Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Chu Xiao was called back onto the field in a daze.

Not long before, he had also been utterly defeated by Huo Mingyue. After stepping down, he had been asking Ji Xinghan to help him review the match, never expecting he’d get a second chance to participate.

Uncertain about such unique luck, he asked, "Bai Luming, is this really okay? Everyone only gets one chance. If you give yours to me, what will you do?"

"There’s nothing wrong with it," Bai Luming replied with a smile, patting Chu Xiao’s shoulder. The smooth talk rolled off his tongue effortlessly, his persona holding strong as ever. "I’m from the Mecha Department, after all. I just got my license before coming here, so my skills really aren’t that polished. Having you join me makes me feel a lot better."

That string of words made Chu Xiao’s temples throb with a headache.

What Mecha Department? What recently acquired license? What lack of skill? Could he even hear himself? Back in the contaminated zone, playing with those insectoids—he was nothing like this!

Chu Xiao was no fool. After all this time, he could clearly see that Bai Luming had no intention of revealing his true abilities. He nodded and said, "Alright, I’ll join you!"

Not long before, Chu Xiao had just undergone a severe beating under Huo Mingyue’s hands. Like the other trainees, he had come away deeply questioning his actual skill level—a heavy blow to his once high spirits. If it were anyone else, they might have declined out of fear of further embarrassment, but Chu Xiao recovered remarkably fast. Not only was he not discouraged, he showed no trace of fear toward battle.

Bai Luming quite admired his top-tier mentality.

And so, it was settled—they would participate in the guidance match together.

Throughout this exchange, Huo Mingyue watched Bai Luming’s hand resting on Chu Xiao’s shoulder for a long time. His eyes held shock, but also deep envy—to be close enough to pat shoulders with Marshal Bai… this kid was truly blessed!

The mechas were soon ready. Both sides of the match boarded their units for final adjustments.

The recent turn of events had truly exceeded everyone’s expectations. It wasn’t until Huo Mingyue entered his mecha that the instructors began to talk among themselves—especially those from the Nawei Military Region, who were practically throwing shade right in the face of the No. 6616 Military Region.

"That trainee from the No. 6616 Military Region has some nerve, doesn’t he? How dare he make such a request to Vice Army Commander Huo?"

"Nerve? This is called ignorance of the rules! It just goes to show how irregular training on barren stars is—completely lacking discipline!"

"Luckily Vice Army Commander Huo is accommodating—he actually agreed…"

"That one who came up just now—Chu Xiao? He looks somewhat familiar."

"The internal forum was buzzing one night a while back. You must have heard about it."

"So it’s him? That preparatory recruitment two years ago—I remember Instructor Sander was there. What exactly happened?"

Noticing the others’ attention turning his way, Sander merely let out a cold laugh. "What else could it be? Exactly what was reported! A mechanical failure accident so severe it nearly cost lives. Who would have thought that after changing locations, he’d still be treated as a key talent? That Chu Xiao kid… he’s got some luck."

As he spoke, he glanced meaningfully toward the instructor contingent of the No. 6616 Military Region.

Having heard that Huo Mingyue had come to provide guidance, Xiao Nuoya had rushed over from the training grounds of the Infantry Department.

Now, sensing the obvious displeasure from the Nawei Military Region, he couldn’t help but smile. He spoke just loudly enough for Sander’s group to hear clearly: "Our No. 6616 Military Region is nothing if not united. When someone from the Mecha Department isn’t suited for combat, they know to make room for those in the Infantry Department. And judging by Vice Army Commander Huo’s expression earlier, he seemed quite moved by such camaraderie."

Liang Deng chimed in nearby, his tone measured: "Isn’t that right? If I recall correctly, Chu Xiao’s current military points ranking is 18th on the overall leaderboard, isn’t it? Heroes aren’t judged by their origins. Based on his current performance, he might actually catch the eye of the White Army."

Xiao Nuoya: "True. Getting face time really matters."

Liang Deng: "Still, it depends on teammates having each other’s backs."

Xiao Nuoya: "It’s good to know how to go after what you want."

Liang Deng: "As expected of someone from our No. 6616 Military Region."

They seemed to be merely chatting idly where they stood, but every word was clearly aimed at the haters from a certain military region.

After this exchange, the expressions of the instructors from the Nawei Military Region turned quite spectacular.

Xiao Nuoya and Liang Deng shared a satisfied smile.

After competing against each other for so many years, if they didn’t even have this kind of unspoken understanding when facing external challenges, then all that rivalry would have been for nothing.

Never mind whether their military region could actually get someone into the White Army this year. For now, just getting under the skin of the Nawei Military Region was satisfaction enough.

In the blink of an eye, the field was ready.

The two mechas took their positions on the field. A transparent protective shield rose, isolating a fully enclosed combat zone.

Having gained no advantage in the war of words, Sander walked over to Chen Xiu with a dark expression. "Chu Xiao got lucky again, snagging another opportunity."

Chen Xiu, wearing the uniform of the Nawei Military Region, was busy with training records. "He’s always had good luck, ever since we were kids."

Sander glanced at him. "You’re taking this rather calmly. If he really does get noticed by the White Army…"

A faint smile touched Chen Xiu’s lips. "I know Xiao Chu. He’s always had what it takes to join the military, and joining the White Army has always been his goal. But the Four Great Armies aren’t easy to get into. His overall quality is still lacking somewhat, and mecha operation is his weak point."

Here, he paused briefly in his work and looked at Sander. "He’s worked very hard, but even though he can operate a mecha now, his skill still isn’t up to standard. Giving him more chances won’t change that."

"True. You know him best," Sander nodded, looking toward the field. "Who knows where someone from that kind of place gets such high ambitions. It’s annoying, just like his father."

Chen Xiu said softly, "Mr. Chu has already passed. Let’s not bring him up."

Before the words fully settled, a deafening roar erupted from the center of the field, cutting their conversation short.

"Oh, it’s starting!" Sander’s view was blocked by thick smoke. Squinting to make out the situation within, he listened to the sounds of combat still coming from the dust cloud, a smirk on his lips. "Going straight for a direct confrontation right from the start? This match probably won’t even last a minute."

Before his words fully faded, his vision began to clear. The taunt on the tip of his tongue died abruptly, his voice rising a few notes in surprise. "How is this possible?!"

The last word was completely swallowed by the exclamations from the field.

"No way!"

"Is this for real?"

"He… he blocked it?!"

"That was Vice Army Commander Huo’s attack!"

The mechas used for arena combat were configured for close-quarters battle, lacking heavy firepower. The clashes emphasized pure piloting skill.

As the dust stirred by the initial charge settled, everyone gradually saw the two giant figures locked in combat at the center of the field.

Huo Mingyue’s mecha held a photon blade, its downward slash halted perfectly by Chu Xiao’s beautifully executed horizontal block.

The form was perfect, the point of deflection precise—leaving all the trainees who had been taken out in one hit earlier staring in awe.

This was the first time today anyone had head-on blocked Huo Mingyue’s attack.

The venue erupted like a bubbling cauldron. Before the excitement could fully explode, Chu Xiao’s mecha shifted its weight briefly on its back foot, then executed a smooth parry. The immense force of the photon blade left a deep cut in the ground the moment it was drawn back.

Almost simultaneously, having avoided the direct impact, Chu Xiao maneuvered his mecha to adjust its direction. Instead of retreating, he pressed forward, thrusting his photon sword toward Huo Mingyue’s mecha.

Huo Mingyue reacted swiftly after his failed strike. His mecha dodged nimbly to the side, only to see Chu Xiao’s blade coming at him again.

He retracted his photon blade and, seeing the sword edge already upon him, almost instantly switched to a scattergun. A hail of bullets sprayed forth.

Both sides reacted almost simultaneously; a direct hit would mean mutual destruction.

Just as the entire audience held their breath, waiting to see which side would strike first, Chu Xiao maneuvered his mech to evade the direct collision, retreating while switching to a particle gun and returning with a sweeping burst of fire.

The back-and-forth maneuvers left not only the members of the Nawei Military Region but even Colonels Liang Deng and Xiao Nuoya staring in stunned silence.

"Come on, pinch me," Liang Deng said, unwilling to miss any detail of the battle, nudging Xiao Nuoya with his elbow. In response, Xiao Nuoya unceremoniously twisted his hand, causing him to grimace in pain. "Holy crap, you actually did it!"

"Hurt? Then it's not a dream," Xiao Nuoya replied, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Chu Xiao is really something, huh? After being crushed in the first round, he suddenly gets it in the second?"

The Nawei Military Region side fell into complete silence.

This was no longer just a matter of "getting it."

Sander's eyes were filled with disbelief. "Is that really Chu Xiao inside that mech? It can't be. When did he reach this level?"

Chen Xiu's previously calm expression had vanished. "How is this possible..."

Inside the cockpit, Chu Xiao was drenched in sweat from the tension of the brief few minutes of combat.

In the enclosed space, only Bai Luming's voice reached his ears, one command after another.

"Yes, just like that, strafe him."

"Don't stop. When he charges, fire a short burst at his face..."

"Prepare to switch equipment, get ready to block from the side and rear. I've fully released the sensitivity for you; dodge with confidence."

"Oh, beautiful! Nice one, Xiao Bao. Your reactions are getting faster."

"Don't get greedy. Prepare for a flank slide in five seconds. He'll switch to a light gun to block your position. Remember to activate the impactor and target the blind spot at the right rear. Attack his right leg."

"Turn, now! See? This is the situation where you go straight for close combat."

"With me optimizing your responsiveness, fight with confidence. The shooting mode is what you're most comfortable with. Go get him."

As he spoke, Bai Luming's hands never stopped making adjustments.

Through the console display, he could see the mech's constantly shifting stats during combat, precisely coordinating with Chu Xiao to execute one flawless move after another.

Despite constantly predicting and directing based on the battle conditions, his expression remained composed and calm, showing no sign of tension.

In contrast, the opponent was under considerable pressure.

The two mechs on the field switched between long and close range once again.

Huo Mingyue's mech crouched low, locking onto Chu Xiao's blind spot.

Just as his light blade was about to accurately strike the right mechanical elbow, his opponent's light sword cut down at a precise angle. With a tricky twisting maneuver, his target was lost, and his swing collided with the blade of the light sword.

Another grating screech echoed.

Huo Mingyue retreated after the strike, executing micro-adjustments that pushed the mech to its limits, narrowly evading the sweeping light sword pursuing him.

Then, using the short-range burst from the thrusters, he accelerated, turned, and charged back toward Chu Xiao's mech.

Light blade and light sword clashed once more.

But before he could press his advantage, the opposing mech used his attack to pivot and escape his line of sight.

It was as if the opponent had predicted his every move, slippery as an eel.

Huo Mingyue: "..."

In terms of pure combat skill, he was undoubtedly a god-tier presence among these cadets, as evidenced by his earlier instant elimination of Chu Xiao. In a direct confrontation, someone of Chu Xiao's caliber stood no chance against him.

But the problem was, someone had no intention of giving him a direct confrontation.

It was obvious who that someone was.

To achieve this level of preemptive prediction required not only combat experience but also a deep understanding of the opponent's habits.

Huo Mingyue didn't believe he was fortunate enough to have become Marshal Bai's focus of analysis.

Clearly, the Marshal had, through those earlier guidance matches lasting barely a minute each, deduced a complete set of combat logic to counter him and seamlessly integrated it with Chu Xiao's operating style.

This was the supreme commander of their Blaze Legion—so strong it was almost inhuman!

Huo Mingyue's fingers trembled slightly, not just from nerves at having Marshal Bai so close, but also from irrepressible excitement.

This was indeed a guidance match. It seemed like he was instructing the cadet opposite him, but in truth, he was also the one being guided.

The back-and-forth continued, the battle on the field stretching on.

The staff responsible for recording were dumbfounded.

Accustomed to matches ending in about a minute, they were now struggling to adjust.

Unnoticed, the match had already lasted nearly 15 minutes!

Bai Luming, in the copilot seat, glanced at the time.

Fifteen minutes—that was about enough.

In his view, Bai Luming could see Chu Xiao's excited expression as he stared at the display.

Clearly, Chu Xiao hadn't noticed that, amid the tension, the guiding instructions were growing fewer and fewer.

As Bai Luming fully handed the battlefield over to Chu Xiao, the guidance match officially concluded at the 18-minute mark.

In the final clash, Huo Mingyue's light blade cleaved through the sensor button on Chu Xiao's mech, destroying his weapon switching system.

"I lost," Chu Xiao said, seeing the red warning light on the screen for the second time that day, yet his expression showed no trace of disappointment. "The White Army officer is really strong!"

"It's still a matter of combat experience. If you had pulled back two more meters before he closed in, he wouldn't have been able to seal your retreat with a long sweep. You were too fixated on emptying the entire magazine. Next time, consider cutting it off early. Use the remaining rounds later, interspersed with other actions, and use the light sword to cover the reload time. It'll compress your output better."

Bai Luming outlined areas for improvement, but having watched the entire match up close, he was actually quite satisfied with Chu Xiao's overall performance.

In some ways, Chu Xiao was indeed the most unique operator he had ever seen. While his ceiling was high, it required a copilot like him to synchronize and adapt the mech, which also meant his floor could be extremely low.

This was why Chu Xiao always seemed unable to fully utilize the mech's potential when operating alone.

But it wasn't a big issue. As long as he could join the Blaze Legion, there would be no shortage of excellent copilots.

As for Huo Mingyue—

Despite having several of his moves predicted and blocked, he still managed to put immense pressure on Chu Xiao. It was clear he had trained rigorously over the years.

Bai Luming's assessment was: "As expected of an elite from our White Army. His skills are truly impressive."

The guidance session ended, but as the onlookers hadn't yet reacted, the arena fell into a prolonged silence.

Although it still looked like Huo Mingyue's mecha was pressing the opponent throughout the match, this battle felt completely different from the previous ones—there was a sense of suppression that felt incomplete, especially in the early stages, where the trainee side's mecha occasionally managed to briefly counterattack.

It even gave the impression of a back-and-forth exchange.

When Chu Xiao and Bai Luming appeared, the trainees, who had been beaten all day, finally erupted into thunderous applause.

As for the instructors, their gazes toward Chu Xiao were unavoidably subtle.

Were those reactions during the battle really at the level of a trainee?

That kid, could he be cheating?!