As the Green Dragonfly mech regained its footing, the audience erupted in cheers. But Zhong Xiufa knew she had no chance of winning. She hadn't become an evolved being and could only use her genetic skill once in a short period. Her combat skills were second-tier at best, with the mech's amplification factor capped at 0.7, far below her opponent's factor of at least 1.0.
Taking a deep breath, Zhong Xiufa resolutely piloted the Green Dragonfly mech toward the Magnetic Abyss mech. She needed to end the battle quickly to save time for Li Yi. Using her genetic skill to rebound back into the arena was her last act of defiance. But once she stood back in the arena, she realized that she had to conclude the match swiftly.
Since defeat was imminent, she didn't want to cause more trouble for Li Yi.
Boom!!!
The Green Dragonfly mech unleashed all six arms at the Magnetic Abyss mech.
"Wow, the Green Dragonfly mech is going all out, leaving itself defenseless. Is this a deliberate move or a momentary lapse?" Qingguo Fairy AI's voice floated through the air.
The next moment, the Magnetic Abyss mech sidestepped, avoiding a direct clash and maintaining a distance. As the Green Dragonfly mech pursued, the Magnetic Abyss mech continued to evade. After six or seven maneuvers, the two mechs had yet to collide.
The audience began to notice something unusual.
"What is this, playing games? The Magnetic Abyss could easily take down the Green Dragonfly but chooses to toy with it. What's the plan here?"
"Obviously, the Magnetic Abyss is stalling, trying to run down Li Yi's activity duration!"
"That's pretty sly, isn't it?"
"It's just tactical use of the rules, nothing to question."
"Well, in a real battle against aliens, you'd need to go head-to-head."
"If Liang Shaocong wanted to stall, why try to throw the Green Dragonfly out of bounds at the start? If the Green Dragonfly hadn't used its genetic skill, it would have lost immediately."
"Simple, force out the Green Dragonfly's genetic skill, making it easier to stall without fear of a comeback."
Amid the discussions, the two divine mechs, both around 30 meters tall, continued their dance for a full minute without a single collision.
According to the rules, if no knockout or out-of-bounds occurs after three rounds, victory is determined by effective attack count.
...
In the monitoring room of Cabin 12.
"Ah, welcome, welcome, Leader Long has graced us with his presence," Lin Guotao greeted a stern-faced man, cursing inwardly at the unexpected arrival of the oversight department.
"Let's skip the pleasantries. I've received a report that someone in your division hasn't had the fundamental rule imprint planted. Is that correct?" Long Dengtie ignored Lin Guotao's outstretched hand and spoke coolly.
Lin Guotao anticipated the oversight department's visit but not this quickly. It seemed someone was preparing to act now that Li Yi's winning odds had dropped. But who had reported it? Damn it!
Were they trying to completely block Li Yi's chances of winning?
Various thoughts flashed through his mind as Lin Guotao feigned ease and surprise:
"Yes, there's such a matter, but how could such a small issue warrant your esteemed presence?"
"If the fundamental rule imprint were planted before activating a divine mech, I wouldn't be here," Long Dengtie replied calmly.
"The problem is, divine mechs are highly destructive. If controlled by cultists, they could wreak havoc from within the starship, jeopardizing millions of lives on the Yaoci and the crucial border defense rotation. Is this a small matter?"
Faced with such a grave accusation, Lin Guotao couldn't deny it.
"Indeed, it's not a small matter, but a mere 30-meter divine mech should be manageable internally even if something goes wrong, right?"
"Preventing problems before they occur is the oversight department's critical mission," Long Dengtie continued. "In the past fifty years, how many starships have been destroyed due to cult infiltration?"
Lin Guotao asked, "How do you intend to handle it?"
"Interrupt the competition and have our people plant the fundamental rule imprint. If it's successful, we'll allow him to continue competing."
Lin Guotao took a deep breath, "Can't it wait until after the finals?"
Long Dengtie's stern face showed a hint of amusement:
"Does he have any hope of winning after the finals? Why deceive yourself and waste time?"
Lin Guotao gritted his teeth, "How can we know the result until the last moment?"
"It doesn't matter. To us, the champion's identity is irrelevant. Our duty is to protect the starship from external threats. Besides, we've waited until the odds dropped before acting, already giving you enough face."
"Now that we've notified you, please come with us to discuss this with him."
Lin Guotao remained silent. He realized he couldn't resolve this.
The oversight department allowed no room for negotiation.
He had considered secretly planting the fundamental rule imprint mid-match, but Lou Cheng's failure showed that Li Yi's mental resistance was substantial, requiring two to three hours at least. If his resistance was higher, it could take even longer.
Undoubtedly, this couldn't be fit into the tight competition schedule. Inserting it would mean Li Yi's immediate disqualification from the finals.
He grasped his communicator and dialed the captain immediately.
...
After stalling long enough, the Magnetic Abyss mech delivered a heavy punch, knocking the Green Dragonfly mech out of bounds.
"Finally, this drawn-out battle is over."
"Such a pity, I had a bit of goodwill toward Liang Shaocong."
"Trickery won't stand the test of time."
"Trash, trash, the Liang family is a cancer among mech pilots!"
Boos filled the stands.
Ejected from the Green Dragonfly mech, Zhong Xiufa climbed out of the pod, dejected. The insurmountable gap and untouchable opponent made her question herself.
"Zhong Xiufa, your fundamentals are decent, but your tactics are too crude. I could predict your moves before you made them. Go back and study more; you're welcome to seek my guidance anytime."
A seemingly gentle voice spoke.
Zhong Xiufa recognized the underlying contempt, reminiscent of a certain elder in her family. Seemingly polite but ultimately superficial.
Looking up, she saw it was indeed Liang Shaocong.
"Thanks, I'll definitely surpass you," Zhong Xiufa turned away, refusing to exchange further words with Liang Shaocong.
Watching her leave, Liang Shaocong snorted lightly:
"That's the mindset of the weak!"