In the battle, Needlework Needle-111 was captured, with the pilot dead, ending its fate. As for the fate of the blue-and-white mech, it remains unknown. However, Liu Fei speculated that Needlework Needle-111, amidst the chaos of the meteor shower, could have escaped using the pilot's remarkable sniper skills and speed. Yet, instead of fleeing, the pilot chose to enter the encirclement and snipe the enemies, clearly indicating that he was covering the escape of the blue-and-white mech.
Did the blue-and-white mech manage to escape?
No one could answer Liu Fei's question, but he was certain that the blue-and-white mech had suffered severe damage. This was evident because the unexpected meteor explosion generated a meteor vortex that engulfed the blue-and-white mech, making it impossible to emerge unscathed...
...
The appearance of Needlework Needle-111 did not affect Liu Fei's daily life. He still woke up early every morning to go to work, helping Li Meng with his tasks. In his spare time, he would seize every opportunity to indulge in his interests using various devices and instruments.
However, the presence of the Needlework Needle mech did change Liu Fei in some ways. His time spent on carving decreased gradually. Unconsciously, Liu Fei started paying attention to information about advanced mechas. Unfortunately, Zuo'er Mecha University was merely a research institution, primarily focusing on mastering basic knowledge about mechas rather than developing and producing them. Accessing advanced mechas like Needlework Needle-111 was virtually impossible.
Liu Fei couldn't comprehend why high-end mechas like Needlework Needle-111 would appear in a mecha laboratory, alongside the miniature auxiliary engine. His understanding of mechas was chaotic because he had never received formal education; his knowledge was solely self-taught. Up to that point, Liu Fei had only encountered two subjects related to mechas: optical pathways and mecha laboratories.
In reality, these two laboratories were just a fraction of the dozens available. For instance, there were five laboratories dedicated to optical pathways and brains alone. Liu Fei's workplace was just one of them, focusing mainly on testing related to optical pathways, brains, and sensors. Li Meng's laboratory, on the other hand, concentrated on the mechanical aspects of mechas.
Trapped in such an environment, Liu Fei found it challenging to establish a comprehensive knowledge system about mechas in his mind. This was the primary reason why he wanted to enter Zuo'er Mecha University. Only by becoming a student there could he freely access all the laboratories. Of course, the key attractions for Liu Fei were the mecha piloting training room and the combat instructor.
In fact, Liu Fei's interest lay not in mecha research but in piloting them. However, working in the laboratory made it impossible for him to get the chance to pilot a mecha, let alone undergo mecha shooting and combat training.
With over thirty thousand students, Zuo'er Mecha University boasted a strong faculty. Some subjects were extremely specialized, covering all aspects of mecha technology.
A mecha generally consists of executive mechanisms, propulsion devices, detection devices, control systems, and complex machinery. Military mechas, compared to civilian ones, were even more complex, equipped with sophisticated weapon systems.
Even a brief explanation of these components was enough to illustrate the complexity involved in mecha studies. The executive mechanism, which is the core of a mecha, usually employs spatial open-chain link mechanisms, with the joint motions commonly referred to as high-tech product joints. The number of joints typically corresponds to the mecha's degrees of freedom. Depending on the joint configuration and motion coordinate form, mecha executive mechanisms can be categorized into Cartesian coordinate, cylindrical coordinate, polar coordinate, and joint coordinate types. For the sake of anthropomorphism, the relevant parts of a mecha's main body are often referred to as the base, waist, arm, wrist, hand, and locomotion parts...
Of course, most students could ignore more than ninety-nine percent of this information. However, basic configuration data related to mecha operation, such as cockpit, engine, and optical brain energy comb, needed to be mastered by the students.
In simple terms, Zuo'er Mecha University was like a driving school for mechas on Earth, with the difference being that while Earth's driving schools focused solely on basic driving techniques and safety rules, Zuo'er Mecha University also taught basic mecha principles and even how to handle some simple malfunctions. After all, there was a vast difference between a car breaking down on the ground and a mecha malfunctioning in the vastness of interstellar space. If a mecha encountered a malfunction in space, abandoning it and running away was simply not an option!
As students of Zuo'er Mecha University, apart from some specialized talents, most students had to learn piloting skills. In this cosmic era, not knowing how to pilot a mecha was simply unimaginable.
Liu Fei's theoretical knowledge about mechas surpassed that of most students, but he lacked the practical experience that ordinary students had.
Since the age of five, Liu Fei had been exposed to various magazines and newspapers about mechas. As he grew older, under the coercion of his father, he read numerous books about mechas. However, due to the constraints of his impoverished environment, Liu Fei's knowledge system had not yet formed. It was all just theory to him, with a very limited scope. Apart from mechas in the Zuo'er star domain, Liu Fei had hardly delved into mechas from the other six major star domains. Needlework Needle-111 could be considered Liu Fei's first real encounter with an external mecha.
The black close-combat mecha also broadened Liu Fei's horizons.
Most importantly, Liu Fei understood that in this world, there were many mechas he knew nothing about. At least, he had never heard of a black close-combat mecha like that one before, and the pilot's exceptional skills left a deep impression on him.
The appearance of Needlework Needle-111 and the holographic images of the black close-combat mecha made Liu Fei realize one thing: a skilled pilot was more crucial in battle than an advanced mecha. Interstellar sniping and close combat were also brought into Liu Fei's perspective for the first time!
Today, Liu Fei finished all his work early, breaking his habit of lingering at school because he had something more important to do.
Liu Fei had been immersed in the holographic battle footage for some time now. He replayed it repeatedly, gaining different feelings and insights each time. The stunning sniping of Needlework Needle-111 and the mysterious maneuvers of the black close-combat mecha fascinated him.
In this state, Liu Fei hadn't visited Cheng's Woodcarving for a week.
"The Soaring Eagle" woodcarving was completed, and today it had to be delivered.
Packing the woodcarving, Liu Fei headed straight to the pedestrian street through the Fallen Street. The bustling street was illuminated by the brilliance of night, teeming with vibrant crowds.
When Liu Fei arrived at Cheng's Woodcarving's door, he was dumbfounded. The ancient wooden door of Cheng's Woodcarving was tightly shut, and through the transparent glass, he could see that there was no one inside.
What had happened?
As far as Liu Fei could recall, Cheng's Woodcarving had never closed, regardless of wind or rain.
What exactly had happened?
"Liu Fei, you're here," a voice came from behind him.
"Yeah," Liu Fei turned around. It was Xiao Zhao, an employee from the clothing store next door. Xiao Zhao liked to sit in Cheng's Woodcarving when he had nothing to do, chatting with Chenchen. Liu Fei was acquainted with him.
"Chenchen asked me to tell you that the woodcarving shop can't open for the time being," Xiao Zhao's expression carried a hint of sadness.
"What happened?" Liu Fei sensed the sorrow in Xiao Zhao's eyes.
"Mr. Cheng... he's not well..."
"Which hospital is he in?"
"He's in the internal medicine ward of the Affiliated Hospital of Zuo'er Me
cha University, Room 27 on the 43rd floor..."
...
Adjacent to Zuo'er Mecha University stood the Affiliated Hospital of Zuo'er Mecha University. Of course, the term "adjacent" needed quotation marks because while the university itself occupied nearly ten thousand acres, the hospital was also expansive. Although they shared a wall, the distance between their entrances was considerable.
During the battle against the xenomorphs, Zuo'er Mecha University managed to survive thanks to its affiliated hospital. The fighting in the capital of Zuo'er was exceptionally intense at the time, resulting in severe casualties. Consequently, hospitals for treating the wounded became priority protected sites.
It was said that during the defense of the university, the military deployed its most elite mecha units to station at Zuo'er Mecha University, with the slums adjacent to the university becoming the battlefield.
Liu Fei wasn't someone well-versed in social etiquette, but Mr. Cheng was like a mentor to him, so Liu Fei decided to pay him a visit.
Gently pushing open the door to Room 27, Liu Fei found himself in a separate ward. The environment was quite pleasant, and the room was quiet. Mr. Cheng lay on the bed with closed eyes, looking peaceful, undergoing intravenous therapy. Various instruments and wires were connected to him, their blinking red and green lights adding a tense and oppressive atmosphere to the otherwise tranquil room.
Chenchen sat by the bedside, looking weary. The once rosy cheeks had lost their color, now a pallid white. Upon seeing Liu Fei enter, Chenchen stood up, took Liu Fei's arm, and quietly led him out of the room.
"What's wrong with Mr. Cheng?" Liu Fei asked once the door closed softly behind them.
"Grandpa...," Chenchen's body suddenly convulsed, tears silently streaming down her face, her hands clutching her clothes tightly.
Liu Fei didn't press further. It was evident that Mr. Cheng's condition was extremely serious, or else Chenchen wouldn't be so devastated.
The spacious corridor was eerily quiet. Watching Chenchen's tears, Liu Fei didn't know how to comfort her and could only silently accompany the frail-looking girl.
"Thank you for coming to see my grandfather," Chenchen regained her composure quickly, her voice soft.
"Yeah," Liu Fei replied.
"My grandfather has something to tell you."
"Okay."
"We'll wait for him here."
"Okay."
The two sat down on the chairs in the corridor, falling into a moment of silence. Having experienced Ironhead's serious illness and death, Liu Fei naturally understood Chenchen's feelings. However, for the taciturn Liu Fei, comforting others was not an easy task, so he chose to remain silent.
Chenchen was also not one to speak much. Both of them stayed quiet, and the corridor became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. However, Chenchen seemed to have something to say, hesitating several times before speaking.
"Cheng's Woodcarving is going to close down," Chenchen finally spoke.
"Why?" Liu Fei was taken aback. He relied on that small woodcarving shop for his tuition fees!
"Grandpa... he..." Chenchen's tears flowed uncontrollably again.
"I understand," Liu Fei felt a heavy heart, both for the tuition fees and for Mr. Cheng.
"The woodcarving shop has been around for over three hundred years. It has closed down several times due to migration and wars, but it still managed to survive. This time..." Chenchen's voice was filled with endless despair.
"You could take over," Liu Fei suggested.
"Me?!" Chenchen laughed bitterly. "Me taking over would be worse than closing it down. It would only bring shame to the 'Cheng's Woodcarving' name."
Liu Fei remained silent for a moment. He knew Chenchen's talent in woodcarving was simply disastrous, so her managing the woodcarving shop was clearly unrealistic.
"Ding, ding..." A faint alarm sounded from Chenchen's hand, it was a pager.
"My grandfather is awake."