“Actually, I wasn’t supposed to tell you this,” Zhuo Feiyue looked at Yun Xingze, his eyes filled with a bit of sympathy. “But as your teacher, I still hope you continue studying mecha.”
Zhuo Feiyue hadn’t liked Yun Xingze much before. He thought Yun Xingze’s personality change was just a phase. But after learning what happened between him and Chi Yu, Zhuo Feiyue began to feel a little sorry for the kid.
Yun Xingze was very grateful for Zhuo Feiyue’s advice. Then, Zhuo Feiyue told him that if he still wasn’t familiar with the audition-style competition, he could go back and try a simulation game developed for mecha lovers called Mecha Planet.
“Although the game doesn’t require mental strength or physical stamina, its racing mode is similar to the real competition. Practice it more,” Zhuo Feiyue said.
It was nearly impossible for Yun Xingze to greatly improve his stamina in just three days. Instead, getting familiar with the rules and using them to his advantage was the better strategy.
Back in the dorm, Yun Xingze planned to download Mecha Planet, but when he turned on the optical brain, he saw that the game was already installed.
The original body had left behind a game pod it looked expensive and very new.
Yun Xingze got into the pod and launched Mecha Planet. On the login screen, he saw the original owner’s username: Chi Yu’s Little Star.
His hand trembled, and he almost threw up his dinner from last night. He instinctively wanted to delete the account.
But thinking it over, it didn’t seem right to casually delete someone else’s private account. He sighed, chose to hide the account, and registered a new one under the name: I’m So Weak.
Compared to the other players, who all had A-level or higher physical and mental strength, Yun Xingze truly felt weak. That’s why he needed to get used to competitions through this holographic game.
The interface of Mecha Planet was simple. Although it was holographic, it didn’t have flashy decorations. Entering the game felt like sitting in a real mecha cockpit, and all game modes were easy to find.
Yun Xingze skipped the tutorial and jumped straight into racing mode.
The racing mode was very similar to the military school’s audition: a group of players selects mechas and races through a complex obstacle course.
After a few rounds, Yun Xingze started to understand the tricks.
First, teaming up was better than going solo giant mechanical beasts and star beasts were hard to deal with alone.
Second, finding the right route was more effective than just rushing forward since the track was maze-like and complex.
Lastly, avoid conflict with other mechas. Although, in the game, this wasn’t very practical some players just loved to mess with others for fun.
Among the crowd of mechas, Yun Xingze’s ID stood out. While others had fierce, cool names, his sounded weak on purpose it was impossible not to notice.
He encountered a few players who tried to harass him, but he didn’t get mad. Most of the time, those players ended up getting beat down.
[System: “I’m So Weak” used a lightsaber mecha to destroy “I’m a Tough Alpha’s” Meteor mecha.]
[System: “I’m So Weak” used a lightsaber mecha to destroy “Hammer Baby Cry’s” Storm mecha.]
[…]
[System: “I’m So Weak” achieved a 10-hit combo.]
[System: Congratulations! “I’m So Weak” took 1st place with a time of 18:53.24.]
Yun Xingze consistently placed in the top three after getting the hang of it. Of course, it helped that the game didn’t test physical or mental stamina.
In real competitions, things might not go this smoothly.
In one round, Yun Xingze ran into several strong players and had a hard time keeping up. He was attacked a lot, and his speed nearly fell behind. In the end, he managed to jump past three obstacles in a row and finished second.
The first-place player had a short, simple ID: L.
His style was aggressive—he left everyone behind at the start and faced all the dense firepower and obstacles alone. It was clear that “L” was very experienced.
Yun Xingze suddenly wanted to add him as a friend and sent a request, but “L” logged off without responding. Yun Xingze felt it was a shame. He wasn’t looking for tips—he just wanted to spar.
His instincts told him that “L” must be an exceptional mecha warrior.
Mecha Planet’s PvP mode was extremely popular, with rankings updated monthly. Yun Xingze opened the leaderboard out of curiosity and saw “L” ranked first in the Solo PvP Leaderboard, using the same lightsaber mecha.
His instincts were right.
Near Xinghai Military University, there was a high-end mecha repair shop. Most students and teachers who came here were quite wealthy.
As Zhuo Feiyue walked in, a staff member greeted him warmly. “Old Zhuo, haven’t seen you in a while.”
“Been busy with classes,” Zhuo Feiyue replied with a smile, handing over a camo-colored mecha cube.
“Routine check or modification?” the staff asked.
“This mecha has a misjudged rating. I’d like you to reassess it,” Zhuo Feiyue replied.
The staff looked puzzled. Mecha rating procedures were very strict—mistakes were rare. But he nodded and took the mecha to the rating room.
Zhuo Feiyue watched the staff’s back thoughtfully. Lately, he had been paying close attention to Yun Xingze and noticed great changes. What caught his eye most was Yun Xingze activating a B-class mecha.
With only C-level mental power, it should have been impossible—unless Yun Xingze was a genius or a seasoned veteran.
But if he were a genius, why hadn’t he improved his mental power and stayed stuck at C?
The only explanation left was: the mecha had a problem.
Re-rating took time, so Zhuo Feiyue waited. Suddenly, another person entered the shop.
It was a student wearing Xinghai’s uniform. His clothes were the same as others, but he carried an unmistakable air of nobility.
Zhuo Feiyue was stunned for a few seconds. When he recognized the boy, he quickly asked, “Xiao Luo, here for a repair?”
“Yes,” the boy nodded. His voice was magnetic and calm. “Hello, Professor Zhuo.”
Another technician glanced at him and joked, “Luo Wenchuan, does your mecha even need repairs? Last time, it was just a tiny scratch on the left arm.”
Zhuo Feiyue chuckled too. “He’s right. No one in Xinghai can even land a hit on your mecha.”
Luo Wenchuan handed over his mecha cube. “There’s a match coming up.”
His tone was calm and polite, yet also distant.
After taking the cube, the technician left. Zhuo Feiyue asked, “Xiao Luo, planning to break a record in the audition?”
Luo Wenchuan had just played a round of Mecha Planet. He hadn’t touched the racing mode in a while but still easily came in first.
However, the second-place player had only been a few seconds behind.
That meant his skills had slipped.
“We’ll see,” Luo Wenchuan replied.
“Honestly, with your skills, no one in school lasts five minutes against you,” Zhuo Feiyue joked. “Isn’t it boring?”
Luo Wenchuan didn’t respond.
Just then, the technician returned with a scan of the mecha. “No issues.”
“The elbow was modified,” Luo Wenchuan said while studying the diagram. “Any effect on other parts?”
The staff checked carefully, then replied in surprise, “None. Everything tested perfectly. The modification was very well done.”
Modifying a mecha was like modifying a body—one small change could affect the whole system. That’s why Luo Wenchuan had come to check.
Zhuo Feiyue leaned in, curious. After a while, he widened his eyes. “Wow… this elbow was really modified? No trace left at all. Which top workshop did it?”
“Private mecha engineer,” Luo Wenchuan answered calmly. “From our school.”
“What?!” Zhuo Feiyue was shocked. “A mecha engineer from Xinghai? Which professor?”
“A student.”
Zhuo Feiyue started questioning life. “A student? With this level of skill?”
Luo Wenchuan fell silent.
At first, he thought the elbow mod wasn’t a big deal. But after using the mecha for days, he realized how complex the change really was.
“What’s their name?” Zhuo Feiyue asked, curious.
“I don’t know,” Luo Wenchuan replied.
“You don’t know them?” Zhuo Feiyue was surprised. “Why not get to know them? Maybe they can be your personal engineer.”
Luo Wenchuan didn’t answer. He just looked at the scan, deep in thought.
At that moment, the reassessment of Zhuo Feiyue’s mecha was finished. The staff handed it back. “Rated B-class. No problems.”
Zhuo Feiyue froze.
If the rating wasn’t wrong…
Then how did Yun Xingze do it?
Just like Luo Wenchuan, he stood there silently, staring at the mecha in confusion.
Three days later.
The mecha tournament auditions at Xinghai Military University began as scheduled.
The morning round was for 3rd and 4th years. The afternoon was for 1st and 2nd years, each with 50 slots for those who passed.
Because of the large number of participants, the auditions were bound to be chaotic.
The venue was Guiyu Forest on Imperial Star. Despite its fancy name, the forest had sparse trees and was full of danger. A few star beasts roamed inside. The school had turned it into a complex racetrack.
In the afternoon, when the lower-year students arrived by large aircraft, everyone was stunned.
“Wow, the forest is way bigger than I imagined.”
“Feels like I’ll get lost at any time.”
“Can mechas even walk in there? It looks harder than the simulation!”
According to the schedule, 2nd-year students would go before 1st-years.
On the way to the waiting area, Yun Xingze ran into the last person he wanted to see Chi Yu.
Even though Yun Xingze initiated the breakup, Chi Yu had only told others, “We broke up.” Most people assumed Yun Xingze was the one dumped.
When they met, Chi Yu let out a sneer, eyes filled with both disdain and pride. “Who told you to come crawling back?”
Yun Xingze said nothing, studying the forest map in preparation.
“Yun Xingze, I told you, you don’t have to go this far,” Chi Yu looked at him with pity in his narrow eyes. “Even if you try like this, I won’t like you. You’d better quit before you embarrass yourself.”
Chi Yu believed Yun Xingze only entered the tournament to watch him. He thought Yun Xingze’s intentions were obvious.
Yun Xingze didn’t reply, but Lu Ranxu couldn’t take it anymore. “Chi Yu, what does him competing have to do with you?!”
“Oh, you came too?” Chi Yu glanced at Lu Ranxu. “Two noobs teaming up for the worst record ever?”
Lu Ranxu was so angry he wanted to kick him, but a fair-skinned Omega nearby stopped him.
“Chi Yu just speaks his mind don’t take it to heart,” the Omega said gently. “Let’s all just focus on the match. Fighting before a competition is never good.”
Yun Xingze looked at the Omega. His gut told him this was the main character from the original novel Su Zinan.
After Su Zinan spoke, he quietly said to Chi Yu, “Sorry… I made Yun junior misunderstand our relationship. Otherwise, he wouldn’t act like this…”
“This has nothing to do with you,” Chi Yu quickly reassured him, then turned to glare at Yun Xingze. “Some people just want attention. No skill, just noise. It’s pathetic.”
Yun Xingze looked at him calmly. “Chi Yu, how can you say that about yourself?”
Everyone froze.
“Sure, you love attention, but how could you be pathetic…” Yun Xingze’s lips curled slightly. “After all, your face is thicker than any mecha’s armor.”
Chi Yu nearly exploded, his eyes blazing with fury. “Yun Xingze, what kind of attitude is that?!”
“Yun junior, I know you’re upset,” Su Zinan stepped between them. “This is all my fault. Please don’t blame Chi Yu. Just do your best in the match I believe in you.”
Su Zinan looked innocent and a little wronged.
“I don’t need you to believe in me,” Yun Xingze shot him a cold glare. “Who asked you?”
Su Zinan was stunned.
A voice called out in the distance:
[All 2nd-year contestants who haven’t checked in, please do so now…]
Chi Yu sneered. “Keep running your mouth. With your skills, you’ll be eliminated and expelled soon. Enjoy the last few minutes of your pride.”
Then he walked off with Su Zinan.
“Talk about nonsense!” Lu Ranxu shouted after him. “With those two in the command department, you’ll be lucky to even get third place! Worry about yourself, you cocky shrimp!”
Chi Yu’s back visibly stiffened, but he didn’t turn around.
Just then, Su Zinan suddenly turned to look at Yun Xingze.
His eyes were full of superiority and disdain toward the weak.
He stood at the top as the school’s strongest Omega, looking down on Yun Xingze.
He silently mouthed three words: Give it up.
Then he smiled like nothing happened and followed Chi Yu into the check-in area.
Yun Xingze was a little surprised—So this guy has two faces, huh?
