As they left the academic affairs office, Yun Xingze deliberately maintained some distance between them.
Luo Wenchuan stopped at a quiet corner of the hallway and turned to face Yun Xingze.
“Senior Luo, thank you for helping me,” Yun Xingze said earnestly. “I originally just wanted to ask you to testify for me, but I never expected you to actively find evidence. How did you even know about this situation?”
“Professor Zhuo told me,” Luo Wenchuan replied calmly, his expression unreadable in the dim light. “After learning about it, I went to check the surveillance footage.”
Yun Xingze took a deep breath before continuing, “I don’t know how to thank you—not just for this, but for last time too. If possible, I’d be happy to modify your mech for free. As for becoming your personal mech engineer.”
“Don’t refuse or agree just yet,” Luo Wenchuan interrupted evenly, his sharp eyes fixed on Yun Xingze. “I said what I did earlier because I genuinely have been considering it, but more importantly, I wanted to help you out of that situation.”
Yun Xingze froze in surprise.
“Being my mech engineer would involve heavy workloads,” Luo Wenchuan paused briefly before adding, “Think it over carefully before giving me your answer.”
It was clear Luo Wenchuan didn’t want to pressure Yun Xingze into accepting because of this incident.
“As for this matter, I’ll continue investigating,” Luo Wenchuan pressed his lips together slightly. “It’s not just about you—the nature of this incident is serious, and the school board has been looking for opportunities to clean up campus conduct.”
Yun Xingze suddenly grew curious about Luo Wenchuan’s identity.
Why did he carry such weight with the dean? Was it simply because he was the school’s strongest mech pilot?
But before Yun Xingze could ask, Luo Wenchuan gave him a slight nod and turned to leave, his tall figure cutting a striking silhouette against the hallway.
Everything he’d done seemed like just another official matter, completely unrelated to Yun Xingze, and he clearly expected nothing in return.
Su Zinan and Chi Yu had failed to harm Yun Xingze—instead, Dean Huang and Karl found themselves in serious trouble, soon to face investigation and accountability from the school board.
They immediately regretted helping Chi Yu and desperately wanted to distance themselves from the whole affair.
Chi Yu’s expression darkened as he asked Dean Huang, “Have you lost your mind? That Luo Wenchuan came from some backwater planet he doesn’t have any family connections or background.”
“Don’t you dare say another word about that!” Dean Huang exploded with anger. “Chi Yu, you’ve completely ruined me this time! Both of you, get out now!”
The mere thought of Luo Wenchuan reporting him to the school board made Dean Huang’s legs tremble and cold sweat break out.
Suddenly remembering something, Dean Huang rushed out to apologize to Yun Xingze, only to find both Yun Xingze and Luo Wenchuan already gone, leaving him filled with bitter regret.
Su Zinan rolled her eyes. “Even if Luo Wenchuan has some influence with the school board, it can’t compare to Chi Yu’s. Dean Huang, aren’t you being a bit too cowardly.”
“And you!” Director Huang angrily pointed at Su Zinan. “Do you think you’re so clever?! If Luo Wenchuan didn’t have skills and means, how could he possibly have intricate connections with the school board?!”
Both Su Zinan and Chi Yu froze, while Karl beside them had already started writing a self-criticism, trying to avoid expulsion.
“Luo Wenchuan is just a…” Su Zinan wanted to say something more, but suddenly remembered his banned forum account. All his words stuck in his throat as he widened his eyes in shock.
“Get out, all of you!” Director Huang was furious at the sight of them and directly pushed them out. “So damn annoying!”
However, he truly hadn’t expected that unremarkable first-year student to actually gain Luo Wenchuan’s favor.
This time, they were really in trouble.
Wiping sweat from his forehead, Director Huang dialed the principal’s number, bowing and scraping as he said, “Principal, I might have made a small mistake in my work recently…”
After leaving the school’s administration building, Yun Xingze ran into Zhu Feiyue and Lu Ranxu on his way back to the dorm.
“Xingze, someone framed you?!” Lu Ranxu asked anxiously. “It must have been that green tea bitch Su Zinan! I’m going to find him right now.”
“Senior Luo Wenchuan testified for me, and he said the school board would investigate,” Yun Xingze stopped Lu Ranxu. “As for Su Zinan, he definitely won’t get away with it.”
Hearing this, Zhu Feiyue sighed in relief. When he first heard about the incident, he thought it might be too late, but he hadn’t expected Luo Wenchuan to act so swiftly.
Seems like he really cares about this 95% compatibility match.
Noticing Zhu Feiyue’s “knowing uncle smile,” Lu Ranxu glared at him. “Professor Zhu, what are you smiling about?! What’s so funny?!”
“Ahem, I was just thinking how Luo Wenchuan truly lives up to being every Omega’s dream Alpha,” Zhu Feiyue began praising Luo Wenchuan in a roundabout way. “Fair and just, highly efficient, and most importantly, handsome with a great physique. I hear he’s also very considerate in private.”
“Stop right there,” Yun Xingze frowned, looking at Zhu Feiyue in confusion. “How do you know so much? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were Luo Wenchuan’s father.”
Zhu Feiyue paled in shock. “What are you saying?! How could I possibly be the… his father! That’s not a joke you should make!”
“Why not?” Lu Ranxu was equally baffled. “Is Luo Wenchuan some kind of royalty or something?”
Zhu Feiyue: “…”
After a moment of speechlessness, Zhu Feiyue turned to Yun Xingze and asked, “So, did he say anything to you?”
“He asked me to be his mecha engineer,” Yun Xingze scratched his head. “But he also told me to think it over carefully and not rush into a decision.”
Lu Ranxu’s jaw dropped, taking a long moment to process this. “L-Luo Wenchuan asked you to be his mecha engineer?! Isn’t he O-phobic?!”
Yun Xingze was equally bewildered. “Yeah, isn’t he O-phobic…”
“Ahem, Yun, you really should think it over carefully,” Zhu Feiyue said seriously. “This concerns your… uh, your mecha career, after all.”
Yun Xingze nodded vaguely and said slowly, “If he’s genuinely offering, I’ll give it serious consideration.”
After all, Luo Wenchuan had helped him so many times, and he was truly grateful.
But this was a job; it couldn’t be done well just out of gratitude. It required mutual understanding between both parties.
Once he became Luo Wenchuan’s mecha engineer, he would have to face the other’s “phobia of Omegas” and an immense workload, all while dealing with the expectations tied to the “strongest fighter in the school team.” It was a serious matter.
As for the salary, he didn’t really care. He could even consider it repayment for Luo Wenchuan’s past help.
After making his decision, Yun Xingze was about to meet Luo Wenchuan to give his answer when something unexpected happened.
Lu Ranxu was matched against Su Zinan in the fourth round.
Upon hearing the news, Lu Ranxu was first stunned, then his spirits soared. He turned to Yun Xingze and declared, “Xingze, I have to avenge you I’m going to smash that green-tea bitch’s head in!”
Yun Xingze, however, wasn’t as optimistic. “Ranxu, Su Zinan… he does have skill. You’ll need to be careful.”
After all, Su Zinan had been the strongest Omega last year, ranking tenth in the school’s mecha tournament points and securing a spot as a reserve member of the school team.
Both Su Zinan and Lu Ranxu piloted Meteor-class mechas.
But Lu Ranxu was only a first-year student with a B-rank piloting ability, having lost one of his first three matches.
Su Zinan, on the other hand, was an A-rank pilot with three consecutive wins.
“Why be afraid of him?” Lu Ranxu was practically itching to step into the arena and beat Su Zinan up. “Xingze, I know everything he’s done to you. I can’t swallow this anger I’ll make sure he knows he’s not the only Omega who can pilot a mecha!”
Yun Xingze hadn’t expected such fierce loyalty from Lu Ranxu. He froze for a moment, touched. “Ranxu… thank you. Here’s what we’ll do I’ll modify your mecha for you. It might be a bit rushed, but—”
Seeing the gratitude in Yun Xingze’s eyes, mixed with a hint of worry, Lu Ranxu said slowly, “Xingze, I know what you’re thinking. Su Zinan is strong, but I promise you I’ll fight him until the very last second.”
Hearing this, Yun Xingze didn’t argue further. Instead, he pulled Lu Ranxu into a brief hug and said solemnly, “Do your best. I’ll definitely be there to watch.”
And so, Yun Xingze threw himself into modifying Lu Ranxu’s mecha, temporarily putting off his reply to Luo Wenchuan’s offer.
Unlike Yun Xingze, Lu Ranxu’s psychic abilities had plateaued at B-rank for a long time. Though he trained diligently, his progress was slow, and his control over his psychic energy was average he couldn’t possibly operate a mecha beyond his rank.
Because of this, Yun Xingze avoided using overly complex materials during the modifications, ensuring the mecha’s difficulty wouldn’t exceed Lu Ranxu’s piloting capabilities.
After reviewing Su Zinan’s matches together, they noticed one thing despite his despicable behavior, Su Zinan had a ruthless edge in battle, often catching opponents off guard.
“I’ve heard that Su Zinan, like Luo Wenchuan, comes from a wasteland planet,” Lu Ranxu remarked with a frown after watching the footage. “People like them grew up in chaos and darkness. Their fighting style is all about ending battles quickly and they don’t hold back.”
Yun Xingze, familiar with the original story, knew this well. Su Zinan was indeed a venomous lotus from the wastelands, a schemer who, in the original plot, had almost no equal.
“Ran Xu, you’re not bad,” Yun Xingze said, looking at Lu Ranxu. “Although your mech isn’t as strong as his, you can hold out for about ten minutes. But there’s something I need to warn you about.”
At this point, Yun Xingze paused, his expression turning serious. “If you’re still at a disadvantage after eight minutes, you should consider ending the match. The Meteor mech has been using ranged attacks the entire time. If you fall behind, given Su Zinan’s style he won’t let you off easy.”
“Right, I’ve got a good grasp of it.” Lu Ranxu nodded earnestly.
After helping Lu Ranxu analyze Su Zinan’s combat style and modifying some components and functions of the mech, the fourth round of the competition arrived swiftly.
Yun Xingze’s opponent in the fourth round was a B+ ranked female beta. He won more easily and quickly this time, eager to watch Lu Ranxu’s match.
Upon arriving at Arena A, Yun Xingze saw that Lu Ranxu and Su Zinan’s battle had already been underway for three minutes.
Su Zinan’s mech and skills were superior to Lu Ranxu’s, clearly taking the upper hand from the start.
The crowd around was full of praise for Su Zinan.
“Su Zinan is truly impressive, living up to being the strongest omega.”
“His dual-star mech piloting skills must have reached A+ level, right? He’ll probably make the school team again this year.”
“He’s too strong. The other omega is hardly worth watching.”
Yun Xingze held his breath nervously, his heart suspended midair as the battle grew increasingly intense.
The clash between the two meteor mechs created a dazzling spectacle.
Su Zinan relentlessly fired at Lu Ranxu, like starlight in broad daylight, yet with an aggressive ferocity. High-temperature destructive cannons and low-temperature deceleration shots alternated in their assault on Lu Ranxu’s mech, who dodged while seeking counterattack opportunities.
Finally, as Su Zinan prepared to switch his cannon’s firing mode, Lu Ranxu dodged the high-energy ion cannon at an incredibly tricky angle, leaping forward to fire several shots at Su Zinan’s head.
“Damn, how did that mech suddenly speed up?!”
“That’s not possible! Wasn’t it slow just now?”
“That move didn’t seem like something a B-rank could pull off!”
“Is Su Zinan about to get headshot?!”
Only Yun Xingze knew this was the significant effect of the modifications he’d made to Lu Ranxu’s mech’s propulsion and firing systems.
However, Su Zinan, true to his A+ rank, reacted swiftly and seized the chance to counterattack. Soon, several shots struck Lu Ranxu’s mech’s legs!
Yun Xingze’s eyes widened.
Eight minutes into the match, Lu Ranxu was clearly at a disadvantage and should have conceded.
But to Yun Xingze’s surprise, the mech, despite its damaged legs, endured the pain, dodging attacks while continuing to fight back, successfully landing hits on Su Zinan’s mech!
Yet these few shots were like a drop in the bucket, and Lu Ranxu only sank deeper into the quagmire.
Su Zinan showed no mercy, relentlessly attacking Lu Ranxu’s injured legs. Inside his mech, he smirked coldly, determined to cripple Lu Ranxu’s mobility.
Shot after shot after shot.
Yun Xingze’s breathing grew increasingly ragged as he watched Lu Ranxu’s mech anxiously, yet no surrender came.
At the fifteen-minute mark, Lu Ranxu’s mech knelt on the ground, but he stubbornly raised his arm cannon, facing Su Zinan’s barrage with everything he had.
“What’s that guy trying to do?”
“I think he’s trying to drag down Su Zinan’s performance score.”
“Damn, that makes sense!”
Yun Xingze swallowed hard and couldn’t help shouting, “Lu Ranxu! Don’t push yourself!”
But his voice was drowned out by the surrounding cheers. Su Zinan had already won the match.
Lu Ranxu was beaten to the point of unbearable pain. After exiting the mecha, he could barely stand. Su Zinan arrogantly lifted his chin and sneered, “Omegas like you and Yun Xingze only deserve to study laundry and cooking at Omega Academy. Understood?”
