"What's that?" Mu Fan naturally knew nothing about the PO Battle Network.
"The PO Battle Network—the most thrilling and fun place there is! How could you not know that? Are you from the countryside?" When the fat guy saw Mu Fan nod, he gave up on that question and patiently explained, "You know PO Interstellar Group, right? You don't? Forget it, pretend I didn't say anything. Anyway, it's a virtual network. Besides relaxing and socializing in there, you can engage in all kinds of battles, from personal combat to mech combat. It's a comprehensive battle network!!"
"A network?" Mu Fan tilted his head slightly when he heard the word. "Does it have something to do with a light computer?"
"Yeah. You didn't know? I thought you bought a light computer to access the PO Battle Network. Through a light computer, you can enter the battle network and use some basic functions and low-level combat, but I wouldn't recommend trying anything more advanced. After all, it's not a virtual pod and doesn't connect to your body's neurons. Everyone who logs in through a light computer has the same stats—the lowest ones. Only your reaction speed and awareness differ. If you really use a light computer to PK against someone in a virtual pod, you'll only get stomped." The fat guy grew excited as soon as he mentioned the PO Battle Network. He plopped down beside the Training Field and began instructing Mu Fan, this pure white newbie. It was rare to find someone so eager to learn from Brother Fatty. This feeling... was just too damn good.
"I need a light computer, but I didn't know about the battle network you mentioned," Mu Fan answered seriously.
"No problem! If you don't know, then this young master will take you in and show you!"
"Sorry, I need to make money. I don't have extra time to play."
"Make money!?" The fat guy blanked at the term, which felt quite distant to him. "Make money? Sure! Go fight. Whether it's personal combat or mech combat, plenty of people will watch. Right now, we're on the battle network of the Star River Federation Fourth District. It may not compare to the first three districts, but the number of people here is beyond your imagination. If you fight spectacularly, you can sell your videos. Even if each person only pays half a Star Coin, you could earn a fortune every day! And videos of experts fighting get watched by far more people than that!! ...Well, Brother Fatty can make money on his own too if I work a little harder."
"A fortune every day... a fortune every day..." Mu Fan did not hear anything else. Those four words alone echoed back and forth in his mind like the tolling of a morning bell and an evening drum.
"Wake up, wake up. Come on, big brother will show you first. We don't have a virtual pod or a head-mounted light computer right now, but there's a Sky Communicator you can use to watch. There are experts everywhere in there, I'm telling you! Don't let it dazzle you blind!" The moment the fat guy thought of the PO Battle Network, his palms itched. He had no interest in training anymore and directly dragged Mu Fan toward the Sky Communicator by the door.
The two sat leaning against the floor in front of the lockers, their heads crowded together and facing the same direction.
"Sky Communicator?" It was Mu Fan's first time seeing something so obviously high-end. It was palm-sized, with a silvery-white casing inlaid with several sparkling buttons. The middle held a three-dimensional imaging device. After the fat guy pressed a button to activate it, a square projection about a foot wide appeared in the center. His finger then tapped the air a few times with practiced ease, and he entered the PO Battle Network forum. Interstellar delay had far less effect on players in the forums, allowing them to watch videos of experts from other battle zones.
The fat guy first opened that fantasy-style move, Lotus Fall, for Mu Fan to watch. He thought that such a dazzling move, one that could only exist in imagination, would definitely stun this country bumpkin.
Sure enough, when he turned his head, he saw Mu Fan staring straight at the mech in the projection. The light in his eyes made him look like a starving ghost seeing meat.
What man had never dreamed of piloting a steel beast through the stars? Who had never wished to drive a mech into battle and slaughter to their heart's content? Mu Fan stared without blinking at the projection. The dazzling movements filled him with admiration. As expected of an expert—the mech could actually be used with such wild imagination! Poor Mu Fan had no idea that the fat guy was fooling him with special-effect moves that did not exist in reality.
"Well? Cool, right!?" The fat guy showed off proudly, as though the red-and-white mech in the video were his own. After seeing Mu Fan nod in agreement, he closed it and prepared to open another video for him.
Mu Fan was clearly still not satisfied with the fantasy-style skill video. Seeing the fat guy close it immediately, he could not help frowning.
"Come watch this one. Mechs are still a little too far off for you, so I'll show you something familiar. Let's watch experts fight!" The fat guy's face flushed slightly. Though he played fantasy-style combat, what he loved most was this kind of real fight, fists pounding flesh. It was a field he could only touch in his dreams.
The fat guy opened the Real Combat section of the forum. As he clicked inside, he said to Mu Fan without turning around, "Basically, mech experts all know some Fighting Technique. If you don't know any fighting techniques at all, you can't pilot a mech. Of course, there are also plenty of freaks who are excellent fighters but terrible pilots. Still, these moves are absolutely worth studying. Come on, look at this. It's Star River Federation expert Dark Right Foot. He uploaded another new video."
"I heard this Dark Right Foot is a military combat expert, Diamond 5-Star in the combat district. But he doesn't spend much time in the mech district, so he's probably from the ground forces. His moves have always been known for being difficult and flashy. This time, he's facing a Diamond 3-Star challenger!" The fat guy excitedly clicked the video open, then muttered, "It's paid—20 Star Coins. Bought it. Time to broaden your horizons."
Mu Fan did not feel much after hearing all that, but his heart ached when he heard it cost money. Twenty Star Coins were just gone like that.
The scene in the video was set inside a sealed martial arts arena, filmed from an overhead God's Perspective. On the left stood a man in a white martial arts uniform and a shadowed mask. The system labeled him Dark Right Foot. He was well-proportioned and stood there without a single unnecessary movement, like a cold humanoid weapon. As though to match his name, the right pant leg below his knee was covered in intricate black patterns. Even without looking at the name, one could tell who he was.
The man on the right had cloth strips wrapped around both fists, his stance planted firmly. His face had also been blurred, but it was not hard to tell that he was staring at his opponent, not daring to make any other move.
The countdown reached zero, and the challenger attacked first. His right fist looked slow but was actually fast, shooting forward in a straight punch aimed at Dark Right Foot's throat. The beautiful afterimage left the fat guy no time even to cry out. Then, under the battle network system's slow-motion camera, the punch abruptly changed direction midway and became a strike toward the collarbone. His fist technique was truly seasoned! That instant, too fast for ordinary people to see clearly, already displayed the bearing of a Diamond-level fighter.
Mu Fan narrowed his eyes and watched Dark Right Foot sidestep in the video, the fist brushing past his left arm. Then, in an instant, Dark Right Foot's entire bearing turned harsh and violent. Using his left foot as a pivot, he raised his right leg and drove a rapid knee strike directly into the challenger's concealed left punch. Then, as the other man retreated to defend, he pressed close, bent forward and drew back his fist, bringing his left elbow down against another punch.
In just a few seconds, the two had already exchanged over a dozen blows. The numerical damage determined by the system had consumed nearly half their stamina. Once their stamina was emptied, they would lose.
After another rapid exchange, Dark Right Foot took a small step back and steadied himself, then raised his right foot. "He's using a big move!! He's using a big move!!! Look, look! What is it this time!?" The fat guy's eyes widened as he repeatedly slammed his fist into his palm.
Mu Fan's eyes remained slightly narrowed as he stared at the video, but his face showed no expression.
The opponent clearly sensed something unusual. His gaze flicked toward the raised right leg, and the black patterns on the pant leg seemed to flow. However, just as the challenger's eyes shifted, that raised right leg moved. It snapped out at a speed the opponent could barely react to, kicking away the left fist still in midair. Then the left leg followed, blocking the opponent's right fist. The right leg suddenly withdrew, and Dark Right Foot forcefully twisted his body. The fat guy seemed to hear his own muscles creaking and grinding. Then, like a black bolt of lightning flashing through daylight, he leaped into the air, his body driven by his legs. His left foot retracted, and his right foot carved a huge semicircular black afterimage through the air. Bang! With a thunderous crash, the black lightning stopped abruptly after cutting across the challenger's head. The challenger remained frozen in the posture of a punch he had not had time to retract, then exploded directly into mist. Stamina depleted!
"Ah!! That was too exciting!!! Is that even a human move!! Did you—did you see it!! Crescent Wind Remnant!! Crescent Wind Remnant!!" The fat guy was nearly screaming. His eyes stayed fixed on the Sky Communicator, but he could not stop himself from shaking Mu Fan hard beside him.
But the fat guy soon realized something was wrong. Mu Fan gave none of the shocked cries or praise he had expected. He had not even made a sound. Was he stunned speechless? The fat guy could not help turning to look at him.
Just like when they had first met, Mu Fan's face was blank and stiff. He had also turned to look at him, as though asking what was wrong.
"Did you even watch the video just now?" The fat guy grew a little angry, thinking Mu Fan had not been watching.
"I watched it." A concise answer.
"Then how did it feel? Why aren't you reacting at all!?" The fat guy's brows knitted together.
A trace of curiosity appeared in Mu Fan's eyes as he glanced at the fat guy, then looked back at the frozen final image on the Sky Communicator. His lips moved.
"This move... I should be able to do it too."
P.S. Thanks to reader "Discrete Math" for the 100-coin reward. I carefully read every one of your comments. Thank you for all your continued support.
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