Chapter 470: A Clumsy Debut
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
It was far-fetched even for the greatest pilot to familiarize himself with a new mech within a few hours, especially when the mech was so "outstanding" itself. If one was working on a standard model, one could at least make the necessary dodges and slashes during a simple audition like this, but Ye Chong was not with the norms it seemed.
The mech not only had a non-mainstream battle style but also a funny interface. It took Ye Chong 5 hours to pass the tutorial - how to move the mech and not look like someone who graduated from pilot school yesterday.
Ye Chong was aware of his limitation yet he still worked hard in mastering the controls. Well, he had long discarded the thoughts of getting through the recruitment, knowing the standard of this examiner who swung steadily like a true warrior on a war field, unlike Ye Chong who was piloted an anomaly while being in a deviated health condition. Everything felt unrealistic but so relieving too...
Ye Chong, without being burdened by the obliged victory, was having fun fiddling the controls of his new toy. Throughout the curious learning on the new mech, he started to feel its potential, a great potential too. To be honest, he had a stunning collection of mechs, which simply deploying them would grab unwanted attention, so this new mech, well, would be a pretty good alternative when he needed some mechanical help. He had made up his mind, that he would be "borrowing" this mech from the storage after the recruitment drive ended.
It should not be hard and nobody would actually cared he reckoned, since there was nothing much in the storeroom, there was no guard too and Shang approved this plan.
When Ye Chong was indulged in something, he would lose the sense of time. He wondered if it was because of the tranquility he got when he studied something or the validity of Shang's statement that he would recover in no time, as he was truly recovering rapidly and he had felt normal at the moment.
"Number 231. Please, proceed to the test area." It was till the working staff called him from outside the storage when he realized the hours passed.
5 hours had lapsed and he only felt the hunger as he smelled the scrumptious food on the table aside. Without hesitation he ran towards the table gracelessly and the working staff was rolling his eyes in the dark, wondering why Mr. Powell the leader was giving so much attention on this boy. The disdain in his eyes intensified when he saw Ye Chong gargling and crunching like a caveman.
After Ye Chong had filled himself, he finally started checking out the running examination.
It was another examiner, whose mech was much advanced model than the previous, Ye Chong could tell from the enhancement in speed and dexterity. The examiner was more skillful as well, since he was able to demonstrate more flashy moves which were challenging to execute consecutively, consisting of epic turns and dodges. The youngsters were hurrahing.
The mech was also a humanoid mech armed with a sword like the examiner before, but looking way cooler with a purple metallic edge on its armor and a golden glow from its laser blade.
As Ye Chong observed, he could not help but to shake his head. Those moves were surely flashier than the examiner before but they only could serve decorative, staging purpose. This examiner was weaker as he had actual openings between each of his moves. It was merely because the moves were chained so rapidly that there seemed to be any opportunity to attack, unlike the examiner before who had an impeccable defense on his every move.
Xi Qing was also shaking his head.
"Xi Qing, what's wrong?" asked White.
"Nothing. I just find this examiner much weaker than the last. I just afraid that he would affect the standard of our new instructors."
"What? Xi Qing, how so? Why would you feel that he's bad? I think he's pretty good, I mean, look at his steps, they look so cool! His turns are unpredictable too. How I wish I could have his standard one day...," said White.
Xi Qing was silent since then, knowing that White was the typical deaf ears to his words so he just kept his focus at the field. He was worried as none of the examiners was satisfying to his eyes thus far.
It was then the candidate was struck down by the examiner's flashy side kick. Announcing the candidate's defeat, the youngsters were totally excited as a fiasco could be seen at the spectators' area. Xi Qing had no comment on this, he just crossed this candidate out on his handbook.
"Number 231, Number 231, please proceed to the test ground."
Xi Qing then wrote "231" on his handbook and just watched.
Powell was on the top of the area, having the best view of the fight.
"Finally... 231 is on..." Muttered he as he reminisced the few epic scenes conducted by this mysterious boy. He was enthralled. "But well..." He went cold quickly, as he remembered that the boy was merely a pilot with no mech. "How much can I expect from a pilot with no mech?" He still retained a little expectation on this boy nevertheless.
"Hahaha!!"
"Look at that!"
"What is that... thing..."
The moment Ye Chong entered the field in the experiment unit, people were laughing uncontrollably. The mech did look awkward... as if some deformed baby. It took a few minutes for the mech to complete its debut as unlike most mechs, this mech just dawdled its way to the center.
"What?" Powell could not believe his eyes, never once he imagined the experiment unit being such a failure. He would never let Number 231 pilot it if he did.
Upon seeing the disproportionally designed machine, Xi Qing shook his head again, the tip of his pen was going to make the first slash of the cruel cross, but it stopped. "On second thought..." Xi Qing decided to watch the fight first.
In the midst of laughter, there was a group of people watching Number 231's entry in dead silence. They were the following candidates and had witnessed Number 231's performance before.
They were convinced by Number 231's strength and surely one with such strength would possess a mech befitting to his capabilities. They would not look down upon the mech because of its appearance.
They were anticipating more surprises from Number 231.
Ye Chong was calm, as he seemed to have recovered to his prime.
If he were to fight against the examiner before, he doubted he would stand a chance. But he was going to fight a different examiner and against this examiner, he felt he had a better chance.
The examiner was none other than a piece of vase, one with only the outside. That was Ye Chong's comment as he perceived the showy tendency of this examiner. He was not sure if the flaunting habit came from the examiner himself or it was a side effect of the screams by the spectators. Ye Chong felt everything was unnecessary and pointless. It was a poor habit that he could utilize to maximize his likelihood to victory!
Moreover, this examiner seemed to fancy turns a lot. Making turns was the bread and butter of Ye Chong's battle after conducting the intensive training course designed by Mu. He had a deeper understanding of turn-leaping during his adventure and he believed the experience would be helpful in this fight.
Ye Chong was looking still above the triangular control panel, as the mech clumsily sank in the ground.
"Start!"
The opposing mech launched itself towards Ye Chong. The pilot seemingly wanted a quick fight, which indirectly could be translated as the pilot did not see Number 231 a worthy opponent in his eyes.
Ye Chong was not reacting towards the examiner's arrogance.
Ye Chong's mind captured a few spots. The left rib, the right knee! If he was piloting Han Jia, he was confident to attack any of those critical points within the few seconds. Then it would indeed be a quick fight, as the examiner wished, just the outcome would be different to what he presumed.
Too bad Ye Chong was not piloting Han Jia.
Ye Chong eventually had to give up the one golden opportunity to attack since he was sitting in a piece of failed experiment unit.
His hands foreignly inputted a few commands, which prompted the mech to make a heavy stomp and a guard with its arms.
Xi Qing shook his head helplessly as he found Number 231's moves to be rather jarring.
Certainly the candidates were feeling the same too. They were surprised.
"When did they allow greenhorns to join the consortium?"
"Talking about standards..."
Ye Chong was on his guard. A guarding mech would have a smaller and manageable movements, while giving higher demand towards prediction on the foe's moves. Well that was not challenging to Ye Chong, at all.
He had a plan in his mind. The experiment mech curled itself up, waiting for the attack!