Chapter 1: The Pan-Solar System Mechanized Martial Arts Grand Prix

When~

When~

When~~

"The Pan-Solar System Mechanized Martial Arts Grand Prix S10 has come to a successful conclusion. Let's congratulate the brave warriors of the NUP Lunar Federation, who won the team championship with a massive lead of 25,000 points. The runners-up are the warriors of the ROM Martian Federation, and the third place goes to the Earth Federation USE. The fourth place is the Titan and Star City Autonomous Federation TAS. Thank you for the thrilling battles they have provided us with."

This most-watched event in the human world, after more than a month of intense competition, has seen the NUP defend its dominant position and further widen the gap. By the end of S10, NUP has won six championships, USE has won two, and ROM has won two. In the past few editions, the three federations took turns leading, but recently, NUP has shown a dominant trend.

The final night of the Pan-Solar System Mechanized Martial Arts Grand Prix is also known as the Super Starlight Night. For the highly anticipated S10, the organizers invited the current super idol Arths, who performed five songs, making S10 a classic edition of the grand prix.

Actually, Arths is not very familiar with mechs, but the organizers visited him three times, and the strongest competition needed the most popular idol to match. Finally, their sincerity moved Arths, and he agreed to participate, creating a grand event. The combination of beauty and heroism is truly perfect.

The competition, which lasted one and a half months, attracted over 20 billion viewers from the Solar System. Whether it was the super-high level of the competition or the classic songs performed by Arths, the event was unprecedentedly grand.

However, the expected fierce competition between Earth and the Moon turned into the Moon's dominance. Not only did they win the championship, but they also widened the gap. More surprisingly, ROM surpassed USE, which shocked many people. The Martians finally found their style in the beast mech direction, and their bravery, especially their determination to win in critical moments, was fully displayed.

Compared to the praise from the outside, the Martians themselves were very dissatisfied. Their goal is only one: to become the best in the human world.

At this time, on Olympus Mons, the highest peak on Mars, a new round of special training has already begun.

From a certain perspective, the Pan-Solar System Mechanized Martial Arts Grand Prix is also a competition of comprehensive national strength. NUP has already taken the lead in both economy and technology, and it is only a matter of time before it becomes the de facto leader of the Solar System Alliance. Mars has made great progress over the past few decades, and even TAS has shown its unique style in this grand prix. The "Giant Soldier" series of mechs, though seemingly cumbersome, have formidable attack power. As for USE, which was once the dominant force in the Solar System and aimed for the championship, it can only be described as mediocre.

The stage creates heroes.

This year's grand prix selected the "Top Ten Ace Mech Pilots," "Top Ten Ace Mechs," and "Top Ten Solar System Military Academies." Among the top ten pilots, seven are from the Moon, known as the new "Seven Stars of the North."

NUP's Alex Starlight Mech Academy became the top military academy of the Solar System for the year, winning the prestigious War God Trophy.

S10 was a celebration for the Moon, as they achieved their second consecutive championship and gained another chance to aim for a three-peat.

The grand prix not only brought fame and fortune but also reaffirmed that NUP's focus on light to medium super mechs, in the 50 to 60-ton range, will be the mainstream for the foreseeable future.

At this time, in a dormitory in Tianjing, the largest city in the Asian region of Earth.

"Damn, Xiao Pang, your eyeballs are almost glued to the screen. I really don't get it, what's the point of something you can see but not touch?" Ma Long, wearing a stylish white shirt and light blue jeans, couldn't help but complain. He couldn't understand how someone could be satisfied just by spirit alone.

"Ma Long, you don't understand, Arths is my goddess!" Zuo Xiaotang stared at the screen without blinking, not even willing to lick the screen. He is a die-hard fan of Arths and a small leader in the Tianjing fan club. Arths is not only his idol but also his spiritual pillar. Xiao Pang is the best-tempered person in the dorm, and he has been diligent and hardworking in the dorm for the past year. However, if anyone dared to say anything bad about Arths, he would turn into a completely different person.

"You, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Be more down-to-earth," Ma Long said with a smirk. Arths is toxic; you can't watch too much, or you'll get addicted. Even someone as experienced as Ma Long can't handle it.

The guy on the far left was watching the awards ceremony while playing with dumbbells. He was muscular and had the best grades in the dorm. His name is Musashi, nicknamed "Yan Nan," which means "crushing" in a positive sense, not "rubbish."

"We have to admit that NUP's pilots have an advantage in mech understanding, physical fitness, and combat skills," Musashi said, watching the live broadcast with envy. "Brother Hao, you were right, but I still think that light mechs have flaws. This loss was partly due to underestimating the opponent. This year will be different."

Before the competition, the other three thought Earth had a chance, but the result was a crushing defeat. If it weren't for Titan's overall weakness, Earth might have been at the bottom.

"The best fit is the best," Ma Long shrugged. "The Moon's Ewenites have the highest completion rate of natural gene selection, giving them a natural advantage. New mechs are difficult to handle and require a lot of physical strength, but they also have a high upper limit and rich performance. The Moon is determined to take the high-end route and leave others behind."

"When are we eating?" Li Hao rubbed his stomach.

"It's not mealtime yet. I'll treat you guys today. Brothers, we have a welcome event tomorrow, and I need your help. United we stand, divided we fall."

Ma Long is the president of the photography club, and his wish is to record youth and beauty.

Dorm 4396 is well-known in the Tianjing Mechanized Martial Arts A-level Military Academy. As the top military academy in the Asian region, it is a gathering place for elites. Li Hao, Zuo Xiaotang, Musashi, and Ma Long are from the 87th class. Musashi is a special recruit in the mech department, and the Wu family is well-known not only in Tianjing but also in the Asian region, being a martial arts family with a strong foundation. Last year, he represented the new mech students in a speech.

Ma Long, male, loves women, is from Longgang City, and is a special recruit in the starship department. He became famous at the freshmen party with a song and managed to date a senior, Sheng Man, the president of the dance club and a beauty from the journalism department, within a week. Since then, they have been inseparable, a perfect couple, and their relationship has been a source of envy for the other dorm mates.

As for Li Hao and Zuo Xiaotang, they are childhood friends and natives of Tianjing. Zuo Xiaotang is a bit chubby, with a round, cute, and harmless face. His combat style is heavily biased; he is terrible at close combat but has a natural talent for shooting, especially sniping. When he was admitted, the teachers had a debate about him.

Li Hao, the dorm leader of 4396, is the oldest. He applied to the journalism department of Tianjing Mechanized Martial Arts but was reassigned to the mech department. At first, Musashi and Ma Long had some objections, as young people are very sensitive to favoritism. As Ma Long put it, favoritism is not a problem as long as the person has some talent. But what talent did Li Hao have?

At first, there were all kinds of targeted actions against Li Hao, but he didn't get angry. Later, he learned from Zuo Xiaotang that Li Hao was an orphan and had no connections. He was also very mysterious, so the dorm mates quickly accepted him. Brothers in the same trench, they quickly became close.

"Brother Hao, Xiao Pang, you two need to be careful this semester. You know we have a new principal, and the Federation is planning a major overhaul. General Long Danni is not someone to mess with. You two really need to put in more effort. Brother Hao, stop using the virtual mode for your EMP training. It's just for fun and has no real use," Ma Long said.

The EMP system, developed by the Solar System Alliance's research headquarters, covers the mech types of the four federations and is updated regularly. It has two modes: virtual and real. The virtual mode is an experience open to everyone, allowing anyone to enjoy the fun of mechs, which is one of the main reasons for the grand prix's popularity.

Professional military students or amateur participants with a score of over 500 and passing the physical test can access the real mode.

The real mode simulates 70% of the impact and physical burden of real mech battles, requiring professional skills.

Initially, the Alliance opened the virtual mode due to funding issues, but it became unexpectedly popular. Even the Alliance couldn't bear to give up such a significant source of income, and it has now become a mainstream entertainment mode. Surprisingly, 40% of the users in the virtual mode are women, which is quite remarkable.

The EMP scoring rules are such that the points for winning in virtual mode are very low, mainly for entertainment. Top players can score up to 500 points, but high scores require the real mode.

For example, the basic requirement for participating in the Pan-Solar System Grand Prix in the Asian region is an EMP score of 1200 or higher, or an A-level rating in a specific skill.

In Dorm 4396, Musashi has the best grades, with a final score of 1296. He didn't particularly focus on scoring, but he is confident of reaching over 2000 this year. Ma Long scored 1020, which is quite high considering his major is starships. He is a typical example of balancing romance and studies, with hobbies in photography and drama, leading a colorful life.

Li Hao and Zuo Xiaotang scored around 800, but Zuo Xiaotang got an A- in shooting training, which is the only concern for everyone. In fact, the three of them know that Li Hao was very "diligent" in his first year, extremely disciplined, often disappearing early in the morning and bringing breakfast back for everyone. He spent the most time on EMP, but his score was only around 800, indicating a low win rate. Even the dorm mates didn't feel comfortable asking too many questions.

"Don't worry, I'll use the virtual mode less. Even for your sake, I can't leave. Without me, you guys would starve," Li Hao laughed.

"Brother Hao, if you need any help, just say so. Don't be shy!" Ma Long patted his chest, confident in his abilities despite his major not being in mech combat.

Musashi glanced at Li Hao but didn't say anything more.

In the evening, Ma Long went on a date with his girlfriend, calling it the "last supper" before focusing on freshmen in the new year.

Zuo Xiaotang, as a fan leader, was very busy. Arths' performance at the grand prix made her even more popular, and the die-hard fans were overjoyed. There were always a few Arths-related topics in the top ten of Tianjing news. In real life, Xiao Pang may seem soft and gentle, but once he enters the fan leader mode, he becomes a force to be reckoned with.

Li Hao and Musashi went to the EMP building together, an 18-story building that is one of the landmarks of Tianjing Mechanized Martial Arts. Many people like to train there, and some enjoy "crushing" others.

This is a way to balance training and entertainment.

"Brother Hao, although Ma Long likes to brag, he's not exaggerating this time. The loss in the grand prix has angered the higher-ups, especially since the Moon took several EMP records. Our old principal was supposed to retire in three years, but he's gone now. Most military academies have been replaced by younger leaders. The mech and starship departments can't be mixed. If you need a training partner, I'm always available," Musashi said.

In the dorm, Musashi is not very talkative but trains very actively. If it weren't for his lack of seniority, he could have participated in last year's grand prix. However, he still needs more experience to compete at that level. Another year of training, and he might achieve something.

Li Hao patted Musashi, "Don't worry, I have a plan..."

"Brother Hao, I've noticed that you go to EMP more often than I do, but you need to focus on the right methods. Especially, don't use the virtual mode. The more you lose, the more you need to find your feel in real combat. Our physical conditions are so advantageous, but the virtual mode is just for fun and has no real benefits. I think Principal Long will ban military students from using the virtual mode this year. Any operation without sufficient endurance and burden is just a show," Musashi said seriously.

Li Hao touched his nose. Musashi is straightforward and doesn't beat around the bush, "Okay, okay, I promise. I won't use the virtual mode. I'll study hard and make progress every day!"

Actually... sigh, how to say it, he really didn't use the virtual mode, but he did use it.

Musashi chose a training room and went in. Li Hao smiled, and his Tianjing news app beeped. He glanced at it, his eyes flashing with a hint of surprise, then returned to normal.

The Tianjing news app had an anonymous email.

(The new book has been in preparation since last year, and it's not about retirement. The process was full of twists and turns, and I always felt something was missing. After eating a peach, I gained some insight and started this mech storm. It has the passion of the mech storm series but also some new elements. I want to share this with everyone. Brothers, please give me your feedback. The previous works were about youthful passion, but this one is for older men, with more reflection and suspense. I have a bit of a stockpile, so please add it to your collection. Thank you!)