Sitting at the main control station, it felt like having an extra pair of eyes, providing a crystal-clear view of the surroundings. You could zoom in and out at will. He was most curious about the multitude of complex buttons on the control panel and dared not touch them haphazardly.

Shao Qi joined him, saying, "I've seen the schematics. Some of these controls manage different body parts, while others are linked to weapons. On a real battlefield, without sufficient mental agility and hand speed, one would be just a sitting duck."

Seeing his keen interest, Shao Qi asked, "Want to give it a try?"

"Do you know how?"

"There's little I don't know. I can guess most of the button functions; I might just lack proficiency." Shao Qi took Zhou You's hand, pressed the start button followed by several others, and the giant mech took a step forward, nearly knocking Master Fan over.

"Stop fooling around! If you break it, what then? Hey, come down! ...Wrong, wrong! That's not the button for the left leg. If it falls, it won't get up..."

Shao Qi mistakenly pressed a button, revealing a laser gun on the mech's left thigh, aimed perfectly at head level. Master Fan hastily moved to the side.

Shao Qi and Zhou You clumsily maneuvered the mech to the entrance of Litchi Villa, startling the residents.

Master Fan chased after them, panting and cursing, "Damn kids... Have some consideration! That's mine! If you damage it, you'll never afford the repairs!"

Zhou You jumped down from the mech as the villa's inhabitants rushed out. Without asking, they knew what had transpired, but they had never seen such a behemoth before.

"Wow! What's this?" Cheng Suyan asked excitedly.

Master Fan boasted proudly, "His name is Yan Wu, my life's crowning achievement."

"Such a plain name. Why not something more imposing like 'Southern Overlord'?"

"Nonsense! Why would I use such a clichéd name?"

Seeing Master Fan's bristling beard, Cheng Suyan playfully inquired, "Who are you anyway? Is this for sale? I'd love one, it'd look imposing at my front door!"

"Tsk! Who's this arrogant youngster? Do you think this is something to be bought and sold?"

"Isn't it just bigger and fancier?"

Shao Qi quickly pressed a button, and Yan Wu brandished a glowing cleaver, slashing at Cheng Suyan. Cheng Suyan defended with his sword, but it was split in two. He quickly rolled away, narrowly escaping a potentially lethal cut.

"My sword..." Cheng Suyan lamented.

Master Fan commended Shao Qi's move, "Serves you right! Anyone who underestimates my Yan Wu will pay the price. Stop whining; it's just a broken sword."

Zhou You gave Cheng Yuran a swift kick and whispered something into his ear. Cheng's eyes lit up. He swiftly maneuvered under Yan Wu's legs and grasped onto Master Fan, exclaiming, "Then you owe me a sword!"

Master Fan agreed almost instantly, "Fine, just a sword. I have plenty at home."

The others had already figured out his identity. They were eager to act but hesitated to voice their intentions. However, they were particularly intrigued by Yan Wu, circling around it, touching and observing.

Zhu Rongwei and Xu Yintian sat face to face, engrossed in a game of chess. The former was distracted, losing game after game.

After three consecutive losses, Zhu Rongwei tossed the chess pieces aside, "Enough! There should be results by now. What's the point of keeping me here? Or did you deploy the Xu family's private army for assistance? I'm curious, who is this person to you? Closer than our bond?"

"It's not about closeness. Are you so confident of your victory?"

"Why shouldn't I be? I've deployed 5,000 troops, along with large-scale weapons." Zhu Rongwei believed that such a large-scale deployment was for guaranteed success. If he were to lose even then, he'd have no place in Yang City.

Xu Yintian made a quick call to one of his subordinates. A video clip was sent over. He projected it onto the wall, inviting Zhu Rongwei to watch, "I too, am eager to see the outcome."

The two witnessed the earth-shattering events on screen, capturing the army's massive defeat and surrender. Even Yan Wu's appearance was captured in detail.

After viewing, Zhu Rongwei looked petrified. His hands and feet went cold, and his mind blanked out. It took several prompts from Xu Yintian to bring him back, and he responded with a twisted laugh, "This has to be fake! You've manufactured this to make me concede. It's implausible!"

Xu Yintian looked at him with sympathy, "Did you recognize those soldiers who suddenly emerged?"

"Who? Those lurking in the shadows, securing victory with just a black box? How can one discern from such a distance?"

Xu Yintian replayed the clip, zooming into specifics, urging Zhu Rongwei to take a closer look. Only then did he spot the insignia of the troop, stepping back in disbelief, "It's...Marshal Shao's troops? He's here? Shao... Shao Qi, he is...?"

Xu Yintian was at a loss for words. Many in the army had never seen Marshal Shao, and given Zhu Rongwei's recent rise, it's plausible he didn't recognize him. Yet, with everything unfolding for days and his intentional avoidance, it was surprising he never inquired. Had he shown even a hint of caution, Xu would've prevented his current predicament.

"Impossible! Why is he here? Was the murder of my elder brother's family premeditated?"

"Did you think your dealings at the Yang City base would remain secret? With your under-the-table recruitments and schemes these past years, you should've seen this day coming."

"Hmph, my cousin. Aren't all these your tacit approvals? All these transpired under your watch. I believed you were aware and chose to remain silent, thereby endorsing my actions. We're family, our fates intertwined. I thought you approved."