Chapter 182: Trainwreck (1/2)

Chapter 182: Trainwreck

Hua Qianhu stared in silence at the third and final challenger. It looked like an average mecha.

It was coated in a bright silver plating, with a stocky composition. It was a good deal sturdier than Geng Yang’s, but of course the greater volume meant it’s speed suffered.

A close combat mecha? Hua Qianhu sat comfortably in his simulator, a smug grin on his face.

Hua Qianhu was the second strongest of the three mecha students that had been chosen for this competition, inferior only to Xiao Han. In fact, he’d already attempted the Sovereign-grade test once already. He’d only failed because he was lacking a little experience.

Though a part of the competition from the beginning, his interests were never in the opposition or even his own team mates. His primary desire was to do well, so that the school could earn more prestige and thus more resources for development.

After all he was very nearly set for life. A student who reached Sovereign status before even graduating was going to have a bright future, be it with an important family, a business collective or the military.

Hua Qianhu was no fool. He knew precisely the strengths and limitations of his abilities. He was well aware that the power he craved wasn’t going to come solely by his hard work alone. There was talent and effort, sure, but contacts and resources were just as integral.

Case in point were the power gems a mecha suit employed to run. Expensive was an understatement, more than your average pilot would be able to afford. Luckily Hua Qianhu was a talented student, but he came from an average family. Where he got to now was largely a result of his own efforts, in a place where the university was giving him accolades. But even then, he still couldn’t match up to those who came from a wealthy family.

He was graduating in a year. Now he was fighting tooth and nail with himself, pushing as hard as he could. He was dead-set on a single goal, all he wanted – to be a Sovereign-grade pilot.

The conflict between Lir and the NEU was as old as the hills. It was a good opportunity for him to ingratiate himself to the dean. Xiao Han was strong, true, but that wouldn’t matter if he never got in the ring. That would mean it was him and him alone that represented Lir University’s strength and superiority. He’d no longer be overshadowed.

It was for these reasons that Hua Qianhu was taking this competition so seriously, painstakingly studying his tactics. The arena wasn’t the most suitable to his strengths, but he had faith in his abilities. As far as he’d seen, there was no danger of running in to a pilot that was his match.

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“Would you like to draw lots for a new map?” The digitized voice rang through Tang Xiao’s cockpit.

Tang Xiao’s face was cold, and hard. He growled his response.

“No.”

“Three. Two. One. Begin!”

The third student battle began without delay. Were Tang Xiao to lose here, it would mean a crushing, humiliating defeat for the NEU. Losing three to zero would be a humiliation that would be seared in to the school’s historic memory forever.

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Han Ruchao sat languidly within the VIP box, content in the results laid out before him. He found the first two victories very agreeable, and Hua Qianhu to be performing exceptionally. He found the young man’s demeaning actions particularly fun to watch. Altogether the sniper mecha’s power stores had barely been touched. It looked more than likely this was going to be a complete shut-out.

Xu Renjian’s own mood was, naturally, entirely contrary to his Lir counterpart. The moment he’d seen Geng Yang enter the field first he’d guessed Tan Lingyun’s strategy. What he did not anticipate was that their best student would be eliminated so quickly. There was more than skill discrepancy there – Geng Yang also had to learn to better recognize opportunity, and the lack thereof.

He’d anticipated Tang Mi’s defeat, truth be told. But to lose in such a fashion, in front of the entire school, was a strike at the very heart of the university as a whole. If they lost again this time, the effect on their future recruitment would be catastrophic. Not to mention the strangled death of the entire school’s moral, students and teachers both.

But this was the reality he found himself in. What could he do? Who but he was at fault for their inferior learning in regards to Lir?

Within the arena, the fight had already begun.

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As this was the final bout, Hua Qianhu decided to switch up his strategy. Immediately his cannon was aimed directly at the silver mecha’s head. A strong energy disturbance sizzled through the air as his weapon spooled.

According to Hua Qianhu’s estimation, the one-thousand meter distance between he and his opponent was enough for two good shots. All he needed, was one solid hit.

By now he was supremely confident in his marksmanship, and for good reason. Within his kill zone, even Xiao Han wouldn’t dare get on his bad side.

Tang Xiao began precisely how Geng Yang and Tang Mi before him had, with a direct rush. The instant the digital voice called for the fight to begin, he was off in a flash of light.

In regards to speed, his direct assault wasn’t much different from Geng Yang’s, though perhaps slightly poorer. His blazing thrusters were clearly already at maximum power as well.