Almost instinctively, Xiang Yunjian swiped his finger, skipping the message as the interface jumped directly back to San Yao’s personal homepage.
Cheng Feng had left it on this page.
In the chat box on the left side of the screen, comments scrolled by rapidly. Someone had even bought a loudspeaker to broadcast across all channels, with exaggerated, flowing fonts that practically leaped off the screen and into his eyes.
Xiang Yunjian skimmed through them briefly, confirming that they were talking about him.
“The chart-topper is online again! [screams]”
“As expected of Xiang Yunjian! The UFU folks are way too humble when they boast -they should take a cue from their rivals at First Military Academy.”
“Is this even something a normal human can do?”
“I suspect there’s a bug in your backend. @San Yao Support, fix this already!”
“I sorted through Xiang Yunjian’s practice data, hoping to find some strategies. But something feels off… How can there be no gradual progression, just a sudden leap forward? It doesn’t follow the natural order of things!”
“UFU rocks! Does First Military Academy or the Allied Forces Academy even stand a chance this year? Step up your game already!”
“Does the post-war star really temper people this much? Has a worthy successor to the Silent Revelation finally emerged?”
“Is Xiang Yunjian switching majors? Will the UFU’s Manual Mecha Operations program finally produce someone who can really compete?”
What the hell?
Xiang Yunjian tapped on the constantly flashing friend avatar, bypassing the various strange memes and jumping straight to the end.
Icy Gun Muzzle: ?
Xiang Yunjian: ?
Icy Gun Muzzle: Did your account get hacked?
Icy Gun Muzzle: [Image] Is this you?!
Xiang Yunjian zoomed in on the screenshot, which showed the official leaderboard for San Yao’s simulation training.
The related training is divided into semi-manual and fully manual operations, modeled on the basic data of Jiu Gong and Ji Ban from Silent Revelation, with three difficulty levels set for each.
At that moment, the top spot across all six difficulty levels was occupied by Xiang Yunjian’s name – a feat he had never achieved before. Prior to this, he hadn’t even managed to scrape the bottom of the leaderboard, let alone claim the top position.
As someone who had always focused on sensory training, he hadn’t even gotten used to the complex commands of manual mecha operations yet.
His friend continued to pester him relentlessly.
Icy Gun Muzzle: Did you also install a prosthetic limb and rise from the ashes? Otherwise, this just doesn’t make sense.
Icy Gun Muzzle: Or did you manage to recruit some exceptional student? [shocked] But that can’t be right! All the military academies have already scouted the talent pool – how could there be any leftovers for you?!
Icy Gun Muzzle: Dude, I remember the age limit for your infantry program is 25. No cheating allowed.
Xiang Yunjian: Shut up.
Icy Gun Muzzle: [cry.gif…]
Xiang Yunjian grew impatient and happened to see a communication request from his instructor. He declined it outright and turned on the “Do Not Disturb” feature.
He clicked on the training video, intending to see what Cheng Feng’s specific maneuvers looked like.
The network speed on the post-war planet was a bit sluggish, and a loading icon kept spinning on the completely dark screen.
It had been years since Xiang Yunjian last experienced a slow system. He loosened his collar, his expression unconsciously serious.
Jiang Linxia raised his hand over there, shouting, “Xiang Yunjian, the instructor’s looking for you! He wants to know why you’re not answering his calls!”
Xiang Yunjian lifted a hand and waved, signaling him to be quiet.
Jiang Linxia tattled, “Instructor, he shushed you!”
Surprisingly, the usually hot-tempered instructor was unusually patient this time. He paused for a couple of seconds and said, “Go see what he’s up to.”
Jiang Linxia walked over with his tablet, and Xin Kuang followed curiously.
Three heads huddled together just as the video finished loading, revealing a fiery-red mecha at the center of the city map.
“Another semi-manual training exercise?” Xin Kuang glanced up with the corner of his eye. “On hard mode?”
As the word 【Advance】 flashed on the screen, the mecha surged forward abruptly.
The towering buildings on either side closed in instantly, creating an overwhelmingly oppressive scene that felt like turbulent, murky waves crashing down from above. Amidst it all were chaotic combat details – crisscrossing streets, enemy mecha positions, evacuation zones, and shells falling unpredictably.
In semi-manual training mode, the system defaults to automatic movement and obstacle avoidance for the mecha, requiring only code-based commands for ranged attacks and defense.
However, human reaction times and command input speeds inevitably introduce lag, which manifests as stuttering in mecha operations.
For so many years, this was the first time they had witnessed what could truly be called “smooth” movement in a manual mecha training session.
Xin Kuang whispered in awe, “The weapon-switching speed is incredible!”
The mecha’s blocking, jumping, weapon switching, and attacks showed not a moment of hesitation.
Xin Kuang kept shifting his focus between the command screen on the left and the input screen on the right, confirming that both were operating almost simultaneously.
This showed that Cheng Feng was already exceptionally proficient with manual mecha operations, having mastered them to a point of effortless ease – perhaps even perfection.
Due to the strain high-intensity training places on the fingers, each training scenario lasts a maximum of five minutes, interspersed with periods of relaxation to allow for recovery.
Five minutes passed. The mecha successfully broke through the city’s encirclement, but the group still hadn’t fully snapped out of their trance.
Jiang Linxia licked his lips, his mind searching for words to describe what he had just seen, when Xiang Yunjian clicked open the video record of the fully manual training session.
Comparatively speaking, the difficulty of fully manual mecha training is significantly higher.
While the city map becomes more orderly and enemy information is noticeably reduced, the codebase expands considerably, and the components to control become far more complex. For most mecha operators, this presents an even harsher challenge.
That’s why this training is often called “Three Thousand Ways to Destroy Silent Revelation.”
As the black mecha appeared at the center of the screen, Jiang Linxia’s mind once again went completely blank.
He rubbed his eyes and stared intently, not looking away for a second.
Right from the start, Cheng Feng showcased a brilliant maneuver.
The mecha body swerved sharply to the left. As its center of gravity was thrown off balance by inertia, it rapidly transformed, gripping the wall to evade an entire line of fire.
The hearts of the viewers tightened violently, a stark contrast to her own calm composure.
If earlier it was just speculation, this training session confirmed beyond doubt that Cheng Feng had been studying manual mecha operations since childhood.
Her actions repeatedly conflicted with the system-provided commands, and her movement routes differed drastically from the system’s suggestions. Yet none of this hindered her performance.
With a dizzying frequency of weapon switches and unexpectedly clever positioning, she cleared a safety zone spanning several kilometers – all before even covering half the map.
While others treat training as a desperate fight for survival, Cheng Feng seems more like a king returning to claim her throne.
The billowing smoke and roaring winds are nothing but fanfares welcoming her arrival.
She has already developed a systematic, mature, and uniquely personal combat philosophy.
Even the final system evaluation read: 【Perfect Clear (Damn it, she really showed off!)】
The video ended. The three heads huddled together slowly lifted, eyes meeting in shared bewilderment about the world.
That kid, who was barely taller than a bean sprout… could actually be this skilled?!
Countless thoughts condensed into a single phrase: “Is this even reasonable?”
Jiang Linxia whispered hoarsely, barely believing it himself, “Did San Yao glitch?”
Their forgotten instructor suddenly shouted, “Tell Xiang Yunjian to answer the call!”
Xiang Yunjian’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He took the tablet from Jiang Linxia and said without preamble, “It wasn’t me.”
“I know it wasn’t you. You’re not that good.” The instructor’s usually gruff voice held a hint of unusual softness, the tail end of his tone lifting with barely suppressed excitement. “Where is the person? Does the post-war planet really have talent like this?”
Xiang Yunjian replied, “Already left.”
The instructor fell silent for a couple of seconds, then realized he couldn’t afford to be polite with this bunch. He let out a cold laugh and said, “If you like speaking word by word, I also like docking points by the tens. Haven’t had the chance to try out the new training grounds at the UFU, have you? I can help you apply for a free three-hour session.”
Xiang Yunjian immediately replied, “He’s still a kid. Not old enough, looks really young. Physical condition seems decent, but we haven’t tested him.”
The instructor said excitedly, “Then test him!”
Xiang Yunjian said, “Doesn’t that go against regulations?”
“What regulations? Are you talking about the special exception passes this world grants to talent?” The instructor picked at his ear. “Students who are overage – that’s unavoidable. Their physical condition has already started its irreversible decline. But for kids who are younger, we can nurture them from the ground up. Early training fosters a stronger sense of belonging. And if he grew up on a post-war planet and already has such exceptional skills, imagine how outstanding he’d be if he came to our Alliance and enjoyed the most cutting-edge educational resources? I can recommend and arrange a high school for him. These aren’t problems!”
The instructor got more and more worked up as he spoke, even sketching out future blueprints. He then said meaningfully, “How can you give up on a promising prospect just because the big picture isn’t perfectly seasoned yet? Why are you all so cold toward this world? Is that what I taught you?”
Xiang Yunjian couldn’t take it anymore. He held the optical computer farther away and turned on the speakerphone, dutifully relaying the local official’s words, “But the person in charge here says his mind isn’t quite right.”
The instructor shot back immediately, “And yours is?”
Xiang Yunjian: “…?”
Jiang Linxia couldn’t help it: “Pffft – hahahaha!”
The instructor said, “Is that the guy next to you who nags all day, nitpicks everything, and would die if he didn’t look in a mirror – is he laughing?”
Jiang Linxia: “…”
Was that necessary?
Was that polite?
Do you run a knife shop?
The instructor also realized he still needed to rely on them for now and shouldn’t push his luck too far. He cleared his throat and asked, “Just how young are we talking? Did you ask for specifics?”
Jiang Linxia said, “He claims he’s 18, but I’d say he looks 15 at most. Hasn’t even hit his growth spurt yet.”
The instructor seized on it firmly, his voice tinged with excitement, “Nonsense! That’s 18 – old enough for university!”
Xiang Yunjian asked sincerely, “Are you a human trafficker?”
Silence.
Mixed with the faint sound of teeth grinding.
If either side had weapons in hand at that moment, they probably would have blasted each other to smithereens.
The instructor asked, “Just how serious is the issue?”
None of them were quite sure.
It had never occurred to them before that Cheng Feng possessed such remarkable abilities, nor had they considered making an exception for her.
Xiang Yunjian thought it over for a moment and replied seriously, “Actually, based on my interactions with him today, he doesn’t seem to have any major issues. No signs of violence, no communication barriers, no physical disabilities, and he’s capable of living independently. But we can’t be certain about the specifics yet. Once testing here wraps up, we’ll take the equipment to him and provide feedback along with the data. When the UFU’s admissions team comes to pick him up, remember to bring an extra psychologist… and maybe a couple of sets of clothes. He doesn’t seem to have anything that fits him properly.”
The instructor thought to himself, Doesn’t that mean there’s no problem at all?
He agreed readily, “Alright. Head over there as soon as possible. Keep in touch.”
