Chapter 41 – Gu Hong

Chapter 41 - Gu Hong

Rong Mi read this message after the live broadcast ended.

The original owner's contact list had few people in it, aside from the Rong family members, there were only a handful of contacts, and Seiko was one of them.

Flipping through previous chat records, Rong Mi found that Seiko was the leader of the original owner's vocal ensemble and the only one who kept in touch with the original owner after he was forced to quit the stage as a resident singer due to the scandal at the Sen* Yewan* event.

This handsome and well-behaved young man had an ethereal and pristine voice.

In the original owner's mind, Seiko's singing carried a sacred quality reminiscent of hymns, often igniting his creative passion.

They would gather at intervals to discuss melodies and harmonies. When the original owner expressed his intention to participate in the Ice and Fire Mecha Tournament, Seiko had earnestly tried to dissuade him and even offered financial support to help him through this difficult time.

Rong Mi: This Seiko seems to have been one of the few friends the original owner had.

After some thought, Rong Mi didn't particularly feel like meeting him.

He himself couldn't write songs or sing, and even had a bit of a tin ear.

It would be too obvious if he went.

His thoughts paused for a moment as he recalled Lu Yi.

Rong Mi always felt that ever since Lu Yi took the initiative to help him alleviate some of the investigation team's scrutiny... he had probably already formed a guess in his heart.

Relying on Lu Yi's protective umbrella, he didn't deliberately disguise himself within the First Squad.

But when facing Seiko, Rong Mi chose caution.

"I've been busy earning money lately," he replied. "Let's catch up when I'm less busy."

After fooling around for a few months, he would likely leave the capital star soon after joining the legion and head to the war zone. By then, meeting up wouldn't be so straightforward.

Seiko: [Listless and droopy.jpeg]

Rong Mi browsed through the original owner's emoji collection and casually sent a sophisticated flower-giving emoji before closing the chat with Seiko.

His message inbox was still filled with unread notifications, all of them requests to add Rong Mi's live streaming account contact.

Rong Mi casually swiped, just about to tap on the option to reject all requests when his gaze brushed past one message that stood out from the rest.

"Big shot! - I'm Gu Ming, a participant in the Ice and Fire Tournament! You destroyed my mecha and took its laser rifle energy core during the match - please approve my friend request, Big Shot! I want to learn how to pilot a mecha against Ice Butterflies from you! I still have questions regarding today's lesson!"

Rong Mi paused in his action.

He remembered this mech pilot.

Though his mecha piloting skills were average, his foundation was solid. Judging from his behavior in the competition... his character seemed quite decent too.

So Rong Mi approved Gu Ming's friend request.

"Big Shot! - Big Shot, Big Shot!" Gu Ming eagerly waited by his communicator, sending a fiery greeting the moment Rong Mi accepted the request, "You're so cool, Big Shot! So handsome! Regarding the first move you taught today, when an Ice Butterfly gets close, the maneuver where the mecha steps back before lunging forward with a slash... I have a question! Would Big Shot have time to demonstrate it on a simulator for me?"

Rong Mi replied, "Now?"

He glanced at his schedule.

He had already completed his training for the day, and there were no additional sessions planned for the evening.

The only plan was to visit Lu Yi's rest cabin at eleven for a "bed check," ensuring the patient got adequate rest.

This activity was still over three hours away.

"Sure," Rong Mi agreed promptly.

Gu Ming immediately sent a virtual location on the Star Network. "Boss, you must be in simulation mode! Just click this teleportation coordinate and come straight over! This is the training ground of the mecha club run by my family—"

Rong Mi tapped the coordinate, and the surroundings went black and then lit up again, as if the world had lost power and then rebooted. However, the environment around her was now vastly different.

She was no longer in the First Legion's training hall, with its silver-gray backdrop resembling a space station's decor. Instead, she found herself in a corridor painted with large swaths of dark gray, adorned with narrow strips of bright orange metallic paint.

On the wall ahead, the word "Lyre" was painted in orange, likely the name of the mecha club.

"Boss!" A black-haired youth dashed towards her from the end of the corridor. He wore a black training suit, his semi-long hair tied back into a small bundle, identical to the appearance Rong Mi had seen at the Ice and Fire Tournament.

It seemed Gu Ming hadn't activated the virtual appearance system.

The original owner also hadn't set up a virtual appearance, and Rong Mi didn't have such a habit either.

"Big shot, big shot! Can I call you Brother Rong?" Gu Ming was thrilled to see Rong Mi again. He dashed up to him and halted in front of Rong Mi, presenting a delicate orange card.

"This is our club's lifetime VIP membership!" Gu Ming explained. "Though you'll most likely join the military and won't train here, there might be a day when you're in the mood to check out our exclusive models or watch some amateur mech battles. It's not impossible."

"Our club ranks among the top three in the entire Federation in terms of strength and scale..."

As Gu Ming was still introducing, the hatch behind Rong Mi opened.

"Making new friends and giving away cards again?" A clear and cold female voice rang out, full of disdain. "I've told you before, don't give out cards to those who can't meet our club's average mech pilot standard. They won't have anything to do here, and it's a waste of resources to let them occupy mechs. They can't even operate those high-end series."

Gu Ming: "...."

".... Sister." Gu Ming replied sourly, "It's fine if you say these things to me privately, but why do it in front of others? And this is..."

"You just have bad taste in friends. They either use you to boost their status or take advantage of your stupidity and wealth," Gu Hong sneered. "You didn't get any ranking in the recent mech competition, and didn't those people who were previously sucking up to you switch targets?"

"As for the others you bet with, you insisted they wouldn't 'abandon' you even if you didn't pay for them. Haven't they stopped coming since I froze your bank account?"

"When are you going to treat me for the meals you owe me?"

Gu Ming: "..."

Gu Ming sighed, then said irritably, "Alright, alright! I'll treat you tomorrow! Those friends are already history!"

"Big sis, these aren't new friends! I'm still trying to build a friendship with them!"

Gu Hong scoffed, about to scold Gu Ming for being overly eager and attaching himself to others' cold shoulders.

Her brother was great in every way, except that his taste was always poor, and he tended to engage in one-sided foolish endeavors.

Rong Mi was pushing the orange club membership card back into Gu Ming's hand. He knew that such exclusive club membership fees were exorbitant, so he didn't want to accept it.

He probably wouldn't even use it anyway.

As Rong Mi returned the card, he turned to look at the female warrior who had been continuously casting spells behind him.

His gaze held a hint of curiosity, as he felt a strange sense of familiarity with her voice.

It was an elusive feeling.

It was as if she had heard it every day but still found it strangely unfamiliar.

The voice resembled that of someone Rong Mi had often interacted with in the past.

But Rong Mi knew too many people; after pondering for a while, she couldn't identify who it was.

Their eyes met, Gu Hong's locking onto hers.

Gu Hong was also dressed in a black training suit, the form-fitting garment outlining her body's contours clearly.

She stood half a head taller than Gu Ming, her hair pulled back into a high ponytail, her eyebrows slightly arched, and her fiery red lips giving her an audacious and heroic air.

She had been sneering initially, but upon seeing Rong Mi's face, her expression froze.

Gu Hong: Damn, kinda cool. And kinda familiar.

There was a hint of recognition—she seemed to be the new, highly skilled mecha pilot that had recently gained prominence.

...Did I just indirectly mock this handsome mecha pilot a moment ago?!

Rong Mi: "?"

Gu Hong: "..."

Gu Ming was deeply pained and frustrated. "Sis! The person I gave the card to this time is really someone big. It's Rong Mi, you saw it, right? You were praising him nonstop when we watched the tournament..."

Gu Hong's expression had returned to normal.

"Sorry about that," she sincerely apologized to Rong Mi. "Everything I just said was meant for my brother. I didn't mean any of it for you!"

As she spoke, she quickly approached and snatched back the membership card that Gu Ming had given to Rong Mi and then returned. With a click, she promptly destroyed it.

"What kind of nonsense were you giving away?" Gu Hong criticized, then pulled out a seemingly plain, yet more refined dark gray card.

"This is a special coach's card for the club," Gu Hong looked at Rong Mi with sincerity. "If you're interested, feel free to drop by. No need to report or teach, but you can use all the resources you want without any obligations!"

"Don't be too polite with your sister," she held Rong Mi's hand, preventing him from returning the card. "We're like family. It's an honor for this card to be in your hands. By the way, do you have a girlfriend?"

Gu Ming: "..."

Rong Mi: "..."

Rong Mi composed herself and said calmly, "I'm attracted to men."

"Great!" Gu Hong took Rong Mi's response well, even revealing a look of satisfaction.

Confused, Rong Mi heard Gu Hong continue, "So, do you have a boyfriend?"

Rong Mi: "?"

"No," she replied.

Gu Hong snapped her fingers, intrigued. "How about someone you like?"

Rong Mi: "...?"

"What are you doing, Sister?" Gu Ming couldn't help but interject. "You've never been this interested in my romantic history!"

Gu Hong shot him a look that silenced him, then turned back to fix her gaze on Rong Mi.

Rong Mi was baffled and wanted to say no, but for some inexplicable reason, she hesitated for a second.

Does liking to look at handsome guys, worrying about their preferences, and enjoying their company count? It shouldn't, right?

Just like how one might enjoy watching fluffy wolves but not assume they'd want to cuddle with them. It doesn't count.

Rong Mi nodded inwardly, "No."

Gu Hong raised an eyebrow, revealing a meaningful smile. Her finger subconsciously tapped on her communicator.

Gu Ming looked at her in confusion, feeling that his sister was acting strangely tonight. He stepped aside, putting some distance between himself and his sister, then said, "Sis, shall I enter the training room with Brother Rong?"

"Hey, wait," Gu Hong coughed dryly, straightening her expression. "Brother, you don't know how long it's been since I found someone to spar with in mecha piloting, do you?"

"Do you have time, handsome?" She turned to Rong Mi with a smile. "Ever since I saw your footage from the Ice and Fire Tournament, I've wanted to spar with you in mecha piloting! It's been ages since I had a proper match with someone!"

Gu Ming: "..."

"I knew it," he grumbled softly. Under his sister's gaze, he immediately surrendered with a gesture. "You're the boss, so it's your call. If Brother Rong is willing to compete with you, then let him go first!"

"What do you mean you haven't fought with anyone in a long time... I have to fight with you every day!"

"Was that a fight?" Gu Hong turned his head to look at him. "That was me suppressing and beating you up unilaterally."

Gu Ming: "If you find sparring with me boring, then don't drag me into it!"

Rong Mi: "..."

Rong Mi felt like he had accidentally stumbled into some family drama, as if he were an unintended audience member.

He stood there with his hands in his pockets, glancing at the time on his communicator.

Gu Hong noticed his movement and immediately stopped bothering Gu Ming, saying, "If you have something to attend to, it doesn't have to take long, just one match."

Before Rong Mi could respond, Gu Hong quickly changed his mind. "No, no, one match is too short. How about three matches then! We'll follow a best-of-three format!"

Rong Mi: "..."

Rong Mi politely asked, "Are there time limits for each match?"

"Indeed. If neither mecha can take down the other within half an hour, it's considered a draw."

"My sister is quite skilled. She used to work in the military too, specifically in the renowned First Legion," Gu Ming remarked, despite his complaints. "She's the founder of our Lyrebird Mecha Club and holds the top rank among its members. In fact, she's the number one amateur mecha pilot in the entire Alliance."

Rong Mi: "The Amateur Mecha Pilots' Alliance?"

"Non-military mecha pilots can participate in the rankings," Gu Hong explained with a smile. "I don't think I've seen your name on the list. You haven't registered, have you?"

"I plan to join the military someday," Rong Mi replied casually. "No need for rankings then. Fights are fine. I'm available until eleven."

After that, she had to log off to check on her patients.

"Sounds good!" Gu Hong led Rong Mi through the passage towards the sparring arena. "Three matches, we'll definitely finish one before eleven! Let's use the simplest indoor arena setting."

As they entered the arena, the room was pitch black. Gu Hong promptly activated the standard arena terrain.

Spotlights illuminated the vast expanse stretching into the distance.

This arena was spacious, ample for two interstellar mechas to engage in combat.

Rong Mi glanced around and spotted the passage leading to the mecha preparation room. After exchanging a nod with Gu Hong, he strode ahead into the corridor, entering the preparation area.

The young man's figure was graceful, without any sign of tension. Apparently, he didn't attach much importance to being ranked first among all amateur mecha pilots in the entire federation.

Gu Hong's expression revealed a hint of curiosity.

She lingered on the spot for a moment, setting all the default parameters for the arena. As she walked towards the preparation room, she pulled up a communication screen.

"Admiral Lu Yi," the glow from the screen illuminated Gu Hong's face, revealing her amused smile, "I've met the precious gem you're trying to recruit."

There was no response from the other end for a while.

Gu Hong: "…."

"Playing dead and not replying?" she said casually, "We're all on the same team. No one is more likely to collude with the insects than I am. My daily routine revolves around the mecha club and the surrounding area, which is barely the size of a palm. All my communications are even monitored by the military's top system."

After sending a flood of messages, there was finally some activity from the other side.

L: "You met Rong Mi?"

Gu Hong: "Wow, you're quick on the uptake! You immediately knew who I was talking about!"

L: "He went to your mecha club?"

Gu Hong: "Yeah, my brother invited him. That fool of a brother finally did something sensible."

"Sigh, Lu Yi, let me tell you. Big Baby's orientation is male, he's single, no boyfriend, but also no one he's particularly interested in. You've been alone for so long, why not take a chance? Though... it seems like he's not too keen on you?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a simple period.

L: "You want to challenge him to a match."

"Don't try to divert the topic, Admiral."

"He's already in the preparation room."

Lu Yi was aware that although Gu Hong was laid-back, he wouldn't gossip about Rong Mi right in front of him.

L: "Start the match proceedings as soon as possible, don't keep him waiting."

Gu Hong clicked her tongue.

"I know," she replied exasperatedly. "I'm the type to waste someone's time while choosing a mecha?"

Just as she was about to disconnect the call, Lu Yi sent another message.

"High-intensity mecha battles can stimulate a second awakening."

"Thanks."

Gu Hong: "..."

Gu Hong rolled her eyes, typed 'Why don't you practice with him?', then deleted it.

She realized that if Lu Yi wasn't participating in sparring, it could only be due to his physical limitations.

Gu Hong began to choose her words carefully. Concerned for her friend, she wanted to ask about his injuries, but also felt that asking too many details at this sensitive time might not be appropriate.

After much deliberation, she decided to ask straightforwardly, "Is your mental domain... and your body so severe that you can't even operate a mecha? Not even in a virtual training room that can limit mental power?"

The response was swift.

L: "Rong Mi won't allow it."

Gu Hong raised an eyebrow.

With just four simple words, following Lu Yi's usual style, they were undoubtedly delivered in a very calm tone.

But... how did she manage to infer such a subtle display of affection from that?!

Gu Hong: Lu Yi is finally getting a taste of his own medicine!

When the footage of the battle at Rong Mi's space station emerged on the Star Network, Gu Hong had picked up on a particularly distinctive silver glint.

Ordinary people wouldn't have paid much attention to such nuances in light, but Gu Hong was certain that it was the Silver Wolves' presence.

Lu Yi's spirit entity had actually fought alongside other mecha pilots!

This was unprecedented!

Though wolves are social creatures, the Silver Wolves were particularly selective about their "pack." Prior to this, Ayin had never hunted alongside anyone other than Lu Yi.

Ayin's actions were driven by Lu Yi's subconscious.

The wolf's unusual demeanor towards Rong Mi was an exceptionally significant signal.

Gu Hong: My instincts were right after all!

Eating virtual melons online with excitement, she was about to probe further when Lu Yi's next message arrived.

L: "Control yourself during the match. Don't overexert your mental power due to winning or losing."

Gu Hong: "..."

"Don't draw hatred for others," she replied tartly. "I know my own body. I've always kept the highest mental power limit in the club! Even if I get worked up, I can't exert myself... speaking of which, I forgot to mention this to your precious darling."

Already seated in her mecha cockpit, she switched out of the temporary competition communication channel to connect with Rong Mi.

"Handsome, just a reminder that our Tianqin Club's internal arenas restrict the maximum use of mental power," she said.

"Although mental strength is crucial! We don't endorse brute-force solutions here!"

Rong Mi promptly replied, "No problem at all."

Limiting mental power and testing mecha piloting skills made perfect logical sense.

Gu Hong asked, "Would you mind if I livestream the match?" She explained, "Not that there's anything else, but it's been a while since I've had a decent fight with someone other than my brother. My fans have been clamoring to see me in action."

As the top-ranked mecha pilot, Gu Hong had a vast fanbase who eagerly cried out daily for more of her mecha battles.

Gu Hong is renowned for his affection towards his fans.

Rong Mi smiled. "I'm good."

He joked, "I'm just afraid that if I win, your fans might be disappointed."

Gu Hong: "..."

It seems this one doesn't require Lu Yi to attract enmity for him either.

"Threats are already flying," Gu Hong chuckled mockingly. "Don't underestimate me."

As she gave the mecha one final inspection, she launched her live stream.

Her loyal followers, who were always tuned in, quickly received notifications and flooded Gu Hong's live channel.

"Just finished training? I thought Sister Hong wouldn't stream tonight!"

"Wow—it's an arena match! Against whom?! It's off-season for arena matches, so it's been a while since we've seen someone fight with Sister Hong! I asked other contestants, and they all said they don't want to get beaten during the break… Sister Hong doesn't count when she's beating up Little Brother."

"Yeah, yeah. All I've seen these past few days is Sister Hong beating up Little Brother. Who's the opponent tonight? Doesn't seem to be Little Brother… Is it Rong Mi?!"

"Wow!... It's Rong Mi?!!"

"Hold on! Didn't Rong Mi just finish teaching us how to operate a mecha to fight bugs?"

"...What mecha and bugs?!! Is Rong Mi streaming?!! Didn't his account get deleted?!"

"Not the singing and songwriting account! It's a new one! In the lifestyle section… This is too surreal, let's talk about it later! Hurry, hurry! The match is about to start!"