Chapter 115: Signal Blackout

Inside the shifting ruins…

Ya Ning froze briefly after receiving the escape route. In that split-second hesitation, a glint of icy light flashed—Ji Ya's lightsword.

He hurriedly raised his mech's arms to block, alloy daggers mounted on them.

The daggers scraped against the lightsword. Though slender and sharp, the sword's strike carried crushing force. Ya Ning braced against it, but his left knee buckled, forced to the ground.

Ji Ya's killing intent radiated through her blade.

Ya Ning swallowed hard, staring at the black mech looming close. Gritting his teeth, he thrust his other dagger, exploiting Ji Ya's parry to ignite his mech's engines. Still kneeling, he slid sideways, rolling twice, then bolted along Janice's escape route.

Ya Ning darted through shifting walls, the roar of collapsing structures trailing him—

He couldn't hold her off! Even with the rotating ruins, Ji Ya's advance was unstoppable. Her attacks grew fiercer, clearly enraged. Linger here, and she'd tear his mech apart!

Then, his comms flickered, the signal spotty. Zhou Ying's voice came through, fragmented:

"Get… out… walls… black…"

What was that mess? Not a coherent sentence.

Flee? Wasn't he already running?

Where was Zhou Ying? An engineer, sure, but his combat skills were solid. Was Ya Ning supposed to drag Ji Ya through the ruins alone—weren't they meant to team up to distract her?

Ya Ning grimaced, diving between debris piles, dodging two laser rounds from behind. Before he could fully escape the gap, something slick and slimy slithered past in the dark…

What was that?

Before he could react, his cockpit screen swarmed with black threads—some fine as gossamer, others thick as wrists, slick and writhing like living things, creeping over his mech!

Ya Ning swung his blade instinctively, but it didn't cut them.

In mere seconds, his screen was smothered in black marks. If he didn't break free, the substance would engulf him.

Looking down, he saw the ground beneath was pitch-black, consumed by the eerie matter. Standing in it felt like sinking into a bog, his steps pulling at sticky, clinging strands.

The black matter seeped from the "ground"—now inverted "walls."

Ya Ning finally grasped Zhou Ying's warning: avoid the black substance in the walls!

He ignited his engines, cranking thrusters to max, lunging for open ground. But trapped in the narrow debris gap, the black matter had amassed, lying in wait. Sensing his escape, the threads surged, blooming like scattered petals, weaving a dense net that swallowed him whole.

Darkness consumed Ya Ning's vision.

Shing!

A familiar sword flash cut through, like lightning splitting a dark sky, slicing a gash in the black cocoon.

Next, a massive impact hit his waist. Before he could react, his cockpit was cleaved open, and he was yanked out by his collar, flung aside.

"Pfft… cough."

Ya Ning hit the ground, dazed, organs feeling jolted out of place. Struggling to open his eyes, he choked out, "Thanks."

The black mech towering over him ignored him, slashing twice more at the black mass.

This time, her sword didn't pierce it, only stalling its advance momentarily.

The black matter morphed into tentacles, lunging at Ji Ya's mech.

Ji Ya moved, firing at the tentacles' roots, but the rounds were swallowed, ineffective.

Bang. Ji Ya's mech leaped, dodging a tentacle strike. Her former spot erupted in mud and stone, cratered with cracks.

…This thing's texture was too weird!

Ya Ning's eyes widened as Ji Ya pivoted, sliding to his side, scooping him up and sprinting.

"This isn't an arena setup, is it?" Ji Ya's cold voice carried a faint edge of anger.

"Probably not," Ya Ning coughed, replying. "My teammate told me to run."

Ji Ya weaved through turns and leaps, shaking off the tentacles, but more black matter clumps blocked their path. Drawing her sword to carve a way, she heard Ya Ning shout, "Go right—I know the best route out!"

Ji Ya hesitated, sheathed her sword, and ran with Ya Ning in tow.

"Thanks for saving me. How'd you cut that black cocoon earlier?" Ya Ning asked.

He'd seen Ji Ya's two attempts—her first strike freed him, but later ones failed.

"I used mental energy," Ji Ya said. "Coating the weapon with it can break that stuff."

But it drained mental energy heavily. She wouldn't do it unless desperate.

Ya Ning's route proved reliable, helping Ji Ya avoid detours.

But at a stairwell, they faced a black swamp blocking the only exit.

No way back, no way forward—

Ji Ya frowned, drawing her lightsword, when a crash echoed. A decayed window frame and glass shattered, and a mech's foot stepped in.

"Move!"

Zhou Ying.

He fired a grappling gun, launching a clawed rope into a wall. The claw embedded with a thunk, a taut steel cable stretching across.

Zhou Ying leaned back, gripping the cable, sliding out.

Ji Ya: "…"

She opened her cockpit, yanked Ya Ning inside, sealed it, and leaped, grabbing the cable. Sparks flew as her mech's palms gripped it.

Zzt—Ji Ya slid ten meters before a boom sounded behind. The taut cable went slack.

Ji Ya ignited her mech's thrusters, adjusting midair, landing with a thud.

Outside the ruins, only two mechs stood—Ji Ya's and Zhou Ying's. Neither moved to fight, instead fleeing the ruins. They hadn't gone far when they ran into Yu Yan and Cen Yuehuai.

Cen Yuehuai and Yu Yan tensed at Zhou Ying's sight but paused, hearing distant booms and noting his lack of hostility.

Cen Yuehuai glanced at the ruins. "In that short time, you guys demolished the building?"

Ji Ya, exhausted, opened her cockpit, kicking Ya Ning out, and said, "Look closer."

Cen Yuehuai peered again. "Holy—!"

The collapsed building's remnants were overtaken by black matter, forming a dark circular domain.

"Clearly, the arena's glitched. That black stuff's no joke," Ji Ya said grimly. "I tried—normal firepower's useless. Only mental energy attacks slow it, but it's like hitting a sponge. It absorbs some of your energy…"

"I tried too, same result," Zhou Ying added. "No known countermeasures."

"Shouldn't they stop the match? The winner's obvious," Cen Yuehuai said.

As she tried contacting officials, Zhou Ying interjected, "Pointless. I tried external signals—no response. All aid channels are dead. The network's either down or sabotaged."

"A joint Federal-Imperial event… and this happens?" Ji Ya sneered, her gaze sharp. "When this is over, heads will roll."

"Let's regroup with Her Highness," Cen Yuehuai said, pointing. "She beat Yan Jingyi and dismantled Zhou Ye's mech. She and Xino are still there."

Janice paled most at this, likely recalling her own mech's dismantling. "Bai Sha Roning's addicted to tearing apart enemy mechs," she muttered. "Official intel—log it."

Zhou Ying: "…" Don't stuff weird data in your system! No wonder you glitch!

"Anyway—this match is the Empire's win," Cen Yuehuai said, aiming her weapon at Zhou Ying's group. "No objections? Don't change your story later."

With signals cut, no live feed, the result hinged on their word.

"We don't backtrack," Ya Ning said calmly, shaking his head. "Take us to Sha Sha."

Cen Yuehuai choked on the nickname. "…"

"Show some respect," she growled, mock-ferocious. "Who let you call Her Highness that? I haven't even dared!"

Ji Ya/Yu Yan: "…"

"Oh?" Ya Ning touched his red hair, green eyes glinting with a harmless yet irksome smile. "But I've called her that for years. We're used to it."

"He's right," Zhou Ying said coolly. "Given our status now, we should be formal. Childhood nicknames don't belong in public…"

"Sour grapes," Ya Ning teased, smirking. "Names don't matter—she'll answer us. Even your brother calls her 'Sha Sha'—"

Zhou Ying: "…"

"Enough!" Ji Ya stabbed her lightsword into the ground. "Can you focus? This is serious—quit bickering!"

Before the silence settled, Ji Ya added, "Fine, everyone calls her 'Sha Sha'!" She turned and stalked off.

Zhou Ying and Cen Yuehuai froze.

…Something felt off.

…

Meanwhile, outside the arena…

Both Federal and Imperial broadcasts were severed. The information department, after initial checks yielded nothing, escalated the issue.

"The planet's signal station is completely offline," a Federal info officer reported to the officers at the conference table. "Nearby ships are attempting to enter the spaceport to restore signals, but this outage isn't likely a fluke. We must prepare for an attack."

"By whom? Starbugs or pirates?" an officer scoffed. "That planet's near Federal borders, with light garrisons. Unless it's an inside job, nearby systems would've caught invasion signs."

"No wild guesses," an older officer said slowly, glancing around. "It might just be an accident."

"What about our military personnel in the audience?"

"No response. Military comms and broadcast channels are separate—shouldn't interfere."

"Then someone planted a signal jammer in the arena… Definitely not an accident."

The officers fell silent.

Even knowing it wasn't an accident, there had to be a cause. Who was the enemy?

Pirates were suspects. Post-alliance, border systems faced tighter control, with joint fleets proposed to crush pirates. Outlaws with nothing to lose might retaliate as their space shrank.

Or perhaps extremist groups from either nation, opposing the alliance, aiming to destabilize one side. Rare, but real.

Crucially, the joint exercise was a national spectacle. A broadcast cutoff sparked public doubt. Mishandling this could tarnish a nation's image.

A thorny issue.

"This can't be taken lightly," the man at the head said, his voice like jade chimes—elegant, commanding. "Dispatch troops to the artificial planet immediately. Priority one: restore the signal station and broadcast. Priority two: screen for suspects and eliminate threats. If possible, quash this incident 'without a trace.'"

"Yes, Commander Ning," his aide nodded, moving to arrange, then paused. "Commander, the Empire requests direct communication."

Ning Hongxue's gaze flickered. He nodded, signaling his aide to place the comm screen at the table's center.

A silver-blue screen unfolded, revealing a figure familiar to many Federal officers.

General Jilun of the Ares Empire.

"Commander Ning."

Jilun nodded, his expression blank, amber eyes glinting with beastlike wariness.

"This call is a heads-up. The Ares Empire has mobilized its fleet, including two units from the Po Jun Fleet. To reach the exercise planet, we'll pass through Federal space and may need to open fire."

"This is solely to ensure our citizens' safety. Please don't view it as provocation or a declaration of war."

The officers stiffened.

Mobilizing a fleet without clarity?

The fleet was the Empire's core strength, the Po Jun Fleet a "national weapon" rarely deployed… Why use it so casually?

Then it clicked.

The last Po Jun deployment was because—

Ning Hongxue nodded slightly. "I understand, with thousands of civilians in the arena. But the 'Po Jun Fleet'…"

"They're His Majesty's private guard assigned to Her Highness," Jilun said. "If she's at risk, they're duty-bound to protect."

Ning Hongxue's eyes sharpened, locking onto the general. Several Federal officers frowned.

They grasped the implication.

The Po Jun Fleet was the Emperor's direct force.

Splitting such regal power to a mere royal kin? Even as Federals, they sensed the weight. Either the Emperor saw this kin as a successor, or…

This kin was the Emperor's blood!

So, the arena—now silent—held not just Imperial citizens and top cadets but the Empire's future heir?

"If so…" Ning Hongxue said cautiously, "Very well. On behalf of the Federal Military, I grant your fleet firing rights in our border space. We won't stand idle—troops are already en route."

Jilun nodded, cutting the feed.

Ning Hongxue sighed softly.

He'd hoped to avoid heavy troop deployment… Now, it was unavoidable. The Empire wouldn't be satisfied otherwise, nor would Federal citizens.

If the Empire moved mountains for thousands, how could the Federation do less?

…

Inside the arena…

Bai Sha waited by the unconscious Zhou Ye, but no rescue team arrived.

"What's wrong?" Xino sensed trouble. "Why's the external rescue channel silent?"

Bai Sha frowned, cycling through comms, finding even teammate signals dead.

If the whole arena was like this—

She hopped out of her cockpit, grabbed her toolbox, and cobbled together a crude signal device. Twisting its knobs, she stood, brushing dirt from her knees, and said calmly, "We're in a signal blackout zone. All nearby signals are jammed."

The jamming's strength meant not just broadcasts but even audience light-brains messaging friends were blocked.

Absurd.

Unless the planet's signal station was shoddy, the entire planet was targeted.

She glanced at Zhou Ye, troubled.

She'd seen him like this before… Their first meeting, he'd been unconscious too. His self-recovery kicked in then, waking him. But this time, with no visible injuries or exhaustion, he remained out so long…

How was he healed last time?

As Bai Sha racked her brain, her Little White Chirp fluttered out of her mental space, diving straight for Zhou Ye.

Bai Sha: "…?"

The chirp flapped, braking at Zhou Ye's face, chirping twice, then pecked his cheek like a woodpecker.

"Chirp chirp chirp!"

Bai Sha: "…"