The moment they heard Ji Gang's voice, it was as if energy surged back into the students' bodies.
"Keep going, almost there!"
Meng Chongyun and Ji Gang had split up to ride in two military aircraft, and he too had just caught that arrogant, probing mental force radiating from the Alpha Gold Crown.
So it was true—what he had shown at the isolation control center wasn't his full strength.
"Ji Gang, get the kids back to the starship first."
"Roger."
"Everyone else, provide long-range support."
"Copy!"
The aircraft opened fire with precision, and the star beasts and mutated creatures around the students no longer needed to be cleared by their own hands—all they had to do was charge forward with their heads down.
Behind them, that menacing mental force grew closer with every second, and everyone was running with everything they had.
Inside her mech cockpit, Wang Tianwei felt her whole body burning, as if she were about to catch fire.
The Alpha Gold Crown touched upon that familiar mental force and couldn't help but rise to his feet. Even the Federation couldn't stop that old man from coming to the rescue? Well, let's see if he has what it takes!
"Accelerate. Full speed ahead. Prepare for battle."
"Roger!"
In the blizzard, the moment the military soldiers spotted the enemy aircraft on their radar, they raised their weapons.
"Fire!"
"BOOM!"
"Everyone, on alert."
Meng Chongyun stared straight at the aircraft at the center of the enemy formation—the Alpha Gold Crown was inside.
Unsurprisingly, the shells fired from their aircraft were shot down by the enemy, who immediately launched a counterattack.
"Prepare to land. All soldiers, with me—get to your mechs."
"Roger."
As the aircraft touched down, the students had also made it within the safe perimeter.
The soldiers were busy climbing into their mechs and had no time for small talk, but the sight of the kids—none of them missing—filled them with quiet relief.
Ji Gang came out to greet them with a few people in protective suits.
"It's over now—you're all back!"
"Scared, were you? Come on out and get your protective suits on."
"You all did great!"
Doctor Tao De came running out at full speed.
"Huang Yan! Wang Tianwei! All of you—are you all right?!"
Only when they saw familiar faces did the students finally let their guard down.
"Doctor Tao!"
"Doctor Tao."
"You're Teacher Ji?"
"Yes, I'm Ji Gang, the one who's been in contact with you all along."
"Phew, finally..."
"BOOM!!"
"Teacher Ji's side has started fighting—let's go help!"
The moment they heard the explosion, everyone instinctively moved to provide support, but a passing soldier flatly rejected the idea.
"Get back on the aircraft. The rest is on us."
With that, he charged out in his mech.
Ji Gang and Doctor Tao grabbed Jian Jingyu and Fu Xingyuan, who were about to reboard their mechs.
"They don't need you over there. Your main mission this time is rescue—getting you students out safely..."
At that, the twelve of them had no choice but to obey, stowing their mechs and putting on protective suits.
"Where's the Chief Commander?"
"The Chief Commander is up ahead."
Wang Tianwei was being led by Ji Gang toward the aircraft when she instinctively glanced back just before stepping inside—and saw a pure black mech charging at the very front of the formation.
Across the field, the enemy aircraft were landing. Was the Alpha Gold Crown in one of those?
As the hatch slowly closed, the pilot lifted the aircraft into the air.
The Chief Commander's orders were clear: as soon as the kids were secure, get them back to the starship first.
"Teacher Ji, since when do insects know how to pilot mechs? How is the Federation right now?"
"Those star beasts just now were off—they looked like they'd only just landed on Bliza. It's hard to say they've got nothing to do with the insects."
"Why the hell does that Alpha Gold Crown want to block us?"
"Teacher, I think we shouldn't stay too far apart. That way, we can support each other."
"Are Teacher Shi and Dean Xue really...?"
The students chattered all at once, either offering information or demanding answers.
At the words "Teacher Shi," Ji Gang's eyes burned hot again, his lips trembling as he struggled to find a response.
Wu Fangyu buckled weakly at the sight, her shoulders sagging. It was true...
Wang Tianwei forced the tears back down and was about to bring up her mental force, when a thunderous BOOM rang out beside her ear.
A shell that should have been intercepted had abruptly changed trajectory mid-flight and slammed straight into the aircraft behind them—a move none of the Federation soldiers had seen coming.
The cargo door of the aircraft, which had just reached its normal cruising altitude, was blown open. The pilot scrambled to regain control, fighting to keep the vessel steady.
The door was gone, and everyone grabbed hold of the nearest rails and seats in a flash—except Zhang Lyra, standing near the doorway, who was swept out by the violent draft before she even knew what was happening.
Ji Gang shouted.
"Everyone, hold onto whatever's near you and don't let go!"
"LYRA!!!"
The three from Qilin Military Academy could only watch, helpless, as it happened.
"Land!"
"Land, NOW!"
Huang Yan and Jian Jingyu struggled to break free and rush out—the aircraft wouldn't land, so they couldn't deploy their mechs mid-air!
"Little Bear!"
"Huang Yan, it's too high—you can't!"
In the midst of everyone's desperation, a slim figure shot out through the doorway right after her.
"Sister Zebra!!"
"Don't be reckless!"
Doctor Tao threw all his strength into holding back Jian Jingyu and Huang Yan, along with several others.
"Not at this height—you can't."
"Sister Zebra! Little Bear!!"
"Use your mental force to catch them—quick!"
Hiranuma Yusho shouted urgently. One person's mental force might not be enough, but with this many people, maybe they could pull it off!
Zhang Lyra had no idea what was happening when she was ripped out of the aircraft, not until she was fully exposed to the snow and wind... wait, how was she outside?
Below her was nearly a thousand meters of open sky, and when she came to, she realized she was falling at breakneck speed.
In mid-air, she twisted her body, spreading all four limbs wide to slow her descent.
Her mech!? No—no foothold in midair, it would just plummet with her, and she couldn't get into the cockpit...
What now?! What was she supposed to do!?
Was there anything in her spatial button she could throw down to break her fall? She should have bought a giant inflatable cushion!
Her body was momentarily caught by something—mental force—but it couldn't hold her weight, and it gave way, followed by another catch...
The others' mental force wasn't yet solidified enough to cushion a whole person.
As the ground rushed toward her, oh god, at this height she would splat into a meat patty, wouldn't she?!
The closer she got, the more her mind went blank.
She couldn't remember anything—except that she hadn't bought Shirley any treats to take back home.
The next second, she was seized around the waist, and the violent pull of gravity against her stomach made her gasp.
But the wind no longer tore at her body and skin. And the ground was getting farther away?
It seemed... she wasn't falling anymore?
It took her a moment to react. Dazed, she lifted her head—and there, through the snow, the first thing she saw was a pair of black metallic wings.
"Black... angel?"
