Twin Cities: Who says scientists can't be conquerors?

Why didn't you say so earlier, Chapter 24!

When Hilko staggered and jogged up to Aaron, Smitch had already vanished.

Even the armored soldiers who were still able to move left with Smitch, leaving behind only a mess in the streets.

"Are you alright?"

From the moment he saw Aaron rush into the battlefield, Hilco started running towards Aaron, without seeing or hearing the direct confrontation between Aaron and Smith.

He was still struggling to control his emotions, nervously pressing down on Aaron's arm, trying to check for any injuries or wounds.

"I'm fine."

Aaron's voice was calmer than I had expected.

He first glanced back at Hilko, a hint of "gratification" flashing in his eyes—it was truly gratifying to see this old stubborn man finally see the light today.

Even if the price is...

Aaron looked around: the devastation around him seemed to be a testament to the terrible disaster.

His shoulders slumped in dejection as he recalled the harsh words Smith had uttered when he left:

"You will eventually return to the embrace of your great ideals!"

At that time, Smith, whose thoughts had been completely seen through, had no idea where Aaron had learned about Urgot.

He gritted his teeth, yet there was nothing he could do.

Because Urgot's orders to him were indeed as Aaron had guessed: to incite a riot in the most bustling and prosperous part of Zaun, and then find an opportunity to bring Aaron back to the Trial Grounds unharmed.

In Urgot's own words, Aaron "deserves" to be valued.

As for what qualifications he possessed—was it the ability to modify those armored monsters whose weaknesses were quickly exploited? Or the ability to further refine chaotic anarchist theories? Urgot didn't say.

Just by looking at Smitchi's desire for revenge but his hesitation, Aaron knew in his heart that he had become Urgot's main target.

"Could it be that I'm actually Jinx, and I've inexplicably attracted Urgot's attention, leading to this huge trouble?"

Aaron chuckled inwardly.

He volunteered to come to the battle in the city, unaware that Hilko was also there. He was simply trying his best to repay the expectations the people of Zaun had for him—everyone said he was the future of Zaun, so he couldn't turn a blind eye to this sudden disaster.

Unexpectedly, he eventually learned that Urgot's madness was inextricably linked to himself.

Could it be that all of this happened because of me?

The resulting sense of guilt is perhaps too heavy to bear...

The streets were visibly like a living hell:

The dried blood, mixed with the armored monster's emerald green fluid, formed dark patches on the ground.

The brutally murdered civilians' corpses, piled together with the disgusting flesh and blood of monsters stripped of their armor, made the bustling market just hours before look like a stinking slaughterhouse.

Sevika and the others, who were still able to move with difficulty, slowly gathered towards the location of Hilko and Aaron, along with the Light Warriors who had not been killed but were suffering from the side effects of the Light.

Under the cover of night, fires were lit everywhere, glowing with an eerie orange-red light.

"I don't think it's my fault."

Aaron refused to wallow in self-pity like Jinx had before, and shook his head vigorously.

He told himself that no matter what Smitch and Urgot said, there was only one truth:

Urgot wanted to expand his influence and get more Zaunites to believe in him, even willingly accept conversion, which led to this human tragedy.

What I need to do is not be distracted by their words and try my best to stop this...

"Get ready to die, Smitch!"

"Hahaha, do you still recognize this big guy?"

Suddenly, that familiar voice barged into Aaron's ears with an arrogant air.

He quickly turned around and saw a huge mech, four meters tall, emerging from the ruins in the direction of the Fugen Tavern not far away!

The mecha gleamed with a sharp, cold light, but some areas that hadn't been wiped clean still had traces of blue or pink graffiti.

It wobbled and couldn't stand steadily at all. It didn't seem to move on its own, but rather as if it was being pushed around.

The girl with the long braid stood on the mecha's shoulder, looking as arrogant as if she were giving a speech:

"Waaah! Get ready to be trampled, you bastard!"

Immediately, a gasp of surprise erupted from the crowd below, interspersed with gasps of astonishment.

Who among Hilko's men doesn't recognize this steel giant that once wreaked havoc but has been scrapped for seven years?

They stared at Jinx in disbelief, and even the usually calm Singed was panting heavily, looking at Hilko with suspicion.

Could it be that this powerful weapon has been repaired, which is why Hilko was so confident just now...?

"Jinx, stop."

Aaron waved his hand helplessly.

"It's alright now, come down from up there."

"I'll show you the true power of iron! You're hurting innocent people like this..."

"Jinx!"

Aaron was so angry he laughed, and he had to call out several times before the girl on the mecha's shoulder noticed him.

"Smith has escaped! Get down from up there right now!"

He had just signaled to Zeli to go back and "get reinforcements," and the so-called "reinforcements" were this prototype mech that had long been unable to move.

According to the original plan, he did not think that after he had seized the armored monster's weakness and launched a fierce attack, Smitch would have no other trump cards left.

Therefore, Aaron made plans in advance. Before leaving the Fugen Tavern, he instructed the three people around him to find a way to prepare the prototype mech that had been scrapped for a long time and had even become Jinx's graffiti canvas.

He plans to have Jinx bring out this big guy at a crucial moment!

Even though Aaron knew that as long as he didn't submit the order, the mecha would remain in a state of disrepair and would still be unable to move.

But others don't know that!

Especially Smith, who sank into the trench three years ago, had personally witnessed the power of this prototype mech.

Three years of silence was enough time for him to use his imagination to conjure up a picture of Aaron having repaired the mecha!

By then, as long as Smith believes he doesn't have any trump cards that can absolutely defeat the mechs, and as long as Jinx doesn't reveal any weaknesses, Aaron's intimidation tactics will be a great success.

No one expected what would happen next—Aaron turned out to be someone Urgat specifically designated as someone Smitch absolutely could not harm.

So when Jinx, with his wheeled mech wobbling along, "made his appearance," the fierce yet anticlimactic battle was already over...

"Huh? No way..."

Jinx jumped off the mech's shoulder, and after hearing Aaron's explanation, her frustration was palpable.

She didn't even bother to introduce Zeli and Caitlin to the people around her, including Hilko—it was these two girls who had managed to create the illusion that the mech was still functional by pulling the mech with all their might using the force-electrifying clamps.

"I don't care!"

Jinx stood with her hands on her hips, sulking like a child:

"Anyway, I scared Smit away with my mech! I, I deserve all the credit!"

"Alright, alright, you deserve the most credit."

"Thanks to you piloting the mech to join the battle, otherwise Smith wouldn't have been scared away."

Clearly, Jinx needed a sense of participation, so Aaron could only go along with it and awkwardly laugh twice in front of everyone.

Just as he was about to skip over the little incident caused by Jinx and seriously discuss with Hilco and the others what changes Urgot's appearance would bring to Zaun, Aaron suddenly froze.

He stood there, stunned, and even the slow-witted Sevika could tell he was in a daze.

"Hey, Aaron?"

Jinx thought Aaron was annoyed by her boasting earlier, so she scratched her head a little embarrassedly and nudged Aaron's ankle with her toe.

"You know, I just really want to help you."

"So what you said just now wasn't really about...feeding? What's wrong with you?!"

After saying a few words, Jinx realized that Aaron wasn't listening at all.

Not only that, she also noticed that Aaron's expression changed from unbelievable ecstasy to extreme embarrassment and anger in a short period of time.

It was like riding a roller coaster.

"Hey, you..."

Jinx nudged Aaron worriedly.

She had no idea that right after Aaron characterized her moving the wrecked mecha as "piloting a mecha in combat," a system voice, audible only to Aaron, suddenly rang out without warning—

[You fully affirmed Jinx's actions in piloting the Shadowcraft Prototype in combat, giving it high praise, and the overall evaluation is "a successful tactical intimidation"]

[The black box is currently processing the settlement... Settlement complete]

Research Assistant (Jinx) Experience Points +10

Research Assistant (Jinx) has been upgraded to Level 2 and has obtained "Jinx's Inspiration - Instinct Level".