novelraw Chapter 89 : Sultry Red Forest
Chapter 89 : Sultry Red Forest
On Zhu Jing Fu's way to Base Station A, at the Silent Monument Forest, a dark yellow mecha came gliding from afar, silently hiding in the distant jungle, with the analyst behind him, energy perception spreading out in layers.
Ye Kaiyun frowned slightly, looking toward Commander Bai Ruohua: "Seems like there's no one..."
Bai Ruohua asked Harper in the distance: "Any movement on your side?"
"None," Harper's green eyes scanned through the mecha viewpoint, not discovering any unusual sounds or cannon fire, "There really seems to be no one."
Bai Ruohua still had some doubts. An elimination signal had just come from the Silent Monument, had the battle ended so quickly?
It wasn't dark yet, with time before the red rain, but Jacques Delot had been through the previous day's red rain, finding a meteor tree later than others. Even with enough repair device resources, their mecha damage was still high, so they were very cautious about the team at Silent Monument Forest.
"Fire a shot over there to see," Bai Ruohua was still somewhat worried, instructing. Ye Kaiyun reminded him: "Be careful to aim at the other side, don't disturb the Stele Mushrooms."
Harper nodded carefully, adjusted the direction, and fired a shot toward the meteor tree position. The cannon hit the ground, blasting open a layer of black soil, but no other sounds were heard.
This finally reassured Bai Ruohua, who signaled everyone to approach the meteor tree.
Jacques Delot's four members had just come closer, with strong attacker Xisier from Base Station B direction arriving a step slower, planning to wait somewhere near the Silent Monument Forest. But seeing the scene before them, Commander Bai Ruohua was stunned for a second.
The scene before them was truly devastating.
Not to mention the fire burns and sword cut marks on the ground, just looking at the fallen ruins, one could vaguely make out the shadow of a meteor tree. But the trunk had been completely destroyed, with only palm-width bark remaining on the stump, the rest pounded into debris.
Harper's shot had landed nearby.
Seeing this, she lowered her cannon, somewhat at a loss: "I didn't do this, my shot hit here."
Harper pointed to a location.
Bai Ruohua turned around, his expression indescribable: "I know, this isn't something that can be caused by a single shot."
"No, who's so crazy to directly cut down the meteor tree?!"
This phrase was too familiar. Harper immediately flashed to a scene in her mind. She turned to look at the analyst, and as their gazes crossed, they spoke simultaneously:
"Zhu Jing Fu!"
"Xie Chunshi!"
Bai Ruohua closed his eyes briefly. He had heard from Ye Kaiyun about Xie Chunshi's deeds. He was still conspiracy theorizing that this was Xie Chunshi's scheme, but now it seemed it might just be Zhu Jing Fu's habit.
But thinking carefully, it wasn't unreasonable.
Destroying the meteor tree, though ruining your own path, also left other teams nowhere to go!
Though hurting yourself by eight hundred, you kill the enemy by a thousand.
Xie Chunshi, what a dirty mind!
Bai Ruohua thought.
Now with the meteor tree destroyed like this, seeing the red rain about to fall, Jacques Delot had to find a suitable place to shelter from the rain.
"No, is he sick?!" Bai Ruohua finally couldn't help venting to his teammates.
Meanwhile, at Base Station A, Zhu Jing Fu had all gotten out of their mechas. Chen Sui was disassembling repair devices, preparing to check everyone's damage.
Zhou Chen followed hesitantly behind her. Chen Sui felt his footsteps moving from one side to the other, turned her head to look, and guessed from his appearance that he couldn't say anything meaningful.
"What's Zhou Chen doing?" Sitting on the rest bench in the repair room, Puluo turned to look at Gu Qinxue and asked.
The white-haired girl closed her eyes for a moment of rest. In the past few days, she had been in many fights. Not everyone was as lucky as Zhou Chen, always able to find meteor trees and not encounter opponents.
Hearing her teammate's voice, Gu Qinxue opened one eye, saw the scene, and shook her head in disbelief. Before Zhou Chen could ask Chen Sui, she spoke in a cold tone: "You've used your spirit body a few times, and have no core crystal damage. You don't need Ah Sui to do healing for you. Stop disturbing her work."
Hearing this, Chen Sui looked up from the mecha at Zhou Chen, her expression quite helpless. "You want spiritual healing?"
Zhou Chen made an "ah" sound and scratched his head. "I was thinking we'll be fighting later, so get some soothing first."
Seeing Chen Sui's disbelieving expression, Zhou Chen admitted honestly: "Actually, I've slept enough these past few days and can't sleep now. Spiritual healing lets me sleep super well."
This statement caused the three resting on the long benches to look at him angrily.
[Unbelievable]
[Seriously, Zhou Chen, are you sick?]
[I want to hit him. Damn, just because he found a compatible analyst energy and can get a spiritual healing massage, he's so pleased with himself]
[I support the rest of Zhu Jing Fu ganging up on Zhou Chen]
[Hitting teammates is against the rules!]
"If you have nothing to do, go play with clay. Don't stand here with your wild ideas."
Chen Sui pointed to a corner of the repair room where there were special materials that looked like clay.
Zhou Chen's mouth twitched. He turned to see his teammates' unfriendly gazes and carefully walked back to sit down. Under the watchful eyes of the closest teammate, Puluo, he ran his fingers through his hair: "Why are you looking at me? You're all sleeping, I want to sleep too."
"You've slept for three days and you still want to sleep," Puluo remarked.
But Zhou Chen felt very wronged: "Wow, you don't know, I seem to have been assigned to a remote corner. There wasn't a single mecha there. These past few days I've only had one fight, and that was on the way here."
Saying this, Zhou Chen felt these days had been utterly boring.
The comments were filled with sighs.
[Some live in peace (image of Zhou Chen sleeping on the meteor tree)]
[Others bear heavy burdens (image of Xin Yan eliminating mechas) (image of Xisier eliminating mechas)]
[Zhou Chen, you little rascal, you don't know how lucky you are]
[No, why is he so lucky? Damn!]
"You didn't encounter other competitors, but there were quite a few elimination pillars around you," Xie Chunshi pulled out a map and drew a range in front and behind him. "Xisier in front, Xin Yan behind. These two tirelessly created a good resting environment for you."
Zhou Chen's mouth twitched. Hearing his voice so calm, but carefully tasting it, there seemed to be a gritted-teeth flavor. He immediately realized how much his behavior provoked hostility.
He laughed dryly a couple of times, looking at the map: "Xisier, Xin Yan, my good brothers. When we get out, I'll invite them to ride a roller coaster."
"Still inviting? This competition is 10-to-1. The two people you mentioned will both be eliminated by us," Chen Sui jumped down from the mecha, tossing the repaired mecha ring to Xie Chunshi, continuing: "You'd better pray your good brothers don't give you a real beating when they get out, after all, we're going to knock them out."
She tilted her head, her tone extremely confident, making even the comments feel uneasy.
[Sis, are you so sure we'll be the ones to advance?]
[I know, she's always confident]
[You know what, you're right]
[I think Zhu Jing Fu can match Jacques Delot, but Golden Tower... not necessarily, sis]
[Chen Sui's mist bombs are remarkably effective against other teams, but Seven Schools, how to say, I really don't think it's certain. Golden Tower's strength on this path is truly noteworthy]
Zhou Chen was also stunned by Chen Sui's certain statement, but contrary to what the comments meant, he seriously considered the possibility of what Chen Sui said, then sincerely asked his four teammates: "If I get a real beating from them, will you come save me?"
Gu Qinxue was the first to give him a roll of her eyes.
Puluo shook his head, with a "you're beyond saving" expression.
Xie Chunshi calmly withdrew his gaze, rubbing his temples as he lowered his head.
Chen Sui snorted lightly, walking toward another mecha without looking back.
The answer was obvious, and Zhou Chen fell silent.
Later, while his teammates rested, Zhou Chen boredly went to the place Chen Sui had pointed out to play with the clay she mentioned.
By the time the others woke from their short naps, they first heard sounds from outside the base station.
The red rain was heavier than last night. Xie Chunshi had already gone to the control tower after waking up, watching the monitors for the four surrounding positions from the base station.
When cannon fire sounded, his voice simultaneously transmitted to the repair room.
"Two teams are firing outside the base station," the clear, moist male voice said.
Chen Sui looked up from the operating table, making eye contact with Gu Qinxue who had just opened her eyes. She raised an eyebrow, seeing that Chen Sui was modifying the cannon, and walked over to pat her: "Haven't rested at all?"
Chen Sui waved the tool in her hand. "Modifying the mist bomb a bit. With two Seven Schools in the arena, mist bombs alone aren't enough."
Mist bombs had weak attacks but could create a very concealed environment, though they had difficulty causing damage. For ordinary teams, in a hidden environment, Chen Sui could use close-combat weapons to deal damage, but the Seven Schools' spirit bodies were high-level with strong resonance, giving fewer close-combat opportunities. They needed cannon support to deal damage.
Gu Qinxue's eyes showed understanding. She boarded her mecha and said to Chen Sui: "Someone's coming. I'll go check it out."
Zhou Chen went with her, while Puluo stayed in the repair room, keeping the mecha channel open.
Chen Sui heard Xie Chunshi's voice: "These two groups both have rain shields."
These words made her eyes light up.
"Ah Xue..." Chen Sui had just called Gu Qinxue's name when the girl chuckled: "I know, I won't damage the rain shields."
Zhou Chen also responded: "Don't worry, I'll definitely bring back the rain shields kindly donated by our enthusiastic fellow students!"
[Friendly gifting, here we go again, forced friendly gifting]
[No, your Zhu Jing Fu always gives such a nice name to robbery]
The two headed toward the lookout tower at the top of the base station, planning to replicate Na Luo River's behavior of sniping other teams from the West Sea Domain base station. Xie Chunshi coordinated the overall situation from the control room, synchronizing every position's situation with the two attackers.
The three planned to take advantage of these two teams' battle to fire a sneaky shot, oh, and be careful not to let them damage the rain shields in their fight.
Outside the base station, the two teams were fighting vigorously when suddenly several cannons fired from the direction of the base station lookout tower, directly raising their mecha damage levels.
Immediately, neither side dared to move rashly. They carefully observed the base station and finally, in a fire-like white light energy cannon, saw the shadow of a black and gold mecha.
"It's Zhu Jing Fu!"
"Zhu Jing Fu is inside the base station."
Both teams had already lost teammates, and continuing to fight now would be unwise. The team Commanders thought for just a moment before quickly withdrawing with their other members.
They'd rather risk red rain damage than take Zhu Jing Fu's sneaky shots here.
But just as they retreated a distance, a blue light flashed from the base station, and a mecha whose shape couldn't be clearly seen ran out quickly, circling around where the elimination light pillars lit up on the ground.
The Commanders who had already hidden in the distant tree forest thought he was going to pursue and hurriedly called their teammates to flee, only to hear that mecha pick up something from the ruins and shout toward the lookout tower.
The voice was even louder than through a team channel, shouted out so brashly.
"This rain shield is a bit damaged, ah, only three! Too few!"
This annoying voice made the fleeing teams' teeth itch.
"It's definitely Zhu Jing Fu, no doubt!"
Said the team well-versed in Zhu Jing Fu's style.
"Only they would go grab other people's energy pipes and resources after elimination!"
Zhou Chen didn't hear this from afar. He searched around in the rain, then returned with three rain shields.
Chen Sui heard Gu Qinxue relay the battle results and nodded in the repair room: "Three is enough. I have one here, and we still have a dust shield."
She pondered briefly, then continued: "Worst case, when it's light, we'll go attack the Purple-Winged Golden Butterfly forest and take the meteor trees there."
The comments had already accepted Zhu Jing Fu's bold claims well. Although everyone knew that area was a high-energy gathering with an advancing SSS-level, no one said Chen Sui was boasting anymore.
Because everyone knew Zhu Jing Fu was truly brave, and they really fought their battles.
Both the analyst and soldier could take on SS-level energy body groups. With the whole team gathered, taking on an SSS-level energy body nest wasn't surprising.
Within Zhu Jing Fu, there was even less objection.
That was an SSS-level energy body, Purple-Winged Golden Butterflies, and meteor trees.
Asking them not to fight would be more painful than getting hit by a cannon.
Hearing her say this, Zhou Chen excitedly brought back the rain shields, one of which had been badly damaged by cannon fire. Chen Sui repaired it while also taking some rain shield materials to modify the dust shield.
Barely piecing things together, Zhu Jing Fu finally had one rain shield per person.
[That was tough]
[Our Zhu Jing Fu is still frugal]
[Chen Sui patched things up, finally fixed the mecha, then patched more, and now we have rain shields]
[Starting with one teammate, I patch things up to dominate the arena]
[You're making Zhu Jing Fu sound pitiful, but their rain shields were all stolen from others. Who's really pitiful here!]
When daylight came, there was still some lingering red rain. The five members of Zhu Jing Fu inside the base station observed the trajectory of the red rain through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the control room. Seeing the sunrise appear with the red rain, Chen Sui nodded slightly, with a trace of hidden worry between her brows: "I hope the red rain won't fall during the day next time."
"Judging by the looks of it, it's very possible," Zhou Chen rested his chin on his hand, his eyes lifeless as he watched outside, waiting for the rain to stop until he was numb.
"Why won't it stop? It's delaying our operation on the butterfly forest."
Zhou Chen was very motivated by the Purple-Winged Golden Butterfly forest Chen Sui mentioned. That was countless Purple-Winged Golden Butterfly energy bodies, plus meteor trees.
But their pace was slowed by the red rain. He pulled out his Four-sided Mace and then put it back, looking very anxious.
Chen Sui gazed at him and suddenly suggested: "Zhou Chen, say the rain will stop soon."
Zhou Chen looked up, conditioned by the report point muscle memory, his brain not yet reacting while his mouth responded first: "The rain will stop soon."
"Ah, pshaw..." he realized what Chen Sui was trying to do and immediately showed a speechless expression, looking at Chen Sui incredulously: "I'm really not that divine, saying the rain stops and it stops. My spirit body is Black Arrow Eagle, not a crow!"
Just as he raised his voice, covering the sound of rain outside, as his words fell, the pitter-patter sound outside the base station gradually weakened. The red rain hammering the window panes changed from heavy to light, slowly ceasing.
Zhou Chen watched this scene, his eyes growing wider and wider: "Holy..."
Chen Sui tilted her head to look at him, her eyes sincere: "Facts speak louder than arguments."
After speaking, she extended her hand to Gu Qinxue on the other side, and the two gave each other a crisp high five.
Even Xie Chunshi gave Zhou Chen an extra look, his face calm: "Although we don't know the red rain's falling periods, it doesn't matter. We now have the ultimate weapon."
Puluo silently gave Zhou Chen a thumbs up: "Metaphysics, the eternal god."
[Bad mouth, the ultimate weapon]
[I declare, Zhu Jing Fu is invincible]
[This is divine art, the power of words!]
Zhou Chen himself was shocked. Seeing the clear sky after the rain, with clean windows, he stood up abruptly, patting his mouth, and after the shock came wild joy: "Could it be that I actually have some superpower?!"
Chen Sui shook her head with a smile, and everyone boarded their mechas, pushing out from Base Station A.
"I've already marked the points on the map. In the Purple-Winged Golden Butterfly forest, there's an estimated one advancing pre-SSS, 12 SS+, 37 SS-level, and various lower levels. Purple-Winged Golden Butterflies locate through cocoon threads. As long as we're careful not to get cocoon threads on us, not drop the cocoons, we won't disturb the surrounding butterfly swarm."
On the way from Base Station A to the Purple-Winged Golden Butterfly forest, Chen Sui shared information in the team channel.
Xie Chunshi looked at the real scene she had recorded, pondering for a moment. "Our target is the SSS-level Butterfly King. Once we deal with it, we'll take the other Purple-Winged Golden Butterflies."
"Exactly," Chen Sui thought the same. Purple-Winged Golden Butterflies were gregarious creatures with strong herd behavior, easily lured away. "After luring away the Purple-Winged Golden Butterflies and escaping, we'll come back to cut down the meteor trees."
At the SSS-level Butterfly King grade, both the energy crystals and Purple-Winged Golden Butterfly wings were top-tier. Zhu Jing Fu's first choice was to deal with it.
The comments, listening to them enthusiastically discuss how to lure away the Purple-Winged Golden Butterflies, even planning how to sell the butterfly wings, couldn't help but sigh.
[Honestly, Zhu Jing Fu has always been confident]
[The key is, after two competitions, there's nothing they've set their sights on that they couldn't get]
[I should say, Zhu Jing Fu, you're about to run into Jacques Delot!]
[Huh? Jacques Delot is on this path too?]
[Yes, they were hiding from the meteor rain nearby, originally planning to gather at the Silent Monument Forest meeting point]
[They won't really clash, will they? That would be a real Seven Schools brawl]
Chen Sui's surrounding spirit body fluctuations were weak, with scattered energy body fluctuations. She could feel teams approaching, but the other side wasn't excessively using their spirit bodies, making the fluctuations impossible to identify by type.
She didn't pay much attention, marking the other teams' signals, continuing to join the discussion on how to lure away the Purple-Winged Golden Butterflies, how to quickly dig up meteor trees, ensuring Zhu Jing Fu's maximized benefits in their plan.