Chapter Forty-Nine

Inside the cramped room, there were only three people: Ye Chong, a masked man, and another masked man.

The second masked man tossed Ye Chong a black mask identical to those they wore and said in a deep voice, “Put it on.”

Ye Chong took it in his hands. The glossy mask was unexpectedly soft, with a peculiar material. There was a serial number, f-58, on the lower edge. When Ye Chong put it on, the mask fit his face surprisingly well, and he could feel it subtly shifting with his expressions. The mask was highly breathable; Ye Chong felt no discomfort at all.

“I am Instructor Hack,” the black-masked instructor said gravely. “I’ll oversee your assessment. Johnson, you’ll conduct it.”

Johnson faced Ye Chong, reminding him solemnly, “It begins now.”

Ye Chong took his stance, prepared and alert.

Johnson tapped his toe, lightning-fast, hands crossed defensively in front. Knowing this was just a test of Ye Chong’s strength, he adopted a defensive posture right away.

Ye Chong didn’t dare be careless. His right foot struck the floor with such explosive force that the entire room trembled slightly, and Hack’s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. Ye Chong charged at Johnson, unafraid, let out a soft shout, and sent his right fist hurtling forward.

Johnson spun smoothly, dodging the punch. Ye Chong staggered slightly, thrown off balance by the missed blow, but Johnson didn’t seize the moment to counterattack—instead, he waited for Ye Chong to attack again. Ye Chong quickly steadied himself, ready to continue.

Instructor Hack interrupted them at just the right moment: “Enough, that’s all for now!” Ye Chong was a bit surprised—just one move? Johnson, however, looked as though he’d expected it all along.

Instructor Hack walked up to Ye Chong, staring into his eyes. “I won’t ask who you are, where you’re from, or what you used to do. From now on, this mask is yours. As long as you’re in Black Horn, never take it off. Your number is f-58—the fifty-eighth in group f. Now, tell me your name.”

Ye Chong was about to speak when Hack reminded him, “A false name. Everyone here uses a false name.”

Without hesitation, Ye Chong replied, “Call me Mu.”

Hack said, “You’ll follow Johnson to the group f camp. He’ll arrange your accommodation.” Then, Hack looked at Ye Chong with meaningful eyes. “Welcome to the true world of the Mecha Warriors.”

On the way, Johnson explained some unique survival rules of Black Horn to Ye Chong.

Never pry into other people’s information, or you’ll provoke their hostility. Never reveal your own information if you want to stay alive. Never expose your true strength easily—that will help you live longer.

Johnson’s calm tone made Ye Chong feel that this place was dangerous, and he became highly alert.

Johnson seemed to notice Ye Chong’s vigilance and eyed him with a hint of approval.

The group f camp was quite large, but Johnson showed no intention of giving Ye Chong a tour. He led him straight to a room. “This is your room. You’ll live here from now on. Meals are in the cafeteria—we passed it on the way, you remember?”

Ye Chong nodded.

“Good. Tomorrow, find Instructor Hack yourself. He’ll teach you what to do.” With that, Johnson left.

Ye Chong wasn’t bothered by Johnson’s manner—he’d long since grown used to relying on himself to adapt to new environments. If the people around him were overly friendly, he’d actually feel lost.

Strictly speaking, this was an empty room. He needed to set up his fingerprints and palm prints before moving in. Ye Chong was familiar with this and quickly finished the setup. The room was fully furnished and spacious, worlds apart from his home on the junk planet. Many items were things Ye Chong had never used or even seen before. To adapt quickly, he had to explore each item’s purpose and how to use it. Fortunately, Ye Chong wasn’t a novice in mechanics and electronics. These items seemed simple enough, and he soon understood how to use everything in the room.

After showering, Ye Chong quickly drifted into sleep.

The next morning, he awoke early and, feeling hungry, headed straight for the cafeteria. He thought he was early, but there were already quite a few people there. Everyone ate breakfast silently, and the large hall was eerily quiet, the atmosphere heavy.

Breakfast was plentiful—mostly dishes Ye Chong had never tasted before. He ate happily, though the atmosphere was certainly less than pleasant.

After eating, Ye Chong headed to find Instructor Hack as he had the day before.

Along the way, Ye Chong noticed that everyone here wore masks, but he never saw anyone greet another. For most, such an environment would be oppressive, but for Ye Chong, accustomed to years of solitary living, this simple existence was actually relaxing.

Arriving at Hack’s location, Ye Chong found him instructing another group member. Remembering Johnson’s warning, Ye Chong stayed away, waiting quietly by himself.

Hack noticed Ye Chong as soon as he entered. Seeing that he didn’t approach out of curiosity but waited quietly at the side, Hack couldn’t help but feel a sense of approval.

Ye Chong waited nearly half an hour before the group member left. Seeing Hack beckon to him, Ye Chong hurried over.

Hack said, “Yesterday was just a rough measure of your ability. Today, you’ll be tested on all projects. Follow me.” They entered a room full of equipment.

Hack stared at Ye Chong’s test results, dumbfounded.

The results were utterly astonishing! Had he not witnessed Ye Chong’s tests himself, Hack would never believe such results could come from someone who had never undergone Black Horn training—and a youth not yet twenty!

Such physical attributes—Hack had never seen the like! Even Little Dai from group a, famed for his abilities, hadn’t matched this before Black Horn training!

Speed! It was the most outstanding of all Ye Chong’s abilities—his maximum running speed reached 5.32 Hertz, while Johnson, famed for speed among this batch of members, only managed 5.54 Hertz! How astounding!

Ye Chong’s tremendous strength made Hack skeptical—could someone possess such power without the specialized Black Horn training, and yet his physique showed no abnormality? Mu himself had puzzled over this before, ultimately accepting that he was simply a freak. With such strength, Hack thought that Instructor Facini from group d, who specialized in power, would no doubt try to snatch Mu away if he found out. Of course, Hack was determined this time—no matter how much Facini kicked up a fuss, he would not let him succeed.

Ye Chong also showed excellent balance and flexibility, evident when he changed direction at high speed—his movements were as smooth as flowing water, without the slightest hitch.

He possessed a calm and clever mind—an absolutely vital trait.

But what shocked Hack most was—the speed of Ye Chong’s hands. It was absolutely astonishing!