MG - Chapter 362: [Panlong Mountain, Part 2] Ambush (Patreon)

Imperial Scale turned her head.

Through the clouds, she could just make out a dark speck plummeting toward the ground.

She was certain it was Stella.

The cliff Stella had fallen from was roughly five thousand meters high. Taking wind resistance and wind speed into account, Imperial Scale's eyes worked like a precision computer, instantly calculating the approximate window before Stella would hit the ground.

Using the Arch position from diving as a reference, Stella would reach the ground in around forty seconds. If Stella deliberately spread her limbs to increase air resistance, it would take even longer.

Imperial Scale had just jumped from the helicopter herself.

With the aid of a rocket booster, however, her descent would be much faster.

Several logistics Mecha Girls aboard the helicopter soon realized what she was doing. They strapped on rocket boosters of their own and jumped after her, waving frantically in Imperial Scale's direction while shouting something about a "parachute."

But they couldn't even begin to match her descent speed.

Imperial Scale had no parachute.

The only things she could rely on to cushion her landing were the welcoming pines along the cliff, the steep slope below, and her absolute confidence in her extraordinary Stability and Impact Resistance.

Ten seconds later.

BOOM—!

Imperial Scale landed successfully.

From the helicopter and the Mecha Girls still descending through the air, all anyone could see was a massive cloud of dust erupting from the ground.

Then came the deep growl of an engine.

A jet-black off-road vehicle burst from the dust cloud and tore through the mountains beneath the raging wind and rain, racing toward the spot where Stella was falling.

"Holy shit! She dropped from that high and she's completely fine? What in the Zuanka Tech World Tree..."

"That's a top-tier combat-type Mecha Girl for you. Her Impact Resistance and Stability are on a level we can't even imagine."

"Come on, let's follow her. We might still be able to help."

The helicopter and the other Mecha Girls followed Imperial Scale.

None of them noticed the three semi-transparent Hunters moving across the mountainside toward Stella's projected landing point.

...

The collapse bomb had nearly blown half the cliff apart.

Amid countless chunks of shattered rock, Stella plummeted toward the ground at terrifying speed, her body covered in blood.

Even though she had used the kinetic energy of the collision to detonate the collapse bomb early, she had still been badly hurt by the explosion that followed.

Agonizing pain radiated through her entire body, leaving her on the verge of losing consciousness.

"If I fall from this high, I'm definitely going to end up as a pancake, aren't I?"

The wind screamed past her ears so loudly that she could barely hear anything else.

Stella struggled to open her eyes and looked around.

"No, no. Getting flattened into a pancake would look awful. Master might not even dare come collect my body."

She thought miserably as she forced her arms and legs apart, trying to expose as much of her body to the wind as possible.

It actually slowed her descent somewhat.

All she could do was console herself with the fact that Mecha Girls were exceptionally tough. Even if a fall at this speed killed her, she probably wouldn't be smashed beyond recognition...

The ground drew closer and closer.

Stella figured she was about due for her life to start flashing before her eyes.

"Master... I tried my best..."

The thought of leaving Derek Su forever finally made the fear of death overwhelm her.

Stella began to tremble.

Mecha Girls weren't naturally afraid of death. They were born to hone their skills and earn glory on the racetrack.

A Mecha Girl who discovered she lacked the necessary ability could simply choose to return to the Recycling Yard. Those who remained interested in the human world could instead become functional Mecha Girls.

To them, returning to the Recycling Yard or having their AI Core extracted wasn't something painful.

But right now, Stella truly was afraid.

Then she remembered that the Stella Club still had Imperial Scale, Purple Lightning, and the other Mecha Girls.

A faint sense of relief returned to her heart.

"I wonder if Master was attacked by those bombs too..."

She barely thought about what would happen to herself.

Even as her tears were swept away by the wind, the person occupying most of her thoughts was still Derek Su.

Stella had read plenty of novels.

They were full of gods and immortals.

She had always thought those divine beings who could destroy a planet with a single punch were absurdly fake and completely unbelievable.

But now, she desperately wished that some miraculous race of higher beings like that really did exist.

So Stella closed her eyes and prayed silently.

"I hope my death can keep Master and everyone at the Stella Club safe..."

The gods did not answer Stella's prayer.

But then...

VROOOOM—!

The deep roar of an engine exploded beside her.

Stella opened her eyes.

Imperial Scale was racing straight toward her.

"Imperial Scale?!"

Stella's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Danger!"

She immediately realized what Imperial Scale intended and shouted, "I'm going to land on you!"

But the moment she opened her mouth, the wind rushed straight inside, turning her words into garbled cries.

Even if Imperial Scale had heard Stella clearly, however, she wouldn't have moved.

After roughly calculating Stella's landing point, Imperial Scale and the logistics Mecha Girls from the helicopter immediately sprang into action.

They quickly fired a portable safety net across the rock walls and secured it in place.

Unfortunately, the surrounding terrain was extremely steep. The safety net could only be anchored directly into the rock with steel spikes, making it far less secure than they would have liked.

There was also a chance the net itself could tear.

To make absolutely certain Stella survived, Imperial Scale personally positioned herself beneath the safety net, ready to catch her if necessary.

Seeing the net being set up below, Stella stopped resigning herself to death.

She immediately began twisting through the air like a butterfly, adjusting her posture and spreading her limbs as she glided toward the safety net.

Fortunately, the superhuman physical capabilities of a Mecha Girl proved invaluable.

Stella maintained her balance in midair and landed precisely on the net.

But the enormous gravitational potential energy from her fall instantly stretched the safety net out of shape.

The logistics Mecha Girls waiting nearby sucked in sharp breaths.

Everyone held their breath as they watched, their eyes fixed especially on the steel spikes embedded in the surrounding cliffs.

They were terrified that the safety net would tear or that the tremendous force would rip the spikes straight out of the rock.

But worrying couldn't change anything.

Just as Stella's descent finally began to slow...

Riiip!

One side of the safety net tore apart.

"Ah—!"

Stella screamed as she began falling toward the ground again.

Imperial Scale immediately planted both feet against the ground and launched herself upward.

Like an arrow released from a bow, she shot toward the falling Stella.

She first wrapped an arm around Stella's waist, absorbing some of the remaining momentum.

Only then did she pull Stella into her arms as they fell together.

After being slowed down several times like this, the impact was still considerable, but it had finally dropped to a level a Mecha Girl could withstand.

Imperial Scale landed and slowly exhaled.

Other than a slight tremble in her legs, she was completely unharmed.

Stella's only injuries were those she had already suffered in the explosion.

Her back was a bloody mess, and her face had gone pale.

"Rebel... Rebel King, are your legs okay?

"And what about Master and Purple Lightning? Do you know how they're doing?"

Stella glanced at Imperial Scale's trembling legs.

The moment she saw that Imperial Scale's expression remained normal, her thoughts immediately returned to Derek Su.

"Don't talk yet."

Imperial Scale frowned as she set Stella down and quickly examined her from head to toe.

Then she pulled out a nutrient solution and fed it to her.

The surrounding logistics Mecha Girls immediately came forward and began performing basic repairs on Stella's body.

More extensive treatment would have to wait for a professional medical team.

Fortunately, the safety net had absorbed enough of the impact.

And with Imperial Scale serving as the final line of defense, Stella had escaped being killed by the fall.

Only after everything was taken care of did Imperial Scale finally breathe a little easier and answer Stella's question.

"I don't know. The signal has been completely cut off. I can't reach Master."

"What?"

Stella immediately struggled to stand.

"No, I have to go find Master and Purple Lightning."

She had barely risen before the aching weakness throughout her body sent her collapsing back into Imperial Scale's arms.

"Stay here. I'll go find them."

Imperial Scale pressed a hand against Stella's shoulder.

Stella was in no condition to be running around. She needed treatment.

And Panlong Mountain was currently under attack by some unknown force using missiles.

Running around in deployed mode would only turn them into enormous targets.

Even the helicopters were too dangerous to use now.

Imperial Scale had only taken that risk earlier because Stella's life had been at stake.

She was about to order the logistics Mecha Girls to take Stella away when an icy killing intent suddenly washed over them.

Imperial Scale's eyes sharpened.

She immediately turned and placed herself between Stella and the threat.

Her cold gaze locked onto a patch of grass not far away.

Through the curtain of rain, the air and falling water there were strangely distorted.

Three humanoid figures, each nearly two meters tall, could just barely be distinguished within the distortion.

"Are these the ones who attacked Panlong Mountain?"

Imperial Scale's thoughts raced.

The nearby logistics Mecha Girls noticed them as well.

They immediately drew their weapons and closed ranks around Imperial Scale and Stella.

But they weren't Mecha Girls from the Armed Forces Department.

All they carried were ordinary standard-issue handguns.

"Who are you?! Come any closer and we'll open fire!"

The Hunters completely ignored the logistics Mecha Girl's warning.

Their distorted silhouettes shifted.

The three spread out into a triangular formation, surrounding Imperial Scale and the others.

The moment they drew their weapons, their sudden movements caused part of their bodies to become visible.

Cold blue blades flashed through the rain.

Then their forms quickly blended back into the surrounding landscape.

There was no question that this cloaking ability would put the Mecha Girls under enormous pressure in combat.

The logistics Mecha Girls knew somewhat more than ordinary Mecha Girls.

Imperial Scale and Stella had no idea what these creatures were, but the logistics Mecha Girls already had a rough idea of the enemy's identity.

And just how dangerous they were.

"Imperial Scale, Stella. They're here to kill us."

The leading logistics Mecha Girl tightened her grip on her handgun without looking back.

Her voice, however, reached Imperial Scale and Stella clearly.

"We'll hold them here. You two get out of here."

"We can all retreat together," Stella said.

She didn't want the logistics Mecha Girls sacrificing themselves to cover their escape.

"We're only functional Mecha Girls."

The logistics Mecha Girl smiled, her voice unwavering.

"The future still needs you two.

"So don't die!"