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Chapter 18

Yun Xingze was having dinner in the military academy cafeteria with Lu Ranxu, while Oliar sat nearby. The three were discussing the highlights they’d seen during the matches.

“Chi Yu is in our group,” Lu Ranxu said. “His skills are just average—at best an A+ level Storm mech. But he acts so full of himself, and a lot of people actually think he’s cool. Honestly, if his dad weren’t a lieutenant general in the mech corps, where would he get all that confidence?”

At this, Lu Ranxu couldn’t help rolling his eyes. “After the match, Su Zinan even went up to hand him a towel, saying, ‘Bro Yu, you’re so amazing!’ Ugh.”

“There’s a guy named Caleb in our group,” Oliar frowned. “Also A+, piloting a Comet. He almost made the school team last year but had bad luck; got matched against two S-rank opponents in a row and missed the spot. He’s an absolute maniac, dismantling opponents’ mechs like his life depends on it. He tore apart a ten-meter-tall Storm mech until only the cockpit was left.”

“Only the cockpit?” Yun Xingze blinked. “That must have destroyed a lot of parts.”

“Exactly. I heard he’s a pretty notorious third-year,” Oliar pulled up the match footage to show Yun Xingze. “The opponent whose mech he wrecked probably can’t continue the tournament.”

Watching the mech being torn to pieces on the screen, Yun Xingze felt a deep pang of sorrow. How much would it cost to repair that?

He really didn’t want to face an opponent like that.

Just then, Lu Ranxu noticed a message in their class group chat. He put down his spoon. “Hey, check this out the second-round matchups are out.”

Yun Xingze absentmindedly scrolled through the screen while eating fried rice. The moment he saw his own name, he nearly choked.

“C-Caleb?” Yun Xingze repeated the name, staring blankly at Oliar. “The one you just mentioned?”

Lu Ranxu and Oliar both looked up at Yun Xingze.

Their expressions were grim.

“Xingze,” Lu Ranxu said carefully, thinking of Yun Xingze’s ugly mech, “even if yours gets wrecked, it probably won’t be a huge financial loss but getting dismantled like that would still be humiliating. Maybe you should just forfeit?”

Yun Xingze: “Actually, I spent a lot on it too.”

Oliar sighed repeatedly, frowning. “Your first match was impressive, but your opponent was B-rank. There’s a world of difference between that and A+.”

In the class group chat, many were also shocked by the matchups.

“Holy shit, I got matched against a fourth-year?!”

“Is this fair? We’re all noobs here, and suddenly we’re up against so many A-rank monsters?”

“Damn, Caleb’s in this?!”

“Oh man, you’re screwed. @Yun Xingze”

“RIP your mech. @Yun Xingze”

“Bro, I still believe you can last at least a minute. @Yun Xingze”

“The Wingless Angel is really about to lose its wings. @Yun Xingze”

“Those yellow geriatric shoes are gonna get kicked off. @Yun Xingze”

Lu Ranxu defended Yun Xingze indignantly. “The match hasn’t even started, and you’re already writing him off? Who the hell made that shoe comment? That’s just cruel.”

Then he turned to Yun Xingze. “Xingze, if those shoes get knocked off during the match, just raise the surrender flag.”

Oliar: “You could install something like a music box on top of your head that pops out a white flag when there’s danger.”

Yun Xingze: “…”

Before the match even began, everyone was worried about Yun Xingze’s situation.

After dinner, Yun Xingze repeatedly watched Carlo’s match videos in his room. His chain sword moved like a venomous snake, always striking from unexpected angles and leaving deep, vicious gashes on opponents.

To be fair, it wasn’t just his classmates who lacked confidence in him. Yun Xingze knew perfectly well that Carlo’s skills were on an entirely different level from that BA-ranked guy in the previous match. Just watching the footage made one feel the chilling lethality radiating from him.

This guy had already transcended the category of military academy students. Calling him a battlefield mech soldier wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Every move was calculated to completely dismantle the opponent’s mech.

By the ten-minute mark, though the Storm mech pilot put up a valiant fight, he had no choice but to surrender.

This was the only match where the audience didn’t cheer after it ended.

Everyone was too terrified by Carlo’s brutal methods, each worrying about encountering such a madman themselves.

Yun Xingze went on to study Carlo’s past competition footage.

In his first year, Carlo was just a B-ranked Comet mech pilot. By second year, he’d reached A-rank, and in third year climbed to A+, clearly an extremely ambitious military student.

One crucial detail stood out: While Carlo’s fighting style and weapon choices varied dramatically over time, one thing remained constant; his win rate against lightsaber mechs was 90%, with his only loss being against Luo Wenchuan.

But more than winning or losing, Yun Xingze was concerned about his mech getting dismantled. His modified mech barely reached B-rank. Even losing just one arm would hurt both financially and emotionally for days, not to mention affecting subsequent matches.

After careful consideration, he realized he couldn’t go for direct confrontation like last time. Even if he won, the repair costs would be astronomical completely counterproductive.

He joined this competition to make money, not lose it.

If brute force wasn’t the answer, then tactics would have to secure victory.

The next day, Yun Xingze arranged a sparring session with his class’s top Comet mech pilot. A B+ ranked Alpha female who placed 15th in the freshman qualifiers, possessing excellent combat skills.

Though Yun Xingze had brainstormed numerous strategies, two rounds revealed a fundamental problem: Lightsaber mechs carried the fewest weapons. Their pilots relied entirely on reflexes and physical prowess to win.

Or to put it bluntly, in 1v1 combat, lightsaber mechs simply didn’t allow for complex tactics.

In close-quarters combat, Comet mechs with at least six dismantling tools and five destructive weapons clearly held the advantage.

Lightsaber mechs only had two blades; three if you counted the occasional particle cannon or hidden dart launcher. After all, to maintain perfect swordplay synchronization, they couldn’t accommodate many additional components.

After the session, the Alpha girl wiped sweat from her brow, eyeing Yun Xingze’s nearly undamaged mech in amazement. “Damn, ugly as this thing is, it’s crazy agile.”

Yun Xingze remained solemn. “Realistically,” he asked, “what are my chances against Carlo?”

“This…” The girl hesitated, thinking carefully before replying, “To be honest, although Kaleb hasn’t reached S-rank, he’s already the strongest Comet mech pilot in the entire school. He only missed joining the school team last year due to bad luck. Any opponent below A-rank would have a tough time against him.”

As she spoke, she glanced worriedly at Yun Xingze’s mech: “Moreover, Comet mechs are somewhat designed to counter lightsword mechs.”

Yun Xingze fell into deep thought as he observed the opponent’s mech.

Thinking he was discouraged, the girl tried to comfort him: “But your reaction speed is truly impressive. I could barely land a hit on you. You’re still our freshman class’s top seed, don’t give up now.”

Though she said this, it was clear she only spoke to prevent Yun Xingze from losing morale, not actually believing he could defeat Kaleb.

Just then, a vigorous elderly voice rang out from the training hall’s spectator seats: “Scared?”

Yun Xingze looked up to see Zhuo Feiyue, who had somehow appeared in the venue and was watching them from the stands.

“Professor Zhuo?” The girl blinked in surprise before greeting him, “It’s the weekend, shouldn’t you be grocery shopping?”

“Already done.” Zhuo Feiyue vaulted directly from the stands into the arena, approaching Yun Xingze.

Standing before the young man, he asked with an amused chuckle, “The match might be difficult, but surely you’re not intimidated by Kaleb?”

Before Yun Xingze could respond, Zhuo suddenly noticed their footwear and exclaimed in mock surprise, “Oh look, we’re wearing the same shoes.”

Yun Xingze: “…They look nothing alike.” What a savage old man, he thought.

“Just joking,” Zhuo chuckled, patting his shoulder. “Didn’t want you getting too tense.”

His expression then turned serious as he examined Yun Xingze’s mech: “The modifications are excellent; I never realized your refitting skills were this advanced.” Suddenly pivoting, he warned gravely, “But at this level, you’ll need to end the fight quickly against Kaleb, or it’ll become extremely dangerous.”

Zhuo had pinpointed Yun Xingze’s second concern. Beyond tactical limitations against Comet mechs, his B-rank stamina posed the greatest threat. The longer the battle dragged on, the more vulnerable he’d become.

The nearby girl interjected softly, “Professor, please stop frightening him. Lightsword mechs inherently struggle against Comet types even Luo Wenchuan got injured by one in last year’s national championships.”

Zhuo reflexively countered, “That kid only lost because—” before cutting himself off mid-sentence.

Seeing Yun Xingze deep in thought, Zhuo suddenly asked, “Do you know how Comet mechs got their name?”

Puzzled, Yun Xingze ventured, “Because they’re small and fast?”

“Beyond that,” Zhuo smiled meaningfully, “When comets approach stars, solar heat makes them sublimate, creating beautiful comas and tails. But when they drift away? Just dirty snowballs.”

His seemingly tangential analogy perfectly exposed the Comet mech’s fatal weakness.

This mech was designed specifically to dismantle opponents, only effective when in close proximity. Once at a distance, it becomes utterly useless.

Even a single centimeter of separation renders its dismantling tools nothing more than scrap metal, unless it maintains contact with the target for a sufficient duration.

Thus, the best strategy against the Comet Mech is simple: don’t let it touch you.

Even if it does, breaking free quickly can prevent disaster.

This is something the close-combat Storm Mech and Lightsaber Mech struggle with, which is why the last Storm Mech pilot who fought Kalibo was reduced to nothing but its cockpit.

But Yun Xingze’s Lightsaber Mech, despite having some long-range artillery, still primarily relies on melee combat.

What could he do?

Install more long-range cannons?

That didn’t seem feasible. After all, long-range mechs require an enormous amount of firepower, and with only a little over 10,000-star credits left, it was unlikely he could fully convert his mech into a long-range combatant.

For a moment, Yun Xingze seemed stuck in a dilemma.

Leaving the training grounds, he kept pondering how to solve this problem.

Surrounding the training and competition arenas stretched vast cherry blossom groves, now in full bloom, their vibrant pink hues catching Yun Xingze’s eye.

These ancient Earth-origin plants, each worth hundreds of thousands of star credits, were planted generously across Starsea Military Academy as if they cost nothing.

Just then, faint meows echoed from a distance.

A nearby Alpha girl glanced around before pointing at a tall cherry blossom tree. “Look! There’s a cat up there.”

Zhuo Feiyue blinked in surprise. “Our campus greenery really is something plenty of little critters around.”

It was an orange tabby, perched on a swaying branch.

Though cats climb trees naturally, this one seemed injured—its paws were bleeding, staining the cherry blossom petals crimson. It had likely been hurt while hunting mini star-beasts.

Mini star-beasts might resemble mice, but their combat prowess rivals that of cats, often leaving felines wounded.

Another gust of wind sent petals fluttering down. The cat tried descending but, weakened by pain and blood loss, nearly lost its balance, teetering dangerously on the branch several meters above the ground.

A small crowd gathered beneath the tree. Some wanted to climb up but hesitated, fearing the thin trunk might shake and send the cat plummeting.

Yun Xingze hurried forward, about to attempt the climb himself, when a tall figure appeared nearby, instantly quieting the surroundings.

Without hesitation, the figure swiftly scaled a neighboring tree, pressing half his body against a branch while using his weight to bend another closer to the cat.

The onlookers tensed, worried he might fall.

Yun Xingze stared in surprise.

Soon, a large hand gently grasped the cat, and the young man leaped down, landing steadily.

“Wow, so cool!”

“That was so fast!”

“As expected of Luo Wenchuan.”

“Nice moves, Xiao Luo,” Zhuo Feiyue praised, giving him a thumbs-up.

Luo Wenchuan acknowledged him with a nod before pulling disinfectant wipes from his pocket. Carefully, he cleaned the cat’s wounds, his usually sharp eyes softening with rare gentleness and focus enough to make the nearby Omegas blush.

The orange cat remained still, obediently letting him handle it.

Cherry blossom petals drifted down, landing on the boy and the cat, adding a touch of warmth to the scene.

Yun Xingze stared intently at Luo Wenchuan and the cat; his expression thoughtful.

A girl beside him waved her hand in front of his face and whispered, “Yun Xingze, did Senior Luo saving the cat look so cool that it stunned you?”

“I’ve got it.” Yun Xingze’s eyes suddenly lit up as he recalled something the underground black-market boss had given him, excitement bubbling in his voice. “I know how to beat Kalibo.” Not only could he win, but he could also avoid having his mech dismantled.

Not far away, Luo Wenchuan’s fingers paused slightly, and he glanced at him discreetly.

The girl was baffled, asking in surprise, “You’ve got it? How are you going to do it?”

She was puzzled how had Yun Xingze suddenly come up with this idea? What did saving a cat has to do with defeating a Comet mech?

 

athena
Author: athena

After Becoming a Cannon Fodder Omega, He Turned Totally Alpha!

After Becoming a Cannon Fodder Omega, He Turned Totally Alpha!

Status: Completed Author:
Yun Xingze was transmigrated into an ABO novel as a cannon-fodder Omega. His family had fallen, and his fiancé didn’t like him. According to the original plot, he was a love-obsessed person who gave everything for the male lead, Chi Yu, but ended up with a broken engagement. In the end, he died from an infection after cutting his glands. As a former mecha genius, Yun Xingze said: "I'm busy. I’m not playing this game anymore." After tearing up the script, he became obsessed with mechas and planned to fulfill the mecha dream he couldn't achieve in his past life. Delicate and weak Omegas usually weren’t fit to pilot mechas. But that year, in the mecha competition at Xinghai Military Academy, a freshman Omega named Yun Xingze appeared, piloting a pitiful-looking second-hand mecha. Everyone thought he had been mentally affected by the broken engagement and were ready to laugh at him— But they were shocked to see Yun Xingze beat a whole group of Alphas with his mecha! Everyone:??? Is this even possible?! Even more shocking things followed— Yun Xingze broke the winning streak record of the mecha competition! A mecha designed by Yun Xingze was sold at an auction for an extremely high price! Mecha technology created by Yun Xingze was fought over by all interstellar mecha companies! Now, the whole galaxy wanted to cling to him! * After the engagement was canceled, Chi Yu kept waiting for Yun Xingze to regret it. But the one who ended up regretting it was Chi Yu himself. Fortunately, the Empire had a rule: A highly matched Alpha and Omega must be together. Yun Xingze was destined to become his fiancé. But during the engagement banquet, before Chi Yu could propose, Yun Xingze coldly smiled and cut his own glands— Just like how it was described in the original novel, his pheromones drifted in the air, fading like a rose withering quickly. Chi Yu was both shocked and heartbroken. But before he could do anything, a tall figure suddenly picked Yun Xingze up and carried him out of the banquet. Everyone looked surprised. Even Yun Xingze stared in shock at the man holding him— He was Luo Wenchuan, the villain in the original story. The second prince of the Interstellar Empire. Tall, handsome, cold as ice, and distant from everyone. But at this moment, his eyes were red with worry.

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