Chapter 32: Understanding the Threat: A Guide to Danger Levels

“Danger levels?” Cheng Lan offered a faint smile. “That’s an excellent question.”

“You won’t charge me for answering that, will you…?” Qin Jinxuan asked timidly.

“Do you truly take me for such a person?” Cheng Lan cast an exasperated glance her way. “Consider this common knowledge for the future. I haven’t stooped so low as to demand payment for sharing basic information.”

“Oh, good, then I can relax.” Qin Jinxuan let out a breath, straightening her posture and adopting an attentive expression, ready to absorb his words.

“In essence, whether they originate from the Beast World (TL Note:  a dimension populated by monstrous creatures) or the Mech World (TL Note:  a dimension dominated by intelligent machines), these entities are generally categorized into six distinct threat levels: E, D, C, B, A, and S.”

“That sounds just like how monsters are ranked in games,” Qin Jinxuan couldn’t help but mutter under her breath.

“Don’t interrupt,” Cheng Lan admonished, tapping the table to signal her to listen intently. “Now, I’ll elaborate on the precise distinctions between each level, lest you find yourself in danger without a clue.”

“First, there’s E-class. E-class designates creatures and mechs that pose either a low threat or no threat at all. For instance, the mosquitos and unmanned reconnaissance drones we encountered previously fall into this category.”

“That mosquito was only E-class?” The young woman registered a hint of surprise.

Cheng Lan nodded, continuing, “Next up is D-class. D-class represents creatures and mechs that pose a serious threat to ordinary people and D-class Etheric ability users (TL Note: individuals who can wield Etheric Energy).”

“Do Etheric abilities also have classifications?” Qin Jinxuan immediately seized on this point, her curiosity piqued as she pressed for more information.

“Precisely, but I’ll delve into that later,” Cheng Lan stated, waving a hand to steer the conversation back. “The Tyrannosaurus we faced earlier, along with the Ghostblade X-7, both belong to this D-class category.”

“Hold on a moment, didn’t you say the Ghostblade X-7 could hunt down a Tyrannosaurus? How can those two be classified under the same level?”

“There’s no changing it; that’s simply how the authorities have designated them,” Cheng Lan said, shrugging helplessly. “Consequently, some people later created sub-categories like D-, D, and D+, with the Tyrannosaurus being a D and the Ghostblade X-7 a D+. However, I find such detailed distinctions overly cumbersome, so for the sake of simplicity, we’ll stick to the official broad classifications. You only need to understand that they collectively represent a D-class threat.”

Cheng Lan picked up his coffee, took a sip to clear his throat, and resumed speaking: “Following that is C-class. C-class creatures and mechs exhibit a significant leap in destructive power compared to their D-class counterparts. For instance, if a C-class creature were to appear in a small village on Blue Star, it could, at its quickest, devastate the entire settlement within ten minutes, or at most, half an hour.”

“Wouldn’t that be incredibly dangerous?” Qin Jinxuan frowned, her concern evident.

“Indeed,” Cheng Lan affirmed with a nod. “Consequently, when it comes to engaging C-class targets, coordinated team operations are generally recommended, though special circumstances do exist.”

“What sort of special circumstances?”

“Me.”

Qin Jinxuan rolled her eyes, instantly regretting having posed the question.

“Alright, alright, I get it; you’re incredibly strong.”

“Furthermore, some C-class creatures are capable of wielding elements as their primary means of attack.”

“Elements? What exactly are those?”

“That’s also connected to Etheric abilities, and I’ll explain it when we discuss those,” Cheng Lan dismissed with a wave of his hand. “In short, with your current delicate physique, should you encounter a C-class target, your safest bet is to dutifully hide behind me.”

“Then I’ll rely on you, my invincible Lord Cheng Lan~” Qin Jinxuan teased, winking at Cheng Lan.

“Oh, right, do mechs not use elements?” she inquired.

“No, they don’t,” Cheng Lan replied, shaking his head. “Likewise, they cannot employ Etheric abilities. However, this doesn’t preclude them from fabricating elemental weaponry.”

‘No wonder I’ve never witnessed Lidoa use any Etheric abilities,’ the young woman mused silently.

“Next, we have B-class,” Cheng Lan’s voice recaptured her attention. “Upon reaching B-class, the danger posed by creatures and mechs escalates significantly. In terms of defense, for B-class targets, all firearms on Blue Star are utterly incapable of inflicting even a scratch; only heavy artillery and similar armaments can deliver effective damage.”

“As for their destructive capabilities, they’re beyond compare. Buildings constructed of reinforced concrete are no different from paper maché in the eyes of these entities. Whether it takes a single devastating blow or several powerful strikes, the outcome remains the same: utter obliteration.”

“Incidentally, purely in terms of structural integrity, Lidoa herself is a B-class mech. If we were to categorize more precisely, she might even qualify as a B+.”

Qin Jinxuan followed his gaze to see Lidoa bustling about the room, wiping down the coffee table one moment, tidying cushions the next, showing not the slightest hint of anything “dangerous.”

Her mouth fell open slightly, her mind reeling with shock. ‘To think that beneath Lidoa’s soft, unassuming exterior lay such astonishing destructive power!’

“The second-to-last classification—A-class,” Cheng Lan continued, his tone notably more somber than before. “By the time we reach A-class, only missiles of a certain yield or large-caliber artillery can effectively counter them. A-class creatures represent the apex of the ecological chain; only another A-class creature can truly contend with one.”

“As for mechs of A-class danger, their threat level cannot be simply judged by their destructive force. Some A-class mechs possess incredibly robust chassis and are equipped with a variety of highly lethal weaponry. Others function like mobile armories, capable of endlessly deploying additional units. Still other A-class mechs are little more than programs, yet they can swiftly hack into and control all surrounding intelligent devices, turning them into instruments of attack.”

“If A-class is already this outrageous, then what about S-class?”

“The danger of S-class can be succinctly summarized in two words: ‘natural disaster’.”

“Natural disaster?”

“You know Godzilla, right?”

Qin Jinxuan nodded.

“Every single S-class target is comparable to Godzilla, and some particularly formidable ones might even be more potent. Regardless, given the current circumstances, Blue Star possesses no means whatsoever to contend with S-class targets,” Cheng Lan stated dispassionately.

A temporary silence settled over the room.

“Ahem, ahem,” Cheng Lan cleared his throat softly, aiming to lighten the mood. “There’s no need to be so tense. At this stage, let alone A- or S-class, you’re unlikely to even encounter a C-class target, much less those more formidable entities.”

“That’s a relief,” Qin Jinxuan sighed deeply, her taut shoulders finally relaxing. “But… why is that?”

“The more powerful a creature or mech, the more dependent it is on Etheric Energy,” Cheng Lan explained. “To put it another way, only an environment rich in Etheric Energy can sustain their formidable strength.”

Cheng Lan paused, then added, “Currently, the Etheric Energy on Blue Star is far too sparse. Consequently, the World Rifts (TL Note: 世界裂隙, dimensional tears connecting to other worlds) that appear on Blue Star can only link to low-concentration Etheric Energy environments. This is precisely why these rifts are temporary—insufficient energy prevents the formation of stable passages.”

“Only when Blue Star’s Etheric Energy becomes abundant in the future might stable World Passages emerge. At that point, we will truly face the possibility of confronting those far more dangerous targets.”

“So… will those creatures and mechs from other worlds just come pouring through the rifts now?” Qin Jinxuan still harbored some worry, her fingertips unconsciously picking at the corner of the table.

“It’s impossible at this stage,” Cheng Lan responded, shaking his head. “As for the future, well, that’s another matter.”

“So, we’re still destined to face those ridiculously powerful enemies sooner or later, aren’t we?” The young woman’s tone grew heavy once more.

“It’s not a major concern,” Cheng Lan said, leaning back in his chair, his voice brimming with confidence. “I’m growing stronger too. It’s not as if I haven’t hunted S-class targets in my previous life.”