"Got the picture? Let me introduce this to you. This is a first-generation training mech—the Ironhead. Each one is worth several million Federal currency, so they're extremely expensive! Be gentle when you train with them and take good care of them."
Tang Yan proudly introduced it to all the students.
"Several million Federal currency? Teacher, you're not pulling our leg, are you? These training mechs look so old, almost like secondhand machines. How could they possibly be that expensive?"
Chen Tong and the others sounded somewhat disbelieving.
"What do you know? Mechs are expensive to begin with, and their manufacturing process is complicated. Production has never been able to keep up with demand. These are already considered quite cheap. All right, enough about that. We're short on time, so hurry up and take turns."
Tang Yan coughed and replied with a stern expression.
"Got it!"
Everyone answered excitedly.
"Minke, Chen Tong, you two go first. Don't be nervous. Just operate them the same way you would in the Simulation Pod. There isn't much difference."
Tang Yan directly called on the class monitor and the others to test the machines. These five had the best scores, so having them go first would give everyone else an example to follow.
"Okay!"
Minke and the other four replied excitedly.
At that moment, several figures heard the commotion and came out of the lounge, walking to the observation platform and leaning against the iron railing to look down.
"Everyone, look at the observation platform above!"
The Blondie shouted excitedly to his classmates.
Su Ming and the others instinctively looked up. When they saw the people on the observation platform, their expressions froze slightly.
Lin Chuyu stood there in her school uniform, quietly watching them. Besides her, there were also three men and one woman.
Although Su Ming did not recognize all of them, that did not mean the other students did not.
At that moment, several girls in the class cried out excitedly.
"Li Fubai! It really is him!"
When Su Ming heard that name, he followed the girls' gazes. His eyes finally landed on the tall, thin boy to Lin Chuyu's left. He had fair skin, wore glasses, and his eyes revealed a hint of wickedness.
He could not help looking a few more times. After all, according to the Blondie, Li Fubai also wanted to cause him trouble.
"Oh my, this is interesting. It's never been this lively here before."
A well-built but ordinary-looking man leaning against the iron railing spoke with interest, his manner somewhat lazy.
"Zhou Wei, did a donkey kick you in the head? What's so interesting about this? Since when did the live-mech training grounds become a melting pot where anyone can come train?"
Zhang Tai replied irritably. In particular, seeing that deadbeat otaku in the crowd made him feel even more disgusted.
"None of your business. If I think it's interesting, that's all that matters. If you have a problem, go drive them out."
Zhou Wei did not indulge Zhang Tai either.
"You—"
Zhang Tai instantly became furious.
"Calm down. Don't get angry."
Just as he was about to lose his temper, a quiet, refined-looking girl with a pretty face and black-rimmed glasses advised him.
"Sun Yue is right. Don't argue."
Lin Chuyu spoke calmly.
"Hmph!"
Zhang Tai suppressed his anger and stopped arguing with Zhou Wei. Of course, the main reason was that he did not want to lose face in front of Lin Chuyu.
Tang Yan also noticed Lin Chuyu and the others. A complicated look appeared on his face. The students he had brought this year were truly mediocre; not a single one in the entire class had been selected for special training.
Even so, he still had high hopes for his students. But now, seeing them making such a chaotic racket and realizing how completely they fell short compared with the others, he grew furious and shouted sternly.
"Quiet! What kind of mess are you making? This is class time. Put all your energy and attention into training."
Seeing that their teacher was getting angry, all the students quieted down.
"Move over to the side."
Tang Yan immediately said this to Su Ming and the others.
"Okay, teacher."
Su Ming and the others quickly moved aside.
Tang Yan then gave Minke and the other four some instructions.
"There's a lift platform directly in front of the mech that can take you up to the cockpit. Also, be extremely careful when operating them. Don't be so rough!"
"Understood!"
Minke and the other four nodded in response before eagerly walking toward the training mechs.
Soon, they arrived in front of the training mechs and stepped onto metal platforms marked with symbols.
Click—
With a crisp sound, the metal platforms rose, lifting them up to the level of the cockpits.
Minke and the others opened the cockpits in the training mechs' abdomens, climbed inside one after another, and closed them.
The very next second, the cross-shaped display devices on the round heads of the five training mechs lit up one after another with bright red dots.
The five training mechs powered on in succession, emitting piercing roars.
"They're starting! Come on!"
The surrounding students shouted excitedly.
The training mechs began to move. One after another, they raised their mechanical left legs, and then each machine began to lose its balance, its body tilting to varying degrees.
When Tang Yan saw this, his heart leaped into his throat, and he hurriedly shouted.
"Steady! Don't panic!"
Minke and the others hurriedly pulled the control sticks to adjust their machines. For a moment, the five training mechs swayed back and forth like people standing on one leg.
"They're going to fall!"
The Blondie and the others shouted nervously.
Boom! Boom!
One deafening crash after another rang out. Four mechs fell to the ground in succession, and even Chen Tong failed to keep his balance. Only Minke continued struggling, barely controlling his crooked, swaying mech.
"Hahaha! This is killing me! I thought I'd get to see what they could do, but they can't even stand properly."
Watching this scene, Zhou Wei laughed so hard that tears nearly came to his eyes.
In reality, live mechs and training Simulation Pods were quite different. In particular, the academy's Simulation Pods were not top of the line, with only eighty percent fidelity. The control response and physical sensations were also completely different.
On top of that, it was their first time controlling live mechs, so they were bound to be extremely nervous. It was not surprising that one after another had fallen.
"Zhou Wei, stop laughing."
Lin Chuyu spoke softly.
"Haha, sorry. I didn't want to laugh, but I couldn't hold it in."
Zhou Wei replied with a laugh.
At that moment, Minke's mech tilted sharply, and Tang Yan's heart sank completely.
Fortunately, just as the training mech was about to fall, Minke forcibly pulled back on the control stick and managed to steady it by the narrowest margin.
"The class monitor stabilized it! Amazing!"
Some of the girls happily applauded.
Tang Yan also let out a slight sigh of relief.
The fallen mechs began to stagger back to their feet one by one. Yet some had barely stood up before they fell again with a smack.
Watching this, Tang Yan's heart bled. Although the training mechs were rugged and highly resistant to impacts,
they still could not withstand being treated like this. After all, so many people had to get in and practice. If the damage exceeded the school's repair coverage, he would have to pay through the nose.
Even though it pained him terribly, Tang Yan had no intention of calling a halt.
Before you continue