CH 6

6. Jin Qing

A massive island slowly drifted over the city, its metallic surface reflecting the vibrant neon lights like a mirrored spectacle. It resembled a silent behemoth in the night sky, gradually receding into the moonlight and clouds.

"Buzz—"

A pure white spacecraft descended gradually, hovering around for a moment before landing slowly, emitting an almost imperceptible sound. Once it stabilized, the side of the ship opened, revealing a white staircase that extended down, and a slender, gaunt figure appeared before them.

The members of the Calamity Control Bureau, who had been waiting for some time, saluted the figure in unison. On either side stood a row of uniformly standardized mechas, all semi-kneeling simultaneously.

"Lord Jin Qing."

An official who had been waiting by the side stepped forward quickly and greeted, "Your Excellency, thank you for your hard work. I am Gao Lu, the Director of Security in the capital city." He then gestured to someone beside him and introduced, "This is Vice Director of the  Thunder Division at the Calamity Control Bureau headquarters , Mr. Huo Zai."

A gentle smile adorned Huo Zai's face, exuding a scholarly and refined temperament that seemed incongruous with the legendary Huo, who was known for his extraordinary abilities. He nodded slightly and greeted, "Good evening, Your Excellency Jin Qing."

Jin Qing paid no attention to Director Gao but shifted his gaze towards Huo Zai at the side. "Huo Zai? I've heard about you."

Huo Zai lowered his eyes and smiled softly. "The honor is mine."

"The former Director of the Thunder Division was dismissed from his post. I heard that you were the most promising candidate for the Directorial position."

Jin Qing's expression remained calm, making it difficult to discern his thoughts. However, his words sent chills down one's spine. "Unfortunately, this time I was dispatched by Sky City to take over as the Thunder Division Director’s position. Your path to Directorial promotion has been foiled. You... must be quite unwilling, I presume."

"Your Excellency is mistaken."

Huo Zai's expression remained unchanged as he nodded and lowered his head. "The Calamity Control Bureau has always served Sky City. It is our honor to have Your Excellency Jin Qing personally come to guide the work of the Thunder Division."

Jin Qing fixed his gaze on Huo Zai for a moment. Director Gao on the side couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat in this eerie atmosphere. He dared not even take a breath.

The two individuals before him—one being the Deputy Director of the Thunder Division and the other a member of the Immortal Clan dispatched from Sky City—were figures he couldn't afford to offend.

"Let's go."

After a moment, Jin Qing smiled and headed straight towards the car prepared by Director Gao.

This temporary landing pad served as the reception area for the envoys from Sky City. The residents in the surrounding area had already been evacuated by the Calamity Control Bureau in advance. Jin Qing walked in between the columns of mechas, resembling a general inspecting soldiers. The members of the Thunder Division wore solemn expressions, fully armed, and never diverted their gazes.

"Let's go, Deputy Director Huo."

Director Gao wiped the cold sweat off his face and spoke softly. He looked at Huo Zai with a touch of sympathy. As an official in the Capital City government, he knew how rare the opportunity was for Huo Zai to become the Director of the Thunder Division. If nothing unexpected happened, it was almost certain that Huo Zai would have been promoted to the position. However, Jin Qing's background was too powerful. Even though he was parachuted in to take over the Directorial position, no one dared to speak a word against it.

Huo Zai's smile remained gentle and unaffected. He politely nodded to Director Gao and followed Jin Qing's footsteps.

Both columns of mechas stood up in unison and marched in an orderly manner behind Jin Qing's car. The remaining members of the Thunder Division boarded heavy motorcycles and cleared the way ahead, heading towards the headquarters of the Calamity Control Bureau.

…..

"Done."

Yao Guang operated the computer with a series of clicking and tapping. Finally, with a forceful keystroke, dozens of dense red dots appeared on the virtual screen in front of everyone. "Successfully entered the internal network of the Tai Sui Division!"

The tone of the youth was filled with pride. As the head department of the Calamity Control Bureau, the intricacy of its internal network was beyond imagination. Breaking into the internal network was not an easy task, and this achievement could even be considered the highest honor for a hacker.

"Well done."

Yu Heng, while discussing mission details with the two pilots, nodded in satisfaction upon hearing the news. He looked at the virtual map and said, "Twenty units of fifth-generation mechas, forty Fire Division guards... It matches the information we obtained. The Calamity Control Bureau indeed hasn't made any major moves."

"I've modified the alert system of the Tai Sui Division. Tian Shu and Kai Yang will be able to infiltrate directly without triggering any alarms."

Yao Guang said, "Although people generally won't notice the addition of two mechas, it's best to act quickly."

"I'm ready," Tian Quan said, leaning over the edge of the rooftop. He had already set up the sniper rifle in his hands and gestured to the two people behind him.

Ji Mingzhu, still seated inside the mecha, received the synchronized data from the virtual map in front of him.

Should they make a breakout or wait and observe?

Ji Mingzhu narrowed his gaze, contemplating his next course of action.

He had almost figured out the mission. Their target was Jin Qing, a member of the Immortal Clan from Sky City, and they needed to capture him alive and escape unharmed. For Ji Mingzhu, the risks involved in this mission were too great. The original host may have been loyal to the Netherworld Organization, but Ji Mingzhu was not. He was only loyal to himself.

A direct breakout here was not a good idea. It would disrupt the plans of the Netherworld Organization and inevitably invite retaliation. Another option was to defect to the Calamity Control Bureau. For example, he could seize an opportunity during the mission to betray the team from the Netherworld Organization...

However, this would bring about many problems. He was a member of the Netherworld Organization, and even if he defected to the Calamity Control Bureau, how would he explain his identity and actions? The Calamity Control Bureau would certainly want to extract information about the Netherworld Organization from him, and he had no valuable information to offer. His future might not be favorable in that scenario.

In the end, he had no reliance whatsoever. Even if he had a mech, who knew if there was a bomb inside that could be detonated by the Netherworld Organization at any moment?

An organization that could survive in the ruling world of Sky City would certainly have means to prevent members from defecting. This was not an unfounded concern for Ji Mingzhu.

"The Calamity Control Bureau team is about to reach the target location, Tianshu, and Kai Yang," the voice of Yu Heng came through the communication system just as Ji Mingzhu was contemplating various possibilities.

"It's in your hands," Yu Heng said.

"Don't worry!" Kai Yang replied confidently.

Ji Mingzhu responded with a "Hmm."

Now was not the time to betray. At least he had to overcome the current difficulties, understand the power structure of the Netherworld Organization, or gather more information. He didn't have enough leverage at the moment, so he could only stay put for now.

"Head to Point Two and standby," Yu Heng commanded.

As Yu Heng's words landed, a yellow dot appeared on the virtual map in front of Ji Mingzhu.

"Copy."

He and Kai Yang responded simultaneously. Ji Mingzhu cleared his mind and focused his attention on controlling the mecha.

The street below had been cleared by the Calamity Control Bureau under the pretense of construction. It was empty, devoid of any human presence. Ji Mingzhu disconnected the cables from his body while operating the Aerial Raider, taking a few steps forward until he reached the edge of the rooftop.

Compared to the Heavy Assault mecha, the Aerial Raider was agile and lightweight. However, for a human body, the mecha was still a massive entity. Each step it took produced a dull metallic thud as it collided with the cement.

"Shh—"

Ji Mingzhu gripped the auxiliary control lever, and then the Aerial Raider's rear shoulder emitted a sound similar to steam venting. The Aeria sharp horn at its back quickly shot out and was precisely grasped in his hand.

For Ji Mingzhu, who was accustomed to 0% motion correction, operating the Aerial Raider posed no difficulty.

The tail end of the sharp horn was connected to a retractable chain, while the other end of the chain was linked to the shoulder's power device. Ji Mingzhu observed the data panel on the secondary screen, which displayed information such as air resistance, wind speed, and friction.

With a decisive motion, he extended the Aerial Raider's hand, and the chain emitted a crisp sound as it was pulled. The Aeria’s sharp horn was released from his hand and, in an instant, crossed the distance between two buildings, accurately pinning itself to the side of the opposite building.

"Crackling—"

In the next second, the chain quickly retracted, propelling the twelve-meter-high mecha. Like a stealthy assassin in the night, the entire mecha traced an incredibly smooth trajectory in mid-air, silently traversing the intermediate zone. Then, with a single grasp, the Aerial Raider effortlessly caught hold of the protrusion on the side of the building, assuming the posture of a rock climber. At the same time, another Sharp Horn shot out, anchoring itself in a different direction.

"Boom—"

The graceful leap under the night sky wove an enchanting and dizzying trajectory. Controlled by Ji Mingzhu, the Aerial Raider seemed to possess a life of its own, moving with astonishing agility. Within a mere second, he executed Spider-Man-like ascents and descents using the Aeria Sharp Horn, landing firmly on the middle section of the opposite building. The chains rattled once more, and the dual horns retracted swiftly, caught precisely in his hands.

"...Impressive."

Kai Yang watched in awe, unable to contain his admiration. "Truly a top-notch pilot."

The complexity of the maneuvers, the precision and balance, and the fluidity displayed were beyond the capabilities of an ordinary person.

Kai Yang, also piloting an Aerial Raider, descended from the rooftop. However, the disparity between the two was apparent. Compared to Ji Mingzhu's artistic movements, Kai Yang's mecha appeared somewhat clumsy. Nonetheless, being an experienced pilot, although not as smooth and graceful as Ji Mingzhu, he landed steadily and reached the designated position.

"Power down the systems, be cautious, and avoid detection by the Netherland Organization."

Yu Heng's voice resonated through the communication channel. Ji Mingzhu and Kai Yang sequentially powered down their mechas' systems. The power cores in their chests, emitting a blue glow, shut down, and the faint humming ceased. Concealed by the cover of night and shadows, it would be challenging to spot their hidden positions without a close inspection.

"One day you were competing in the World Championship, and now you've become a covert operative on a mission."

Ji Mingzhu chuckled self-deprecatingly from the cockpit. "Life is unpredictable, isn't it, Axiu?"

"I believe you have performed exceptionally well."

"Is this meant to be comforting?"

Ji Mingzhu tilted his head slightly. "I must say, you are quite a thoughtful AI."

"While you are praising me, it's strange that my emotional module isn't experiencing any pleasure from the compliment."

Ji Mingzhu chuckled. "That's because I'm being sarcastic."

"It's an unusual form of communication. It seems my language comprehension module still needs improvement," Axiu replied.

Ji Mingzhu was tickled by Axiu's remark and burst into laughter behind his mask. After a while, he asked, "Can I trust you, Axiu?"

"Of course."

Ji Mingzhu said, "I'm not quite sure how you ended up inside my body, whether it was the Netherworld or some other reason. After all, I have very limited knowledge at the moment."

Axiu stated, "Regardless of how I came to be, I am forever loyal to you. That is beyond question."

"Good."

Ji Mingzhu remained silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "Well, it seems I'm not a lone secret agent fighting alone. At least now I have a teammate."

"It's my honor," Axiu replied.

Yu Heng's voice came through the communication system in the cockpit. "Tianshu, Kai Yang, Jin Qing's team has arrived. Proceed according to the plan."

Ji Mingzhu suppressed his smile, opened the communication, and replied in a cold voice, "Understood."

Almost immediately after he finished speaking, a fleet of speeding vehicles appeared at the other end of the road.

Leading the way were two rows of neatly arranged heavy motorcycles. Ji Mingzhu sat in the cockpit, his expression slightly startled.

There was no doubt that the people on the heavy motorcycles belonged to the Calamity Control Bureau, but what surprised Ji Mingzhu was their attire.

They wore red robes that extended to their feet, with a black waistband. The robes were adorned with a pattern of a four-clawed flying fish with a snake-like body and fish tail, strikingly similar to the attire worn by the Ming Dynasty Jin Yiwei. Around their waists hung a red and black alloy sword. Paired with the heavily armed heavy motorcycles, it created a visually stunning fusion of time and space.

*Jin Wei - The Jin Yiwei, also known as the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was a secret police organization during the Ming Dynasty in China. It was established by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, in 1382. The Jin Yiwei served as the emperor's personal bodyguards and secret service, responsible for intelligence gathering, espionage, maintaining security, and executing the emperor's orders.

Yu Heng's voice echoed through the communication once again. "Tian Quan."

"Understood."

Tian Quan leaned forward slightly, focusing intently through the sniper rifle in his hands. "I'll handle it, you can trust me."

"Swish."

He pulled the trigger, and under the cover of a suppressor, the sniper rifle made a barely audible sound.

In the next moment, the support cables on the outer side of the building across were severed, and the bundled steel materials, devoid of support, crashed towards the ground!

"What's going on?!"

"The steel materials above fell!"

"Be on high alert!"

The convoy of vehicles, moving in an orderly manner, was suddenly halted. The location where the steel materials fell was remarkably precise, targeting the vehicles of the Calamity Control Bureau. The ground's dust scattered in all directions due to the tremendous impact, momentarily obscuring the vision.

Jin Qing, sitting inside the hovercar with closed eyes, opened them.

"Apologies for the disturbance, Lord Jin Qing," came the voice of Director Gao. "An accident occurred; it seems that the steel materials being used in the construction above weren't properly secured and fell down... I will send people to handle it immediately."

"Tian Su, Kai Yang."

"Understood."

Ji Mingzhu responded with a nod, extending his hand and swiftly flicking open a row of switches in front of him, gripping the control lever again.

"Hum—"

The silent Aeria Invader instantly awakened, its ocular region glowing with a vibrant blue light.

"Thud—"

"Boom!"

Tian Quan fired once again, breaking another set of support cables on the opposite side. Massive steel materials rained down like a storm, producing deafening sounds, causing the mechas behind the Calamity Control Bureau to retreat to avoid the falling steel, disrupting their formation.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Ji Mingzhu and Kai Yang swiftly took action, one on the left and one on the right, seamlessly blending into the mecha formation behind.

Due to Yao Guang’s interference, the internal network's alarm system did not sound. The smoke and dust kicked up by the landing steel materials concealed their presence, and no one noticed the two unexpected guests infiltrating the mecha formation from behind.

"Something's not right."

"Why is this happening at this moment... so coincidentally?"

The series of incidents clearly drew the attention of the Calamity Control Bureau. The Fire Division guards on the leading heavy motorcycles dismounted one after another, raising their heads with vigilant expressions, scanning the sky above.

"Strange, there might be a problem."

Director Gao's voice echoed through the internal communication of the Calamity Control Bureau: "B02, B04, go up and check."

"Roger."

"Copy that."

Upon receiving Director Gao's orders, the two mechas closest to where Jin Qing's vehicle was located responded. Their shoulder-mounted thrusters emitted two streams of white gas as the sharp horn scythes of the Aeria Invaders shot out swiftly, embedding themselves into the side of the building, carrying their bodies upwards.

Ji Mingzhu and Kai Yang had infiltrated the two rows of mechas closest to Jin Qing's vehicle. As the mechas in front received the directive from Director Gao and moved away, they became the closest mechas to Jin Qing.

Ji Mingzhu squinted his eyes, his expression profound.

He hadn't tapped into the internal communication of the Calamity Control Bureau, but even without knowing the content of their communication, he sensed something suspicious. These two mechas in front of him had timed their movements too perfectly, as if they were deliberately creating an opportunity for them.

It seemed that there were indeed insiders from the Realm of Transience within the Calamity Control Bureau, and their level was not low. They were at least capable of commanding the mecha forces.

"Tian Quan, Kai Yang, take action."

Without much time to ponder, upon hearing Yu Heng's command, Ji Mingzhu and Kai Yang were about to proceed with their original plan.

However, at this moment, a sudden change occurred.

"Strange, there might be a problem."

Director Gao's voice echoed through the internal communication of the Calamity Control Bureau: "B02, B04, go up and check."

"Roger."

"Copy that."

Upon receiving Director Gao's orders, the two mechas closest to where Jin Qing's vehicle was located responded. Their shoulder-mounted thrusters emitted two streams of white gas as the sharp horn scythes of the Aeria Invaders shot out swiftly, embedding themselves into the side of the building, carrying their bodies upwards.

Ji Mingzhu and Kai Yang had infiltrated the two rows of mechas closest to Jin Qing's vehicle. As the mechas in front received the directive from Director Gao and moved away, they became the closest mechas to Jin Qing.

Ji Mingzhu squinted his eyes, his expression profound.

He hadn't tapped into the internal communication of the Calamity Control Bureau, but even without knowing the content of their communication, he sensed something suspicious. These two mechas in front of him had timed their movements too perfectly, as if they were deliberately creating an opportunity for them.

It seemed that there were indeed insiders from the Netherland Organization within the Calamity Control Bureau, and their level was not low. They were at least capable of commanding the mecha forces.

"Tian Quan, Kai Yang, take action."

Without much time to ponder, upon hearing Yu Heng's command, Ji Mingzhu and Kai Yang were about to proceed with their original plan.

However, at this moment, a sudden change occurred.

Just as Ji Mingzhu and Kai Yang, controlling their mechas, were about to make a move, a deafening muffled sound suddenly echoed through the air. It was a gunshot that even the darkness couldn't conceal, roaring like a fierce beast, piercing and loud!

"Bang!"

The windows of the vehicle where Jin Qing was located shattered instantly, and the shattered fragments of the bulletproof glass scattered in all directions. The driver's head in the front, along with the rear seats, were obliterated, filling the interior space with blood.

Jin Qing, sitting behind the driver, also had a bullet hole in his forehead. Through the bullet hole, one could even see the shattered rear window...

"What?!"

Yu Heng's tone was filled with undisguised shock, to the point where her voice sounded harsh: "Tian Quan!"

"It wasn't me!"

Tian Quan's tone was equally shocked: "I didn't shoot!"

TN:

And here I thought he might be the ML