In the end, Derek Su decided not to go up and see Crimson in person.
First, he and Crimson did not know each other. If he suddenly showed up and said he was Mr. Liang's friend, would Crimson feel awkward and confused? Second, it was not a convenient time to meet her. If the Ansei Group found out that the cause and effect of this whole matter were connected to Stella Club, it could hurt them in the upcoming races.
Although everyone in the medical station was a Mecha Girl.
With matters like this, it was better not to take chances.
"Crimson, wait for us!" Derek Su held Stella's hand and looked toward Crimson's window with a solemn expression.
"I will become a Techmaster!"
"I'll rescue Mr. Liang and reunite you two!"
Stella blinked as she looked at Derek Su's determined profile, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.
Master looked more and more handsome when he was serious.
"Let's go! The Mermaid Bay Advanced Race is only a few days away. We need to get back and prepare!"
Derek Su turned and left with Tunbao and Stella, without lingering any longer.
Absolute Shadow's lips curved slightly as she watched Derek Su's back. It was not especially broad, yet somehow it made people feel at ease.
Perhaps this was why Eden had chosen Derek Su as the "New King."
Everyone had something they needed to accomplish.
And now, it was time to continue the journey. ... In the office at the center of the medical station rooftop.
Only after the group had walked far away did Eden, who stood by the window, withdraw her gaze.
Behind her, Falcon was sorting through documents.
These documents were about Crimson and Julian Ziliang, and they recorded the entire sequence of events behind the previous assassination incident.
Even though Falcon disliked humans, it was hard for her to feel any ill will toward Julian Ziliang and Charles Ziliang.
Julian Ziliang and Charles Ziliang each had only one top-tier Mecha Girl.
And both father and son had fought their way into the National Advanced Tournament as ordinary pilots.
Julian Ziliang's Mecha Girl, Crimson, and Charles Ziliang's Mecha Girl, Shadow Raid, were both top-tier Mecha Girls. Although the two pilots had failed to become Techmasters after the provincial-level tracks, their reputation among the public was very high, and they were well regarded. Even after achieving so much, they never looked down on others the way those people from the Techmasters' Alliance did.
Unfortunately, a single verbal dispute ultimately ruined the futures of two people and two Mecha Girls.
"Governor, I know I shouldn't say too much..." Falcon walked up behind Eden with the documents in her arms and said carefully, "Is there really no way to get Julian Ziliang released? The Techmasters' Alliance has already given up some authority. I think..."
"Enough." Eden did not turn around. Her voice was cool and detached. "Falcon, the Techmasters' Alliance commands ninety percent of all Techmasters. They're not something you can squeeze at will. Push them too hard, and they'll lash out in desperation."
Falcon sighed and could only drop the subject.
Then Eden said, "You don't need to concern yourself with Julian Ziliang, and neither do we. When something happens to Ethan Yang, someone on the Human Federation's side will find a way to fish Julian Ziliang out."
Falcon scratched her head and gave an "oh."
She did not really understand why.
But if he could be rescued, that was still a good thing, and she immediately felt much better.
Only Eden continued looking out the window, her eyes indifferent.
Mecha Island was not the only one dissatisfied with the Techmasters' Alliance.
Within the Human Federation, there were also organizations secretly opposed to Techmasters, and even to Mecha Girls.
Julian Ziliang, the central representative of the conflict between ordinary people and Techmasters. As long as Julian Ziliang was alive and could be rescued, the conflict between the anti-Techmaster, anti-Mecha Girl organizations and the Techmasters' Alliance would intensify.
Certain people wanted to see that happen, and they would definitely make a move during this conflict.
"Heh. Humans..."
Eden sighed. It was hard to tell whether the expression on her face was mockery or resignation.
The enemy had already reached their doorstep, yet they were still scheming against one another.
It was hard to imagine that this intelligent species had existed in this world for more than four million years, yet had not gone extinct due to internal or external factors. They had even maintained a balance on the surface. It was nothing short of a miracle. ... Prison.
Danny Qiang was in a terrible mood today.
The news about Ethan Yang had already made headlines.
Half of the underground black markets under Crown Club had been sealed off on suspicion of illegal operations, and reports of Mecha Girl abuse had also been exposed.
Due to poor supervision, Ethan Yang had been put in solitary confinement for two months and ordered to pay compensation. Even his position as the owner of Crown Club had been stripped away.
Did that mean Ethan Yang would be down and out from now on?
Would he really still pay the money he had promised?
The money might be gone, and what was even more absurd was that Danny Qiang was basically still in prison. Who was going to get him out?!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
He was in no mood to deal with Julian Ziliang, so he went early to the room next door to sleep. Before long, thunderous snores rang out.
Ten minutes later, Julian Ziliang, who had been curled up motionless in the corner, stirred. He got up quietly, kept his eyes on the bedroom, sat down on the sofa, turned on the TV, lowered the volume to the minimum, and pulled up the replay of the news Danny Qiang had been watching earlier.
The news footage seemed to have been recorded from a Mecha Girl's perspective. The image was very clear, but Ethan Yang was nowhere to be seen. Only some of the project bosses from the Sharp Peak Black Market appeared. The owner of the gladiator arena was escorted out by a row of armed Mecha Girls, looking as though he were the mastermind.
Everyone's attention would naturally be drawn to the center of the screen.
But Julian Ziliang noticed the upper right corner at a glance.
Compared to the gladiator arena owner, who occupied most of the screen, the image in the upper right corner was smaller than a palm. A group of Mecha Girls were lining up as they came out of a small room, and in front of them was a special vehicle driven over by armed Mecha Girls.
Julian Ziliang locked his gaze on one of the Mecha Girls.
Even though she was smaller than an index finger on the TV screen.
Even though her face was completely blurred by the distance.
He still recognized her at a glance.
How could he not?
That was Crimson.
In nearly fifty years of life, there were three people he had failed.
His wife. As her husband, he had not had the money to pay for her treatment, and by the time he did, she had already become a black-and-white photograph filled with memories. His son, Charles Ziliang, had been knocked off a cliff by Ethan Yang, yet as his father, he had been unable to avenge him and had even gotten himself thrown in here. And Crimson. As Crimson's pilot, not only had he failed to give Crimson a good future, but in the end, Crimson had rushed out to take the blame for him and been sentenced to the Recycling Yard.
Starting from the National Advanced Tournament.
Starting from the moment he came into contact with Techmasters.
The life he had fought so hard for had taken a steep turn downward.
Looking back on it now, the word "failure" was written everywhere in bold letters.
There had been times when he lost all hope and thought about ending it all.
It was his desire for revenge that had kept him going until now.
And now, he had seen Crimson.
He was certain that was Crimson.
When he learned that Crimson had been locked in Ethan Yang's underground black market, forced to survive day after day by fighting in the arena, his heart hurt so badly he could barely breathe. Danny Qiang's beatings and abuse could not compare to even one ten-thousandth of that pain.
And now, Crimson should have been rescued.
He just did not know whether Crimson's identity would be exposed, or what would happen to her in the future.
Julian Ziliang gritted his teeth, glanced toward the bedroom, then turned his head and watched the prison guard stationed near the cell door out of the corner of his eye.
Danny Qiang was easy to deal with. The difficult ones were these prison guards.
A wave of dejection rose in his heart.
The time was not right yet. Perhaps there would never be a right time.
He turned off the TV, returned to the corner, sat down, and closed his eyes to rest.
Though he did not know when an opportunity would come, complaining and sorrow were meaningless.
Only by enduring hardship and waiting patiently could he strike a fatal blow when the opportunity finally appeared. ... Julian Ziliang did not know.
As the Techmasters' Alliance's power contracted and Ethan Yang was stripped of his status,
the stagnant pool gradually began to stir.
Amid the complex struggle between different forces,
the warden who had originally been transferred away finally had a chance to be transferred back.
...
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