After informing the quartermaster that he was "going to see the sea," Luo Bing left the living quarters and headed to the rear area of the base.
Because of the ten-kilometer red-line restriction, the sub-base had been built directly by the sea, following the principle of proximity.
Luo Bing grabbed a set of diving gear and headed to the shore.
When nothing was happening, the beach was usually packed with handsome men and beautiful women sunbathing here. Today, because of the monster attack, it was completely deserted.
Luo Bing stood there all alone, looking rather conspicuous.
After all, while everyone else was busy working, he had come here to go diving.
If his superiors had been any stricter, he would have been subjected to a barrage of criticism.
"Good thing Uncle Luo and I are close!"
Luo Bing muttered to himself, though he was still somewhat nervous.
After all, it was his first time, and he really wanted to be fully prepared.
But reality did not quite allow for that.
He quickly got himself ready, dove into the sea, and after feeling the water pressure around him, removed his equipment.
"Never thought I'd have a day when I turned into light..."
"Well, not light exactly, but..."
"Godzilla!"
"If I show up here, I'll definitely be detected, but I can't worry about that now."
A massive shadow silently appeared beneath the seabed, as though a giant whale were circling underwater, but it soon vanished without a trace.
"Beep! Beep! Beep!!!"
A piercing alarm suddenly rang out. Unlike the deep tolling of a bell, this alarm was so urgent and shrill that it made people feel as if their minds had gone blank.
General Luo had remained in the command room the entire time, and even the piercing alarm did not change his expression.
He abruptly raised his head, reached out, and pressed his earpiece, as though confirming something.
"What did you say? A giant lifeform was detected behind the base, suspected to be a monster?"
"Are you sure this isn't a joke? What monster could pass through layer upon layer of radar scans and only reveal itself after reaching the rear of the base?"
Even General Luo, calm as he was, was stunned for a moment.
If a monster had truly gotten that close to the base unnoticed, then the base was as good as finished.
Although Wulei's preliminary activation procedures had been completed, stopping a monster was no easy task!
As a retired pilot, General Luo knew very well how miserable the regions that became battlefields between mechas and monsters would end up!
Then, after receiving the latest report, he finally let out a breath of relief, and his expression eased considerably.
At that moment, the alarm ringing throughout the base abruptly stopped.
"After another full scan, there's no sign of the giant lifeform. A possible false alarm?"
After muttering to himself for a moment, General Luo hesitated slightly before making his decision.
"Deploy Wulei. Have it make a round behind the base first. If there are no unusual circumstances, head north to support Sakura Saber!"
General Luo's move was essentially placing the thousands of people in the base in danger.
If a monster skilled at hiding was truly lurking nearby, then once Wulei left, the base would have no defensive force left.
But compared with that danger, General Luo still made this decision.
Because behind the North Sea battlefield stood a major city inhabited by millions.
Meanwhile, the area for dozens of miles around the Mecha Base was uninhabited, giving it greater strategic depth!
On the surface of the sea, an aerial view would reveal a black line swimming straight north like a shark, stirring up waves in its wake.
If those waves reached the shore, they would become a small tsunami.
Any casual movement by a hundred-meter beast would bring catastrophic consequences to creatures no bigger than ants beneath its feet!
Four updates today, 0.0
The Guardian God Sakura Saber Fell!
At the North Sea battlefield, Sakura Saber stood ten kilometers from the shoreline, waiting silently.
The monster Iron Hammer had already been locked onto by satellite and was heading this way.
The flagship products of modern technology had been reduced to tools used solely for detection, serving as the eyes and ears of mechas.
After all, compared with the hot weapons that had already become ineffective, mechas gave humanity far greater peace of mind.
Although Sakura Saber appeared quiet from the outside, it was far from peaceful inside.
Nakamura, who should have been in the copilot's seat, was currently standing in the main pilot's position.
He gripped the simulator with both hands, while beneath his feet was the mecha's movement system, which could perfectly translate the pilot's movements onto the mecha.
The higher the Spiritual Connection Index, the better one could adapt to the mecha's operation.
The greater the synchronization with one's exclusive mecha, the more of that mecha's combat power one could unleash.
It was a chain of logic. When the Spiritual Connection Index was low, controlling the mecha became a massive disaster.
Even walking and operating it would be a problem, let alone fighting a monster to the death.
Nakamura's Spiritual Connection Index was 95, placing him at the bottom among outstanding pilots. This showed in Sakura Saber's barely satisfactory external performance.
Before any high-intensity battle began, it could still put on a decent show.
At this moment, Nakamura was in the extreme excitement of successfully seizing command.
He had long noticed that the main pilot, Koizumi Junko, had a weak personality, but he had kept silent about it.
Because he knew that with his Spiritual Connection Index, he could not convince others that he was qualified enough to become the main pilot.
He needed an opportunity, one that would make the matter irreversible!
And Iron Hammer's attack had given Nakamura that opportunity.
After entering the cockpit to prepare, he immediately forced Koizumi Junko to give up the main pilot's seat and took it for himself!
Considering that Iron Hammer's threat was imminent and there were no other pilots available as substitutes, Koizumi Junko had indeed yielded!
Nakamura's plan had succeeded perfectly!
"Hmph! A bunch of rigid old fossils!"
"Once I successfully pilot Sakura Saber and kill Iron Hammer, I'll prove that I'm a qualified pilot for Sakura Saber. By then, even if you want me to step down, it'll be too late!"
"Iron Hammer... It's nothing more than trash that was defeated by an old fossil mecha like Azure Cutter. How could it possibly be my opponent!"
Then Nakamura's expression became somewhat infatuated as he looked toward the copilot's seat.
A pretty young woman was nervously operating the many instruments in her hands, providing Nakamura with support.
"Miss Junko is so beautiful... I have to seize this chance. Then I'll have prestige, reputation, and become a hero to the people!"
"Then I can follow the example of other mecha pilots and propose to Miss Junko. There definitely won't be a problem!"
Because of the unique nature of mecha pilots, many pilots of large mechas eventually became married couples.
Luo Bing's parents were a typical example.
They had been the pilots of the large mecha Storm Red, and they were also a classic husband-and-wife pairing with Perfect Understanding.
It was said that this husband-and-wife combat model could better unleash a mecha's fighting power.
Of course, there was no factual evidence supporting this view. At most, it was a kind of blessing.
Koizumi Junko worked hard to adjust the support instruments under her control, her expression somewhat nervous.
She had only fought monsters in virtual battles before. This was her first real combat mission, so it would have been a lie to say she was not nervous.
But what made her even more uneasy was that Nakamura now controlled Sakura Saber.
Though nothing seemed wrong on the surface, Junko had also realized that there was indeed a gap between Nakamura's skill and hers.
She regretted it now.
But her somewhat timid nature kept her from forcefully demanding the position back.
Instead, she gently advised him.
"Nakamura, your Spiritual Connection Index is 95. You can't perfectly unleash Sakura Saber's combat power. You should let me control it instead."
But to Nakamura, that soft voice sounded more like flirtation.
"Don't worry, Miss Junko. It's only Iron Hammer. It's nothing to worry about!"
At that moment, an island had already faintly appeared along the distant coastline. Nakamura's expression turned solemn as he knew Iron Hammer had arrived.
He did not dare be careless. Closing his eyes, he began synchronizing with Sakura Saber through Perfect Understanding!
Those external procedures from before had merely been simple operations to relieve the pressure. To truly unleash Sakura Saber's combat power perfectly, he needed deep Perfect Understanding synchronization!
And the moment he synchronized, something went wrong.
Nakamura had thought he was full of confidence before, but now he only felt an immense pressure crushing down on him, making him deeply understand just how heavy a presence Sakura Saber was.
Koizumi Junko followed immediately after him. Her outward performance was much better, and she did not seem to feel much pressure.
Because both were undergoing deep synchronization with Sakura Saber, their memories vaguely collided, creating countless sparks.
Koizumi Junko also "read" Nakamura's thoughts.
Her brows furrowed, but dealing with the monster was more important, so she hurriedly reminded him.
"Nakamura! Iron Hammer has already arrived in front of us. Please focus!"
As Koizumi Junko shared part of the pressure, Nakamura finally became somewhat clear-headed again.
Koizumi Junko, meanwhile, had already operated her support system and fired two missiles first, drawing Iron Hammer's attention.
Modern hot weapons were far too weak against monsters, so they were classified as support weapons and controlled by the copilot.
They could still cause damage if they struck weak points like the eyes, but most of the time, they only created a flash of fire and drew the attention of brainless monsters.
Any monster even slightly intelligent would not fall for that!
"I understand, Miss Junko!"
Nakamura pulled himself together, preparing to show his abilities to the woman he had secretly admired and now openly pursued.
But the consequences of his inadequate strength had already appeared!
He raised his right hand, intending to draw the thirty-meter Cherry Blossom Blade from his back!
That was also the fundamental reason Sakura Saber had been given its name!
But his hand had only slowly reached halfway, as laborious as an old man or woman carrying groceries upstairs.
And Iron Hammer's attack had already arrived!
The seventy-five-meter-long monster rolled over in the sea like a donkey, then nimbly leaped up.
Then it lowered its head and drove its enormous ten-meter hammer-shaped skull straight down!
The seemingly clumsy Iron Hammer had executed an incredibly agile and ingenious attack!
It smashed straight through Sakura Saber's body, sending sparks, mechanical parts, and cables scattering across the surface of the sea!
Sakura Saber, Sakurajima's sole designated Guardian God, had been severely damaged by a monster in a single move under the control of an unqualified main pilot!
Before you continue