This was a blatant attempt to snatch the old man's work away and cut off his own paths, something Feng Yi fervently refused to do. He pushed aside the cigarette and said, with utter seriousness, "Your basic skills are not yet solid. Let's wait until you can defeat Fatty."

At his words, Fatty blurted out, "Are you trying to sell me out, crazy man?" Before he could finish, Feng Yi had already vanished.

In truth, Feng Yi genuinely thought well of Fatty. His actions were aimed at encouraging Fatty's growth. After all, Fatty belonged to the inner circle of disciples, far stronger than ordinary ones.

Honestly speaking, a considerable number of disciples at the Ancient Martial Arts Hall aspired to be admitted to a Mecha Academy in the future. The majority of these young people admired humanoid Mecha fervently.

Mecha operational skills and basic martial arts intricacies are intrinsically connected. Only with a solid foundation could one avoid being eliminated during the assessment.

The Mecha pilot evaluation differed from soldier physical examinations. The physical tests were stricter, requiring a clear mind, sharp thinking, and quick reactions. On average, one had to withstand gravity twice as strong, along with other tests like freely rotating in zero gravity conditions. Those with any visible physical issues were dismissed, as military service was not a child's play. Many battles sparked in space could cost lives in moments of carelessness.

Meanwhile, far away in the Martian Olympus mountain range in the Solar System, Colonel Grand hastily received a direct order from President Adams. He had a mission: to serve as the instructor for the current batch at Alpha Wind and Thunder Mecha Academy.

Grand was taken aback upon receiving the command. As the top ace of the God's Thorn Legion assigned to guard Lasso, this sudden assignment to Alpha was unexplainable.

"Mr. President, I do not quite understand your intentions..." Grand saluted ceremoniously through the light screen.

"What do you wish to understand?" Adams retorted with a sly smile, as if sensing the ace pilot's confusion.

"Alpha has numerous elite instructors. They don't need someone redundant like me. I would like to know the specific reason."

"A child raised by Lasso himself has enrolled in Wind Thunder Military Academy. That's the reason."

"Who is he?"

"Well, that's for you to find out. I can only tell you this much." Adams sighed after disconnecting the Heavenly Communication.

Continuous conflicts were brewing within the Alpha family. Though it was a democratic era, he didn't want talents to be overlooked. Only through growth can fruitful rewards be reaped.

Whether this was due to his sentiments for Lasso, or because Feng Yi had the capacity to make it to the end, as Lasso's student, this was all Adams could do. Life was a long journey riddled with difficulties, and Feng Yi would have to face it himself. Of course, there was another reason for Grand's assignment to Alpha.

Hearing this, Grand decided to keep his doubts to himself. The identity of the person mentioned mattered less than the clear message the President implied. All he needed to do was to remain fair.

However, Grand felt this was somewhat redundant. The reason was simple: a child brought up by Lasso could never be incompetent.

As for fairness, what a joke. It seemed about time for him, a white-clothed ace, to take the stage in the Big Macs battle. His journey to Alpha was merely a stepping stone to support Big Macs, serving as a deterrent to keep the Saudi vanguard from acting recklessly. This was likely the President's true intention, wasn't it?

With rising tensions between the Federation and the Saudi Empire, neighboring powers were on high alert, paying close attention to every move. Any minor deviation in the course of the war could directly impact the economic growth of other powers, gradually evolving into armed conflict.

As allies, the Zana Republic and Hell's Gate served as a secure stronghold for the Federation. The three of them formed a triangle, mutually resisting external enemies, a strategy devised from a war strategy perspective.

On June 18, 2764, the soldiers at the Eastern front line of Big Macs were caught in a tough battle. Due to a lack of supplies, the soldiers' morale was low, resulting in the line being breached after holding out for eight days. Two armored brigades of the Federation were then forced to retreat to the second line of defence in the Eastern Hemisphere of Big Macs.

On June 28, 2764, a fleet of transport ships arrived as backup. After a round of counterattacks, the Federation regained its territory.

From July 16, 2764, to the present day, ground battles had once again reached a stalemate...

In the blink of an eye, two months had passed, Feng Yi had been at the Ancient Martial Arts Hall for a while now, and had grown familiar with the people and environment. Here, he met Emily, Sheng Qiangwei, a mischievous character known as Fatty, and other disciples.

As people started to get to know Feng Yi, they began to be influenced by his charisma. Despite his profound strength, he was never flashy or arrogant, which unfortunately made him greatly attractive, especially to the younger girls. As for the mature women, they saw Feng Yi as their main target.

However, Feng Yi wasn't interested in any of these flirty exploits. Counting the days, the concert organized by Athena would commence in a week. Then, he would leave this place to apply for the Mecha Major at Wind Thunder Academy.

Feng Yi had no intention of revealing the news of the early conscription to anyone, not even Fatty, the person he was closest to at the Ancient Martial Arts Hall.

He wished to preserve these beautiful memories. After all, applying for the Mecha Academy meant stepping into the battlefield sooner. Although this interval seemed short, it would provide more room for everyone to improve—the fragility yet preciousness of life. Perhaps by then, the Big Macs' suppression war would have already ended.

"Is it another half-moon night again…" Lying on top of a building gazing at the shiny moon, Feng Yi mumbled to himself.

Alpha had two artificial moons, constructed to provide light for the Shadow District. The moons were located 80,000 kilometers above the ground, along with eighteen satellites that covered 360 degrees of the starfield without a blind spot.

"Feng Yi, come down and get to work. Time to stop slacking off." Sheng Qiangwei called out from below the building with a stern face.

Today marked Gandalf's release from the hospital. Lasso's departure had caused the old man to fall ill. To celebrate the dean's discharge, disciples spontaneously organized a banquet, forcing Feng Yi to dig deep into his pockets.

Caught off guard, Feng Yi hadn't noticed how much time had passed. Some liquor-loving disciples were still drinking merrily.

Seeing that many people were crowded under the building, Sheng Qiangwei especially came to look for him. Though things between them had improved, Feng Yi didn't hold any grudges towards Sheng Qiangwei. Though for some reason, she seemed to enjoy picking fights with him.

"Alright, alright, I understand." Feng Yi gave a resigned shrug and leapt down. Though he was not a saint, he considered giving Qiangwei a sharp head flick. But ultimately he decided not to. These white knights were better kept at a distance.

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