Chapter 112: Another Relapse

A large group of mechs and men armed with thermal guns charged aggressively toward the scene. Pedestrians on the street scattered in all directions, though their movements were practiced and calm, clearly indicating this was not their first encounter with such a spectacle.

Ye Chong summoned "Yu" immediately. The newcomers looked hostile, and Ye Chong was not slow-witted; he understood that they were almost certainly targeting him. They were likely companions of the group from earlier that day, he surmised.

Quickly scrambling into the cockpit of Yu, he activated the scanning system. A sea of red dots filled his display—the numbers were not small. Ye Chong muttered to himself.

Suddenly, Shang’s tone became somewhat dismissive: "Ye, you should be able to handle these people all by yourself. The danger coefficient isn't high enough right now, so I can't help you. Oh, what a pity! It feels like I haven't taken action in such a long time!" The voice was filled with mock regret.

If he had to do it alone, he would! Unless absolutely forced to, Mu and Shang would not intervene. Though he did not know the reason, Ye Chong did not want to become overly reliant on them. Excessive dependence would cause his own combat abilities to atrophy. Strength—the strength he truly possessed himself—was the only thing he could rely on.

In a place as chaotic as this, if you didn't take the initiative and instead waited for the enemy to find you before counterattacking, even having several lives wouldn't be enough. Since war had been declared, he would strike first.

Qu Fa sat inside his beloved mech, watching his men close in on the target in a swift and orderly formation. Once the encirclement was complete, the target would have no wings to fly away. To deal with these three individuals, he had brought his most prized mech squad. Every pilot in this squad was at least an intermediate level, and the three team leaders were recognized as advanced pilots.

Qu Fa was naturally cautious and had always kept a low profile. This mech squad was a force he had never before deployed, waiting for a day when it could be put to significant use.

Although the Orbit Circle was filled with experts, and those who could enter were not ordinary people, the competition for talent within the sector was fierce. An advanced pilot was far beyond what a small establishment like his could usually afford. The three team leaders were men he had spent great effort and hardship to recruit. The bitterness of that struggle was not worth recounting.

To be honest, causing such a commotion during such a sensitive period was not what the cautious Qu Fa had desired.

However, after his dozen brothers were killed in the street today, if he did not settle the score, he would be finished. He feared that by tomorrow, not a single one of his men would remain. In Harrison Star, if you lacked strength, it was extremely difficult to gain a foothold. Organizations without power were the easiest to perish.

Suddenly, a loud "bang" erupted. Debris scattered as the entire small building was engulfed in a cloud of yellow dust.

Qu Fa’s heart skipped a beat. The target had sensed them before the encirclement was even complete—this group was sharp. It seemed a hard battle was unavoidable! Fortunately, there were only three of them; no matter how skilled, they could not withstand superior numbers. Now, Qu Fa only prayed that other organizations wouldn't intervene, or things would become difficult.

A black mech emerged gracefully from the dust, its demeanor calm. Seeing the opponent treat them with such disdain, Qu Fa was moved to angry laughter. In truth, he was wrong about Ye Chong. Ye Chong had no habit of underestimating his opponents, no matter how weak they were. As for his entrance, it was naturally Shang's handiwork, under the pretext that it would increase the opponent's psychological pressure.

Before Qu Fa could issue an order, the black, four-armed mech suddenly lunged forward.

Over the past few days, Ye Chong had become intimately familiar with Yu. In the eyes of Fred, Yu could not be considered a top-tier mech. The four mechanical arms seemed excessive, and for most people, they were merely a burden—after all, who else possessed Ye Chong’s hand speed? But for Ye Chong, it was a mech tailor-made for him. His incredible hand speed had long been restricted by other mechs, but with Yu, his hard-practiced speed finally had a place to be utilized.

What kind of power would the combination of Ye Chong and Yu unleash after they had fully synchronized?

Ye Chong had no intention of talking. Like a giant octopus suddenly surging forward, Yu cut into the periphery of the mech formation before anyone could react.

In a fleeting glance, Yu’s system counted thirty-seven mechs. None were ordinary, but in Ye Chong’s eyes, this level of hardware no longer sparked much interest. Now, only the mechs of Black Horn or those within the Pilot Association could catch his eye. Well, he was also still somewhat curious about the remaining mechs of Master Fred.

Shang roared excitedly in Ye Chong’s mind.

Yu made no feints, charging directly into the group.

The first to encounter Ye Chong was a Tian-Shun Type 3 mech. It was wolf-shaped and belonged to the category of advanced mechs, with four mechanical legs that had clearly been modified for a ferocious appearance. Seeing Yu charge, the pilot did not panic; all the concealed firing ports on the mech opened, unleashing a barrage of firepower at Ye Chong.

However, having grown accustomed to the terrifying power of the Pilot Association’s magnetic railguns, this level of fire was like fireworks to Ye Chong—all show and no substance. The shield on the chest expanded with a hum. As the laser beams struck it, the monster’s eyes lit up as if they had been ignited.

The pilot of the Tian-Shun mech did not expect his fire to be blocked at such close range. Just as he tried to disengage, he suddenly noticed his mech emitting a sizzling sound. Before he could wonder why, a violent explosion engulfed him like a primordial beast.

Ye Chong’s movements were too fast. With one shield and one blade guarding his chest, the overclocked Magnetic Shang Blade was like a lurking viper, ready to deliver a fatal strike at any moment. Ye Chong was reluctant to use the projection pods; the ammunition was limited, and once exhausted, the pod would be useless. With the old man Fred gone, there was no place to replenish these strange projectiles. Each one used was one less left! Ye Chong did not want to waste precious resources under these circumstances.

Most of the thirty-plus mechs were long-range attack types.

For a long-range mech to be closed in on by a melee unit was a nightmare. And whether it was a long-range or melee mech, being cornered by Yu, operated by Ye Chong, was the nightmare of nightmares.

Yu was like a meat grinder. Wherever it went, mechs were torn to pieces, debris flew, and the sounds of explosions followed one after another.

Qu Fa’s face twisted in agony. This was his life’s work!

Few people cared about the death of Qu Fa; after all, he represented only a small organization in the Holt District. But this battle brought Ye Chong great renown. One man taking on an entire organization, no matter how small, was no easy feat.

Ye Chong was ruthless, and he rarely left survivors. His astonishing combat power, combined with that strange, fear-inducing mech, made the major power brokers hesitate. Such a person, if used well, was a lethal weapon, but if used poorly, he was a blade hanging over their own hearts, ready to claim their lives at any moment.

Many large organizations had extended olive branches to Ye Chong, but he did not respond to a single one. He did not want to be constrained or become a tool in someone else’s hands. If he had wanted that, which organization here was more powerful than Black Horn?

The area around Ye Chong finally grew quiet. Upon learning that Ye Chong would not join any organization, many groups breathed a sigh of relief. For them, this was an acceptable outcome.

Ye Chong strolled down the street. Last time, he had intended to familiarize himself with the environment, but the plan had been interrupted. Now, with time on his hands, he decided to finish the job.

Pedestrians scattered upon seeing him. Ye Chong’s recent "fearsome reputation" was unmatched in the Holt District. Cold-blooded, ruthless, and bloodthirsty—overnight, he had been painted as a butcher. Ye Chong did not mind. In an environment like this, being feared was more useful.

Undisturbed, he walked alone through the streets. He had already stored Shang away; walking through the streets with a four-armed mech was too conspicuous. Besides, Ye Chong felt that Shang was more effective as a surprise element. His own body had been feeling fine lately, and he was just taking a walk—nothing should go wrong, he reasoned.

He did not recognize the trees lining the road and could not name them, but that did not stop him from admiring them.

As he examined the architecture on both sides of the street, Ye Chong wandered aimlessly.

"Oh!" Ye Chong couldn't help but let out a surprised sound. The architectural style before him was unique—light green buildings filled with the breath of nature, evoking a sense of tranquility and peace that welled up from deep within him.

A faint, strange fragrance made his nose itch. His feet moved involuntarily onto the short wooden steps in front of the building.

Just as his right foot touched the step, Ye Chong’s head suddenly felt heavy. He realized something was wrong and tried to summon Shang, only to discover that his connection to the mech had been completely severed. He couldn't be this unlucky, he thought, feeling a sense of desperate frustration.

Unfortunately, soon, he didn't even have the capacity for frustration. A heart-piercing, mind-drilling pain surged toward him like a crushing, overwhelming tidal wave.