Pull the strings, close the net, and clean out the filth

Half an hour later, Bai Ling finally arrived.

Ji Le saw him walk in with a composed air, a cold and elegant face carrying a distant “do not approach” vibe. Catching his own reflection in a nearby mirror and seeing his unavoidable dark circles, Ji Le hated the newcomer even more.

“Where is Rattlesnake?” Bai Ling asked as soon as he entered.

A mocking sneer touched Ji Le’s lips. “You’re Rattlesnake’s Master? That mercenary pilot who can’t even afford a decent combat suit and lets his mecha beg on the streets?”

He had checked earlier: this ” Bai Ling ” was only 19. Before joining the five-star association, his record in the mech circle was a blank slate. It was as if he had appeared out of nowhere, suddenly skipping ranks to qualify for the association and then defeating last year’s top-eight finalist, the Bearded Vulture.

But none of that was what made Ji Le angriest. Ji Le’s eyes involuntarily locked onto the mecha key in Bai Ling’s hand.

—Rattlesnake, the Unit 0 Pilot qualification.

He had only gone to an outer planet to vacation with his sugar daddy for a month, and he came back to find it stolen!

Ji Le had many fans, but like many stars who only act in movies to win awards, ornamental competitive pilots like him needed to “gold-plate” their resumes to stay relevant. The “Unit 0 Experimental Pilot” title, representing the highest skill level, was his goal.

Ji Le had a wide network. Someone had tipped him off that the big boss behind Uriel’s workshop was the Empire’s largest military weapon merchant, the Gorgon Design Bureau.

This meant that if he secured Rattlesnake, he would become Gorgon’s first-ever “Number 0.”

If he was lucky, he could use it as a springboard to connect with high-level bosses.

He had begged his sugar daddy for a long time until the man finally put up the money to find a mecha master to teach him how to forcibly tame a wild-tempered mecha. After finally seeing results, he came back, registered for the Mecha World Cup, and came looking for Rattlesnake with his head held high, ready to take it.

Only to be told Rattlesnake already had a master? And it had chosen its own master?

Ji Le was livid. Rattlesnake had bucked him off back then, nearly chipping a tooth; now it was wagging its tail for some random sparrow from nowhere? Where was he supposed to put his pride?

He immediately sent people to find it, only to discover Rattlesnake holding a “Seeking Sponsorship” sign, lingering at various manufacturers’ booths.

Ji Le was practically laughing from spite.

“Mercenary, cunning, and penniless. Letting a mecha go door-to-door for money with a sign… how is that different from begging? Don’t embarrass yourself.”

Bai Ling finally looked him in the eye and coldly asked, “Did it ask you for money?”

Ji Le mocked, “I certainly didn’t give any.”

“Then mind your own business, busybody.”

Ji Le never expected that this cold beauty would casually spit out insults.

His brain glitched for a second, and before he could speak, the other man had already strode toward the backstage.

Under the solitary lights, Rattlesnake stood alone in the center of the yard.

Mechas have no life, and there are no mood displays on their shells, but Bai Ling just knew the little girl was blaming herself, standing guard in the freezing wind as punishment.

Bai Ling stroked Rattlesnake’s leg, waking it up.

Rattlesnake shuddered and the cockpit slowly boot up. Bai Ling kept his voice as soft as possible.

“What happened? Were you bullied? Tell me, I’ll hit them back for you.”

Rattlesnake remained silent for a long time, eventually saying through its speakers in a raspy voice:

“Master, I made a mistake. Please wipe me out and buy a better mecha instead.”

[Palace Tower Waterway.]

In the interval while waiting for the little bird’s return, Yu Chen dove back into the water. His legs were instantly replaced by a long, elegant fish tail. A powerful flick of the tail sent a shockwave of foam through the stagnant water like a deep-sea missile.

He slowed down, allowing himself to suspend in the icy water for a moment.

The cold water made his subcutaneous nerves and vessels constrict, bringing a faint, stinging numbness. This sudden change in temperature could alleviate his mental pain and restore his brain’s calculating power for a short time.

Emerald-like eyes snapped open under golden lashes.

…Master, Master are you there?

Merfolk can capture radio waves in the air. Yu Chen read the AI’s call and replied in his mind: “What is it?”

AI: “The intel on Heinz has arrived. According to the report, the list of nobles involved in the ‘Eagle Boiling’ over the last three years highly overlaps with those who initiated the previous ‘Hunt.’ One of them has a long record of specifically targeting the Military Department’s falcons.”

Dark ripples surged in his deep green eyes. “Who?”

“Outer Space Mecha Regiment Major General Gram. He’s a Swordfish.”

The image of that night flashed in Yu Chen’s mind. Carrying the little bird past the alphas, the bird clung to his shoulders with trembling, spasming limbs.

He tilted his neck and slowly breathed out, seemingly suppressing something.

“Give the list to the Demon King Pillars. Tell them to list every single property under these nobles’ names. Ensure nothing is missed.”

The AI asked in surprise, “Investigating all their assets? Are you planning to…”

“Pull the strings, close the net, and clean out the filth.”

Yu Chen’s expression was enigmatic, and his tone was colder than ever before.

Author’s note:

Old Man: I think I heard someone trying to harm my baby? (Draws knife)

jjwxc comments:

1º: Rattlesnake is so good that the little girl feels guilty. Auntie wants to hug her

2º: Wow ∽∽ From now on, I will only drag the little bird back to the nest, soak him all over until his joints are flush. Ahem—just hot, that’s all. But since he’s wet, the old merman can only hold the drowsy little bird and take him to bathe (and turn the temperature up so the little bird won’t catch a chill), then hiss—ha—hiss—ha (I’ve turned into a yellow dragon).
The next day the old merman doesn’t attend court. Thus, from then on, the merman skips court (though that feels unlikely) and our little bird doesn’t manage to get out of bed either (//?//).”

3º: Are down jackets also made of bird fluff, is there still a bird as an animal in this world, and what does it feel like for bird-type hybrids to look at birds?

Reply: probably how we look at monkeys?