Chapter 85.3
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In the Xiang family…
Xiang Lingyun leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily.
Xiang Hui sat across from him with a black face, and said with some disapproval, “Father, why did you help the Chu family to promote those proposals this time? Now, the Chu family successfully used the Ning family to elevate themselves. Wouldn’t they attack our Xiang family next?”
Xiang Lingyun glanced at him, shook his head, and said, “Xiao Hui, why don’t you understand? The Chu family isn’t aiming at the other Three Great Families; they’re targeting the problematic aspects of the Federation. This time, the Ning family just happened to be in the crossfire. Our Xiang family has been diligently developing mecha manufacturing over the years. Even though there are some criticisms regarding patents, our overall direction is correct. We are leading the Federation in the right direction. So, as long as the Xiang family doesn’t make mistakes, the Chu family won’t target us.”
He verbally placed the Chu family higher than the Xiang family, making Xiang Hui very uncomfortable. Despite his unwillingness, he asked, “Father, where is your determination?”
Xiang Lingyun’s expression became complicated, and he sighed again. “Xiao Hui, it’s not that Father is weak, but it’s that the situation has reached this point. From now on, the Xiang family must keep a low profile. We don’t have the capital to contend with the Chu family anymore.”
Xiang Hui understood his implication. With widened eyes, he asked, “What do you mean? Then, the new President…”
“–can only be Chu Huai.” Xiang Lingyun interrupted his words. Suddenly, his expression turned serious, and he looked at him earnestly, saying in a deep voice, “Xiao Hui, while it’s true that the tradition of the Four Great Families not seeking the position of the President was broken by our Xiang family, it doesn’t mean that the Xiang family currently has an advantage! The Chu family has already broken the balance and restrained the rest of the Great Families. The fall of the Ning family is only a matter of time. The presidential election is just a few months away. With the popularity and advantages the Chu family has gained, Chu Huai’s ascension is inevitable. And when Chu Huai takes office, do you think the Xiang family will still enjoy any benefits from going against the Chu family?”
“Father!” Xiang Hui couldn’t help but stand up, his pride made him unable to bear this statement.
“I ask you, Xiang family has been in conflict with the Chu family for many years, what was it for?” Xiang Lingyun suddenly asked.
Xiang Hui froze, suffocated with stagnation, and some blankness appeared on his face.
“It’s for the sake of interest. Everything we do has only one purpose—to secure more benefits, be it power or capital, while ensuring our own safety. It’s not about defeating any particular family,” Xiang Lingyun answered his question and then analyzed further, “In the past, the Xiang family and the Chu family were competitors. We fought each other to get a bigger slice of the pie. Now, with the Ning family in decline, it’s only a matter of time before Chu Huai becomes the first Federal President in history with real power and a strong military backing him up. If the Xiang family wants to continue reaping benefits, we must align ourselves with the Chu family. The ways to gain benefits are not fixed; you need to learn to be flexible. Xiao Hui, you are the Xiang family’s heir. This family will be handed over to you sooner or later. If you can’t see this, then the Xiang family will become the second coming of the Ning family.”
Xiang Hui was shocked. For the first time, he clearly understood the deviation of his thoughts. His mind became jumbled and confused.
Seeing him like this, Xiang Lingyun rubbed his eyebrows tiredly and waved his hand and said, “Go and see Xiao Kun. All that child does lately is holing himself up in his lab every weekend. Go and see what happened to him. I’m afraid he was bullied outside.”
Upon hearing this, Xiang Hui snapped back to attention. He glanced over at his father, whose face seemed to have aged a bit. He tightened his fists and turned to walk away.
Xiang Kun’s laboratory was located in the largest and most central building within the Xiang family. On the way to Xiang Kun’s lab, Xiang Hui recalled the last time he saw Xiang Kun – he found his mind filled with images of the family gathering for a celebration several months ago.
He didn’t know exactly when his sticky younger brother suddenly became quiet. He never came to Xiang Hui again.
He froze. At this moment, he just arrived at the door of Xiang Kun’s laboratory. His footsteps suddenly hesitated, and he was afraid to push the door in front of him.
Then, there was a muffled sound of footsteps. The door was opened from the inside, and Xiang Kun’s face peeked behind the door.
Seeing Xiang Hui, Xiang Kun was also stunned. Before he could reflexively call him “Ge”, he caught himself and swallowed his greeting. After waiting for a while and finding Xiang Hui didn’t say anything, he asked first, “Ge, what are you doing here?”
Xiang Hui looked at his younger brother, who unknowingly had grown almost to his own height. After a moment of hesitation, he reached out and patted him on the shoulder, squeezing it for a few ephemeral seconds. His mind was muddled. All he could say was: “Xiao Kun. If you become the head of the Xiang family now, what will you do after Chu Huai becomes the President?”
His shoulder was pinched a bit painfully. Xiang Kun looked at Xiang Hui with a hint of confusion in his eyes. Lowering his gaze, he nodded affirmatively and said, “I will take the initiative to show goodwill to the Chu family.”
Xiang Hui’s expression changed, his palms tightened further as he asked, “Why?”
“Because the Chu family is very strong now. Among the four Federation Marshals, the old man from the You family is going to retire soon, and the most likely person to get his position is Yuan Lie, Yuan Xiu’s father. This means that three out of the four Federation Marshals will be on the Chu family’s side. In terms of family influence, the emerging Fan family, which has developed the best in recent years, has already cooperated with the Chu family. The Ning family has been pulled down by Qiao Zhiya and Chu Rong, and Chu Huai’s wife’s natal family, the Gu family, is also on the rise. They will likely replace the Ning family in the future, especially if they manage to occupy the pharmaceutical sector after this vacuum. Regarding resources, the Chu family already has an advantage in energy and minerals. Even in mecha manufacturing, if the Xiang family doesn’t work hard, being surpassed by the Chu family is just a waiting game, especially since the Chu family has Qiao Zhiya in the picture.”
Xiang Kun spoke calmly, lifting his hand to gently pull away Xiang Hui’s hand, looking into his eyes as he continued, “Dage, Chu Rong is the youngest and most formidable Marshal currently in the Federation. Chu Huai is poised to become the youngest and most admired President in the Federation. In the past two years, all breakthroughs in the Federation, be it in pharmaceutical, weaponry, or even mecha technology, have come from the Chu family. Even the old Emperor is very courteous to Chu Rong. The situation has long changed. If the Chu family is willing, they could even turn the Federation into a second Empire.”
He has always regarded Chu Yan as his nemesis, so he understood clearly the changes and development of Chu Yan and the Chu family had undergone in the past two years. The people who had once started from the same point had already arrived at different positions.
Xiang Hui didn’t know how he left the laboratory. The sun was very warm in the early summer, but he felt cold and burdened in his heart, weighted down by a sense of heavy void, abandoned by everyone. It was like everyone had been working on the same masterpiece, and then suddenly, everyone else woke up, leaving him alone still trapped in the dream.
On the surface, there were fewer and fewer updates about the Ning family. The public also gradually accepted the new drug purchase system. People began to appreciate the feeling of going to the hospital for a detailed checkup, getting explanations of their illness and a clear plan of recovery.
Apart from minor ailments, where they could easily cure it by over-the-counter medications, getting a real treatment with doctors felt more humane and comfortable.
The first victims of the toxic drug rescued by the Chu family were discharged from hospital. Although some people’s physical injuries could not be repaired, most people felt better and their life seemed to have hope again.
Then starting with the victims who had been discharged from the hospital, the Starnet was flooded by a wave of apology to Qiao Zhiya.
This innocent Exoplanet Native youth faced a lot of criticism and slander during his pharmaceutical reform. The people who had once joined in the criticism felt deeply guilty. Those who had begun to enjoy the benefits of the healthcare reform now understood how great and courageous Qiao Zhiya’s initiative to expose the dark side of the pharma industry had been.
The statements accusing him of wanting to damage the Federation were simply a big joke. If it weren’t for his positive feelings towards the public and the Federation, why would he personally step forward to do something that was destined to be criticized, especially after becoming a Marshal’s fiancé?
Qiao Zhiya’s name was frequently mentioned again, and his social media’s fan base skyrocketed. His last notification – the suspension of his Pharmacy Class live broadcast – was filled to the brim with comments. Every day, a new wave of people would go in, be it to apologize to him or to thank him.
The public, who had been waiting for Qiao Zhiya to come online again, couldn’t help but start speculating. Was Qiao Zhiya completely heartbroken, no longer planning to go live? Had this wave of cyber violence really scared him off?
Just as their theory became even more pessimistic, they were shocked by the list of Top 1,000 players of the Capital Planet division of the Mecha Piloting Competition. There, Qiao Zhiya’s online ID, was among those names.
The public was momentarily bewildered, then suddenly realized that there had been rumors circulating when Qiao Zhiya was heavily criticized during the pharmaceutical scandal. It was said that he had participated in the current Mecha Piloting Competition.
But everyone’s attention was on the pharma industry at that time, so hardly anyone paid attention to this.
Now that the dust had settled, and the Ning family had fallen off, the public and fans finally had the energy to pay attention to the other matters.
One day, the video of ’s battle was collected and edited separately and uploaded to Starnet.
The tall, menacing all-black mecha, the simple-looking giant hammer, the brutish battle style, the terrifying attack power of the bow… the citizens were stunned silly, while his fans were having a party.
Fuck! So handsome!
They seemed to have found the feeling when they watched Qiao Zhiya running in the forest. This rushing excitement, making them all giddy. They were sad that they missed the wonderful moment of their little Cutie.
The majority of mecha pilots, who already considered Qiao Zhiya their savior, were astonished and couldn’t help but sigh in admiration after watching Qiao Zhiya’s battle recordings.
It’s terrifying. From the initial unfamiliarity in the first match to the wild and confident performance in the latest match, Qiao Zhiya’s progress was evident. His battle style, clearly honed by instinct, was incredibly awe-inspiring and dazzling.
They vaguely remembered that when Qiao Zhiya first appeared on the Internet, he had a record of all losses against Chu Yan. How much time has passed since then? Now, he could actually participate in this competition alongside Chu Yan.
Then they remembered Qiao Zhiya’s rich resume – from his senior pharmacist qualification and his mecha manufacturing achievement. They were no longer jealous, just purely filled with admiration.
Qiao Zhiya was not only a genius and an all-around talent – his progress was all rapid!
Everyone is looking forward to the preliminary’s final of the Mecha Piloting Competition, eager to support the young man who has been wronged recently. Meanwhile, Qiao Zhiya, who was concurrently working on two mechas, was hoping for the final to be delayed a bit, giving him more preparation time.
Although Chu Rong said that he could suspend Rong Tian’s production, he did not want to do so. Rong Tian will be the first mecha made by him, and this will never change.
A smaller skeleton was erected next to the large skeleton, and Qiao Zhiya became busier than ever.
The production of mecha parts was always the fastest, followed by joints, engines, and finally, the piloting system.
Carefully completing the last runes of the magic array, Qiao Zhiya quickly connected all the circuitry containing the water-elemental magic stones. Finally, he powered the array.
A wave of magic power fluctuations, only perceivable by him, immediately spread from the formation along the veins made of alien beast muscles, spreading throughout the mecha’s body. Holding his breath, he sat in the mecha’s cockpit, reaching out to activate it.
[Hello, my maker, please give me a name.]
It’s done.
He sighed briefly and said, “Rong Tian, your name, Rong Tian.”
[Naming successful. Initializing system, please wait.]
The progress bar started moving on the screen, and all the buttons on the control panel lit up in sequence, then, it flashes together. The mechanical electronic sound followed, [Initialization complete. Please select the piloting mode.]
Two options popped up – one for keyboard operation combined with synchronous control and the other for pure synchronous control. Without hesitation, Qiao Zhiya chose the latter. The system lit up, and a connecting line automatically attached to the back of his specially made driving suit. At the same time, a slot containing water-elemental magic stones lit up, displaying an energy bar.
[Syncing, please wait.]
A system prompt appeared, and he waited nervously, feeling the cooling sensation brought by the special driving clothes slowly disappearing, turning warmer by the second. After his body felt completely warm, the seat under him was folded up, then tucked neatly into the floor. He stood up, and the cockpit motherboard also changed, becoming a proportional projection of the outside scene.
[Syncing complete, piloting system is on.]
The last electronic reminder disappeared, and Qiao Zhiya turned his gaze, looking at the lab roof almost in front of him. He subconsciously tried to take a step.
“Crack!”
The mecha accidentally stepped on a piece of material on the ground, grounded it until it became a powder. He froze, and then found that the black mecha on the small screen – showing the mecha’s action – stiffen, appearing inexplicably apprehensive.
“……”
‘It seems… the mecha is a little too synchronized.’
He thought guilty, continued the novelty step, then tried to squat down. He reached out and touched the door of the laboratory, which looked extra tiny.
The door swung open.
Before he touched it, Chu Rong’s tall figure already appeared at the opened door.
The two were frozen. Chu Rong immediately tightened his muscles and stared sharply ahead. Qiao Zhiya was frightened. He took a step back and wanted to make room for him to come in, but he made a mistake, and accidentally tripped on his own feet.
For a moment, the black mecha with a mighty appearance also stunned, sitting on the ground with a loud bang, looking foolish.
Chu Rong: “… Qiao?”
Qiao Zhiya regained his composure, hastily stood up, but miscalculated his current height and body size. He lifted his foot and nearly kicked the nearby small mecha skeleton. Quickly retracting his foot, he awkwardly paused in place. Then, with a helpless look, he shrunk himself and looked pitifully at Chu Rong, saying, “It’s too narrow in here.”
Despite his initial intention to appear majestic and imposing in front of Chu Ran, things didn’t go as planned.
He… really wanted to dig a hole and bury himself.
Chu Rong looked up at this “shy” tall mecha in silence.
My favorite scene of this chapter is actually the Xiang family stuff, because I just had an epiphany – that scene is just an exposition dump, but thanks to the Xiang family’s tension (+Xiang Kun’s character growth! Baby is mellowing up now!!), it became infinitely more interesting.
If you can, please support me by donating on my ko-fi~ For every 2 ko-fis, I’ll release an additional chapter ^^
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
In the Xiang family…
Xiang Lingyun leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily.
Xiang Hui sat across from him with a black face, and said with some disapproval, “Father, why did you help the Chu family to promote those proposals this time? Now, the Chu family successfully used the Ning family to elevate themselves. Wouldn’t they attack our Xiang family next?”
Xiang Lingyun glanced at him, shook his head, and said, “Xiao Hui, why don’t you understand? The Chu family isn’t aiming at the other Three Great Families; they’re targeting the problematic aspects of the Federation. This time, the Ning family just happened to be in the crossfire. Our Xiang family has been diligently developing mecha manufacturing over the years. Even though there are some criticisms regarding patents, our overall direction is correct. We are leading the Federation in the right direction. So, as long as the Xiang family doesn’t make mistakes, the Chu family won’t target us.”
He verbally placed the Chu family higher than the Xiang family, making Xiang Hui very uncomfortable. Despite his unwillingness, he asked, “Father, where is your determination?”
Xiang Lingyun’s expression became complicated, and he sighed again. “Xiao Hui, it’s not that Father is weak, but it’s that the situation has reached this point. From now on, the Xiang family must keep a low profile. We don’t have the capital to contend with the Chu family anymore.”
Xiang Hui understood his implication. With widened eyes, he asked, “What do you mean? Then, the new President…”
“–can only be Chu Huai.” Xiang Lingyun interrupted his words. Suddenly, his expression turned serious, and he looked at him earnestly, saying in a deep voice, “Xiao Hui, while it’s true that the tradition of the Four Great Families not seeking the position of the President was broken by our Xiang family, it doesn’t mean that the Xiang family currently has an advantage! The Chu family has already broken the balance and restrained the rest of the Great Families. The fall of the Ning family is only a matter of time. The presidential election is just a few months away. With the popularity and advantages the Chu family has gained, Chu Huai’s ascension is inevitable. And when Chu Huai takes office, do you think the Xiang family will still enjoy any benefits from going against the Chu family?”
“Father!” Xiang Hui couldn’t help but stand up, his pride made him unable to bear this statement.
“I ask you, Xiang family has been in conflict with the Chu family for many years, what was it for?” Xiang Lingyun suddenly asked.
Xiang Hui froze, suffocated with stagnation, and some blankness appeared on his face.
“It’s for the sake of interest. Everything we do has only one purpose—to secure more benefits, be it power or capital, while ensuring our own safety. It’s not about defeating any particular family,” Xiang Lingyun answered his question and then analyzed further, “In the past, the Xiang family and the Chu family were competitors. We fought each other to get a bigger slice of the pie. Now, with the Ning family in decline, it’s only a matter of time before Chu Huai becomes the first Federal President in history with real power and a strong military backing him up. If the Xiang family wants to continue reaping benefits, we must align ourselves with the Chu family. The ways to gain benefits are not fixed; you need to learn to be flexible. Xiao Hui, you are the Xiang family’s heir. This family will be handed over to you sooner or later. If you can’t see this, then the Xiang family will become the second coming of the Ning family.”
Xiang Hui was shocked. For the first time, he clearly understood the deviation of his thoughts. His mind became jumbled and confused.
Seeing him like this, Xiang Lingyun rubbed his eyebrows tiredly and waved his hand and said, “Go and see Xiao Kun. All that child does lately is holing himself up in his lab every weekend. Go and see what happened to him. I’m afraid he was bullied outside.”
Upon hearing this, Xiang Hui snapped back to attention. He glanced over at his father, whose face seemed to have aged a bit. He tightened his fists and turned to walk away.
Xiang Kun’s laboratory was located in the largest and most central building within the Xiang family. On the way to Xiang Kun’s lab, Xiang Hui recalled the last time he saw Xiang Kun – he found his mind filled with images of the family gathering for a celebration several months ago.
He didn’t know exactly when his sticky younger brother suddenly became quiet. He never came to Xiang Hui again.
He froze. At this moment, he just arrived at the door of Xiang Kun’s laboratory. His footsteps suddenly hesitated, and he was afraid to push the door in front of him.
Then, there was a muffled sound of footsteps. The door was opened from the inside, and Xiang Kun’s face peeked behind the door.
Seeing Xiang Hui, Xiang Kun was also stunned. Before he could reflexively call him “Ge”, he caught himself and swallowed his greeting. After waiting for a while and finding Xiang Hui didn’t say anything, he asked first, “Ge, what are you doing here?”
Xiang Hui looked at his younger brother, who unknowingly had grown almost to his own height. After a moment of hesitation, he reached out and patted him on the shoulder, squeezing it for a few ephemeral seconds. His mind was muddled. All he could say was: “Xiao Kun. If you become the head of the Xiang family now, what will you do after Chu Huai becomes the President?”
His shoulder was pinched a bit painfully. Xiang Kun looked at Xiang Hui with a hint of confusion in his eyes. Lowering his gaze, he nodded affirmatively and said, “I will take the initiative to show goodwill to the Chu family.”
Xiang Hui’s expression changed, his palms tightened further as he asked, “Why?”
“Because the Chu family is very strong now. Among the four Federation Marshals, the old man from the You family is going to retire soon, and the most likely person to get his position is Yuan Lie, Yuan Xiu’s father. This means that three out of the four Federation Marshals will be on the Chu family’s side. In terms of family influence, the emerging Fan family, which has developed the best in recent years, has already cooperated with the Chu family. The Ning family has been pulled down by Qiao Zhiya and Chu Rong, and Chu Huai’s wife’s natal family, the Gu family, is also on the rise. They will likely replace the Ning family in the future, especially if they manage to occupy the pharmaceutical sector after this vacuum. Regarding resources, the Chu family already has an advantage in energy and minerals. Even in mecha manufacturing, if the Xiang family doesn’t work hard, being surpassed by the Chu family is just a waiting game, especially since the Chu family has Qiao Zhiya in the picture.”
Xiang Kun spoke calmly, lifting his hand to gently pull away Xiang Hui’s hand, looking into his eyes as he continued, “Dage, Chu Rong is the youngest and most formidable Marshal currently in the Federation. Chu Huai is poised to become the youngest and most admired President in the Federation. In the past two years, all breakthroughs in the Federation, be it in pharmaceutical, weaponry, or even mecha technology, have come from the Chu family. Even the old Emperor is very courteous to Chu Rong. The situation has long changed. If the Chu family is willing, they could even turn the Federation into a second Empire.”
He has always regarded Chu Yan as his nemesis, so he understood clearly the changes and development of Chu Yan and the Chu family had undergone in the past two years. The people who had once started from the same point had already arrived at different positions.
Xiang Hui didn’t know how he left the laboratory. The sun was very warm in the early summer, but he felt cold and burdened in his heart, weighted down by a sense of heavy void, abandoned by everyone. It was like everyone had been working on the same masterpiece, and then suddenly, everyone else woke up, leaving him alone still trapped in the dream.
On the surface, there were fewer and fewer updates about the Ning family. The public also gradually accepted the new drug purchase system. People began to appreciate the feeling of going to the hospital for a detailed checkup, getting explanations of their illness and a clear plan of recovery.
Apart from minor ailments, where they could easily cure it by over-the-counter medications, getting a real treatment with doctors felt more humane and comfortable.
The first victims of the toxic drug rescued by the Chu family were discharged from hospital. Although some people’s physical injuries could not be repaired, most people felt better and their life seemed to have hope again.
Then starting with the victims who had been discharged from the hospital, the Starnet was flooded by a wave of apology to Qiao Zhiya.
This innocent Exoplanet Native youth faced a lot of criticism and slander during his pharmaceutical reform. The people who had once joined in the criticism felt deeply guilty. Those who had begun to enjoy the benefits of the healthcare reform now understood how great and courageous Qiao Zhiya’s initiative to expose the dark side of the pharma industry had been.
The statements accusing him of wanting to damage the Federation were simply a big joke. If it weren’t for his positive feelings towards the public and the Federation, why would he personally step forward to do something that was destined to be criticized, especially after becoming a Marshal’s fiancé?
Qiao Zhiya’s name was frequently mentioned again, and his social media’s fan base skyrocketed. His last notification – the suspension of his Pharmacy Class live broadcast – was filled to the brim with comments. Every day, a new wave of people would go in, be it to apologize to him or to thank him.
The public, who had been waiting for Qiao Zhiya to come online again, couldn’t help but start speculating. Was Qiao Zhiya completely heartbroken, no longer planning to go live? Had this wave of cyber violence really scared him off?
Just as their theory became even more pessimistic, they were shocked by the list of Top 1,000 players of the Capital Planet division of the Mecha Piloting Competition. There, Qiao Zhiya’s online ID, was among those names.
The public was momentarily bewildered, then suddenly realized that there had been rumors circulating when Qiao Zhiya was heavily criticized during the pharmaceutical scandal. It was said that he had participated in the current Mecha Piloting Competition.
But everyone’s attention was on the pharma industry at that time, so hardly anyone paid attention to this.
Now that the dust had settled, and the Ning family had fallen off, the public and fans finally had the energy to pay attention to the other matters.
One day, the video of ’s battle was collected and edited separately and uploaded to Starnet.
The tall, menacing all-black mecha, the simple-looking giant hammer, the brutish battle style, the terrifying attack power of the bow… the citizens were stunned silly, while his fans were having a party.
Fuck! So handsome!
They seemed to have found the feeling when they watched Qiao Zhiya running in the forest. This rushing excitement, making them all giddy. They were sad that they missed the wonderful moment of their little Cutie.
The majority of mecha pilots, who already considered Qiao Zhiya their savior, were astonished and couldn’t help but sigh in admiration after watching Qiao Zhiya’s battle recordings.
It’s terrifying. From the initial unfamiliarity in the first match to the wild and confident performance in the latest match, Qiao Zhiya’s progress was evident. His battle style, clearly honed by instinct, was incredibly awe-inspiring and dazzling.
They vaguely remembered that when Qiao Zhiya first appeared on the Internet, he had a record of all losses against Chu Yan. How much time has passed since then? Now, he could actually participate in this competition alongside Chu Yan.
Then they remembered Qiao Zhiya’s rich resume – from his senior pharmacist qualification and his mecha manufacturing achievement. They were no longer jealous, just purely filled with admiration.
Qiao Zhiya was not only a genius and an all-around talent – his progress was all rapid!
Everyone is looking forward to the preliminary’s final of the Mecha Piloting Competition, eager to support the young man who has been wronged recently. Meanwhile, Qiao Zhiya, who was concurrently working on two mechas, was hoping for the final to be delayed a bit, giving him more preparation time.
Although Chu Rong said that he could suspend Rong Tian’s production, he did not want to do so. Rong Tian will be the first mecha made by him, and this will never change.
A smaller skeleton was erected next to the large skeleton, and Qiao Zhiya became busier than ever.
The production of mecha parts was always the fastest, followed by joints, engines, and finally, the piloting system.
Carefully completing the last runes of the magic array, Qiao Zhiya quickly connected all the circuitry containing the water-elemental magic stones. Finally, he powered the array.
A wave of magic power fluctuations, only perceivable by him, immediately spread from the formation along the veins made of alien beast muscles, spreading throughout the mecha’s body. Holding his breath, he sat in the mecha’s cockpit, reaching out to activate it.
[Hello, my maker, please give me a name.]
It’s done.
He sighed briefly and said, “Rong Tian, your name, Rong Tian.”
[Naming successful. Initializing system, please wait.]
The progress bar started moving on the screen, and all the buttons on the control panel lit up in sequence, then, it flashes together. The mechanical electronic sound followed, [Initialization complete. Please select the piloting mode.]
Two options popped up – one for keyboard operation combined with synchronous control and the other for pure synchronous control. Without hesitation, Qiao Zhiya chose the latter. The system lit up, and a connecting line automatically attached to the back of his specially made driving suit. At the same time, a slot containing water-elemental magic stones lit up, displaying an energy bar.
[Syncing, please wait.]
A system prompt appeared, and he waited nervously, feeling the cooling sensation brought by the special driving clothes slowly disappearing, turning warmer by the second. After his body felt completely warm, the seat under him was folded up, then tucked neatly into the floor. He stood up, and the cockpit motherboard also changed, becoming a proportional projection of the outside scene.
[Syncing complete, piloting system is on.]
The last electronic reminder disappeared, and Qiao Zhiya turned his gaze, looking at the lab roof almost in front of him. He subconsciously tried to take a step.
“Crack!”
The mecha accidentally stepped on a piece of material on the ground, grounded it until it became a powder. He froze, and then found that the black mecha on the small screen – showing the mecha’s action – stiffen, appearing inexplicably apprehensive.
“……”
‘It seems… the mecha is a little too synchronized.’
He thought guilty, continued the novelty step, then tried to squat down. He reached out and touched the door of the laboratory, which looked extra tiny.
The door swung open.
Before he touched it, Chu Rong’s tall figure already appeared at the opened door.
The two were frozen. Chu Rong immediately tightened his muscles and stared sharply ahead. Qiao Zhiya was frightened. He took a step back and wanted to make room for him to come in, but he made a mistake, and accidentally tripped on his own feet.
For a moment, the black mecha with a mighty appearance also stunned, sitting on the ground with a loud bang, looking foolish.
Chu Rong: “… Qiao?”
Qiao Zhiya regained his composure, hastily stood up, but miscalculated his current height and body size. He lifted his foot and nearly kicked the nearby small mecha skeleton. Quickly retracting his foot, he awkwardly paused in place. Then, with a helpless look, he shrunk himself and looked pitifully at Chu Rong, saying, “It’s too narrow in here.”
Despite his initial intention to appear majestic and imposing in front of Chu Ran, things didn’t go as planned.
He… really wanted to dig a hole and bury himself.
Chu Rong looked up at this “shy” tall mecha in silence.
My favorite scene of this chapter is actually the Xiang family stuff, because I just had an epiphany – that scene is just an exposition dump, but thanks to the Xiang family’s tension (+Xiang Kun’s character growth! Baby is mellowing up now!!), it became infinitely more interesting.
If you can, please support me by donating on my ko-fi~ For every 2 ko-fis, I’ll release an additional chapter ^^
In the Xiang familyXiang Lingyun leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily.Xiang Hui sat across from him with a black face, and said with some disapproval, Father, why did you help the Chu family to promote those proposals this time? Now, the Chu family successfully used the Ning family to elevate themselves. Wouldn't they attack our Xiang family next?Xiang Lingyun glanced at him, shook his head, and said, Xiao Hui, why don't you understand? The Chu family isn't aiming at the other Three Great Families; they're targeting the problematic aspects of the Federation. This time, the Ning family just happened to be in the crossfire. Our Xiang family has been diligently developing mecha manufacturing over the years. Even though there are some criticisms regarding patents, our overall direction is correct. We are leading the Federation in the right direction. So, as long as the Xiang family doesn't make mistakes, the Chu family won't target us.He verbally placed the Chu family higher than the Xiang family, making Xiang Hui very uncomfortable. Despite his unwillingness, he asked, Father, where is your determination?Xiang Lingyun's expression became complicated, and he sighed again. Xiao Hui, it's not that Father is weak, but it's that the situation has reached this point. From now on, the Xiang family must keep a low profile. We don't have the capital to contend with the Chu family anymore.Xiang Hui understood his implication. With widened eyes, he asked, What do you mean? Then, the new Presidentcan only be Chu Huai. Xiang Lingyun interrupted his words. Suddenly, his expression turned serious, and he looked at him earnestly, saying in a deep voice, Xiao Hui, while it's true that the tradition of the Four Great Families not seeking the position of the President was broken by our Xiang family, it doesn't mean that the Xiang family currently has an advantage! The Chu family has already broken the balance and restrained the rest of the Great Families. The fall of the Ning family is only a matter of time. The presidential election is just a few months away. With the popularity and advantages the Chu family has gained, Chu Huai's ascension is inevitable. And when Chu Huai takes office, do you think the Xiang family will still enjoy any benefits from going against the Chu family?Father! Xiang Hui couldn't help but stand up, his pride made him unable to bear this statement.I ask you, Xiang family has been in conflict with the Chu family for many years, what was it for? Xiang Lingyun suddenly asked.Xiang Hui froze, suffocated with stagnation, and some blankness appeared on his face.It's for the sake of interest. Everything we do has only one purposeto secure more benefits, be it power or capital, while ensuring our own safety. It's not about defeating any particular family, Xiang Lingyun answered his question and then analyzed further, In the past, the Xiang family and the Chu family were competitors. We fought each other to get a bigger slice of the pie. Now, with the Ning family in decline, it's only a matter of time before Chu Huai becomes the first Federal President in history with real power and a strong military backing him up. If the Xiang family wants to continue reaping benefits, we must align ourselves with the Chu family. The ways to gain benefits are not fixed; you need to learn to be flexible. Xiao Hui, you are the Xiang family's heir. This family will be handed over to you sooner or later. If you can't see this, then the Xiang family will become the second coming of the Ning family.Xiang Hui was shocked. For the first time, he clearly understood the deviation of his thoughts. His mind became jumbled and confused.Seeing him like this, Xiang Lingyun rubbed his eyebrows tiredly and waved his hand and said, Go and see Xiao Kun. All that child does lately is holing himself up in his lab every weekend. Go and see what happened to him. I'm afraid he was bullied outside.Upon hearing this, Xiang Hui snapped back to attention. He glanced over at his father, whose face seemed to have aged a bit. He tightened his fists and turned to walk away.Xiang Kun's laboratory was located in the largest and most central building within the Xiang family. On the way to Xiang Kun's lab, Xiang Hui recalled the last time he saw Xiang Kun he found his mind filled with images of the family gathering for a celebration several months ago.He didn't know exactly when his sticky younger brother suddenly became quiet. He never came to Xiang Hui again.He froze. At this moment, he just arrived at the door of Xiang Kun's laboratory. His footsteps suddenly hesitated, and he was afraid to push the door in front of him.Then, there was a muffled sound of footsteps. The door was opened from the inside, and Xiang Kun's face peeked behind the door.Seeing Xiang Hui, Xiang Kun was also stunned. Before he could reflexively call him Ge, he caught himself and swallowed his greeting. After waiting for a while and finding Xiang Hui didn't say anything, he asked first, Ge, what are you doing here?Xiang Hui looked at his younger brother, who unknowingly had grown almost to his own height. After a moment of hesitation, he reached out and patted him on the shoulder, squeezing it for a few ephemeral seconds. His mind was muddled. All he could say was: Xiao Kun. If you become the head of the Xiang family now, what will you do after Chu Huai becomes the President?His shoulder was pinched a bit painfully. Xiang Kun looked at Xiang Hui with a hint of confusion in his eyes. Lowering his gaze, he nodded affirmatively and said, I will take the initiative to show goodwill to the Chu family.Xiang Hui's expression changed, his palms tightened further as he asked, Why?Because the Chu family is very strong now. Among the four Federation Marshals, the old man from the You family is going to retire soon, and the most likely person to get his position is Yuan Lie, Yuan Xiu's father. This means that three out of the four Federation Marshals will be on the Chu family's side. In terms of family influence, the emerging Fan family, which has developed the best in recent years, has already cooperated with the Chu family. The Ning family has been pulled down by Qiao Zhiya and Chu Rong, and Chu Huai's wife's natal family, the Gu family, is also on the rise. They will likely replace the Ning family in the future, especially if they manage to occupy the pharmaceutical sector after this vacuum. Regarding resources, the Chu family already has an advantage in energy and minerals. Even in mecha manufacturing, if the Xiang family doesn't work hard, being surpassed by the Chu family is just a waiting game, especially since the Chu family has Qiao Zhiya in the picture.Xiang Kun spoke calmly, lifting his hand to gently pull away Xiang Hui's hand, looking into his eyes as he continued, Dage, Chu Rong is the youngest and most formidable Marshal currently in the Federation. Chu Huai is poised to become the youngest and most admired President in the Federation. In the past two years, all breakthroughs in the Federation, be it in pharmaceutical, weaponry, or even mecha technology, have come from the Chu family. Even the old Emperor is very courteous to Chu Rong. The situation has long changed. If the Chu family is willing, they could even turn the Federation into a second Empire.He has always regarded Chu Yan as his nemesis, so he understood clearly the changes and development of Chu Yan and the Chu family had undergone in the past two years. The people who had once started from the same point had already arrived at different positions.Xiang Hui didn't know how he left the laboratory. The sun was very warm in the early summer, but he felt cold and burdened in his heart, weighted down by a sense of heavy void, abandoned by everyone. It was like everyone had been working on the same masterpiece, and then suddenly, everyone else woke up, leaving him alone still trapped in the dream.On the surface, there were fewer and fewer updates about the Ning family. The public also gradually accepted the new drug purchase system. People began to appreciate the feeling of going to the hospital for a detailed checkup, getting explanations of their illness and a clear plan of recovery.Apart from minor ailments, where they could easily cure it by over-the-counter medications, getting a real treatment with doctors felt more humane and comfortable.The first victims of the toxic drug rescued by the Chu family were discharged from hospital. Although some people's physical injuries could not be repaired, most people felt better and their life seemed to have hope again.Then starting with the victims who had been discharged from the hospital, the Starnet was flooded by a wave of apology to Qiao Zhiya.This innocent Exoplanet Native youth faced a lot of criticism and slander during his pharmaceutical reform. The people who had once joined in the criticism felt deeply guilty. Those who had begun to enjoy the benefits of the healthcare reform now understood how great and courageous Qiao Zhiya's initiative to expose the dark side of the pharma industry had been.The statements accusing him of wanting to damage the Federation were simply a big joke. If it weren't for his positive feelings towards the public and the Federation, why would he personally step forward to do something that was destined to be criticized, especially after becoming a Marshal's fianc?Qiao Zhiya's name was frequently mentioned again, and his social media's fan base skyrocketed. His last notification the suspension of his Pharmacy Class live broadcast was filled to the brim with comments. Every day, a new wave of people would go in, be it to apologize to him or to thank him.The public, who had been waiting for Qiao Zhiya to come online again, couldn't help but start speculating. Was Qiao Zhiya completely heartbroken, no longer planning to go live? Had this wave of cyber violence really scared him off?Just as their theory became even more pessimistic, they were shocked by the list of Top 1,000 players of the Capital Planet division of the Mecha Piloting Competition. There, Qiao Zhiya's online ID, was among those names.The public was momentarily bewildered, then suddenly realized that there had been rumors circulating when Qiao Zhiya was heavily criticized during the pharmaceutical scandal. It was said that he had participated in the current Mecha Piloting Competition.But everyone's attention was on the pharma industry at that time, so hardly anyone paid attention to this.Now that the dust had settled, and the Ning family had fallen off, the public and fans finally had the energy to pay attention to the other matters.One day, the video of 's battle was collected and edited separately and uploaded to Starnet.The tall, menacing all-black mecha, the simple-looking giant hammer, the brutish battle style, the terrifying attack power of the bow the citizens were stunned silly, while his fans were having a party.Fuck! So handsome!They seemed to have found the feeling when they watched Qiao Zhiya running in the forest. This rushing excitement, making them all giddy. They were sad that they missed the wonderful moment of their little Cutie.The majority of mecha pilots, who already considered Qiao Zhiya their savior, were astonished and couldn't help but sigh in admiration after watching Qiao Zhiya's battle recordings.It's terrifying. From the initial unfamiliarity in the first match to the wild and confident performance in the latest match, Qiao Zhiya's progress was evident. His battle style, clearly honed by instinct, was incredibly awe-inspiring and dazzling.They vaguely remembered that when Qiao Zhiya first appeared on the Internet, he had a record of all losses against Chu Yan. How much time has passed since then? Now, he could actually participate in this competition alongside Chu Yan.Then they remembered Qiao Zhiya's rich resume from his senior pharmacist qualification and his mecha manufacturing achievement. They were no longer jealous, just purely filled with admiration.Qiao Zhiya was not only a genius and an all-around talent his progress was all rapid!Everyone is looking forward to the preliminary's final of the Mecha Piloting Competition, eager to support the young man who has been wronged recently. Meanwhile, Qiao Zhiya, who was concurrently working on two mechas, was hoping for the final to be delayed a bit, giving him more preparation time.Although Chu Rong said that he could suspend Rong Tian's production, he did not want to do so. Rong Tian will be the first mecha made by him, and this will never change.A smaller skeleton was erected next to the large skeleton, and Qiao Zhiya became busier than ever.The production of mecha parts was always the fastest, followed by joints, engines, and finally, the piloting system.Carefully completing the last runes of the magic array, Qiao Zhiya quickly connected all the circuitry containing the water-elemental magic stones. Finally, he powered the array.A wave of magic power fluctuations, only perceivable by him, immediately spread from the formation along the veins made of alien beast muscles, spreading throughout the mecha's body. Holding his breath, he sat in the mecha's cockpit, reaching out to activate it.Hello, my maker, please give me a name.It's done.He sighed briefly and said, Rong Tian, your name, Rong Tian.Naming successful. Initializing system, please wait.The progress bar started moving on the screen, and all the buttons on the control panel lit up in sequence, then, it flashes together. The mechanical electronic sound followed, Initialization complete. Please select the piloting mode.Two options popped up one for keyboard operation combined with synchronous control and the other for pure synchronous control. Without hesitation, Qiao Zhiya chose the latter. The system lit up, and a connecting line automatically attached to the back of his specially made driving suit. At the same time, a slot containing water-elemental magic stones lit up, displaying an energy bar.Syncing, please wait.A system prompt appeared, and he waited nervously, feeling the cooling sensation brought by the special driving clothes slowly disappearing, turning warmer by the second. After his body felt completely warm, the seat under him was folded up, then tucked neatly into the floor. He stood up, and the cockpit motherboard also changed, becoming a proportional projection of the outside scene.Syncing complete, piloting system is on.The last electronic reminder disappeared, and Qiao Zhiya turned his gaze, looking at the lab roof almost in front of him. He subconsciously tried to take a step.Crack!The mecha accidentally stepped on a piece of material on the ground, grounded it until it became a powder. He froze, and then found that the black mecha on the small screen showing the mecha's action stiffen, appearing inexplicably apprehensive.It seems the mecha is a little too synchronized.'He thought guilty, continued the novelty step, then tried to squat down. He reached out and touched the door of the laboratory, which looked extra tiny.The door swung open.Before he touched it, Chu Rong's tall figure already appeared at the opened door.The two were frozen. Chu Rong immediately tightened his muscles and stared sharply ahead. Qiao Zhiya was frightened. He took a step back and wanted to make room for him to come in, but he made a mistake, and accidentally tripped on his own feet.For a moment, the black mecha with a mighty appearance also stunned, sitting on the ground with a loud bang, looking foolish.Chu Rong: Qiao?Qiao Zhiya regained his composure, hastily stood up, but miscalculated his current height and body size. He lifted his foot and nearly kicked the nearby small mecha skeleton. Quickly retracting his foot, he awkwardly paused in place. Then, with a helpless look, he shrunk himself and looked pitifully at Chu Rong, saying, It's too narrow in here.Despite his initial intention to appear majestic and imposing in front of Chu Ran, things didn't go as planned.He really wanted to dig a hole and bury himself.Chu Rong looked up at this shy tall mecha in silence.My favorite scene of this chapter is actually the Xiang family stuff, because I just had an epiphany that scene is just an exposition dump, but thanks to the Xiang family's tension +Xiang Kun's character growth! Baby is mellowing up now!!, it became infinitely more interesting.If you can, please support me by donating on my ko-fi~ For every 2 ko-fis, I'll release an additional chapter ^^
