novelraw Chapter 118 : Song of Sand and Mirage
Chapter 118 : Song of Sand and Mirage
[Star League Competition First Round]
[SS-level - Song of Sand and Mirage Energy Field Jump Complete]
[Current Participants 25/25]
[Competition Notes and Point Content Transmitted to Team Channels]
[This Competition's Completion Condition: Energy Absorption Device Placement at Base Station Monitoring Tower]
[Competition Duration 10 Days, This Competition Uses Points System]
[Competition Countdown—]
The Competition Committee's protective barrier had reached its time limit, being blown by the surrounding storm energy, quickly shattering into points of light scattering around.
A crimson round sun hung in the sky, fire-red clouds like kneaded pigment turned half the sky into patches of deep red. The scorching firelight poured onto the ground, making the yellow sand scalding hot, burning the mechs' feet.
"Hiss—"
Zhou Chen took a few steps in the gravel, and the fine sand flowed up over his feet following his stepping amplitude, then flowed down into the crevices of the mechanical joint connections.
"Good thing we changed to dust covers," Zhou Chen said while activating the mech's dust protection device. The flowing sand seemed to be blocked by a transparent membrane outside, and as the mech lifted its steps, it flowed out through the gaps following its movement, falling back into the sand.
"It's so hot, Poplar Star isn't this hot, is it?"
He looked back at his teammates.
Chen Sui glanced around, extending her energy diffusion perception. "SS-level energy field, but the energy body fluctuations are very weak."
Xie Chunshi synchronized the integrated energy field data: "The yellow sand in Song of Sand and Mirage has strong covering ability. Most of the energy bodies within have concealment attributes, making energy manipulation difficult to detect."
Chen Sui showed an interested expression. "No wonder the teacher had me practice synchronized perception after seeing the competition venue."
Synchronized perception differs from energy perception. The latter judges energy body attributes and numbers by perceiving surrounding energy fluctuations, while synchronized perception perceives the energy enrichment situation of the surrounding environment. Generally, energy bodies will cause energy enrichment phenomena before launching attacks.
"That's the teaching team, preparing in advance," Zhou Chen nodded in agreement. After speaking, he looked at the yellow sand beneath his feet: "Is this thing's covering attribute similar to Blue Fin?"
Blue Fin's concealment coating applied to mech surfaces was quite useful. As long as Zhou Chen himself didn't use energy, in pure mech combat, Hawk's movement speed bonus combined with Blue Fin's concealment rarely put him at a disadvantage.
"It's different from Blue Fin's effect. Yellow sand creates coverage through equal energy wave confusion. It's generally more effective for energy bodies living in energy fields. Without this energy field environment, yellow sand doesn't have much covering effect."
Chen Sui dispelled Zhou Chen's notion.
The young man said somewhat regretfully: "I see. I thought we could get some yellow sand out of here to enhance the concealment effect."
Chen Sui patted him. Under the scorching sun, the fiery temperature slowly rose, with the mech's internal temperature regulation device running, consuming more energy.
"Isn't this energy field earth and wind attributes? Is it normal to be this hot? I feel like the mech is about to be roasted."
Zhou Chen walked for a while, then stopped, looking ahead. All he could see was yellow sand, like an endless yellow sea.
Sand dunes rose from the ground, gradually ascending forward. The ridge lines were sharp, and the windward sand stones were like stretched-smooth silk, emitting deep and shallow golden light. The leeward side was uneven, with sand sliding down following the arc of the dune, and the dune's shadow enlarged on the ground.
Chen Sui looked at the scene of sand dunes before her. The fire attribute energy in the air wasn't intense. Poplar Star's climate was pleasant, rarely seeing such scorching high temperatures, but in the energy field, this red sun seemed particularly intense.
Xie Chunshi's fingertips lit up with a blue light as he looked at the agile attacker kicking sand stones ahead: "Zhou Chen, come closer."
Zhou Chen looked back and saw a blue water droplet rising from the Commander's palm. His eyes brightened, and he quickly stepped back to stand with the group.
Xie Chunshi's energy spread around, and the water droplet in front turned into a palm-sized sea sprite. Its long tail swayed out from the water droplet, and with the sea sprite's tail activity, a blue wave immediately rippled around.
Water vapor filled the surrounding air, driving away the desert's dry and scorching atmosphere. It instantly felt like cool water had been poured into their hearts.
Zhou Chen turned around in delight: "It's still Commander Xie, so comfortable."
The water droplet in mid-air scattered and fell. Chen Sui, seeing Xie Chunshi not moving, reached out to catch the falling sea sprite.
The spirit body wasn't even as big as a palm, but before falling into her palm, its tail flexibly turned a circle, then rippling with blue light, it swam to mid-air, affectionately nuzzling against Chen Sui's mech face, its long tail circling around her neck.
"You—"
Xie Chunshi was stunned for a moment, then looked at his spirit body in shock.
The sea sprite's humanoid face showed a gentle, harmless smile, its eyes curved like crescent moons, blinking a few times, innocently looking at Chen Sui, then glancing at Xie Chunshi, tilting its head, appearing particularly pure.
Chen Sui was startled by the cool sensation on her cheek, and when she realized what happened, she almost laughed.
Her hand still supported the spirit body, the blue energy jumping in mid-air like flickering stars. The sea sprite leapt among the star points, landing on Xie Chunshi's shoulder.
The Commander glanced sideways at the sea sprite. From Chen Sui's angle, she couldn't see his expression. In the cockpit, Xie Chunshi's calm expression broke, and he seemed to sigh: "You—that's very impolite."
He tried to teach the spirit body what constitutes proper social etiquette.
At least don't go up and stick to someone else's face.
The sea sprite didn't appear often. Being rarely released from Xie Chunshi's mental domain, it was excessively jubilant. Its blue light rippled out in circles as the Zhu Jing Fu team walked.
"But, master is thinking the same—mmph mmph"
Xie Chunshi sealed its mouth. Chen Sui had just heard its voice but hadn't had time to turn her head when she saw Xie Chunshi somewhat hastily putting away the energy body.
"What's wrong?"
Chen Sui remembered his mental domain wasn't good, so he generally wouldn't release his spirit body. She thought the mental barrier after Red Moon Snow Plain had an effect, but now it seemed, could it have worn off so quickly?
Xie Chunshi's ear tips heated up, and he shook his head. "It's nothing. Mist isn't used to staying outside."
Xie Chunshi lowered his eyes guiltily.
Blue light flickered in his mental domain in protest, but he remained unmoved.
With his water attribute energy enrichment dispersing the surrounding heat, the five quickly traversed through the desert, moving toward the nearest secondary base station.
"Na Luo River is defending, and Simos is very familiar with Poplar Star's environment and the Song of Sand and Mirage energy field. Their first choice won't be to go to the main base station, but to get points."
Xie Chunshi understood Xie You; he would ensure that doubled points were maximized for benefit.
High basic points make doubling more valuable.
"They don't need to go find energy bodies. With the absorption device activated, the energy bodies will come find them."
Chen Sui added.
The Zhu Jing Fu team looked back at the direction they had come from, approaching the base station according to its radar signal. But Zhou Chen looked back at the vast desert.
"Why aren't there any energy bodies in this SS-level energy field? It's so barren," he sighed. As Zhu Jing Fu approached the rugged mountainside under a sand dune, he leaned against the shaded side and sat down. "Haven't even seen the shadow of the mirages in Song of Sand and Mirage."
The four members of Zhu Jing Fu watched as he sat down and drank a nutrition fluid. Chen Sui said quietly: "Usually when you say something like that, they appear next."
Zhou Chen's swallowing action paused, and he immediately jumped up from the ground as if his butt was on fire.
"Don't scare me!"
Chen Sui and the others stood behind a specially shaped rock formation clearly eroded by wind, sheltering from the scorching sunlight. The high temperature hadn't actually changed much, but psychologically they felt comforted.
"Zhou Chen, your jinx power is strong," Puluo acknowledged. "Say some good things for a change."
"Don't mythologize me, I'm just coincidental," Zhou Chen tried to change their impression of him, but actually, he felt somewhat uneasy himself. Surely it couldn't be that bad, how could he be so magical?
"Then I'll say our Zhu Jing Fu will be first in the league."
Chen Sui glanced at him, somewhat puzzled: "Isn't that obvious? No need for the lucky king to specially predict it."
Although the audience knew Zhu Jing Fu was consistently confident and fearless, actually hearing them casually utter such boastful words still gave them mixed feelings.
[That's Zhu Jing Fu's style]
[It's fine, they just want to be first in the league, not break through the competition venue, which is already pretty good]
[Honestly, with the change to absorption devices, isn't it the same as breaking through the venue?]
[That's true, the Competition Committee seems to be aiming for the league to finish and directly eliminate the energy field]
[Recently there have been many energy field-related posts on Star Net, entertainment posts are gradually decreasing, the situation feels a bit grave]
[Relax, the league is still continuing, which means the problem isn't big. It should be about energy field changes, just wait for the management notice]
[Everyone's getting off topic, I'm now thinking Zhu Jing Fu might really come in first]
[It's just after the first match, don't decide so early]
[To get first place, you need to get at least two multipliers, otherwise the points won't be enough]
[For some reason, when Chen Sui says this, I automatically assume Zhu Jing Fu will be first]
[I'm telling you, this sister's persuasion skills are really strong]
Zhou Chen was somewhat between laughter and tears.
But Chen Sui was too confident, confident to the point where she didn't consider winning the championship an important matter. She currently only focused on the mech's condition: "We didn't exchange for high-temperature resistant coating. At this temperature, many material properties of the mech's outer layer will fluctuate, but there's also an advantage."
Zhou Chen looked over at her and saw Chen Sui raising her cannon: "The Fierce Fire Cannon doesn't need too strong energy induction; a bit hotter and it can explode directly."
Zhou Chen hissed, immediately understanding what level the surrounding scorching high temperature had reached.
"This temperature, though not as hot as the magma flow in Polar World, is about the same as being soaked in Red Rain in Sultry Red Forest."
Burning hot.
Chen Sui shook her head without speaking. After a brief rest behind the rock formation, the mechs once again leaped toward the distance.
Coming down from the continuous sand dunes, Zhu Jing Fu finally saw the shadow of an oasis in their vision. Ahead, a withered branch vaguely appeared. Beyond the hill, on the other side of the desert, lay a puddle of water, neither large nor small.
The eyes of several people flickered momentarily. "Oasis? Or mirage?"
Someone in the team asked.
The most typical imagination in Song of Sand and Mirage is randomly refreshing mirages. Mirages aren't illusions but rather solid entities that can be fully entered, and as the mirage develops, it is automatically enclosed by energy storms, entering underground.
Chen Sui's energy extended over, and there seemed to be no strange energy fluctuations within.
The closer they got to the oasis, the more they could feel a clear, moist sensation. Walking past scattered withered tree trunks, the branches crawling on the ground turned from withered yellow to pale green, gradually merging into the sparse vegetation around the lake.
The black-gold mech crossed over the vines, and several people walked toward the lake inside the oasis.
"There's energy body fluctuation," in the midst of tranquility, Chen Sui's hoarse voice was particularly noticeable. "It's not a mirage, no abnormal energy fluctuations. Watch your step."
She sensed a rise and fall of energy levels from the yellow sand below.
The Zhu Jing Fu team heightened their vigilance. Zhou Chen drew out his Four-sided Mace, but before he could control energy to cover it, he suddenly felt a cool sensation on his ankle. This coolness was particularly noticeable on the mech that had been heated extremely hot by the scorching light.
"Shit!"
He exclaimed in shock. The vines crawling on the ground suddenly all started swaying. The trident-like leaves that had been lying flat against the ground now swayed completely.
One of the vines entangled Zhou Chen's mech. Chen Sui quickly drew her spear. As the vine applied force, her long spear swept across the ground, raising all the vines, the spear blade flashing sharply, cutting all the plant tendrils.
However, the plant connected to Zhou Chen had already detached from its root system. The broken section inserted itself into the sandy soil on the ground. Before the four could react, it violently pulled the black-gold mech toward the ground.
"Zhou Chen—"
Chen Sui turned back to see this, her spear vibrating once, shaking off all the vines that had extended onto the spear body.
Gu Qinxue's whip lashed out with a burst of fire, the thorny fire whip wrapping around the black-gold mech's wrist. As the vine pulled the mech toward the ground, the thorny fire whip was pulled taut.
After driving away the surrounding plant clusters, Chen Sui noticed the change in the yellow sand.
Around the lake, the yellow sand seemed to have started moving, flowing in an orderly manner in one direction. If Chen Sui were to propel herself into the air at this moment and look down, she would discover that the surrounding sand was rotating clockwise toward the earth's core around the central lake eye.
Fine sand flowed down along the vortex, with an extremely strong suction coming from below.
"Mmph mmph—"
"Cough cough."
Zhou Chen felt himself buried underground, his mouth and nose covered with yellow sand, and he instinctively struggled a few times.
"Wait, we're pulling you up," Gu Qinxue's hand wrapped around the upper half of the thorny fire whip, with flames extending along the fire whip from her palm.
The flames on Zhou Chen's wrist were strongly present. When he realized he had been pulled underground, his first feeling was: "Wait, wait, no rush."
Chen Sui showed a puzzled expression, looking at Gu Qinxue. The girl paused and asked: "What's wrong?"
Zhou Chen suddenly let out a long sigh of satisfaction: "It's so cool down here, ah! Bliss!"
Chen Sui withdrew her gaze wordlessly. The group's mechs all propelled upward, hovering at a distance from the ground. Xie Chunshi looked down: "Quicksand zone?"
"The wind attribute concentration in the desert, there should be a wind core energy at the bottom, which has swept all the sand in."
"But why only pull me?" Zhou Chen didn't understand.
Why was he always the unlucky one?
Chen Sui said: "Maybe because your temperature regulation system is set the highest."
More energy supply means a stronger energy taste for energy bodies.
Zhou Chen looked at his temperature regulation device, slowly lowering his frequency: "It's quite comfortable in this sand, just feels like I can't... breathe... properly."
"Are you coming up or not? If not, we're leaving," Chen Sui knew he was fine. Her energy perception explored into the sand below, detecting an anomaly, immediately raising an eyebrow, watching with amusement as she looked at her teammates.
Gu Qinxue pulled the long whip a few times.
Zhou Chen enjoyed the coolness under the sand for a moment, then quickly said: "Coming, coming right now!"
As soon as he spoke, his eyes suddenly widened, his expression horrified, his voice uncontrollably shouting: "Oww! What is that!"
"My butt! Something attacked my butt! Save me!"
Chen Sui laughed once. As Zhou Chen's black-gold mech surfaced, Gu Qinxue's wrist applied force, pulling the long whip upward.
"Puluo."
When Zhou Chen's black-gold mech fully emerged, Chen Sui looked back at Puluo. The soldier understood, tapping his long staff in his palm a few times. As Zhou Chen was completely pulled out, he opened his shield umbrella, spinning it forward.
"Bang!"
"Holy shit!" Zhou Chen was flung into the air by Gu Qinxue, then crashed to the ground. After landing, he first rolled once, then reached back to cover his butt. "My butt, something bit my butt."
The rear of the black-gold mech showed clear teeth marks, directly cutting through the outer coating, leaving a scratch on the mech's metal.
Chen Sui's gaze focused as she gripped her spear, praising: "Nice bite."
"Such hard teeth, would be a waste not to use as material."
The metal material of Zhou Chen's mech was not soft; it could withstand several cave collapses without damage, yet it was bitten and marked by this energy body.
Puluo's shield umbrella stood in front, and the soldier saw that the analyst had her spear in hand. Chen Sui looked back, and Xie Chunshi nodded: "Understood, I'll take the teeth."
Chen Sui made a gesture to him. Puluo watched her movements carefully. As her spear thrust out, the shield umbrella shook forward, repelling the energy body that flew out with Zhou Chen from the sand. Then it swung to the side, the shield umbrella retreating, exposing the view in front.
The energy body wasn't huge, about the same size as a mech, similar to a pangolin, with a huge black rugged shell on its back. The scales on the outer shell fluttered open and closed.
It had a large mouth and was still maintaining the posture of gnawing on the shield umbrella.
A set of sharp teeth flashed with sharp light in the sunlight.
Puluo looked at his shield umbrella with heartache; in just this brief moment, the surface of the shield umbrella had already been bitten with mottled marks.
He couldn't help feeling distressed: "This bite is too good. If it stays longer, my energy shield will be eaten up."
Chen Sui's spear had already thrust forward. Upon recognizing the energy body, she reminded everyone over the team channel: "Sand Armor Beast, SS-level, earth attribute energy body."
The Sand Armor Beast is an extremely contradictory energy body. Its star beast prototype is a creature called sand armor, said to possess the sharpest teeth and the most solid armor shield in the Star Alliance, respectively owning two top-tier attack and defense materials.
Chen Sui's eyes flashed with a gleam, her spear already approaching the Sand Armor Beast.
That energy body neither dodged nor evaded, directly opening its large mouth, biting down toward the tip of her spear.
Chen Sui's spear wasn't as harmless as the mechs and energy shields it had eaten before.
Seeing it open its mouth, the analyst showed a smile: "What? You want to eat my spear too? Your appetite is too big!"
After she spoke, the spear broke through the air into the Sand Armor Beast's mouth. Just as it was about to close its teeth, the spear suddenly swept around.
The blade jabbed inside the mouth, poking the Sand Armor Beast's cheeks into several bulges. If the outer skin wasn't tough enough, the Sand Armor Beast would probably have become a sieve, with holes all over its face.
But even now it wasn't in good shape; the upper and lower teeth had no chance to close under the jabbing of the spear, the saw teeth scraping and making piercing friction sounds.
Chen Sui delivered a spear vibration, directly throwing the Sand Armor Beast several meters away.
As she withdrew her spear, her gaze looked at the spear tip. The metal already had some scratches, yet the Sand Armor Beast's sharp teeth hadn't bitten down.
Looking at these mottled marks, Chen Sui's eyes showed some gloom: "You're finished."
She raised her eyes toward the Sand Armor Beast.
[You're finished, you damaged Emperor Sui's spear]
[Take down the Sand Armor Beast's sharp teeth, Emperor Sui's spear can still be saved]
"I'll help!"
Zhou Chen covered his butt with one hand, his Four-sided Mace swinging out a thunderbolt, directly striking down from mid-air.
The lightning struck the Sand Armor Beast's shell. Scales spread around like the quills of a pangolin's surface. The electricity exploded into sparks along the quills, spreading into the surrounding air.
"Roar—"
The Sand Armor Beast bit its sharp teeth, making a crisp sound—a sign of good quality—immediately followed by a howl.
This sound carried an energy wave that spread out. Chen Sui wiped the spear blade with her palm. When she swung the spear again, the blades in the four-ridged spear blade began to rotate, about to tear apart even the surrounding wind. She gripped the spear and charged out.
"It's calling its companions, watch out around us."
Chen Sui's voice remained calm, sounding in the team channel. The energy of the three spread around. From within the sand, following the vortex flow, a series of gnawing sounds, though small, could still be captured.
"Catch one, that's profit, come more, come more," Zhou Chen, having learned the value of the Sand Armor Beast, completely changed his attitude. For other energy bodies, it would be best if they didn't come, but for valuable ones, the more the merrier.
Chen Sui smiled slightly. Gradually, wind and sand rose over the desert, the air taking on a misty yellowish-gray hue. Her spear thrust out, bringing a whistling wind sound.
The silver-white cold light flashed in mid-air, thrusting toward the Sand Armor Beast.
The Sand Armor Beast's black bean-like eyes looked over. The lightning had just dispersed, and it seemed to sense the threat. Suddenly raising its head, just as the spear approached, it suddenly plunged fiercely into the ground.
"Vine Birth—"
Chen Sui had been watching its movements closely and detected signs of escape. Wood-Born Flower blew vines to grow, directly penetrating into the ground. Before reaching the earth attribute energy barrier in the yellow sand, it preemptively blocked the Sand Armor Beast's movement, directly pulling it out from the sand.
Green vines encircled the energy body, flinging it forward.
Zhou Chen pressed his palm to the ground, instantly covering it with lightning, the ground flashing with blue-purple electric light.
"You greet me so enthusiastically, how could I let you run?"
He touched his butt, the sensation of being bitten still lingering, making him shudder.
Chen Sui's mech leaped higher, her spear thrusting swiftly toward the Sand Armor Beast.
The Sand Armor Beast vaguely knew it couldn't escape. Around the three from Zhu Jing Fu, several bulges rose from the quicksand belt, with smaller Sand Armor Beasts surfacing, lunging directly at the mechs.
"They look at us like they're looking at food," Puluo said. "I feel like there's text written in their eyes: I'm hungry, I'm hungry, I'm hungry."
"We're only for sale, not for dining."
Zhou Chen's words were utterly merciless.
He only needed the Sand Armor Beast's materials to make money, not caring about their food and lodging.
"You're so ruthless, profiteer."
Chen Sui teased him.
Watching the Sand Armor Beast in front of her running nimbly, charging directly at her spear, its forelimbs agilely dodging, bypassing the spear head, directly avoiding the spear's attack, jumping onto the spear body, opening its mouth to bite down.
Chen Sui flicked her spear on the ground. "Quite smart."
Knows to bite from a different angle.
The spear swung forward and upward, directly flinging the Sand Armor Beast's body away. The yellow sand on the ground was pierced by the spear, cutting through mid-air, gathering into a stream of sand stone light, then falling to the ground, flying forward with the rushing mech.
The Sand Armor Beast fell to the ground. Chen Sui didn't summon Wood-Born Flower, using energy perception to judge the location of the Sand Armor Beast's energy crystal.