Seeing the avatar of "Wood Puppet," everyone felt satisfied but also a bit regretful. They wanted to see more, but today's three matches were thrilling enough. Three matches would determine the outcome, and Wood Puppet was the true god!
Zhuang Zhou glanced at his first livestream's results: a peak viewership of 1.18 million. He had already gained the status of a super rookie, but that wasn't important. Wood Puppet's victory was the only thing that mattered.
His work was just beginning. These three matches contained a lot of information, and he needed to carefully analyze them. He was now completely certain that Wood Puppet was a "Earthling," and there was a high probability that they were from the Asian region.
Wood Puppet's combat style, including previous virtual zone battles, showed relative restraint against opponents from the USE, sharpness against NUP, a touch of disdain against ROM, and indifference against Titan. This definitely indicated someone from the USE. Why did Zhuang Zhou believe it was the Asian region? It was because of the combat style. It exuded a sense of calmness and reserve, which was different from the Americas and Europe. Of course, it couldn't be said with absolute certainty, but Zhuang Zhou trusted his intuition, and his golden genes were only useful in this regard.
Moreover, daring guesses require careful verification. In the Asian region, there were only a few excellent military academies, with the best being Tianjing Mecha Warfare...
Bang... Bang... Bang...
Zhuang Zhou's heart raced wildly. Wait, Tianjing Mecha Warfare didn't have such high-level experts. Neither Gao Yunfeng nor Zhou Naiyi, nor even Ye Tong, could reach this level of skill. This level of experience and composure was that of a seasoned king.
Damn it, he felt like he was getting closer to the truth, but suddenly it disappeared.
Zhuang Zhou fell into deep contemplation.
Meanwhile, at the American Lion Military Academy, Robbie had a smile on his face. While others found it unbelievable, he understood that this was the normal level.
The real battle was just beginning. The king of the apocalypse had returned!
Li Hao hurriedly arrived at the hall, which was filled with noise and excitement. Various commentators and hosts were analyzing Wood Puppet's three matches fervently. Clearly, as time went on, more and more details were being uncovered. When exceptional talents emerged from the masses, all they needed was time.
This three-match winning streak had shown excellence in each match. Unlike the previous Armor Tiger, this time it was the magnificent display of Armor Dragon's maneuvers, completely disregarding the environment and differences in mecha. It should be noted that in the early stages of mecha development, such situations were more common—relying on skillful maneuvers and brute force. But with the development of the four major federations, strategic and tactical improvements, mecha refinement, and cooperation, more importantly, everyone's adaptability to maneuvers had increased, narrowing the gap. As a result, unique individuals like Wood Puppet became increasingly rare.
Li Hao looked around, thinking that Aoyu must have left already, but suddenly he saw her in a corner, waving her hands while following the crowd watching the replay.
Perhaps sensing Li Hao's gaze, Aoyu turned around, revealing a radiant smile on her face. In that instant, Li Hao felt like he had been hit by a sniper rifle.
"Senior, has your training ended?" Aoyu hopped over, full of excitement. "Your EMP is so lively. Can you pilot a real mecha?"
Aoyu looked at Li Hao with anticipation.
As the premier mecha warfare academy in the Asian region, Tianjing Mecha Warfare naturally had a mecha hangar, and the scale was quite impressive. However, mechas were not available for casual use, as they were usually under maintenance during weekends.
But... didn't Lord Dragon say, "Don't refuse without being asked, don't reject before trying"? It was rare to have such an opportunity on hand. It was better to use it before it expired.
Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
"Aoyu, are you brave?" Li Hao suddenly asked.
Aoyu was stunned for a moment, then bit her lip and said, "Senior, I don't have any outstanding qualities except for being brave!"
Li Hao led Aoyu to the mecha warehouse at Tianjing Mecha Warfare, but they didn't enter through the main entrance.
"Senior, how are we going in?" Seeing the situation, Aoyu didn't shrink back but became eager to try.
"Of course, we'll climb through the window!" Li Hao pointed to a window over five meters high.
Aoyu looked at the smooth walls around and didn't know how to climb up.
"Come here, I'll carry you. Hold on tight." Li Hao squatted down and gestured to his back. Aoyu looked at it, then crawled onto Li Hao's back.
The softness and the scent of a newcomer's innocence made Li Hao's heart sway. He gently tugged at Aoyu's small hand and said, "Hold on to my neck tightly. I'm going to jump left and right to gain momentum. Don't worry, nothing will happen."
This was a passageway with three walls. With an acceleration, Li Hao quickly climbed up the left wall, then leaped towards the right and back, completing a round trip at the height of the window. With a sideways jump, he caught the window, smoothly opened it, and reached around to hold Aoyu. At this moment, Aoyu's body had become a bit soft, but she didn't utter a word.
"Close your eyes," he said before jumping down.They landed softly, and the two of them entered the mecha warehouse. The warehouse was dimly lit, with only the sound of Aoyu's heartbeat.
"Senior, it seems like you're not a well-behaved student," Aoyu said with a smile.
"Well, it seems like you're not either," Li Hao replied. Aoyu laughed, and her clear and crisp voice was truly pleasant to Li Hao, not just due to hormones, but because he genuinely found it beautiful and pleasing to the ear.
"Can we pilot them?" Aoyu asked. "Watch me." Li Hao reached out his hand. Aoyu's face didn't change much, but her neck turned slightly red as she leaned closer.
Li Hao held Aoyu and leaped onto an Armor Dragon III in just a few steps. He opened the cockpit, flipped inside, closed the cockpit, and the mecha's eyes lit up.
Boom... Boom...
The mecha powered on, taking a step forward. The cockpit was designed for a single person, so even though Aoyu was slender, it was a bit cramped. This was unexpected for both of them, and the atmosphere suddenly became a bit ambiguous.
But since they had just met, Li Hao made sure to give Aoyu more space to experience. He assisted her with the operation from the side.
Feeling this, Aoyu, who was initially a bit nervous, gradually relaxed. "The sensor helmet has various auxiliary systems. Push the control lever to move forward, and coordinate with the simulator under your feet. Just relax a little."
The Armor Dragon mecha walked like an elementary school student, wobbling unsteadily. It was on the verge of falling, but Li Hao quickly exerted force to stabilize the mecha. If their proficiency was slightly lower, they would have stumbled.
After several maneuvers, it became thrilling and dangerous. Aoyu was already sweating all over. This level of control was nothing to Li Hao, but it still made his whole body heat up, and his heart raced uncontrollably.
The beauty of Aoyu in front of Li Hao wasn't the kind of stunning beauty, but it was the kind he liked, especially with the indescribable charm that attracted him like crazy.
The two could feel each other's breaths in this small space. Li Hao instinctively moved closer, and Aoyu sensed it. Her body slightly leaned back. "S-Senior, it's a bit hot. Shall we go outside?"
"Ah, yes, it's hot. Let me put you down first and return the mecha to its original position."
If Marlon were here, he would definitely scold Li Hao for missing such a great opportunity. The key to chasing after a girl is the three-day theory.
"Okay."
Li Hao opened the cockpit and positioned the mecha's right hand near the cockpit entrance. "Aoyu, stand on top."
Aoyu stood on the mecha's large hand, experiencing this for the first time. Just as Li Hao was about to put Aoyu down, she suddenly turned back. "Senior, I'm a dance major. Would you like to see?"
Li Hao was momentarily stunned but nodded. "If that's possible, sure."
Aoyu activated the Tianxun system, releasing light, and at the same time, a melodious instrumental music played. With the music accompanying her, Aoyu gracefully danced on the palm of the Armor Dragon mecha. Li Hao didn't understand much about dance, but beauty is universal. The elf-like figure danced on the steel giant, pure and bright like jade. Time seemed to stand still, and in this world, only the two of them remained. Aoyu performed a magnificent spin, her slender right leg raised to the top of her head, then swung down. Her body rotated, hands rising like a lotus blooming, and her fair, long legs traced a beautiful arc in the air, glistening.
Li Hao was enchanted. It was the first time he realized such beauty existed.
Dance, like martial arts, had levels of elegance and grace that could be discerned. The rhythm and poise were captivating. Every glance and movement held Li Hao's attention tightly.
At this moment, Aoyu was also completely focused, in a state of unprecedented relaxation. With a leap, her body was in the air, but she forgot that she wasn't on the ground. A cry of surprise escaped her lips as she plummeted toward the ground.
Almost at the moment of the fall, Li Hao exerted force and leaped out. In mid-air, he caught Aoyu and, within a blink of an eye, they were only a meter away from the ground. Li Hao could only rotate Aoyu in front of him, and their bodies heavily crashed onto the ground.
Boom...
A sharp pain followed. The height wasn't too high for them, but Li Hao had used all his strength to catch up to Aoyu, essentially smashing himself into the ground. The recoil almost left him breathless.
Aoyu was frightened. She was completely unharmed, but seeing the height, her eyes welled up with tears. "Senior, Senior, Li Hao, wake up..."
Aoyu quickly shook Li Hao, thinking he had passed out. She hurriedly pressed on his chest, hesitated for a moment, and was about to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Li Hao opened his eyes. The two of them were close enough to feel each other's intense breaths. Aoyu's body instinctively recoiled, but her gaze was still concerned. "Senior, are you okay?"
Li Hao's face turned red. Actually, the impact was just a momentary thing for him, but feeling Aoyu's concern, he didn't want to open his eyes. However, he hadn't expected Aoyu to... well, instinctively react by opening his eyes. But to be honest, he still felt a bit regretful and remorseful in his heart.
"I'm fine. You forgot, I'm from the Mecha Warfare department. This kind of impact is nothing," Li Hao patted his chest and stood up. "You're a dance major, right? Although I don't know much about it, you're amazing!"
Seeing that Li Hao was truly fine, Aoyu breathed a sigh of relief. "Senior, you're amazing too. Most mech pilots couldn't withstand this kind of impact."
The two locked eyes and suddenly burst into laughter. It had been a long, long time since Li Hao had laughed so freely. Perhaps, he had never experienced this kind of effect before. From the moment he first saw Aoyu, he felt that she possessed the missing piece in him.
Suddenly, Li Hao's ears twitched. "Someone's coming. Hold on to me!"