When Yekase and Lu Yao arrived, the quarry lay still as a spent fire, no more clashes within sight.

That meant the Beast King Squadron had been broken.

Dragon God Pioneer had split apart into the team’s rides, cold shells strewn like fallen scales, ringed by combatants who bound and hauled them off.

“More than five cadres… and they probably brought specialists built to shred big mechs,” Lu Yao murmured, voice flat as winter glass.

“You’re telling me not to start up Peace Walker?”

You couldn’t read a stance on Lu Yao’s face, only a steady tide.

“Don’t if you can help it. I’ll jump in first and mow, kick the anthill. You grab the professor and bolt. The squad won’t be killed. If we’ve got breath left, we’ll free them.”

“They won’t be killed?”

“In an organized hero team, only the leader gets hammered. The rest are targets for co-optation… sometimes even promoted to cadre.”

“I see.”

…That did sound like a nudge that Luzhixing favored surrender.

“Anyway, I’m going in—”

[—No need, Doctor.]

Professor F’s voice bloomed in Yekase’s earpiece, like a light switching on in fog.

“Professor?! You okay? A-Ping and I will—”

[I’m holding the Silver Star System in my arms, sitting inside the Observer. This base, this squad, is my ship toward tomorrow. By old human custom, a captain goes down with her ship, right?]

“Where are you? The hangar? …Silver Star System…”

They were after—the Silver Star System?

If so, who lured Shadow Curtain International into the quarry, handing the Silver Star to Professor F like a wrapped gift? Yekase herself. If she hadn’t been drunk on success, if she’d handled the spoils like a hedgehog handles fruit, if she’d moved the engine to Sky Island to study, then—

Her throat felt gripped by iron fingers. Air was a locked door.

[And… First Gen. You never liked being called Beast King Silver. Then PeaceWarrior it is.]

“…Call me whatever you want.”

[They’ve been hauled off in the transports, haven’t they?]

“Yeah. We passed them on the road.”

[Good. Take the Doctor and leave. I’m going to detonate the Silver Star here. They’ve learned to track the Infinite Power wavelength from this engine. Even if I flee, I can’t hide.]

“…”

Her voice rang steady, like steel in water. Lu Yao listened in silence. She saw Yekase getting her breath back, shifting to brace a knee on the iron staff, ready to dive. Lu Yao flicked her right hand. Four auxiliary mech-arms bloomed and clamped Yekase tight, shoving her backward like a tide.

“Ah?! It’s just one rescue! We’re right here and you want me to do nothing and go home? Let go! A-Ping, let the hell go—”

Lu Yao said nothing. Her heel tapped Part 3’s deck. The night swallowed them both, a pair of sparks streaking upward.

…

Omega F lay across the Observer’s pilot seat.

Usually a bot flew this bird, but even the pilot unit had been sent to fight. She hadn’t planned to take off anyway. She just held the Silver Star System like a hearthstone.

She’d held it so long the metal skin felt faintly warm, like sun-bathed rock.

Outside, the combatants’ chatter thickened, a swarm of gnats beyond the hull.

She didn’t care. In her eyes and ears remained only five beloved teammates, bright as lanterns in rain.

“Professor, we stop feeling tired when you’re here,” said the White ranger.

“Professor, we made it this far thanks to your shield and your star,” said the Green ranger.

“Professor, I…I’ll push harder too!” said the Yellow ranger.

“Professor, let’s fight shoulder to shoulder,” said the Blue ranger.

“Professor, they say shouting your finisher makes it stronger… oh, and ours uses the Omega Ray,” said the Red ranger.

“Shouting your finisher… huh.”

Professor F rested her head on the neck pillow, gaze on the cabin ceiling like watching passing clouds.

That’d be nice too, she thought.

“—Doctor Yekase, nothing has failed yet. As long as equality and freedom still burn, there will come a day— I wanted to say that. But thinking you’ll keep fighting after I’m gone… I can’t. Promise me. Whatever happens, take care of yourself. Please?”

Her fingers danced over the console. The panel split like a shell, revealing a red button.

“…Promise me.”

[Professor F! Omega F!!]

“—Overdrive.”

…

…

News of a severe explosion and collapse at the abandoned quarry flashed into national headlines, a thunderclap over a sleeping city.

“Drink some water.”

Yekase didn’t move.

Lu Yao set the cup by her foot. She left without another word, a shadow sliding off a wall.

[Breaking News! Our second major incident tonight!]

Yekase didn’t move.

[The renowned Twin Towers City hero “Mechbreaker” has hijacked a passenger jet carrying families of Shadow Curtain International members. She’s on a straight collision course with the city’s landmark—the Brother Towers!]

…?

Familiar words pricked her, like a bell struck at a shrine. Yekase finally turned her head toward the TV she’d bought yesterday.

Onscreen: a woman in a black jacket, crudely hand-drawn mask covering her face—a stark portrait.

…Mechbreaker?

If she’s Mechbreaker, then who am I?

The broadcast cut to live feeds from inside the hijacked jet. Every seatback screen. The aisle monitor. All taken over by Mechbreaker’s masked face, centered like an eclipse.

[To the Shadow Curtain combatants and cadres gathered at Liudong Second Quarry: I am Mechbreaker. Up till now, multiple heroes centered on me have meted out justice to your members.]

[Public support has been immense. I’m sure your organization understands the tide. Yet even so, you show no repentance. Just now, in Liudong City, you executed a terror sweep against the Beast King Squadron.]

Her voice, filtered by the mask, was slow and level, a lake under frost. It clashed with the cabin’s chaos like night to neon.

[Therefore, I will remotely pilot this luxury jet—full of Shadow Curtain family members—into the Brother Towers.]

The feed cut to the skyline near the towers.

Brother Towers glowed as always, lights like strings of pearls. The scars from six months ago had been scrubbed clean—while a plane arrowed straight toward them.

There was no feint. No swerve. Just impact.

Explosion. Fire. The fall like a meteor shower—

[As you can see, “Mechbreaker” has slammed an airliner into the Brother Towers. Rescue operations have begun. Citizens, avoid the area—Update: Shadow Curtain International has labeled “Mechbreaker” an S-Class wanted criminal!]

In one night, she’d gone from breezily snatching back Roze and scolding a boss, to being besieged by Shadow Curtain. Someone had even stolen her name to become a hijacker. Even at this hell’s-mouth moment, Yekase’s mind ran smooth against her own wish to go blank, a river under ice.

Rice Rice must’ve felt like this when she learned she wasn’t “Yekase.”

…In that case, one contradiction blazed bright.

How did you know the quarry blast was a sweep on the Beast King Squadron, you who call yourself “Mechbreaker”?

How did you find a flight packed with families, then hack the OS in minutes, you who call yourself “Mechbreaker”?

Yekase dialed a number.

[Doctor, are you alright? Flashblade Red shouldn’t get dragged—]

“—It’s you, right, Fang Tang?”

[…]

“Why use my alias? The one who wiped out Blue-and-Teal a few days ago—that was you too, wasn’t it?”

[I’m sorry I didn’t clear it with you… I wanted to show results first and then… I just wanted to make “Mechbreaker” a hero anyone could become.]

[And Doctor, you don’t exactly want that stained identity right now, do you? I want… to turn it into a symbol against the Sinister Organization. A ghost circling over Shadow Curtain’s head, avenging the oppressed…!]

Fang Tang’s voice, unlike the calm TV declaration, was filled with grief and fog, a rain in a narrow alley.

…

To do that, she’d put Yekase on the edge of a blade—Shadow Curtain could dig up Mechbreaker’s everything fast. But Yekase’s overwhelming likelihood would drown the small discrepancies. Every action would roll downhill into her name. Successors who raised her banner would get newbie protection.

Small help can spark big courage.

Once that first hard step is taken, people will jolt awake and see: it’s not them who should fear the Sinister Organization. It’s the Sinister Organization who should fear them.

Light a lamp in the heart—

Then the fire will pass hand to hand, unending; it will spread like prairie wind.

—It will use her as kindling and burn the old world clean.

And there’s one more ember.

Gu Xiangshi… and her Official Heroes.

Once people have ideas and faith, they move. When real heroes stand up, Gu Xiangshi—an eater of rents at heart—will have to choose in the storm, nail down a side, let all see.

“People like you, the era will force a choice.”

Now is the time.

For Yekase. For Gu Xiangshi.

“I get it. We’ll do it your way. Stay safe.”

Yekase hung up. She closed her eyes and drew one long breath, like drawing a bow.

If Shadow Curtain came to find her—she couldn’t hide on Sky Island forever. Better to hunt than huddle.

“Bro!”

From behind, as Yekase neared the door, Liu RuoYuan called out, voice like a thrown rope: “You’re going to storm Shadow Curtain alone? Kill a few and get caught and executed?!”

Yekase turned half her face. “I can break out.”

“I don’t think you want to. You want to throw another log on tonight’s fire. Burn down as much of their force as you can. Make more room for responders across the country, don’t you?”

…

“…I met her when I first started. A first-time stranger who helped me without asking, who told me her dream. She said she wanted to see the day when weapons were scrapped and rusted, never needed again.”

“Bro…”

“Her base is in Liudong City. We barely worked together. We barely… worked together…”

Hu Xiaolei came down the stairs too. The woman who was always strong-minded had no words now. She only called “Daughter,” then looked at Yekase deep, like a well looking up at stars.

Yekase’s back held a bleakness beyond her years. Her lips worked, then she forced out one line:

“I’ll be right back.”

…

…

“—Hold it right there!”

Sandryon came up from the basement stairs.

“…Eh?”

Eh? Eh??

“I knew you’d do something reckless! Sharp as a blade most days, turn into a brute at the crunch. And you dare call yourself the Crystal Witch’s disciple? Don’t embarrass me!”

…Where did you come in from?

Sandryon wore blue pajamas spattered with stars, and yes, a ridiculously cute nightcap, a moon in a child’s drawing.

She popped up out of the basement and scolded away the grave air like a gust. Yekase, who’d been ready to go throw her head away, almost cracked. One foot stuck on the threshold, frozen.

“You’re coming with me! We’re starting early tonight. We’re going to camp at Tunguska!”

“Eh—”

“I’ve already told Afu and Xiaoyuan.”

During this month-long survey, not a single hair on you gets touched. You’ll stay in the Cosmic Bubble, under glass and stars, and think it through—decide your path. If, by then, you’re still dead set and charging like a bull into stupid acts, it won’t be on me.

Sandryon’s eyes held steel—no ripples of doubt.

How did she learn so fast? … Confusion pricked, then a light clicked on—right, Professor F is her friend too.

“Use this window to cool down,” Liu RuoYuan said, like letting a storm settle.

“You’ve got a good circle of friends—like lanterns in fog,” XiaoLei said.

…

“… Got it,” Yekase said, like drawing a breath after a plunge.

Yekase took Sandryon’s outstretched hand, like catching a rope in surf.

She looked only a few years older than Yekase’s loli mode, clothes loose and slouching, nowhere near a Grand Alchemist’s regalia. From head to toe, there wasn’t a speck of majesty.

Yet, in this night when heaven flipped and the sea roared, Yekase felt a lifeline in her grip—one that wouldn’t snap. She wasn’t free yet, but her heart settled like silt—almost impossibly calm.

“Let’s go, before the net seals tight,” Sandryon said with a small smile.

Yekase looked at Liu RuoYuan, swaying like a reed in wind. She looked at Lu Yao’s silhouette, a flicker at the stair’s crown. She looked at Rice Rice as it leaped onto her, like a sparrow landing. Finally, she looked at XiaoLei, the last anchor in the room.

“… Mom, I’m going,” she said, soft as a thread pulled free.

“Go, go, go—hurry,” XiaoLei shot back, like shooing a bird to flight.

Even as Yekase set the jump coordinates and stepped through the portal with Sandryon, XiaoLei’s gaze stayed hooked to her rushing back.