The Curtain Rises
"Although it's not the first time I've seen it, I have to give you a compliment for managing to assemble such a harmonious shape from that messy pile of parts!"
Standing at the foot of the "Orca," Feng Xue looked up at the machine, which could be described as having "ape-like arms and a wasp-like waist," and her expression was very satisfied.
Hearing Feng Xue's rare praise, Mang Ke immediately put his hands on his hips and pointed his nose at the sky, saying:
"I'm a professional in mecha design! And whether it's adding Electromagnetic Muscle Bundle or hydraulic transmission pressurization devices, I've left enough room for maneuver. Even if the frame is replaced, as long as the pilot layout remains the same, this outer armor can continue to be used—of course, if you can get your hands on better alloys or outer armor technology, replacing it isn't out of the question."
Yes, although this machine was originally designed to be "used once and then scrapped," Mang Ke still made an exterior with composite ceramic armor coated with Titanium Alloy after completing the machine's construction.
The machine itself has a peculiar texture reminiscent of a Baki -type human, with broad shoulders, thick arms, and a slender waist. If Fatty saw it, he might say something like, "What a skinny wrestler!"
"Is the fuel replenished?" Feng Xue pressed her hand to her knee, and in one swift motion, she reached the cockpit entrance. Pulling the safety valve, the aircraft's head and chest armor deformed, exposing the not-so-large cockpit.
"The fuel quality in Bailin Country is much better than I expected; two fuel rods are enough for 72 hours of driving range."
Mang Ke stood in front of the maintenance table, calibrating the machine with Feng Xue, one inside and one outside. Although they had done a final adjustment before coming, it was not surprising that anything could happen in this kind of competition, so it was still good to develop the habit of carefully checking before the competition.
"There's enough fuel, but the other parts won't allow it! With this hydraulic rod transmission structure, it'll suffer from metal fatigue after just ten minutes of full-force combat." Feng Xue started the program's self-check, her tone tinged with disdain. Mang Ke simply replied calmly:
"Didn't you say you didn't need Electromagnetic Muscle Bundle? If you can't beat me in ten minutes, see how I laugh at you!"
"Don't worry, you won't have that chance!"
Just as the two were chatting, Old Li walked into the maintenance room again, looked at the completed machine, and waved his hand, saying:
"Your turn will be on in less than ten minutes. This time, I've lowered the odds on your opponent to 1 to 10. If you lose, you'll be working for me for the rest of your life!"
"What nonsense are you talking about? But I'm curious, why don't you raise it a little higher?"
Feng Xue's slightly muffled voice came from inside the machine. Old Li shrugged and said:
"This is a match I secured by risking my reputation. The next match is against a star player, so 1 to 10 is already the limit. If the odds are too high, it will affect the audience's betting in the next match! And you'd better finish the fight within ten minutes, otherwise you'll only be able to play in the lower-level matches next time."
"Even if I wanted to stall, this guy wouldn't..."
"Beep beep beep--"
Old Li's communication device suddenly rang. He turned it on, glanced at it, and said to Feng Xue:
"Alright, with five minutes left before betting closes, it's time to unveil the machine!"
"Okay!"
"Next up, the red team has our old friend, the Skull Crusher, who can crush any mech! The blue team's Slaughter Beast pilot is a newcomer, a nominee from the Yuelai Tavern's annual recommendation. Surprisingly, the odds of the Skull Crusher fighting him are 1 to 10? Is Old Li really that confident? Or is he planning a charity event? Oh, the mechs are entering! Good heavens, such a frail mech! Did its designer not even install heat sinks? Those who haven't placed their bets yet probably already have their own opinions. There are 3 minutes left until the betting deadline, everyone..."
On the giant projection screen, the golden pillars symbolizing the betting odds between the two machines began to widen the gap. Originally, many people were still willing to bet on the possibility that "Slaughter Beast" might be a dark horse, given the huge difference in odds.
But the moment anyone who knows a thing or two about mecha design saw the machine, they knew it was hopeless!
"This piece of junk has such high odds, could it be that the organizers are giving away a discount?"
"You don't understand, do you? That's how casinos operate. They let you win a little first, then let you lose it all back with interest. The next game is Hunter- level all-star match. If they don't let you win something now, how will you get excited next time?"
Listening to the audience's loud discussions, Mang Ke, who hadn't gone to the Coach's bench, puffed up Steamed Bun cheeks. However, she wasn't foolish enough to discuss with the audience topics like the superior power of the Sea Monster core and the fact that the mecha itself wasn't intended to fight for more than ten minutes.
He simply held a telescope and watched the countdown on the field slowly reach zero.
Although I had escaped from the Silver Knight's encirclement, watching the battle from a god-like perspective like this was still a novel experience.
"Alright, that concludes the betting phase. Iron Armor Steel Fist, Ready... Go!"
With the host's hoarse shout, the machine called the Skull Crusher immediately strode towards Feng Xue. Its rapidly spinning fists were no less lethal than a drill.
In contrast, the "Slaughter Beast" seemed like a complete novice. It wasn't until the Skull Crusher started running that he finally seemed to realize what was happening and hastily adopted a defensive stance.
Just this stance alone was enough for the audience to condemn this rather beautiful mecha. This is the Bailin Country, where everyone knows a few basic fighting techniques. A mecha that adopts a defensive stance before the fight even begins shows a lack of courage. Not to mention that Mecha Martial Arts is fundamentally different from ordinary combat. Whether it's the weight, the impact, or simply the inertia of movement, it's far more difficult to control than a brawl between ordinary people.
However, as the Skull Crusher drew closer to the Slaughter Beast, the seemingly only good-looking machine slowly lowered its center of gravity. Although it was a small movement, it was quite noticeable on the machine, and many knowledgeable people frowned at the sight of it.
"This newcomer is interesting!"
In VIP Box 1, the ordinary-looking man raised his eyebrows. As soon as he finished speaking, the Skull Crusher had already rushed in front of the Slaughter Beast, its rapidly spinning fist raised high. But the next moment, the driver's vision suddenly went black.
Although the pilot was completely unaware of what was happening, the audience in the stands saw it clearly. Just as the Skull Crusher was about to unleash its signature skull-crushing attack, the Slaughter Beast's reverse coupling joint suddenly exerted force, and the entire machine lunged forward like a cheetah, using inertia and gravity to complete an exaggerated maneuver that almost skimmed the ground.
What followed was just a seemingly ordinary slam, but at such a high relative speed, it instantly exceeded the impact that the intervertebral disc buffer could absorb, directly causing the driver to suffer a severe concussion.
After a brief moment of stiffness, the Skull Crusher collapsed to the ground. Following a brief silence, the entire arena erupted in enthusiastic cheers.
Although it was only a brief exchange, given the martial arts culture prevalent in Bailin Country, they were able to accurately grasp the technical skill involved in that instant.
Surrounded by the frenzied atmosphere, Mang Ke suddenly felt that this sport wasn't as barbaric as she had imagined?
Or...
Just the right amount of savagery?!