Chapter 1149 - 256 - 263

Chapter 256: Student Wang's Super Explosive Ability X

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

Since who knows when, the area that they were at had become a low-lying area. Just a short distance away was a huge pit. Sand flowed down it like water and the mecha were sinking.

They were within the area of the quicksand.

No one had expected to encounter such an incident. This was simply a nightmare. The mecha were a burden as the heavier they were, the faster they sank. There was no point in shouting for help at this point in time. If they were not able to get out in time, they would be finished in just minutes.

In fact, they had started to sink moments ago. However, due to the howling of the wind, together with the fact that the four of them were inexperienced, they did not pay much attention to it.

Were they going to die in this place???

A few kilometers away, Yuan Ye was astonished. It seemed too unbelievable. If they had moved a little faster, they would be on their way to the reincarnation cycle.

To a mech warrior, if one was to be trapped in the quicksand in the desert, death would be unavoidable.

"What the hell is this? Anyone who was trapped in this would have no chance of survival. This type of selection process is even more ridiculous than the first stage!"

"It's good that you all are capable. An average person would not have been able to assess when such a thing would occur!"

"Oh, damn, do you actually think that we can make it to the main competition? Those who make it to Aslan won't be ordinary people. To be competing with a bunch of lunatics would be risking our lives. We should just try to keep our lives intact while trying to achieve a good result. We really couldn't compete with them anymore!"

"Eh, I think i saw some sort of reflection. Could it be that someone was unlucky?…"

"You're right! It's a reflection from a mech. Oh, damn, who is the unlucky one?"

"It seems to be… Runan and her group were just in front of us…"

The four men looked at one another. Suddenly, Yuan Ye let out a weird scream. The engine of the Bata roared and it headed towards the direction of the hole. The rest of them quickly followed.

Although Wang Zheng and his group were not in the center of the quicksand whirlpool, which spanned across hundreds of metres in diameter, they could still feel that their mecha were sinking at a fast pace.

At the crucial moment, the four of them immediately tried to control their machines. The engines snarled loudly, but it was futile. The more they struggled, the faster they sank.

Zhang Shan let out a huge scream. He seemed to be distracted when he suddenly activated his Ability X!

His Bata Type V suddenly jerked and was able to escape the quicksand. Although it was only a displacement of approximately one meter, it was enough to save his life. At this moment, the engine roared louder and the mech was able to get out of the quicksand area rapidly. It was a moment where he pushed the mech to its limit. Zhang Shan was trying to run outwards as though he was crazy.

At the moment of life and death, Zhang Runan shrank her body quickly. The arms of the Bata Type V stopped moving momentarily. Then, suddenly, the arms slammed towards the sides, causing an air explosion.

Boom…

This was an ingenious idea. The explosive force was released in a short moment, blasting away the quicksand. Zhang Runan immediately flew out.

However, Wang Zheng and Meng Tian were closer to the center of the quicksand and had sunk the deepest. The greatest problem was that Meng Tian's Ability X was useless at this moment.

After escaping the quicksand area with much effort, Zhang Runan and Zhang Shan noticed that Wang Zheng and Meng Tian had not made it out.

"Give me your hand, Meng Tian! Hurry!" Wang Zheng said with strong conviction.

At the moment when Wang Zheng controlled his machine and grabbed hold of Meng Tian, a sudden turning maneuver launched Meng Tian out of the quicksand in one swift motion. At the same time, the sand had totally covered the cockpit of Wang Zheng's mech. Wang Zheng could not even open the cabin door even if he wanted to at this moment.

Meng Tian was dumbfounded to the point where she almost forgot to move.

"Power steer your mech! Hurry, Meng Tian!!"

Wang Zheng's screaming finally shook Meng Tian awake. As though it was an instinctive move, the mech flew upwards. Zhang Shan and Zhang Runan quickly came over and helped Meng Tian regain balance by standing at her left and ride sides.

"What can we do now? What can we do now? Oh, damn! What do we do now!"

Zhang Shan and the rest were at their wits' end. They had to maintain their power steering to be able to maintain their mech above the sand. If they were to move closer, they would probably lose control. This was really a pressing issue.

Just when Meng Tian's mech was preparing to move towards Wang Zheng, she heard a loud voice.

"Move back at least thirty meters. Hurry!"

Wang Zheng did not sound angsty or depressed. It was the opposite; he seemed extremely calm.

"No! If you die, we will die together." Meng Tian's lips were bleeding as she bit her lip.

"Runan, Zhang Shan, move Meng Tian away quickly. You all might have plans to die, but I do not wish to. Hurry! There's no more time. I have a way to get out!"

Wang Zheng's words were full of confidence. Zhang San and Zhang Runan were flustered. They immediately pulled Meng Tian's mech along and moved outwards.

"Listen to Wang Zheng! This guy has a plan! He is the most capable!"

As he completed his sentence, there were no longer any movements.

Zhang Runan gritted his teeth. Her mind had gone blank. How could it be? How did it turn out this way, how did it turn out this way…

"Let go of me…" Meng Tian was exhausted. It was as though that roar from Wang Zheng had drained her of all her energy. Wang Zheng was just lying to them.

In the blink of an eye, the cockpit had sunk below, leaving only the head exposed. In a few seconds, it would also disappear.

The sky had cleared up. Was this the last glimmer of Wang Zheng's life?

Having reached this stage, even if she didn't want to use it, she would have to!

At this moment, Meng Tian was able to gather strength that was unknown to her and was able to break free from Zhang Shan and Zhang Runan. She would not let Wang Zheng die alone.

At that very instant, the three of them suddenly felt a suffocating source of power. Soon after, a light blue cold ray exploded, turning the scorching hot desert into a blazing cold hell.

The three people could never forget this scene.

Using the Bata as the center, everything surrounding it was freezing at a rate that could be tracked with the naked eye.

The quicksand was frozen!

Zhang Shan's jaw dropped to the point that he could swallow his own hand… What was this?…

After approximately ten seconds, everything in a twenty meter radius of the mech was completely frozen.

Meng Tian had already rushed towards the center with her Bata Type V. The quicksand had indeed been frozen, but she was not thinking about this anymore.

"Hurry over and help!"

Zhang Runan and Zhang Shan hurried over. With three mecha's engines operating at maximum capacity, they applied a force together and pulled Wang Zheng's Bata out as though they were pulling out a carrot.

"Hurry… Let's go…"

Wang Zheng could not remember anything. It was as though he was drained of all his energy.

The three of them carried the mech and ran with all their might to over more than a hundred meters away to escape the quicksand area before they stopped. The quicksand behind them was moving down at a faster rate compared to before. The previous scene seemed like a dream to them.

When they opened the cabin door, Zhang Shan carried Wang Zheng out. At this moment, Wang Zheng was pale and his face was white as snow.

Meng Tian pulled Zhang Shan aside and moved closer to Wang Zheng's chest area. His heartbeat was weak and his breathing… was also weak.

Immediately, Meng Tian separated Wang Zheng's mouth and started performing CPR. Tears were racing down Meng Tian's face.

Zhang Shan shrugged his shoulders helplessly… He actually could've done this for Wang Zheng too.

Zhang Runan touched Wang Zheng's head. "He should be alright. He has most likely exhausted all his energy. It was surprising that the attribute of his Ability X was the same as yours!"

Compared to Zhang Shang and Meng Tian, Zhang Runan was calmer. Meng Tian came from a military family background and was familiar with first aid. She probably had a better understanding with regards to Ability X and knew that Wang Zheng's current condition was a classic result of over exerting oneself.

Finally catching her breath, Meng Tian realised that she had lost her cool previously. However, she couldn't care much about it. Wang Zheng had indeed given the hope of surviving to her just moments ago.

"Keke, Meng Tian, what class would this ability fall into? It was truly scary to be able to freeze the quicksand in just an instant."

Meng Tian and Zhang Runan looked at one another. Such a domineering ice attribute ability was truly amazing.

"I am not too sure either. But it was definitely C Class or above!"

Could it be that the two of them had achieved a breakthrough at the same time that day?

Wang Zheng's attribute was ice too. However, if it was of the same source, why hadn't she felt it?

"There are people coming this way. It'll be best if we do not say anything," said Zhang Runan. Zhang Runan was still the calmest person. Meng Tian might look resilient, but she was in fact the one most likely to suffer a breakdown.

Wang Zheng had a strong ability but would fall unconscious once he used it. They couldn't let anyone know about it or there might be big issues.

Meng Tian caressed Wang Zheng's face, took out a bottle of water, and drank a mouthful of it before passing it slowly to Wang Zheng.

At this romantic moment, Zhang Runan gave Zhang Shang a kick. Zhang Shan had intended to continue watching but had to turn around. Sigh, he would have liked to save the damsel in distress too, but he just did not have the opportunity.

Wang Zheng was too cunning, always choosing the best opportunity to save others.

Although this ultimate move had great power, it was a pity that it could only be used for a huge move instead of being controlled subtly. However, this was not an issue as gaining control of it was just a matter of time.

Practically, only Wang Zheng knew the truth about it. This wasn't an issue about exerting his ability in smaller amounts.

In fact, this was the weakest form that he had control over.

His spiritual energy, which was the source of his Ability X, was too strong, so it caused his body to not be able to completely withstand it.

Meng Tian moved Wang Zheng's head into her arms and tried to feel any changes in Wang Zheng's body. She could not let anything happen to Wang Zheng.

When Wang Zheng opened his eyes, the Moon was already hanging high up in the sky. He did not feel anything different, just that his whole body was sore and as though he had not rested for a long period of time.

"You have finally awakened." Zhang Shan jumped down and the others quickly crowded around.

"How long was I unconscious for?" Wang Zheng shook his heads.

"It was more than three hours, but we had a good rest too. Yuan Ye and his group happened to be nearby and they want to travel with us," said Zhang Runan as he winked at Wang Zheng.

Yuan Ye looked at Wang Zheng and said, "It couldn't be Wang Zheng. Did you overexert yourself too much previously and became exhausted? How could you faint from fatigue after running for such a short period of time?"

Wang Zheng was taken aback by what Yuan Ye said. He also knew it must've been Zhang Shan who had concealed the real situation.

"What? I overexerted myself and caused myself to feel a bit unwell."

"Can you still move?" Song Li asked curiously as Wang Zheng did look a bit pale and weak.

"It's not a big issue, just feeling a little hungry now. Let me have something to eat and drink and I should be alright."

Yuan Ye and his group were amusing. They could have left first but had chosen to stay behind. It would be better to be travelling together as having Song Li and his group could help prevent them from walking into quicksand. In other words, Wang Zheng and his group were lucky. If they had sunken a little deeper, they would have all perished.

Chapter 257: Ability X Strength Classification

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

After consuming a meal ferociously, Wang Zheng could feel that his body was recovering quickly. Although he still felt some soreness and pain after some physical activity, he could totally ignore it.

As the group went on the road with Yuan Ye's group, there were more things to talk about. After all, they had taken an unusually long break.

Along the way, Yuan Ye kept bragging about the abilities of Song Li and his group. With Song Li around, they would not have to worry about any accidents happening.

"Are you alright, Wang Zheng? If you are still not feeling well, I can accompany you and take a break," said Meng Tian worriedly.

"Meng Tian, what has Wang Zheng been doing this whole summer? He was considered a black horse in the first stage and many people are waiting for the chance to teach him a lesson in the second stage. His current condition will not make it. Look at me, I'm much stronger now. We have been training hard for the entire summer."

Yuan Ye's true intention was not to talk to Meng Tian but to show off his muscles to Zhang Runan. He could show that such marches were nothing for the people from Europa. The physical condition of the people from Europa was really good, one of the best in the Solar System.

Zhang Shan shook his head helplessly. This dude should look at who he was boasting to. Wang Zheng's ability was something that would be considered frightening. At the crucial moment, he could defeat anyone in an instant. However, he was not allowed to talk about it, and this was a headache for him.

"I'm fine and am recovering gradually. It seems that your preparations were rather thorough."

"Yeah, we travelled to the Norton Star to undergo special training. Europa and Raphael Academy have some connections. Five times the gravity was definitely insane; this type of situation is considered trivial in comparison."

Yuan Ye said that at Europa, if a guy wanted to go after a girl, he would have to show off his abilities.

Zhang Shan did have much to talk about with Yuan Ye. At this moment, Meng Tian and Wang Zheng had started their own private channel.

"Are you actually okay?"

"It was nothing. I'm not that fragile. Don't think about it too much. I'm sure you would have done so too if you were in my position," laughed Wang Zheng.

""Thank you, I owe you a life."

"We���re teammates. It was hard to say if I would need you to save me some day, so let's not think about it." Wang Zheng waved his hand and smiled. His honest attitude made Meng Tian feel much at ease.

"Your ability is very strange. It's really strong, but it seems that you don't have full control over it?" asked Meng Tian.

"At the moment, it seems to be so. However, I have been working hard to control it."

"This is the first time I witnessed an Ability X that has a C Grade strength right when it awakened."

"What is C Grade strength?"

"There are many different attributes and types of abilities. If we want to classify it specifically, there could be over a hundred different types. However, the deciding factor in a battle is not just the type but also the strength. For example, Zhang Shan's ability is definitely considered to be high-grade in terms of the classification of abilities. However, this is not enough; one also has to look at its strength. He should be at the low D Grade as his displacement is limited. If his ability's strength was C Grade, he could have brought all of us out of that situation."

Meng Tian said that this was common knowledge in Academy X. However, such knowledge was considered to be uncommon in the outside world. "In most cases, awakened abilities are usually at the D Grade and below and one will have to learn to control it and develop it. Very rarely do we have cases like yours where the ability is at C Grade or higher from the moment it awakens. One can only try to gauge the strength through intuition."

"There are higher grades?" Wang Zheng was curious regarding this topic. It seemed that there were many others classifications.

"A, B, C, D, four different grades. For each grade, there are three levels. A Grade is the strongest and most people are at D Grade at the moment. Runan and I are approximately at the middle level of D Grade. For your situation, it's likely that you have exceeded D grade. As for the exact position, even I cannot tell."

"Zhang Shan and Song Li all have low D Grade abilities?"

"Yes, among the people from our batch, Achilles, Lear, and Lie Xin are the strongest three people. Rumors have it that they have surpassed the D Grade in terms of strength. However, you are similar. Their advantage lies in their ability strength."

"Is everyone's ability fixed? What I mean is, can we learn abilities from one another?" asked Wang Zheng.

Meng Tian was taken aback for a moment and laughed. "Are you seeing this as choosing what lessons you want to take? Ability X is defined at birth. Occasionally, it might evolve and bring about new powers. And there might be people who are born with multiple abilities, but I have never heard about learning a new ability."

Anyone with some knowledge about Ability X would not have asked such a childish question, but Wang Zheng felt the need to ask about it.

It was apparent that his understanding of Ability X was different from the rest and was definitely unique.

It seemed that he would need to learn how to control it, and he would have to stay low for some time.

Meng Tian was very happy. She felt that the fact that Wang Zheng's ability being similar to hers was a sign of chemistry and fate. Although she couldn't put it into words, she felt warmth in her heart.

"Oh, right, what are the differences between us and the people from Atlantis?"

Wang Zheng felt that people from Academy X paid more attention to Atlantis. With the curiosity of human beings, someone must have conducted ample research.

"Yes, there are some differences. However, I am not privy to that knowledge. They are genetically superior but are unlike us. Furthermore, they have to rely on their own specialized tools."

Meng Tian knew little in this aspect. Humans had their own unique attributes. The people from Atlantis were strong, but they did have their own problems.

After giving it much thought, it would make much sense. If Atlantis was really invincible, why would they still follow the laws of the Milky Way Alliance? They would be ruling it if that were true.

"Wang Zheng, Meng Tian, did you two just start a private conversation without us? That's too heartless," said Yuan Ye.

The atmosphere around the two of them was destroyed. Yuan Ye did not know how to read the atmosphere.

It was no wonder Zhang Runan could not stand him. Although Zhang Runan seemed rowdy on the outside, she was a girl who was interested in the arts, and there was no way she could stand such a crude guy.

"I feel like my body has recovered. Guys, we can pick up our speed and try to cover more distance," said Wang Zheng.

"Don't act tough, Wang Zheng, we still have a few days more."

"Don't worry about it!"

Eight mech warriors took advantage of night time and marched forward. It was clear that the resting time for tonight would be compressed to make up for the time lost in the day.

On the other side, the Eight Stars from the Moon had arrived at the oasis along their planned route.

Everyone had a bright smile and Dong Xiaosa was already screaming and rushing towards it.

Initially, everyone thought that the oasis would very possibly be a huge, lush field. However, it was, in fact, a village. The scale of the village was substantial and a few hundred could people to live in it. Disregarding all the rest, at least they could get a good rest and replenish their supplies.

Although it was night time, there was sufficient light around and many people were singing and dancing. The appearance of mech warriors had not caused any confusion. On the other hand, the passionate residents also invited the guests to dance with them.

Due to living in close proximity to a military base, they were used to seeing military mech warriors. Also, as one of the largest oases in the desert, they mainly depended on replenishing others' supplies and tourism to earn a living. In current times, they were many people who sought the torture and excitement from experiencing indigenous lives.

After experiencing a long journey, Milo and her group were exhilarated when they suddenly saw such a scene. Especially… when there was alcohol to be had!

Dong Xiaosa and Pi Xiaoxiu were close to drooling. There were huge pieces of meat, and their aroma aroused the group's interest to the point of insanity.

However, Achilles' words dampened the excitement. "Rest, replenish our supplies, and we will move out in two hours' time.

Milo desired a bath the most and was close to going crazy. However, at this moment, she was successful in suppressing her desire.

Chapter 258: Unpredictable

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

This was emotion management. Although the team felt a bit depressed, everyone had to respect Achilles' callous attitude.

Clearly, Achilles wasn't totally inhumane and was fine with the group satisfying basic needs like eating and drinking. However, alcohol would definitely not be allowed.

However, humans often yearned what they were deprived of the most. Dong Xiaosa and Pi Xiaoxiu could barely hold back their desire for alcohol, especially when they were facing a group of people who were gobbling down huge chunks of meat and alcohol. It must have felt so good! Dong Xiaosa and Pi Xiaoxiu were salivating. However, they could only drink mineral water, and this was distasteful to them.

Before the deadline of two hours, the Eight Stars gathered after completing replenishing their supplies and were ready to move out. In fact, there was nothing much for them to replenish other than having a good meal and replenishing some military-use rations and water. After all, the mecha did not have the same type of storage capabilities as a refrigerator.

"On your mark, let's move out!" Achilles waved his hands after looking at the night sky.

"If it was me, I would have done a check first." A voice came from the dark.

The excitement of the Eight Stars died down. Achilles turned around and saw a man walking out from the dark.

Taros!

"Atos, Masasi, you guys go take a look," said Achilles calmly.

"What a coincidence, Taros. Looks like we have quite a bit of affinity that we actually met here," laughed Achilles.

"Boss, look, seems like someone wanted to ambush us!"

Achilles found a miniature electromagnetic mine on his mech. As the mech moved, the mine would detonate after accumulating a certain amount of magnetic force. Although the destructive force wasn't big, it would be enough to cause a malfunction of the mech in a long journey. If it really went off, disqualification would be inevitable.

"Thank you!" Achilles looked at Taros and couldn't believe Taros would help him.

Taros shook his head and said, "I'm doing this for myself. At the first stage, we made a bet and I conceded my defeat. I will support your bid to be the leader. Also… I was interested in Lie Xin's group, although she has no interest in me."

Taros was direct. Achilles had a great understanding of Taros' personality. He wouldn't have done this unless there were benefits.

Raston was allied with Lie Xin. Taros would definitely have to make a choice between him or Lear.

At this moment, it would be almost certain that Taros would choose him. The bet was just an excuse. After all, Taros still wanted to save face.

"Welcome! With your help, it will be a great addition to our already strong team!"

Achilles smiled. Although Milo and her group weren't too fond of Taros, his strength was stronger than those in Achilles' group. In addition, the current group wasn't enough to compete for the position of leader.

"What the hell, who's the one who wanted to ambush us? I would definitely kill him if I knew who he was."

"Probably Lear. We are on Earth; I don't believe that he did not know that this would be the training ground and made plans beforehand to ambush us," Atos said angrily. He noticed that Taros did not look friendly and felt that it was Taros who wanted to ambush them.

Taros couldn't care less about it. He was here for the shared benefits and couldn't be bothered with how a small fly looked at him.

Achilles was clear about Taros' personality. This man wasn't dependable. However, if there were benefits, especially shared benefits, he could be the most dependable.

"Damn, Lear has broken the rules. I will go after him after we reach the base!" Dong Xiaosa was fuming.

"How do you see it, Milo?" asked Achilles.

"The electromagnetic mine is a product from Earth and was made by the Chronos family. I did not think that Lear would be childish enough to do so. The way the current situation is developing, it is clear that the position of leader would be given to either Boss or Lie Xin. Lear does not have any supporters, so naturally he can only decide to join someone else's coalition. It's unlikely that he would resort to such a childish method to put us at a disadvantage."

"He could have just ambushed both Lie Xin and us!"

"Then IG will exist in name only this time." Milo's eyes flashed and glanced at Taros. "Taros, did you see anything?"

"All I saw was a figure flashing by. Even if there was no such figure, it is a basic thing to conduct a check on one's mech. Yet you all were foolish enough to not leave behind anyone to keep watch," said Taros with a sarcastic smile creeping from the side of his mouth.

"Don't you need to depend on foolish people like us!?" Atos could not hold back and replied sarcastically.

"Keke, those who can recognize the current situation are considered wise, and I was wise," said Taros nonchalantly.

This was a weakness of the people from the moon. Achilles had never expected to encounter such incidents in a selection test. He took a look at Atos and Atos stopped talking. To become a leader, Achilles would not only need the capacity to accept others but also the ability to control them.

"Welcome!"

Achilles took the initiatives and held out his hand. He would need a "scheming" person by his side, and without a doubt, Taros was the best candidate.

Was it Lear? I'm afraid it's more likely to be Lie Xin!

No one would believe it if someone said that the Lie family had no one on Earth. This woman could be more ruthless than a man, and at this moment, Lie Xin's biggest opponent was him.

As for Lear … other than that obese guy on his team, no one could be bothered with him. Although he had the ability, he was too arrogant, and even Achilles would not be willing to use him.

"I hope that we will have a joyful alliance!" Taros said with a greedy look.

Although he was one of the five candidates, Taros was similar to Raston with regards to the need to choose the person he wished to follow. This would not only determine the result of the IG Competition this time, it would also affect their future based on their results.

After all, Achilles and Lie Xin were not ordinary humans, and IG was only a spring board.

This was a declaration of war from Lie Xin!

Similarly, Lie Xin had encountered the same situation. The only difference was that it was discovered by Ruofeng. Every team had a conscientious person!

"Has Lear fallen so much that he had to make such a despicable move?" Lie Guang could not hold back his emotions and let out a laugh.

"It doesn't seem to be so. Although Lear isn't very sociable, he is someone with pride. Even if he wanted to do this, he wouldn't have done it on his own territory and made it so obvious," said Raston as he shook his head.

Lie Xin smiled. "It probably wasn't Lear. That man has too much pride and looks down upon everyone. Also, such a trick would not be able to change the current situation. He stands no chance this year."

If we were to look at the teams and reputations, Achilles and Lie Xin would completely dominate Lear. Disregarding them, other ordinary members would probably spend more time finding out about Ares College than about Lear.

"Do you think that this could;ve been done by someone from Achilles' group?" Lin Ruofeng asked. The focus was on someone from Achilles' group and not Achilles specifically.

The Sun God was a man with a high level of pride and confidence and would not have resorted to such tricks. However, the same could not be said about the people under him. Milo, Atos, Masasi, and the rest of the group were fatally loyal to Achilles. It was hard to say if they would have such thoughts after seeing Raston joining the other side.

"You all do not have to look at Achilles with such high regard. That man only looks decent in on the outside. The people from the Moon have been learning from their failures, and people do change. Let's just treat it as the official start of the battle. We have to pick up the pace; I want to be in first place for the remainder of the competition.

Lie Xin was ambitious and spoke with much gusto. The addition of Raston and Lie Guang had bolstered her team. No one could possibly think of stopping her!

Different from the others, Lear had chosen to proceed ahead alone while enjoying the loneliness of the desert. As for Luo Fei, he had decided to mix with the stragglers and tried to get closer with them. After all, he was from Earth and had done strategic assaults, and the rest of the people were willing to bring a guide.

This was especially true as they were unable to enter the strongest teams, meaning their only goal was to achieve a good result. Obviously, if they had more luck and entered the main round, it would be even more amazing.

Results were the most important.

In Gil Base.

"Qiu Si, is this group of little dudes capable enough?"

"General, their ability to adapt is extremely strong. However, they lack vigilance. In a small test, it was shown that Lie Xin and Achilles' reactions would not have passed," said Qiu Si seriously.

"Who had the better performance?"

"General, Lear has had the best performance thus far and has fully fulfilled the goals we set. He is to the point and clear. Lear is in first place currently and has a huge lead over the rest. He is also highly vigilant," said Qiu Si without hiding anything.

"Alright, continue the surveillance, … how has Wang Zheng performed thus far?"asked Meng Ao suddenly just when he was leaving.

"Wang Zheng… performance was average and is currently in the middle pack of the teams. However, he has not made any mistakes." Qiu Si continued, "General, I suggest letting Meng Tian and Zhang Runan be reclassified to Lear's team. With the strength of the two of them together with Lear and Luo Fei, Earth could expect to achieve a lot!"

Meng Ao did not said a word. "Continue the surveillance."

"Yes, General!"

Qiu Si did not hold back on formalities as the video image of Meng Ao disappeared.

Wang Zheng and the group were also picking up their pace. The aftereffects that he was worried about did not occur. In the process of transforming powerful energy, he was drained of all his strength. However, Wang Zheng's recovery ability was extremely strong and he was recovering gradually. It was just that… he had eaten too much.

There was indeed strength in numbers in the lonely environment of the desert. One would not be able to understand how anyone could get used to being here alone. The eternally similar environment was driving people to insanity, and the level of fatigue was beyond what ordinary people could endure.

On the opposite side, when moving in a group while encouraging one another, the feeling of stress and fatigue would seem much less intense.

To maintain the current pace, the team had employed the strategy of rotating the leading person. The scorching hot environment was a huge headache for everyone. It was especially so for Meng Tian and Zhang Runan. The longer this lasted, the more the disadvantages of being a female would show. Even Zhang Runan had started to feel unbearable. However, the encouragement from the people around her had allowed her to continue to persevere.

At their current pace, it was possible to reach their goal on time.

For five days, they were always with their mecha. The most obvious transformation was that they were completely used to the mecha and were no longer feeling unfamiliar with them. In addition, there could've been some subconscious transformations that even they themselves had not noticed.

On the fifth day, the participants of the current selection test arrived at their destination one after another in their mecha. Lear was the first to arrive.

He had broken the record with respect to the speed he crossed the desert. He had taken the most direct route.

Lie Xin and her group were the second to arrive. Lie Xin had originally thought that she would be the fastest and was surprised to see that Lear had arrived before her.

The third wave included Achilles and his group. When the crowd saw Taros with them, they were clear of what had happened.

The fourth wave to arrive was Wang Zheng and his group. They were originally in the middle of the pack. However, their pace had clearly quickened in the last two days and they had finished strongly.

At this stage, the distribution of power had roughly taken shape. However, not everyone was able to arrive on time.

No one had thought about what would happen if they weren't on time. They thought that it would be a deduction in points in the worst case. However, at the moment the time was up, the gates to the base were slammed shut.

Those who had not arrived were all eliminated.

There would be flying ships that would be sending them out directly, and there wasn't any chance for a conclusion.

No excuses, no explanations.

Chapter 259: Attacking the Heart

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

Qiu Si looked upon the 42 remaining people before hm. "Firstly, I have to congratulate you bunch of rookies. You're slightly better than the rookies outside. But that's only because you understand the value of hard work just a little bit better than them! Rest today. Tomorrow, your training begins anew. Now… And… attention! And… dismissed!"

The 42 people in the great hall sported haggard faces. Even Achilles himself could not have endured such hardships with an unchanging face.

A human's control over their own body was quite strong, but to handle a mech in addition to it was an extra burden.

The moment Qiu Si gave the command for dismissal, the portly Luo Fei sat down heavily on the floor.

"Oh, God. This torture is both physical and mental. Finally it's over."

"Fatty, I last saw you a few days ago, and it looks like you've put on weight again. Looks like you still have deep, untapped potential, eh."

Those nearby could not resist throwing a few jabs. No one expected such harsh training from the get-go. To think that so many people had been directly eliminated… they must not have anticipated the unforgiving training either.

All kinds of protests and outcries fell on deaf ears. IG's rules were rules.

At the same time, those remaining understood that here, Qiu Si was God. Life and death all fell within the palm of his hand, and nobody was above the rules.

Achilles looked at Lie Xin, who returned his gaze coolly. The competition between the two had begun to intensify.

Lear seemed to be out of sorts.

Again, Wang Zheng had qualified with a respectable result, and he was beginning to attract attention. This was clearly not beginner's luck – Ares College's elite soldier had suddenly displayed considerable ability.

Lie Xin was intrigued. She really wanted to get Zhang Runan on her side.

Meanwhile, Achilles' team had people flocking to it. He already had nine on his team, and with the addition of Taros, only two slots remained, and choices were limited.

Lie Xin's side was doing fairy well. Lie Guang, Raston, Carl, Lin Ruofeng, and Ma Hong made up a six-person team, with six more seats waiting to be filled.

With this wave of eliminations, everyone understood that a good leader was essential to last until the main competition.

As for Lear, his reputation had fallen a little, to the point where even Luo Fei was beginning to reconsider his options. The Moon team clearly did not need him, and Achilles did not look upon him with favor either. But perhaps Lie Xin was of a different mind.

"Leader Lie Xin, I wonder if your team is looking for a runner?" Luo Fei asked boldly. Fatty was being rather thick-skinned – Lear's reputation was not completely gone, after all.

Lear paused briefly, his shoulders shaking. But he did not turn back. He was the former champion, but no one was heeding him.

Lie Xin surveyed the simpering fatso in front of her mildly. She was, in fact, short on numbers, but she would rather run short than have a burden to the team.

The other team members had also begun to look over. Everyone knew that things were coming to a head and was sensitive to the way the wind blew. They knew that a wrong choice could destroy their chances, so they tended towards caution. Who would think that this fatty would boldly approach Lie Xin from the get-go? Could he really think so highly of her?

Lie Xin did not speak. There was no need to. At her side, Lin Ruofeng said smilingly, "Luo Fei, we welcome all requests to join our team. But of course, you have to prove that you can pull your own weight, right?"

What Lin Ruofeng really wanted to say, however, was, "Weren't you following Lear? Now that his star has fallen, you're abandoning ship? Who would want a deserter like you?"

Luo Fei scratched his head, eyeing the Moon team. "I got rid of Atos. I'm not sure if that's enough proof for you. I'm not too sure about what the higher-ups are thinking either, to bring back an eliminated participant."

At that moment, the hall erupted into a heated discussion. This fatty Luo Fei was vicious to shame Atos publicly. Everyone had been wondering who had eliminated Atos. Nobody would have imagined that it was this cowardly fatty, or that he would reveal this in front of the Moon team.

Achilles' face remained expressionless, but his eyes burned with anger. Meanwhile, Atos had already rolled up his sleeves and was about to walk over, but found himself blocked by Taros, who shook his head slightly. "There will be plenty of chances for reckoning."

Lie Xin smiled. At first she did not want this fatty, but Martians admired those with guts the most.

"You got some guts to dare to insult the Sun God."

"Keke, I might not have other strong points, but I'm not afraid of death, and I have courage. That's why I only choose to associate with the strong. I wonder if Team Leader Lie Xin counts herself among one of those?" Fatty's smile was unabashed. He had made himself clear. He would be loyal to someone capable, but if one was inept, then they have no right to expect loyalty from their followers.

"Direct. I like it. From now on, Luo Fei is a member of my team. If anyone resents this, they can look for me directly." Lie Xin's words were directed at Atos. "Good luck only comes once."

Atos was livid with anger, but Achilles held him back with a smile. "Lie Xin, are you prepared?"

Behind his simple question was a mountain of pressure directed at Lie Xin. Although she had been prepared, but his aura still intimidated her. However, she would never back down.

"Achilles, our showdown is simply a matter of time. Let's just begin now so we won't be confused as to who's the boss in the future."

Lie Xin would not back down one inch. Both teams began to come forth as well, in preparation for a fight.

"I accept your challenge. I hope you do not disappoint me. Also… fat kid. You got guts, but your luck might not be that good."

Achilles had clearly marked Luo Fei, and matters would not be laid to rest so easily.

The Moon team took the lead and left. Their confrontation would be no meaningless scuffle on the streets, but a contest in the upcoming qualifications to see who was stronger in ability, intellect, and maneuvers.

The ghost of a smile hung on the corner of Fatty's lips. The corner of Atos' mouth similarly twitched.

Lear, who had been leaning on a wall in the corner, shook his head. Children playing house.

"Taros, I misunderstood you. My apologies. If I can be of any use to you in the future, please feel free to ask. I will not decline, on my honor as a man!"

In the past few days, Atos had been unagreeable towards Taros. The others were in no good position to interfere. After all, Taros was only an outsider. But now Atos had clarified, and it was clear that it had all been a misunderstanding. A new sense of good feeling had emerged among the Moon side.

"From now on, Taros is our comrade. Let's all trust each other and help one another out!"

Achilles said. Lie Xin's challenge was but a small matter on his mind. It gave him an excuse to act, without being called out for bullying women.

"Damn, this is all one big show. That fatty is really thick, huh? To publicly call out the Moon team… I think Atos is ready to eat his heart," Yuan Ye quipped.

"These two are really swaggering about, as if the team leaders could only be chosen from them. Tch, based on what!?" Zhang Shan was unwilling to submit.

"It can't be helped. From the start, we accompanied the prince in his studies. Lear was worthy of our hopes, but he's always been too proud and aloof. It's a fault of Earthlings. Eh, I'm not talking about you guys. I'm just saying he doesn't get along well with people. Otherwise, we would have a chance too," Yuan Ye said.

Chapter 260: Resonance

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

"Tch, is there really no one suitable to be team leader besides the few of them? I think Wang Zheng is suitable. If Wang Zheng is unwilling, even I would do it," Zhang Shan said.

Everyone was stunned for a moment, then they burst out into laughter. "Alright, I also came because I wanted to be a team leader, but for now let's be real and think of a way to get into a team. That's the only way we can have a chance to qualify and see what the outside world is really like," Yuan Ye said.

He had to decide. Should he go to the Moon side or the Mars side? Both sides still had space. If they waited for others to defect, they would have no place and would definitely be eliminated. In fact, results were not even the most crucial factor.

But words were just words. In the current situation, Zhang Shan was frustrated and unwilling to wait. Originally, it was uncomplicated battle of skill. However, now it had evolved into a matter of team politics. This was unfair from the start. The military had favored some Academy X students too much, to the point that the rest were left out. It had now come to the point where the majority had no choice but these select few.

The problem was, they were four, and it seemed unlikely that a team could take in all of them.

"Why do we have to depend on others, anyway? If our own abilities are insufficient, then elimination is a matter of course. If we are strong, then we won't be taken down," Meng Tian said dispassionately.

In this team, Meng Tian and Zhang Runan had options available to them. It was Wang Zheng and Zhang Shan that would face problems.

Wang Zheng smiled. "It's not a bad idea to take care of ourselves. I approve of Meng Tian's view."

"Tch, I'm Zhang Shan! I fear nobody! This brother is a future general, a rising star in the army!" Zhang Shan blustered. They would definitely be full of tricks, and in actuality no one knew what the army's criteria were.

Thinking that a position was set in stone for them by following a particular team was merely wishful thinking for those present, as things would still change.

"Rather than overthink things, it would be better to elevate oneself through proper training. Every step of preparation is meaningful. The long trek this time around also got us more familiar with the mecha. Haven't you all realized that the sense of foreignness has disappeared and that the mecha are like old friends?" Zhang Runan asked.

It was indeed as she had pointed out. Previously, mecha were mecha, tools. But after experiencing the long march, especially weathering the sandstorm, they had become more attuned to their mecha and were clearer and more familiar with the fine details. This was a skill of experience, which was not something any book or instructor could teach. It was a realization that each individual had to find out for themselves.

The training had been the same. Some people had been resentful, some grew closer, some had built networks, while others were only just beginning to realize its purpose.

"We should rest early. Tomorrow will not be easy."

The two girls could not wait to take a bath. These five days had been tough.

There had been a huge stir in the music scene recently. Lin Huiyin's latest single had met with a disaster akin to the Battle of Waterloo. After its chart debut at sixth place, it had fallen to 18th within a week, causing a huge commotion.

For an Aslan princess to achieve a string of successes within the music industry with nothing but her own effort had earned Lin Huiyin the title of 'perfect'. Every new song was met with strong anticipation, and expectations of her grew steadily. But one could not strive thus forever. Humans were not gods.

Furthermore, Lin Huiyin's presence ticked off some of the industry bigwigs. Why would a princess come to snatch jobs from them? She had brought quite a few inconveniences upon them, but they could not lay a finger on her, for fear of the fan army's vengeance.

The music industry was cut-throat. Of course, her status as a princess meant that the taunts would be suitably dressed up when her downfall came.

"Hello, everybody, you're tuned in to music stage VIVI, and I'm your host, Ai Le. Today we're especially fortunate to have the prince of music, Robert, as an honored guest at VIVI. Robert, I'm sure you've heard the latest hot news in the music scene, that Princess Huiyin's illustrious career has finally hit a snag. What are your thoughts on the song 'Love Affinity'?"

"Well, all in all it's not bad, if a little ambitious. She's tried to express too much in the song and ended up cluttering its meaning. Music-making requires a certain composure to it."

"That's quite right! Robert's opinion is held by the majority as well. This song has fallen short of her usual standard. It seems like young people would do well not to be too reckless!"

The host smiled. This was on Arbiter, which was similarly a large empire. They would not bother too much with Lin Huiyin, although it was the hot topic even in Arbiter entertainment.

"Yes, that's what I think. I feel that Huiyin should take some time to consolidate her work. Just doing the same things over and over again will get old very quickly."

"This music update has been brought to you by music stage VIVI. Now, on to the next topic, our very own Arbitan Robert – the real prince of music – has a new upcoming album…"

Click.

Ye Zisu switched off the Skylink program. Virtually every television channel was the same. Only the Aslan television channels continued to support Huiyin. Only, the quality of the song was indeed different.

In truth, the new single was not as bad as it was made out to be, except that the first few were written from the heart, while the latter were written by the brain. These were less stirring, and the more brilliant the first few songs were, the more apparent that this one was a flop was.

Beep beep beep. The Skylink entered a designated group and let out an alert tone. Someone had started a group chat – it was a music club.

"Did everyone see the VIVI music stage program just now? It makes me so angry to see Robert trying to step on Princess Huiyin to further his own status. And the audacity to call himself a prince? It's bad enough that he looks plain, but to put on such airs…"

The diva group leader was laying into it with fang and claw.

Ye Zisu said reasonably, "Everyone has unrealistic expectations of Huiyin. If one puts them aside, the single is actually not bad."

"Isn't it!? I think so too. Oh, looks like a new participant in the club. Not bad, not bad. As long as you continue contributing actively and meaningfully, if Lin Huiyin ever comes back to Earth- no, to the Solar System, there'll definitely be a club ticket with your name on it."

The group descended into chaos again with a roar, evoking many members to clamor for all kinds of freebies and services. Especially the male members.

"Shut up! Today's mission is a community war against those that are badmouthing Huiyin."

Ye Zisu smiled. She had received her mission, and the rules had been relaxed.

She was just about to use her account to go on the designated music forum when the Skylink emitted a special ringtone…

"I'm still waiting on my tiptoes…"

It was from her composition "I Really Miss You".

This song's ringtone had been exclusively designated to two people.

One was Wang Zheng.

The other was Lin Huiyin.

Flipping open the Skylink, it was Huiyin's communication. No surprises.

She connected the Skylink to see Lin Huiyin's smiling face. "Zisu, it's me! I'm bored, what are you up to?"

"I'm preparing to go to war for you, the loyal fan that I am." Ye Zisu laughed.

"What war?"

Lin Huiyin perked up in an instant. Truth be told, the situation was complicated. On one hand, she supported her sister Aina. On the other hand, Zisu was her sister's love rival. But Huiyin really liked Ye Zisu, especially her understanding of music. Put simply, she knew what was up!

"Mm, the high music society has started posting and replying…"

Lin Huiyin listened for a while, and her eyes widened. "Isn't this one of the fabled Internet flame wars?"

In far away Aslan…

In a unique recess room, Lin Huiyin was huffily reading through an endless string of posts.

Although she knew deep down in her heart that her new single had issues, she still felt defensive reading through all kinds of slander…

On the occasion that a supportive fan stood up for her, the following posts were all filled with "Another brainless fan?"

Her fans were NOT brainless!

Lin Huiyin blinked. In truth, she did feel a little slighted, but she was largely unafraid of harsh criticism. But she was looking for constructive feedback after the scorn, not pointless abuse and jabs. Nor did she wish for her fans to be insulted thus. Why would they be that happy that her songs were not doing well?

All she wanted was to bring the joy of music to everybody.

"Zisu, what do you think romance is?" She was still sore about her loss regarding the song "Love Affair." Deep down, Huiyin had a streak of pride, especially concerning her musical talent. This was not something bestowed upon her by her status as a princess, but a result of her own efforts, and she would not admit defeat easily.

On the other side, Ye Zisu pondered the question with a smile. "Simplicity."

"Simplicity?"

In Lin Huiyin's mind, romance was a raging, surging torrent of emotions, a collision of stars. She thought of the classic romantic tragedy between the shepherd and the weaver.

"It's not complicated. As long as you have that feeling, then it's a good memory, regardless of the outcome."

"What else? Do you mean to say that people can be happy even if they're not together? I don't get it." Lin Huiyin's interest peaked. It suddenly occurred to her that this was creative material. Although she had no personal experience, she had seen the entire process before, after all. And a personal account made for the best material!

In an instant, Lin Huiyin had forgotten her worries. Unexplainably, Ye Zisu began to pour her heart out to Aina's sister, speaking of things she could not tell those close to her, not her father nor An Mei, who were prone to taking venting too seriously.

But she was unafraid with Lin Huiyin. She was not worried that she would tell Aina, who already knew everything.

Lin Huiyin was indeed a good listener. Although nothing stood out in their conversation, the feel of the conversation gave Lin Huiyin great inspiration.

After a long, pleasant conversation with Ye Zisu, Lin Huiyin felt that she had made great breakthroughs. How could she not have discovered such wonderful things previously? Inspiration came from life, and art was greater than life.

Lin Huiyin immediately called Aina on the Skylink. Of course, one need not stand on ceremony with one's own sister.

"Sis, are you busy? Spare me some time."

"What's up?" Aina looked at Lin Huiyin's cheeky expression with mild amusement.

Lin Huiyin looked at Aina through the Skylink with a frank gaze. "Sis, you… really are becoming prettier and prettier. I'm almost swooning with love for you."

Aina's smile was dazzling, like a clear pond in the misty mountains. It cut through to one's heart.

Aina blinked. "Out with it. What trouble have you gotten into this time?"

Chapter 261: Prominence

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

In front of her, an Aslan official approached and tapped his wrist with a finger, reminding her that the meeting would begin soon.

"Do you miss him?"

The question stunned Aina. She said nothing for a long while, her mind full. Some were instantly suppressed emotions. As a Princess, she knew that she had to control herself, and she always guarded against that control slipping. But Lin Huiyin's one careless phrase had opened the doors in her heart.

I am a Princess. Why must I sacrifice myself? Why must it always be conflict? Why must I care so much about the opinion of others?

"Sis, are you OK?"

Aina, who had been quiet for a while, smiled radiantly. "Huiyin, thanks, you're braver than I am!"

Although Aina had to attend a meeting, she felt renewed. For the sake of her goal, she had recently become compliant, living up to others' expectations of her as the perfect, dutiful Princess. But was this perfect?

If she kept it up, she would lose herself!

Little Huiyin paused for a moment. She didn't feel like she had said anything, but she recalled the look in Aina's eyes. It seemed to have changed somehow. A mechanically, rule-abiding Princess led such a colorless life. One should not always have to be concerned with judging matters of black and white, but lead a colorful life.

Although she had never had the experience before, she was not about to care about the opinion of others. She would just write her feelings out. Even if nobody liked it, it would still be her. After all, the last disaster did indeed express someone else's feelings!

In a flash, inspiration burst forth for Huiyin!

Lin Huiyin caressed her tear-stained face. It was the first time she had found the inner spirit for a love song. When she first debuted, the love songs she sang were catchy but devoid of meaning.

"Your Highness…"

Angela had no idea what had happened. Could it be too much stress? She had long said not to mind the haters, who enjoyed nothing better than to watch the world burn.

At this moment, Lin Huiyin began to lightly hum a melody, pensive and light, a simple tune that spoke directly to the heart.

"This is but a little, simple love song"

"Which sings of the way the heart twists."

"I think I'm really happy���

"When I feel your warmth."

"The air beside my feet starts to twirl."

"This is but a little, simple love song"

"Which sings of the dove that flutters in our heart."

"I think I am suited"

"To sing praises."

"Youth floats in the breeze."

"Even if the whole world was taken hostage by loneliness,"

"I still would not run away."

"No one escapes the ravages of time."

"Instead I will write of the palace where time and the sound of pianos come together."

"This is but a little, simple love song"

"… Everyone grows old in the end."

"Your Highness…"

It was the first time that Angela had lost herself in Lin Huyin's voice, and she felt tears well up in her eyes.

"My new song, the title track of my new album."

Lin Huiyin turned her head back. Her tear-streaked face made one's heart ache for her, but her mouth was upturned in a smile as bright as a flower.

Early on the second day, everyone was woken up by the assembly bell. They began the most grueling training that was utterly devoid of any skill.

This was no qualification, this was a recruits' hazing.

Everyone rode their own mecha and advanced through the most basic drills. Precision aiming, strafe shooting, obstacle shooting, and the fundamental stabbing drills that was most common among exercise troops. The high and mighty competitors were fuming and chafing at the training.

"Earth's training is unbelievably mundane. They're treating us like recruits. What's the point of this?"

"We barely started the training, but it seems it's already time to leave. We can't train here forever, it's a waste of our time."

"When are we going to get something difficult?"

"Earth is such a low-difficulty-level place…"

When the afternoon training was over, everyone fumed as they ate. At this juncture, the canteen broke out into an uproar.

Someone was fighting.

The ruckus was between Achilles' team and Lie Xin��s team.

Atos had long been giving Luo Fei the evil eye, and had tripped him when he passed.

The food was scattered all over the floor. The fatty smiled as if it was nothing, but a Martian would never let such an incident pass.

Lie Xin gave Carl a look, and Carl immediately went over and flipped a table. Unbelievable. It had always been the Martians who started things. Who would dare to pick a fight with them?

Fatty was equally callous, immediately attacking at vulnerable spots below the belt. He gave no consideration to any fair notions of one on one and directly took Atos down.

The Moon team originally thought it was a one on one, and, when they saw Fatty move, could not hold themselves back. They swarmed up as one.

Suddenly, the canteen was transformed into a chaotic battlefield!

By the time the troops arrived, the canteen had been turned into a garbage dump.

Qiu Si watched the melee dispassionately. Achilles wanted to stop the fight but did not. Lie Xin held back, afraid of exacerbating the matter. Taros was brawling, and Raston had no choice but to block him, attempting to keep the fight fair.

Lie Xin and Achilles would not intervene unless matters got out of hand. Both had the presence of mind to realize that they should hold back.

"Everybody, gather!"

Upon Qiu Si's command, everyone, both fighters and onlookers, hastened over.

Wang Zheng and the rest had also finished eating. They had watched the show through their meal with detached interest.

"I was about to announce this in the afternoon, but I assume you all already know. The second round of IG qualifications requires a leader, one choice each from Earth, the Moon, and Mars. Achilles, Lie Xin, Taros, Raston, for brawling and failing to stop such childish behavior, are hereby eliminated. But by the rules, at least two nominated leaders must participate in the contest, so…"

Qiu Si's words left Achilles and Lie Xin pale. They had thought that Qiu Si would merely scold them and let them off with some token punishment, but to come to this…

In the three stages, whoever took down two leaders could compete for first and directly become a leader.

If all three fought to a draw, there could be a tiebreaker. Each step was crucial, and one had already been eliminated. Didn't it essentially mean that Lear was almost confirmed to win??

"Lear, Wang Zheng, step forward!"

"Yes, Sir!"

Lear was unsurprised, but Wang Zheng had blanked out for a moment, although he did not particularly mind.

"According to the last test's results and the desert trek scores, Wang Zheng was determined to be a leader candidate. In the training to come, whoever wins will receive Earth's vote. Furthermore, the victor, regardless of whether they eventually become a leader when compared against the vote from Mars or the Moon, can receive an invitation to enter the Galaxy IG as a representative of the Solar System Federation. As this round's leader, he can choose a person to compete with him!"

His announcement shook them like a stone that broke the calm surface of the water. Everyone had slogged it out for so long and fought for so long, all for this. Suddenly, it was decided.

The Moon crowd was astonished, while the rest was afire with excitement. The important thing was not the eliminations. It was the later half of his statement – that one person could be chosen for promotion.

This was the privilege of a leader!

My God!

Instantly, Wang Zheng became the center of everyone's attention. Although Ares College had put up a decent performance, no one actually took them seriously, beside the five famous experts.

Of course, this focus shifted quickly to Lear, because Lear had no one beside him!

As for the competition between Lear and Wang Zheng, that was already decided. Whoever followed Lear now might be chosen by him to enter the next round.

Suddenly, Lear became the beacon of hope for everyone.

Lear needed to do nothing. One single slot was enough to gain him all these people's favor. Although not everyone who had made it here was suitable to be a leader, everyone had their own strengths that gave them a fighting chance at representing the Solar System with distinction. All they needed was an insightful and knowledgeable leader. Achilles and Lie Xin were both too snobbish. Besides their own clique, everyone else was treated like trash.

Achilles and Lie Xin exchanged glances. They both felt resentful but helpless. Milo and Lin Ruofeng both stared at Fatty, who was the very picture of innocence. He was the most spotless among those who had fought, and his mouth was still stuffed with half a piece of bread.

There were so many paths to get to his table, but Fatty purposely had to walk past Atos, and to glare at him as well. Wasn't this a purposeful aggravation?

Achilles and Lie Xin were not stupid. They began to feel as though they had been had.

But who was there to blame but themselves for their lack of awareness?

Lear's face was still a mask of composure. "Wang Zheng, let's work hard together!"

"Oh, likewise, likewise."

Lear shot a look at Meng Tian, and the corner of his mouth lifted.

"In the training to come, both of you have powers of observation and can raise questions to me," Qiu Si said. This was the right of a leader, in order to facilitate their decision-making.

In an instant, everybody's gazes were on fire. They had a chance now as well; it was no longer a monopoly between Achilles and Lie Xin.

Although no one voiced it, it was not a nice feeling. Watching the Moon and Mars teams form alliances, it seemed as though the rest were mere adornments for them.

No one had made it here by merely going through the motions.

Qiu Si grinned without realizing it himself. Achilles and Lie Xin had been foolish to bring so many escorts with them. Were they afraid that others would not know they were rich heirs? They had not only revealed their trump card for all to see, but also alienated others. They had not started off on the right foot.

The Cronos family was not short on experts, but Lear had only brought a useless fatty with him. This was evidently the difference in how they did things.

Martians and those of the Moon would never defeat the Earthlings.

As for Wang Zheng… It would not do to directly grant leadership to Lear, so he had picked the best scorer as a gesture to make things look more fair.

Achilles and Lie Xin kept their complaints to themselves. It would serve no purpose except to further display their weaknesses for all to see.

This round had been lost in too unjust a fashion.

Judging by their abilities, under normal circumstances, they could definitely defeat Lear on his home ground. And upon returning to their own home grounds, where the stars would align in their favor, the odds were even better. Therefore, this round on Earth was crucial. They would never have dreamed that Lear would rise thus. They had been robbed of even the chance of a contest.

To brawl during special training was indeed below them.

Fighting for control over his emotions, Achilles watched Atos. He had expended so much effort to get him back and had specially trained him for an entire summer, all only for him to lose control over his own emotions.

A person who was rash and would react easily could never shoulder heavy responsibilities.

"All those involved in the brawl, the case has been recorded. You will all receive a 10-point demerit!"

Qiu Si announced coldly. But this was now of secondary importance. The highlight was over.

As expected, even Qiu Si could not actually directly eliminate the brawlers.

Chapter 262: Predator's Appetite

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

Lear already had a whole crowd flocking to him. They had suddenly realized how much easier and better Lear was to get along with compared to Achilles, and how could they have not realized this earlier?

Wang Zheng's side was also obviously ecstatic.

"Wang Zheng, this is a once-in-a-blue-moon chance!" Zhang Shan rubbed his hands with glee. Why pass up on a chance that fell from heaven on a silver platter?

"Wang Zheng, we support you. If you can beat Lear, you'll be so awesome!" Yuan Ye chimed in. Compared to following Lear, they might as well support Wang Zheng, no matter how miniscule the chances of winning were.

This had become a contest between Zeus College and Ares College again.

Who was actually the strongest military college?

Fatty's face was contrite as he walked in front of Lie Xin. "I'm sorry, it was my fault."

Lie Xin waved it off. "Forget it."

But Fatty shook his head. "I can't just let it go like that. I'd better leave so that I won't bring you trouble ever again… and anyway, I like to follow the strong."

And he left to fawn over Lear. Again.

Lie Xin was stunned for a moment, her pleasant expression frozen on her face. Her morale had taken a hit.

"It looks like we underestimated Lear. It was a masterful plan to send Fatty to knock us down."

Achilles smiled as though it was of no concern.

"Boss, this sucks…"

Achilles waved him to silence. "Don't find excuses. We should have remained cautious in dealing with Earthlings. And besides�� he hasn't won yet."

Milo and the rest let their gazes fall upon Wang Zheng. "You mean…?"

Masasi suddenly laughed. "We've always viewed Lear with disdain, but perhaps it is Wang Zheng who has truly been shortchanged."

One side was cool as a cucumber, the other was celebrating joyously.

To Wang Zheng, this would be a breeze.

As the space-time project drew to a conclusion, the KING Universal Space Company also entered a period of rapid growth. Once discussions had been finalized, it would enter the phase of practical experimentation. Upon completion, it would be time for it to enter the production cycle and reap the profits.

From Xiao Fei's latest thesis, there was logical basis for the necessary conditions to begin practical experimentation.

It could be said that this task had been a success!

The moment Xiao Fei's thesis broke new ground, KING Universal Space Company would enter the limelight of the universe and be reached out to by an endless number of venture capital big fishes. But when the first limited stock was released, everyone would be compelled to rush for it.

As a result, the companies which had originally invested and financed the project – CT Group and Margate Interstellar Airlines – saw their stocks rapidly rise in value in various interstellar stock markets. For financial giants that had such huge capital reserves, every percentage point in stock prices meant that billions were being gained or lost.

OMG and Little Lucky Star experienced growth as well. Although this was paltry in comparison to the two banking giants, it was nevertheless a good thing.

The celebration banquet, by popular opinion, would be held on Earth.

Eminent politicians and scientists from the Solar System Federation had received invitations.

The space task's move towards the practical research phase spawned many different considerations. Most importantly, where would the factory be located? The Moon, Mars, and Earth all had different inclinations.

Riding on the coattails of Yan Xiaosu, An Mei and Du Qingqing were attending the banquet as well. Du Qingqing could not resist a rueful jab. "If I had known, I would have been more shameless and fought you for it."

An Mei smiled, secretly glad in her heart. "And who was the one who laughed at me at the start?"

"Petty…"

Yan Xiaosu was also switching personas. In front of important people who appeared frequently on Skylink television, he was no longer a dunderhead, but a prim and proper man.

Xiao Fei was the star of the banquet. She was the only one of the task team to attend. The rest would rather prop their feet up in the laboratory and play games than be bored out of their skulls at such events.

Xiao Fei saw no way out of it. At times, the pursuit of science must give way to reality. If one did not show up to network with these VIPs, there would be no funding and no new doors would open.

Ye Bingwen had brought Ye Zisu along for her own sake, to meet all sorts of new people and broaden her network. OMG's Wind God mech's huge popularity had again enabled the name of OMG to shine brightly through the Milky Way. Furthermore, the success of the space task had set the company firmly on track to breaking out of the Milky Way system to new markets. The horizon was unlimited, and it made one feel as though a huge warship was steadily rising towards the skies.

"Representative Leslie, Sir, regarding the OMG production base on the Moon, I have been humbly waiting for your reply for a long time. Since I have chanced upon you today, I wonder if you could perhaps shed some light on the matter?" Ye Bingwen brought up the matter lightly.

"Still no reply? I'll look into it. Actually, as long as the environmental regulations comply with the Moon's legal standards, the rest should be nothing to be worried about. Of course, as per usual, the base's main employees should be chosen from the locals as much as possible…" Leslie laughed expansively.

The latest developments in OMG had naturally tipped previously ambiguous decisions into clear approval.

"May I announce the arrival of CT Group Vice-Chairman Heaton and Margate Interstellar Airlines Group's Vice-Chairman Alex."

In an instant, a hush fell over the entire banquet.

Besides the all-too-familiar Wargod Covenant, the CT Group was also involved in all kinds of businesses and operations. Their financial maneuvers were large enough to cause an entire country's economy to fluctuate. In truth, the Ares Alliance was but one operation under the company's flag. It was truly a financial carrier.

As for the Margate Interstellar Airlines Group, it was an interstellar shipping enterprise that had expanded into a formidable financial giant within the Milky Way system, controlling the economic lifeblood of a few principalities.

Any representative that stepped up bearing either financial giants' company flag was capable of shaking Earth's business circles considerably. To think that the respective groups' vice-chairmen would personally make an appearance!

The brief silence was immediately followed by a wave of enthusiastic greetings by prospective businessmen who were hoping to establish some form of working relationship with these two.

Above the banquet, Solon's expression changed imperceptibly. After being at CT for so long, this was his first time seeing the Group's top elites with his own eyes. Back when Wargod Covenant was still a small company, the CT Group's financing was the reason it was where it was today. In truth, without the Group's funds, the Ares Alliance could not possibly have handled the mecha of so many different countries.

"Chairman, sir, how do you do? I am the CT Wargod Covenant Solar System Representative, Solon. It is an honor to meet you…" Solon leapt at the first chance to offer his greetings.

"How do you do? Please call me Vice-Chair." Heaton was clearly aloof, barely grasping his hand, with a business smile on his face devoid of much warmth.

Margate Interstellar Airlines Group's Alex's smile was equally lacking in any real emotion. Surveying the banquet venue from the side, he said, "Heaton, time ticks on. Let's get down to important business."

Heaton nodded, and the two headed directly towards Xiao Fei. "Professor Xiao Fei, how do you do? Congratulations on completing the task thesis' development and refinement.

Xiao Fei looked at the pair. "Thank you. May I help you?"

The initial contract had been handled by these two.

Alex smiled emotionlessly. "Let's talk in a quiet place. It's regarding the issue of future cooperation."

The initial plan had been a logical three-year period of funding. Who would have thought that within a mere year, the task thesis would make huge leaps of development that outstripped the initial calculations? These two globally dominating groups each held but 19 percent of the stock each and lacked a controlling interest. It was clear that a new wave of innovation would shake the entire Milky Way based on the practical usage of this task.

These financial giants hungered to participate and control such a task, like a wolf faced with fresh meat.

Ye Bingwen and Yan Xiaosu had been called into the meeting room as well. The pressure rose inexorably.

"Stakeholders, the task is developing very smoothly. I think it is time to discuss future cooperation."

Alex spoke without emotion. Frankly, this investment had been something they had not had high hopes for. When they had initially agreed to finance the venture, it was but a small fish within their wide nets. In the Solar System, the media was abound with praise for them, but in truth, their analysts had calculated that this thesis would require at least a full decade to move towards practical application. He had secured a position for the group preemptively, but he did not expect such groundbreaking development to ensue within a year. It stirred the hunger in his heart.

Why could he not control it all?

Venture capitalism was no charity. It was about profit. And it was time to buy the entire task for themselves.

Xiao Fei smiled coldly. "Gentlemen, the fundamental condition that we discussed previously was that my research team would hold 51 percent of the stock. This is the bottom line, and anything less than that need not be discussed."

"Professor Xiao is very direct. However, have you considered the problem of future funding? The 20 billion federation dollars have been declared already, right? My side agreed to fund the research task with up to three years worth of funds. Now that the research task has been completed, my side has held up our side of the agreement. It is now time for talk of a new agreement. I am afraid that the esteemed researchers are not qualified to lead the practical experimentation phase of the project. This involves not just physics, but all kinds of finance and technology, aspects which only we can accomplish.

"You need not concern yourself with those. This task does not need more investment" Xiao Fei said coldly. She had thought they came to bargain in good faith, but his tone had convinced her otherwise.

"Naturally, we are concerned. We seek returns on our investments. Future investments will require funds hundreds of times larger than the research phase. A year of investment could easily reach hundreds of billions. Has Professor Xiao considered this?" Alex said knowingly, seizing the initiative.

Xiao Fei paled. Funds were indeed a dangerous pitfall. The research costs were still reasonable, but once they moved into practical experiments, daily expenses would require exorbitant amounts.

"We can use future evaluations of the stock to allow the whole Milky Way to invest." Xiao Fei asserted. She was very clear that if she backed down now, she risked losing control forever.

Yan Xiaosu and Ye Bingwen were afraid to intervene. They held three percent and eight percent of the stocks, so they had little right to speak up here.

Chapter 263: Lure

Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas

"Keke, Professor Xiao Fei, you seem to have forgotten that our agreement is a restricted contract. Without our consent, you cannot enter the market." Alex smirked. Capital manipulation was a game of bigger fish eating smaller fish, and these people were completely unable to hold their own.

All who were present finally understood the reason why these two financial groups had so meekly agreed to the stock division. Clearly they had held this up their sleeve from the start.

Without a way to enter the market, deliberate pressure and false rumours from the two financial groups could force them into compliance, and OMG and Little Lucky Star would take a hit as well.

Most crucially, even if they took no offensive action, cutting the source of funding would be pressure enough. OMG and Little Lucky Star's resources in the coming phase would be like spitting into a bonfire.

Whereas the two financial groups had time and money to spare.

Those who come have no good intentions. Those who have good intentions will not come.

Xiao Fei and the rest finally understood the situation that they were in.

"Consider our conditions carefully. 50 billion is no paltry sum to you!"

Xiao Fei sat quietly for a beat. "The major shareholder is not here. Alone, I cannot speak for us."

"Keke, we'll give you a week."

Alex and Heaton were in no rush. The more this dragged out, the more pressure was on the other side. All preparations had been made, and they would soon understand what it meant to encounter walls wherever they went.

Such research tasks not only required huge amounts of funding, but needed channels and influence in various aspects. Without the option of entering the open market for funds, this task was a sitting duck.

Majority stakeholder?

No one could save them now. This was but a small project, with no guarantees of success.

Heaton and Alex were chatting cheerfully with each other. To them, this was a holiday, and they planned to soak in the sights on Earth.

Faced with the overbearing Heaton and Alex, Xiao Fei and the rest could only hem and haw while they sought for a solution.

Heaton and Alex had already changed roles from guests to hosts and laughed carefreely as they sauntered around, while Xiao Fei and the rest could not even muster a smile.

This matter was fairly serious. Within the meeting room, Ye Bingwen, Old Yan, and Xiao Fei were in the midst of racking their brains. In the business aspect, Yan and Ye had more ideas.

OMG and Little Lucky Star were less concerned. Attracting investors and striking out on their own yielded the same possibilities of huge profits, but at the expense of equally high risk. Developing a product from theory to practical use was difficult, and to achieve commercial uptake was particularly difficult. Furthermore, to do so was to insult these two huge financial groups. If they let their stocka go, they could also earn a tidy sum through selling off their shares. Little Lucky Star had no such inclination, but for OMG, such finances would further subsequent research and promotion a long way.

Xiao Fei looked towards Ye Bingwen. Old Yan had no clear ideas, and Ye Bingwen was the best hope in the larger scheme of things.

"Xiao Fei, any thoughts?" Ye Bingwen wanted to know Xiao Fei's inclination.

"No sale. Absolutely not. Mr. Ye, do we have any other options?"

Xiao Fei was firm. It would rankle to have the fruits of their research snatched away. Even worse, once these businessmen had their hands on the technology, military, and not public, usage would be on their agenda. Even if selling brought greater profits, this was not something that Xiao Fei was willing to accept.

The purpose of this research was to improve the convenience and safety of interstellar travel, which was her future research direction.

Ye Bingwen nodded. "I understand. Given present circumstances, it seems very difficult, but we must try regardless. We must first stall for time. All they did just now was in part intimidation. If they really wanted to clean us up, they would not have bothered bandying with us. Old Yan here should be experienced in market tips and tricks."

"Haha, not so much intimidation, but they sure showed us the carrot and the stick. Ye, please help us think of something. My little brat said to follow Teacher Xiao Fei's lead in this." Old Yan laughed. He still held his cool in this matter, although the Little Lucky Star of the past could never have dreamed of being in such a titanic struggle.

"Alright. We're of the same mind then. Let me try what I can. We're sitting on a mountain of gold, and we don't have to be afraid that there won't be miners."

Outside, Yan Xiaosu and Ye Zisu were unburdened by such concerns. Yan Xiaosu was eagerly singing praises of the Wind God, to the point where Ye Zisu became a little embarrassed.

"Second Brother, that's too exaggerated. The mech actually still has many shortcomings. It needs another iteration of refinement. The performance in CT is relative to mature power. In actual usage, environmental fluctuations and operational wear will definitely lead to instability."

Ye Zisu said.

"Haha, don't be modest. I've used it too. Oh, that reminds me, why couldn't I engage the emergency energy shield? It seems like many people have the same problem too," Yan Xiaosu asked curiously. He was a mecha geek as well, and he would definitely support Ye Zisu's design wholeheartedly.

"That… was not an intentional design." Ye Zisu waved it off irritably with a bitter smile. She had no need to conceal anything from Yan Xiaosu.

Yan Xiaosu's jaw dropped. Not in the… what blasphemy was she trying to commit???

Wang Zheng was indeed about to commit blasphemy himself. Lie Xin was in front of him, looking for a private chat.

Between the two beauties in this training, Lie Xin and Meng Tian, Lie Xin's halo was a little more radiant. Her family was prestigious and she was sexy and outgoing. In comparison, Meng Tian was a little reserved and adopted a chilly manner to everyone.

"Wang Zheng, I've been wanting to talk to you for a long time." Lie Xin sized him up. After being out-maneuvered by Lear, Lie Xin's rage had cooled sufficiently.

Other people had seen the flaws in Lie Xin's leadership, but the truth was that they had been deceived by the wretched Fatty. Fatty looked like a wallflower. But if he really was a wallflower, how could someone like Lear keep him by his side? Her over-confidence had caused errors in her judgment. She had dismissed Lear from her concerns and accepted Fatty, secretly wanting to show off.

This fatty needed to be taught a lesson when the moment presented itself.

For now, she needed to turn the tables. She had no idea what Achilles was thinking, but failure was not an option for her.

Victory and defeat hinged on the events on Earth. Whoever took the Earth qualification would be unbeatable back on the main stage on Mars.

Although she was out of the running for the leader contest, it in no way meant that she could not demonstrate her own leadership skills.

"Wang Zheng, you and your friends can't beat Lear. That guy isn't just wily, his ability is on par with Achilles and mine. To beat him, we should team up. You and Zhang Runan join my team, and we'll all go to Aslan together. This lineup is definitely a force to be reckoned with!"

Lie Xin said. She truly did not want to join with Wang Zheng and Zhang Shan, and Meng Tian… was not her cup of tea either. She was truly Meng Ao's daughter, with her cold personality and similar ability. As for Zhang Shan… he was trash. His paltry displacement ability was of little use.

Wang Zheng smiled and shook his head. "We'll be fine as we are. If we don't try, who knows how the outcome will be?"

"Oh, you're pretty confident, huh." Lie Xin said mildly. "Although I've no idea where you get that confidence from, I'll only ask once. Think carefully on your answer. If you want to go to Aslan, only I can bring you there!"

Fundamentally, Lie Xin always held her head high. Even when giving her approval, she expressed it in a way as though it should be an honor that she bestowed.

Wang Zheng's smile was still firmly fixed on his face. "If there's a chance for us to battle together, that would indeed be quite an experience."

Looking at Wang Zheng's retreating profile, Lie Xin huffed. This fellow was really arrogant. Did he really think he was something after exploiting a slip in the system? He was still far from being able to compete with Lear. Pride came before a fall, and then he would come crawling over to beg her.

With her help, Wang Zheng could beat Lear and earn a direct invitation. Of course, the other invitation would be accorded to her.

This was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

What made him think he… Where did that confidence come from!?

Lie Xin turned away without a care. To her, a small setback did not affect the larger scheme of things. Lear… was an Earthling after all!

"Wang Zheng, what did Lie Xin want with you? Does she fancy you or something?" Zhang Shan asked privately during their mealtime. This was indeed a development.

"Keke, nothing much, she just wants to use us, is all," Wang Zheng replied between mouthfuls.

"Oh? What did you say?"

Meng Tian and Zhang Runan looked over as well. Meng Tian was especially concerned. Although she wasn't sworn rivals with Lie Xin, they did not get along too well either.

Wang Zheng shrugged irritably. "Ugh, I wasn't born to live the life of a slave. Forget it. That girl's airs are too much to deal with."

"Oh, I understand now. She only has eyes for this opportunity that we have and is trying to use us. Fat chance! If she joined us, we'd only make her do the grunt work." Zhang Shan laughed.

The marvelous turn of events had caused Zhang Shan's aspirations to grow rapidly, like spring bamboo after the rains.

This was a God-given opportunity!

Lear was not alone either. Besides Luo Fei, Lear had chosen three out of the rest.

Edison, Aloman, and Stocker.

Edison's forte was electronics and technology – he hacked Skylink firewalls as a hobby. In other aspects, however, he was ordinary.

Aloman was a conceited strongman from Titan. Privately, he was confident that he could take down Raston.

Stocker's Ability X allowed him to breathe underwater, but was also otherwise unremarkable.

This caused a few hopefuls to lose heart. Lear's selection was indeed niche!

Luo Fei's actions had been heartless, and they were etched clearly in the minds of the Martians. If it was not for the rules in effect, they would have long beaten him to a pulp. But as it was, he ate and drank unmolested, even having the cheek to call out greetings to Martians. His personality was indeed infuriating.

It almost seemed as though his skin was so thick, his cheek could fly a shuttle all by itself.

Following Qiu Si's appearance, the afternoon training began.

"You've all been training on Earth for quite some time now. We'll be doing something new this afternoon for a change. It'll also be the first task in the leader selection."

After Qiu Si's words, many an eye in the audience brightened. After endless torture, finally they would get to test their skills out.

Wang Zheng or Lear?

Besides them, of course, Achilles and the rest were not invalid either. Although they had no chance at the qualification, they could nonetheless prove themselves.

In the end, IG qualifications were determined by one's abilities. Without top-tier strength, one could not go far; cheap tricks only worked once.