The Seventh Base

Chapter 45: Chapter 41 Mecha

Abandoned factory.

A mecha was battling its shadow in the fighting arena.

The mecha’s body appeared somewhat clumsy; although it had strong burst power, its attacks struggled to hit the shadow, making its vast steel shell seem somewhat comical.

“I’m done fighting,” said a voice from inside the mecha, Xiao Qi’s voice, controlled by a voice-controlled system.

Then the mecha came to a stop and opened up, with a mechanical body stepping out.

Xiao Qi jumped down from the mecha, frustrated, “Older mechas are too difficult to control. I’ve heard the advanced mechas are controlled by brainwaves. I wonder what that feels like.”

This particular mecha had been Seth’s training unit.

Now, Xu Mo and the two others had their own Battle Armors, so they wanted Xiao Qi to learn to control one.

But Xiao Qi had a young heart and little patience.

“Xiao Qi,” Ye Qingdie smiled at him.

“Sister Butterfly, just kill me,” Xiao Qi said with a mournful face, “It’s too hard. No matter what I do, it feels awkward. Why don’t you try, Sister Butterfly?”

Ye Qingdie glared at him; she wanted Xiao Qi to control a mecha, actually for his protection.

Being the youngest, he had already lost his normal body, replaced by machinery. Having lost three teammates already, Ye Qingdie couldn’t bear the thought of losing Xiao Qi as well.

“Sister Butterfly, I really can’t do this.” Xiao Qi looked at Shadow with a plea for help, then turned to Xu Mo, saying, “Brother Mo, would you like to try?”

Xu Mo saw Xiao Qi’s pained expression and nodded, “Alright.”

He had wanted to observe Seth control the mecha, but Seth had died in battle.

Approaching the fighting arena, Xu Mo climbed into the mecha, while Xiao Qi stood outside, teaching him some basic operations.

Xu Mo familiarized himself for half an hour, getting used to the internal operations of the mecha.

The hardest part was motion control; this mecha was quite basic, with motion capture sensors and control buttons to assist.

Standing inside the mecha, Xu Mo was connected to all the internal machinery, appearing somewhat stiff, which was no wonder Xiao Qi was not used to it.

He lifted his foot and the giant steel warrior did the same.

Swinging his arm in a slashing motion, the mecha replicated the action, its huge Energy Battle Blade swooping down.

“Brother Mo has a strong learning ability, definitely better than mine,” Xiao Qi said proudly, facing Ye Qingdie. In the short time they spent with Xu Mo, everything Xu Mo learned, he learned fast.

Firearms, a sharpshooter in just a few hours.

Hand-to-hand combat, Seth soon admitted his inferiority, and Xu Mo even managed to kill Moke alone.

With all his abilities, his progress was incredibly exaggerated. Now learning mecha control, he would surely be strong, right?

Xiao Qi was looking forward to it.

Ye Qingdie felt a sense of tough love; Xu Mo in his black Battle Armor was already strong.

Moreover, Xu Mo had been cultivating in the Cultivation Room these past few days, rapidly improving his Combat Power, which was why she had Xiao Qi practice with the mecha.

But this kid…

Her gaze turned to Xu Mo in the Fighting Arena, Ye Qingdie also had some expectations, wondering if Xu Mo could adapt to mecha control.

Several hours later.

The mecha, holding a War Saber, was fighting Shadow in the fighting arena. Though still awkward in movement, it had mastered the basic techniques and was clearly much stronger than Xiao Qi had been.

“I knew Brother Mo would be better than me,” Xiao Qi said triumphantly. Seeing Ye Qingdie smiling at him, he shrank his head and closed his mouth, muttering, “I’ll go and adjust the other equipment.”

With that, he quietly slipped away.

Ye Qingdie didn’t concern herself with him and kept watching the fighting arena.

“Bang!”

A shockwave noise rang out, Xu Mo’s War Saber connected with Shadow, sending him flying.

Ye Qingdie’s beautiful eyes flashed with a strange light. Xu Mo’s adaptability was frightening. Shadow was very agile, a tricky combatant capable of taking on Cobra alone.

In such a clumsy state of controlling the mecha, Xu Mo should not have been able to hit Shadow head-on, yet he did.

She clearly saw that Xu Mo executed a high-difficulty deceptive slash which meant he had already achieved precise control. Although it was just one strike, it was a start, and he was once again displaying his exceptional ability to learn.

Moreover, he seemed tireless, still practicing away.

Shadow didn’t refuse either; he quietly continued the sparring.

He had noticed Xu Mo’s astounding learning capability and hoped that Xu Mo could become proficient in controlling a mecha, which would take their combat capabilities to a new level.

After some more time, Xu Mo stopped continuing and leapt out of the mecha after opening the hatch.

His body ached, an unfamiliar sensation, especially at the beginning when it was extremely awkward. However, as he adapted, and with his strong mental calculation and perception, he could gradually figure out the relationship between his own movements and those of the mecha.

Still, familiarization would require more practice.

Xu Mo from his past life enjoyed and excelled at taking on challenges, constantly learning new things. Being in this world had certainly satisfied that aspect, albeit in a passive way.

“Thanks,” Xu Mo said to Shadow, who had been his constant sparring partner.

Shadow nodded silently, never one for much conversation, and quietly walked away.

“How do you feel?” Ye Qingdie asked Xu Mo.

“Another day or two of training, and I should be fully adapted,” Xu Mo replied.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Impressive,” Ye Qingdie said. “If I had known your learning ability with Mechas was so strong, I should have had you come earlier.”

Xu Mo made a strange expression, and upon seeing it, Ye Qingdie asked, “What’s with that face?”

“It’s nothing,” Xu Mo shook his head. “I didn’t expect Sister Butterfly to give compliments.”

Ye Qingdie looked at him with a smile.

“So, is there a reward?” Xu Mo asked.

“Got hooked, did you?” Ye Qingdie continued smirking at him.

“A little,” Xu Mo muttered.

Ye Qingdie’s long legs swept out, but Xu Mo’s reactions had already become more acute, and he easily dodged, leaving her unable to touch him.

“I’m going out to have a look,” Xu Mo said.

With that, he slipped away.

“Cheeky kid, getting too bold, huh,” Ye Qingdie watched Xu Mo’s departing figure, thinking that with his rate of progress, it wouldn’t take long until Xu Mo would be stronger than her.

Her smile was tinged with sorrow. Her mood had been very heavy these days. Comrades killed in action, betrayal by trusted ones, and facing desperate straits, who could understand such feelings?

Xu Mo’s arrival, undoubtedly, brought a glimmer of hope.

The day she sent Xu Mo away, she thought it would be farewell forever.

Ye Qingdie didn’t stop Xu Mo from leaving, as with his current strength and keen perception, it wouldn’t be easy to deal with him, especially with that Battle Armor.

Moreover, Xu Mo possessed a maturity beyond his age.

That’s why his arrival moved her even more.

Was it just because of their friendship?

Of course not, how deep could their bond be after such a brief time together?

She understood why Uncle Fang had handed over the sword to Xu Mo, because Uncle Fang saw that by nature, Xu Mo was the same kind of person as them.

……

As soon as Xu Mo left, he spread out his perceptual powers, weaving through the alleys.

The entire black market was in a tense atmosphere now, and it was unclear what the situation outside was, so he went out to check.

Walking in the alley, Xu Mo heard people chatting.

“Have you heard? The council has started investigating the Valen Factory incident, and the Councilman has been dismissed for investigation. The new Councilman has promised to give the people an explanation and opposes all violence. Does that mean the lockdown on the black market will be lifted soon?” someone inside a room said, a native resident of the black market.

Crime was rampant in the black market, but there were still some lower-class people residing there. If they didn’t turn to a life of crime, they would be stuck at the very bottom forever.

“Yeah, since the new Councilman has promised, there will surely be a settlement, and things should be resolved soon.”

The voices of discussion entered Xu Mo’s ears. As he walked, he found that many people were talking about it, obviously, someone had brought the news in.

However, Xu Mo didn’t believe it at all.

The former Councilman being dismissed?

The new Councilman investigating this matter?

Without high-ranking officials complicit, how would it be possible to start a genetic experiment, a technology beyond the Underworld’s capability?

It couldn’t possibly be the work of one or a few individuals.

The intense anger and despair he felt upon seeing those photographs that day stemmed from his clear understanding of one thing.

The entire Underworld, with Valen Factory as a microcosm.

This was a world of despair, where the high and mighty above didn’t regard the lives in the Underworld as human at all, but rather as livestock kept in pens.

An investigation?

How could there be a thorough investigation?

Dissolving the Council and executing everyone on the spot wouldn’t be too extreme.

The black market was relatively calm today with no fights breaking out. Draped in his cloak, Xu Mo came to a ruin not far from the black market and looked outside. There were no people here; all buildings that served as entrances to the black market had been leveled.

Besides, there were also some other residents of the black market looking outwards, most of them being native citizens who wanted to leave.

The blockade was still in place outside, and there was noise coming this way.

The ground shook under the presence of large Mechas. Several large Mechas had come to the outskirts of the black world, aiming at the inside of the black market. Apart from that, Xu Mo saw an even more elite force, many of whom were wearing Battle Armor.

Xu Mo frowned, judging by the trend, not only was the blockade of the black market not being lifted, it was even being strengthened.

The voices he had heard before, were they true or false?

Xu Mo lingered there a while longer, and once there was no more movement outside, he quietly returned to the abandoned factory. For now, all he could do was watch and wait.

He had no idea what would happen next.

Perhaps, it was the calm before the storm.