<h4>Chapter 522: Under Attack IV</h4>


    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion


    The trees around him receded as Ye Chong made his way forward. He did not care to look at the blue fighter above him. He needed full concentration just to avoid running into trees. It was dangerous to fly at high speed in the forest.


    Fortunately, he had not run into anything so far.


    This was not easy, even for him. After all, one needed to staypletely focused and calm when flying so fast. Any mistakes would cost him dearly.


    The onlooking shooters were surprised to receive Duo Ka''s call for help. To think that a Level 6 shooter, Yedda City''s ace, would ask for help from the mediocre Level 3''s and 4''s.


    Old Wei was taken aback when he got the message, and so was Re Guming.


    Nevertheless, as a worthy captain of the group, Re Guming reacted first.


    "Get ready for battle! But keep each other safe."


    If even a Level 6 shooter cannot kill this creature, then their group of Level 3 and 4 shooters could hardly make a difference. That was what Re Guming believed. However, since Duo Ka had put down his ego and asked for help, it could only mean that Duo Ka had good reason to kill the giant.


    There was no time to ask Duo Ka for details, but everyone knew that Duo Ka must think that this was a situation serious enough to call for everyone''s cooperation.


    Duo Ka had a respectable ce in Yedda. Thus, in the next instant, all the fighters stood up and joined the battle.


    However, in the short pause when the other shooters were still deciding what to do with Duo Ka''s request, Duo Ka had lost track of the giant through his parapsychic sense.


    Celest was moving as fast as it could, racing pass the trees like a madman. Even so, running through the forest would always be slower than flying over it.


    However, Ye Chong''s holographic scanning system allowed Ye Chong to see more around himpared to the other shooters. He could see everything that was happening in the sky around him.


    His allowed him to slip past the aircrafts. If the shooters were all as strong as the one in the blue fighter, Ye Chong would have lost his life that day.


    Fortunately, the other shooters who joined the fightter were all much weakerpared to the shooter in the blue fighter. The forest had stopped them all from tracking him down.


    Ye Chong stepped out of Celest and withdrew the bio-mech into its dimension keystone. He looked up at the aircrafts that flew past him and jumped headfirst into the river.


    He went straight down to the riverbed. "It should be impossible for their parapsychic sense to prate the waters, much less when they are flying so fast," thought Ye Chong.


    Once he shook off the blue fighter, Ye Chong''s extensive experience in escaping allowed him to get out of his predicament.


    Down on the riverbed, Ye Chong kept his pulse steady. Holding one''s breath was a practice that manybat schools would teach. It was therefore not a challenge for Ye Chong. He could even ride the current and move further downstream.


    The overgrowth of seaweed kept his figure hidden as he made his way forward. Once, he saw a huge freshwater creature, but it barely spared a nce at him before swimming away.


    When Ye Chong withdrew Celest, the shooters were doomed to failure.


    This was because they never thought the giant was actually a machine. They had believed that it was a living organism, despite how ridiculous it seemed to be. Perhaps the idea of the giant being a machine would be even more unbelievable to them.


    News of the giant''s appearance in Dual Forest spread quickly in Yedda. Duo Ka''s battle with the giant was also discussed heatedly. The fact that hundreds of fighters were unable to find the giant in the end left the incident shrouded in mystery.


    Many people asked Duo Ka about his thoughts after the encounter, but aside from his look of concern, Duo Ka refused toment further. The shooters who had helped Duo Ka in the forest were indignant at his silence.


    On the other hand, Duo Ka had left Yedda in a rush soon after the fight that day to God-knows-where.


    …


    Ye Chong returned home on the second day. He had made a wrong turn earlier and had to make a huge roundabout.


    Once back home, Ye Chong finally felt safer.


    The battle had left a deep impression in him. The shooter in the blue fighter left him shaken. It was good that there not many shooters like that one, or he would be toast.


    The thought of that blue fighter gave him a headache. So far, he could not think of an effective way to fight against the blue aircraft. If he had a long range mech, he would be able to take advantage of the mech''s mobility, agility, andrger holographic scanning range to overpower the blue aircraft.


    Unfortunately, he was a close range mech expert. To win against his opponent, he would have to get close.


    Celest, a biomech that could escape detection from holographic scanning systems, could not hide against the shooter''s parapsychic sense.


    This meant that if Ye Chong was in danger, he would not be able to defend himself. He would not use Celest again for fear of creating another incident like that yesterday. Ye Chong would not count on his luck holding out every time. He decided to not use his mech until he had a solution to this quandary.


    Ye Chong''s investigation stopped. He had wanted to use an auxiliary mech to study the life forms in Dual Forest, but it seemed that the n would have to be scrapped. Auxiliary mechs were not designed forbat. If he was engaged in a fight again, he would bepletely defenseless.


    Ye Chong rested at home for two days before fully recovering,pletely unaware of the uproar that the whole affair had caused in the city.


    Two dayster, when Duo Ka brought 12 Level 6 shooters back with him, Yedda City trembled with excitement. Something was going to happen, and everyone knew it! People quickly pointed out that it was a direct reaction to the giant incident two days ago. The 12 Level 6 shooters were a formidable army! Could the giant held some kind of secret that was worth the effort of 12 Level 6 shooters?


    Ye Chong was oblivious to these events.


    Once he was fully rested at home, he began to analyze the battle two days ago. The first thought that came to him was that he was too unfamiliar with the local workings. If he had known earlier how strong the shooters here really were, he would have found himself in deep trouble earlier.


    However, he was alsoforted by how fast Celest was recovering. In just two days, the hole in its thigh had all disappeared without a trace. The battle was a close one, but Celest did not suffer any irreparable damage.


    The bio-mech was much superior than local primitive aircrafts, but Ye Chong found himselfpletely suppressed by his opponent that day. It was not a good feeling at all!


    However, Ye Chong was also patient. He knew exactly what he had to do now - get to know the in-and-outs of this new world better.


    He must investigate with care, or people would notice something was amiss. If that happened, he would never be able to escape.


    "Someone''sing," the photon processor in the room alerted him.


    Ye Chong quickly directed his attention to the holographic screen, wary of this intruder. He lived in a secluded ce, and did not expect any visitors.


    On the holographic screen, Kristen dragged Ban Meng by his ear and yelled at him, "Is it here?"


    Ban Meng nodded quickly," It''s here, it''s here!" He pleaded, "Cousin Sis, please let go of my ear, it''s going to fall off."


    "Humph, and wouldn''t you deserve it! You''re the one who was lying, showing off even right in front of me. That''s just stupid," Kristen argued with disdain, but she let go of his ear.


    Ban Meng mumbled to himself but did not talk back.


    Kristen walked to Ye Chong''s front door and put her right hand on it. She hesitated for a moment, her expression unreadable.


    After a good half a minute, she finally made her decision. She clenched her right hand into a fist and knocked heavily on the door.


    After a while, the door opened with Ye Chong behind it. He asked tly, "What is it?"


    Kristen blushed deeply, but could not utter a single work.


    "I''m closing the door," Ye Chong announced calmly.


    Kristen felt indignant at that. She immediately pushed her chest forward and dered proudly, "Hey, boy, don''t think that you''re so cool just because you have a few tricks up your sleeves. You rude b*stard, is that a way to treat ady?"


    Ye Chong said nothing, his hand swinging the door close.


    Kristen panicked and quickly put her foot in to stop the door. "Wait, wait, I''ve something to say!"


    "Say it." Ye Chong was unmoved.


    "I - I want to be your student," Kristen was blushing red as a tomato now. She seemed encouraged by her confession, and announced loudly, "That''s right, I said it. Tell you what, I want to your student. Seeing as you have some good moves there, I''vee here to be your student. What do you think? You gonna ept me?"


    "No," Ye Chong was ready to close the door for good now.


    Kristen panicked again, "Wha - you - you''re not epting me? This prettydy here is asking for you, and you said no? How can you be so heartless -"


    Ye Chong had no patience for this. His hand went for the door again.


    "Hey hey hey, wait a sec, I''ll give you amapo wood for teaching fees, how about that?" Kristen sounded anxious.


    Ye Chong considered for a moment. Amapo wood was not valuable to him, not even worth a bunch of ordinary nt specimens. He rejected her, naturally, "It''s useless to me."


    "How about a million ao?" Kristen could read him easily. She could see what Ye Chong was thinking of just now, and realized that she should switch tactics.


    Just as Ye Chong was considering this new offer, she upped her game, "Make it two million ao."


    Ye Chong made his decision then, "Deal." He needed money.


    Kristen burst into a grin, "Wonderful! Hehe, you should''ve just told me, I can afford to pay you. And just when I was getting nervous, haha!" Kristen was not exaggerating. As a famous weaponsmith, she did notck ie.


    Ye Chong opened the door and let Kristen in.


    Ban Meng wanted to follow her in, but the door was shut in front of him.


    "Humph, ass, both of you," Ban Meng muttered inint, but only quietly to himself. He went back alone. Ever since he met the cold and emotionless man, his life made a turn for the worse. This time, he had to bring his cousin sister all the way here, dragged by the ear, and he was not even invited inside.


    Ye Chong closed the door and put out his hand, "Pay first."


    "For real? Are you a man? I''ve never seen anyone so blunt," Kristen groaned, but upon seeing Ye Chong''s stony expression she conceded, "Alright alright, I''ll pay up."


    She produced two green cards and handed them to Ye Chong.


    Ye Chong epted them unabashed.


    "Hey, now that I''m your student, where will I be staying?" Kristen asked.


    "Staying?" Ye Chong threw an odd look at Kristen, "You''ll stay at your own house."


    "No way, the student has to live with the teacher. How else can I learn from you?" Kristen shook her head in protest, then smiled and said, "Don''t worry, I''m not interested in your skinny figure. I''m more into the muscr type."


    Kristen looked at Ye Chong up and down suggestively.


    Ye Chong ignored her look entirely and said without expression, "You can stay here if you want to, but there are rules."


    "What rules?" Kristen asked, curious.


    "You will have your own space, but there will be restricted areas." Ye Chong looked serious about it.


    "Why?" Kristen asked, intrigued, "You hiding something here? Scared I''ll find out about it?"


    "Either you agree or you stay elsewhere," Ye Chong said without expression, his voice turning cold.


    For some reason, Kristen felt a chill from his response. She mellowed, "Alright alright, I agree, not that I care."


    "Then you''ll stay there," Ye Chong pointed towards a small house at the edge of his courtyard.


    "What, you''re asking me to stay there?" Kristen studied the house in disbelief. It was so small that it would amodate only one person.


    Ye Chong did not deign to exin. "Is that a yes or no?"


    "I''m staying," Kristen dered with grievance, but Ye Chong was unmoved by her. Before he turned back to his own house, he said, "You''re allowed only to move around your house and the courtyard."


    "What?!" Kristen looked her own little house and the empty courtyard, and wanted to cry.


    Ye Chong returned to his own house and worked on his door. Now, the door can only be opened from inside. If no one was inside, the photon processor will scan if the person outside was Ye Chong, and allow only him to open the door. If the door was forced open, it will trigger a defense system that will blow the intruder to bits.


    …


    Kristen felt extremely bored.


    She never saw Ye Chonge out again after her first day there. Her so-called teacher never left his house. She could not understand how someone could stay indoors for so long. More importantly, she had been surviving on simple rations all this while.


    The ce was too secluded. No one was willing to send meals over. Besides, she was ordered to stay in her own space, which was her tiny house and the courtyard. There was nothing she could find here that she could use to cook a proper meal.


    On the third day, she could no longer stand it. She went to Ye Chong''s door and knocked.


    "What is it?" Ye Chong''s stony expression appeared through the crack in the door.


    Kristen could feel a dam of resentment within her burst open when she eximed, "Just what do you think you''re doing? I''ve been living out here alone, what about my meals? F*ck, it''s been three days, and I''ve learnt nothing new, so you tell me, right now, are you going to teach me or not?"


    Kristen was practically spitting her words out as she rolled up her sleeves in agitation.


    Ye Chong found it a curious request. "Should I be providing you meals?"


    Kristen wanted tough. She grabbed Ye Chong by the cor and said, "Of course, you think I live on air and sunshine? Let me tell you, you got paid so you need to act responsibly -" She stopped abruptly, caught up with an idea, and blushed.


    Even with his cor grabbed by her, Ye Chong was unaffected. He tilted his head in thought, and asked earnestly, "You really think that I should be providing you with meals?"


    Kristen was stunned. She spat back, "Of course!"


    "I see," Ye Chong replied calmly, "Since this was not part of our initial arrangement, please pay up for your meals."


    "You - you -" Kristen pointed at Ye Chong, unable to continue.


    Was he in the wrong? Ye Chong did not think so. They had agreed that he would be her teacher, not caregiver.


    "Fine, fine by me. I''ve never seen anyone so greedy. Fine, I''ll take care of my own meals. But since I''ve paid you two million ao, how can you just leave me alone outside?"


    "You cane to me if you have questions." Ye Chong''s reply could drive her crazy.


    After awhile, Kristen calmed herself down and said with a cold smile, "Hehe, I have questions, loads of them, just you see, boy."


    Kristen was not joking. She had plenty of questions ever since she saw theser gun that Ye Chong built. Now, she began to go through them, one by one.


    …


    Back in Dual Forest, a group of 13 were at where the battle against the giant took ce, deep in discussion. They were Duo Ka and the 12 Level 6 shooters he brought with him.


    "As you can see, this is where we fought that day," Duo Ka pointed at the forest.


    No longer was the ce all lush greenery. The ground was full of broken branches and twigs. There were holes in the ground, where the grenadesnded. The soil was charred from the explosions.


    Everyone in the group looked solemn. They had been suspicious of Duo Ka''s narrative, but now that they were here, they believed him.


    The fallen trees and broken branches here told them how intense that battle was that day.


    They knew how strong Duo Ka was. If the battle escted to this degree, the giant must be formidable, and if what Duo Ka said was true, it was very worrying indeed.


    All the shooters here werebat veterans. They identified the damages caused by the giant with ease.


    "Look here," one of the shooters pointed at a huge footprint in the ground. It was imprinted a good 30 centimeters deep.


    The other shooters exchanged wary nces.


    "The foot size suggests a 10-meter height, alright. Hmm, it must be quite heavy. I''m curious how a bulky creature like that can fly, and move with such agility. It''s remarkable." The one speaking was the tracking expert of the group.


    They continued to search the forest. The giant left obvious marks in the forest, and this allowed them to follow its tracks easily.


    They tried to guess the giant''s methods and its intentions.


    When they finally reached the river, all traces of the giant were gone.


    "It must have flown away from here," the tracker suggested. The group agreed with him. However, it was no easy feat to escape the extensive search by the aircrafts. How did it manage to slip away unnoticed? Why did it choose to fly when it reached this river? Was this a coincidence or was there some other factors at y?


    The 13 shooters all had questions of their own.


    "Let''s not rush things. We should stay in Yedda in the meantime. I think that this giant will re-appear soon enough, and we''ll get our answers then. Besides, Du Ka had said that the giant is not a threat to us. Let''s treat this as a vacation of sorts," someone in the group, their leader perhaps, offered.


    His words relieved the tension in the group. Someone added, "Duo Ka''s sponsoring our vacation!"


    "Haha!" Everyoneughed.


    "Of course!" said Duo Ka warmly.