New Pilot Candidate

The essence of boxing is speed, precision, and ferocity, aiming to overwhelm the opponent with a storm of continuous attacks in the shortest possible time—

Mike took this to the extreme.

"Buddy, is that all you've got, just a big mouth?"

Mike pulled his fists back to his chest, then lunged forward with a thrusting step, closing the distance to Sethi before unleashing a barrage of punches from both sides.

Sethi was completely stunned. He hadn't expected Mike to actually go all out against him. In just three seconds, Sethi's left and right cheeks had taken five consecutive blows. He felt a buzzing in his temples, his vision swimming.

But Sethi wasn't made of straw. Enraged, the young man raised his right hand and immediately countered with an uppercut.

And so, the two began to brawl.

This wasn't the simulation zone on Shatterdome Level 1. There were no scoring systems, no pain dampeners; this was a real fight. Their arms tangled as they slammed into the walls. Mike, being taller, focused his attack on Sethi's face, his fists landing mercilessly. Sethi, not to be outdone, launched a fierce assault on Mike's abdomen and ribs.

The sound of impacts echoed through the mess hall, drawing an ever-growing crowd. Hundreds of people from various work groups clogged the passageways. Some had witnessed the previous conflict between Sethi and Rosen, where Rosen had been utterly pathetic, but Mike had shown real grit. They gathered, eager to see who would emerge victorious. The "Changbai" work group even started cheering for Sethi.

Mike paid no mind to the onlookers. He just wanted to teach Sethi a harsh lesson and make him accountable for his words.

Mike grabbed Sethi's shoulders and delivered a headbutt, loosening Sethi's front teeth. He followed up with a straight punch to Sethi's nose, wanting him to feel the sting of the Alaskan cold wind freezing his nose.

Sethi staggered, nearly falling, but he wasn't a pilot who'd gotten in through the back door. He immediately retaliated, throwing an uppercut straight to Mike's gut. Mike felt his stomach churn, nearly gagging up his last meal. Then Sethi landed a punch on Mike's jaw, filling his mouth with a metallic taste.

The two exchanged blows, a fierce back-and-forth.

However, it wasn't long before the tide of battle turned—

Mike was older than Sethi, and the day before, he had fought valiantly alongside Rosen. His stamina was giving out first.

Mike threw a punch, but his reduced stamina allowed Sethi to dodge it easily. Sethi then shoved Mike hard against the wall. Mike tried to twist free, but Sethi had already trapped his upper body, twisting Mike's right arm behind his back. He knelt on the ground in pain, his right arm screaming in protest from the strain.

"Ha! What were you saying, you loser?!"

Arrogance returned to Sethi's face.

"Stop it!!"

A sudden, thunderous roar erupted from the mess hall entrance.

The two turned their heads to see the crowd blocking the entrance parting to the sides. A man in a military uniform stood in the center of the passageway, his eyes blazing.

"If you don't stop right now, you'll all get out of here!"

Sethi hastily pushed Mike away, and Mike rolled to the side, then scrambled to his feet.

Mike had intended to charge forward and continue beating Sethi, but the furious man at the entrance—Jiang Tianzheng—seemed even more terrifying.

"You two are adults, have you lived the last two or three decades for nothing?!" Jiang Tianzheng strode heavily to stand before them and unleashed a torrent of abuse. "If you have the guts, use it on the Kaiju! What kind of heroes are you, playing dirty with your own people?!"

Both men hung their heads in silence. After a prolonged scolding, Jiang Tianzheng seemed to regain his composure.

"You, go to solitary confinement for 3 days," Jiang Tianzheng pointed at Sethi. Then he turned to Mike. "Go clean the blood off your face and come to my office immediately."

Upon hearing this, Sethi slunk away from the mess hall, not forgetting to cast a resentful glare at Mike before leaving. Mike, however, was more direct. He immediately went to the sink and washed off all the bloodstains. By the time he was done, Jiang Tianzheng had just left the mess hall, so Mike hurried to follow him.

Mike wasn't sure if Jiang Tianzheng had truly calmed down. He didn't dare get too close, maintaining a distance of about 5 meters, trailing behind. During this time, Mike's mind was racing.

Did he want me to come to his office to deal with the fight? Mike wondered.

No, definitely not. Fights like this happen all the time; it's normal. The old man only wants to see me for one reason—Kunlun.

As Mike was lost in thought, they arrived at Jiang Tianzheng's office—or rather, his office-bedroom.

It was located next to the Level 2 command center, less than a minute's walk away. The walls, like those of the Shatterdome, were made of cold, metallic surfaces.

Upon entering, Mike's first sight was a pile of files by the door, reaching nearly as high as a kindergarten child. Mike glanced at them as he passed; they were political documents from the central government, yet Jiang Tianzheng had piled them by the entrance.

Inside the room, to the left, was another door, which Mike guessed led to the bedroom. To the right was an open wardrobe. On the shelves, eight identical white shirts were neatly folded. Below them, on a hanging rod, were five identical green officer uniforms.

Including the one Jiang Tianzheng was currently wearing... that would make six sets.

Does this guy not have any other clothes? Mike marveled inwardly.

Beyond the door was a short corridor. Various calming, beautiful artworks hung on the walls, ranging from realistic to abstract. Mike paused to admire them, finding his displeasure gradually fading.

At the end of the corridor was Jiang Tianzheng's office. The door was ajar, and Mike imagined Jiang Tianzheng waiting for him behind it.

Mike took a deep breath and finally stepped inside.

"Then I won't beat around the bush, Mr. Mike Kane," Jiang Tianzheng said solemnly, adding 'Mr.' to Mike's name, which made Mike feel unaccustomed.

"I have thoroughly reviewed your file, all of it, of course," Jiang Tianzheng added. "While your records in our country only state that you graduated from the Hunter Academy in Los Angeles, your American records contain additional information."

Mike froze. He hadn't expected his information to be exposed after all. In fact, Mike had previously preferred to remain unknown.

"Pilot of the American 6th Generation Jaeger 'Noisy Max,' annihilated 4 Kaiju. Later, after Noisy Max was destroyed and the US government was unwilling to fund its repair, you became disillusioned. After a heated argument with your comrades, you broke ties completely and eventually left the Los Angeles base, your whereabouts unknown."

Jiang Tianzheng recited Mike's life story without pause.

Mike lowered his head and acknowledged it. As Jiang Tianzheng spoke, he felt as if he were reliving the past few years.

"Very well," Jiang Tianzheng paused. "Now, I want you to pilot a Jaeger again and fight for humanity."