Lu Qingxue was already in trouble. The three mechs ahead were clearly working as a team. Once the metal torrent from their close-range Vulcan Cannons swept across her mech, it would rapidly drain its shield energy. The three mechs vaguely formed an encirclement around the white mech from three directions, and the suppressive fire from all sides forced Lu Qingxue's mech into increasingly frantic evasive maneuvers. Behind her lay the Tropical Jungle, where towering Giant Trees dozens of meters tall could effectively weaken radar scans. Just as Lu Qingxue retreated toward the forest, a yellow-green mech suddenly emerged from behind her, its High-Vibration Particle Blade already glowing faintly red! A Chameleon Device and Stealth Device—clearly a reconnaissance-oriented mech that had been hiding in the forest for a long time! If that blade struck true, the High-Vibration Particle Blade's terrifying destructive power would shatter Lu Qingxue's mech shield in one blow!
The Survival Battle map was the Devil Island Encounter, set on a volcanic island. A Medium Escort Satellite in the high sky would periodically launch indiscriminate attacks on the mechs below. The system tallied the results every ten minutes. Survivors earned 3 points during that period, while every mech destroyed earned 1 point. After ten minutes, the system would compress the island's combat zone, and anyone outside the valid area would be forcibly expelled.
Whether the four mechs were all on the same side or split into two groups, Lu Qingxue had entered her most dangerous moment!
"Ah, oh no! Senior Lu doesn't seem to have noticed the one behind her!" the flat-haired young man who had spoken earlier cried out.
Lei Nuo watched the three-dimensional light screen. His thin lips remained pressed together, but the corner of his mouth had already curled upward.
"Long Er, you idiot." A refined-looking young man with Glasses behind him spoke coldly. Before the flat-haired man could get angry, he continued, "Senior Lu's mech is a modified military-grade Mulan-type mech, designed for long-range attacks. It's a ground-combat model equipped with a Fifth and a Half Generation engine, a standard Walpo Company 165-caliber Gauss Sniper Rifle, a 35-caliber close-combat Defender, and thirty-two Axle-Type Rockets. By interstellar standards, it has A-class long-range capability, D-class defense, D-class close combat, and C-class mobility. After staring for so long, have you found Senior Lu's sniper rifle yet, idiot?"
"You, Feng Yu!" The flat-haired youth's face flushed crimson.
"Look for yourself. Senior's Mulan Modified already has yellow wisps in its orange-red exhaust flames, which means she's switched to a Sixth-Generation Engine. Senior is the president of the academy's Kendo Club. The reason she chose the Mulan Modified and painted it white was purely for aesthetics, not for the Mulan's long-range firepower! Look carefully at the High-Frequency Sword on her back, idiot!" Feng Yu, the refined bespectacled youth, continued mocking Long Er expressionlessly.
"Is that Wave Leap Flash?!" Long Er had not even had time to erupt before he suddenly shouted, his face twisting in disbelief.
On the screen, the white Mulan Modified's footsteps were disordered and chaotic. A white-painted Alloy Sword sheath was clearly strapped to its back! The sword hilt, difficult to spot but pressed tightly against the mech, was pulled from behind it in an instant. Then, after bending its legs to gather strength, the mech's foot thrusters instantly entered energy overload. The mech leaned back seventy-five degrees, its sword tip touching the ground, and in a flash, it changed from retreating to tracing a backward arc at more than three times its previous speed, causing the fire from the three mechs ahead to miss completely. Meanwhile, the yellow-green mech behind it, both hands gripping the Particle Blade, came to an abrupt halt. With a bang, its engine exploded—a one-hit kill! With its back to the yellow-green mech, the white Mulan Modified slowly pulled the High-Frequency Sword from beneath its arm, where it had just pierced the energy chamber, then... slowly turned around.
"Th-this, isn't Senior's move Wave Leap Flash? Isn't that an A-class tactical evasion maneuver used by the military? How can it be performed with a mech? And used with a sword? And even injure an enemy? Ahhh!" Long Er's mouth hung open wide enough to fit a fist inside.
"Not bad. Qing Xue truly deserves to be called Dingchuan Academy's Goddess of War of the Kendo Club! There's no need to keep watching. The military's A-class movement standards are incredibly demanding. She must have unlocked the First Mental Lock." Lei Nuo's voice rang out, his eyes carrying a hint of amazement.
The Star River Federation stipulated that those who had not been selected through military academy channels and were under forty years old could be exceptionally recruited as Star River Federation officers if they could continuously perform three A-class or higher Fighting Techniques on the military's annual public assessment day, September 17. Test takers were judged regardless of background, as long as they passed the political review. Even the lowest rank of second lieutenant represented a single step into glory for those struggling on the edge of survival! The military had established 379 A-class movement standards. After nearly a century of refinement, every single one was as difficult as ascending to heaven! Anyone who mastered three could be called an outstanding talent in their own right!
Sure enough, upon seeing that instant replay, the three Platinum One Star players abruptly stopped charging toward the Mulan Modified, as though facing a formidable enemy!
"Senior's Sixth-Generation Engine has just entered Compensatory Overload. She's definitely about to erupt now." Feng Yu's eyes gleamed behind his lenses.
One mech prepared to flee, while the other two immediately activated their Vulcan Cannons. The Mulan Modified had already entered the Sixth-Generation Engine's 150% overload mode. Its mobility had leaped directly from C-class to 2C-Class, granting it a complete speed advantage against three mechs with C-minus mobility! More importantly, under Lu Qingxue's control, the Mulan Modified was entirely a close-combat master wearing the disguise of a sniper!
Step over, flash-jump, close in, one slash to blow the cockpit!
Close in, fire Axle-Type Rockets in bursts to cripple it, one slash to blow the cockpit!
Leaping slash! The explosive speed added tremendous kinetic force, and beneath the incomparably sharp blade of the High-Frequency Sword, the last mech was cleaved in two along with the assault rifle it still held horizontally before it!
Afterward, it stopped, sheathed its sword, and after confirming that the surroundings were safe, the snow-white Mulan Modified leaned beneath a giant tree to wait for its energy furnace to cool.
"Time's up. Today's Survival Battle has ended. Two hundred and seventy-six players passed, and seven hundred and twenty-four were eliminated. Qualified players, please rest and prepare. Enter the arena promptly at 20:00 tomorrow."
"Too... incredible," several voices behind Lei Nuo exclaimed at once.
A burst of pressure release sounded, followed by a beep. The top of Virtual Pod No. 3 opened, and a white figure rose from within.
Her snow-white, wide-sleeved Swordsman Uniform made her appear particularly sharp and neat. Her shoulder-length hair was casually tied behind her with a black martial arts band. Her brows were faintly furrowed, her bright eyes were watery yet cool, her pointed chin delicately defined, and her slender neck bore no ornaments. Like a cold and solitary snow lotus, she was tranquil and independent—the president of Dingchuan Academy's Kendo Club, Lu Qingxue.
"Senior." "Senior Lu." "Qing Xue..."
"Mm." Lu Qingxue was clearly not good with words. Then her brows furrowed as she turned to look at Lei Nuo, displeasure surfacing in her eyes.
"Ahem, Junior Lu, your strength has improved again." Lei Nuo smiled bitterly and rubbed his nose.
"Mm. I've already unlocked the First Mental Lock." Lu Qingxue nodded lightly. "I gained much insight this time. Next, I will focus on comprehending the sword."
"Ah, she unlocked the First Mental Lock! Previously, only Captain Lei Nuo had done so in the entire academy, and now Senior Lu has as well." The young man beside them clearly showed envy and admiration in his eyes. Mental level corresponded to the degree of brain development. The higher the level, the clearer one's thoughts, the greater one's computational ability, the stronger one's resistance to pressure, and the better one's coordination with a light brain. Levels one through nine could be the limit of a person's entire life. Level ten was the first Mental Lock, a qualitative transformation. Those who had not broken through could not imagine it, but those who had would never be ordinary!
"What about tomorrow's battle?" Lei Nuo asked softly.
"I won't participate."
"Uh, Senior?" Long Er was clearly anxious. The rewards for the Survival Battle were plentiful. It was not merely honor; limited-edition mech components were also awarded.
"Long Er, I personally invited Junior Lu here. I wanted to see whether real-world martial arts would noticeably improve one's mech combat abilities. The Mulan Modified we just witnessed has already given us the answer. Junior Lu has unlocked the First Mental Lock, and her ambitions do not lie here, so don't force her. What we need to do is work hard to prepare for next year's Exchange Battle. I'm close to graduating. I may choose to further my studies on Capital Star, or I may join the military. Before I leave, I will do everything I can! The future of the academy's Mecha Department rests with you."
"Senior!" Long Er and the others could not help calling out.
"For the next half year, training volume will double! Physical training will increase by another two levels. I'll also invite your Senior Lu over from time to time to spar with you." Lei Nuo suddenly revealed a vicious smile at the team members.
"If there's nothing else, I'll leave first." Lu Qingxue's expression remained cold and unchanged. After bidding everyone farewell, she turned and left without waiting for anyone to stop her.
"The senior clearly likes Lu, but Lu treats everyone like an ice block..." someone muttered softly behind them.
Lei Nuo acted as though he had not heard it. He simply stared at Lu Qingxue's retreating figure in silence.
"An Alliance Leader actually appeared today. Third Brother said he would support me, but I never imagined the support would be this great. What an enormous surprise at the beginning of the month. My heart is filled with countless emotions right now! This has raised my writing debut to such incredible heights! Any words of thanks would seem too weak! I will not let this kindness down! Alliance Leader Bai Yiduo is mighty!!! Here is today's first update!"
Before you continue