Chapter Sixty-Two: Ye Chong Departs

Page (1/3)

Legend of the Mecha Pilot

Happy holidays to everyone! Haha, there'll be another chapter tonight around seven!

*********************************************************************

Ye Chong was feeling a bit troubled.

These days he had been focusing solely on speed in his training, neglecting strength altogether. Now, he had hit a bottleneck with his speed. Strength is the source of speed—without sufficient strength to back it up, his speed could go no further.

But this place was nothing like the junk planet. On the junk planet, metal scraps were everywhere, and finding a suitable piece was the easiest thing in the world. Ye Chong’s method of strength training was extremely primitive and simple: weighted exercises—lifting, running, squatting with added weight, and so on. Yet, his current level of strength required much heavier loads for the training to be effective; otherwise, he’d see little progress.

However, aside from a few extremely rare substances, there were hardly any materials with the density Ye Chong needed. One thing was certain: none of them were within his reach now. If the density wasn’t high enough, the size of the weight needed would be shockingly large—utterly inconvenient. So, training for strength at Grandpa Qian’s place was pretty much out of the question!

Mu had always been fascinated by Ye Chong’s muscle structure. “Yezi, your muscles still show no obvious growth!”

Ye Chong replied indifferently, “Didn’t you say that’s a good thing?”

Mu calmly said, “It is good, I’m just curious about this phenomenon.”

Ye Chong shook his head. “I don’t know the reason. I’ve always been like this, never particularly muscular. According to what you said, I should be much bulkier by now!”

Mu agreed, “By normal theory, you shouldn’t have this body type. But without the proper instruments, I can’t run any checks on your body.”

Ye Chong shrugged, “It’s not a bad thing anyway.”

Mu replied evenly, “Insufficient data—unable to calculate.”

Ye Chong suddenly remembered something. “Mu, I’ve completed all the basic pilot training. When will you teach me advanced techniques? Right now, I only know one—chaotic waveform jumping!”

Mu replied, “So-called advanced techniques are basic movements infused with unique tactical concepts—”

Ye Chong cut him off, “Just tell me, are you going to teach me or not?”

Mu said, “If you insist, I will. But do you have a spare mech?”

Ye Chong thought for a moment and couldn’t help feeling discouraged. “Sigh, I only have the F-58. That white mech seems to have a grudge against Blackhorn—if I’m not careful and it gets damaged, I’ll be in trouble! If not for the favorable terrain last time, things could have gotten really dangerous!”

Page (2/3)

Mu said, “It seems you have no way of continuing pilot training!” Somehow, to Ye Chong, Mu’s tone almost sounded gleeful.

Suddenly, Ye Chong’s eyes lit up. “How about I train at the neural simulation base?”

Mu disapproved. “The neural simulation base can no longer offer you significant progress. What you lack now is combat experience. No matter how realistic the virtual net is, it can’t compare to real combat.”

Ye Chong muttered, “Combat experience? There’s nothing I can do about that…”

Without training, Ye Chong suddenly found himself at loose ends. Mu suggested that Ye Chong go out more often—after all, he was still far from truly integrating into society. Many of his ideas were vastly different from those of ordinary people.

Grandpa Qian was highly supportive of Ye Chong going out as well, saying that a young man should be more energetic and that it was essential to get some fresh air every day. He even slipped Ye Chong a handful of drill coins, calling it pocket money.

And so, with the combined support of Mu and Grandpa Qian, Ye Chong found himself out on the streets.

This time was different from the last, when he’d set out with the clear goal of collecting his identification card. Now, he was simply out for a stroll. Standing at the door, Ye Chong had no idea which way to go—left, right, or straight ahead?

Sharp-eyed Grandpa Qian happened to spot Sun Xuelin and Axiu not far away, and quickly called out, “Xuelin!”

Sun Xuelin turned at the sound and, seeing Grandpa Qian, pulled Axiu along as they ran over. “Hello, Grandpa Qian!” Axiu timidly echoed, “Hello, Grandpa Qian!” Grandpa Qian chuckled, “Axiu greeted me on her own today—quite a breakthrough!” Axiu immediately blushed as red as a ripe persimmon.

Grandpa Qian asked them, “Are you two going shopping?”

Sun Xuelin replied, “Yes, Grandpa Qian. Do you need us to pick something up for you?”

Grandpa Qian smiled, “No, no, it’s just that Yezi hasn’t been on Blue Sea Star for long and is unfamiliar with everything here. If you’re going shopping, could you take Yezi along? It’s easier to get along with peers, after all!” He pulled Ye Chong—standing stiffly like a block of wood—over.

Sun Xuelin readily agreed, “Of course! No problem, leave it to us!” She’d been intensely curious about this Yezi, and with the opportunity delivered to her, there was no reason to refuse.

Axiu, meanwhile, peeked at Ye Chong from behind Sun Xuelin—cautious yet curious.

Ye Chong maintained his detached expression.

Grandpa Qian was delighted. “Wonderful! I’ll leave him to you, then! Yezi, go have fun with them!”

Ye Chong replied “Sure,” since he really had no idea where to go. Having a local guide seemed like a good idea, and he could also observe how ordinary people lived.

Page (3/3)

The three walked side by side.

Ye Chong gazed enviously at the mechs soaring occasionally overhead. He had a mech, but couldn’t use it openly—a truly frustrating predicament.

Ye Chong never initiated conversation, and Sun Xuelin, finding the atmosphere awkward, tried to break the ice. “Yezi, is that your real name too?”

Ye Chong answered briefly and firmly, “Ye Chong.” And then fell silent.

Seeing him clam up again, Sun Xuelin had no choice but to introduce herself, “I’m Sun Xuelin, and this is Axiu.”

“Mm, I know,” Ye Chong replied.

Just as Sun Xuelin was at her wit’s end, the usually timid Axiu stepped up. “Yezi, where are you from?”

“Uh…” Ye Chong nearly blurted out “the junk planet,” but caught himself in time and asked Mu in his mind, “Mu, where am I from?”

Mu replied, “Your identification card lists your home planet as Lichi Star.”

Ye Chong answered unhurriedly, “Lichi Star.”

“Lichi Star?” The two girls shook their heads; it wasn’t a name they’d heard before. There were countless planets in the universe, and even within the five great star regions, those inhabited by humans were numerous. Unless one specialized in planetary geography, most people only knew a handful of planetary names.

What Sun Xuelin really wanted to ask was about Ye Chong’s mech experience, but she couldn’t find a way to bring it up. Her plan was to wait until they were more familiar, then ask, but she hadn’t expected Ye Chong to be so taciturn.

She had no idea that if she’d just asked directly, Ye Chong would most likely have answered.

She found his wooden demeanor rather infuriating, but it wasn’t really his fault. Ye Chong only showed another side of himself with Mu, and even with Grandpa Qian, he couldn’t be so relaxed—let alone with Sun Xuelin and Axiu, who were little more than strangers.

Ye Chong observed the passersby. Everyone seemed calm, without the wariness or hostility wild beasts showed strangers entering their territory; there was no sign of aggression. It seemed the laws of survival among the mutant creatures on the junk planet didn’t apply here. Ye Chong made a mental note to be careful in the future.

Suddenly, the three of them noticed a large crowd gathered ahead, noisy and clamorous!