Chapter 332: Coordination
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The dagger in her hand cut exactly where the three white lines were. While the dagger was not Rui Bing’s preferred weapon, her three swipes were quick and true. Rui Bing continued advancing forward without delay, not even looking back at the results of her attack as she vanished into the endless hoard of mutants. Even the mech pilot did not realize that his mech had received three blows. Guardian had excellent anti-detection properties.
Boom! The mech exploded without warning, its fragments spraying outwards, killing the mutants around it. Where the mech had been was not a black spot of charred earth. The explosion was so strong that it left an eight-diameter circle of clearing.
The ambushing mechs had scattered around the area for better cover. On top of that, the explosion went unnoticed because of the chaotic situation.
Guardian was a miniature mech, less than two meters tall. Rui Bing moved between the towering mutants that could easily reach up to five meters.
Rui Bing used the same method to finish off another two mechs. By then, the unusual casualties finally drew the attention of the other party. However, they did not spot Rui Bing yet, even though they were sure that someone was hiding out there and attacking them.
When the fourth mech exploded, the ambushers finally felt a little frightened. It was a truly horrible experience to face against a powerful and invisible enemy. Up until now, they still did not know who the enemy was!
Amidst the chaos that unfolded on the streets, the use of optical systems was disastrous. The countless number of mutants moving around on the screen and the narrow vision afforded was more than enough to confuse the viewer. Any mech pilot would surely be overcome by dizziness very quickly.
In the flight runway, Ye Chong deployed Han Jia. After some rest, his stamina returned. He slipped into the pilot cabin easily and put his hands gently on the controls. Ye Chong exhaled softly and put his hands to work.
Han Jia’s first battle began.
In the flight runway, Han Jia continued to pick up speed. Ye Chong’s face was as cold as marble. He breathed steadily, now in his top form. As the exit grew larger and larger in view, he shivered a little in excitement.
The flight runway was not wide, so Han Jia kept its colorful wings folded. The exit grew closer, and when Han Jia finally emerged outside, it spreaded out its large and beautiful pair of colorful wings.
Han Jia flew across the sky like a butterfly, marking its first voyage into battle.
Bi Bo was too focused recording that he did not notice the mech that silently hovered in the air like a butterfly. Bi Bo’s recorder was based on optics, so Han Jia appeared clearly on it.
Outside Zhou Jian, one could hear the ladies shouting excitedly amidst the crowd as they watched the holographic screen, dazzled by what they were seeing. Women were always vulnerable to pretty things, much less something as beautiful as Han Jia. They gasped in awe at the mech, wondering what kind of mech it was.
Han Jia looked down from above at the dense spread of mutants on the ground. Laser beams continued to shoot from below towards the mechs in the sky.
Ye Chong quickly locked on one of the mechs. This was a red and black mech. The pilot was an excellent shooter and a powerful fighter. The mech had brought down no less than 15 mechs. Unlike other laser beams that were slightly tinged with yellow, its lasers were a bright red, and could deeply penetrate armor. It must be this mech that had nearly hit him. "He must be the leader," thought Ye Chong to himself.
Han Jia’s colorful wings reflected a kaleidoscope of colors from the sun’s rays, sparkling like the rippling surface of a lake.
Han Jia dived with its wings folded. It shot down so fast that everyone was surprised. The mech experts all gasped in awe and stood up in excitement.
Lightning! It shot down like lightning! The mech left behind a colorful afterimage that looked like a straight brush of rainbow.
"That was fast," the experts all thought to themselves in shock.
The red and black mech enlarged quickly on Han Jia’s holographic screen. Its every detail was captured clearly. Han Jia’s mechanical palms conjured up its two daggers, both in a brown-gray that looked like wood. It looked like a bad match against Han Jia’s beauty.
The red and black mech did not notice the impending danger as it searched for its next target.
Gray Cross attack!
The brown-gray daggers drew an "X" in the air. Han Jia swished past the red and black mech with only a meter’s distance between them.
Han Jia moved so quickly that the red and black mech shook a little from the air pressure that dropped while Han Jia passed by.
The mech pilot inside was vigilant, and knew instantly that something had flew past his mech. However, his holographic screen showed nothing at all.
How was that possible? He was shocked. This was impossible! A terrifying thought occurred to him then. Could it be …
He quickly recalled the mechs that exploded for no reason earlier. That must be it! The mystery was solved. He was anxious to warn his subordinates about it, but he never had the chance. The violent explosion swallowed him up. He lost consciousness as his vision darkened.
By now, Han Jia was already a few hundred meters away from the mech. Han Jia’s two daggers were mixed in with Do Kun stone, which made them fatally sharp.
"Where are you?" Ye Chong asked through the public comms channel. He also activated his optical system. Han Jia’s scanning system and photon processor were its most deplorable parts. It would be impossible to find Rui Bing through them. Hence, Ye Chong took to asking through the public comms channel, unafraid of being overheard.
As expected, Rui Bing recognized Ye Chong’s voice. "I’m here."
Ye Chong quickly scanned through Han Jia’s optical system and found Rui Bing. The gold humanoid was leaping from one mutant’s back to another at high speed.
Guardian had a malleable shell, and was tight fitting. Rui Bing’s body curves were all finely traced out on the humanoid mech. If Shang were here, he would surely be stunned by her perfect measurements. Due to her long and persistent combat training, Rui Bing’s body was all muscles and no fat.
Han Jia flew low towards Rui Bing.
Ye Chong suddenly spoke through the public comms, "I’m behind you, jump!"
Rui Bing leaped off the back of a mutant rat without delay, jumping high into the air. Han Jia swept past her and gently held on to Rui Bing, placing her on Han Jia’s shoulder.
Ye Chong said, "We need to catch someone back, alive."
"Alright." Sitting on Han Jia’s shoulder, Rui Bing felt a sweet blessing.
The golden woman with perfect measurements sat on the shoulder of a dazzling butterfly with colorful wings, looking through its spiral black-and-white eyes. It was destined to become an unforgettable sight.
No one knew the name of Han Jia. In fact, from then on, people always referred to the mech as the Rainbow Butterfly. To them, it was a name that symbolized the flawlessly beautiful mech that appeared and vanished so quickly from the world.
"Get ready," Ye Chong warned softly. Rui Bing focused herself. She switched into a half-crouched stance, readying herself. Rui Bing stood steadily half-crouched on a small spot on Han Jia’s shoulder while Han Jia flew quickly through the air, a testimony to her incredible sense of balance.
"Now!"
Han Jia’s colorful wings disappeared, while its 12 flexible tentacles struck like lightning towards the mech that was standing in front, among the mutants. The sharp hooks at the tip of the tentacles were barely visible.
Pak! The 12 tentacles nailed the mech firmly to the ground.
A grey shadow swished past. Han Jia’s dagger was sharp, instantly severing the four limbs off the mech, leaving only its body. Rui Bing launched herself from her half-crouched position, the dagger in her hand carving a square out of the armor of the mech.
Guardian’s dagger was called Number Two’s Dagger. It was also sharp, almost as sharp as Han Jia’s daggers that were mixed in with Do Kun Stone. Ye Chong never figured out much about Guardian’s structure and material, and was equally ignorant of the materials and method used to craft that dagger.
Gu Shaoze was a true genius! Ye Chong sighed to himself as he had done so for many times before.
She lightly peeled the armor, and it flew off into the distance.
This turn of events was too sudden that the mech pilot inside was still confused when he found himself exposed. A gold humanoid was staring at him with odd, black-and-white eyes. It was like a dream.
Was he dreaming? He wondered at the bizarre sight that greeted him.
Rui Bing did not hesitate. She lightly chopped on the side of his neck, and mech pilot slumped down instantly.
Rui Bing hauled him up without a word and leapt onto Han Jia’s shoulder. Ye Chong’s hands moved, and Han Jia quickly flew towards the alchemy building, into a flight runway.
When Ye Chong and Rui Bing hauled the man into the storage room, everyone stared dumbly at them. They had been watching the holographic images on the screen, which did not show their mechs.
Ye Chong flung the captured mech pilot towards Fei Si, and said in his calm voice, "He’s probably an experimental subject infected with the virus. Please study him. He’ll wake up in 10 days." What Ye Chong really meant was, "Please study him as you please."
Just then, the holographic screen on the wall showed lesser and lesser laser attacks towards the sky.
Ye Chong and Rui Bing exchanged a glance.
"They’re escaping."
"Yes."
"Let’s go."
"Alright."
Ye Chong deployed Han Jia and slipped into the pilot cabin. Rui Bing deployed Guardian, hopped onto Han Jia’s shoulder and sat down. Han Jia flew off with its colorful wings as the people in the room gasped in awe.
Fei Si watched Han Jia, with Rui Bing on its shoulder. A silent tear rolled down her cheeks.