Chapter 125: The Fish and the Net (Part I)

The bombardment outside continued to edge closer, slow and relentless.

Inside the building, which was little more than a ruin, the atmosphere was far from the tranquility one might imagine. Just like the wreckage outside, the interior was riddled with holes. A figure clad entirely in shimmering gold darted back and forth with abandon. Walls that should have been solid were like wet paper, offering no resistance. Strangely, despite this wanton destruction, the half-collapsed structure remained standing, a testament to the surprising stability of such masonry.

Had an architect been present, they would have been struck dumb with amazement. Every breach and puncture was made in spots that did not compromise the building's primary structural integrity—as if calculated with surgical precision. The derelict building, which had been on the verge of collapse due to the loss of its upper half and a severely shifted center of gravity, was actually being "reinforced" by the golden figure’s movements, significantly reducing the likelihood of a total collapse.

That golden figure was Ye Chong.

It was impossible not to marvel at Gu Shaoze, a genius among geniuses. To have created such an incredible micro-mecha—one whose principles even Mu could not fully decipher—was staggering.

Micro-mechas were a niche branch of mecha technology, historically overlooked and studied only by a handful of great houses. But the micro-mecha Gu Shaoze had crafted, named "Guardian," was fundamentally different from any standard model.

Guardian looked more like a second skin. The metallic faceplate clung tightly to Ye Chong’s features, with silver-and-black eyes that appeared eerily alien. The helmet was of a standard design but housed an advanced scanning system. The shoulder guards were made of an incredibly hard material; the only thing Ye Chong regretted was the lack of barbs on them. The main engine was located at the lower back, and its power was so immense that Ye Chong had been startled when he first activated it.

Most unbelievable of all were the auxiliary engines at every joint. These were not for maneuvering, but for force amplification. The explosive power Ye Chong possessed while wearing Guardian was truly shocking. During short-range sprints, his speed could reach an astonishing ten *he*! Even the "Frost Aria" Ye Chong had previously piloted topped out at seven *he*, while standard space cruisers typically traveled at only three or four.

In terms of raw attack power, Guardian could rival a standard-sized mecha. Yet, one had to remember that a standard mecha stood about ten meters tall, and behemoths like the "Fish" reached an incredible twenty meters, while Guardian was less than two meters tall. This vast difference in size made the probability of being locked onto or hit by enemy fire plummet.

Such performance demanded extreme skill from the pilot. It was likely that only someone like Ye Chong—whose body was inhumanly resilient—could truly pilot such a terrifying machine. Due to space constraints, there was almost no cushioning system, save for the unique shock-absorbing properties of the unknown metal that made up the chassis. The acceleration required to reach ten *he* in 1.2 seconds would have crushed an ordinary human into a pulp.

Weapons were Guardian’s weak point. The two daggers on the legs left Ye Chong somewhat disappointed; they were the size of standard combat knives. How could such small blades pierce mecha armor? The hand-mounted spikes also made the Guardian seem better suited for personal protection rather than mecha-on-mecha combat. No doubt, Gu Shaoze’s original intention was to build it for his blonde bodyguard, Number Two, who was a master of close-quarters combat. Therefore, heavy armament had not been a priority.

Guardian—a name that suited this mecha perfectly.

Ye Chong’s entire body was encased without a single seam. The golden metallic luster possessed a rich, modern aesthetic; were it not for the distinct metallic sheen, one might doubt it was made of metal at all. Ye Chong could even feel the softness of the faceplate against his skin, mirroring his every facial expression. *Can such soft metal offer any real protection?* Ye Chong was deeply skeptical.

There were too many mysteries, but he had no time to ponder them. The sounds of explosions drew nearer, the shockwaves causing the ruin to tremble and loose stone to rain down.

There was too little time. If he had more, Ye Chong was certain that with Guardian and Mu’s assistance, he could break through the encirclement. It was a pity he had only remembered the unassuming ring Gu Shaoze had given him before his death so late. But regret was not a habit of his. Ye Chong steadied his mind, recalling the sensations of piloting Guardian.

Suddenly, Ye Chong stopped and listened intently. *Wait.* The rhythm of the enemy's bombardment felt completely different—chaotic and disjointed. What was happening?

At that moment, Mu’s voice crackled, urgent: "Ye, something is happening. Prepare to move!"

Only a small area remained. The target they sought had to be inside! The enemy's firing rhythm had slowed. Seeing that a portion of the enemy mechas had ceased fire, Feng Su realized the moment to strike had arrived.

Under her signal, ten "Morning" mechas surged into the enemy's perimeter.

The sudden change threw the Mecha Association’s firing rhythm into disarray. Their reaction was swift, however. Almost instantly, ten "White Crane" mechas moved to intercept. Without warning or a single word, dozens of mag-rail shells were fired at the Morning mechas. Meanwhile, another ten mechas lunged toward the final, uncleared sector.

Both sides were clearly familiar with one another. Without hesitation, the ten Morning mechas maneuvered like butterflies in a garden—weaving, crisscrossing, and reversing. The incoming fire passed through the gaps in their movement; despite their seemingly erratic path, the Morning mechas remained untouched.

Not a single hit was landed in this initial volley, leaving the proud White Crane pilots of the Mecha Association stunned.

The Mecha Association was well-versed in the Orbital Ring, but for years, there had been no major conflicts. A brawl involving dozens of mechas was unprecedented. Most of their pilots knew the Orbital Ring mechas only through data files.

Of the three major powers, the Mecha Association was more closely tied to the Five Star Domains and had infiltrated civilian society much more deeply. Unlike the Black Horn or the Orbital Ring, which functioned like isolated societies, the elite pilots of the Mecha Association had far more contact with the common people. From this, they derived a sense of superiority. Years of unchallenged success had allowed pride to fester among their elite.

Their last mission had ended in a disgraceful humiliation, with their main fleet exposed and their primary mecha force wiped out.

That the creators of this shame—four mechas that didn't even belong to the three great powers—had done so was infuriating. Had they not been in the Orbital Ring, where infiltration was difficult and the Art-Inheritance Sect held significant influence, they would have sent far more than twenty-five mechas. Yet, the fact that they could assemble such a formidable force in such a short time after receiving intelligence showed the depth of their reach. If Ye Chong had known this was the maximum force the Mecha Association could muster in the Orbital Ring, he might have been flattered.

Feng Su flew straight toward the cluster of twenty-five enemy mechas, utterly fearless. Her goal was to pin down the enemy’s three main combat mechas—the "Mermaid’s Sorrow." The Mermaid’s Sorrow was one of the Mecha Association’s three primary models: sharp firepower, precise locking, and high mobility were its hallmarks. Had Ye Chong been there, he would have recognized them as identical to the ones that had hunted him relentlessly.

With their elegant white finish and swept-up wings, they carried an air of nobility. Beyond standard laser and heat-ray guns, they were equipped with high-damage mag-rail rifles—unlike the White Cranes, for whom these were secondary. Their propulsion systems were clearly a cut above. They utilized a high-precision manual targeting mode, which demanded far more from the pilot—explaining why there were so few of them compared to the White Cranes.

These three Mermaid’s Sorrows were Feng Su’s primary targets. Against the White Cranes, the Morning mechas held the numerical advantage and would surely win. Only these three could pose a threat to her team.

The combat style of the Orbital Ring sects was unique: they always fought as a unit. One-on-one, the White Crane held the advantage against the Morning, but five-on-five, it was a toss-up, and ten-on-ten, the Morning held the upper hand. Thus, the Morning mechas always operated in units of ten. This distinct style had been a source of constant headaches for the Mecha Association and the Black Horn.

Behind Feng Su, the ten Morning mechas roared toward the final remaining patch of ground. They had formed a perfect, airtight encirclement. They were confident that even ten White Cranes would find it impossible to break out.

The Mecha Association mechas were overwhelmed, unable to focus on anything but the skirmish. The purple "Nirvana Feather" was the brightest star on the battlefield. The legendary ace lived up to her reputation; she was single-handedly holding off five mechas, including three Mermaid’s Sorrows, and appeared to be doing so with ease.

With such a massive operation nearing success, the ten pilots tightening the circle couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

Suddenly, a flash of gold streaked by.