report…? Once this type of report was submitted, the Alliance would need time for a thorough investigation before providing an accurate response. Ying Chenlin had noticed the issue; he could’ve easily submitted a simpler query or report. Yet, he chose to submit an anomaly report that required thorough checking.

A staff member explained, “Yes, it’s thanks to your mechanic’s quick response. If not for the chairman and your mechanic, DE’s cheating might have been swept under the rug.”

Shen Xingtang, “…”

No, you might have misunderstood. We just wanted to score a bit more.

When DE’s owner was summoned to the meeting room, they saw all the DE mecha pilots standing on one side, with the chairman Li Jingyan and KID’s owner and mechanic on the other side, looking somewhat displeased.

DE’s owner took the initiative, admitting firmly, “Chairman Li, this incident is entirely our DE’s fault. I never imagined Xu Yaojun would collude with the mechanic and secretly modify his mecha.”

Xu Yaojun looked at DE’s owner in astonishment.

The nearby mechanic hung their head, their face as pale as paper.

DE’s owner cast a fleeting glance at them, maintaining their shrewd demeanor, “We are willing to cooperate with the Alliance’s investigation. However, this matter was solely instigated by Xu Yaojun’s collusion with the mechanic. The rest of us were completely unaware.”

Li Jingyan, hearing this, turned to Xu Yaojun, “Is this true?”

Xu Yaojun was about to speak but was stopped by the mechanic next to him.

Then, DE’s mechanic promptly said, “Yes… it’s true. I violated the rules by collaborating with Xu Yaojun and modifying the mecha.”

DE’s owner continued before Xu Yaojun could speak, “Indeed, Chairman, as you can see, this matter was solely Xu Yaojun’s doing. We at DE still have substitutes. We can’t let the actions of these two individuals affect our entire team, can we?”

Li Jingyan remained silent, his expression stern.

The other staff exchanged glances. If this incident was solely Xu Yaojun’s doing and the team’s other mecha pilots were unaware, the penalty DE would face for harboring a mecha pilot with unauthorized modifications would differ. In the former case, the responsibility lay with the mecha pilot and the mecha base, but the most severe outcome would be a suspension for the mecha pilot and a fine for the base.

However, in the latter case, the entire team would be held accountable, and there was a high likelihood the entire mecha base would be completely suspended.

Listening to the words of DE’s boss, Xu Yaojun watched as the owner tried to shift all the blame onto him. Anxiously, he interjected, “Boss, you didn’t say it like this before—”

The nearby mechanic couldn’t help but grab him, reminding him in a hushed tone, “Don’t forget about your contract with DE.”

Xu Yaojun’s expression froze.

When he switched from KID, he had signed a long-term contract with DE.

DE’s boss glanced at Xu Yaojun and didn’t bother with that fool any longer.

He had anticipated the possibility of this happening and had prepared for it in advance.

Mecha pilots were aplenty, and if Xu Yaojun were to go, there would always be a new one to take his place. However, if this unauthorized modification incident were to drag down DE’s team, all of his previous investments would go to waste.

Seeing this scene, Shen Xingtang suddenly spoke, “Chenlin, I remember that unauthorized mecha modifications result in suspension penalties, right? And the severity of the penalty depends on the extent of the modification?”

Upon hearing Shen Xingtang’s words, Ying Chenlin glanced slightly to the side. As a mechanic, he was well-versed in the Alliance’s mecha regulations. Seeing Shen Xingtang’s intent to inquire, he continued down that path, “For general unauthorized mecha modifications, there’s a suspension of either three months or six months. However, in the case of significant weapon modifications, the severity determines the penalty, ranging from a lifetime ban for severe modifications.”

“Concealing modifications within one’s own base and being caught by the Chairman – it’s impossible to avoid heavy penalties.”

The more Xu Yaojun listened, the more panicked he became. If all the responsibility for this matter was placed on him, what would he do if he was banned for life!? Among the violations related to mecha modifications, weapon modification was the most severely punished. The energy capacity he carried far exceeded the League’s standards…

Helplessly, he looked at the others. His DE teammates were avoiding his gaze, seemingly trying to distance themselves.

For a mechanic’s violation, the worst consequence was losing the right to participate in the League. There would be no other impact on their usual base operations. However, for a mecha pilot like him, a lifetime ban would mean he’d never set foot on the League stage again, and he would face even more difficult circumstances afterwards.

Xu Yaojun glanced at the mechanic beside him. DE’s mechanic didn’t want to answer Xu Yaojun’s gaze. This situation had been exposed due to his impulsive actions during the match.

DE’s boss was currently explaining to the League’s chairman, trying to shift all the blame onto the mechanic and Xu Yaojun.

Chairman Li Jingyan looked at DE’s boss, “Are you implying you were completely unaware of this matter?”

DE’s boss’ words were rational and well-prepared. He had anticipated such a situation occurring and had prepared other ‘evidence’ in advance. “Yes, Chairman, you can rest assured that I’ll thoroughly investigate this matter upon returning…”

The more Xu Yaojun heard DE’s boss’ words, the more fear and dissatisfaction intertwined in his heart.

What did he mean? Everyone clearly knew about this matter, so why was he the one being punished in the end?

Why? It wasn’t even his idea to modify the weapon, yet he had to bear all this responsibility. Once his career was ruined with a lifelong ban, what did his contract with DE even mean?

Just as everyone thought the discussion of the matter was about to end, and the committee was planning to move on, Xu Yaojun suddenly spoke up, “If I tell the truth, can the punishment be mitigated?”

Li Jingyan’s attention had been elsewhere, but he turned to face the pale-faced mecha pilot in front of him, “Admitting your mistakes will lead to leniency. the League will handle it impartially.”

“I didn’t personally modify the mechas in secret!”

Xu Yaojun’s tone was somewhat anxious, “The modifications were done by the base. I only found out shortly before the match. He just wanted to shift all the blame onto me.”

DE’s boss hesitated, his gaze coldly fixed on Xu Yaojun, “Xu Yaojun!”

“Why are you staring at me?! You’re just trying to dump all the responsibility on me.” Xu Yaojun looked at DE’s boss, his courage suddenly surging. His tone turned harsh, “So, I’m just a tool you used? You used me when it was convenient, and now that something’s gone wrong, you want to push me away? I remember that back when you bought the previous data, you didn’t have this kind of attitude.”

The people around them hadn’t expected Xu Yaojun to suddenly confront the situation. All eyes turned to him.

Shen Xingtang, who had been listening quietly, smiled, “Bought data?”

DE’s boss was taken aback, “Xu Yaojun!”

“Why are you in such a hurry? When you were blaming me, weren’t you afraid I’d spill everything?” With everything that had transpired, Xu Yaojun had no intention of maintaining a friendly face with DE’s boss. “You colluded with KID’s former mechanic to steal data, did you think bribing the mechanic would keep everything under wraps? And with the promise of a better contract, you brought me in to compete in the League. Now that there’s trouble, you want to throw me under the bus!?”

Xu Yaojun and DE’s boss had completely torn their relationship apart. He had revealed the incident of DE purchasing data from KID’s former mechanic, which had caused a mecha data leak. The case involving the former KID mechanic hadn’t been entirely resolved, as the buyer’s identity had remained unknown. Unexpectedly, the mastermind behind it all was DE.

DE’s boss still wanted to silence Xu Yaojun, but Xu Yaojun seemed to have shattered all his restraints. Realizing the gravity of the situation regarding the unauthorized modifications, he feared shouldering all the responsibility and completely severed ties with DE’s boss.

“You fool!” DE’s boss spat.

Li Jingyan, who had been silent upon hearing this, didn’t speak. However, the other committee members furrowed their brows tightly. This involved a significant violation from the previous season.

Seeing the situation take an unexpected turn, DE’s boss’s face revealed a touch of panic, “Wait, Chairman, this matter isn’t…”

Members from the Dawn Galaxy Mecha League Investigation Team were also present. Upon hearing this, the head of the team immediately stepped forward, “This matter involves a wide scope. It’s best for you and the mecha pilot to accompany us. We need to conduct an official investigation.”

While DE’s boss wanted to say more, the committee members didn’t have the patience to listen to them passing the blame back and forth. As Division D’s match was still ongoing, the committee didn’t want the KID mechanic to be delayed for too long and handed over all matters to the joint investigation team of the Mecha League.

Shen Xingtang watched as Xu Yaojun was taken away, her cold face devoid of any other expression.

Ying Chenlin followed behind Shen Xingtang, and upon seeing her stop, he looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Seeing Ying Chenlin, Shen Xingtang’s cold expression vanished in an instant—she changed her demeanor faster than drinking water. With a smile in her eyes, she looked at Ying Chenlin and said, “An abnormal environmental report? You really know how to buy them some time.”

Ying Chenlin lowered his head, asking, “I didn’t expect the Chairman to show up. Will the points we earned be revoked?”

Li Jingyan’s arrival was much faster than anticipated, almost half an hour earlier than expected.

Shen Xingtang paused, her thoughts implying: So, if the Chairman hadn’t come, would you have continued stalling for more time?

“It shouldn’t be revoked. I’ll explain this to the Alliance.”

Shen Xingtang was about to continue, but she saw Li Jingyan emerge from the meeting room. He hadn’t brought any staff with him, and walked directly toward the two of them. She paused slightly, but Li Jingyan spoke first.

Li Jingyan said, “Regarding the former KID mechanic, we will provide KID with a satisfactory response after our investigation.”

Shen Xingtang replied, “Chairman, you’re too kind.”

After Li Jingyan finished speaking, his gaze shifted to the side, looking at Ying Chenlin.

Upon seeing him, Ying Chenlin nodded slightly and greeted, “Hello, long time no see.”

Li Jingyan’s gaze lost some of its previous seriousness. He spoke kindly, “How’s your recovery?”

Ying Chenlin replied, “Thank you for your concern. I’ve improved a lot.”

Li Jingyan nodded and then looked at Shen Xingtang, saying, “You’ve taken care of Chenlin.”

Shen Xingtang instinctively responded, “Of course, he’s a mechanic from our base.”

After all, they were in the arena’s backstage, with other staff members around. Li Jingyan couldn’t stay for too long, so after a few questions, he left with the other staff members.

Once Li Jingyan and his team had departed, Shen Xingtang finally asked, “Do you know the Chairman?”

Ying Chenlin answered truthfully, “We’ve met before. He helped me out a lot during my service days.”

Shen Xingtang made a sound of understanding. Before she could inquire further, the preparation area’s staff called Ying Chenlin away. The match was still ongoing.

In the livestream chat, fans were still discussing DE’s team’s temporary suspension. Not long after, the imagery from the preparation area was restored. In KID’s monitoring station, the young mechanic had returned to the station.

【It’s not easy to detect weapon violations, right? The Alliance’s audits couldn’t even find this.】

【Such a swift reaction, maybe it’s related to the Chairman?】

The livestream camera focused on the monitoring station in the preparation area. The young mechanic showed no signs of panic and continued to immerse himself in his work.

【I remember that determining violations requires a comprehensive inspection, right…? I think I saw personnel from the supervisory team just now.】

【Haven’t you considered KID’s mechanic? He’s a mechanic himself. If something went wrong, shouldn’t he be the one reporting it?】

Mechanic…?

Within the Alliance, quite a few people were paying attention to Division D’s first match. Gale and YDS almost followed the whole first day of the competition, but afterwards, they couldn’t continue to watch the Division D matches in real time. The task of gathering data fell to the coaching staff of various teams.

“Weapons data?” The YDS coaching staff heard Ke Lin’s instructions before he headed to the arena. “KID’s weapons data?”

“Yes,” another coach said, “You know, he’s particularly attentive to these details.”

Ke Lin was sensitive to these details, and his contribution was undeniable in YDS’s rise to second place in just two years.

In this competition, Ke Lin didn’t focus much on their opponent BZZL1. Instead, he was quite interested in KID. This interest had only grown since returning from Tianyu Star, and it was still increasing.

“He also asked me to look into KID’s weapon designer, but when I investigated, I found out that the designer who originally collaborated with KID said he had nothing to do with KID’s weapons this season…” The coach held investigation materials, his brows tightly furrowed. “Where did KID get these weapons!?”

“Suddenly, I remember that KID seemed to be involved in selling parts not too long ago. The designer of those parts remains a mystery even now… I think his name was Yuan?”

TN:

I pray things turn out extremely badly for DE😌.

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