Chapter 211: Chapter 211: A Brushing Kiss
Although the audience couldn’t see the video feed from inside Renato and his team’s Mechas, their unshielded audio came through clearly to every spectator.
Since they weren’t very familiar with the different types of Xenobeasts, they looked it up on the Intelligent Brain.
They hadn’t thought much of it, but a quick search revealed that, just as Renato had said, the creature known as a Rock Mongoose looked almost identical to the Xenobeast in the snow, apart from its fur color.
"Could it be a close relative?"
"This is the Polar Region, after all. Maybe a different evolutionary path?"
"They really do look alike. But why are there so many dead Xenobeasts here?"
"Did the officials pick a place like this on purpose? But there’s nothing about this in the rules. Isn’t victory determined by who gets the Token in the end?"
Even the observers from the Federation and the Empire frowned deeply as they watched the screen.
"Without a doubt, this is absolutely the work of that organization," someone from The Military stated with conviction.
The conference room was connected to the research department via video call. A representative from The Military asked bluntly, "Does the Rock Mongoose Xenobeast have any special characteristics?"
With so many Rock Mongooses having been experimented on, they must have noticed something special.
The person from the research department replied, "Compared to other Xenobeasts, their temperament is relatively docile. Their spiritual power is stronger than their Attack Power, and they are carrion eaters, typically living alongside Giant Leopards. Leftovers from a Giant Leopard’s kill are their main food source. Their spiritual power can augment a Giant Leopard’s own, increasing its Attack Power."
"So Giant Leopards will generally not harm Rock Mongooses and will even leave some food for them."
"There are no Giant Leopards here," the man from The Military said. "Giant Leopards are A+ Level Xenobeasts, just a hair’s breadth away from becoming S-Class, and they’re massive."
If there were any Giant Leopards here, the dense network of mechanical eyes would have spotted them immediately.
"We hope to capture that white Rock Mongoose," the man from the research department said, the screen before him showing earlier footage of Owen and Beau confronting it. "It will be crucial to our future research into that organization’s objectives."
No one in the conference room responded to him. Finally, the Major General spoke in a heavy tone, "Our top priority is to determine whether this friendly match can continue, not to capture that Xenobeast."
The man from the research department paused. "The temperature is below minus 30 degrees. There’s a ninety-nine percent chance that no problems will arise."
If it were a matter of direct human exposure, that would be one thing. But these contestants are all inside their Mechas. There’s no direct contact, so there shouldn’t be any issue.
"Is there any way to signal to them that they should leave this area before fighting?" the man from the research department asked.
Though the people in the research department weren’t the most politically astute, they had enough sense to read the room.
If Erin Xavier and the others were to uncover any more Xenobeasts, the situation would surely escalate.
Samuel King, who had just entered the conference room, heard the research department’s wishful thinking and rolled his eyes. "No. For the sake of fairness, direct contact is impossible."
It was a sign of mutual respect for the integrity of the competition.
No interfering with the students’ judgment.
The man from the research department was left speechless.
"Erin Xavier and Nathan Lockwood must have realized something is wrong with this place." Despite saying that, Samuel King objectively felt the situation wasn’t that dire yet.
At least Erin Xavier had heeded Nathan Lockwood’s warning to be careful.
And after seeing the string of Xenobeasts, she had taken the initiative to leave the canyon mouth.
Erin Xavier’s spiritual power wasn’t under Miles Sherman’s control, so she was able to use it. By using her spiritual power to flee, she instantly created a good deal of distance.
Bader immediately turned to give chase. He’d assumed his spiritual power was still suppressed, but when he actually tried to use it, he found that Miles Sherman had suddenly relaxed his control.
It wasn’t just him; Miles Sherman and his team also began chasing Erin Xavier.
In under a minute, all eight Mechas had used their boosters to leave the canyon completely.
Erin Xavier used her spiritual power to accelerate, while the Imperial Squad simply cranked up their Mechas’ thrusters. The snow instantly melted where it touched the flames.
"Erin, slow down a little. Maintain your distance, and don’t let them use their thrusters to catch you again." This series of commands from Nathan Lockwood was a true test of Erin Xavier’s piloting skill and spiritual power.
’These people from the Empire are really reckless.’
’Using their thrusters like that, without any regard for the consequences.’
"Try to get off the snow." The movements of eight Mechas were already significant, to say nothing of the noise and heat they generated.
The Imperial Squad might not care, but Nathan Lockwood and his team had to.
’These things they’ve found will definitely be studied eventually. All we need to do is get away from here as fast as possible. But if we make too much of a commotion, we could cause an avalanche.’
The Mechas’ power cells could support low-altitude flight all the way to the Temperate Zone without any issue.
Beau quickly discovered that his spiritual power, which he had just been able to use, was suppressed once again.
"Miles Sherman is really a pain in the ass," he complained to Anna, his brow furrowed.
With his mic off, he grumbled without reservation, "Is he taking us for a walk? Like we’re dogs?"
But Anna sensed something was off. "It’s like they want us to leave the canyon as quickly as possible."
That was why he was purposely tightening and loosening his control.
It made perfect sense.
Following Anna’s train of thought, Beau mulled it over for a moment and realized she was right.
Thinking of the strange Xenobeast corpses, he said, "The Federation team must know something."
"Tch. And we’re completely in the dark."
This feeling of only knowing half the story was the worst.
"Stop overthinking it. The objective is the Token," Anna said, not one to waste mental energy. She never dwelled on things that weren’t the main priority or that she couldn’t figure out.
Beau gave a noncommittal shrug and piloted his Mecha in pursuit.
Inside Miles Sherman’s Mecha.
"Anything else happening under the snow?" Miles Sherman asked Zoe Pierce in the two-person Mech Bay.
Zoe Pierce’s Perception swept rapidly over the snowfield. "Nothing for now."
"Keep going." He watched the Mechas single-mindedly chasing Erin Xavier, then wrapped his arms around Zoe Pierce from behind. "I’ll take over at dawn. You get some sleep."
They couldn’t gain an advantage in the snow anymore. The real fight would only begin once they could get out of their Mechas.
At their current pace, it would take at least another day of travel to get out of this snowy region.
"Will the Empire’s team agree to this?" Although their actions were clearly intended to get everyone out of the canyon, they were also steadily increasing their own advantage. The closer they got to their own starting point, the farther they were from the Empire’s.
Right now, they were in a strange sort of balance, but if the Empire’s team decided to start a fight here...
"We just need to hold out for at least two hours," Miles Sherman said, pulling up a map to make his assessment.
Zoe Pierce glanced at the map. In about two hours, they would reach the halfway point in this game of tug-of-war. From that location, the distance back to the Empire’s starting point and the Federation’s starting point would be roughly equal.
In other words, the next clash would likely begin there.
As she was staring intently, she suddenly felt a light kiss brush against the side of her neck.
Her voice trembled uncontrollably. "Miles..."
