The First Analyst of the Interstellar Era

Chapter 60 : White Sand Sky Pillar Sea Domain

At the island's edge, three teams watched as the lightning net fell in front of them. The three Commanders exchanged glances.

"Did you also encounter energy traps when landing on the island?"

The other two Commanders nodded, with a voice coming from a crimson red mecha.

"If it weren't for fear of teams lying in ambush, why would we join forces with you? As agreed, the supply point resources will be split equally, and island resources are earned by individual ability."

Their alliance wasn't stable. After all, they were initially unfamiliar teams, brought to this vicinity by the Sky Pillar, all wanting the resources in the supply point.

Who could have imagined that the resources in the supply point had already been taken by a team disguised as energy bodies?

Chen Sui's energy fluctuations spread around the seven academy members. She felt the vision points she had buried in the tall trees being crushed after sensing an energy fluctuation.

Before separating from the school team in the forest, Chen Sui warned: "After firing from hiding, evacuate immediately."

Hearing her reminder, Xie Chunshi nodded, marking a point on the map: "We'll rendezvous at this position and wait for the Sky Pillar."

He had observed the Sky Pillar's trajectory for nearly three days. If the Sky Pillar's path was as he predicted, they would catch their 'express' at this location.

Then, he arranged for Chen Sui and Zhou Chen to set up an ambush near the supply point.

Chen Sui's energy layer adhered to her mecha, and then she and the others dispersed in the forest.

The three teams cautiously landed on the island. When passing through the mountain path gorge, they saw artillery marks, shattered rocks in the distance, and black carbon marks from burns. The Commanders became even more vigilant, willing to waste energy by having their strong attackers propel up to observe the surrounding situation.

"Strange, I don't sense any spiritual body fluctuations up here."

"Me neither."

Among the united teams, all three analysts were somewhat nervous. The one who hadn't expressed an opinion suddenly sensed something unusual.

"Wait, on this island... such strong energy fluctuations!"

"It's a high-level energy body!"

As the analyst finished speaking, the vegetation around the mountain path suddenly grew wild!

The thin grass blades that originally reached the calves suddenly grew to human height.

Before the mechas could react, huge branches extended from the forest, lashing into the center of the crowd, scattering their formation. The branches wrapped around mechas and swung them toward the mountainside, leaving a mark on the ground from the air currents.

In the distance, at the mountain peak, with blue light appearing behind him, Zhou Chen—who was disguised as an energy body—observed this scene. Thinking it was energy left by Chen Sui, he couldn't help but praise in the team channel:

"Sui, how much energy did you place at the vision points? This disturbance is a bit excessive."

As soon as he spoke, Zhou Chen grew confused. Could this kind of energy... really be produced by an A-level energy body?

"How could you think a single vision point could cause such a disturbance?"

Not far from him, Chen Sui was approaching the forest. She quickly leaped onto the treetops, moving through the jungle with vines following her silhouette. Green fluctuations spread from Chen Sui's body, and the pursuing vines noticeably paused.

She quickly looked back.

"It's an energy body. It has successfully advanced."

Zhou Chen made an exaggerated exclamation, responding unexpectedly: "Wow, a wood-attribute SS+ energy crystal! It would be even better if it had a rare attribute."

Chen Sui: ?

"Which do you think we can handle: three allied teams or one SS+ energy body?"

Just as Zhou Chen was about to consider, he heard a female voice, carrying wind from her running, with a calm tone filled with confident determination.

"You're right, that's an SS+ energy crystal, plus so many mecha points!"

Zhou Chen: ?

"We want it all."

Chen Sui quietly added the final sentence.

Then she found a good vantage point, watching the teams below entangled by plants. The outputs had already reacted, quickly setting up and charging their artillery.

Energy bombs traveled through the tentacle-like vines, exploding into bursts of sparks. Spiritual body lights illuminated around several mechas, with foot soldiers raising energy shields to protect the analysts behind them.

The Commanders in front leaped on the thick vines. Artillery shells broke the plants invading the crowd, but more branches continually extended.

Chen Sui followed the branches, looking deep into the forest.

"The energy body has targeted them."

She said softly in the team channel.

However, just as Chen Sui was observing for the right moment to strike, below, one of the previously rhythmic outputs suddenly changed direction, firing a shot toward their own teammate's position.

"What's going on? I haven't even charged yet."

Zhou Chen was dumbfounded.

This question also arose within the united teams.

Seeing the opposing strong attacker aiming at the analyst's direction, the Commander's expression changed, immediately turning against them, with energy cannons aimed at the other Commander.

In an instant, deterioration rate alerts sounded continuously.

Energy accumulated, making the vines extend more eagerly along the mountain path, spreading to the island's edge.

"This energy body seems to be building a nest..."

Chen Sui selected an appropriate term from her vocabulary to describe how the vines extended from the distance, surrounding this area of the jungle.

Xie Chunshi and Gu Qinxue were coordinating from afar. From their high position, they could see the forest below, but soon the view was covered by large green branches, with vines interwoven into a net.

Xie Chunshi searched with his gaze, following the vines' trajectory to find an area in the dense forest completely covered by deep, lush green.

It seemed that wasn't a tree.

It was the energy body's main form.

"This energy body is still in the advancement period. It needs energy, lots of energy."

Xie Chunshi reminded.

Listening to his soft words, Chen Sui noticed the two teams surrounded by vines. Their energy shields carried rich energy fluid, the kind that attracts energy bodies—no wonder the vines were frantically attacking them.

Chen Sui had been wondering how to snipe and disrupt the alliance between the united teams, but now she didn't even need to act—they were already in chaos.

Seeing several outputs starting to fire randomly, the Commanders vaguely sensed something was wrong, but while hurriedly dodging shells and energy attacks, they had no time to think.

Chen Sui's gaze fixed on the analysts among them.

"Zhou Chen, control the analyst, but don't eliminate her yet."

She marked the red mecha analyst in the crowd.

A grayish-brown energy spread from the analyst. Chen Sui clearly saw the somewhat chaotic outputs, enveloped by a layer of grayish-brown energy, gradually stabilizing their attacks.

It was just like...

Being confused and then regaining clarity.

A clarity attribute.

Chen Sui guessed the analyst's spiritual body probably had a rare attribute.

While the energy body had a confusion attribute.

After her reminder, Zhou Chen's high-pressure cannon aimed at the foot soldier in front of the analyst.

"The analyst's position is difficult to control, there are too many people around, she's in a blind spot, I can't control her from this position. Eliminating the foot soldier first gives us a chance."

Chen Sui narrowed her eyes, observing below, waiting for the right moment.

The crowd was in chaos, with artillery fire exchanged back and forth. They quickly fell into fighting. Chen Sui's keen ears caught the sound of deterioration rates exceeding 70% amid the chaotic battle.

"Wait, let's grab the mecha points."

As soon as she spoke, seeing the analyst trying to stop the barrage of fire between the three teams, Chen Sui readied an ice bomb, aiming at the strong attacker being focused and attacked.

The united teams hadn't expected that before even climbing the mountain, someone would betray them first. Even though their Commander defended that they had no intention of breaking the alliance, but when guns were aimed at the analyst, what more was there to say!

A chaotic battle immediately broke out, with two teams joining forces, preparing to eliminate the suddenly defecting team.

The targeted Commander secretly cursed the other two for being shameless, while still explaining: "We haven't even climbed the mountain and we're already fighting among ourselves. Don't forget, there are other teams on this mountain!"

With the mountain path completed, the other two teams showed no restraint. Compared to teams hiding in the shadows, the vines in front and the opposing team's underhanded moves posed a greater threat.

The Commanders of the allied teams briefly exchanged glances.

The Commander of the red mecha received information from his analyst and communicated: "The vines have hallucinogenic effects. They might be confused."

The silver-white mecha collaborating with him lifted its artillery, "Confused? Perfect, let's eliminate them first. Commander Mu, the supply point doesn't have much energy. After landing on the island, even if there's an ambush, our two full teams should be enough to handle it."

Commander Mu had the same intention. He simply decided to capitalize on the mistake and directly eliminate a competitor, gaining mecha points in the process—what's not to like?

Once they agreed, they immediately concentrated fire on the opposing team.

However, just as they were about to eliminate the high-deterioration strong attacker, an ice bomb suddenly appeared in mid-air, firing three consecutive shots.

The two allied teams hadn't yet reacted, let alone the team under concentrated fire.

One ice bomb hit the strong attacker, while the other two hit the Commander entangled by vines.

[Mecha deterioration rate 83%]

[Mecha deterioration rate 80%]

Two alerts sounded.

The targeted Commander and strong attacker were eliminated.

The other two teams immediately ceased their attacks, stupidly staring at the remaining three opponents.

The strong attacker, carried away by the ice bomb and slammed into the ground, shook his head, unsteadily getting up.

"Something's wrong, my head is so dizzy..." the strong attacker belatedly realized.

The vines on the Commander were severed by the fierce impact of the ice bomb, carrying him away and slamming him hard on the stone surface, causing him to cough violently.

Hearing the elimination sound, followed by the light pillar illuminating his cockpit, the Commander closed his eyes briefly before cursing loudly.

"You f*cking idiots."

"I f*cking told you these vines weren't right, this path wasn't right, but you f*cking kept fighting."

As he finished, he couldn't control his coughing.

On the other side, Zhou Chen, seeing the battlefield cease fire, gave Chen Sui a distant gesture.

The red mecha Commander's gaze sharpened, "That's not right, they're still here."

The silver-white mecha Commander hadn't expected such a development, "Impossible, how could the energy body not attack them?"

In his imagination, the opponents should be like them, entangled by the energy body, with no time to deal with them.

Unable to hear their conversation, Chen Sui continued charging, targeting the analyst in the crowd, speaking in the team channel.

"The energy body has a special attribute. I'll find a spiritual body that can counter the confusion later."

This energy body, with its SS-level energy crystal and confusion attribute, was simply too good to pass up. Chen Sui was determined to get this energy crystal.

After speaking, she signaled Zhou Chen, "Fire."

Just as the people below were looking at each other in confusion, a high-pressure cannon shot down from above, directly at the silver-white mecha's strong attacker.

As he attempted to dodge, several ice bombs froze his lower body, forcing him to be hit by the high-pressure cannon. The powerful blast threw him away.

The mecha's deterioration rate instantly increased.

Everyone simultaneously looked up, but apart from the distant mountain peaks and nearby treetops, they saw no trace of any mecha.

The Commander turned to look at the analyst.

The analyst was equally confused, repeatedly checking energy fluctuation detection.

"There's nothing, no spiritual body fluctuations!"

"The energy body fluctuations are very strong; there are at least three S-level or higher energy bodies around!"

The analyst's voice was filled with disbelief.

"Three?"

The Commander asked in surprise, "How could that..."

However, they had no time to think because the vines attacked again. If the previous attacks had carried some tentative exploration, now each vine swing brought a violent energy storm.

They had no choice but to summon their spiritual bodies in response.

From the treetop, Chen Sui had already leaped away, distancing herself from them. Returning to her vision point and seeing this scene below, she reminded her teammates in the jungle.

"Reduce energy burning. The energy body locates based on energy and energy levels."

Gu Qinxue asked: "There are three teams opposite. Can you two handle it?"

Chen Sui aimed her cannon, watching the teams below being herded together like sheep by the energy body, "The energy body is helping us. We can handle it."

This wood-attribute energy body seemed particularly volatile. Its attacks were no longer exploratory like at the beginning. With massive energy storms, wildly growing plants on the ground, and flying leaves, even with summoned spiritual bodies, they were somewhat overwhelmed.

Seeing the mecha deterioration rates continuously rising, the team with eliminated Commander and strong attacker showed signs of retreat.

The foot soldier and agile attacker protected the analyst, moving toward the island's exit.

Chen Sui noticed them separating from the group, but the energy shield looked increasingly bright, with plants surrounding the island extending branches toward their position.

Chen Sui shook her head, reporting positions to Zhou Chen, indicating he should aim at the target location.

The high-pressure cannon fired again, surprising the two teams entangled with the vines as they dodged. However, the high-pressure energy cannon passed over them, violently bombarding the rear, throwing away the retreating agile attacker.

"Well, playing so dirty?"

The red mecha Commander said quietly.

The analyst's puzzled voice followed: "There's definitely a team around, but why can't I sense energy fluctuations? Have they created some kind of shield?"

But what kind of shield could completely conceal energy fluctuations?

At this level, how precise was the analyst's energy control?!

This was terrifyingly impressive!

The analyst in the red mecha team had an ominous feeling.

The red mecha Commander, looking at the troublesome energy body vines and the hidden ambushers around, suddenly made a decision.

"This supply point is a trap. We're leaving the island!"

The silver-white mecha Commander exclaimed in shock: "You've come all this way, you're giving up on the resources?!"

"I'm f*cking about to be eliminated, can't you see? There are at least two people in ambush. After dealing with this energy body, whether we can even reach the supply point is questionable."

The silver-white mecha Commander seemed somewhat tempted, struggling as he looked at the energy body, then glanced at the high tower of the supply point, his gaze wavering.

The analyst timely proposed: "This energy body's fluctuations are too intense, already exceeding S-level..."

Only then did the silver-white mecha Commander make up his mind, "F*ck, we're leaving the island too!"

Chen Sui, watching their gradually retreating movements, quickly guessed their intentions, but unfortunately...

She glanced at the island's outer layer surrounded by vines.

The island had already been surrounded by the energy body.

Now the question wasn't whether they wanted to leave, but whether they could leave at all.