Genius Mechanic: Chapter 51

Fiarge Contaminated Zone

51. Post-Match

Proofread by Cloud Chip Cake and An Zheee

In the preparation area, the other mechanics couldn’t help but cast glances in Ying Chenlin’s direction. This mechanic seemed inexperienced, yet his swift action when reporting DE had alarmed both the tournament committee and the chairman. Tampering with weapon cores was difficult to trace, but unexpectedly, this young-looking mechanic possessed keen insight.

“Ying Chenlin? I haven’t heard this name in the industry before.”

“So young, could they be a student of some professor?”

Whispers circulated around.

Ying Chenlin paid no mind to the surrounding gazes, calmly observing the ongoing match in the Contaminated Zone.

So far, KID had been following their predetermined plan.

Amidst the uproar caused by DE’s illicit mecha modifications in the outside world, matches continued in the Fiarge Contaminated Zone. One team was eliminated, leaving 7 teams competing for the four spots in the Round of 16. Except for the initial burst of combat involving KID and two other teams, the intervals between subsequent battles had visibly lengthened. Many teams were adopting cautious approaches.

The key aspect of the “72 Hour Score Rush” format was accumulating points by eliminating enemy mechas. However, once a certain score was achieved, maintaining a steady performance became even more crucial. If a team accumulated a significant score and then got eliminated due to recklessness, their hard-earned points would be in vain.

Scoring was vital, but the team’s survival was equally important.

DE had their results revoked, but KID’s elimination of their three mechas still stood, propelling them to become the early dark horse of the Fiarge contaminate zone  and securing the top position on the leaderboard.

【KID is currently in the lead, and there aren’t many mechas left. BZZL1 is also engaging in battle; they should be playing it safe, right?】

【Playing it safe is the most reliable strategy. In the ’72 Hours Score Rush’ format, every mecha pilot is shrewd. The accumulated scores won’t be excessively high in the end. If a team can secure 4 points at the beginning, it’s already a stable score.】

Just when the audience in the livestream room assumed KID would play it safe and watch the situation to secure their four points, this team started rampaging through the forest, wearing the words “fighting” clearly on their faces. They pursued any mecha they found and engaged in combat without considering that they were currently the cash cow with a score of 4 points over their heads.

【I don’t know whether to call them strong or reckless at the moment?】

【Even I, an amateur mecha pilot, know how to conserve energy and seize opportunities. Don’t they understand strategic efficiency? Aren’t they afraid of getting wiped out in one go?】

【It seems they aren’t afraid, and for some reason, I feel like no one can wipe them out in one go.】

Hidden within the forest, Ji Qingfeng maneuvered his mecha’s Binding Lock Scythe horizontally, controlling any mecha he saw. As for Lin Yao in the Guardian mecha, with a swing of his Long Blade, he could pierce into a crowd of mechas, and with a sweeping strike, he could engage in 1v1 battles against the opposing Guardian mechas. The remaining three mechas didn’t group up, but the Tank and Control mechas were positioned on the left and right sides of the Artillery mecha, serving as guardians for Trace, ensuring he had the energy to fire each shot.

Within the arena, DE’s withdrawal didn’t disrupt KID’s pace.

Despite it being a team battle, when they fight they do so in a chaotic manner, yet they could still eliminate mechas in the end.

Outside the arena, Jiang Simiao watched this scene with a severe headache. He knew KID’s strategy, but watching the match, he felt like he might have a heart attack: “This won’t do, I must challenge them to be more stable when they come out.”

Shen Xingtang sat contentedly, “They can’t be stable. I think they’re having fun.”

【KID was chaotic last season, but for some reason, I’m really enjoying watching them this season.】

【Teams this reckless are rarely seen in the qualifiers.】

【True, I can actually sense KID’s improvement. It turns out they weren’t just throwing the match.】

Inside the arena, KID didn’t overthink things. They had consumed a lot of energy on the first day, so they needed to conserve some energy to deal with sneak attacks on the third day.

Moreover, this polluted area was vast, with many trees. They hadn’t encountered a single mecha after half a day of walking.

While they hadn’t found any mechas, they came across plenty of pollutants on their way.

Lin Yao scanned the surroundings, “What was the name of that bear we passed by just now? It looked so robust! It seems quite valuable.”

“If it’s valuable, then let’s take it down, Yao Bao. Don’t forget our tough past just because we have sponsors now,” Ji Qingfeng retorted, facing his direction, “…Now that it’s right in front of us, we can’t just watch it pass by, can we?”

“We’re currently first place in points. Let’s maintain our honor, and we can fight after that,” Huo Yan commanded, “As for the pollutants, take whatever you pass by.”

The other KID members exchanged glances. Fiarge Contaminated Zone wasn’t usually accessible, and there some of its resources couldn’t be found outside. Making a trip inside and back out would have to justify the cost.

Ji Qingfeng said, “Last time, when we were discussing strategies, didn’t Chenlin mention something about wolves being rare? And something about giant trees?”

Lu Xi corrected, “Forest Wolves and Feiya Giant Trees.”

Sitting inside his mecha, You Su found that 72 hours in a Contaminated Zone were quite short, given his frequent experiences in them. Hearing the discussion among his teammates, he suddenly recalled a moment when he visited the maintenance room to see Theo. He seemed to have overheard Ying Chenlin telling Shen Xingtang that they were lacking materials, “Since we’re here, let’s take everything back. Those two S-Grade anomalous crystals are for crafting. Doesn’t he still need materials?”

As a result of KID’s recklessness, within the first 24 hours, they achieved a score of 7 points, catapulting them to the top of the leaderboard. Just when the audience thought KID would continue to charge forward, they suddenly changed on the second day. Instead of looking for a fight, they started strolling around the Contaminated Zone.

This change was too conspicuous. After their vigorous performance the previous day, the entire team visibly slowed down on the second day. They even had the time to clean up pollutants in Fiarge Contaminated Zone???

【Isn’t this strange? Shouldn’t you guys be continuing to eliminate others?】

【Forget about battling the pollutants, why are they scavenging? Do these people realize that them digging for anomalous crystals will be live-streamed worldwide?】

【What are they doing? Are they here to fight or gather resources?】

The staff witnessing this scene were unsure how to handle it. “Um, Director, should we intervene?”

The head of the competition committee observed the situation and remarked, “How could we intervene?”

A Competition-level Contaminated Zone itself was challenging to clear. During the League’s open period each year, all the pollutants cleared by the participating teams were considered the property of those teams. Typically, the teams would focus on their match and clear out pollutants incidentally. They hadn’t anticipated that someone would openly engage in cleaning up the pollutants and even start digging for materials right in front of everyone during the League.

In fact, due to the commotion they caused, a nearby team passed by, assuming that KID was engaged in intense combat. They chose not to join the fight, instead opting to go around to avoid confrontation.

As KID gleefully battled the pollutants, lively conflicts erupted in other parts of the Contaminated Zone.

BZZL1 swiftly eliminated two teams and rose to the top by the third day.

The commentator struggled to put it into words, “Currently, the team in first place is BZZL1! KID, which was originally in the lead, has dropped to second place!”

【Can KID stop fighting pollutants? BZZL1 is now in first place!】

【…Even the team in third place is catching up.】

【I’ve said it before, they can’t hear us, but seriously, how poor are these people? They’re chopping down trees like crazy???】

Within the arena, after KID’s team finished dealing with bears and capturing wolves, they all turned their attention to the unique plant-based pollutant in the Fiarge Contaminated Zone: the [Feiya Giant Tree]. This massive tree had exceptional resilience and vitality. It was frequently used as a raw material for mechas’ metal nerves and was a rare A-class material.

Their approach to tree-cutting was rather extreme, prompting the Alliance to offer a gentle reminder to KID—

“[All teams, please actively participate in the match! There are 23 hours left until the end of the battle!]”

“Wow, there are actually teams not participating actively?”

Seeing the reminder, Lin Yao exclaimed, “They’re really not serious. It must be the team at the bottom of the standings.”

Ji Qingfeng chimed in, “Probably intentionally losing. How could there still be teams intentionally losing in the elimination round? It’s clear they lack motivation. In the Score Rush mode, if they don’t want to fight for points, that’s one thing, but deliberately performing poorly to the point of earning an Alliance warning is another thing.”

Huo Yan, observing this, advised, “We shouldn’t follow their example. We should maintain the appropriate competitive attitude.”

Next to them, Lu Xi was diligently burning trees. She looked at her teammates, saying, “Huo Ge, these trees are a bit tricky for me. My incendiary rounds can’t keep them burning.”

Huo Yan offered, “Let me help you.”

In the final 23 hours, the teams that didn’t have enough points fought hard to challenge and earn points. On the other hand, the teams with enough points, for stability, didn’t take further risks and focused on maintaining their scores, not getting involved in other battles.

As the number of mechas from each team decreased and mutual consumption occurred, KID didn’t manage to score any more points in the last 23 hours. Nevertheless, they maintained their glory with 7 points, securing second place and advancing, just behind the original Division D dominator, BZZL1.

【I don’t know why, but the second half was particularly lackluster to me.】

【Don’t even mention it… I locked onto KID’s perspective to watch them fight, and as a result I ended up watching them dealing with pollutants for two days.】

When news came out of the Contaminated Zone, there was both joy and frustration among KID’s members.

Furthermore, due to their rush to eliminate pollutants at the last minute, when the news broke, their mechas had almost no remaining energy reserves.

Lin Yao regretted, “That last wave was a pity. My blade had no energy left, and that wolf got away.”

“We were fortunate. We didn’t encounter BZZL1 on the third day.”

Ji Qingfeng remarked, “I ran low on energy during the latter half. Fortunately, we didn’t run into them.”

Lin Yao scratched his head, “But why do I feel like luck wasn’t on my side? I really wanted to go up against them.”

Ji Qingfeng explained, “You’re being naive. With your combat style, how could we have the energy to confront them head-on on the third day? Didn’t Sanshui say that BZZL1 prefers prolonging battles? It’s easy to be worn down in a battle against them. Luckily, we didn’t encounter them, and we obtained elimination points for free!”

When You Su emerged from the cockpit, he saw Ying Chenlin waiting for them outside with a tool kit on his back. He looked unchanged from three days ago, instantly engrossed in his work upon seeing the mechas. However, when Lin Yao and the others began discussing their battles, he occasionally cast a glance in their direction.

Even while busy with work, he was easily drawn to what was happening around him.

He watched for a while longer, and Ying Chenlin seemed to have noticed his gaze. He turned his attention toward You Su.

Ying Chenlin’s gaze held a hint of confusion, but he eventually nodded politely and returned to his work.

After the matches concluded, each base was busy with post-match procedures. KID’s mecha pilots underwent the official routine inspections. When they returned after completing all the checks, Ying Chenlin had already finished inspecting the mechas’ issues and was waiting for Alliance staff to come and record the findings.

“Chenlin, we brought some of the tree materials you mentioned last time.”

“That’s the Feiya Giant Tree. Do you need Forest Wolves? I’ve dug up several Forest Wolf anomalous crystals.”

Seeing this, Ying Chenlin explained, “We have to test the materials to determine their performance.”

“There are bears too! You Ge said the materials from that bear are quite rare, so we also dug some of it up,” Lin Yao rushed in the direction of his storage compartment.

The post-match livestream angle that hadn’t been turned off in the mecha parking area broadcasted this scene. Media personnel who had come for interviews stood outside the pile of materials, unable to find a way in. The netizens who were about to watch the post-match interviews fell silent.

【So, they killed this many?】

【The BZZL1 mecha pilots are being interviewed, and the other mecha pilots are reviewing the match with their coaches. What are they doing? Packing up?】

【Is KID on a vacation? This scene looks just like when my uncle went on a trip to another galaxy and brought back local products!】

League staff came over to verify the registered mecha damage. As soon as they entered the mecha parking area, they saw the KID team gathered around a pile of materials.

The staff: “…? This is the mecha inspection area!! You can’t sort materials here!!!”

KID’s team realized their mistake, and Lin Yao quickly said, “We’ll clean up right away.”

After finishing the post-match information registration, Shen Xingtang hurriedly ran to the entrance, watching them while urging, “Hurry up with the cleanup. The departure time of the ship has been moved up. If you’re too late, you can’t catch the return ship!”

One of the media personnel who had squeezed in said, “Boss Shen, there’s still an interview pending.”

Shen Xingtang looked apologetic, “Sorry, we booked the late-night flight. You know that the route from the Fiarge Contaminated Zone to Sirius is scarce and expensive. We need to leave soon.”

Hearing Shen Xingtang’s urging, KID’s team skillfully sorted through the polluted materials, one by one placing them into their storage devices. Their movements were swift and smooth, to the point that even KID’s young mechanic joined in. He personally grabbed a branch of the Feiya Giant Tree taller than himself from the pile with just one hand.

【Wait a second… That mechanic?】

【Who was saying earlier that KID’s mechanic couldn’t even lift an outer plate?】

TN:

Why are they like this? Haha

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