Kexiao said to Xia Mu, "The only thing within my power was to place you and Apophis in the same competition zone—do your best."

If Kexiao hadn't mentioned it, Xia Mu might have completely forgotten about it. He had been brooding over his previous setback and never expected to encounter Apophis in this way. "Kexiao, you didn't plan all this from the start, did you?"

"Heh, plans can never keep up with changes. Who asked someone to beat me to it?"

"Who are you referring to?"

"Of course, the most mysterious existence in this world."

Xia Mu was even more confused. It was Jiu Ling who gave a hint, "Dimwit, naturally he's talking about the Revenge Shadow Rider. You're supposed to be a super soldier; how can you not use your brain when thinking about things?"

After Xia Mu and Revenant No.3 and their group left the arena, Jiu Ling finally raised her own questions with a hint of surprise, "When you said he was one step ahead, do you mean you had already simulated the outcome of the war at that time?"

"Indeed, the probability was about eighty percent. Had it not been for the Flame Legion's raid on the Capital, I think the course of the war would have been the opposite."

"What were your plans then?"

"You should consider why our forces would travel across the vast Bermuda Star River."

Jiu Ling's mind was engulfed in a tempest of shock! It turned out that the true significance of Kexiao reaching the Bermuda Star River was not to crush the two fleets—that was just a smokescreen released to the public. He had also harbored intentions of directly striking the Federal Capital with strategic moves that far surpassed Feng Yi's. Abandoning the Flame Legion to strike the enemy's core with a weaker force was a common military tactic. Had Saudi's higher-ups not been incompetent, would a mere few thousand mobile soldiers have been able to launch a lightning strike and seize control?

If they had opened a space tunnel to the Federal Capital while the enemy's morale was low, they could have possibly achieved their strategic objectives in one fell swoop, as the chances of a giant star fleet taking the Capital far exceeded those of a few thousand mobile soldiers by countless times…

However, Kexiao was only a step too late. Who would know of that moment, which nearly altered the course of the war's history?

"Discussing this now is meaningless. The opening ceremony is about to start; let's get ready."

Looking at Kexiao's lightly smiling face, Jiu Ling felt an indescribable sense of guilt welling up inside her… If it hadn't been for the incompetence of Saudi's upper echelons, if Kexiao had not had to consider front-line issues while also dealing with internal problems, preventing him from concentrating fully, if she herself hadn't leaked information to Feng Yi causing a chain reaction with the political turmoil, the outcome might have been entirely different.

"Kexiao, I'm sorry, if I had been different back then…"

"I know everything. This has nothing to do with you. Everyone has emotions they care about. We might not be able to turn the gears of history, but we can change the future. Be your best self and don't let past gains and losses affect the you now."

"Yes, I understand." Jiu Ling nodded deeply and suddenly realized that Kexiao's charm was no less than Feng Yi's. She clenched her fists tightly, "You can do it." She turned and walked out of the room.

——

As time ticked away, the Mecha Battle tournament, heralded as a contest of strength, finally reached its climax...

Looking around, an uncountable crowd had already filled the competition arena to the brim, with numerous others clinging to the rooftops to watch. They waved all manner of devices in their hands, and waves of cheers continuously echoed throughout the stands...

A careful observation revealed that many people in the stands had come prepared. Even before the opening ceremony had begun, quite a few had taken out drinks and delicious food from their Space Crystals, because no important moment is complete without refreshments, right?

Of course, the less wealthy had their own ways of getting by, with storage capsules undoubtedly being the second-best option for backup food. Then there were the even poorer who simply brought their drinks and food along.

At this moment, in public places across various countries, whether in bars, restaurants, or on public buses, everyone was tuned into the same program—the opening spectacle of the tournament.

When the three world-famous singers stepped onto the stage, silence fell over the audience, both inside and outside the venue. Some holding cigarettes seemed to forget even the pain, not realizing even when the burning end seared their flesh until, after a brief moment, a cry of pain escaped their lips, but they quickly clamped their mouths shut in the next second; at such an important event, making noise might get them beaten, if not worse.

The first song was performed by the World Singer Athena, Princess Vicky from Rekart, and the top idol CC from Freedom Port Maraca.

As the prelude of the song began, the noisy scene instantly quieted down to the point where one could hear a pin drop, leaving only astonishment and emotion in the air, along with the heart-shaking, dynamic beat...

—Breaking limits, dedicated to the Revenge Shadow Rider, the stirring voice once again drew everyone's thoughts to a distant shore...

It was a time of war and strife when darkness descended, and when the Devil pirates rampaged with arson and plunder, a glimmer of light suddenly illuminated everyone's heart—he fought for the soldiers who sacrificed themselves on the battlefield; he fought for those who couldn't fight; he fought to protect the last glimmer of light in the world.

At this moment, everyone was immersed in the melody that could be called epic, as a superstar in a Mecha slowly emerged behind the three singers...

As the melody of breaking limits was brought down to the lowest, what replaced it was a majestic tone that crashed down mightily; it was a roar, a bellow, the last cry from the depths of people's hearts.

Heart-shaking beats constantly expressed and portrayed the emotion trailing behind people,

Whizz, whizz, whizz, whizz...

Suddenly, a black lightning streaked across the sky, and the void churned as it made multiple Z-shaped lateral movements, cool to the extreme.

With a thunderous crash, the Revenge Shadow Rider landed heavily.

In that instant, there was silence at the venue—Revenge Shadow Rider was growing, and so were the people; the one constant was the emotional impact he left on them time after time. He always appeared when people needed him most, and whenever the topic of Revenge Shadow Rider came up, there was an endless stream of stories in everyone's heart, making the indescribable emotion even more intense when they observed the Shadow Rider up close.

The brief silence only lasted a few seconds, as people couldn't believe that they were within eyesight of the Revenge Shadow Rider.

The crowd exploded with a buzz! People threw off their upper garments and waved their hands wildly, greeting their legend with the most passionate and frenzied welcome...

Indeed, he no longer belonged solely to the Federation; he was flesh and blood, had a valuable soul and was a warrior of the world. He was the embodiment of strength and courage, an undefeated myth, and the truest faith deep in people's hearts—The world cheers for you, Revenge Shadow Rider, thank you for being with us all along.

At the appearance of the Revenge Shadow Rider, many had unknowingly wet eyes, and some tough men also felt a sting at the corner of their eyes, even the three world-famous singers performing on stage were singing with tears in their eyes.

The trio were at a loss to describe the feeling of being so immersed; as they sang their songs, the majestic image of the black Mecha kept etching itself in their minds, over and over...

They were singing with all their hearts for Revenge Shadow Rider, and for the world, feeling an indescribable sense of pride. While listening to the moving melody, even they were intoxicated by this fleeting eternity.

It wasn't an act; being emotionally involved at such a high-profile event could be detrimental to their performance, but maybe because they were too immersed, the three of them sang at a level of perfection beyond what they achieved in normal collaborations.

As the song ended, a thunderous applause instantly filled every corner of the venue.

It must be said that Revenge Shadow Rider truly had an epic presence. Even the star warriors present dimmed in his absolute aura, though that was by no means a disgraceful matter. Of course, the appearance of the Revenge Shadow Rider piqued the curiosity of many.

Mirami was just one of the most curious, standing in the center of the arena; her Mecha humanely glanced over in the direction of the Revenge Shadow Rider...

Wow! This guy really is impressive! Mirami instantly fell in love on the spot! Look at that sharply contoured Mecha, the jet-black wings like ink, its arms spread as cool as a Male Eagle soaring in the sky. With the Storm Wings launch system on its back, it even added a desolate aura to the Mecha, a system potent enough to directly threaten the sovereignty of nations, of course, no power in the world would dare to rob the Revenge Shadow Rider.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.