Chapter 16: Dual S Mechas

Chapter 16: Dual S Mecha

Still recovering from his illness, he wasn't sure if he could handle strenuous activity.

Yang Liqing gazed at the brightest star in the crowd, a quirk forming on his lips.

"Request permission to speak next time."

Luo Le paused, then acknowledged with an "oh."

"Do you feel like your physical fitness is lacking?" he asked again.

Luo Le nodded openly, "Mm-hmm."

A peculiar curve lifted the corner of Yang Liqing's mouth.

"Since you know it's lacking, work on improving it then. Strive to catch up. Otherwise?"

Luo Le tugged at the corners of his mouth. This Instructor Yang was quite the sadist.

After an "oh," he didn't say anything more.

"But I'm not completely heartless. If you really collapse on the training ground, I'll have someone carry you to the military doctor."

The recruits wiped imaginary sweat from their brows; they suddenly felt that they might have a hard time ahead.

Yang Liqing's expression turned solemn after he finished speaking.

"Alright, in order, two Alphas from the back row form two lines and start your morning run."

One of the Alphas in front asked, "Sir, how long do we run?"

"Until you can't run anymore. Don't slack off; I'll be watching the live holographic feed."

After he finished speaking, one by one, starting with the first Alpha, they began running.

"What should I do? I'm terrible at physical fitness."

The omega to Luo Le's left spoke with concern, lowering his gaze.

The alpha on his right tilted his head to look at the omega.

"Don't worry, I'll run with you slowly. If you faint, I'll carry you to the hospital."

The omega playfully scolded with a smile, "Go away."

The alpha patted his chest reassuringly, "Don't be afraid, I've got you covered."

Luo Le cleared his throat as a reminder, "Hurry up and catch up."

The alpha glanced ahead at the group, looking hesitant as he turned to him.

"Buddy, you go first. I'll run with him."

Luo Le had no objections and nodded, taking the lead to catch up.

He had a unique physique; for some reason, none of the mechas available in the market seemed compatible for him to operate.

He had an immense passion for mechas from the very beginning.

Thus, he aspired to become a mecha engineer since childhood, dreaming of creating a mecha that he could pilot himself.

Mecha engineering was not only mentally demanding but also required exceptional physical fitness.

There were times when he would sit for days on end to overcome a challenging problem.

Luo Le was well aware of these demands from an early age, hence he started physical training since childhood.

Overall, despite his innate frailty, he had managed to improve through subsequent training and was now holding up reasonably well.

The question remained, however, if his body would rebel after enduring the Starstorm.

Sure enough, by the eleventh lap, he was exhausted, struggling to keep up at the back of the pack.

Most of those in front were Alphas, with Luo Le being one of the five Omegas trailing behind.

He was also the Omega closest to the Alphas.

After another five laps, Luo Le was completely spent.

Looking back, he found himself utterly alone.

His stomach churned with nausea.

He stumbled to a corner, bending over and retching repeatedly into the floor, yet nothing came up.

A pack of tissues suddenly appeared before his eyes. "Are you alright?"

It was the Alpha from earlier, and the Omega behind him was smiling and nodding at him.

Luo Le returned the smile and took a few tissues, saying, "Thank you."

The Alpha shrugged. "No need to thank me, we're all in the Mecha Constructor class together."

The Omega approached and nudged him with his elbow.

"He's right. I'm Bai Feifei, and he's Ye Ziting."

Luo Le extended his hand for a handshake. "Nice to meet you, I'm Luo Le."

Bai Feifei tilted his head, feeling like he had heard this name before.

Luo Le's legs were trembling violently. Despite being well-covered in his military uniform, it was still noticeable to others.

Bai Feifei stepped forward. "Let me help you over there to sit down."

Luo Le, struggling to catch his breath, nodded and allowed Bai Feifei to assist him in sitting.

"You're quite determined, running so many laps. With your slender arms and legs, I didn't expect such endurance."

By the eighth lap, he was already gasping for air.

Thus, he pretended to collapse on the track, only to be rescued by Ye Ziting and taken to rest.

After some time of resting, he finally began to feel alive again.

Luo Le shakes his head. "I'm not that impressive."

As he speaks, his gaze locks onto the omega running side by side with an Alpha.

Bai Feifei follows his line of sight and, upon seeing the omega's face, pats Luo Le's shoulder.

"That's Admiral Lin's son from the Second Planet. His name is Hai Qiling. He's been trained since he was a child. You don't need to compare yourself to him; we're different, having taken up training later in life."

Luo Le shakes his head, not agreeing with her assessment.

"He looks about my age."

Bai Feifei nods in agreement. Indeed, but the other boy has been in military training since early on.

Just as she's about to console him, her peripheral vision catches sight of a tall, stern figure, and she can't help but exclaim, "Holy cow, Admiral Huo! Why is he here?"

Luo Le, hearing this, raises his gaze in confusion, meeting Huo Lanjing's enigmatic, deep-set eyes.

Huo Lanjing's brows furrow slightly, his expression cold as he seems lost in thought.

What could the general possibly be up to?

Yang Liqing wiped the sweat from his forehead, a task he seldom had to do in the training grounds these days.

Could it be that the general had taken a fancy to another new recruit?

Or did he find some issue with their training?

As soon as Hao Lan shifted his gaze away, inspecting other teams, Yang Liqing let out a sigh of relief.

Yet, he could still sense the subtle glances being cast his way.

Each time, Yang Liqing stood rigidly, fearful that he might be summoned for a conversation at any moment.

Being called in for a talk on his first day commanding the troops wouldn't exactly be a feather in his cap.

Was it possible that the general thought he had been too harsh in his training?

He glanced at the training field, where only a few individuals were still running.

He then called out, "Alright, stop. Gather around."

Luo Le and Bai Feifei's group hurried over upon hearing his voice.

Once everyone was in place, they saw Coach Yang raise his hand, conjuring a display platform from his spatial device.

"Well then, today we'll start by learning about the basics of mechas. This includes various brands, their key features and drawbacks, as well as the structure of a mecha."

On the exhibit stand was a dismantled mecha.

"Mechas consist of the head, torso, limbs, and numerous articulation joints... They are classified into SSS, SS, S, A, B, C, D, and E grades."

"The grade of a mecha that a mecha engineer can create is determined by their mental strength level. For instance, if a mecha engineer has A-class mental strength, their limit would be an A-grade mecha. They could only improve slightly through certain techniques. Currently, the strongest mental strength belongs to the Empire's 'Teacher Tang,' with dual S-class. He devoted his entire life to crafting just one SS-grade mecha. In the decades since his passing, only one S-grade mecha has been produced."

Luo Le had learned this in his mecha foundational theory course. Moreover, the sole SS-grade mecha was currently owned by Huo Lanjing.

However, he had never seen it. Twice, he had requested to view it, but both times, Huo Lanjing had declined.

After that, he didn't ask any further.