The first part of the preliminary arrangements is the individual professional skills test for infantries.
This test is used to assign a baseline score to each student. Then, based on their scores, they are matched for the next segment: mech vs. mech combat.
The matching rule is that high-scoring players are paired against low-scoring players.
Since the singles matches in the league follow a single-elimination system – where an early exit means all subsequent points are zeroed out – this skills test, despite not counting toward the final total score, is extremely important to the examinees.
Low-scoring students are very likely to run into seeded players like Xiang Yunjian right from the start, and may have to bid farewell to this year’s league less than a week into the tournament.
Of course, there are instances of underdogs turning the tables. Most of those are students who deliberately scored low to create a gimmick – but quite a few ended up crashing out instead. Normal students wouldn’t dare take that path.
Moreover, the league officials seem to have a peculiar obsession with the test itself.
Losing a mech battle isn’t a big deal – winning and losing are part of the game; you can always try again next round. But if you fail the test… then maybe you really don’t have what it takes.
Cheng Feng didn’t quite understand their unique innate skills, but she had been cramming hard for the pre-exam training over the past two days as well.
The individual skills test for manual operation majors was quite different from that for sensory operation majors. Apart from basic subjects like physical fitness, shooting, and specialized knowledge, there was also a two-person partner driving test.
It was the most difficult of all the subjects and also carried the largest weight in terms of scoring.
In assessments like physical fitness and shooting, Cheng Feng’s scores were neither good nor bad – with a normal performance, she hovered around the middle of the pack.
The written exam covered too broad a range of knowledge areas; she might perform slightly worse in that, but she had baseline scores from the modules she was good at, so she probably wouldn’t end up in the bottom tier.
As for the final driving test –
Cheng Feng was very confident!
Though she wasn’t sure whether her partner would have the same confidence.
The competition committee sent out relevant announcements to the candidates’ personal communication devices a day in advance, notifying them of the exam venue, time, and specific rules. The actual partner assignments would only be made after the candidates had checked in and entered the venue.
To allow students time to put on their equipment, venue check-in typically started fifteen minutes early. Candidates would also use this precious time to quickly confirm each other’s styles with their temporary teammates and formulate key strategies.
Cheng Feng was a very considerate person. Out of consideration for her unknown partner, she made a rare effort to arrive early this time, queuing up outside the bustling exam venue, waiting for the machine to verify and confirm her entry.
The seat number she drew today was very auspicious – Number 66.
Cheng Feng felt this was a lucky omen. [1]
After passing through the security checkpoint, Cheng Feng found her seat. By the time she sat down, there was already a guy seated to her left.
The young man was a senior in his fourth year. When he saw that his partner was Cheng Feng, he visibly exhaled in relief.
He extended his hand toward Cheng Feng and politely introduced himself. “Lu Yuan. Hello, junior.”
“Hello, senior.” Cheng Feng shook his hand, giving it a firm pump.
Lu Yuan, flattered, shook back in response.
Cheng Feng asked, “Is your exam number 67?”
“Ah?” Lu Yuan looked up and gestured with his hand to explain. “The seats are arranged vertically, not horizontally. So I’m actually number 74.”
That was the number Cheng Feng hated the most. [2]
Her eyelid twitched. But then she thought – just because they were partners didn’t mean they had to share the same luck.
Lu Yuan didn’t notice anything off about her expression; his entire focus was on the assessment ahead.
This was his final league tournament. Last year, although he made it into the preliminaries, his individual skills test score was only average. In his very first mech battle, he encountered a formidable sensory operation mech pilot and ended up exiting early.
He didn’t have much league experience – of course, most of his fellow manual operation alumni were in the same boat, barely making a ripple in the league. At this moment, he couldn’t help but feel nervous.
Lu Yuan pulled up the registration list, cleared his throat twice, and asked with a slightly tense voice, “In the first segment, are you driving, or am I?”
The biggest advantage of manual operation mechs is that the cockpit can be separated from the mech and controlled remotely. This setup maximizes the safety of the mech pilot.
The only catch is that to ensure data transmission effectiveness, this remote operation is generally limited to a straight-line distance of within three kilometers.
In dangerous situations, three to five kilometers is still considered a safe range, but the mech’s responsiveness may experience some lag.
Beyond five kilometers, the mech will show noticeable stuttering. Past ten kilometers, the signal connection will be lost.
Therefore, vehicles responsible for transporting cockpits are typically staffed with multiple manual operation mech pilots.
One handles information gathering, one handles driving, and one handles mech operation. When fatigued, they can rotate roles – or even take full-shift naps. Very humane.
This assessment only has two positions: driver and mech pilot.
The scenario: the vehicle’s position has been exposed, enemy reinforcements are approaching, and everyone needs to evacuate immediately.
Cheng Feng thought for a moment and said, “I’ll drive first. We can switch in the second half.”
Lu Yuan knew that Cheng Feng was known for her speed and aggressive power – exactly the strengths this assessment required. He nodded and said, “Alright. Just make sure you keep the right distance from the mech and don’t go out of range. I’ll do my best to support you and help you withdraw safely.”
The entire map wasn’t occupied by just their team. This was a joint examination venue, with over a dozen teams of schoolmates sharing a single city map.
However, each team had its own optimal evacuation route, so under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t interfere with one another. After all, they were all schoolmates – and at a critical moment, someone might even be able to help by firing off a cannon blast.
The senior from the neighboring group leaned over, tapped on Cheng Feng’s desk, wiggled his eyebrows at her, and said with a grin, “Cheng Feng, my dear big shot, if you have a moment, give me a hand. After the exam, I’ll treat you to a little cake. The big kind!”
Cheng Feng replied tactfully but sincerely, “I suggest you stay as far away from me as possible. If you’re also driving fast, try not to exit through the same gate as me.”
The senior’s expression froze for a moment. He instinctively glanced at the map. Based on the distance between their positions, the best route to complete the mission would indeed be through the same city gate.
Taking the other gate would require a detour of at least five or six kilometers. The extra time would affect their scores, not to mention the potential dangers along the way.
Without a second thought, he refused. “No way! Why?”
Was she really claiming such a wide berth? That she wouldn’t even let him take the same path she had taken?
Cheng Feng took a breath and was about to speak when the examiner walked down from the podium and barked, “Five minutes remaining! All candidates stop talking and board your mechs immediately!”
Interrupted like that, Cheng Feng suddenly forgot what she was going to say. She could only shake her head, put on the simulation equipment, and choose to log in.
When her vision returned, she was already sitting inside an armored vehicle. To her right was Lu Yuan’s cockpit. Straight ahead, through the rectangular window, she could see the empty city streets.
The vehicle’s air circulation system filled the sealed cabin with the acrid smell of gunpowder drifting in from the streets – somewhat pungent.
Shifting her gaze slightly, she saw a dozen red exclamation marks on the control panel – all of them heat reaction warnings from weapons.
Lu Yuan sucked in a breath and whispered, “This is so hard. Why did we end up right in the middle core section?”
Cheng Feng thought to herself: Because you’re number 74.
The two quickly processed the information they had and planned their respective evacuation routes.
Lu Yuan’s manual-operation mech wasn’t a major concern. He asked, “Can you dodge on your own over there? Do you need me to help intercept anything?”
“Don’t worry about me.” Cheng Feng calmly clicked “Ignore All Warnings” and said with a straight face, “Just focus on your own evasions.”
Lu Yuan secretly admired her.
No wonder she was the record holder with 151 wins.
She was incredibly reliable.
The system’s cold voice read out the disciplinary regulations one by one, echoing in the background, forming an eerie whole with the battle-torn scene.
Lu Yuan carefully relaxed his fingers and controlled his breathing.
“Three.”
“Two.”
“One.”
The countdown for the exam ended, and the mech’s power – along with the surrounding gunfire – resumed simultaneously.
Lu Yuan’s eyes widened as he darted forward at high speed, gradually pushing the thrusters to maximum along the route he had planned in advance.
The system’s announcement still echoed in his ears, repeating the last line over and over like an auditory hallucination. But within his held breath, it was gradually drowned out by the thunder of ammunition hitting the ground, finally expelled from his mind.
Lu Yuan’s tension began to ease, and his rationality returned to normal levels.
He performed well today. His touch was good. Throughout the entire maneuvering process, the mech’s outer shell hadn’t taken any damage. He’d only been grazed by a slight shockwave – but that was unavoidable and didn’t affect the mech’s defensive capabilities.
A good start gave Lu Yuan confidence.
What Lu Yuan feared most was dragging down his teammate – especially Cheng Feng, an obvious rising star of the league. The thought of online critics sharpening their pens if he ruined her performance weighed heavily on him.
The enemy’s offensive eased up somewhat, and Lu Yuan finally had a moment to check the distance between the mech and the vehicle.
The bright red “3.6 km” displayed on the panel nearly blinded him.
At the start of the match, the distance between Cheng Feng and him had been 2.5 kilometers.
How had she managed to get that far away in such a short time?
“Slow down, Cheng Feng!” Lu Yuan’s scalp tingled as he called out. “Don’t forget I’m still here!”
“I know,” Cheng Feng replied, her tone still calm. “I’m keeping an eye on your panel. Don’t worry – just fight. I’ll definitely be the first to get you out of here!”
Lu Yuan’s lips trembled, but his language function was starting to fail under such intense concentration. Afraid that Cheng Feng would drive too far and leave the mech behind, he had no choice but to speed up and chase after the vehicle’s position.
But high-speed driving wasn’t really his forte. Every moment was nerve-wracking – he was terrified of crashing into the buildings lining the streets.
Cheng Feng noticed his change and reassured him, “You don’t need to drive that fast. Watch out – there’s an ambush zone ahead. I’ll control the distance to create a good operating environment for you. Just focus on yourself.”
Lu Yuan wasn’t sure he could trust her, but he really couldn’t spare any attention to check on her situation.
Despite what Cheng Feng said with her mouth, her hands didn’t hold back at all. Spotting an impact indicator ahead, she charged through at full speed. Right at the edge of life and death, she executed a sharp drift – a 180-degree straight-line turn – and drove right back the way she came.
Lu Yuan had been about to input a code on the side panel, but the jolt sent his finger flying sideways, slamming down hard on a side button.
The cannon on the side of the weapons bay was forced into action – and fired off into a different neighborhood entirely.
The senior from the neighboring group: “??”
He roared from inside his simulator, “Damn it! Who was that?! Who blindsided me?!”
Lu Yuan’s heart started racing with panic. Just as he was correcting the code, he noticed that the distance between Cheng Feng and himself had shrunk from “3.6” to “2.9.” A sense of relief washed over him, mixed with an inexplicable bewilderment. Then, a long string of red hazard warnings popped up on his panel – they had arrived at the ambush zone Cheng Feng had mentioned.
Translator’s Notes:
[1] In Chinese culture, the number 6 is considered extremely lucky. It stems from the phrase 六六大顺 – literally “six six great smoothness”. It is a common auspicious saying, especially used in toasts, blessings for new beginnings, or wishing someone good luck before an important event. The origin of this phrase traces back to the Book of Changes (I Ching), where the number 6 is associated with the yin lines of a hexagram. The sixth line (上六) of certain hexagrams was interpreted as bringing everything to a successful, smooth conclusion.
[2] I’m guessing the reason for this is that “74” sounds like “go die” in Chinese.
