Xu Fan nodded.
Even now, the sight of Crimson Sky No. 1 still made him itch to get moving.
No one understood better than he did just how powerful Crimson Sky No. 1 was.
Only he knew how ferocious this behemoth would be with all its restraints released!
"Good! Since you say so, could you take it for a test flight right now?"
Elder Wang sprayed spittle as he spoke, looking extraordinarily excited.
Xu Fan edged back slightly. "Sure!"
He said little on the surface, but inwardly, his heart had burst into bloom.
He could get his thrills while showing the client the mech's true performance-two birds with one stone.
Elder Wang looked at Wang Yixue.
"Young Yixue, didn't you say earlier that there was a copilot's seat in the cockpit?"
"There is, but the person sitting there is basically a passenger. They don't have any control permissions."
Wang Yixue nodded, then her eyes lit up.
"Grandpa, can I go along?"
"Yes, you should go too. After all, Xu Fan has only operated it once. If he makes a mistake, you can correct it immediately!" A trace of worry showed in Elder Wang's brow as he spoke.
"Okay!"
Wang Yixue nodded excitedly.
These days, she thought about piloting the mech every day.
Even driving her G-Class down the street felt as slow as a snail.
It was nothing like the imposing thrill of piloting a mech.
At Elder Wang's instruction, Wang Yixue left her phone behind.
She switched it on so they could watch the mech's data panel and the pilot feed at any time.
Elder Wang even requisitioned a military satellite to ensure communications.
Standing nearby, Tong Yao thought, What a waste, not using Xu Fan's phone when it's right there!
Next came mech startup, pilot scanning and authentication, and entry into the cockpit.
Seeing this, Xu Fan simply took Wang Yixue's phone.
Then he entered a string of incomprehensible code.
Brilliant red light instantly shot from the mech's eyes, and a crackling sound came from inside.
Startup was complete in an instant.
Two steel arms reached out, lifting Xu Fan and Wang Yixue into the cockpit.
Click!
The cockpit closed.
A deep mechanical voice sounded inside the mech.
[All control units normal] [Beam weapons not mounted] [Dragoon System not mounted] [Current piloting mode: Master] [Quick startup complete] [Awaiting deployment...]
Once the voice faded, Wang Yixue unfolded the auxiliary seat and sat down.
It might have been called an auxiliary seat, but the space was extremely cramped.
Fortunately, it had a holographic helmet too.
What surprised her now, however, was that the voice prompts when Xu Fan started the mech were completely different from those she heard when she started it.
She had absolutely no idea what quick startup mode was.
And the piloting mode Xu Fan was using was actually Master!
Even after piloting it quite a few times, she was still only using Normal mode.
Wang Yixue turned to look at Xu Fan. Was this guy showing off a little too much?
A vague unease stirred inside her.
Please don't let anything go wrong!
"Fasten all the safety buckles, including the ones under your helmet." Xu Fan glanced at Wang Yixue and kindly reminded her.
"I know. You don't have to tell me!"
Wang Yixue rolled her eyes at Xu Fan.
She put every safety measure in place.
She thoroughly agreed with what Xu Fan had said. Just as driving a car required fastening a seat belt, piloting a mech required securing the safety buckles.
Besides, Xu Fan was piloting this time, and she really had no idea what to expect.
Crackle-
The voice link with Elder Wang connected.
Xu Fan asked,
"Elder Wang, how would you like me to conduct the test flight?"
"Just do the best you can!" Elder Wang sounded somewhat worried.
Xu Fan's eyes lit up.
The best I can!
Doesn't that mean I can fly however I want?
A flash of excitement crossed his eyes.
The holographic helmet brought up the control mode options.
As his visual focus shifted,
it finally settled on the words "King mode."
Beside him, Wang Yixue's pupils abruptly contracted.
A shiver ran through her entire body.
She looked at Xu Fan nervously.
"Xu Fan, what are you doing? Can we please not show off? Or let me get out first!"
But Xu Fan was fully focused on adjusting the data. He had no attention to spare for the person beside him.
Immediately afterward,
Wang Yixue heard a voice that made her deeply uneasy.
[Ding-] [Current piloting mode switched to: King] [Attitude control restrictions lifted] [Hydrogen engine restrictions lifted] [Weapon system restrictions lifted] [Phased-array situational hazard warnings disabled]
"Holy crap, Xu Fan! I want to get out! Let me out!"
A chill ran down Wang Yixue's spine, and she cried out loudly.
All the piloting assistance measures had been disabled, and every aspect of the mech's performance had been pushed to the maximum.
This was gambling with their lives!
But the only answer she received was another prompt sounding inside the mech.
[Crimson Sky No. 1, launching!]
As the voice fell silent,
Xu Fan shook his head and said, "Too late."
He yanked the control stick.
Boom-
A fierce burst of flame instantly erupted from the vectoring nozzles.
It propelled the mech forward in an explosive horizontal charge.
A powerful shove instantly pressed them back into their seats.
A suffocating sensation enveloped Wang Yixue.
Screech-
The soles of its feet scraped against the indoor floor, throwing up a shower of golden sparks.
They splashed onto the nearby researchers, burning several holes in their clothes.
Just as they cleared the indoor facility,
Xu Fan pressed the climb button while working a control lever with each hand.
The attitude adjustment system and the back-mounted propulsion system provided thrust together.
The mech faced skyward.
It instantly rocketed off the ground, detonating a sonic boom.
Only a hundred meters above the ground, it had already broken the sound barrier.
Wang Yixue sat beside him, scared witless.
Good heavens!
Was this really the same mech she had piloted?
It felt completely different!
Mom, I'm so scared!!
Boom-
The deafening sound made the research base's windows rattle and clatter.
Every flowerpot on the windowsills was shaken loose and fell to the ground.
They smashed to pieces.
Elder Wang, Elder Hua, and everyone else covered their ears. Only when the sound receded did they breathe a sigh of relief.
Watching the mech disappear, Elder Wang sighed.
"He's still too young. Too impatient, not steady enough!"
Yixue had been much gentler when taking off in the same mech.
She gave people a sense of reassurance!
"Elder Wang, let's take a look at his current readings!" Elder Hua reminded him.
Elder Wang nodded.
He placed Wang Yixue's phone in front of everyone.
A blue-and-white sky filled their view.
Along with rapidly approaching clouds.
And the data panel in the bottom-right corner.
Everyone immediately looked at the bottom-right corner.
[Current mode: King] [Combined thrust: kilonewtons+; low-thrust data not provided in King mode] [Mech temperature] [Speed: Mach 10.8] [Assessment: Everything normal!]
They called this fucking normal???
Countless sharp intakes of breath rose throughout the room.
Everyone's jaw dropped.
"Hrk-"
Elder Wang outright choked.
Streaks of blood welled across his eyes.
His mouth opened wide enough to swallow a light bulb.
His aged face instantly went taut, pulling even its deep furrows flat!
He failed to catch his breath.
He suddenly toppled backward.
"Holy shit, Elder Wang!"
"What's wrong, Elder Wang!"
"Don't die, Elder Wang!!"
"..."
The people beside him immediately caught him.
Tong Yao reacted swiftly, hurrying to bring Elder Wang an oxygen tube.
"Hang in there, Elder Wang!"
Seeing Elder Wang lose his composure again, Elder Hua hurried to encourage him.
Though he himself had just swallowed a fast-acting heart pill!
In a trembling voice, Elder Wang hurriedly said,
"I'm fine, I'm fine! Look at the screen!"
Everyone turned their attention back to the screen.