The Ultimate Plan

"No, no, we don't want anything. We just want to exchange some Divinity Radiation time with you."

The tall man beside Zhang Xuqiang smiled faintly.

"No need. My current activation time is just enough."

Cai Xiaodong refused flatly, rising to leave.

The man immediately stretched out an arm, blocking Cai Xiaodong's path.

"Don't be in such a hurry. Since Instructor Chen isn't around today, how about the two of us have a real-mech match? Whoever wins gets two minutes of the other person's daily Divinity Radiation time. What do you say?"

These two bastards were clearly here with bad intentions.

Cai Xiaodong said unhappily:

"Qian Shengyue, you're ranked forty-ninth and I'm ranked fifty-fifth. According to mech pilot tradition, only the weaker party can challenge the stronger one. What are you trying to do?"

"Besides, do you really intend to fight here? Surveillance is everywhere."

Qian Shengyue smiled faintly. "No, no. Within ten ranking places, those above and below can challenge each other. That has always been the tradition of the Special Selection Class. You're new, so I can forgive your ignorance."

Cai Xiaodong said, "If it's tradition, then there's nothing I can do about it. But I still refuse your challenge."

"Really? Your talent isn't exceptional, your abilities aren't outstanding, and your family's influence is mediocre. Do you really dare offend the Zhang family and the Qian family?"

As Qian Shengyue spoke, an arrogant look appeared on his face.

"If you're willing to exchange your Divinity Radiation time, I can even trade one minute for your two. But if you insist on being this tactless, then when the time comes, even if you beg me to take your Divinity Radiation time, I might not accept it. Have you really thought this through?"

Cai Xiaodong said disdainfully:

"So what if I offend you? This is Special Selection Class 3, Instructor Chen's territory. She sets the rules, not you! You're just two mid-tier Power Clans, relying on the fact that some of your elders are still serving aboard the ship. Even so, can their hands reach into the Special Selection Class?"

With that, Cai Xiaodong pushed past the two of them with his head held high and left directly.

Qian Shengyue's expression darkened.

"Brother Qiang, we didn't scare him. That kid must have investigated us! Otherwise, there's no way he would've known our backgrounds the moment he met us."

Zhang Xuqiang snorted.

"Looks like I went too easy on Li Yi yesterday, giving those two the impression that they could deal with me easily. Since he wants to be this stubborn, there's no need for me to show mercy."

"Brother Qiang, what are you planning to do?"

"I roughly understand Chen Qiong Zhi's logic for arranging practical battles every year. Your rankings are within six places of each other, which means there's a high chance you'll be scheduled for a real-mech duel within six days."

"When that happens, I want you to directly destroy his Divine Mech. Better yet, force him to withdraw due to injury."

"Once he can no longer continue training in the Special Selection Class, won't it be easy to handle him?"

Qian Shengyue nodded. "Brother Qiang's arrangement is excellent. I'm completely convinced. But my ranking is only six places above his. I'm not actually confident I can seriously injure Cai Xiaodong."

"Don't worry. I investigated Cai Xiaodong's previous combat footage. I know his weaknesses and his fighting habits. I'll explain them to you carefully. With your own raw strength already a notch above his, won't taking him down be easy?"

Zhang Xuqiang said with a faint smile.

"Brother Qiang, you're incredible. Then how should we deal with Li Yi?"

"Deal with Cai Xiaodong first and teach him a lesson. After that, if Li Yi still refuses to submit, I'll find someone else to make a move against him in a real-mech battle."

"Brother Qiang, forgive me for asking, but are we really going to make an enemy to the bitter end of the strongest rookie fighting champion in history?"

"I didn't want to stir up trouble either, but he took my Pluto Mech. My life is limited. I can't afford to waste even a moment."

Zhang Xuqiang gave Qian Shengyue an indifferent glance.

"If you don't want to be involved in this, I understand. You can withdraw."

Qian Shengyue immediately gave an awkward laugh. "Brother Qiang, you must be joking. Of course I don't mean that."

"The Deus Mech Project? It sounds pretty impressive."

"Not just impressive. It's incredibly impressive."

As he spoke, Lin Guotao's eyes shone with an unprecedented, commanding light.

"This is a project that can turn you into the strongest mech pilot—and the strongest human."

Uh, was he really boasting that big?

Li Yi's scalp tingled.

The last time he had heard something this outrageous was... the last time.

"Please continue, sir. I'm listening."

Lin Guotao saw that Li Yi did not believe him, but did not mind.

"Don't think it's impossible. In fact, this is a theory that has undergone extensive verification and has a chance of succeeding."

"At present, more than thirty mech pilots across the entire Deep Space Fleet have joined this project."

"Two people from our Jade Pool (Yaochi) No. 7 participated before as well. They are currently stationed at the Forty-Fifth Interstellar Defense Line, holding down an entire region."

"But without exception, everyone chosen to participate in this project became an undisputed powerhouse, a pillar of humanity."

"Their combat power was also ten times, over ten times, or even greater than that of mech pilots at the same level."

"Have you heard of Zhang Shengfeng? He is one of the beneficiaries of the Deus Mech Project."

"He was also a participant in the Deus Mech Project?"

Li Yi had indeed heard that name before.

He debuted at the age of twenty. After only a few years of training and experience, he shone brilliantly in a galactic-scale war at twenty-five, killing hundreds of high-level Alien Mech Pilots.

At the age of thirty-two, he guarded the forbidden Star Ring Zone and killed five Celestial Rank Alien Mech Pilots by himself, earning fame far and wide.

"I might as well tell you that Zhang Shengfeng has already broken through to Above Celestial Rank. At present, he is one of the Star Imperium Federation's top ten ultimate powerhouses."

"Today, even without piloting a Divine Mech, he can casually destroy a hundred-meter-class mech with his bare body alone."

"Tell me, does the Deus Mech Project count as the ultimate plan?"

Hiss...

Li Yi drew a deep breath and said emotionally, "What you've described truly fills me with longing, sir."

Seeing Li Yi's reaction, Lin Guotao felt reassured and smiled faintly.

"Then let me introduce the contents of the Deus Mech Project to you."

"Please do, sir."

"You should have recently learned about the advantages and disadvantages of Divinity Radiation combinations and purity, correct?"

Li Yi nodded, growing increasingly curious.

Could the ultimate plan involve doing something with Divinity Radiation?

"Very well. Then I'll keep it brief."

"If you want to enter Celestial Rank, your best choice is to maintain the purity of your Divinity Radiation. With Pluto, a Divine Mech with at least A-rank potential, you have a better chance than others of reaching Celestial Rank."

"But if your goal is not merely Celestial Rank, but Above Celestial Rank."

"Then my suggestion is that you carefully plan the sequence combination of your Divinity Radiation."

Li Yi could not help asking:

"From what I learned before, if there are too many different Divinity Radiation sequences, they will affect the share of Divinity Genes and leave one stuck before Celestial Rank."

"That's right. What you learned was correct."

Lin Guotao smiled.

"It's just that we have a method to increase soul strength and raise the share of Divinity Genes."

"In other words, with this method, you can collect Divinity Radiation from different sequences and gain a larger, more complete cluster of Divinity Genes."

Li Yi understood at once. This happened to align with his own future plans.

"Are you saying that the proportions of the different Divinity Radiation sequences must be properly planned, so that one can continue advancing after Celestial Rank?"

"That's right."

"Then what is the method you mentioned for increasing soul strength? Is it suitable for me?"

"And what kind of sequence combination is the best?"