"Oh? Tell me more about it." The Queen's eyes moved slightly.
"It was from Ya Shuman's report. We've found the remnants of God in one of the humans on Earth. He has no doubt come into contact with God's energy."
"Hoho…there is no need to be alarmed. There is the possibility of this happening, but at the same time, it might have only been a feeling of nostalgia. God had no doubt left us already. All we need to do is wait and stay vigilant."
The Queen touched Hao Lin gently and said, "You have a great responsibility. You will have full responsibility in the matter with Aslan."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Although he was only 10 years old, Hao Lin's knowledge and understanding were far beyond that of others of his age.
But he did not understand one thing: he had sensed a trace of apprehension in the Queen. What could possibly threaten the great Atlantis civilization?
Wang Zheng's vacation was filled with activities. Halfway through his vacation, he received Zhuo Mu's and Luomu's greetings. Neither of them could be too relaxed, as they had just passed the first phase of IG.
Wang Zheng, Meng Tian, Zhang Shan, and Zhang Runan returned to school early. They spent the remaining time eating snacks.
Their spirits were good after being able to relax and rest for a while, especially so for Zhang Shan.
"Very well, it seems like none of you got carried away," Zhuo Mu said. He felt pleased with the four students. The states of their bodies indicated that they had maintained a certain amount of training; otherwise, they would not have reacted so well.
"Instructor! In the future, the banner of Ares College shall be mine to carry!" Zhang Shan said confidently while thumping his chest.
Not only had he increased his amount of physical training, he had also practiced martial arts. His confidence had risen to a new level. But simple brute force was not enough, there were still many techniques to learn.
To be invincible, absolute strength and speed were required. But who possessed both?
On top of that, no matter how strong a person was, he would need sufficient skills when faced with a group.
"Why are all of you looking at me like that? Don't you believe me? I shall change your opinions of me in the second stage! You will all end up admiring me!"
Zhang Shan said. Both Meng Tian and Zhang Runan could not help but turn their faces in disgust. Zhang Shan was speechless at their change in expressions. Did neither of them believe him?
Zhuo Mu could not help but ridicule him too. "Mountain Maiden is not a nickname that can be easily discarded. I was just talking to a few old friends of mine, your nickname has spread like wildfire."
Zhang Shan was dumbfounded. What the f**k was this nonsense?!
"Back to the matter at hand. You've all passed the first stage and then had the enjoyment of relaxation as well as bathing in the glory. It is time to get serious again," Zhuo Mu said. "IG is a mech warrior selection after all, and having completed the first stage only means that you have the potential to become a proficient mech warrior. You are still not at the end yet. The second stage will undoubtedly test the ability of your mech piloting skills. This will certainly be your favorite part."
"We can't wait for that, Instructor!" Zhang Shan roared. Piloting a gorgeous mech while crushing the world in majestic fashion and at the same time being surrounded by babes. Woohoo! That was the life!
With just these simple words, Wang Zheng felt a sort of boiling feeling welling up within him.
Mecha were indeed extraordinary things; they had a certain allure to them. Once a person piloted one, his human abilities would be greatly empowered. It felt as though one's physical restrictions had been lifted. It was an intoxicating feeling of utter strength.
A lot of mech warriors were addicted to this feeling.
"Who amongst you has piloted a military mech before?" Luomu asked.
The four of them looked at each other, but only Meng Tian nodded. "I have. I've piloted the Earth Federation Army's regular mech for practice several times."
"What did you think of it?" Luomu laughed.
"Difficult."
Luomu laughed again. "That is true. It is not the same as a practice mech, neither is it similar to the virtual version in a game. This is the real deal, it causes strain on the human body. The stronger and more flashy your attempted maneuvers, the greater the price the body will have to pay. A mech does not have limits, but the human body does. That is why I want all of you to understand the mech, understand your own limits, and then overcome them."
"Hoho….let me summarise. We are going to lecture you on how to operate the mech."
"Instructor! Of course we know that the virtual version does not fully represent the real thing, but will we really be allowed to pilot the real thing?"
Zhang Shan asked.
"You're in luck, kids."
Then the curtain behind them slowly opened to reveal four brand new mecha.
"These are your training mecha, they are sponsored by OMG. The Demon Wolf Type V, the Beast Type III, the Bata Type V, and the Hunter Type III. These are all brand new, do not waste such a good opportunity!"
Upon seeing the four mecha, Zhang Shan let out a weird howl and rushed forward to hug the Bata Type V. He had always wanted to be an almighty mech pilot, and the Bata Type V would no doubt allow him to display his full potential.
Zhang Shan suddenly felt himself being lifted off the ground. Zhang Runan threw Zhang Shan aside. "This belongs to me."
"Are you for real, Manly Sister? Couldn't you be more democratic? Don't you think that I'm more suitable for it?"
Zhang Runan looked at Zhang Shan. "That is yours."
The Beast Type III?! To Zhang Shang, a heroic mech pilot did not use a beast type mech. Not only should their ideal mech be strong, it should also look cool.
"Don't fight over this. Which one you are suitable with will only be decided after thorough testing. No matter your final preference, you're all going to have to get used to these four mecha. Only when you have a thorough understanding of a variety of mecha will you be able to counter them effectively."
Zhuo Mu said.
"This time, you must totally annihilate the opponent!"
Old mecha were difficult to operate. To think that OMG would be willing to sponsor four brand-new mecha was honestly unexpected. Although they were common models, this had gone beyond the college's expectations.
Operating a real training mech was different from operating a virtual one. It felt really good. Also, it was brand new.
Everyone had used a training mech. Wang Zheng had also used it many times, but the feeling of piloting a brand new mech was completely different. The moment the pilot entered the cockpit, G materials warped around the body and the devices interfaced directly with the pilot. The pilot and the mech had become one. It was like a body wearing clothes, but these gave one unbridled strength.
This is your mech, it is akin to your life on the battlefield.
Wang Zheng and Zhang Shan both had their impulsive moments. Ah...men were like that!
Meng Tian was not that excited. She was experienced with mecha, and had even piloted high-end models. She only wished to improve her own combat ability through the training.
Or else she would not make it past the second phase of IG.
Luomu could not help but smile when he looked at the four excited students.
"The conditions this time are ideal. But take it easy, we don't want to end up damaging them."
"Let them train and familiarize themselves with the mecha first. They can duel each other later as long as the shields' energy levels are able to hold up."
"Around one-tenth should do, this way the mecha won't suffer from too much strain."
According to Gu Te's intention, he had intended to assemble some old mecha or let them undergo training with the military. But Zhuo Mu felt that it would be better to let them get used to the mecha first. It was fortunate that OMG was willing to give such a large donation.
Of course, they knew that OMG intended to enter the military supply market, and this was their way of creating opportunities. Gu Te was still well connected in the military circle.
In fact, not only Earth, but Mars and Caragal had begun their training as well. Some had even started earlier. The others were no fools, the second phase was definitely the real battle between mecha. Judging from the first phase, the probability of engaging in combat was very high. It would never be wrong to be prudent and prepare for that scenario.
But the second phase required capital; it was not possible without it. It was different from practicing by oneself.
Ares College had been on the downtrend these years, so the budgets had gotten smaller. To put it simply, there were only a few names left. Although it had achieved good results in the first phase, it was still too early to hope for a change in fortune.
Just like everywhere else, the college would have prepared a complete collection of the mecha library. This was the basic facility of a military college.
But this had always been a luxury.
On the Moon, at the Moonlight College's Celestial Pavilion, the eight stars of the moon had gathered and were laughing.
"Masasi, I've received a message from the boss. It sounds a little bad…where are we heading?"
Pi Xiaoxiu said. It was not their first time doing this sort of training. With regards to the mecha, as the most extravagant celestial body in the solar system, this training was nothing new.
"It should be mecha this time around. As to where we are headed=….I am not a mind reader. Who knows what the boss is thinking? We might even be going to CT."
""You're kidding, what use is that? Even a god there is nothing in the real world," Dong Xiao injected.
Milo's device rang while he was chatting, it was Achilles. "The spaceship has been arranged, Argus Space Station."
In short, Achilles only needed to tell him the result.
Everyone was stunned. Argus Space Station.....how the hell would they get there???
Although it was subordinate to the Solar System Federation…. that place was chaotic. It was said that the locals even associated themselves with pirates, but no proof had been found thus far. Normal people would never go there, this was a mismatch with the high social standing of the Moon.
But Achilles was not giving them a choice, it was an instruction.
28 hours later….
Milo and the others stepped into Argus Space Station.
Achilles was dressed as a mercenary. Beside him stood a bald-headed and brawny man who was shirtless. He wore a one-piece armor that made him look as though he was capable of holding a fight with a mech in person! He stood there motionlessly, merely watching the rest.
"Everyone is here, let's move out then," Achilles said with a smile.
Being an interstellar mercenary was not a new occupation. Interstellar voyages were highly dangerous, and the federal army could not be everywhere at once. Keeping a mercenary force would also be expensive, thus the professional mercenary occupation was born, and they were formerly thought of as armed escorts.
The technical skills required of a mercenary were high, so the common soldier would not be an excellent mercenary. Because of this, the mercenaries were able to attain high positions within the military if they desired. But this was not what they wanted, they hated being tied down. A life of adventure and fighting was what they desired. In fact, the federal army were not the ones that the pirates hated, but rather it was the mercenaries.