On the homepage, many highlighted posts were floating around – judging by the titles, they were hypothetical deductions about the current battle situation, as well as evaluations of mech combat performance.
People always love to discuss “what ifs,” especially when it comes to matches where both sides are evenly matched. Even though it would never actually happen, that didn’t stop the spectators from indulging in their fantasies.
After the initial shock wore off, professional data analysts popped up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. The point of contention among these industry insiders was whether Cheng Feng’s tactics could be considered truly flawless.
And so, Cheng Feng and Xiang Yunjian went at it countless more times within their threads, creating numerous maneuvers that could only be called “miracles of humanity” – all for the sole purpose of annihilating each other’s mechs. Their confrontations carried an air of being as irreconcilable as fire and water, as sworn enemies who could never see eye to eye.
For now, Cheng Feng still held the upper hand – after all, she had just won the match.
Cheng Feng clicked into a few threads, only to be driven back out by all the pointless bickering inside. She found herself far more interested in the casual chatter and banter of the netizens.
“If the mech operation major adds data analysis courses next year, guys… can this major still be applied for?”
“There are so many featured posts on the homepage – just click into any one of them and see how difficult mech operation really is, then decide whether you want to study it. [haggard]”
“The several models Cheng Feng built can be used directly as they are. I call her the founder of the cheesy playstyle in mech operation – any objections?”
“That title itself is pretty cheesy.”
“The ‘poison milk’ (reverse jinx) of San Yao netizens is terrifyingly powerful!”
“If you guys keep hyping Cheng Feng like this, I’m really getting nervous – are we going to see another huge upset right after this huge upset?”
“Stop hyping! Stop hyping!”
“Although I’ve been singing Cheng Feng’s praises all along, I really didn’t expect Xiang Yunjian to lose – I was completely dumbfounded at the time.”
“I know that sounds paradoxical, but you’re right.”
“Come on, who could have predicted Xiang Yunjian would lose? Last year, he was only one year older than Cheng Feng is now, and he still won MVP despite all the ‘poison milk’ thrown at him.”
“Xiang Yunjian, a senior, skipped the expeditionary force trials – only to end up setting up an assist for Cheng Feng. Sure, he has an eight-pack, but I still can’t help but feel sorry for him.”
“Xiang Yunjian is definitely nursing his wounds in solitude right now. Have his hundred analysis groups been disbanded yet?”
The entire forum atmosphere was practically one big celebration. Cheng Feng noticed that Xiang Yunjian appeared almost as frequently as she did in the discussions – most of the mentions carrying a mix of teasing and sympathy. After reading too many of them, she couldn’t help but empathize with the netizens. She sat up straight in bed and, with a guilty conscience, opened the small group chat she had previously muted.
The others were already chatting inside, with new messages scrolling up one after another.
My Family’s Got a Mine: I ordered takeout. @Xiang Yunjian, where’d you disappear to?
What’s Good About Summer: @Xiang Yunjian where did you go? I haven’t even made you pay up yet.
A Little More Reckless: @What’s Good About Summer, you’ve already cleaned out all the drinks Xiang Yunjian had in the fridge, and you’re still asking where he went?
What’s Good About Summer: Excuses, excuses. Xiang Yujian is just running away from life. @Ye Guicheng, a promising young man has been brought down like this – aren’t you going to send some red packets to cheer him up?
My Family’s Got a Mine: According to our group’s unwritten rule, the person who wins a big match like this is supposed to send red packets.
What’s Good About Summer: @Ye Guicheng, you haven’t blocked us again, have you? [draws gun]
Cheng Feng pretended not to see it and was about to close the chat, when right after that, Xiang Yunjian’s profile picture popped up, giving her quite a start.
Xiang Yunjian: Stop bickering.
What’s Good About Summer: I knew @Ye Guicheng would do the trick. Grab me a box of grilled pig trotters – cilantro flavor, thanks.
Xiang Yunjian: No. Order takeout yourself.
What’s Good About Summer: There’s some in the vending machine next to Sancan – I saw the new stock today! Oh, Yan Shen says he wants one too. [wow]
A Little More Reckless: ? Who the hell wants cilantro flavor, that heresy?
Cheng Feng walked over to the windowsill and cautiously peered down at the street below. The little owl, still charging, spotted her and flew over to join her.
In the night, the silhouettes of trees were blurred and indistinct; pedestrians whose faces couldn’t be made out moved slowly beneath the streetlights.
The little owl’s eyes flickered as it began to scan and search, asking, “Who are you looking for?”
Cheng Feng said, “I’m just looking around.”
She thought for a moment, then decided to throw on a jacket and head out anyway. On her way, she gave the restless little owl a gentle shove back inside and closed the door behind her.
Hearing the silly owl pecking incessantly at the switch from inside, she rapped her knuckles on the door and said, “Don’t follow me – I’ll be right back!”
Cheng Feng dashed all the way to Sancan and, sure enough, spotted Xiang Yunjian’s figure in front of the vending machine.
He was holding up his optical computer with one hand, scrolling through messages, while casually flipping through the selection menu with the other.
He was so focused that he didn’t even hear Cheng Feng approaching from behind.
Cheng Feng hadn’t meant to snoop, but the words on the screen were too conspicuous in the dead of night. With just a casual glance, she caught sight of many newly sent messages of consolation.
“Sure you lost, but I think you did okay – only just a little worse than me.”
“Xiang Yunjian, cheer up. It’s just one loss. Sure, you won’t have another league match next year, but you can still keep losing in the future.”
“It’s alright, Xiang Yunjian. Losing one MVP doesn’t mean anything. Whatever you do, don’t get discouraged. Face the future positively 0 you can apply for a fifth year.”
“Don’t pay attention to those animals. Think about something happier instead. Like how you’ll be coming to the expeditionary force trials next year, and I’ll be your senior.”
Too brutal!
Cheng Feng carefully studied Xiang Yunjian’s profile and couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for him.
This guy had lived in the league for over twenty years – did he have no friends at all?
Items kept tumbling out of the vending machine, automatically getting packed into a box. Xiang Yunjian pulled a card from his pocket to pay, but Cheng Feng beat him to it, swiping her own card in the slot first.
Cheng Feng pointed at the box, then at him, keeping her head down the whole time as she conveyed her goodwill in a subtle, wordless way: “Mm-mm! Mm-mm!”
A flicker of surprise passed through Xiang Yunjian’s eyes, then he let out a laugh. “What’s this? Lost your ability to speak?”
He’d probably just taken a shower – a towel was still hanging around his neck. Since the university had recently relaxed grooming checks for seniors, his hair had grown a little longer, damp and hanging down, softening the sharp, fierce edge he usually carried. He made a move to press down on Cheng Feng’s head using his height advantage, but she dodged out of the way.
Cheng Feng tucked both hands into her pockets and stood under a nearby streetlamp, looking at him.
Xiang Yunjian bent down, lifted the packed box with one hand, fished out a drink, then rummaged around and tossed a snack over to her.
Cheng Feng tore open the packaging and sat down with him on the stone railing at the edge of the flowerbed.
Xiang Yunjian lowered his head and asked with a smile, “Happy?”
Cheng Feng nodded emphatically. Of course she was!
Xiang Yunjian said, “So you really want that Triple MVP gold trophy that badly?”
Cheng Feng thought for a moment, then summed it up with a reason that was impossible to argue with: “Since I’m already here…”
Xiang Yunjian nodded and said, “Beat me, and the MVP is yours.”
When he said this, there was hardly any hesitation or doubt in his voice – not even much pride. It was as if everything he said was simply a matter of course.
“Play like you did today, make no mistakes, and victory will be yours. Manual-operated mech combat really is something else in your hands – a brilliance I’ve never seen before.”
Xiang Yunjian paused for a moment, his gaze landing on the school emblem still lit up on a distant high-rise, and said with feeling, “It’s been decades since the league had a student who took the Triple MVP.”
If it was ultimately a manual-operated mech pilot who claimed the title of Purple Star, he thought that would indeed be a very interesting turn of events.
This was an opportunity the entire field of manual-operated mech combat had been waiting for – decades in the making. Countless developers, educators, and students alike were all looking forward to the rise of a new star.
An industry that had lain dormant for too long was in desperate need of a fresh current to rejuvenate it. In terms of significance, it far outweighed Xiang Yunjian winning one more perfect trophy himself.
Perhaps that was exactly why, despite his defeat, Xiang Yunjian had remained quite calm throughout.
Even when his instructor learned of his loss, he simply let out a sigh and waved his hand, saying, “Ah, forget it – it’s fate. Those hand-operated mech folks are probably ready to pour decades’ worth of their luck onto her; we can’t compete with that. At worst, I’ll just give you a little extra care from now on – consider it compensation.”
Xiang Yunjian had flatly refused on the spot. He already had more than enough of that kind of “care.”
Xiang Yunjian withdrew his gaze and glanced at the person beside him. Seeing Cheng Feng vigorously sucking on her jelly drink, the image vaguely overlapped with the one in his memory, yet kept pulling apart from it. Still a bit incredulous, he said, “When I brought you out of the postwar zone, you were still a little bald kid. I never expected your skills to grow even faster than your hair.”
Cheng Feng looked up and held his gaze for a moment, but ultimately couldn’t withstand the inner struggle. She fished a small box out of her pocket and, with a look of resolute determination, handed it to Xiang Yunjian.
This was the custom badge that San Yao had given her when she broke the record. Her own was made of pure gold, and the little owl had one made of special material too. Later, San Yao sent her two more – while not as precious, they were still trimmed with gold thread around the edges. Netizens had repeatedly offered high prices to collect them, but Cheng Feng had held on to them all.
Cheng Feng took a deep breath and said, “Wait until I get the gold trophy.”
Xiang Yunjian was examining the metal trinket in his hand when he heard this – his hand gave a startled tremble.
Cheng Feng said generously, “I’ll let you touch it.”
Xiang Yunjian replied, “…Thanks. I have my own.”
Cheng Feng hesitated, then patted him on the back – not very adeptly – as a gesture of consolation. “Mhm.”
Xiang Yunjian was silent for a long while. He felt there was something odd about this whole exchange, but he just couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
…
Just as Xiang Yunjian had said, the singles competition proceeded very smoothly from there on… with even a touch of absurdity.
It was probably because Cheng Feng’s performance in the previous match had cast an infinite shadow over the sensor mech pilots. Those drivers who knew nothing about hand-operated mechs, in order to avoid risks, went to the complete opposite extreme.
Now, whenever sensor mech pilots saw manual-operated mechs, they thought of separation; whenever they thought of separation, they thought of coordinated attacks; and whenever they thought of coordinated attacks, they couldn’t help but take a wide detour.
As a result, Cheng Feng’s next opponent made a series of moves during the match that left her utterly baffled.
The final match came to a bizarre end, with neither side truly understanding what had just happened.
In the post-match player interview, the young man on the opposing side looked at Cheng Feng with an expression of pure admiration and exclaimed, “Amazing! Brilliant tactics – totally unpredictable! No wonder you’re a data analyst!”
Cheng Feng had absolutely no idea what to say. Faced with his enthusiastic thumbs-up, she opened her mouth, then closed it again, and finally decided to use aloof silence to project an air of supreme mastery.
The interview was dominated by the young man the entire time, as he declared with absolute conviction:
“She was running midway when suddenly she paused – and I caught it. I knew right then that her real intention was to lure me in. Good thing I reacted quickly, or I might not have made it out alive!”
“That kind of extremely subtle killing intent – only someone actually on the field can sense it.”
“What? She didn’t use that separation configuration this time? That’s exactly the brilliance of a true master! Come on – just because she didn’t bring it doesn’t mean she can’t use it!”
Under his enthusiastic promotion, manual-operated mechs gained yet another layer of mystique. Cheng Feng could only say she was completely baffled.
The students who were still in the competition, panic-stricken, went to the young man for confirmation. After exchanging insights with one another, and with the assistance from those armchair strategists on the San Yao forums, they veered further and further down the wrong path…
In the next round, with only three candidates left for the final contest, Cheng Feng lucked out with a bye once again.
The final match also went off without any surprises.
With the outside world having all sorts of misconceptions about manual-operated mechs, Cheng Feng successfully capitalized on her opponents’ suspicious mindset. She deliberately used mech transformations and feints to disrupt them, and amid their cries of “This is insane!” as they crumbled, she secured the victory without much real danger.
After this match, Cheng Feng – having received two byes – had the same score as the second-place candidate. However, because she won the final match, her name was placed first on the leaderboard.
The infantry MVP – officially in Cheng Feng’s hands!
It seemed that the netizens’ enthusiasm had been spent in advance during Cheng Feng’s match against Xiang Yunjian – there was no great sense of surprise this time, and the discussions in the latter half remained centered around those two.
When analyzing the matches, their talking points were all along the lines of: “If Xiang Yunjian were there, he would definitely have played it like this.” / “If it were Xiang Yunjian, Cheng Feng would have been dead already with that kiting.” / “If this had been Cheng Feng’s hand-operated mech here, he wouldn’t have even had a chance to draw his gun.” – and so on.
Netizens joked: “It’s clearly a movie for two people, yet a third person insists on having their name in the credits.”
When they saw Cheng Feng showing off her MVP, they merely responded flatly:
“Yeah, we know. You may withdraw now.”
“I already celebrated half a month ago – what more do you want?!”
“The commemorative video and congratulatory messages are both in the works – just waiting for the gold trophy!”
“Didn’t the singles event end ages ago? When does the team event start?”
This year’s league schedule had been stretched out due to an unusually high number of student registrations, and the singles event ended nearly half a month later than it did last year.
The organizing committee decided to push things back even further, eventually scheduling it as one of the final exam events near the end of the semester.
With that, the second major category of the league – the team competition – officially began.
