Can Ci Pin - - - Chapter 168

Chapter 168 – A Familiar Scene

Lin Jingheng’s expression looked as if he was about to give himself a heart attack: “……I don’t really want to hear that right now.”

The roof of the armed mobile gradually turned transparent; Lu Bixing could see the sky above his head.

At first, the sky only looked heavy with dark clouds. It wasn’t until moments later that Lu Bixing’s exceptional vision, powered by the biochip, finally made out the silhouettes above his head: “What are those…a fleet of mechs?”

Zhanlu said: “Those are my siblings.”

Lu Bixing: “……”

They had just witnessed a supernatural incident of a ghost possessing an AI and developed varying levels of trauma against these supercomputers. Little did they expect that Zhanlu, the completely oblivious AI who could not read the atmosphere, would fuel the fire at this moment to make such a tasteless joke.

Seeing all the complicated expressions within the vehicle, Lu Bixing had no choice but to attempt to ease the atmosphere and remarked dryly: “I thought I was your bro, Zhanlu.”

Nobody laughed this time. Lin Jingheng responded sternly: “The leading mechs are the Great Swords of the Union–they’re super mech models that were designed in the same batch as Zhanlu. Originally, they were assigned to the most exceptional veteran generals of the Union, but as they grew old, retired, or died, the super mechs were left without successors. Due to the scale of their mental networks and harsh requirements to fully control them, it was difficult for the average galactic soldier to pilot them. So aside from Zhanlu who was left in Lu Xin’s hand, the rest of these super mechs were downgraded to be decorations and show pieces for the military technology showcase every year.”

Lu Bixing stared at those remarkable mech bodies and mumbled: “I’ve been blown away once by the blueprints, I didn’t expect the actual mechs to be…”

The nine mechs of the Great Swords led fleets of mechs behind them like mythical demigods overtaking the heavens.

Yet, as the leading mech of the Ten Great Swords, Zhanlu’s new job was now a professional housekeeper in the Eighth Galaxy.

Lu Bixing offered consolations from the bottom of his heart: “I’m sorry for dragging you down, Zhanlu. But…it’s been so long already, and if they weren’t damaged during the war, why hasn’t the Union brought them out yet?”

Lee’s voice was a little hoarse: “No…Prime Minister, if the First Squadron’s information is correct, I remember that some of the major military factories in the First Galaxy were taken over by the pirates back during the war. Large batches of mechs never made it out in time and among them were the Great Swords. Due to the low average of the pirates’ mental strengths, they couldn’t even reach the minimum threshold to control the super mechs when they obtained them. For the rest of the war, the super mechs were kept in storage. The official news sources later announced that these mechs had been destroyed within the military factories they resided in during battles between the Union Troops and space pirates…”

Lin Jingheng interrupted: “Official announcement? Then why are these broken mechs still here? Who’s piloting them?”

“My apologies, sir, due to hardware limitations, my mental network is unstable,” Zhanlu said. “But if my system is still operating correctly, there are no human-mech port connections on the enemy mechs.”

The only possible explanations for not having a human-mech port connection would be either those incomplete ‘biochip idiots’ that the Freedom Corps had created in its early experiments or…

An AI.

Back when Lin Jingheng left the Silver Fortress and Ares Lee frantically took over, the Military Council and Eden Committee were in the midst of an unprecedented political struggle. The entire Silver Fortress rebelled against the Committee; after the Silver Ten left the fortress, the remaining staff and soldiers further ignored Commander Lee and refused to acknowledge him as their new superior. In order to maintain his position, that boot-licking Commander decided to bring in a group of AI soldiers to hold his authority within the Silver Fortress.

These AI soldiers ended up playing an important role in the war: they were easily hacked by the pirates and contributed to the breakdown of the Union.

A full AI troop was only good for intimidation in numbers, virtually useless on the actual battlefield. This was a widely accepted concept surrounding AI soldiers. Even Lin Jingshu acknolwedged that those highly robotic chip carriers were not ideal pawns on the battlefield; for this, she later gave up the research on 100% human-mech connection and instead graciously left cognitive abilities for her biochip humans.

But…what if it was the Woolf that spoke to them earlier that was controlling these mechs?

What if it was an AI so powerful and humanlike that it could not be hacked that controlled the highest military authority and permissions of the entire Union?

The hidden super mechs and the fearsome artificial intelligence.

Since when had Woolf begun plotting this terrible game?

Lin Jingheng’s eyes widened: “Notify all refuge sites, get into position within ten minutes and flee Wolto!”

Outside the Parliament building, a team from the present Silver Ten squadron fleets had already landed and forced the powerless pirates to temporarily disperse. Swarms of armed mobiles flooded swiftly into the mechs of the Silver Ten, but the situation on the battlefield was filled with surprises. Before all the mobiles were able to transfer onboard, a strange high-energy alert rang out within the mechs.

“Missiles!”

“Shields! Turn on all the shields–”

“Hurry up, let’s go! We won’t make it in time!”

“All fleets prepare to take off!”

Lu Bixing’s sharp eyes locked on a ray of beaming light from afar on the horizon. That shine was like the early spring light on planet Beijing-β, but unlike the ray in his memories, the light before him was followed immediately by a boiling nuclear cloud and powerful aftershock of high-energy waves. The invisible assassin and a circle of mech shields clashed within an instant, shaking the grounds of the capital planet.

Nobody would’ve expected that Woolf wasn’t only threatening verbally, he actually dared to blow up Wolto!

“Mad old fart!”

The heavy mech from the rescuing fleet extended its massive capture net and swept up all the armed mobiles still left outside. At this point, nobody cared if this could cause injuries for people on the armed mobiles; it was still better than dying.

Protection gases that solidified quickly sprayed out from inside the armed mobiles. Lu Bixing grabbed onto the safety handles as he saw the world around him turn upside-down. Missiles outside began dropping like a violent rainstorm, the sirens from the mechs in the refuge sites screeching in horror as people inside the captured armed mobiles rolled around like juice inside a mixer. Lu Bixing’s forehead crashed into the side of the vehicle.

The young man didn’t dodge the impact; his body had been strengthened by the chip inside him and wouldn’t suffer any damage. Yet the expected pain never arrived as he noticed that his forehead had fallen into Lin Jingheng’s palm. He opened his eyes in bemusement and felt Lin Jingheng pull him into a gentle embrace the next moment; the hand resting on his forehead slid down to cover his eyes. Lu Bixing didn’t see how the placid ‘Home of Lu and Muller’ branches collapsed under the aftershock of the nuclear explosions, how the carefully trimmed trees crumpled to the ground, how the mansion that enclosed countless memories and secrets broke down from the inside…finally, as if revealing the deepest part of its heart, the mansion exposed the slide that was hidden inside the walls.

Lu Bixing opened his mouth: “But he’s still…”

That type of virtual projection would be activated with a touch to the slide.

So…would those shattered stones also summon him?

Would he stand amidst the ashes of destruction and smile obtusely at the broken slide as he spoke those indulgent words to the child that was no longer there?

Would the disruption of energy from the explosion blur his figure?

The sirens inside the armed mobile devoured Lu Bixing’s voice; not even the person standing beside him could hear what he was saying. The heavy mech finally pulled in the armed mobile and closed its door the next moment, survivors of the catastrophe still feeling the buzz in their ears. For a few seconds, Lu Bixing choked on air as he curled up quietly in Lin Jingheng’s cold hands and felt as if something tugged painfully on his heartstrings.

Lin Jingheng let out a soundless sigh and leaned down dumbly to drop a kiss on Lu Bixing’s neck while the frown on his face remained still.

Lu Bixing pulled his consciousness back and dragged that hand down his face: “Hey, I’m not…”

Before he could finish, the vehicle shook violently as Zhanlu’s voice rang out the next moment: “Emergency warping has been disabled–sir, the warp earlier was unsuccessful.”

Zheng Di’s heavy panting rang out from the communication channel: “Is that crazy old man determined to bring all two billion residents on the planet down to the grave with him?”

Bayer: “Marshal, the mech fleet of the Great Swords are blocking the path outside the atmosphere…”

“Hah,” Lin Jingheng sneered. He didn’t care what was going on outside nor did he make any safety arrangements as he pushed the broken door of the armed mobile outward and stepped onto the heavy mech. “Zhanlu, connect to this mech’s mental network and give me pilot’s access. Blocking off our way and our warps? Who the hell do they think they are?”

Zhanlu reminded him calmly: “Sir, my mental network is still unstable.”

“It’s enough,” Lin Jingheng said, “follow me.”

After peeling off the layers of conspiracies and calculations, the veteran Union commander of three hundred years reappeared before his successors in this fearsome form.

The first principal of the Black Orchid Academy and the honorary graduate of the academy carried their swords against each other in the most gruesome graduation ceremony.

That mysterious and terrifying AI nestled within the First Galaxy seemed to have let out a small sigh amid the boundless void of the universe.

The mech fleets on the ground pierced through the sky like a sharp blade simultaneously from the refuge sites. A row of missiles fired towards the enemy fleet above the atmosphere in an attempt to break through the physical barricade; the massive storm of ashes gathered into deadly clouds in the skies of Wolto, forcing the enemy above to retreat temporarily. At that moment, a wave of particle beams fired into the opposing fleet as Lin Jingheng sailed the heavy mech through the opening of the enemy mechs. The heavy mech’s cannons rolled out swiftly like freshly oiled gears and knocked down three enemy mechs within the blink of an eye.

“Why does it feel like I haven’t actually opened fire with my own hands in ages?” a general from the Central Militia murmured in the back.

Zheng Di laughed: “Are your cannons getting rusty?”

“Attention please, everyone,” Lu Bixing’s mollifying voice rang out from the communication channel, “the enemy may not have a human-mech port connection, but we do. So please beware of your mental networks–”

As the allied Silver Ten, Central Militia, and Union Troops were about to physically rip open the barricade in the sky, a sudden mental network invasion swept through the fleets.

The newly reorganized fleet was shaken by the attack.

At that moment, one of the super mechs from the Great Swords sailed out quietly and closed in near Lin Jingheng’s mech. Its mech body was decorated with a complex design that flashed as it sailed out; a communication signal then automatically connected into their channel: “Hello, Zhanlu.”

“Hello, Longyuan,” Zhanlu responded. “I did not expect us to reunite on the battlefield someday; I remember that your former master was a revered veteran general. If he was still alive, I’m sure he would be very disappointed to see you like this.”

“Indeed,” the mech named Longyuan answered. “Thankfully, I no longer have a master now. My mech core has been secretly modified to be the pilot so that I can freely control my own mech body. As long as my mental network is within range, all mechs without a pilot can be under my control. In contrast, you look as if you have certainly fallen down and out.”

“Yes, my mental network has been damaged and still has not been fully repaired; my mech core is also made from experimental materials while my mech body was picked up from space,” Zhanlu admitted honestly. “But from my master’s evaluations, he has determined that we can still beat you all up despite our shortcomings.”

Lu Bixing: “…Are all the top AIs of the Union all this honest and direct?”

Lin Jingheng didn’t really want to answer this question.

Longyuan said: “Oh, if that’s the case then I won’t hold back anymore.”

The next moment, the suffocating mental network hack from the super mech dropped viciously onto all existing human-mech ports within range. Lin Jingheng felt as if a sharp needle had pierced through into his head while Zhanlu’s unstable mental network trembled under the attack.

The former Top Commander Lin of the Silver Fortress had always maintained a human-mech sync rate at the maximum for humans. He was always the one that swept the battlefields with his powerful mental strength; this was the first time he experienced the indescribable feeling of being the victim of a mental network invasion.

If he was already having a hard time with the attack, it was even more painful for everyone else.

The majority of pilots in the allied fleets were knocked off their mental networks within the first wave of invasion. Backup pilots quickly reconnected in response; fortunately, experienced galactic soldiers were used to picking up the connections as everyone swiftly passed around relaxants to their colleagues inside the mechs. The soldiers were not discouraged by the attack and instead held their ground desperately to protect their homeland they could no longer see.

“Commander Lin,” Longyuan said, “your fleet is very strong, but humans can never overpower machines. We do not have a human-mech port, thus proving that we cannot be defeated.”

Lin Jingheng’s response was a missile right towards the enemy.

Wolto had already become the frontlines of battle among multiple forces. Nobody noticed that a small fleet of starships had already sailed towards the outskirts of the capital planet and entered the mental network range of the super mech. Yet the enemy mechs took notice; with a quick scan, they immediately determined that it was a mech fleet disguised as a civilian starship fleet. Yet despite being another fleet of mechs, the team was made up of small mechs that posed no threat to the super AIs. Anyone that took notice of them during this heated battle would perhaps think they were a fleet of refugees from a small planet within the galaxy and not pay much attention.

However in the next instant, this inconspicuous small mech fleet suddenly dispersed and circled the closest transfer portal around Wolto.

Soon after, all mechs on the allied side received the same message: “Emergency warping terminals are now open, best wishes to you all–for life and nature.”

The entire communication channel exploded.

“AUS?”

“What is this!?”

The Union’s Chief Commander Woolf had stolen the AUS’ methods and blocked off emergency warping in space, only to see the real space pirates come in to break open the blockade.

The surprising events of the last 24 hours could be written into a high-fantasy novel.

“Retreat!” Lin Jingheng sent out the order right before Zhanlu’s mental network completely broke down under Longyuan’s pressuring attack. Yet as if he was already prepared, Lin Jingheng disconnected from Zhanlu’s mental network the moment before it broke down and reconnected seamlessly into the heavy mech’s own network. Longyunan’s heavy fist missed its target while the heavy mech activated its emergency warp and disappeared on the spot.

Countless missiles dropped on Wolto. The biochip humans and wildlife left on the planet all perished into ashes; the Union Troops that carried billions of refugees finally managed to make an emergency warp at the last minute through the opening created by the AUS pirates and escaped the hellish frontlines. Political enemies and allies all gathered together as differences among them suddenly became blurred; everyone faced each other near the transfer portal in a daze from the chaotic events earlier.

Before anyone could catch a breath, an abnormal energy wave near the transfer portal was captured as the heavy mech fleet carrying the symbol of the Freedom Corps appeared out of the blue.

“Marshal!”

Lin Jingheng didn’t hesitate to order: “Take them down!”

The two opposing forces that had jumped out of the same pit of fire earlier immediately engaged in another brief round of fire. The Freedom Corps quickly realized they were outnumbered and prepared to flee. With their high human-mech sync rates, the biochip carriers initiated another mental network attack to the opposing forces.

The alliance troops that were still bathing in the trauma of the AI fleet earlier jolted back in unison–

Only Lin Jingheng’s cannons were locked on the enemy’s commanding ship.

Heavy mechs were incredibly sensitive to attack; the moment they were locked on, Lin Jingshu received an alert inside the mech. At this time, the commanding ship she was on had already shattered its shield on land. She lifted her head abruptly and glanced through the military-use camera; her gaze shot out as if it was piercing through the galaxies, through the mechs, into the eyes of her own brother with a feeling that couldn’t be described as excitement or hurt…

Will you kill me with your own hands?

The missile slid out of the cannon. Lin Jingshu glued her eyes to the screen masochistically–she wasn’t someone who would willingly sit and wait for her death even at the very last moment.

The sharp siren inside the mech rang out as the mech body trembled violently; she flew out from the impact and was caught by the protection airbag in mid-air.

“Mech body damaged, alert, engine system damaged.”

“Automatically dismantling damaged parts, activating the first backup energy source.”

The missile had missed.

Would the unrivaled Top Commander Lin of the Silver Fortress miss a shot from a trembling hand?

What a familiar scene.

“Let’s go,” Lin Jingshu muttered, “emergency warp out of here.”

Book 7 – Sword of Freedom