Mecha Chapter 55: Persistence

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Sulo

 

The mecha makers inside were shocked. Oh, my God. There were bugs in this cave! And Luo XiaoLou had even been dragged away. The crowd stared in disbelief at the dark passage behind them.

Yuan Xi made a thorough patrol of the area, but to no avail. 

Yuan Xi redid the protective posture. He sent another mecha to guard the innermost flank. If anything happened, they would notify the outside immediately.

When Yuan Xi was out fighting again, Luo XiaoLou dragged his sleeping bag to a quiet corner. Then he pulled out 125 from within his shirt and squinted at it with a dangerous look in his eyes, as he said, “I know you’re awake. Now explain, what was that all about?”

As if rejuvenated, 125 instantly became lush and green. It scanned the area cautiously and then cried out, “All right, if you insist on knowing your shortcomings… I had no idea you were such a bad actor. Personally… Under the circumstances… You should have been more sad and emotional. It’s better to jump right into Yuan Xi’s arms. And snuggle up to him – trust me. The weaker you are, the more compassion you will inspire in Yuan Xi. Then cry at him. Pay attention. It’s better to use an aria here. Oh! Dear Yuan Xi! You’re not here with me. I don’t feel safe at all. I’m scared to death… Hey… What are you doing?!” 125 struggled to hold back the huge rock resting on his body. Angrily, he questioned.

“You’re not fully repaired. You can’t turn on your full functions right. If I throw you into a strong caustic solution, I don’t know if it will have the unexpected effect,” Luo XiaoLou said coolly from the side. 

125 stared at Luo XiaoLou with a frightened expression. Determining the truth or falsity of this sentence, then he stumbled and said, “Why? I… What have I done to you to deserve this? Do you – don’t like me already?” Finally… the 125 applied the aria it had just taught Luo XiaoLou.

This fucking brain-sucking AI!

Luo XiaoLou’s forehead was throbbing with veins. Had this guy started watching bloodthirsty romance dramas? Luo XiaoLou swore that the first thing he’d do with this guy…was to permanently delete all of its private downloads!

Luo XiaoLou squeezed the trembling green stone with all his might, and said fiercely, “Don’t ever mention your damn aria to me again or I’ll go looking for a strong caustic material! I’m asking you. What just happened with the transformation?!”

125 shuddered again. “Yes, yes, yes. You’ve changed! But it didn’t change your full body. Otherwise, you don’t know how beautiful you would be-“

“You shut up! You know if Yuan Xi sees this, I’m dead. Why didn’t you warn me?” Luo XiaoLou asked with a gloomy face.

“…… “125 flashed. The colors began to take on a dullness of frustration and loss, “I didn’t mean to not warn you. It’s just. I have too little of the exotic beast blood gifted to me by my master. The pressure from your transformation was too great for me. I couldn’t speak at all. Otherwise I would have warned you – in that case… I could only pray for you in the space button for a thousand years of unification or something.”

That’s pretty faithful!

Luo XiaoLou was pissed off at 125. He still trusted 125 a little bit. If he was discovered by Yuan Xi, then 125 wouldn’t escape. He stared at the quivering stone for a long time. “Even if you couldn’t tell me… ” Did you know I’d be affected by the radiation? About this… Did you deliberately withhold it from me?”

“Animals are highly susceptible to radiation. But not the adults. And you’re half human. It’s not easy to tell. Of course, I’m still looking forward to your transformation. – Ahem. In a safe place, of course. – Next time only if there are similar circumstances. I’ll be sure to bring it to your attention.” 125 said. Then added regretfully, “I’ve collected too little information on half-beasts. It’s really too little. But, compared to Inuyasha… Only one day a month as a human, you’re already weak…”

Hey… What kind of information are you collecting?

Luo XiaoLou didn’t care anymore about 125. He looked down at his fingers. Normal as usual. No sharp nails. But Luo XiaoLou knew it was no illusion. The thrill of piercing so easily through the insect’s hard body was still very clear.

Luo XiaoLou slowly clenched his fists. He was human. He would not allow himself to become a monster. The Luo XiaoLou who had become a beast, was he still him? So he needed to try hard to stay alive. He wouldn’t allow himself to be replaced by anything.

Luo XiaoLou leaned against the rock wall. His Source of Consciousness exploded, making everything in the cave visible. Luo XiaoLou was careful to keep the Source of Consciousness from spreading outside the cave. Instead, he extended deeper into the cave.

When he reached 50 meters, Luo XiaoLou felt dizzy. He managed to extend forward another five meters then reached his limit. Only then did he withdraw his Source of Consciousness.

Luo XiaoLou was so excited that he almost jumped out of his skin and cheered. After this transformation, his Source of Consciousness was improved. Before, he could only see about 10 meters around him. Now, he could see 50 meters away!

“Such a cute cub. A worthy descendant of the Mythical Clan. You’re about to break through the first stage into the middle stage. You know. Only cubs of advanced exotic beast bloodline can enter the middle stage in a short time.” 125 exclaimed obsequiously beside him.

Who the hell is a cub, you bastard 125!

However, Luo XiaoLou was delighted by the sudden increase in his Source of Consciousness. He was in such a good mood that he didn’t bother with 125. He just couldn’t wait to get back to his lab and try his hand at making a few energy boxes with his current Source of Consciousness.

“Also. Don’t ever release too much Source of Consciousness. If someone finds out… You won’t be able to hide your identity.” 125 suddenly spoke up.

“Will it be discovered? You mean I can’t use the Source of Consciousness force in front of people?” Luo XiaoLou’s eyebrows furrowed.

“That’s not true. You have to learn to control it. To keep the Source of Consciousness from spreading out. It’s like the remote virtual training you did. If you wrap Source of Consciousness around everyone… A sensitive person like Yuan Xi will definitely notice it. But if you let your Source of Consciousness power bypass them. No one will ever notice. After all, your Source of Consciousness is far greater than that of humans today.”

“Hmm. I see.” Luo XiaoLou began to figure out how to control the Source of Consciousness.

A few hours later, the night finally passed and the beasts retreated once more.

A guard was left at the entrance of the cave… and the mecha warriors went inside to rest. By now, the mecha makers had prepared a hearty meal and hot water. They welcomed them back with smiles on their faces. It was the first time the makers had served the mecha warriors, who had looked down on them, with no reluctance at all.

Luo XiaoLou heated up the food and took out a can of his own dried fish. Then he looked up at Yuan Xi, who was cleaning his hands and face.

Last night, Yuan Xi burst into the cave to save the others. Luo XiaoLou was relieved to discover that Yuan Xi was really worried about him. Preparing breakfast and the massages and other things were actually paying off.

When others were exhausted, they took time to rest at the cave entrance for a few minutes. But Yuan Xi never took a break. He took a few bites of the food Luo XiaoLou had prepared and then began to rest his eyes against the rock.

With little rest for almost a day and a night, the fatigue was obvious on Yuan Xi’s face. The long hours of fighting had left him tired. Even sitting there, his whole body was tense.

Luo XiaoLou looked at Yuan Xi. Took a moment to psychologize and reached up to Yuan Xi’s shoulders, then began to massage.

As soon as Luo XiaoLou placed his hand on his body, Yuan Xi’s eyes opened. His eyes were cold. When he realized it was Luo XiaoLou, he slowly closed his eyes again. As Luo XiaoLou massaged him, Yuan Xi’s body gradually relaxed.

Finally, Yuan Xi simply opened their shared sleeping bag, rolled over and lied down. He rest his head on Luo XiaoLou’s thighs, put his arms around Luo XiaoLou’s waist, then rubbed his face against the side of Luo XiaoLou’s waist. “Go on,” he said, “My shoulders and back need a massage too.” His tone definitely smelled like it was a blessing to have you massage me.

Luo XiaoLou’s lips twitched. His hand didn’t stop and he was not very gentle. The tired muscles felt pain and Yuan Xi’s eyes squinted. Comfortable as a well-fed cat being stroked and groomed on the back by its owner, he gave a short hmm.

The whole morning was eerily quiet. Only the snores of the warriors; the working mecha makers and some who were helping keep an eye on the situation outside.

At noon Yuan Xi blinked his eyes open. It had been four hours and his exhaustion was much relieved. It was soothing. Looking up, Yuan Xi realized that because he has been holding Luo XiaoLou around the waist, his little slave was unable to lie down together with him. He could only sit on the rock wall and doze off.

Even so, Luo XiaoLou was still sleeping soundly. His head hung over Yuan Xi. His white chin and neck were just out of reach, his thin lips were pursed tightly, his eyes had a pale blue tint underneath.

Yuan Xi raised his head slightly. He nibbled lightly on Luo XiaoLou’s neck. His little slave was clearly exhausted. Even so, he didn’t wake up. Yuan Xi’s heart was soft. He gently got up and carried Luo XiaoLou to his sleeping bag.

There was a heated lunch on one side of the floor. Yuan Xi frowned. It was still the same lunch box from school. It had been a long time since he had eaten Luo XiaoLou’s food.

Finishing his portion, Yuan Xi got up and walked out.

Sure enough, ten minutes later, the bugs appeared again. They’d been tossing and turning all night and appeared as often as they ate three meals a day.

Yuan Xi summoned his white mecha and got in. The students were far less panicky now than they were at the beginning.

Endless bugs? I’m used to killing.

They even started practicing different coordination tactics under Yuan Xi’s direction. After countless life or death crisis, their hand speed, reflexes and judgment had all increased significantly.

And Yuan Xi was always up for a challenge. At school, he was always pushing his limits in the gym. Now Luo XiaoLou and the others had no security concerns. He was even enjoying the killing.

There were many students who felt the same way about Yuan Xi. At least that’s the case with Yates. Now Yates could barely even take on a ten meter tall level 2 mutant on his own. But the recent emergence of level 3s had to be dealt with by Yuan Xi.

Two hours later, the midday bug beasts had been killed again. The soldiers cursed and entered the cave. They took a nap. It would be a tough night.

No one expected it to be like this. And so it went on. It lasted for seven days.

If their Mecha hadn’t been so used to carrying a full tank of energy… even if they had the strength… they would have been killed on this planet.

And as time went on, they’ve figured out the best way to deal with the beasts. Except for the five who stayed at the entrance. The rest of the Mecha warriors would be in groups of five to circle the beasts in small groups and kill them.

It was the first time they’d turned defense into offense. From passive to active. And it worked surprisingly well. At noon, the normally two-hour battle was over in less than an hour.

The mecha were overwhelmed with excitement and the strategy that Yuan Xi had devised was so practical. Maybe it was because Yuan Xi had killed the most bugs; maybe it’s because he knew them best that he was been able to devise such an effective strategy.

Yuan Xi’s fighting spirit was natural. A natural leader!

The mecha warriors here were lucky to be in this group. Through sporadic contact, they had learned that the other groups had been attacked by a perverted bug. There were no fatalities yet but many had been injured and were on the verge of dying.

There’d been no contact between the headquarters and Planet Anse. That was one of the reasons why the students didn’t know what they was doing. Have they been given up on? But that was just not possible. The school would not give up on the Mecha Department, nor will their parents or the families behind them.

After seven days, Yuan Xi and his group were able to split into two groups. One to rest. One to defend against the beasts. To ensure victory they needed a good night’s rest for everyone.

In the cave, there’s no sense of panic. During meals and breaks, there’s even the sound of laughter. The mecha that had been fighting needed maintenance and the mecha makers were beginning to help.

On this afternoon, Luo XiaoLou walked around Yuan Xi’s white mecha for the simplest of restorations. He touched the mecha beneath his hand with envy. The white metal had a subtle pattern. It was like it flowed. It was so beautiful. It was the best mecha he had ever seen. Even Zhuang Yi’s was far from it.

“What’s its name?” Luo XiaoLou asked lovingly.

Yuan Xi, who was standing around waiting in boredom, took a look at Luo XiaoLou and said proudly, “Cloudy Sky. It’s my first mecha. It was also my father’s birthday present to me.”

Oh. How like a cat showing off its fish…….

“It’s so beautiful. Of course it is… It’s a perfect match for you… The bravest warrior we have here.” Luo XiaoLou smiled and praised.

“That’s…. hmm. I will allow you to take care of Cloudy Sky for me from now on.” The master maintained his superior posture and commanded. He refused to let anyone see.

Luo XiaoLou quietly used a small amount of Source of Consciousness power to help Cloudy Sky fix some minor faults on the inside of the mecha. These glitches are hard to find and clean up during simple repairs. They are difficult to find and clean up. They do not affect the use of the device. But for the mecha itself, it’s better to deal with it. It was better to deal with it.

At least when Luo XiaoLou climbed down from the tall white mecha, Cloudy Sky looked even more handsome.

And now, Yates, who had been circling around, dared to come up. He took one look at Luo XiaoLou. Walked up to Yuan Xi first. He said uneasily, “Team leader, I have a problem with my mecha- but… my mecha maker is having trouble finding the problem. Could your Luo XiaoLou help us with it, please?” Yates knew who was in charge between the two even if he was slow.

Yuan Xi didn’t look so good. But when he heard his Luo XiaoLou, he felt a little more comfortable. Hmmm… That’s good. He’s his. Whether it’s the mecha maker, or Luo XiaoLou himself. He was all his.

Luo XiaoLou, still in thought mode, whispers in a sweaty voice, “I’ll go check it out. I’ll be right back.”

Yuan Xi snorted. In the end, he was still a little reluctant. Damn it. It’s enough to help Yates buy mecha during the holidays. Now he’s so familiar with the guy that he’s fixing mechas?

It’s just a little problem with a foreign object stuck in it. It’s not a wiring or internal problem. Yates’s mecha maker carried the test equipment for a long time, but he couldn’t find the problem. The girl was looking at Yates with a sad face.

Her own mecha fighter went to someone else to fix the mecha. There was nothing more humiliating than that.

Yates didn’t want to embarrass the girl either. After all, it was his sister who had asked him to take care of her. More importantly, he didn’t want to anger Yuan Xi at all. But the mecha was put together by Luo XiaoLou and it was the best place for Knight to go if he had a problem.

Because Knight was Luo XiaoLou’s pick of discarded parts, he paid particular attention to the practicality of the parts. He strived to make them stronger and more usable. Because of his pickiness and Shen Yuan’s strictness, Knight was actually a very capable mecha. Even better than an ordinary second-tier mecha.

Letting Yates help, they removed a part of the leg to remove the stuck foreign object. Then cleaned out the mecha and put it back together. Luo XiaoLou said, “There should be no more problems.”

Yates thanked Luo XiaoLou and didn’t wait. Luo XiaoLou went straight inside. He thought that the demeanor of Yuan Xi when he left was not very friendly…….

The mecha warriors and mecha makers who were witnessing this began to whisper.

“So the Class 10 isn’t so bad.”

“Yeah. Not bad for our group leader. So he’s not just attracted by sex. He has a good eye for people.”

“Hey… Is there such a thing as lust? You’re insulting our great leader!”

Hey! You brain-dead fans! He owes all his skills to Yuan Xi?!