novelraw Chapter 57 : White Sand Sky Pillar Sea Domain
Chapter 57 : White Sand Sky Pillar Sea Domain
"In the supply point, there's enough water-repellent material and other resources, but we're short on mecha energy and spiritual body nourishment. If we want to continue fighting, these are essential."
Chen Sui shared the situation with the others and distributed the water-repellent materials.
Xie Chunshi looked at the distance from the mountaintop.
The island was vast, and their battle position was right near this sea area.
On the other side were extensive forests and hills, stretching undulating in the darkness. They could see lighthouses lit up on the island, different from the structure of the supply point. The faint lights helped distinguish directions and positions.
"Also, we just eliminated two teams. The light pillars have risen, and other nearby teams will likely come here soon."
Gu Qinxue added.
After resting, everyone stood up.
The energy field environment was rich in energy factors. Except for isolation devices inside the base station, it was impossible to leave the mecha elsewhere. Additionally, as energy factors took effect, mecha deterioration would increase over time, making repair equipment and energy replenishment equally important.
"The location of the next supply point is uncertain. Since we've finally made it to the island, why don't we first collect some points?"
Chen Sui got up holding her waist, flexed her joints, and marked several points on the map as she suggested.
"These places have S-level energy fluctuations. Plus, the supply point is close to the sea and in a high position. In other words, no matter which direction you approach from, once you see the island, you'll immediately spot the supply point. This makes it the prime choice for anyone prioritizing landing on the island."
She picked up broken twigs from the ground and drew a line at the spot where the fighting had occurred.
Xie Chunshi and Gu Qinxue lowered their gaze and could see the messy battlefield below.
"You mean we should trick other teams out of their mecha points here?"
Gu Qinxue looked at Chen Sui, whose eyes glanced at the nearly invisible stealth camera equipment in mid-air.
"Exactly."
When that sharp gaze swept over, the currently active barrage comments paused for a second.
Then they slowly scrolled out.
[So, Zhu Jing Fu is planning to ambush them?]
[Possibly. This analyst gives me an eerie feeling, seems somewhat dangerous (
sixth sense
)]
[Agreed. I specifically went to research the Zhu Jing Fu forum, but... [
screenshot
] What are they discussing at Zhu Jing Fu every day? The forum is full of profanity, so uncivilized]
[Huh? Why do they keep saying "cao" all the time? That's very impolite]
[The analyst gave me a glare, cao, startled me]
[The comment section is infected too, cao]
[The sea area is huge, can you really catch anyone like this? What if no team comes, or if the Sky Pillar doesn't bring any teams, how long will you wait?]
This question was asked by Puluo in the live broadcast footage.
This wasn't an issue. In Xie Chunshi's view, the competition committee was even subtly encouraging them to do this.
"Don't forget about the elimination light pillars and the Sky Pillar. Once people notice there are elimination notifications at this location, they'll come. When elimination notifications stack up, anyone can guess there's a supply point here."
There was another point that could be inferred: the Sky Pillar had a high probability of bringing people near supply points.
Like what happened with Zhu Jing Fu this time.
This also matched the competition committee's nature.
In survival competitions, supply points were contested resources. The committee wouldn't set completely scattered resources, but they also wouldn't let most teams go without resources.
Chen Sui nodded: "Also, I've observed that the supply point has energy control devices."
At this, all teammates looked over.
"The Sky Pillar bringing us nearby wasn't coincidental. I suspect it's related to the supply point's energy control devices, or perhaps base station signal propulsion. It's not completely random. As we said, it's like an express train in the sea area, carrying teams to locations with supply points. Later, the Sky Pillar will bring more teams."
Zhou Chen finally understood and, seeing Chen Sui's gaze fall below, enthusiastically suggested: "Should we clean up down there and create a false environment?"
"No need."
Chen Sui, Xie Chunshi, Gu Qinxue, and Puluo all said in unison.
Zhou Chen's smile froze as he belatedly realized he was out of sync with the team.
"What evil plan do you all have now?"
He muttered: "Give me some face, next time discuss it in the team channel first. This makes me look stupid."
Everyone knew except him.
"Clean up what?" Gu Qinxue gave him a cold look. "The light pillars already warned that people fought here. Creating a peaceful appearance would only arouse suspicion."
Chen Sui nodded: "Right, it's been two hours. Even the farthest teams should arrive soon. Regardless of which team it is, their final destination will be the supply point. I've checked the supply point—it has a three-level structure with the highest level being a terrace that allows for high-position aiming and shares visibility with this position."
She stepped on the ground. This was why she and Puluo had immediately secured high ground after leaving the supply point.
During their rest period, they examined the environment around the supply point, considering what kind of ambush to set up. Chen Sui calculated how long they could fight based on repair procedures and mecha deterioration.
"Keep deterioration at 70%, core crystal deterioration at 30%, maximize energy control, and get as many mecha points as possible."
Chen Sui marked fixed points at high positions: "These locations are suitable for setting up artillery. Energy guns and ice bombs can charge up, allowing us to control first, then attack. Zhou Chen's high-pressure cannon at another fixed point can reduce deterioration by 50% with three shots."
Xie Chunshi raised his mecha arm: "The quantum cannon can trigger a blast within a three-meter range. It has a long charging time but can fire three consecutive shots, reducing deterioration by 80%."
Chen Sui calculated and nodded in confirmation: "That's enough. Ice bombs have a short charging time and can suppress!"
Relying on mecha energy deterioration, it would be best to force teams to be eliminated at the foot of the mountain. If gun and artillery firepower wasn't sufficient, Chen Sui looked at the high towers hidden in the mountain forest around the supply point, and the shadowy tree shade around reminded her of a familiar scene.
"I have another idea."
When she said this, everyone looked over, including Xie Chunshi, whose gaze fell on her mecha cockpit.
She had a natural instinct for battle. No matter who the opponent was, she never hesitated to strike.
Strong initiative, clear combat thinking, definite objectives—like a blade, once the direction was set, she could cut through all obstacles.
A born fighter.
That was Xie Chunshi's assessment.
He clearly knew that he had broken the deadlock at Zhu Jing Fu since Song Baining's departure, but it was Chen Sui who laid the path toward Zhu Jing Fu's peak before them.
"Commander?"
Seeing Xie Chunshi staring at her cockpit after she finished speaking, with no reaction from him, Chen Sui called out.
The feeling of having her cockpit stared at made Chen Sui's back tingle. This kind of gaze would trigger her vigilance, making her instinctively enter combat mode.
Fortunately, the auras and voices of those around her were familiar to her, which prevented her from being hotly discussed in the competition for beating up a teammate.
Xie Chunshi's fingertips moved slightly as he pulled away from his thoughts, and hearing her, he said softly: "Sorry."
Chen Sui noticed his gaze shift away and sighed in relief, then repeated: "The two-person timed mission, the one that divided energy fields and human camps."
With this explanation, unpleasant memories surfaced in everyone else's minds.
Zhou Chen clicked his tongue: "You mean that disgusting thing that turned analysts into energy bodies and added a bunch of buffs?"
"Yes." Chen Sui nodded and asked: "Are you all in the human camp?"
She pondered that if so, it would be somewhat difficult.
Xie Chunshi quietly spoke up: "I'm in the energy body camp."
Chen Sui was somewhat surprised. "Same here, I'm also in the energy body camp. I think the energy body perspective on energy field distribution would be very suitable here."
At this statement, not just Zhou Chen, but the other three didn't understand either.
Gu Qinxue thought for a moment, trying to understand: "You mean we disguise ourselves as energy bodies in there?"
Chen Sui nodded: "You could understand it that way. The upper level of the supply point is too small, only one mecha can observe. After we ambush at the entrance and finish fighting, we retreat. The worst case is if there are still teams that unite, or energy body attacks, then we'll need to disguise ourselves."
Chen Sui briefly explained her plan, which was, in simple terms, to shoot from hiding.
The distinction between spiritual bodies and energy bodies was based on energy fluctuations, but Chen Sui had been an energy body before. She knew what energy body fluctuations looked like, and these fluctuations could be faked to create an illusion.
"Teams will be vigilant about artillery outside the supply point. If we disguise as energy bodies, energy fluctuation detection won't reveal us, allowing for a sneak attack. With us hidden and them exposed, we can ensure low energy consumption kills."
Spiritual bodies in direct combat inevitably experienced massive energy consumption, but ambushing from hiding, though not honorable, was indeed effective.
"So, the Commander needs to go to the high tower."
Chen Sui excluded herself, "Otherwise we won't have anyone overseeing the big picture."
The person in the high tower was the last line of defense at the supply point. If both interception points failed and teams entered the high tower, they would inevitably face direct combat.
Xie Chunshi had no objection to this but, seeing Chen Sui's 'I absolutely won't go to the high tower' attitude, he couldn't help but curve his eyes slightly.
She had also frequently overseen the big picture, but the person in the high tower couldn't participate in the first two waves of encirclement.
Chen Sui would never hide up there. Getting her to restrain herself in the competition was already a concession.
"Alright, I'll go to the supply point high tower."
Xie Chunshi nodded and exchanged his quantum cannon with Puluo's energy cannon.
As he went to observe from the high tower, the four others began setting up ambushes along the route.
Zhou Chen watched Chen Sui drop energy factors among the plants for surveillance as she passed by, and couldn't help but exclaim: "Are you really matched to the energy body camp just because you're an analyst? You're so familiar with energy body methods."
Chen Sui glanced at him: "What, are you suggesting I'm actually an energy body myself?"
Zhou Chen awkwardly rubbed his nose, just feeling that Chen Sui's proficiency with energy body energy perception was too high, which was somewhat remarkable.
"I was ambushed like this before," he mentioned the two-person timed mission. "It was an earth-attribute energy body that set traps in the grass, dug a big hole, buried my mecha underground, and sent energy bodies to beat me up."
Watching Chen Sui place energy in the plants, Zhou Chen shuddered with a sense of dread.
"I have a feeling your vines will whip people to death."
Chen Sui had buried many wood-attribute energy factors among the plants along the route. Her spiritual body hadn't appeared yet, and the energy factors she could mobilize were limited, just enough for sensing passing fluctuations and stimulating growth—or as Zhou Chen put it, vines whipping people.
If she had enough energy factors, she was confident she could eliminate other teams right in this forest.
The four repositioned the structure of the high points. The covers were placed in a staggered, seemingly random manner, but from any angle, even from above, no one could see anyone hiding within them.
Once Chen Sui's fake fluctuations were released outside, no one would know that at that moment, on the high mountain, several dark gun barrels were aimed at the island entrance.
This was Zhou Chen's first time doing such sneaky business, hiding among scattered rocks, and he felt a bit excited.
"This is thrilling!"
He whispered.
"I wish a team would come right now so we could test our skills."
He silently gripped the energy cannon in his hand.
The four were positioned in four different directions. His voice could be heard through the team channel, and Gu Qinxue whispered: "Warning: keep your jinx mouth shut."
Zhou Chen quietly closed his mouth and made a zipping gesture.
Chen Sui found it amusing, feeling that the two of them, despite their bickering, seemed to have a kind of rapport.
She gazed at the distant sea, where waves could be seen rolling on the surface, but beneath the deep water, Chen Sui had a feeling of being watched.
She had a premonition that teams were approaching.
This feeling was quickly confirmed.