Chapter 1049 Fine Tradition!
The leader of the group of people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee was a middle-aged senior colonel. He looked at the familiar base in front of him and smiled bitterly.
If he could, he didn't want to handle this hot potato. Yes, he was the person in charge of investigating Ling Lan a few years ago. He was the one who lost the case that year. It also caused him to lose his reputation in the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee. He was unable to raise his head proudly ever again because of that case.
This time, the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee received a complaint from the new mecha operators of 250 Ace Mecha Clan. The people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee knew that this was a hard case. It was obvious that 250 Ace Mecha Clan was the battlefield of the various factions. One mistake and they would get implicated. In the end, the leader of the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee decided to send an unimportant person to handle this case.
"Leader, we can go in now." His assistant noticed that the leader was in a daze so he quickly reminded him.
"Oh, let's go in." Forget it, he would just take whatever that comes along. He had fallen down from grace here before so to be careful, he should try to understand the situation first before making a decision.
Soon, they reached the command center. They saw close to a hundred mecha operators surrounding the command center and shouting angrily.
"They should be the ones who lodged the complaint," the senior colonel lowered his voice and told his assistant.
"Yes, leader. 97 mecha operators complained that their superiors in 250 Ace Mecha Clan were deliberately suppressing them. They humiliated them purposely and forced them to undergo unethical amounts of training to learn the basic skills of a logistician. Based on our criteria, they're able to form a case as long as they get 10% of support," the assistant replied hurriedly.
"Don't form the case yet. Let's go in and investigate first. Don't offend the superiors of 250 Ace Mecha Clan." The senior colonel learned from his past experience so he decided to take things slowly.
"I understand." The other members who were new to the team was a shock at their leader's mild attitude. Most of the time, the people who they were investigating would be subservient to them not the other way around. The officers would get nervous and flustered when they saw them. They would be treated like princes. Yet now, their senior colonel asked them to not offend the superiors of 250 Ace Mecha Clan. This meant that there was someone they couldn't offend in there.
The older members of the team who had come to 250 Ace Mecha Clan before knew what 250 Ace Mecha Clan was like. Those young but sly officers were hard to deal with. One mistake and they would fall into their trap.
That's right, they were thinking that the officers from 250 Ace Mecha Clan were trying to use them to get rid of their enemies again!
"Ah! The people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee are here," the two senior colonels who started this riot shouted excitedly when they saw the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee.
"That's good. Since the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee is here, they would help me." The other mecha operators saw this and rushed over to the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee. They started complaining about their situation to them.
"Calm down. We have received your complaint. We'll investigate this matter." The leader saw his path getting blocked so he had no choice but to say, "Can you let us into the command center?"
"When can you give us a reply?" One of the senior colonels shouted.
"Yes. We've been humiliated for two months. You must give us an answer," the other mecha operators shouted angrily. They looked as though they were going to pester the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee until they got a definite answer.
"If we don't investigate, how will we know the truth?" The senior colonel's face turned cold. "Will you solve the problem if you block our way? Hurry up and move aside."
The mecha operators cleared a path for the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee after they saw that the leader was angry.
The people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee entered the command center. The leader saw a familiar person welcoming them. "Long time no see, senior colonel."
"Long time no see, Major Li. Oh, its Colonel Li now." The senior colonel was shocked at how fast Li Lanfeng got promoted.
"Senior colonel, I didn't expect you to be the person-in-charge of this investigation again." Li Lanfeng smiled. He sounded as though he met an old friend. The atmosphere wasn't as tense as it was in the last meeting between the two of them.
"I don't have a choice. 250 Ace Mecha Clan is just too famous. Other people don't want to handle you guys so I came." The senior colonel quickly cleared the air by telling Li Lanfeng that he wasn't targeting them. He just didn't have the choice.
"Haha, I wouldn't welcome other people but you, my friend, I welcome you." Li Lanfeng's words had a hidden meaning too. If he was their friend, he would welcome him. If not, he wouldn't. Whether he was welcomed or not depended on his attitude.
The senior colonel smiled bitterly. "If there's nothing, I don't mind coming here for a visit. If there's something, I won't come even if you welcome me." If this complaint was not true, he would be their friend. If it was the truth, he couldn't be their friends.
As a member of the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee, he couldn't go against his morals.
"Of course. However, our 250 Ace Mecha Clan is very peaceful so there won't be any big issues. You're welcome to come anytime." Li Lanfeng smiled.
Peaceful? The people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee looked at the mecha operators shouting outside. They didn't know how this shameless Lieutenant Colonel Li was to be able to call this a peaceful place.
"This way, please." Li Lanfeng pretended that he didn't see the change in expression on their faces and led everyone into the command center calmly.
"He's really shameless." Li Yingjie, who was sitting in the meeting room and watching this scene, couldn't help but exclaim out loud. He thought that he was shameless enough but it seemed like there was someone better than him. He should learn how to be more shameless from Li Lanfeng.
"They're here. Don't speak." Li Shiyu glared at Li Yingjie.
Li Yingjie pretended to zip his mouth to show that he wouldn't say anything. Sob, under the guidance of Boss Lan, his cousin had become scarier. He remembered how he was fed some weird tasting agents when he provoked his cousin unintentionally in the past. He shuddered at the thought of being fed with those agents again.
The senior colonel walked into the meeting room. It was still the same meeting room. In his past experience, there were just three people. Now, there were 12 people. But, the cold Regiment Commander Ling wasn't present.
The two groups of people sat opposite each other. The people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee sat on one side. They were not as arrogant as before. Instead, they appeared attentive.
The people from 250 Ace Mecha Clan went directly to the point too. They showed the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee the three orders they gave.
The senior colonel looked at the strange orders and asked, "Why did you do this?"
"This is the tradition of 250 Ace Mecha Clan." The 12 representatives from 250 Ace Mecha Clan gave the same answer simultaneously.
Lin Zhong-qing explained to them the tradition. The senior colonel finally understood what they meant.
"So, your mecha operators know all the backend stuff?"
The senior colonel was stunned. He respected Regiment Commander Ling who came up with this strange tradition. Regiment Commander Ling was challenging the rules of the entire military. If he continued like this, the entire mecha clan could operate on their own without logistician.
Chapter 1050 Prove!
The door to the command center opened again. The people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee appeared in front of the rioting mecha operators. Close to a hundred pairs of hopeful eyes looked at them, anticipating the news of success.
However, the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee had a strange look on their face. They seemed to be looking at the hundred mecha operators pitifully.
Pity? The mecha operators here were all experienced soldiers. They didn't miss the look of pity in their eyes. Their excitement died down and a bad thought formed in their minds.
Kind of expectedly, the leader of the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee coldly said, "Your complaint is voided."
Voided? Why? The mecha operators' heart dropped. They couldn't understand why the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee would overlook such an obvious act of suppression and tyranny. Were the people from 250 Ace Mecha Clan really so powerful that they could force the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee to overlook their tyranny?
"Why?" One of the two leading senior colonels shouted angrily. If the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee couldn't handle them, he would fight against them head-on.
"Because this is a tradition of 250 Ace Mecha Clan. Since you entered the 250 Ace Mecha Clan, you must follow their tradition." The leader looked at the mecha operators with pity. They could become regiment commanders of powerful mecha clans. Why did they choose to come here? Why were they so stupid? Regiment Commander Ling was already an unreasonable person so how could his 250 Ace Mecha Clan be so easy to deal with?
However, the leader was in a good mood. Watching other people getting into trouble was better than him getting into trouble. He thought that this would be a troublesome matter but the perfect explanation 250 Ace Mecha Clan gave him allowed him to retreat from this case with ease.
"What tradition?" The rioting mecha operators exchanged glances with one another. They didn't know what the leader was referring to. What did it have to do with their complaints?
"Anyone who enters 250 Ace Mecha Clan must learn all the skills of a logistician." A calm voice sounded behind the senior colonel. A man with a metal mask walked forward. It was from Li Lanfeng.
"Absurd!" One of the senior colonels shouted furiously without any hint of respect in his tone. Although Li Lanfeng was a colonel, there were many colonels in 250 Ace Mecha Clan. There were many lieutenant colonels too. Hence, Li Lanfeng's status didn't command any respect in them.
Li Lanfeng's aura suddenly turned cold. He stared at the furious senior colonel intently. "If you're unable to do it, you can leave. If you want to stay here, you must follow the rules."
The senior colonel couldn't reply to such a question under the sharp gaze. He was only one rank lower than Li Lanfeng but the pressure Li Lanfeng gave him was as heavy as his past regiment commander. How could this happen?
The other team leaders of 250 Ace Mecha Clan who had entered the domain stage smiled slightly. They exclaimed how shameless Li Lanfeng was once again. He secretly used his domain concept to increase his force of presence and suppress these arrogant senior colonels who looked down on them.
If these mecha operators came to 250 Ace Mecha Clan the normal way, they would be angered by Li Lanfeng's words and might really leave the mecha clan. However, they came here with a mission. How could they leave without getting anything information? But, if they were to stay behind, they couldn't accept this humiliation too.
The people from 250 must have realized their identity and intentions but they couldn't stop them from infiltrating the clan. Hence, they decided to use this method to force them to leave.
It had to be said that this bunch of mecha operators were all smart people. They got selected to infiltrate 250 Ace Mecha Clan because they were clever. But, smart people always like to think too much. They would think everything that was happening them was a scheme. Thus, they immediately felt that this was just a plan by the superiors of 250 Ace Mecha Clan to force them to voluntarily leave the mecha clan.
If they could be forced out so easily, they wouldn't have been chosen to be sent here.
Since they knew what the other party wanted to do, they could make the necessary comeback
The senior colonel scoffed and said, "Tradition? Have you learned all the skills of a logistician?"
'Let me expose your despicable lie.'
"Yes, prove it to us!" Another senior colonel added on.
"Yes, prove it! Prove it!" The other mecha operators started shouting. They didn't come to 250 Ace Mecha Clan to be an insignificant logistician. They were here to mess up the entire 250 Ace Mecha Clan so doing this was like killing two birds with one stone. They were all excited.
Li Lanfeng looked at the crowd coldly. The more serious he was, the more excited the crowd got. They felt as though they had caught onto the weakness of 250 Ace Mecha Clan. If they could drag this group of old guards down, 250 Ace Mecha Clan would internally collapse.
Most of the mecha operators were focused on Li Lanfeng but not everyone was doing the same thing. A few senior colonels at the back of the group looked at the other team leaders and heads of departments behind Li Lanfeng. They frowned. It might not be as simple as it seemed.
These people standing behind Li Lanfeng were too calm. Some even looked as though they were enjoying a good show. This was not how a person should react when their lie was exposed.
Unsurprisingly a few seconds later, Li Lanfeng smiled slightly. It was a small smile but it was enough to shock the crowd. They felt as though they had walked into a trap.
"Sure!" Li Lanfeng smiled. He raised his hands and clapped them.
A light screen suddenly appeared beside him. The light screen was four meters tall and six meters wide. Everyone knew what this was. It was the virtual screen made by the mainframe.
A sweet voice came out of the screen. "Colonel Li, please give your order."
"Meng Lan, give me a list of all the mecha operators in 250 Ace Mecha Clan," Li Lanfeng said calmly.
Meng Lan had always followed 250 Ace Mecha Clan wherever they went. Now that they were back at the base, Meng Lan returned with them and became the mainframe of this Lingtian's base.
"Yes, Colonel Li," Meng Lan replied respectfully. Li Lanfeng was only taking over the control of Lingtian's base temporarily. He wasn't the real leader of Lingtian so Meng Lan just addressed him by his rank. If it was Ling Lan, she would call her master.
Almost instantly, less than 200 names appeared on the light screen. The battle on Planet Haijiao caused many of their mecha operators to die on the battlefield. However, their names would forever be etched in the hero list of 250 Ace Mecha Clan. They would never be forgotten.
"These are currently all the mecha operators from 250 Ace Mecha Clan. You can choose a few people and test their logistician skills."
"Of course, if you don't believe that they are mecha operators, you can have a fight with them. I have nothing against that too," Li Lanfeng added on. He did this so the mecha operators couldn't suspect the authenticity of this list. Their operators were all outstanding mecha operators from various backgrounds. Only real mecha operators were able to fight with them.
Of course, this way of thinking would be broken in the future. However, that was the future. We won't talk about it now.
Chapter 1051 Choice!
Even if Li Lanfeng didn't say that, the mecha operators wouldn't question the authenticity of the list, as there were some familiar names on the list. These people used to have a glorious past.
Everyone's heart dropped. Since the other party gave them the list and allowed them to choose their opponents, it meant that what they said might be true. But, they were unwilling to just give up like this, maybe they were just putting up an act to trick them. They still hoped that the other party was trying to scheme against them. This might all just be an act from the start. They might not lose this
bet.
Should they take the bet? The mecha operators looked at each other. They were hesitant.
The senior colonels at the back observed the team leaders' expressions carefully. They wanted to find a crack in their expressions but there was none. Everyone was confident. The three people who looked as though they weren't good at disguising themselves looked confident too. They were the rash Zhao Jun, the humble Qi Long, and the hot-tempered Li Yingjie.
Were they speaking the truth?
These mecha operators only joined for two months. Although they had tried to collect information about 250 Ace Mecha Clan, the people from 250 Ace Mecha Clan were already guarding against them from the moment they entered. Hence, they couldn't get any useful information.
Obviously, the innocent Luo Lang was dragged off the scene by Li Lanfeng and others. They had to thank the face Luo Lang had (They were grateful that Luo Chao could put up an act, not like Luo Lang who would show everything he was feeling on his face.) Then, they pushed Zhao Jun and Qi Long out into the open. These two people were actually really good at tricking people with their outer facade.
Oh, what about Li Yingjie? Actually, he was forgotten by everyone, including his two elder cousin brothers.
Poor Li Yingjie. He was ignored just like this. Fortunately, he didn't know this. He even felt good about himself.
'Haha, only a stupid person like Luo Lang needs to hide. I'm a smart person. I don't need to hide.' He thought as he puffed up his chest in front of the crowd with a confident expression on his face.
Anyways, Qi Long, Zhao Jun, and Li Yingjie were the three people whom the mecha operators felt they had complete grasp of. The people they were scared of were Li Lanfeng and Yang Mingzhi. One was an experienced sly old fox while the other was an unpredictable newbie who they knew nothing about.
As for the other people, they didn't stand out like these two people. This impression was something Li Lanfeng and the others wanted to create.
Since the senior colonels didn't see what they wanted to see, they started frowning. They lowered their heads and discussed among themselves.
"Why is everyone so quiet now? You don't dare to make a choice?" Li Lanfeng's smile disappeared when he noticed the crowd turned silent. He said coldly, "No one has any objections? If that's the case, go back to where you all come from."
There were two meanings behind Li Lanfeng's words. The mecha operators' expressions changed. Some people were indignant.
"Colonel Li, we are just discussing who to choose. Aren't you a little impatient?" One of the senior colonels at the back narrowed his eyes and said.
"Yes, we're discussing who to choose. Why are you in a hurry?" The other mecha operators agreed with the senior colonel.
"Are you afraid?" One of the colonels sneered at him.
"What is so difficult about choosing a person?" Li Lanfeng smiled at the crowd. Then, he turned serious and said, "Our time is precious. It shouldn't be wasted here." He was telling the new mecha operators that they were just a waste of time.
The mecha operators were furious. Even the calm senior colonels at the back felt like punching Li Lanfeng in the face, but they couldn't do it even if they wanted to as his position in the clan was higher than them even though they were one rank above him. They gritted their teeth in frustration.
"Sorry to trouble you then." The senior colonel at the back stared at Li Lanfeng. He wanted to embarrass this arrogant Colonel Li. He didn't believe that the ten team leaders of 250 Ace Mecha Clan learned all the skills of a logistician.
The senior colonel didn't stop after he chose Li Lanfeng. He looked at Yang Mingzhi and said respectfully, "And, we would like Major General Yang to prove it too."
That's right. After some discussion, they felt that the team members might have learned all the skills but the team leaders might not. The two team leaders they chose were the ones whom they thought had the least possibility of learning all the skills.
Yang Mingzhi was the only major general of 250 Ace Mecha Clan. He used to be a member of the South Stars. Before he entered the 250 Ace Mecha Clan, he had enjoyed the same treatment as a super ace mecha master. They didn't believe that he was willing to lower his status and learn the skills of a logistician.
Li Lanfeng was the adviser of 250 Ace Mecha Clan. He was the person Regiment Commander Lin trusted the most. After Regiment Commander Ling stopped being their regiment commander, he was put in charge of 250 Ace Mecha Clan. (This was not true. If Li Lanfeng made a decision that harmed Ling Lan or 250 Ace Mecha Clan, the other team leaders and the heads of the various departments would stop him.) They didn't believe that a person who had control of an entire mecha clan was willing to lower himself to learn the skills of a logistician.
Since they chose these two people, there was no point in choosing other people too.
The leader of the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee looked at the senior colonel in surprise. His choice was made through educated guesses. These mecha operators didn't act rashly. They put many thoughts into their actions.
"Haha, it's going to be fun." Zhao Jun couldn't help but laugh. He didn't know if he should pity them. Why did they choose these two people?
When Ling Lan gave the order that the mecha operators must learn the skills of a logistician to take care of themselves, Li Lanfeng was the one who pushed himself to learn the skills the most. As a person who wanted to get closer to Ling Lan, he would never drag Ling Lan down. Hence, he tried his best and was the best in everything. If Li Lanfeng claimed that he was number two, no one would say that he was number one.
As for Yang Mingzhi, he was a strict person even to himself. He wouldn't allow himself to make any mistakes in this area. Plus, he felt that Ling Lan's decision was a reasonable one. He was used to giving his best in everything so he almost perfected all the skills of a logistician too. If Li Lanfeng wasn't here, Yang Mingzhi would take the number one position.
Chapter 1052 Laughter
These two people were the top two mecha operators who grasped the skills of a logistician. Their opponent made the worst decision they could. Of course, they were still oblivious to that fact. Even worse was that, they felt that they had a high chance of winning this match.
Li Lanfeng smiled when he heard the other party's decision. Was this the same as seeking death?
Yang Mingzhi looked at the senior colonel weirdly. He asked, "Senior Colonel Zhou, are you sure?"
Yang Mingzhi knew who this senior colonel was. His name was Zhou Yongnan. He was a titled mecha operator too. In the past, Yang Mingzhi had led his team and cooperated with Zhou Yongnan before. He didn't expect the other party to come to 250 Ace Mecha Clan at all. He even came as a normal mecha operator. The only difference was, Yang Mingzhi came because he gave up on himself while Zhou Yongnan came because he had a motive.
"I'm sorry, Major General Yang. We will have to trouble you." Zhou Yongnan's decision was firm. He chose Yang Mingzhi because he understood how proud he was in the past. He didn't think that such an arrogant person would lower himself to learn the skills of a logistician.
"Fine. I hope you won't regret your decision." Yang Mingzhi smiled lightly. Since he knew Senior Colonel Zhou, he decided to give him another chance to retract his decision, but since he didn't take it he would just have to crush him in the upcoming match. This was the most he could do.
Zhou Yongnan's expression changed. He suddenly felt that he might have made the wrong decision.
"Let's go to the mecha hold," Li Lanfeng smiled and suggested.
"Sure." Zhou Yongnan had to agree. He could only hope that his feelings were wrong. He hoped that the other party was making a last ditch effort to trick them.
The group of them came to the mecha hold. They saw that the mecha hold was already filled with people. Most of the mecha operators from 250 Ace Mecha Clan were there. There were even many logisticians too.
Meng Lan had informed everyone about the battle of logistician skills between the old and new mecha operators in 250 Ace Mecha Clan. (Meng Lan liked to have fun. We can only say that she followed the nature of the person who created her.)
When their leaders arrived, the old mecha operators shouted, "Leader, who are the ones competing? Hurry up and tell us."
In front of these newbies who only learned the skills for two months, this bunch of veteran soldiers was not afraid at all. They had mastered their skills thoroughly for over so many years. They rubbed their hands in anticipation. They were looking forward to torturing this bunch of newbies. They didn't care if these newbies were actually as powerful as them or had the same rank as them.
Without the scary Regiment Commander Ling, these veteran mecha operators started revealing their true nature. They were all ruffians by nature. They weren't afraid of creating troubles. If there wasn't Major General Yang Mingzhi and the frightening agents by Li Shiyu, they might have jumped on these newbies long ago and beat them up badly. Then, they would throw them out of their base.
Hence, when they knew that they had a chance to compete with them, even though it was only on logistician skills, they were extremely excited. They hoped that they were the ones chosen so they could humiliate the other party as much as they wanted.
Yang Mingzhi saw how excited his team members were. Some even started fighting with each other in the hopes of forcing their competitors away to increase their chances of getting chosen. He held his forehead in embarrassment. He was speechless. "Control yourselves. It has nothing to do with you. Colonel Li and I will be competing."
How hungry were they to fight? Why weren't they so troublesome when regiment commander was around? When Regiment Commander Ling was around, they were all very obedient. Without him, everyone turned into a 'child'. Yang Mingzhi felt his head starting to hurt. A few days ago when he was combing his hair, he realized that he grew many strands of white hair. He looked older too.
'Regiment commander, when are you coming back?' Yang Mingzhi looked at the roof of the mecha hold in great sadness. He couldn't help but recall his pure and innocent team members of the past.
While Yang Mingzhi was feeling sorrowful, the other mecha operators started laughing after a moment of silence.
"Oh my god, what kind of luck do they have? Why did they choose Leader Yang and Big Leader Li?"
"Wow, I really pity them."
"I feel that the worst tragedy this year is going to happen soon."
"I hope that they still have to face to stay later." Many mecha operators started being schadenfreude.
Zhou Yongnan's face turned pale when he heard all these conversations. Did he really make a mistake? No, they must be trying to fool them. Their decision was right! Zhou Yongnan clenched his fist tightly and forced himself to calm down.
At that moment, one of the veteran mecha operators shouted at Zhou Yongnan, "Old Zhou, why did you choose these two monsters? Let me do it so that you won't lose too terribly."
Yang Mingzhi wasn't the only one who knew Zhou Yongnan. A few other veteran mecha operators recognized him too.
The person who shouted was really being kind. Leader Yang and Big Leader Li were the best among them. If they were to compete against those newbies… he couldn't bear to see the result. Of course, the most important reason was, he wanted to be the one competing. Let him torture these newbies instead!
'Their aim is to swap Yang Mingzhi and Li Lanfeng out. My decision is right.' Instead of accepting the kind offer, the offer instilled confidence in Zhou Yongnan's decision.
"There's no need for that. We'll compete with Major General Yang and Colonel Li. We won't lose," Zhou Yongnan replied resolutely. He was speaking to the mecha operators from 250 Ace Mecha Clan as well as himself.
They wouldn't lose!
His statement caused the people from 250 Ace Mecha Clan to start laughing again.
Zhou Yongnan wasn't affected. He turned around and asked Yang Mingzhi and Li Lanfeng, "How shall we compete?"
"Send the two people whom you think are the best. If not, you might not admit defeat willingly." Li Lanfeng replied calmly, "If one of your people win against us, you'll win."
Zhou Yongnan frowned. This rule was very beneficial to them. Were they so confident that they would definitely win? Zhou Yongnan's heart wavered again. Before he could say anything, a senior colonel behind him said, "Okay."
This senior colonel thought that Zhou Yongnan hesitated because the rules were too beneficial towards them. He nudged Zhou Yongnan to remind him that they shouldn't be bothered with fairness now. They must choose what benefited them the most.
Since the situation was set, Zhou Yongnan couldn't say anything more. He nodded at the senior colonel. He didn't dare to tell anyone his suspicion. He was afraid that he would affect their state of mind.
Chapter 1053 Result!
Soon, their two competing representatives were chosen.
Four mechas were pushed out. To ensure that the competition was fair, Li Lanfeng asked the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee to board the mechas and enter a command for some changes and then hide the command. The competitors would find the command and make changes to the mecha according to the command.
This was the debugging skill of a mecha engineer. Before the mecha operators boarded their mechas, the mecha engineers must debug the mecha so that the mecha was in optimal condition. Any mistakes in the system must be found and be deleted.
Debugging was a common work done by the mecha engineers. The best way to assess how good a mecha logistician was was to see how fast one could change the weapons and equipment of the mechas during a battle.
Thus, finding the hidden command was just an appetizer. The main point of this assessment was to see how fast they changed the weapons and equipment on the mecha.
This work needed to be done before the ejection of a mecha. The faster the mecha got equipped, the faster the mecha could be ejected. A one-second difference might affect the result of a battle.
Ling Lan had such a high expectation for her logisticians because she knew that a war was not just solely a battle of firearms. Logisticians played an important role too. She even felt that logisticians were more important than firearms.
Li Lanfeng and Yang Mingzhi had changed into their logistician uniforms. They walked to the starting line.
The other two representative went to the starting line too. Zhou Yongnan suddenly volunteered to be the referee.
The senior colonel of the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee looked at Yang Mingzhi and Li Lanfeng. He was waiting for their opinions.
Both of them expressed that they didn't mind.
"1, start!"
Zhou Yongnan glanced at the two representative from his side. He didn't follow the usual call of '1,2,3', he instead directly started the competition after saying the number one.
By now, Zhou Yongnan had totally disregarded his own reputation. He used such cheap tricks because he wanted to use all means to win this competition.
The two representative from Zhou Yongnan's side saw the look he gave them. They understood what he was going to do. After Zhou Yongnan shouted the first number, they immediately rushed out.
However, Zhou Yongnan didn't appear relaxed. Instead, his expression was cold as he realized that his cheap tricks were useless. Yang Mingzhi and Li Lanfeng weren't prepared but their reaction speed was much faster than a normal person. They rushed out of the starting line almost at the same time as their representatives.
"Did he think that he can win against Leader Yang and Big Leader Li using such cheap tricks? Tsk tsk tsk, he is looking to be humiliated."
"If they couldn't even handle such cheap tricks, they should be punished with the month training by our regiment commander."
"Gasp! Can you not mention the month training? I don't want to recall that nightmare." The person beside him inhaled deeply and tried to stop himself from shivering. He rubbed his shoulders, attempting to calm his goosebumps down.
There wasn't any month training for almost half a year. Most of the mecha operators had forgotten about this nightmare. When they heard their comrade referring to it, they felt uncomfortable all around their bodies.
Zhou Yongnan noticed that none of the mecha operators or logisticians seemed angered by his action. They appeared nonchalant. His heart dropped.
If they didn't care about his shameless act, there could be two reasons for that. One, they didn't care about the two people that were participating in this competition. Second, they knew that such cheap tricks wouldn't affect the result of the competition.
The first reason wasn't possible. From the enthusiastic welcome Yang Mingzhi and Li Lanfeng received when they entered the mecha hold, they knew that these two team leaders were well-liked by everyone. That meant that it was the second reason. Everyone here, whether the mecha operators or the logisticians, knew that Yang Mingzhi and Li Lanfeng would win.
That meant that what they say at the start was the truth. These two people were the best among all the mecha operators. They made the wrong choice. They picked the toughest opponents.
Zhou Yongnan's expression turned dark. However, he couldn't do anything about it now. He could only watch as they get humiliated by their opponents.
At that moment, the four contestants had already started debugging the mechas. They looked like they were equal but Zhou Yongnan knew that they were already behind their opponents.
Yang Mingzhi and Li Lanfeng's movements were smooth. Their fingers flew over the screen as they entered different commands into the mechas. The mainframe of the mechas gave them its responses. In a blink of an eye, they found the command that was hidden by the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee.
"Easy searches like that couldn't stop our leaders."
"This is not even their fastest speed. I remember that time when our regiment commander entered a command into the system and asked the team leaders to find it within ten minutes. All the team leaders were drenched with sweat when they tried to find it. In the last 2 minutes, their hand speed increased to a new level due to the immense pressure on them. I believe that they've never moved so fast even when operating their mecha." One of the people remembered that special assessment at that time. All the spectators were so anxious for their team leaders, their faces turned pale too.
"Oh, that assessment… I think I need to go to the washroom." Every time they recalled the scene, they would feel like going to the toilet. The mecha operators' face turned white.
They remembered this assessment clearly because their regiment commander had a punishment for the team leaders who couldn't pass the test. The team leader, including his entire team as well as the logisticians that serviced them, would be punished together. How could they not be worried?
However, even though all the ten team leaders tried their best and even achieved a breakthrough in their hand speed, none of them passed the assessment.
"Stop mentioning that assessment. I don't want to recall it!" The mecha operators wiped the cold sweat off their forehead and threw this memory away.
After they found the command, Yang Mingzhi and Li Lanfeng followed the command and started equipping the mecha based on its requirements.
The two representative from Zhou Yongnan's side weren't slow too. After a month of training, they were very familiar with the works of a mecha engineer. Their speed was even faster than a normal logistician. They had reached the requirements of an outstanding logistician.
But, their opponents were too abnormal.
Just as they found the hidden command and were about to start equipping the mechas, Li Lanfeng and Yang Mingzhi shouted at the same time, "Done!"
The people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee hurried over to their screen and looked at the ejection section. All the windows were green. It meant that their work was done properly and the mecha were properly equipped if it entered the ejection port.
Chapter 1054 Crazy Person!
The leader from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee looked at the time on this communicator. They didn't take more than 20 seconds to complete everything from debugging to equipping the mecha with seemingly no errors. This time included the time they took to find the command. It was definitely a new record for mecha engineers.
Was this the result of letting mecha operators be trained as logisticians? What did this represent? During a battle, their speed of preparation would be much faster than their opponents.
The leader gasped when he thought of this. If this was possible to be replicated in every mecha operator, it would change the result of the entire war.
The leader felt his heart pounding furiously. His face turned red as he had an ambitious thought in his mind.
This was definitely a new discovery. If he reported this to the military and let them spread this training to the rest of the military… he would gain huge merit.
However soon, the senior colonel calmed down. He thought about it carefully and then smiled bitterly.
This was just his wishful thinking. He couldn't even think of a division which would have the courage to send an ace mecha clan to become the logisticians of another ace mecha clan.
Only 1% of the mecha clans in the Federation were ace mecha clans. This meant that among 100 mecha clans, only one was an ace mecha clan.
The Federation was situated in the center of the human world. It had ample resources and its land mass was huge. Hence, many surrounding nations were envious of them. If they could take over a part of the Federation's land, they would be able to increase the wealth and power of their nation tremendously. They had nothing to lose if they lose but everything to gain if they won. Hence, the borders of the Federation were always at a state of constant war.
The endless war forced the military to treasure every single ace mecha clan they had. On the battlefield, an ace mecha clan was the most powerful unit. It could determine the result of the battle so why would they want to waste an ace mecha clan to become logisticians for another ace mecha clan? Plus, no matter how fast an ace mecha clan prepared themselves, they were just a small part of the entire war. It wouldn't really affect the big picture. All in all, the loss of sending an ace mecha clan for logistician training outweigh the gains.
If he brought up this suggestion, his superior might throw his papers back at him. It was just his whimsical thoughts, basically him just grasping for any straw that could help him gain the favour of his superiors again. The senior colonel calmed down again after he thought it through, and his conclusion was that he was being too hopeful for that idea to work in the real world.
He gathered his thoughts and looked at Zhou Yongnan who had a darkened expression. He said indifferently, "Senior Colonel Zhou, you
lost."
Zhou Yongnan's expression kept changing. However, he was still unwilling to give up hope. He gritted his teeth and said, "There are still other logistician skills we can compete in. We won't admit defeat until we are defeated in every single one of them."
The mecha operators from 250 Ace Mecha Clan started jeering
Only the new mecha operators kept quiet. All their faces looked worse for wear. They were unwilling to give up. They were still hopeful that they could change the situation around.
Li Lanfeng smiled as he raised his head to look at them. A cold light flashed passed his eyes. "Let's continue then."
He didn't expect the other party to admit defeat with just one match. But, it won't take too long for them to be completely defeated. Plus, these new mecha operators only went through two sets of training: Mecha engineer and a cook.
From the instance they stepped foot onto their base, Li Lanfeng didn't even have the faintest thought of letting these new mecha operators enter 250 Ace Mecha Clan for real.
What he needed to do now was to step on their faces so hard that they would feel too embarrassed to stay at 250 Ace Mecha Clan. Even if they did stay behind, they would act cautiously and listen to them, never to be able to raise their heads again.
Everyone came to the clean and luxurious cafeteria of the 250 Ace Mecha Clan. The cooks had already prepared the ingredients and were already waiting for them at the front of the kitchen.
Just like the last match, the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee set the competition. It was to cook the best dish they could under a limited time. The four contestants would cook at the same time, and in the end the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee would taste their dishes to see whose dish was more delicious.
The result of the battle was decided from the start. Yang Mingzhi and Li Lanfeng's quick and agile knife skills and their smooth cooking skills amazed the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee from the moment they started to cook. When a fragrant and beautiful dish appeared in front of them, they even thought that the two people in front of them were head chefs of a five-star hotel instead of mecha operators.
On the other hand, their opponents' performances were just horrible. Their dishes were either overcooked or burnt. The most they could do was to ensure that their food was cooked. They were unable to have any resemblance of taste in their dish.
Zhou Yongnan and the people on his side went pale.
Was this a mecha operator? Was this still a mecha operator from a mecha clan? They were already world-class chefs! Although they were their opponents, their stomach started rumbling uncontrollably when they smelled the fragrance from their dishes.
Yang Mingzhi and Li Lanfeng put down their ladle at the same time and looked at Zhou Yongnan.
"What do you think? Do you still want to continue?" Li Lanfeng coldly asked.
Yang Mingzhi took a towel from the side and wiped his hands slowly. He smiled and said, "I haven't cooked in a long time. My cooking skills might have deteriorated. Hope you don't mind."
Deteriorated? The people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee had already started devouring the dishes. They were crying in their hearts. Compared to these delicious dishes in front of them, their food in their cafeteria was basically pig feed. They must complain about their cooks when they went back. They would ask them to learn their cooking skills again.
They couldn't help but get envious of the mecha operators of 250 Ace Mecha Clan. They were so fortunate to stay at this base. The mecha operators already cooked so well. This meant that the real cooks must be even better.
"Major General Yang and Senior Colonel Li won!" The difference was too obvious. As the judge, the leader from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee couldn't help Zhou Yongnan even if he wanted to.
Li Lanfeng slowly walked towards Zhou Yongnan. He stopped in front of Zhou Yongnan and flicked his sleeve. He seemed to be dusting his clothes. Then, he said softly, "I said that this is the tradition of 250 Ace Mecha Clan. If you want to stay here, you must follow it. No one is an exception, including us."
"If you can't do it, go back to where you came from. Stop embarrassing yourself here!" Li Lanfeng didn't show any mercy to the other party this time.
Li Lanfeng's attitude infuriated the senior colonel beside Zhou Yongnan. He exploded in anger. "Go back?! Go back my ass!"
"What tradition is this? This is absurd! Only a crazy person would make such a weird tradition. Crazy! Lunatic! He must be a lunatic!" The senior colonel felt that he was unjustly humiliated so he didn't think about what he said.
The entire cafeteria instantly turned silent. The soldiers from 250 Ace Mecha Clan, who were still smiling a second ago, turned cold. Everyone glared at them. Their gaze was distant and there was even a hint of killing intent in it.
Zhou Yongnan was shocked. His comrade must have touched their bottom line.
"I wanted to let you go freely but… I think I was being too kind." Li Lanfeng narrowed his eyes and slowly smile. Zhou Yongnan's heart stopped beating when he saw the smile. An unprecedented sense of danger could be felt around him.
Chapter 1055 Regiment Commander!
The veteran mecha operators from 250 Ace Mecha Clan took a step closer to Zhou Yongnan and the other new mecha operators. The logisticians, who were scattered among the mecha operators, gathered at the back.
Very soon, the new mecha operators were surrounded by the veteran mecha operators. The atmosphere in the cafeteria was tense. A huge throw down was imminent.
The leader from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee could feel cold sweat on his forehead. He shouted hurriedly, "Everyone, calm down!"
He knew that nothing good would come from coming to 250 Ace Mecha Clan. If the 250 Ace Mecha Clan really fought with the new mecha operators, his position as the leader in the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee would be gone.
"Senior colonel, we're settling an internal affair. Please follow me to the meeting room to take a rest," Lin Zhong-qing went up and said gently.
The leader narrowed his eyes. It was obvious that 250 Ace Mecha Clan wanted to do something to these disobedient new mecha operators. Since they asked him to go down and have a rest, it meant that they didn't want him to interfere in this matter.
Should he interfere or not? His decision could result in two different results. At the same time, it also showed his stand on the matter.
If he left, it meant that he stood on General Ling Xiao's side. Of course, he could pretend that he didn't know anything and appear neutral. But, if he continued staying here, he would definitely be going against General Ling Xiao.
The leader didn't want to offend the popular General Ling Xiao. He thought for a moment and replied, "Sounds good. I'm feeling tired too."
When Zhou Yongnan heard his reply, his expression changed for the worse. He knew that once the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee left, they wouldn't have any chance of ever coming back on top of 250 Ace Mecha Clan.
"Little Zhou, you followed me ever since you were young. I watched you grow up. I trust you a lot so I can only give this mission to you. Only passing this mission to you would make me feel at ease. Don't worry. I won't let you suffer." The voice of his old chief seemed to appear beside him.
His gaze quickly turned vicious. He gritted his teeth and shouted, "You want to punish us secretly? I won't allow you to succeed! Attack
them!"
Then, he rushed out first and attacked Li Lanfeng who was closest to him.
Since they couldn't do it the legal way, they would use brute force.
As long as 250 Ace Mecha Clan turned into a mess, his old chief would have a chance to get what he wants.
Creating a mutiny was his last resort. It was something he didn't want to do but in the end, he still did it.
Zhou Yongnan knew that whether this mutiny succeeded or not, he would have to spend many years in jail.
Truthfully, he lodged a complaint to the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee not because he wanted them to help him. He just wanted the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee to witness this mutiny to prove that 250 Ace Mecha Clan was actually a mess, proving that the current leaders of 250 Ace Mecha Clan were useless.
He wasn't the only one with this mission. There were many people helping him. However, Zhou Yongnan didn't know who they were.
But, after he shouted, he heard around five people shouting among the crowd, "Attack!"
Then, many people charged at the mecha operators of 250 Ace Mecha Clan.
The veteran mecha operators were furious when they noticed the newbies attacking them first so they rushed towards the new mecha operators too. The other newbies, who were still hesitating on whether to fight or not, saw someone rushing at them so they raised their fist and attacked too.
Battle royale was about to start. Suddenly, a cold voice rang beside everyone's ears.
"Hmph?"
The voice sounded unhappy.
The mecha operators from the two sides felt a heavy force of presence suppressing their actions.
sence
Boom boom boom…
The people who were about to fight were smashed onto the ground. They were pushed onto the ground by a force so strong that they couldn't move.
Some strong mecha operators were still able to stand but their faces were all red and hideous. They were trying their best to resist the pressure that was forcing them to kneel down. It wasn't just the pressure on their bodies as the pressure affected their minds too.
Only the domain realm masters were able to stand properly. However, their faces were pale too. It wasn't easy resisting against this heavy force.
Zhou Yongnan and some people from his side were standing too. Suddenly, they realized something, and their expressions darkened.
The sudden pressure forced them to expose their true ability.
Zhou Yongnan's face was very pale. He was worried about him exposing himself and at the same time, he was frightened by the force from his opponent. How powerful must he be to control the entire situation instantly and basically stopped the battle royale with a single snort?
Soon, footsteps could be faintly heard.
It came closer. The footsteps got louder and clearer as it got nearer.
This was the sound of military boots stepping on the ground. The person that just came must be a soldier. His footsteps were slow but it was firm and orderly.
From the footsteps, it showed that the person was calm. It showed the person's confidence too. He was confident that no one would cause trouble under his control.
The sound of this footstep was familiar to the veteran mecha operators from 250 Ace Mecha Clan. However, to Zhou Yongnan and the people on his side, it was unfamiliar.
Everyone looked towards the main entrance of the cafeteria.
The new soldiers were astounded and confused. However, the mecha operators from 250 Ace Mecha Clan had a different expression.
Some were elated but frowning. Some looked excited but fearful at the same time. They had admiration in their eyes but the despair was apparent too.
If there was a phrase to describe it, it would be painful but happy.
Soon, a cold-looking young man wearing a white cloak over the uniform of the 250 Ace Mecha Clan appeared in front of them. He had a white short whip in his hand and the insignia on his chest showed that he was a major general.
He might be injured as there were bandages wrapped around his hands. His face was covered with bandages too. He might be afraid of scaring people so he wore a mask, revealing only his mouth and chin.
When he appeared, the heavy pressure disappeared instantly.
Everyone felt relaxed suddenly and the people on the ground got up hurriedly.
The young man scanned the cafeteria. His sharp gaze caused the people from Zhou Yongnan's side to look away.
A cold voice sounded, "I only left for half a year. When did my mecha clan become a place for gang fights?"
The voice sounded dangerous.
The veteram mecha operators from 250 Ace Mecha Clan quickly woke up from their daze and stood up straight. They saluted. "Regiment commander."
Yes, their regiment commander was back. The regiment commander of 250 Ace Mecha Clan was back. The powerful Lieutenant Colonel Ling Lan, wait, it was Major General Ling Lan now, was back.
After five months of discussion, Ling Lan's merit finally came. She jumped up three ranks and became a major general. She became the second major general in 250 Ace Mecha Clan.
Chapter 1056 Verdict!
That's right. The position of the regiment commander of 250 Ace Mecha Clan didn't land in other people's hands. Ling Lan was still the regiment commander.
She was able to continue being the regiment commander because her father worked really hard to help her keep this position. Since Ling Lan didn't want to leave the military, Ling Xiao would get what Ling Lan wanted even if he had to offend everyone in the military.
Plus, this position rightfully belonged to his daughter. Hence, when he fought for the position, he was very confident that he would give her what she wanted. His daughter risked her life to protect the people and the mecha clans, so how could he let other people take over what was rightfully hers?
However, Ling Xiao didn't really win too. His actions caused the higher authorities to make the ultimate decision which ended in both sides having to suffer losses.
The higher authorities decided to remove 250 Ace Mecha Clan from the 23rd division. They wouldn't be under Ling Xiao's control anymore. As for which division they would go to, there was no confirmation yet.
Without General Ling Xiao protecting them, Ling Lan and her 250 Ace Mecha Clan would have an uncertain future. Someone with evil intentions could send them to a dangerous battlefield.
Thus, the battle for the 250 Ace Mecha Clan hadn't ended yet. Ling Xiao was trying to let 250 Ace Mecha Clan get into a division under the First Marshal's faction. If he had no other choice, he didn't mind letting them into the 13th division.
Of course, the 13th division was his last trump card. He wouldn't use it until the very last moment.
Before the military gave their order, 250 Ace Mecha Clan still belonged to the 23rd division. Once the order came, 250 Ace Mecha Clan would move to another division.
Only the higher authorities knew of this decision. This was why Zhou Yongnan's old chief asked him to act within the next few days. Since they couldn't get the entire big fish, they would split it up so no one would be able to get it whole.
But, they didn't expect Ling Lan to come back so quickly. They also underestimated her capabilities. Her appearance ended their scheme before it could start.
Ling Lan walked into the cafeteria slowly. After walking passed the mecha operators who were standing up straight, she came beside Li Lanfeng. Zhou Yongnan and the other people from his side were in front of her.
Li Lanfeng controlled his excitement and said in a low voice, "Regiment commander, you're back."
With Ling Lan around, he didn't feel empty anymore.
"Yes. What's the matter?" Ling Lan asked in reply. She held her short whip in her right hand and pointed it at Zhou Yongnan.
Li Lanfeng smiled slightly. "New mecha operators!"
"They didn't listen to your command?" Ling Lan appeared nonchalant. She looked as though she wanted to end this problem immediately.
Zhou Yongnan got agitated when he heard this. "Regiment commander, it's not…"
Boom! Ling Lan waved her short whip. Zhou Yongnan flew out and slammed on the table at the side. He slid for a few meters before stopping
He vomited a mouthful of blood. He looked at the cold regiment commander with fear. He didn't expect this regiment commander to disregard the military rule and injure him before he could even say what he wanted to say.
Ling Lan glanced at him and said calmly, "I didn't ask you."
Zhou Yongnan's face turned pale. Although Ling Lan injured him, he didn't break any military rules.
Ling Lan was a regiment commander and Li Lanfeng was a team leader. Although he was a regiment commander before he came to 250 Ace Mecha Clan, he was just a small little soldier now compared to the two people in front who were his superiors.
When his superiors were talking, soldiers like him didn't have the right to express their opinion. If he opened his mouth, it was his mistake. Such a matter could be big or small depending on the officer. Most officers didn't like making a hassle over such a small matter so they didn't enforce the rule.
Hence, many soldiers forgot about this rule, even Zhou Yongnan forgot about it. However, with the help of Ling Lan's reminder, he managed to recall his this rule clearly.
Ling Lan disregarded Zhou Yongnan after she said this. She turned to look at Li Lanfeng. "Continue!"
Li Lanfeng wasn't as evil as Zhou Yongnan thought. He didn't hide the truth. Instead, he told Ling Lan exactly what had happened and the cause of their gang fight.
"So they didn't want to do it?" Ling Lan scanned the new mecha operators. The indifference in her eyes caused a chill up the spines of the mecha operators.
They recalled how Ling Lan attacked Zhou Yongnan. Everyone felt that they would be killed by this frightening regiment commander.
One of the lieutenant colonels couldn't withstand the pressure anymore. He raised his hand and shouted, "I would like to leave the 250 Ace Mecha Clan."
This statement formed a domino effect in everyone. Many other mecha operators raised their hands and followed suit.
"I want to leave too."
"Me too."
"Me too!"
"I want to leave!"
These people had lost their confidence in front of this ruthless and powerful person whom they couldn't defeat. If they continued staying here, they wouldn't get what they wanted even if they scheme to the best of their abilities. In that case, why not leave. It was better than staying here and getting tortured.
Ling Lan looked at the new mecha operators coldly. She listened to them until the last person finished saying his request to leave.
The entire cafeteria turned silent. Everyone looked at Ling Lan as they waited for her reply.
Ling Lan smiled slowly. Then, she gave a burst of cold laughter.
She was mocking them.
The expressions of the new mecha operators changed drastically. When Li Lanfeng asked them to leave, they didn't want to leave. Now, they couldn't leave even if they wanted too.
"Since you came, there's no need to leave." Ling Lan gave her final verdict. She was going to imprison these people in 250 Ace Mecha Clan.
The moment she finished speaking, she moved. The sounds of objects hitting each other were heard. In a blink of an eye, all the new mecha operators fell on the ground. They were all vomiting blood.
"Regiment Commander Ling, aren't you being a little overboard?" When Ling Lan appeared beside Li Lanfeng again, the leader from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee opened his mouth and said helplessly.
'I know that you don't care about military rules but you can't ignore us like that, right? How can you act right in front of us? Do you have to disregard us so blatantly?'
"Who are you?" The senior colonel went speechless when he heard Ling Lan's reply.
Fortunately, Lin Zhong-qing quickly introduced him, and Ling Lan finally remembered who he was. It was the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee who always like to create problems out of nothing. "Oh, long time no see. What have you been busy with?"
'What have I been busy with? I'm busy with your affairs!' The senior colonel felt frustrated. Once again, he confirmed that 250 Ace Mecha Clan was his natural enemy. He would never come to 250 Ace Mecha Clan for any investigation ever again.
Senior Colonel Wen received another blow from Ling Lan so he left 250 Ace Mecha Clan decisively.