"Hound Team Five?"
Wang Shangmeng whispered in surprise, even doubting if residual psychotropic drugs in his body were causing auditory hallucinations.
"Master, what is Hound Team Five?" Panda asked, his big eyes full of curiosity.
At that moment, a man with a deep, magnetic voice transmitted, "Please respond quickly. If the person piloting the Qilong mecha is not the Immortal Xia God of War Wang Shangmeng, we will execute you for murdering an Immortal Xia warrior."
Four blips on the radar were flying diagonally from the east towards the Qilong mecha at high speed.
Wang Shangmeng calmly called out, "I am the Immortal Xia God of War Wang Shangmeng, please state your purpose."
"Finally found you. I am Yang Xugang, captain of Hound Team Five. I am here under orders to bring you back to Immortal Xia. Immortal Xia is about to engage in a major war."
"Go on."
...
Fifteen minutes later, the group rendezvoused in the desert.
When Wang Shangmeng saw genuine Immortal Xia people, he suddenly felt a sense of belonging, and the stone in his heart finally settled.
Yang Xugang was the first to ask, "What happened? Where are your eleven teammates?"
Wang Shangmeng's pupils trembled painfully twice. After composing himself, he slowly recounted the truth.
"More than two months ago, upon arriving in the southern desert region of Mekagong, a teammate and I went to scout. The rest stayed behind to set up camp."
"About fifteen kilometers from Naitina, we were suddenly ambushed by a squad of Mekagong mechas. Due to our proximity to their main base, we didn't engage in prolonged combat. After quickly dispatching a few enemy mechas, we successfully broke through. However, unexpectedly, hundreds of mechas rushed out from Naitina, along with dozens of returning enemy mechas. We were surrounded again."
"We fought desperately for one night, successfully sending a teammate out of the encirclement to seek reinforcements."
"After my teammate left, I was outnumbered and fought until I lost consciousness. I was captured alive."
Yang Xugang and the others, including Ye Ying, Panda, and the two Mekagong natives Yoda, listened intently as Wang Shangmeng spoke.
Wang Shangmeng removed his sunglasses, lifted his vest, and showed them his scars.
"At their camp, I was tortured for six or seven days, but I never compromised. They healed my injuries, and then... then they subjected me to psychotropic drugs... and threw me, along with the Qilong mecha, into the desert."
Wang Shangmeng's expression suddenly contorted. He desperately suppressed the tears in his eyes and continued after a few minutes of calm: "The night I was rescued by my teammate and brought back to camp, the drugs took effect."
"In my eyes, my teammates transformed into hideous monsters with bared teeth. I even experienced hallucinations and auditory distortions, seeing them collude with the enemy and plotting to secretly execute me."
"I was terrified... suppressed my fear until deep into the night, and could no longer hold back..."
"It was I who piloted the mecha and slaughtered my trusting teammates. They died without understanding why I did what I did."
"After killing my teammates, I abandoned the mecha and fled into the depths of the desert like a madman, wandering there for over a month."
Yang Xugang hadn't expected such a turn of events. He looked solemnly at Ma Zhen, Lan Jing, and Ye Ying. After a long pause, he said calmly, "This matter must be handed over to the military court for trial."
Wang Shangmeng lowered his head, his eyes filled with pain, and nodded heavily. He said softly, "I will return with you to face Immortal Xia's judgment. But for now, I must first destroy the Mekagong organization. To avenge my teammates!"
Yang Xugang asked, "How many people do they have? How many mechas? What are their ground defense capabilities?"
"Over thirty-four thousand people, some of whom are ordinary members with little combat power. According to a former Mekagong mechanic, they now have about nine hundred mechas, and roughly the same number of ground defense weapons. Over three thousand anti-mecha infantry, and over ten thousand regular infantry."
Yang Xugang sighed, looking unoptimistic. "With just a few of us, it won't be easy to eliminate such a massive organization."
Wang Shangmeng clearly had no regard for his own life, saying grimly, "Even if you didn't come, I would have sought revenge alone."
"And me," Yoda said coldly from behind Wang Shangmeng.
"And me!" Panda exclaimed firmly.
"Even if I end up wrapped in horsehide and dead, it is what I deserve!"
Ma Zhen chuckled. "I just remembered the secret weapon the higher-ups gave me before we came. Boom! That thing exploding should wipe out half a city."
Yang Xugang stroked his chin and asked in a low voice, "How many enemy mechas can you take down at most?"
"Given the strength of those beasts, with effort, about four hundred," Wang Shangmeng replied.
"Meaning, the four of us have to deal with five hundred enemy mechas, plus an equivalent number of ground armed forces. And one of us must take that thing into the city to detonate it," Yang Xugang murmured.
At this moment, Yoda stepped forward. "Let me do it."
Ma Zhen said with a grin, "This isn't a case of ladies first, beautiful Mekagong lady. It's safer for me to go."
Following that, Ma Zhen turned off the auto-translator and whispered to Lan Jing in Immortal Xia dialect, "This girl is quite good-looking. Tall and slender, an ice beauty with exotic charm, not bad-looking compared to Ye Ying."
Lan Jing glared at Ma Zhen.
Yang Xugang said, "Alright, with the large-scale weapon and us few, with proper tactics, we should be able to destroy them. Now, let's discuss the tactics."
...
After they finalized their tactics, Lan Jing and Ma Zhen departed to find a lone Mekagong mecha to capture and disguise.
The others waited in place.
As night fell, the desert air grew cooler.
The dazzling starry sky seemed within reach, but a large portion of those "starlight" were space debris and small meteorites.
Under the veil of night,
Yang Xugang remained alone, contemplating more detailed tactics.
Panda had fallen asleep on Yoda's lap.
Perhaps sensing a kindred spirit, Yoda and Ye Ying chatted briefly and found they got along quite well.
"Is Immortal Xia beautiful? Is it also like this, an endless desert?" Yoda asked Ye Ying coldly.
Ye Ying nodded, gazing at the faint bonfire, and said softly, "Most places are Gobi desert. The mountains are also desolate, with little vegetation."
"Which city in Immortal Xia are you from?" Yoda asked, looking up at the starry sky.
"Wuhe City."
Wang Shangmeng, who had been sleeping, suddenly flinched and turned to look at Ye Ying. "Wuhe City? Yonggu Zhi Lan War Zone? Dong Yonggu Zhi Lan Academy?"
Ye Ying looked at Wang Shangmeng and nodded.
"How many years have you been graduated?"
"This year. I only attended for a little over a week before being transferred to the war zone for the Louhai campaign," Ye Ying said softly.
Wang Shangmeng suddenly became animated and sat up straight. "Do you know Gu Ya? He's my disciple!"
A smile appeared on Ye Ying's face, her big eyes blinking, her cheeks flushing. "I... Gu Ya and I... we..."
"Are a couple?" Yoda, having understood Ye Ying's meaning, interjected. Truly, women understood women best.
"You're Gu Ya's girlfriend!?" Wang Shangmeng's glum face finally broke into a radiant smile.
Ye Ying lowered her head, not daring to look at anyone, and nodded softly. "If I see him again, I... I will..."
"Haha!" Wang Shangmeng's laughter interrupted Ye Ying. He looked up at the starry sky and sighed, "Fate is truly wondrous."
It was like his own situation with Fang Fei. Wang Shangmeng had once thought he would never see Fang Fei again.
Suddenly, the roar of two mecha engines echoed from the sky. In the night, two mechas, towing a Mekagong mecha, slowly approached.
Yang Xugang stood up, took a deep breath, and said, "Alright, victory or defeat rests tonight. Let's move out."
Before departing, Wang Shangmeng called out to Ye Ying, and the two connected their mecha startup initiators.
A few seconds later, the mecha skill code from Wang Shangmeng's initiator was copied into Ye Ying's initiator.
"I may not live to see your wedding with Gu Ya. Keep my special skills for yourself. Do me a favor, if you meet a woman named Fang Fei, tell her to forget me."
...
At two in the morning, the world was silent, and people were deep in sleep.
Outside the city of Naitina, a Mekagong mecha, towing a dark brown light-type general-purpose mecha with chains, slowly approached the city's inspection entrance.
After a series of checks, they were admitted into the city without issue.
This Mekagong mecha placed the light-type mecha on a landing pad in the city center.
A muffled, low gunshot echoed from the cockpit, but it did not break the night's silence.
About half an hour later, the Mekagong mecha's cockpit door opened, and Lan Jing and Ma Zhen quietly emerged.
"The defenses are so lax, they let this thing in!" Ma Zhen exclaimed gleefully.
Lan Jing scoffed. "It's all thanks to my caution that I spared that Mekagong pilot's life."
Having said that, Lan Jing glanced back at the pilot's seat. The Mekagong pilot was already dead, slumped in the seat.
"These people only care about money, not people. Money makes everything work," Ma Zhen sighed.
"Let's hurry and leave after planting the bomb! I don't want to stay in a den of thieves!"
The two quietly slipped into the dark brown light-type mecha, unfastened the chains, quickly started the mecha, and lifted off into the sky.
It was only then that the city guards noticed this peculiar mecha.
But even more bizarre was that no one came to investigate.
The light-type mecha faced almost no resistance until it left the city!
Ma Zhen's face split into a wide grin!
"Damn, if I knew this, why be so sneaky? I could have just flown in, and no one would have cared!"
Lan Jing remained calm. After reconfirming with Ma Zhen that the bomb was properly installed, he said, "They aren't regular troops, after all. Their discipline is extremely poor."
The two piloted the dark brown mecha back to the assembly point eight kilometers away.
Yang Xugang exclaimed in surprise, "So fast! Are you sure it's placed? Are you sure no one is pursuing you?"
Ma Zhen laughed heartily. "Just you wait, Captain! With your command, Naitina will become a 'City of History'."
"Okay, according to the designated tactics, Wang Shangmeng and I will be responsible for frontal combat. Lan Jing and Ye Ying will handle flanking assassinations, and Ma Zhen will provide long-range fire support. Miss Yoda... will protect Ma Zhen."
"I'll follow Wang Shangmeng. I want to kill enemies and get revenge too," Yoda said coldly.
Yang Xugang nodded and said, "Alright. Then, Little Ma, witness your masterpiece!"
"Got it! Hahaha!"
Ma Zhen smiled and lightly tapped the remote detonation button.
Ten seconds passed, and there was no movement in the city.
Ma Zhen's smile froze. He tapped again. Another ten seconds passed, still no reaction.
"Oh no... I think I wired the detonator wrong..."
"Damn it!" Yang Xugang and Lan Jing cursed simultaneously.
Wang Shangmeng quickly said, "It's almost dawn, there's no time! Tell me how, I'll go!"
"Haha!" Ma Zhen suddenly laughed. "What a coincidence! Heaven doesn't give you a chance to die. I forgot to turn on the initiator's power."
Lan Jing cursed, "You scared the hell out of me..."
Before he could finish speaking,
they saw a blue and white point of light suddenly illuminate the distant city of Naitina.
"Wahoo!!! I declare! This will be the brightest fireworks in the world!" Ma Zhen shouted with joy!
Suddenly, the blue and white light in Naitina expanded rapidly, growing to an unimaginable size at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye! Centered on the city's core, it enveloped half the city!
Following that, a furious shockwave swept by, carrying a sky full of sand and dust. If not for the mechas providing protection, human bodies would have been unable to withstand it.
Then, came the earth-shattering explosion!
"Boom—!"
A giant blue mushroom cloud, entwined with several bolts of lightning, ascended into the sky.
The roar of the explosion continued for a minute before gradually subsiding.
Everyone watched in shock. To be honest, the power of this bomb far exceeded everyone's expectations.
The shockwave alone was enough to destroy the remaining enemy forces.
Ma Zhen said with lingering fear, "Holy crap... what the hell did they give me..."
"Everyone! Follow the designated tactics, attack!" Yang Xugang shouted with renewed vigor.
Six mechas simultaneously activated their engines, and violent flames erupted from their rear thrusters. They lifted off the ground and dispersed around the city.
The surviving enemy mechas in the city had already taken to the air, but their numbers were definitely not as many as imagined.
And those who were killed by the shockwave or too terrified to act normally,
as well as those who had no conviction and joined the Mekagong organization solely for money and survival, were now unable to fight.
Qilong 003 spread its twin wings, emitting even brighter white exhaust trails. The trails traced a white ribbon across the night sky, like a descending giant dragon!
The white dragon roared and plunged into the formation of enemy mechas that had already taken to the air.
There was no need to consider friendly fire; enemy mechas were everywhere, so it was all about destruction!
There was also no need to hold back any mecha skills; they unleashed all their abilities upon the enemy mechas.
The white Qilong suddenly vanished and reappeared behind an enemy mecha. Its cold white beam saber pierced the enemy mecha's cockpit. After kicking it away, it immediately charged towards another mecha.
Yoda's bright red mecha had no chance to act.
Who could blame Wang Shangmeng, the God of War of Immortal Xia? With the God of War present, how could anyone else have the fun of killing enemies!
Yang Xugang, piloting a medium-sized general-purpose mecha, flew above the enemy formation. His targeting system quickly locked onto ten enemy mechas, and he opened his shoulder-mounted missile bays. Ten missiles, trailing white exhaust, rushed towards the enemy mechas. Immediately after, he drew two beam handguns and charged into the enemy ranks.
The moment the missiles hit the enemy mechas, Yang Xugang's mecha rushed into the explosion zone. Its body spun rapidly, and both guns fired furiously. Streaks of white beam bullets whistled out, like a storm of bullets, mercilessly harvesting enemy mechas.
Lan Jing's Falcon mecha was renowned for its speed. Even at several times the speed of sound, it could still achieve kills. The Falcon was like a cold-blooded assassin in the night, turning into a black shadow, and with a single pounce, it finished off an enemy mecha.
Nightengale, one of only two advanced mechas in the world created by Gu Ya, coupled with Ye Ying's skill and now enhanced by Wang Shangmeng's special abilities, was like a killing god of the night. It unleashed incredible mecha skills smoothly, twisting and turning, circling and charging, killing with every sword strike.
Suddenly, a white beam cannon shot from a great distance, instantly melting the heads of two enemy mechas. This was the ultimate weapon released by Ma Zhen, who possessed precise shooting capabilities. His light-type general-purpose mecha’s rear propulsion unit could transform into a giant cannon with firepower comparable to that of a heavy mecha.
Not only that, but its body also carried a large number of long-range offensive weapons: anti-mecha missiles, anti-infantry missiles, cockpit-blasting missiles, electromagnetic pulse cannons, and compressed high-temperature air cannons, allowing this light-type mecha to unleash unparalleled destructive power.
Even the few ground defense forces that had managed to mobilize were unable to stop the celestial figures in the sky.
Just then, in the far distance of the sky, a vast number of mechas flew in, forming a sea in the sky.
Yang Xugang turned his head and felt a sense of dread. "This is bad, it's their reinforcement troops!"
Who would have thought that Yoda would call out softly, "No! It's the mechas of Holy City Mekagong. It's our people."
"Sister Yoda! Sister Panda! Hahaha! I'm here to help you!" A childish girl's sharp voice pierced the communicator, causing everyone to experience tinnitus.
"Yajia!" Panda exclaimed with surprise.
The mecha forces of Holy City Mekagong numbered as many as three hundred. Their arrival further accelerated the destruction of Naitina City.
The remaining enemy forces in Naitina City were gradually wiped out under the assault of hundreds of mechas. The few remaining enemy mechas, having lost all will to fight and leaving behind countless treasures in the city, fled in disarray.
The battle continued until the early morning of the next day. After fighting for a day and a night, the group finally annihilated the Mekagong Extreme Terrorist Organization. The once Holy City Naitina was now in ruins, shrouded in fire and smoke.
And in the city center, at the epicenter of the explosion, a crater with a radius of three kilometers had been blasted out. Only unrecognizable wreckage remained in the pit.
That night, the people of Holy City Mekagong announced to the entire territory the complete eradication of the Mekagong Extreme Terrorist Organization and the pacification of Holy City Naitina.
More personnel from Holy City Mekagong arrived to clear the battlefield and salvage property.
Yang Xugang and his group sat on the outskirts of the city, watching the crowd busily working with exhaustion.
"Where's Wang Shangmeng?" Ma Zhen asked.
Lan Jing said, "I don't know. I saw him walk into the city earlier. It seemed like that woman named Yoda was following him."
Meanwhile, within the city, Wang Shangmeng stood in the laboratory that had once tormented him.
Gazing at the familiar yet dirty laboratory, Wang Shangmeng sighed.
Yoda and Panda walked in from behind. Yoda said, "You avenged your comrades, and you avenged Provence and all those they massacred."
Tears suddenly flowed down Wang Shangmeng's face. He trembled and said, "So what? The dead cannot return."
"Are you really leaving, Master?" Panda asked.
Wang Shangmeng nodded, saying firmly, "I must return to Immortal Xia to face judgment and take final revenge for the teammates I killed. Only death will bring me peace."
Panda obediently hugged Wang Shangmeng's waist, reluctant to let him go, and whispered, "Stay here, and I'll let Sister Yoda be your girlfriend, okay?"
"What nonsense is a child spouting?" Yoda exclaimed in surprise.
Panda, with the wisdom of a child, said, "I thought you would become my stepmother, but Father died first. Aren't you happy to be Master's woman?"
"Bang!" Yoda's fist struck Panda on the head.
Suddenly, a person burst out of the laboratory, their back to the group, moving very fast. They drew a gun and fired!
Wang Shangmeng, with his quick reflexes, swiftly shielded Yoda and Panda.
Yoda also moved quickly, wrapping her arms around Wang Shangmeng.
"Bang!" A bullet pierced Yoda's hip!
"Sister Yoda!" Panda cried out in alarm.
"Bang!" Another shot rang out. The bullet whizzed past Yoda's head and into the ground, grazing her back.
Before the attacker could fire a third shot, Wang Shangmeng lunged forward and knocked the person out with a single punch.
"My leg, my leg! I can't move!" Yoda gritted her teeth, speaking in pain.
Wang Shangmeng scooped up Yoda and rushed out the door, "Doctor! Doctor!! Don't die, please don't die!"
Yoda tightly gripped Wang Shangmeng's arm, a faint smile on her lips.
...
Three weeks later,
Wang Shangmeng entered the pristine white hospital room holding a bouquet of purple flowers.
Yoda's back injury had healed, leaving only a deep scar.
However, the first bullet had pierced her major leg nerve, and coupled with delayed treatment, she would have to rely on bionic prosthetics for the rest of her life.
Wang Shangmeng looked at Yoda with sadness and regret.
For the past three weeks, he had been meticulously caring for this woman, after all, she had been injured protecting him.
"Don't be sad for me. I'm not dead," Yoda said with a gentle smile. "Besides, with bionic prosthetics, I can still walk."
Wang Shangmeng lowered his head, hesitated for a long time, and then slowly said, "I... I have to go."
Yoda's smiling face gradually became wistful.
She didn't blame Wang Shangmeng. If it were anyone else, she would have unhesitatingly blocked a bullet.
During these three weeks, Yoda had experienced Wang Shangmeng's gentleness and thoughtfulness. In her heart, she had fallen irrevocably in love with this man from a foreign land.
Yoda knew that with this farewell, Wang Shangmeng would return to Immortal Xia to face judgment, and there would be no more opportunities to meet.
The two men she had fallen in love with, one was dead, and the other might die. Only she knew how she felt.
But Yoda was a strong woman, and she had her composure when faced with matters of great importance.
"Yes, go. Go and accept your fate," Yoda said, regaining her smile. "If you are ever freed in the future, remember to come back and visit."
Three days later,
Panda pushed Yoda out of the hospital in a wheelchair.
On the helipad in front of the hospital, Wang Shangmeng waved to the two women and then took to the sky with Hound Team Five.
(Epilogue complete, second volume also complete.)