After noticing the movement of the camera on the Jaeger, the triplet pilots used the machine's complex sensor array to clearly capture the solitary figure on the high platform of the distant Taoist temple.
A tiny human, sitting in silence on a coastline about to turn into a battlefield.
"Command Center, a civilian has been spotted remaining in the danger zone, coordinates..."
The eldest of the triplets, acting as the main pilot, reported quickly. Every second was crucial now. Monsters could burst from the dark depths of the sea at any moment. Should they divert their attention to deal with a civilian who ignored all warnings?
The global live broadcast also precisely captured this scene. Under the high-definition lens, Ian's figure formed a sharp contrast with the colossal Crimson Typhoon. The online comment section ignited instantly, splitting into two major camps.
"Save him! That's a human life!"
"What is the PPDC doing? Why haven't they sent someone to drag him away?"
"Life is paramount! We cannot abandon anyone!"
The voices from the other side were sharp and biting.
"Save him? Like hell! He's looking for death! The monsters are almost here!"
"Should Crimson Typhoon take risks for an idiot like this?"
"It's him! I thought he looked suspicious before, and now he's refusing to leave—it's definitely intentional!"
"Wasting public resources, interfering with military operations! Just shoot him!"
Barrages of comments in various languages flooded the screens, making the already tense pre-war atmosphere even more chaotic.
Just as the noisy debate reached its peak, an anomaly suddenly occurred.
BOOM—!!!
The surface of the offshore waters suddenly exploded, sending up a giant wave dozens of meters high. A massive, swift black shadow tore through the water curtain, rushing out of the sea with a sharp whistling sound.
It was the Kaiju, Otachi!
Its speed far exceeded the system's assessment, and even more deadly was its cunning angle of attack. It lunged from the blind spot behind Crimson Typhoon just as the machine turned its head. A giant claw, shimmering with a ghostly blue glow, tore through the air and struck with a violent swing.
SPLAT—!
The ear-piercing sound of tearing metal rang out.
Caught off guard, Crimson Typhoon's thick red armor was ripped open, leaving a massive gash. Sparks flew everywhere. Countless fragments of parts were sent flying. The massive frame instantly lost its balance, and over a thousand tons of weight crashed toward the side.
"CRASH!"
Crimson Typhoon fell heavily into the shallow waters, kicking up a massive wave that toppled several buildings along the shore. Inside the cockpit, red lights flashed, and the ear-piercing alarm wailed frantically. The Wei triplets endured a massive impact; the neural link fed back intense pain, and their vision went black for a moment.
[WARNING! Right arm hydraulic system severely damaged!] [WARNING! Gyroscope failure!] [WARNING! Armor integrity at 89%!]
Seeing Crimson Typhoon—the machine everyone had high hopes for, representing the peak of China's Jaeger combat power—suffer such heavy damage in the very first exchange, the global livestream rooms and major forums were instantly swallowed by flames of fury.
"My god! What happened?!"
"An ambush!?"
"That guy on the Taoist temple! It's all his fault!!"
Before countless screens, people's eyes turned red with rage. Their fury found an outlet, pouring frantically onto Ian, who was still sitting quietly in the distance.
"He distracted Crimson Typhoon!"
"I told you he was a human traitor! He was providing cover for the monster!"
"Kill him! That bastard!"
"If anything happens to Crimson Typhoon, he is the primary culprit!"
Curses and insults flooded the screens like a tide. In particular, some foreign accounts that already held prejudices against China became extremely malicious.
"See that? This is their level! They can't even manage their own people!"
"They even dragged the Jaeger down! What a waste!"
"The PPDC must punish them severely! Revoke the Hong Kong base's qualifications!"
In the shallow water, Crimson Typhoon struggled to stand up again, relying on the powerful performance of a Mark-4 Jaeger and the stubborn will of its pilots. The damaged hydraulic system roared as metal arms braced against the ground, lifting the massive body.
However, before it could fully stabilize and re-enter the fight, the sea surface on the other side was torn open again by an even more terrifying force.
CRASH—!
An even larger monster, looking like a moving mountain range—the Kaiju, Leatherback—broke through the water. Its thick, rock-like shell reflected the searchlights, emitting an even stronger sense of pressure. Like a battering ram, Leatherback used its thick shoulders covered in bone spikes to slam violently into the side of the struggling Crimson Typhoon.
BANG—!!!
A world-shaking explosion.
Under this powerful impact, the several-thousand-ton Crimson Typhoon was sent flying. Coincidentally, the direction of its flight was exactly toward the Taoist temple where Ian was!
In the broadcast, the massive red blur of the Jaeger cut through the night sky like an out-of-control cannonball, hurtling toward the ancient temple standing alone on the coast. The shadow of the machine expanded rapidly, covering the temple and the tiny, dust-like figure still sitting on the platform.
Online, a massive number of people let out wails of despair and vicious mockery.
"It's over! Crimson Typhoon!"
"No—!"
"Crush him! Crush that nuisance!"
"Let him pose! Now he's going to be turned into meat paste! He deserves it!"
Many people closed their eyes, unable to watch. In their view, the mysterious man in white robes and golden armor was doomed.
Just as the massive iron body of Crimson Typhoon was about to crash down, grinding both the temple and Ian into dust, a sudden change occurred!
Vrrrm—
A low hum, seemingly capable of shaking the soul, rose from beneath the Taoist temple. Accompanied by a violent, earth-shaking tremor.
Crack... crack crack... Dense sounds of shattering rang out. The ground surrounding the entire temple began to break and sink. Then, under the gaze of countless disbelieving eyes, the Taoist temple rose from the ground!
It actually stood up!?
A giant Titan, matching the Warhammer style, stood up with the Taoist temple on its head.
After the dust cleared, the Taoist temple had transformed into a terrifying mechanical Titan, a hundred meters tall, its size even surpassing that of Crimson Typhoon!
The style of this Jaeger was eerie and shocking; its mechanical parts were filled with the industrial violence aesthetics of heavy metal, while the Taoist temple on its head carried a strange sense of holiness. Its left arm hung a massive Macro-cannon, while a menacing close-combat Chainsword was suspended from its right arm.
Energy conduits, like thick blood vessels, flowed between the gaps in its armor.
It was none other than an Emperor-class Titan with a Taoist temple for a head.