She didn't even bat an eye!

Aix couldn't help but wonder what Ziye's heart was made of, just how tough it truly was.

Ziye shot him a sidelong glance: "Suddenly I find Spender a lot more endearing than you."

Aix grumbled, "What's so endearing about him?" As soon as the words were out, he realized the flawed phrasing. "What do you mean 'endearing'? We call that 'manliness,' alright?"

Ziye shrugged, pulling on her gloves. "Time to work."

Aix spread his hands. "I don't have gloves. What do you need me to do?"

Ziye extended her wrist toward him, signaling him to unfasten the bracelet-shaped SilverComm device. "Then you can handle the technical diagnostics. I’ll choose the materials."

Aix was about to say something more, but Ziye cut him off. "Don't tell me that selecting materials is a job meant for you men. You aren't as specialized as I am."

Aix was effectively choked into silence. He stopped talking altogether, fastened her SilverComm to his wrist, and activated the SuperComm light screen to begin scanning the damaged engine.

The SilverComm and SuperComm shared basically the same underlying principles; both had built-in light brains and excellent systems. Aix had once studied An Junlie’s SilverComm, so he was hardly unfamiliar with it.

He remembered seeing Ziye's SilverComm back when he and Spender were in Cyathea. Holding it now, his thoughts drifted slightly. He really should have realized Ziye’s connection to An Junlie much earlier... though perhaps knowing now wasn't too late.

Ziye dared not get too close, sticking only to the more peripheral areas, selecting bones that were as long as the engine crossbar.

Fortunately, the bones of this creature were quite large, making them relatively easy to handle. Using both hands and feet, she gathered bones that had comparable flexibility and sufficient length and width, laying them out one by one to compare against the engine, determining which piece was the most suitable.

The selection process took the most time. Ziye spent nearly half an hour choosing, pulling out about ten pieces, comparing them individually, and finally settling on one perfect fit. She set that one aside, then looked for suitable bones to use as tools to disassemble the engine's crossbar.

Aix assisted her, and he was genuinely stunned by her nimble competence. He asked in surprise, "That's so professional. How do you know how to do this?"

Ziye didn't look up. "My primary job is Technician."

Aix glanced at his own clumsy movements and felt a wave of intense embarrassment. Compared to Ziye, he truly lagged far behind. Ziye could pilot, design, and repair. As for him—or rather, the two brothers—they were basically idiots at everything except flying.

Perhaps they should learn from her?

Aix struggled to keep up with her pace and asked, "Little Ziye, have you ever tested for a Technician License?"

Ziye looked confused. "Technician License? Do you need that kind of thing just to be a pilot?"

Aix was about to explain, but then he noticed the data on the light brain was anomalous, leading to another frantic round of adjustments. Once the testing stabilized and returned to normal, he resumed, "Technician Licenses are hard to get. After passing the basics, you get an entry-level license. It’s similar to a pilot's license, but it has six lines on it, representing six tiers. The strongest technician in our corps currently holds a Level Five, and I've seen the license—it has five lines."

Ziye listened, mesmerized, forgetting the task in her hands. She snapped back to reality only when the detection system sounded a time warning, and she quickly moved to the next step.

Regrettably, this particular crossbar piece wasn't suitable. She swapped it for another and restarted the testing process.

Aix, unlike Little Sprout, didn't possess that speed, and this was his first time partnering with Ziye, so their coordination wasn't as seamless. Over an hour was spent on testing alone.

At this moment, she deeply missed Little Sprout. Yet, after finally finding a suitable bone, she suddenly understood: if she had continued to rely solely on Little Sprout, she would never have experienced the process of slowly building teamwork and rapport with a fellow squad member through trial and error.

When necessary, she needed to trust her teammates.

Ziye smiled and shook Aix’s claw, indicating her satisfaction with their collaboration this time.

However, a new problem emerged.

Since they lacked tools to cut metal or bone, achieving a perfect fit at the joints was impossible. Ziye said, "Wait here a moment, I'm going to find something."

Aix responded, "Find what? Let me help you look."

Ziye picked up her knife. "I’m looking for plants—sap or roots."

Having spent so much time around the 'Perverted Genius' (Si Biantai), she had learned a lot about the common characteristics of plants and had some idea what kind of sap would be adhesive.

Aix quietly wiped a bead of cold sweat from his brow after hearing her request.

In front of Ziye, he always felt like an ignorant child; that feeling was utterly depressing.

Ziye searched the forest for about ten minutes before finally locating the right kind of plant. She pulled it up by the roots and broke a stem; a clear, viscous liquid, like glue, seeped out.

"Too smart! I’m practically moved by my own cleverness!" Ziye cheered narcissistically, running back with the plant. She carefully smeared the natural adhesive onto the end of the bone piece and installed it into the engine.

The rest of the process went incredibly smoothly.

Testing complete. Engine passed inspection.

Ziye excitedly high-fived Aix. "Perfect! Let's hurry back."

Aix said seriously, "Little Ziye, you taught me a lesson today."

Ziye, still somewhat euphoric, asked in surprise, "What do you mean?"

Aix replied, "Through you, I saw my own shortcomings. Outside of piloting, we brothers know nothing else."

Ziye shook her head. "No, your financial skills are excellent too. Your budgeting is precise. Thank goodness for you guys, or our team might be in worse shape than Team Qingtian."

Aix scratched his head. "But I feel that’s totally insignificant. Anyone who studied finance could do it better than me."

Ziye stopped walking and spoke earnestly, "Aix, I actually think being like you is best. Having an area you excel in and pushing that excellence to the absolute limit, standing at the apex of the pyramid. Me? I know a little about armor fabrication, but I’m not expert; design sounds interesting, but I can’t even draw properly; my main job is Technician, and right now, I’m only half-competent. In short, I have many knives, but none of them are sharp."

Aix groaned. "Little Ziye, don't talk like that. You are far more capable than us brothers, and you’re three years younger!"

Ziye sighed. "Honestly, sometimes I feel lost. I don't know if I should be like you—focusing on just one field and mastering it to the highest degree—or if I need to learn everything."

Aix looked up toward the distant forest. "It’s because of the Wolf Den, isn't it? Since the Wolf Den currently lacks sufficient specialized technical staff, you have to handle everything."

Ziye nodded, falling silent for a moment, then patted his shoulder. "Brother, let's head back. They’re probably getting anxious."

It was already four in the afternoon. The remaining components for Chuqiao were all prepared; only the engine was missing.

The Philerus team members, fearing a mob attack, had all scattered and hidden somewhere. Others who got their hands on faulty engines either installed them onto their mechs in defeat or gave up, unable to figure out a repair method. Only a small handful of teams were still persevering in their search.

Ziye and Aix emerged from the forest perimeter and saw members of Team Qingtian inside, using tree trunks for engine crossbars, but never achieving the desired results.

Ziye and Aix exchanged a look, and Aix understood her unspoken intent: "You want to help them?"

Ziye grinned mischievously. "We aren't that selfless. We’re just pointing the way; whether they can manage it is up to them. Don't you think? Someone ordered Philerus to block us from advancing, clearly thinking up countermeasures to use against other teams in the finals. If we let all these people pass through, then the finals won't be decided by them alone."

Aix laughed. "Great minds think alike! Whoever the mastermind is, we’re going to turn things upside down!"

Ziye walked up to Li Wei and patted his shoulder. "Hey, Senior Apprentice Brother."

Li Wei looked up and saw them casually pushing the engine, looking unhurried, and couldn't help but ask, "Did you solve the problem?"

Ziye nodded. "Walk into the forest, climb over that small ridge, and go about five hundred meters to the right. There are suitable substitutes there."

Li Wei glanced in the direction they had come from. "Really?"

Ziye replied, "Why would I lie to you?"

Li Wei was a little skeptical. "Why would you help me? I'm your competitor."

Ziye smiled and shook her head. "No, our competitor is Philerus."

Hearing this, Li Wei finally believed her and bolted toward the forest.

Ziye made a face at Aix and swung her hands behind her back. "La la la! Anyone who isn't part of the team that ganged up on us—tell them! We want as many people as possible to qualify, hehe."

Aix couldn't help but affectionately ruffle her hair. "Little imp."

The two walked and talked, the engine they were pushing serving as the best proof. In a short time, everyone else surged toward that part of the forest. To be honest, Ziye felt a pang of regret.

She had actually planned to have the Perverted Genius research the mutated properties of those bones after they left—perhaps those bones could be incredibly useful.

But this was Ling's subsidiary planet, Ling’s ground training base. Even if they managed to research them, they wouldn't have the means to transport them out for their own use.

Unless they bought them.

Since it required so much fuss anyway, it was better to just give the information away.

Returning might even allow her to return a favor to Du Shuangyu. That favor Du Shuangyu had done her previously needed repayment.

Ziye strongly disliked being indebted to people, but she was discovering that the deeper she integrated into life, the harder it was to avoid such exchanges.

Back at the assembly point, everyone had been staring. Upon seeing the flawless mechs, they were so overjoyed they were practically jumping, rushing forward to hug them.

Ziye was nearly suffocated by the embrace and shouted, "Everyone, installing the engine is the priority!"

Only then did the crowd release their grip, removing the suspension devices beneath the engine and installing them into the mechs. A complete mech was finally assembled perfectly.

After completion, Li Chunyu began the data testing, with Bobo and Spender assisting.

Aix sat down to rest, while Ziye sat cross-legged nearby, holding up both hands pitifully. "I'm starving. Someone feed me something."

-RS