Steel Mighty Lion

——June 18, 2043, 2:35 AM——

Dawn, a time when humans are typically at their most drowsy, but now—this rule clearly didn't apply to the people of the Shatterdome.

All the technical workers had gathered in the Shatterdome's main hall, their faces alight with excitement as they nervously made the final preparations for battle—

Just one hour ago, three Kaiju were only 300 kilometers away from Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, and they were expected to arrive before 4 AM.

The pilots had also all assembled in the command center. This time, however, it wasn't a pep rally; it was a genuine tactical deployment.

The entrance to the command center was crowded. Inside, apart from Lin Yin, eleven pilots designated for the upcoming battle stood in a line, hands behind their backs, gazing straight ahead, awaiting the highest orders from the commander before them.

Jiang Tianzheng paced back and forth in front of the eleven, hands clasped behind his back, contemplating the best candidates for deployment.

Three Kaiju, Jiang Tianzheng thought. What kind of formation would be best to send out?

The 'Dragon' was a top-tier 7th-generation beast, its tonnage and size nearly matching the current record for 7th-generation Kaiju, and it clearly excelled in close combat. The 'Eagle,' also 7th-generation, possessed incredible maneuverability and was the most threatening of the three Kaiju. The 'Viper' seemed to be the weakest, its size and tonnage closer to a 6th-generation Kaiju. Apart from its incredible speed, its other characteristics were unknown, which puzzled Jiang Tianzheng.

Kaiju usually only grew larger; downgrades were uncommon. Perhaps the 'Viper' had some special trick up its sleeve, like corrosive acid or potent venom...

But it didn't matter. Humanity had far more Jaegers than they did Kaiju.

Furthermore, in addition to defending against the Kaiju attack, Jiang Tianzheng needed to retain sufficient combat power to counterattack the wormhole within 72 hours. Although 'Shanghai' and 'Huashan' were already en route, their timely arrival couldn't be guaranteed, and other countries couldn't achieve coordinated combat in such a short period... This was indeed a difficult problem.

Jiang Tianzheng remained silent. Lin Yin keenly observed the conflicted expression on his face and couldn't help but speak up.

"Sir," Lin Yin reminded Jiang Tianzheng, "please make your decision quickly."

After a long pause, Jiang Tianzheng cleared his throat, and his brow relaxed—he had made up his mind.

"All personnel, attention!" Jiang Tianzheng boomed. "Those whose names are called, step forward!"

The eleven immediately snapped their legs together, heads held high, their faces etched with determination and resolve.

"Zhang Wenhu, Tang Jia, Tang Yi!" Jiang Tianzheng commanded. "You three will form an inverted triangle formation and be responsible for engaging the 'Dragon' and the 'Viper'!"

The three men stepped forward immediately, saluted, and accepted the order.

Then, Jiang Tianzheng instructed Angie, "Angie Beckett, the 'Eagle' is yours. Take that beast down from the sky."

Lin Yin, standing nearby, felt a pang of anxiety. She hadn't expected Jiang Tianzheng to assign such a difficult task to Angie. Although she had full confidence in Angie's skills, and 'Anshan' was fast enough to keep up with the 'Eagle,' 'Anshan' was still a light-class Jaeger. Light-class Jaegers rarely fought Kaiju head-on alone; their purpose was usually for surprise attacks and to distract Kaiju, or to create opportunities for heavy-class Jaegers to attack.

Lin Yin knew why Jiang Tianzheng was deploying 'Anshan.' He wanted Angie to mature quickly and become self-reliant—but, to be honest, Lin Yin felt it was akin to pulling up seedlings to help them grow.

"Yes!" Angie hid her normally innocent and pure expression, her face serious. "I guarantee the mission will be completed."

Fortunately, Jiang Tianzheng also knew the importance of the situation.

"Seti Andrews!" Jiang Tianzheng continued. "You will stay behind the four of them and provide support."

Seti whistled and gave Jiang Tianzheng a standard military salute with a relaxed expression—that was quite an effort for him.

"The rest of you..." Jiang Tianzheng finally surveyed the remaining six people and issued his final order, "The six of you will also enter your cockpits and stand by."

After receiving affirmative responses from everyone, Jiang Tianzheng clapped his hands.

"Alright, team, operation begins. Now, everyone move out!"

Zhang Wenhu and the Tang Brothers set off immediately for their respective Jaeger hangars without a word. Seti and his work team performed a brief celebratory ritual before leaving one after another. Angie glanced at Mike, and as their eyes met, they both felt a sense of regret.

Sigh, Mike thought. If only Rosen were here too...

But now, more important tasks awaited them. Mike and Angie could only put Rosen out of their minds for the moment and hurried towards their cockpits.

——June 18, 2043, 3:30 AM——

At this moment, strong winds raged above Hong Kong, dark clouds loomed, and a storm brought by a summer typhoon was about to descend.

But with just these little raindrops—how could they possibly extinguish human passion?

Outside the Shatterdome, countless external floodlights illuminated the area for kilometers around, and over a dozen Chinook helicopters hovered above the Tonghai Gate—they would be responsible for lighting up the battlefield for the Jaegers.

Under the myriad spotlights, the No. 3 Tonghai Gate was the first to open.

This colossal archway, 230 meters high, slowly parted to the sides. Then, 'Huangshan,' painted in a full earth-yellow, stood imposingly on the moving platform ahead. This 140-meter-tall Jaeger was fully armed, its robust physique seemingly containing explosive power.

Next, the fourth and fifth Tonghai Gates opened sequentially, revealing the deep blue 'Dongting' and the dark green 'FL.'

Then, 'Changbai' poked its head out, emerging from the second Tonghai Gate. Its owner, Seti, clearly wanted his partner to be more unique, so 'Changbai' was painted entirely black, with several lightning-shaped white patterns sprayed on its shoulders, making it particularly striking under the spotlights.

The last to appear was inevitably the heavyweight. The petal-like structure in the center of the Shatterdome slowly opened, and the pure white 'Anshan' stood perfectly on the deployment platform. In the night sky, a 'Titan-class' airship and four towing helicopters had been waiting for a long time. Twelve tension ropes were lowered, and they eagerly lifted 'Anshan' into the sky, hundreds of meters high.

The five Jaegers rode the wind and waves, moving along the track towards Victoria Harbour. In the command center, everyone held their breath in extreme tension, watching intently.

"Neural connection stable, Synaptic Link continuous," Jiang Tianzheng confirmed the status of each Jaeger group, everything normal. "Open inter-Jaeger communication channels."

The voices of the various pilots immediately filled the command center.

"Approaching designated position," Zhang Wenhu's calm voice came through. "Switching to walking mode afterward."

Soon, the 5-kilometer-long track reached its end, and the four Jaegers leaped into the Pacific Ocean. The airship also began airdropping the Jaegers. The sudden disappearance of the 3,750-ton load caused the airship to surge upwards uncontrollably.

In less than a second, the 'Anshan' plunged into the water like a falling meteor, submerged by the colossal waves kicked up by the impact. When the spray settled, all the Jaegers' navigation lights flickered on, and coupled with the spotlights from the dozen-plus Chinooks overhead, the entire sea area was instantly illuminated as if it were day.

"'Anshan' has reached the target zone," Angie's voice followed. "Blade launch complete."

Once in combat mode, she was completely different from her usual self. Her feminine side was entirely hidden; now, she was simply a pure genius, confident, calm, and fearless.

"Everything is operating smoothly," Sethi concluded, taking over the report with extreme naturalness. "'Changbai' is controlling the entire field."

The five giants began to move, forming a specific formation.

They gradually disappeared into the depths of the Pacific, leaving behind churning waves and rising mist in their wake.

TOP SECRET

—Pan-Pacific United Military Forces—

—Combat Weapon Dossier—

Name: 'Huangshan'

Model: Mark VII (Heavy)

Activation Date: January 2038

Deactivation Date: Not Applicable

Pilots: Lin Yin, Zhang Wenhu (Belonging to the Hong Kong Shatterdome Base)

Height: 140 meters

Maximum Weight: 7000 tons

Operating System: "Sanyang" Horizon Gatekeeper, Head-mounted cockpit

Power System: 12IX Nuclear Turbine Engine, Internal Reactor

Core Armor Thickness: 220CM - 470CM

Armament: Left Arm: 'Chain Sword' and 'Ion Cannon'; Right Arm: 'Electric Grip' high-strength grappling mechanism, maximum grip strength of 20,000 tons, capable of effectively restraining Kaiju. Both Hands:

Spiked knuckle dusters, adding extra damage when striking Kaiju.

Additional Equipment: Grip Spikes, providing the Jaeger with extra balance capabilities.

Paint Scheme: Earth Yellow

Remarks: The first batch of Mark VII heavy Jaegers. Despite having many siblings, it was the first to be deployed due to its outstanding reliability. The current pilot, Zhang Wenhu, is introverted and meticulous in his thinking. 'Huangshan' can be considered for core membership in the 'Savior Project'.

—Pan-Pacific United Military Forces—

—Combat Weapon Dossier—

Name: 'Dongting'

Model: Mark VI

Activation Date: November 2030

Deactivation Date: Not Applicable

Pilots: Sun Zheng Tang, Jiang Shan Qing, Tang Yi

Height: 132 meters

Maximum Weight: 5400 tons

Operating System: "Sanyang" Horizon Gatekeeper, Head-mounted cockpit

Power System: 11IX Nuclear Turbine Engine, Internal Reactor

Core Armor Thickness: 73CM - 210CM

Armament: Both Hands: 'Ion Cannon'

Additional Equipment: None

Paint Scheme: Deep Blue

Remarks: The first batch of Mark VI Jaegers, a prototype 'half-beast Jaeger'. When activated in 2030, the second wave of attacks had not yet arrived, and the designers lacked experience in designing for Kaiju combat, so Mark VI Jaegers were generally

Numerous flaws and problems plagued it. It wasn't until the eve of 2038 that the issues with this class of Jaeger were gradually resolved.

However, 'Dongting' had also produced a combat hero—Sun Zheng Tang. Sun Zheng Tang joined the Chinese Gendarmerie after 2039 and is currently serving in the Hong Kong Special Operations Zone.

The current pilot, Tang Yi, has a calm and steady personality, but is too young and still needs to be observed.

—Pan-Pacific Allied Military Forces—

—Combat Weapon File—

Name: 'FL' (Fu Ling)

Model: Mark Ⅶ (Light)

Activation Date: January 2040

Termination Date: Not applicable

Pilot: Tang Jia

Height: 132 meters

Full Load Weight: 4000 tons

Operating System: "Leader" All-Range Tactical Response Cabin, Head Cockpit

Power System: X13 Super Monolithic Processor, Internal Reactor

Core Armor Thickness: 108CM - 150CM

Armaments: Left Hand: 'Tesla Electromagnetic Barrier', can release a 40 million volt static pulse shield at close range to block all attacks from the front. Right Hand: 609MM Heavy Cannon, uses special depleted uranium armor-piercing rounds, each shell weighs 4 tons, with a maximum of 3 rounds carried.

Additional Equipment: Six omni-directional thruster nozzles installed on the waist, shoulders, and elbows, greatly increasing the Jaeger's maneuverability.

Paint Scheme: Dark Green

Remarks: The second batch of Mark VII light Jaegers, absorbing the advantages of 'Anshan' and compensating for its shortcomings. Due to insufficient combat data, 'FL' has not yet been thoroughly evaluated.

The current pilot, Tang Jia, has an upright and righteous personality, generous and chivalrous, but sometimes a bit reckless, and still needs to be observed.

—Pan-Pacific Allied Military Forces—

—Combat Weapon File—

Name: 'Chang Bai' (Chang Bai)

Model: Mark Ⅶ (Heavy)

Activation Date: January 2040

Termination Date: Not applicable

Pilot: Seti Andrews

Height: 145 meters

Full Load Weight: 6700 tons

Operating System: "Sanyang - Modified" Horizon Gatekeeper, Head Cockpit

Power System: 12IX Nuclear Power Turbine Engine, Internal Reactor

Core Armor Thickness: 210CM - 460CM

Armaments: Left Hand: 'Modified I-23 Heavy Ion Cannon'; Right Hand: 'Qionghua' Tactical Module Pack—this module contains 5 weapons: 'Sword, Axe, Hook, Shield, Gun', which can be rapidly switched during combat.

Additional Equipment: Carries the 'Cliff Horn' Twin Hook Spear on its back. Gravity sensing capacitor system added to the legs to assist the pilot in adjusting center of gravity and enhancing body stability.

Paint Scheme: Black, with lightning-shaped white stripes sprayed on the shoulders (this is a violation).

The second batch of Mark VII heavy armor, absorbing the advantages of previous models and further enhancing its overall capabilities. Due to insufficient combat data, 'Chang Bai' has not yet been thoroughly evaluated.

Current Pilot: Seti Andrews, German Jew, has obtained Chinese citizenship. His personality is arrogant and lacks manners, making him a problematic figure among the pilots. However, strangely, the 'Chang Bai' work team remains loyal to him.

As for whether it would stay or go, that remained to be seen for the time being.

--Pan-Pacific Allied Military Forces--

--Combat Weaponry Archives--

Name: 'Shandong' (Big D)

Model: Mark VIII

Activation Date: June 2041

Deactivation Date: N/A

Pilot: Lin Yin

Height: 160 meters

Full Load Weight: 8000 tons

Operating System: "Kunpeng" 4.1

Power System: 15IX Nuclear Power Processor, Internal Reactor

Core Armor Thickness: 250CM - 500CM

Armaments: Left Wrist: 'God Binding Silk' active chain, capable of binding and lashing targets; Right Palm: 'Water Cutter' laser welding knife, capable of slicing through anything known on Earth with tens of thousands of degrees of heat;

Both Forearms and Chest: 12 AKM linked missile launch bays; Both Shoulders: 6 K-Stunner non-oxidizing missile launch bays;

Both Lower Ribs: 4 total 460MM caliber heavy cannons, high-explosive rounds, each shell weighing 1.5 tons; Both Waist Sides: 6 'Thunder' magnetic storm generators.

The above equipment forms Shandong's ultimate attack: 'Full Burst.'

Additional Equipment: Enhanced balance system installed in both legs, dual gyroscope structure built into the mecha. Enhanced combat armor installed on limbs.

Paint Scheme: Crimson

Remarks: The first Mark VIII Jaeger, it absorbed all the advantages of the previous 7 generations, with a focus on enhancing its defense and endurance. Its only drawback is slightly inferior maneuverability. It has an outstanding combat record and is one of China's strongest Jaegers currently.

Current Pilot: Lin Yin. In terms of experience, talent, willpower, and faith, she is the best candidate for the 'Savior Project.'