The essence of boxing was speed, precision, and ruthlessness—using a relentless barrage of attacks to take down the opponent in the shortest possible time.
Mike took that principle to the extreme.
"Buddy, are you only good with your mouth?"
Mike drew his fists back before his chest, then lunged at Sethi and unleashed a flurry of lefts and rights.
Sethi was completely stunned. He had never expected Mike to actually come at him like his life depended on it. In barely three seconds, Sethi took five consecutive punches to both cheeks. His temples buzzed, and the world spun around him.
But Sethi was no pushover. Humiliated and enraged, he raised his right hand and immediately answered with an uppercut to Mike.
The two began brawling.
This was not the simulation zone on the first level of the Shatterdome. There were no scoring sensors or pain-suppression devices here. This was a real fight. Their arms tangled as they slammed each other into the walls. Mike was taller, so he focused on Sethi's face, his fists landing mercilessly across it. Sethi refused to be outdone, hammering away at Mike's abdomen and ribs.
The sounds of impact echoed through the cafeteria. More and more people gathered to watch, and the hundreds of people from several work crews packed the cafeteria corridor solid. Some had witnessed the previous conflict between Sethi and Rosen. Rosen had been such a coward then that it had been painful to watch, but Mike had guts. They crowded around to see which of the two would come out on top. The Changbai crew even began cheering for Sethi.
Mike did not care how many people were watching. He only wanted to teach Sethi a vicious lesson and make him pay for what he had said and done.
Mike grabbed Sethi by the shoulders and drove his head into him, loosening Sethi's front teeth. He followed it with a straight punch to the bridge of Sethi's nose. He wanted Sethi to know what it felt like to have his nose "frozen" stiff by the cold wind from Alaska.
Sethi staggered from the beating and nearly fell, but he had not been selected as a pilot through connections. He immediately struck back. First came a hook to Mike's lower abdomen, making Mike's stomach churn as the food he had just eaten nearly rose into his throat. Then Sethi punched Mike in the jaw, and the taste of rust instantly filled Mike's mouth.
The two traded blow for blow, neither giving an inch.
But before long, the tide of the battle turned—
Mike was older than Sethi, and he had only just fought shoulder to shoulder with Rosen the day before. His stamina gave out first.
Mike threw a punch, but his waning strength let Sethi dodge it easily. Sethi then slammed Mike into the wall. Mike tried to twist free, but Sethi seized his upper body first and wrenched Mike's right arm behind his back. Pain forced Mike down to one knee. His right arm was twisted so tightly that the entire limb creaked.
"Ha! What was that trash you were saying just now?!"
Arrogance returned to Sethi's face.
"Stop!!"
A thunderous shout suddenly exploded from the cafeteria entrance.
The two turned their heads and saw the people blocking the cafeteria doors retreating to either side. A man in military uniform stood in the middle of the corridor, his eyes blazing with fury.
"If you don't stop right now, all of you can get the hell out of here!!"
Sethi hurriedly shoved Mike away, while Mike rolled aside and sprang to his feet.
Mike had wanted to rush forward and keep beating Sethi, but the man at the entrance—Jiang Tianzheng—seemed even more frightening in his rage.
"You call yourselves adults? Have you wasted the past twenty or thirty years of your lives?!" Jiang Tianzheng strode heavily up to them and launched into a furious tirade. "If you have the guts, use it on the monsters! What kind of heroes are you, pulling tricks on your own people?!"
Both men lowered their heads in silence. After scolding them for a while, Jiang Tianzheng seemed to calm down somewhat.
"You, get three days in solitary." Jiang Tianzheng pointed at Sethi, then turned to Mike. "Go wipe the blood off your face, then report to my office immediately."
Sethi left the cafeteria dejectedly, not forgetting to throw Mike a resentful glare before he went. Mike was far more direct. He rushed to the sink and washed every trace of blood from his face. By the time he finished, Jiang Tianzheng had just left the cafeteria, so Mike hurried after him.
Mike did not know whether Jiang Tianzheng had truly calmed down. He did not dare follow too closely, trailing about five meters behind him. Taking advantage of the chance, Mike's thoughts raced without pause.
Was he calling me to his office just to deal with the fight? Mike wondered.
No, definitely not. Fights were as common as daily meals; if they happened often, people considered them normal. The old man could only want to see him over one thing—Kunlun.
While Mike was lost in thought, Jiang Tianzheng arrived at his office—or rather, his office and bedroom combined.
It was right next to the Command Center on the second level. It took less than a minute to walk from here to the Command Center. Like the Shatterdome, the walls were all metal, gleaming with a cold sheen.
As soon as he entered, Mike first saw the documents piled by the door. The stack was as tall as a kindergarten child. Mike glanced at them as he passed. They were all political documents from the central government, yet Jiang Tianzheng had simply piled them by the entrance.
Past the entrance was another door on the left, which was probably the bedroom, Mike guessed. On the right stood an open wardrobe. Eight identical white shirts were neatly folded on its shelves, while five identical green officer uniforms hung from the rack beneath them.
Including the one Jiang Tianzheng was wearing now... that made six sets.
Does this guy not own any clothes of his own? Mike clicked his tongue inwardly.
Behind the door was a short corridor. Both walls displayed all kinds of beautiful paintings meant to soothe the mind, ranging from realism to abstract art. Mike paused to admire them for a while, and found that almost none of his irritation remained.
At the end of the corridor was Jiang Tianzheng's office. The door was slightly ajar, and Mike could imagine Jiang Tianzheng waiting for him inside.
Mike took a deep breath, then finally lowered his head and stepped in.
"Then I'll get straight to the point, Mr. Mike Kane." Jiang Tianzheng spoke solemnly, and the addition of "Mr." after Mike's name made him deeply uncomfortable.
"I have thoroughly reviewed your records—of course, all of them," Jiang Tianzheng added. "Your records in our country only state that you graduated from Hunter Academy in Los Angeles, United States. But your American records contain additional information."
Mike froze. He had not expected his information to be exposed after all—in truth, he had never wanted others to know about it.
"Pilot of the United States' sixth-generation Jaeger, Noisy Max. Eliminated four monsters. Later, after Noisy Max was destroyed and the U.S. government refused to pay for repairs, he became disheartened. Following a fierce argument with his companions, he severed all ties with them and ultimately left the Los Angeles base in the United States. His whereabouts became unknown."
Jiang Tianzheng recited Mike's life history without pausing.
Mike lowered his head and silently acknowledged it. Jiang Tianzheng's words made him feel as though he had lived through the past few years all over again.
"Very good." Jiang Tianzheng paused. "Now, I hope you can sit in a Jaeger once more and fight for humanity."
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