Section 128: The End? Or the Beginning?

Without a moment’s hesitation, Ye Chong surged forward, his dagger slashing through the air with lightning speed.

Although this stranger had technically saved his life, Ye Chong was not naive enough to believe it was out of kindness. If he didn't cause a little trouble for the opponent—specifically for that mecha—then, given the speed it had just displayed, the chances of him and Mu escaping would be slim. How could he pass up such a golden opportunity?

Like a golden cannonball, Ye Chong launched himself toward the mecha.

Feng Su felt a sudden, inexplicable shiver. Instinctively, she commanded the *Nieyu* to dodge. The wide, folding wings on its back were as supple as a bird’s, curling from behind to cover its vital areas in an impossible display of fluid motion. This entire maneuver was executed in a mere heartbeat.

Trust your intuition—this was the unwavering creed of all Pilots, the very foundation of their strength. For Feng Su, it had become second nature.

Feng Su’s movements were incredibly fast, yet Ye Chong, controlling the *Guardian*, was faster.

There was no cold glint typical of flashing blades; under the velocity of his movements, the daggers seemed to vanish into thin air, causing the atmosphere itself to ripple like disturbed water. It was simply too fast.

Still, Ye Chong hadn't expected his sneak attack to be met with such preparedness; the opponent dodged the vast majority of his strikes.

Due to the advanced development of their consciousness, Pilots possessed an extraordinary sense of precognition, a trait that sharpened as they cultivated their mental discipline. In combat, this foresight allowed one to remain a step ahead of the enemy, significantly increasing the odds of victory.

Of course, battle is complex. Knowing an opponent’s intent does not guarantee control. Mental acuity is but one factor; the pilot’s skill and the performance of the mecha itself also play decisive roles in the final outcome.

Among the three factions, the Black Horn pilots were physically robust, while the Orbit Ring pilots boasted superior consciousness. The Pilot Association pilots were perhaps the weakest in individual prowess, yet their mecha technology was slightly more advanced. Thus, at equivalent levels, the three factions were evenly matched.

Feng Su was an ace among the Orbit Ring pilots. Beyond her raw skill, her depth of consciousness was profound. While perhaps not the strongest pilot in the Orbit Ring, she was undoubtedly the one with the fastest and most accurate intuition. Even so, she had only managed to evade most of Ye Chong’s attacks thanks to her eerily precise foresight.

Ye Chong was shocked. *This is impossible!* He believed that even Mu could not have avoided those strikes under such circumstances. Yet, the fact remained: the opponent had succeeded.

Several of his slashes hit empty air, and the few that landed were skewed away from the critical lines identified by the *Guardian’s* analysis. Was it luck? Or did the opponent truly possess a capability he didn't understand? Ye Chong felt a flicker of doubt.

"Ye, we must go!" Mu’s voice was urgent. Ye Chong did not hesitate, planting his feet against the enemy mecha to vault away. He shot toward the *Fish*—the mecha piloted by Mu—like a golden arrow. The synergy between Mu and Ye Chong was absolute; the *Fish* was already flying at high speed. In the blink of an eye, Ye Chong caught up, reaching out like a mutated ape to hang onto the mecha’s remaining arm.

The force of Ye Chong’s kick, amplified by the *Guardian*, had been immense; the *Nieyu* was sent stumbling back several paces. Under Mu’s precise control, the *Fish* accelerated to its maximum speed, vanishing into the distance with Ye Chong in tow.

The surrounding scene slowly returned to normal as the others blinked, dazed. Suddenly realizing they were surrounded by enemies, chaos erupted. The mecha of the Pilot Association and the Orbit Ring converged. The Orbit Ring forces, being more numerous and better suited for group combat, quickly threw a cordon around the Pilot Association pilots.

Facing the predatory gaze of so many *Morning* mecha, the Pilot Association pilots, though fearless, felt their resolve tighten. They stood in tense, defensive formations, their weapons charged, waiting for the final moment.

The Orbit Ring pilots waited for Feng Su’s command to finish off the intruders. They held no love for these infiltrators, especially after losing a comrade—even if that death was at the hands of the "Golden Man," they blamed the others present. The Pilot Association pilots had no idea they were serving as scapegoats for Ye Chong.

One side knew they were at a disadvantage and dared not strike, while the other awaited orders. A bizarre, heavy silence hung over the scene as fifty-some mecha hovered in the sky, deathly still.

Feng Su was stunned beyond measure, her focus entirely elsewhere. The intruder’s visual sensors had been unaffected by the blinding light—an unexpected feat. Seeing the warning indicators hit the yellow zone, she felt a mix of shock and resentment. The *Nieyu* had never been wounded before; this was a blow to her pride as an ace.

Though the scratches were less than thirty centimeters deep, they were located in the mecha’s most vulnerable areas. It was chilling. Had she been a fraction of a second slower, those blades would have pierced the armor’s weakest points. She shuddered at the thought. To identify the critical vulnerabilities of her mecha in that split second was terrifying.

Was it the pilot’s keen eye, or the magic of that mecha?

The cuts were perfectly smooth. How? The *Nieyu* was a top-tier mecha, its armor incredibly resilient even by the standards of the mysterious lands beyond. She doubted even the best melee ace from the Black Horn could have dealt such damage so easily.

That miniature mecha was full of surprises. No wonder the Pilot Association would pay any price for it. She suspected that once she submitted this report, her superiors would do the same.

And there were two of them! The intelligence had been wrong. The pilot of the other mecha was also a top-tier master. Precise, flawless, with no wasted movement. Combined with immense computational power and strategic awareness, Feng Su considered him even more formidable than the pilot of the golden mecha. That mecha’s design was equally unique, and the ejection pod was a stroke of genius.

"Two terrifying individuals," Feng Su mused, a spark of competitive spirit igniting within her. If they ever met again... she looked forward to it with a strange, lingering anticipation.

Shaking off her thoughts, she surveyed the battlefield. Although the mission had failed, it was not without gain. Most of the Pilot Association’s infiltrators had been exposed. And while they hadn't captured the target, they had a better chance of finding him than the other two factions, as they could mobilize all their resources to search the Orbit Ring. Surely the Black Horn had heard the news by now.

Feng Su knew the Orbit Ring was not easy to escape. Most importantly, she had confirmed the value of that miniature mecha and obtained first-hand data.

What to do with these Pilot Association people? Letting them go was risky. Killing them would result in heavy casualties and likely spark an all-out war—an outcome her superiors surely didn't want.

As she hesitated, a massive formation of over a hundred *Morning* mecha appeared on the horizon, flying in perfect, high-speed alignment. The twenty-five Pilot Association mecha in the center stirred with anxiety. The newcomers split into ten squads, circling like hunters to reinforce the siege.

The Orbit Ring pilots were exhilarated; the power gap had widened, and they awaited only the word to reduce the intruders to ash.

Feng Su received the order from her superiors. She drifted into the center of the encirclement, twenty *Morning* mecha instantly flanking her to protect the *Nieyu*. Her voice, amplified by the mecha’s speakers, rang out clearly:

"You have all received the order from your superiors to surrender. To avoid unnecessary conflict, disengage your weapons, descend to the ground, and power down your mecha. Your units will be held in our custody until you are escorted out of the Orbit Ring. Cooperation is expected."

With that, she retreated to the perimeter.

The Pilot Association pilots bit their lips, expressions blank. For the first time, they were handing over the mecha they valued more than their own lives. Younger pilots wept. Warriors who did not fear death now had to accept this bitter fate. The raw pain in their eyes was too much for many of the Orbit Ring pilots to watch.

Feng Su watched in silence. She knew the leadership must have reached some agreement with the Pilot Association. Otherwise, how could they have so easily lowered their proud heads?

*Sigh,* she thought. *I fear this is only the beginning.*