Chapter 336: Mech Duel I
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Ye Chong and Rui Bing returned to Ze Xi Academy looking pathetic. In the end, they were still caught in the heatwave of the explosion, covering them with dust. The ultra-strong explosives were powerful, raising a huge gray cloud that could even be seen from afar. This surprised a lot of people, not knowing what was happening. However, when Ye Chong and Rui Bing both returned looking miserable not long after the explosions, sharp people like Bi Bo immediately suspected that they might be involved with that incident.
However, he was not foolish enough to ask Ye Chong about it. Now at Ze Xi Academy, Ye Chong’s role was irreplaceable. Ze Xi Academy’s higher-ups were mostly dead from the chaos earlier. Just when everyone was feeling lost, Ye Chong had appeared like a hero, turning the tide against the mutants. Additonally, the hundreds of war mech pilots that were protecting them at the academy were all here because of Ye Chong.
Here was a powerful combatant, capable of synthesizing the strange but deadly Bluefire chemical. His background was a mystery. Now, he had become an idol for the survivors of Ze Xi Academy.
Only Ye Chong, Rui Bing and Fei Si were in the laboratory. Fei Si stared at the photon processor, her face drained of blood as she muttered, "How could they …"
Ye Chong was also not looking so well. The three chips that he got from the underground base had all the information on the later part of their decade-long experiments. They had been experimenting on humans. No less than 300 had died from their experiments. It was terrifying.
Ye Chong frowned as he noticed Fei Si’s pale face. He spoke up, "Now is not the time for this. Can you find a cure for the virus?" It would take time to fully digest the information in the chips, but there were more important matters to attend to.
Fei Si composed herself then, still looking a little pale, but she considered for a moment before saying, "Once I know its structure, the rest will be easier. I’ll make the cure now." She remembered then that many students outside could die at any moment.
She began to work in earnest. Fei Si was a real workaholic, as evident from her current single status. While her teacher had once advised her to spend more time on her personal matters, she still continued to work. After her teacher’s passing, she had dived deeper into work in her grief. However, it was her determination that led her to be as capable as she was at her young age.
Seeing Fei Si deep in concentration, Ye Chong took out the chips from the photon processor and put them in his bag. He exchanged a glance with Rui Bing, and they both left the lab.
Just as they were outside, Ye Chong and Rui Bing both heard a commotion.
When the people outside saw Ye Chong, they yelled, "He’s here, he’s back out here."
Ye Chong frowned. A group of people were talking with the mech pilots. The 900 mech pilots that Ye Chong brought with him had suffered greatly, losing nearly 300 lives, about a third of the entire force. The Shi Family had suffered the least, proving that they were the most combat capable of the three families.
Bi Bo approached Ye Chong and spoke softly, "I think they’re trouble."
Seeing Ye Chong’s arrival, the leader of the group approached Ye Chong and studied him for awhile before speaking, "You the one who made the blue fire?" The big guy looked strong, his muscles bulging out from his combat suit.
The people around quieted down at the mention of that question. The entire academy building fell silent. Many of them looked angry, as the man had spoken rudely.
Aside from Ye Chong, Rui Bing’s eyes gleamed coldly.
Ye Chong ignored him as his eyes swept across the leaders of the three troops. The leaders of the three troops avoided his gaze.
"Who let them in?" Ye Chong asked calmly in a voice free of intonation, but his words were powerful. Everyone held their breaths.
The leaders looked away, as if they did not hear him.
Ye Chong nodded, and said plainly, "So this is how you treat your orders. As expected of war mech pilots." Ye Chong’s expression was empty, like he was only commenting on the weather.
The people around looked at the troop leaders with despise.
In the He Yue Galaxy, staff mech pilots were different from average mech pilots. Staff mech plots enjoyed better benefits and higher status compared to other mech pilots. They were professional combatants. However, staff mech pilots were also subject to stricter discipline. One of the most important rules was to always obey their orders.
Disobeying orders was a serious matter for staff mech pilots. It was no wonder that the people around looked at them with distaste.
The leaders looked miserable. They were unwilling to do this in the first place, but due to their orders, they were forced to protect Ye Chong and Rui Bing. They also took to heart how Ye Chong had easily escaped six of their mechs earlier like it was but a game, and using Valiance at that. To them, it was an act of public humiliation. The man had other mechs but had chosen to use Valiance, what was that if not a deliberate choice to embarrass them?
They had not stopped this group of people from entering with the intention to make things awkward for Ye Chong.
However, the seemingly rigid man had now retaliated with such sharp words. Accusing staff mech pilots for disobeying orders was a serious matter. The hostile looks they got from the people around them had driven them into a difficult situation.
The Shi Family’s troop leader stepped forward to justify themselves, "You did not order for us to stop anyone from entering." Bi Bo could not help but humphed coldly at that. Given the circumstances, it was only natural for the staff mech pilots to be vigilant and not let anyone enter as they pleased. Explicit orders were not necessary for this precaution.
"Oh," Ye Chong nodded, eyeing the leaders again until they felt uncomfortable. Ye Chong’s next words forced them into a tight corner, "Then I now order you to get rid of them from here."
The leaders looked to each other, aghast.
The big guy was furious. "Heh, what arrogance. Humph, even if Shi Sen was here, he wouldn't dare speak to me like this. Humph, just who do you think you are?" Shi Sen was one of Shi Family’s powerful members, and was very well known. The big guy said this with towering pride.
Rui Bing, who had been silently watching all this while, could not stand it any longer. Her eyes gleamed icily as the neat bangs on her forehead swept up. She darted forward, reaching the big guy before her to slap him. Rui Bing who had refined herself much both in terms of combat and manners, would normally not be so easily angered. Even if someone yelled in her face, she could ignore them completely. However, for some reason, she could not stand seeing someone speaking so rudely to Ye Chong.
Rui Bing moved like lightning. It was all so sudden that the big guy could barely raise his hands to block her. Rui Bing twisted her wrists and evaded his block.
Piak! It was a solid, hard slap on the big guy’s face.
Rui Bing was angry with his rudeness, and had used some force. The big guy’s face was imprinted with a clear palm. The big guy was stupefied, and could barely believe what had happened. Rui Bing was back at Ye Chong’s side, as if she had not moved at all.
Everyone gasped!
The leaders were also shocked by Rui Bing’s reaction. The cold woman in white was amazing. Her attack was like a lightning strike. If it were them, they would never be able to block her. If it was not a slap, but a chop to the big guy’s throat … The leaders could imagine the sound of broken bones, and their hearts chilled.
The big guy’s surprise quickly turned to humiliation and anger. He spoke through gritted teeth, "Alright, f*ck, to think that someone’s b*llsy enough to slap me. Hehe …" He wanted to say more, but seeing the white-robed woman standing beside Ye Chong made him swallow the rest of his words.
"Little sh*t, how about a mech duel?" The big guy challenged. Rui Bing heard the big guy’s insult for Ye Chong, and raised her eyebrow, pushing the big guy to take a few steps back.
Ye Chong turned to Bi Bo and asked, "What’s a mech duel?"
Bi Bo took a glance at the big guy and replied quickly, "A mech duel match between two people with their respective mechs. There are no specific rules to it, but no one is allowed to interfere. Both sides place their own bets."
"Why would I want to have a mech duel with him?" Ye Chong asked.
Bi Bo was speechless. The people around them watched Ye Chong like he was an alien. The big guy laughed, "Hehe, what a coward, are you man? What a f*cking weakling …" Seeing Rui Bing raising her brow again, the big guy quickly shut up.
Bi Bo was vexed. How should he try to explain this? After a long moment, he tried with, "If you win, you can obtain whatever he bet in the duel, like money, for example, or mechs, or other things." In the He Yue Galaxy, mech duels were a commonality. Most people would not shy away from a mech duel, since mech pilots were widely perceived to be brave.
"Oh," Ye Chong finally showed some interest. He turned to the big guy and asked, "What do you have?"