Chapter 12: Ice and Fire Tournament (Part Seven)

Chapter 12: Ice and Fire Tournament (Part Seven)

Rong Mi was perched atop a towering cliff overlooking the snowy terrain.

The range of an Armored Mecha Pilot's mental perception was limited. From such an elevation, many pilots would fail to notice any anomalies beneath the snow.

But Rong Mi was an exception. His sharp mental acuity made him an attacker from above, not an unsuspecting prey stepping into a trap.

"Look, Rong Mi is now crouching on the high cliff, just like when Young Master Gu ambushed him! Only this time, the roles are reversed."

"Indeed! We have to see how Rong Mi's ambush differs from Young Master Gu's!"

The black mecha, camouflaged against the cliff, sprang into motion. Like a fleeting shadow, it leaped vertically down the precipice.

Rong Mi's actions closely resembled those of Gu Ming's, with one key distinction: the use of thrusters.

When Gu Ming dove, his mecha's back thrusters were only activated for an instant at the start of the descent. As the mecha accelerated downward, they were quickly shut off to control its speed and prevent a crash. Right before impact with the ground, the foot thrusters would reverse, further reducing the landing velocity and allowing precise control over the mecha's landing posture and balance.

This was the standard procedure for mecha pilots.

In Gu Ming's understanding, no matter how skilled a pilot was, they would always turn off their back thrusters in advance and decelerate before landing.

Rong Mi, of course, didn't follow this norm.

His back thrusters were operating at maximum power, not retracting after the jump but instead increasing their output.

The unmasked roar of the thrusters immediately revealed Rong Mi's presence to the ambushers beneath the snow, but he didn't seem to care.

Because by the time the enemy mecha lifted its head to counterattack, Rong Mi had already reached its front.

His speed was breathtaking!

"The contestant isn't decelerating!" The commentator, with dedication, continued his explanation despite the threat of the lasers behind him, relying on his decades of professional habit. "Even at the last moment of descent, Rong Mi doesn't slow down! He hasn't activated the repulsors on the feet of his mecha! And... he hasn't even turned off the back thrusters!"

"His speed... is so fast that it's beyond the camera's ability to capture! Beyond the target mecha's detection systems... even beyond the opponent's mental perception!"

The footage transmitted from the cameras seemed to experience a brief glitch.

In the previous instant, the two mechas had just made contact; in the next, a tremendous boom echoed.

Rong Mi descended in her mecha at an unimaginable speed for any ordinary person.

Swift.

Extremely swift.

The opponent had barely lifted their head when Rong Mi's mecha seemed to plummet like a meteorite, appearing before their eyes.

A purple aura enveloped the exterior of the mecha, functioning as an extra buffer beyond its armor. At the same time, the laser gun held downward in the mecha's hand illuminated.

"Poof!"

Rong Mi's laser gun flared. The ambusher below didn't have time to ponder; they mustered all their mental power.

The mental energy filaments disguised as snowflakes rose up, forming a shield to counter the laser gun's assault. Upon collision, they scattered in all directions.

Thus, through the exposed gap, the black mecha descended with purple flames engulfing its feet.

With Rong Mi's feet planting onto his opponent's mech's shoulders, the force of his high-speed descent exerted tremendous impact. A series of metal explosions echoed as the mech's shoulders cracked radially beneath him.

The counterforce surpassed the maximum damping capacity of the cockpit's shock absorbers.

As alarms blared, the cockpit jolted fiercely. Rong Mi relied solely on the restraints to keep himself from being ejected from his seat. Alternating between intense G-forces and weightlessness, his heart raced. Amidst this exhilarating speed, he revealed a genuine smile, one that was too intense for most mech pilots.

Rong Mi exclaimed, "Yoh! Here I come! ——"

His left hand, not holding a weapon, pressed gently downwards on the top of the mech's head.

Rong Mi mimicked the sound of a gunshot, "Bang!"

At the same instant, the spirit energy gauge in the mech's palm blazed glaringly, indicating a sudden burst of spirit energy. He had feinted with the laser gun to divert the opponent's attention, tricking them into instinctively mounting a full defense during this unexpected assault.

Yet, it was his pure spirit energy that delivered the fatal blow.

Purple spirit energy exploded in his palm. In that same moment, the opponent's mech's head detonated alongside it.

The black metallic skull was shattered into pieces, with entangled cables littering the ground. Sparks flew within the armor's metal casing as it was rendered completely motionless.

Rong Mi leapt from the crushed shoulder of the headless mech onto the ground, politely rapping on the chest where the opponent's cockpit was located.

"Quickly stow your mecha into the spatial badge and call for a rescue back to the assembly point," Rong Mi requested amiably with a smile. "Otherwise, if someone else comes across a damaged mecha, they might become cautious, and it won't be easy for me to set up an ambush or launch a surprise attack!"

*

"All competing mecha pilots are now within a stellar radius of the assembly point. The contest warship is under our control. There are no issues with the staff. All contestants who had called for assistance have been retrieved by our work shuttles back into the competition zone. Their movements have been restricted; no anomalies are expected."

In a space station a day's journey from the Barren Star, the live broadcast director sat by the hotel window, casting a glance at the artificial sky outside.

Three holographic screens flanked him: one displayed a live feed of the mecha battle, another showed the situation inside the broadcasting studio, and the third was a communication screen, across which stood a young man with blue hair and crimson eyes.

The youth held a steaming cup of hot cocoa in his hand, his expression radiating a sense of leisure as he took a sip.

"The Human Federation's military has acknowledged the message," announced the voice from the communication device, ethereal and tinged with an eerie low hum.

The director's fingers trembled slightly, seemingly intimidated by the voice. However, he quickly regained his composure.

"Yes, the Human Federation's military has received reports from viewers, but there's no need for you to worry." His tone was courteous. "Our pre-match procedures and safety inspections were fully compliant."

"I've already showcased his innovative interactive holographic technology to the investigation team and submitted our pre-fabricated new technology experiment data."

"We had properly registered with the Entertainment Department before the match. They've reviewed our submission, and while they might have suspicions and launch an inquiry, they won't immediately dispatch a large fleet to the desolate planet."

"The awakening device is about to activate. They underestimate Lord Cecil's strength. A few investigation teams and patrol squads would only serve as sustenance for our lord."

"We've prepared ample provisions for Lord Cecil."

"The competitor who shot the low-level Ice Butterfly... Although he killed one of that lord's kin, his mental energy will undoubtedly be of great benefit to Lord Cecil. He will forgive us."

"The sacrifice is about to commence. Everyone will have the honor of beholding Lord Cecil's countenance and experiencing his power! The predicament of humanity is of our own making." The director's tone couldn't conceal his excitement. "By uniting with our lords and joining your tribes, we can turn over a new chapter!"

Through the one-way glass, the director's agitated expression was reflected. On the screen to his left, cameras on the desolate planet's arena captured the situation below the hill where the competitors gathered, among the woods.

One after another, mechas were swiftly converging on the assembly point.

These mechas mostly belonged to competitors who were oblivious to the Ice Butterfly attack.

One of the competing mechas was already nearing the summit rendezvous, traversing an open snowy clearing amidst a dense forest.

To avoid the spider webs, the pilot wasn't moving swiftly. He held a gun in one hand, while his laser blade was activated in the other. His mental energy was extended outward, vigilantly observing his surroundings.

Ascending the slope, he had already encountered a stealthy ambush in a narrow canyon. However, due to his heightened awareness, he detected the attacker early on and managed to defeat them, seizing their chip.

Upon finally exiting the vulnerable area, the pilot couldn't help but exhale in relief.

Before him lay an open snowy expanse within the woods. The snow was pure white, offering no cover. The mech pilot remained cautious, just as before, meticulously scanning the snow ahead with his mental energy.

His preemptive scan was extensive, far beyond the typical range of a standard mech pilot's attack. In his estimation, even if there was an ambush ahead, it would be impossible for them to strike from such a distance.

His mental acuity was sharp, remotely sensing a shadow beneath the snow layer.

The mech pilot instinctively paused, then resumed his steps casually, continuing forward.

He tightened his grip on the dagger in his hand, fully focused, ready to mimic his previous tactic by pretending to walk right into the trap without any reaction.

Should the opponent's strength be average, he could swiftly counterattack the moment they believe their ambush has succeeded, turning the tide of the situation in his favor.

Should the adversary prove formidable, his strategy would be to engage in a delaying tactic, buying time as he rushes towards the assembly point.

We are already very close to the assembly point.

"Judging from the competition profile, this mecha pilot has an exceptional mental acuity rated at A+. It's likely that he has detected Rong Mi."

"At last, someone has noticed Rong Mi. I see she's become 'murderously' obsessed with her role."

"Naivety abounds upstairs! I believe even if he uncovers the truth, he won't be able to escape Rong Mi's clutches."

The mecha pilots, already aware of the trap, continued advancing.

He mentally rehearsed the battle scenes that might unfold.

Currently, he was still at a considerable distance from the enemy mecha, out of range for laser gun fire, and even farther from the effective proximity for mecha-hand-to-hand combat. This distance made utilizing the mecha's psychic energy reserve for an attack seem impractical.

Calculating the timeline, there were roughly fifteen seconds left until the enemy's ambush. He needed to maintain his composure. When the opponent emerged, he would strike at the head of their armor.

Yet, events unfolded differently from his expectations.

As the mecha pilot mentally rehearsed the battle, the shadow beneath the snow suddenly expanded.

Snowflakes scattered as the black mecha, which had been concealed in the snow, emerged with a gentle sway. Its mechanical arm was enveloped in a purple glow that flickered like flames, delivering a fierce punch!