There were a good array of professional models yet most people associated mech with combats, which was true to a certain extent. It was always war the mechs created in the galaxies but well, similar to the professional models, there were different kinds of warring models in the market. There were ranged units, melee units, supportive units, crowd control units, short-ranged assassinating units and so on. The list could go forever.
Most of these units could serve well in a battlefield. But there was hardly any of them which was made for pure massacre that lived up to the "less on the fancies, more on the blood" spirit - a mere killing machine with simplistic design, which would make the other advanced models look like the Knock-Down Hitman. Usually the real killing machine could only be seen in the dark, under development of well-funded organizations and would not show up at the war field easily. It was the monster, furnished with irregular weaponry, the questionable weapons threatening to all civilizations, which stirred up debates upon introduction.
It was uncommon at the market even in Gray Valley, let alone the 5 major galaxies, not even the war-competitive society in He Yue galaxy had such model flying around freely.
As the introduction led, D-6 came into your imagination. Yes, as you would have guessed, D-6 was the model, a true, pure murdering model. The concept of its design had always revolved about maximizing destruction.
"D-6. A humanoid melee attacking model, fast in both mobility and reaction, created solely for the combative members of the consortium."
The brief introduction was confusing to Ye Chong. There was nothing helpful in the one-liner. Well, he was a mech artisan, a mech maker, he needed no manual to pilot D-6. His understanding was far more in-depth than the others, that he could identify the capabilities of the unit at first glance.
Ye Chong was a little astounded, as he did identify the complete bloodthirstiness in the design. The designer, to pursue greater mobility, forsook a portion of the mech's protection capacity. The cabin exterior was flimsy, that Ye Chong doubted if its pilot ever survived in the missile shower. The offense was different too. Unlike most melee attackers, it was not holding an alloy sword but a pair of knives - made out of unique minerals, with an ominous curve. There was no shield, as mentioned, a weaker defense. An all-out offensive unit with additional mechanisms hidden somewhere on the body. Ye Chong had yet figured them out but surely those were not meant for salvation.
Ye Chong realized something when he looked at D-6.
What would these trainees become?
They would probably end up at the war field anyway.
Ye Chong was not being sentimental but somehow there was something heavy in his chest. The design of the mech was radical yet it was a superior unit in fact. The catch was, it was not meant for beginners, it would require a more exceptional, experienced handling or it would only drive the pilots to destruction itself, before creating any. Ye Chong would not be convinced that there was nobody, in the entire well-established researching organization, who had realized the problem that they should not provide a D-6 to a bunch of children in the early puberty. Ironically, there he was, with his bunch of children in their early puberty, standing by a line of D-6s.
They probably needed more force, and they needed it fast.
Ye Chong shook his head. That was never his problem, neither it was part of his decision. "Take your mech, pick any," he said before he left the room. "Xi Qing, watch your classmates." The students seemed really eager to try.
He sauntered on the empty training ground, as his ears perceived fading heyhoos probably from his trainees who just got their new toys. He stopped at one random point and sat on the ground. His eyes were lifted upon the murky day, his soul wandered somewhere.
...
...(Meanwhile)...
Xi Qing was caressing his new D-6 in simmering exhilaration. From today onwards, he would be the sole owner of this unit. He was not one who was born with a silver spoon. His first mech was a birthday present from his uncle 5 years ago. He had always wanted a brand new mech of his own. He trained hard since he was much younger. He was a quick-learner so he performed much better than the majority of his age despite the more inferior model he possessed.
The motive he participated this training course was simple. He was eyeing the rewards. One of the scarcity would also be scarce of options. The consortium offered a lot, the consortium would be his only hope to ascend into something. The entry requirement of the consortium recruitment was harsh, that one should give up if one was an average resident in the Gray Valley.
So Xi Qing was enthralled when he saw the recruitment announcement. Certainly his strength was incompetent compared to the adults but he considered himself exceptional enough to have at least caught the authority's attention. And yes, he was right, he passed the entry test. He was almost there. He would embark on his career working in the top-notch organization after this training! He knew, the recruited would eventually be in the war field. It was never a white-collar occupation to begin with.
It was a treacherous path. But his heart, the will of a youth, thirsted for an adventure, advancement, an opportunity to mark down his own history!
It would be worth, regardless of the danger threatening his life out there. Xi Qing believed so his hands stroke the machinery. D-6 was standing there soundlessly yet it seemed to breathe homicides. It was love at first sight for Xi Qing when Ye Chong lifted the gate of the storeroom.
Xi Qing might not have the money to shop at the mech market but he had professional understanding of it and absolutely he recognized to what category the D-6 belonged immediately. "The consortium is sure generous in this. They actually gave trainees a D-6!" whispered Xi Qing in exclamation. The consortium produced all types of mechs but they would not put everything on sale for the public, like D-6 which was purely for their own army. It was efficient in destruction, though not as notorious as the other known units, well-recommended by most experienced pilots. In the black market, the price of a D-6 could probably purchase a dozen of planets or a bag of dwarf planets. The letter "D" meant nothing else than Death, not exclusive to the foes clearly.
"Everyone, on your mech, the training ground. Three minutes!" said the instructor coldly through the communicator.
And they leaped into the cabin clumsily upon waking up from their daydream.
20 D-6s formed themselves into 4 tidy lines on the training field. It looked like a great formation of war field, except it appeared like a silly parking lot to Ye Chong the war savvy. He could identify a range of openings in this slightly rectangular formation, as he stood at the front in Muscle Man.
"Into 4 teams. From today onwards you'll remain in your current line. Other than the daily physical training, I'll also conduct lectures on mastering this mech you are piloting," said Ye Chong.
The trainees were excited. They had been bored by the repetitive physical training to death. And there was finally a change.
Klink! A loud noise interrupted Ye Chong.
The wall behind Ye Chong was cracking and falling.
"Watch out!" shouted one trainee who perceived the premonition.
A dusty mech emerged from the rubble and zoomed towards the instructor. Nobody could react in time, other than the real soldier in the field.
Ye Chong was far more experienced than all the trainees in fights. The moment he heard the clinking and thumping he had already laid his eyes on the projection. Muscle Man was indeed an experiment unit, but it was creation of probably a genius. The detection on the unit was impeccable. It might be a failure by the consortium but it was an expensive, exceptional failure.
Ye Chong knew there was a mech coming for him.
It was a D-6. And it was not a raid, judging from its orbit. It looked more like a machinery going out of control.
Ye Chong had two options. Th first would be to make a simple dodge. That would be undesirable as the mech would crash into the formation of his trainees after he made the dodge and escaped the accident professionally. None of his trainees would be able to dodge in time.
So he was left with the second option.
Muscle Man drew a half-circle with its right leg, leading to a twist and a sink to the earth. The mechanical structure descended with the arms slightly curved over its body, leaving the two giant palms open at the sides.
Ye Chong expressionlessly added more commands.
Now!
Afterimages of his hands slid over the interface.
Crash!
The uncontrollable D-6 crashed into the hand of Muscle Man.
An accident would happen soon.
D-6 first collided with the right hand. The conservation of momentum had dented every part of the palm. Muscle Man immediately held the bottom of D-6 with its left hand.
The engines of both its arms were launched straightaway. The mechanical legs were exerting greater strength on the ground which burst into splattering mud as the legs submerged.
"Ah! Ahhh!" The pilot of D-6 felt a jerk and an uplifting force and began screaming in fear. D-6 then zoomed through the small gap and past Muscle Man's back.
There was another mech! Ye Chong was shocked as he saw a mech rapidly approaching in the detection system.
Such speed. Ye Chong squinted his eyes, trying to make out the appearance of the mech. But it was too fast, he could only perceive the red color.
Was that a raid?
Muscle Man withdrew its legs and its arms reformed into a battle position, like a mechanical jaguar, ready to pounce.