Eight teams entered the second round of the PK competition, paired off for head-to-head battles, with the victors advancing.
At nine in the morning, Li Wei excitedly approached the officials to request a friendly match, but they flatly refused. “You can’t compete right now.”
Li Wei stared, dumbfounded. “Why not?”
The official replied with a knowing smile, “Because everyone wants to watch, so, wait until all the others have finished, then you can have yours?”
Li Wei’s confusion instantly transformed into delight, and he obediently headed to the spectator stands to watch the matches.
This segment wasn't originally planned for the redemption rounds. Due to an engine malfunction, this tie-in was added last minute, essentially giving everyone a sneak preview of the final elimination PK stage of the Mech Tournament.
Watching now would be immensely beneficial for the eventual finals.
However, Li Wei’s attention wasn't on the ongoing matches; it was fixed on the Axcus-Bent twins seated not far from him.
Up to this point, the twins hadn't indicated which one would be taking the stage.
It was widely known that the twins always played guessing games in their daily lives, making it impossible for most people to tell them apart. Yet, it was equally well-known that the PK styles of these two brothers were vastly different.
This meant their selection presented a massive unknown factor.
Seeing his evident agitation, a teammate couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong with you?”
Li Wei took a deep breath. “I’m thinking about the decisive battle against Dongdian Ace later.”
His teammate glanced over at the twins, who were playfully roughhousing and laughing heartily, then clapped Li Wei on the shoulder. “Look at them—so calm.”
Li Wei’s face fell. “They are two people, I am one. It’s different.”
His teammate sighed helplessly. “Hey, focus. You are Ling Si’s Ace. Can you please stop embarrassing us?”
Li Wei instantly felt a surge of confidence. He was the Ace of Ling Si; he had to have faith!
Once the preliminary eight-team PKs concluded, the staff cheerfully announced the final showdown: Dongdian Ace versus Ling Si Ace. They proclaimed this a super-battle worthy of being recorded in Kaga’s history, and the fewer than a hundred people present would become its witnesses.
The grand pronouncements sent a palpable wave of excitement through the crowd; everyone was grinding their fists, eager for action.
Only the twins remained as placid as if they were listening to someone else’s business.
A staff member approached the twins and asked, “Dongdian Twin Aces, who will it be? Who will witness this battle, who will step into the duel to make history?”
Apart from Team Chuqiao, nearly everyone held their breath.
The twins possessed unparalleled advantages in double or team competitions, but in a solo duel, they first had to resolve their internal selection process.
How the twins would decide who took this duel was on everyone’s mind.
Only Team Chuqiao, much like Jiang Taigong fishing, sat firmly anchored, patiently awaiting the outcome.
Because they all knew the twins would resort to the quickest, fastest, most technically elegant method that preserved their fraternal bond: Rock-Paper-Scissors!
As expected, after the staff member finished speaking, the twins calmly stood up, faced each other, and presented their hands: Rock-Paper-Scissors...
Ziye, seated behind the twins, leaned toward Li Chunyu and whispered conspiratorially, “How about we make a bet? We bet on which one of them goes.”
Li Chunyu glanced at Axcus, then at Bent, unsure. “Maybe Axcus? No, Bent is just as likely.”
Ziye rested her chin on her hand. “I bet on Bent.”
Li Chunyu made up his mind. “Fine, I bet on Axcus. What are we betting?” Ziye asked. “If you win, I’ll give you a robot.”
Li Chunyu considered it. “Deal. If you win, I’ll give you a...”
Ziye cut in smoothly, “A scorebook of ancient Qin music melodies, how about that?”
Li Chunyu felt the stakes were slightly disproportionate, but since it was just a wager, he nodded in agreement. “Done.”
The two looked up just as Bent cheerfully turned back and patted Li Chunyu on the shoulder. “I heard that, a Qin music scorebook.” He then turned to face the crowd, offering a slight smile. “I am Bent. Today, I will be engaging Li Wei in a friendly PK. I hope everyone enjoys the show.”
The battle was about to commence; both sides boarded their mechs, preparing for combat.
Axcus sat down next to Ziye, grinning. “Hey, if you win the bet, half the prize comes to me, alright? I basically let you win anyway.”
Li Chunyu suddenly realized the trick. “Wait, you two teamed up to trick me?”
Ziye pouted. “Not at all. I just figured out the pattern to their Rock-Paper-Scissors routine.”
Bent placed a hand on her shoulder. “Tell us, are you hoping we win, or are you hoping your Ling Si Ace wins?”
Li Chunyu was instantly stumped.
Bent was a teammate, so logically, he should hope Bent wins. But Li Wei was the Ace of Ling Si University, and if he lost, word would spread that the Ace of Ling Si was inferior to Dongdian, leaving Ling Si thoroughly disgraced.
As a student of Ling Si, how could he possibly hope his school would lose?
Li Chunyu struggled with the conflict for a long time, unable to find a conclusion. He forced a dry laugh. “I hope they call it a draw and remain on good terms.”
Axcus looked on with undisguised disdain.
Li Chunyu awkwardly turned his head aside and nudged Ziye’s elbow. “What about you? What do you hope for?”
Ziye blurted out without hesitation, “Naturally, Bent.”
Li Chunyu whispered, “Aren’t you worried about Ling Si’s reputation?”
Ziye covered her face. “I don’t possess that kind of honor. Bent is my friend, so I just want him to win.”
Compared to a friend, what was a school?
Axcus burst into laughter. “Listen to that, true wisdom! The biggest mistake a person can make is having no clear stance, Chun’er, look at you.”
Li Chunyu thought it over, then nodded. “You’re right. Having no stance is a flaw. I actually wanted Ling Si to win; I have no choice but to stand with Li Wei.”
Axcus went to clap him, but Li Chunyu swiftly dodged aside.
By this time, the close-quarters combat had begun.
Bent’s and Li Wei’s close-combat styles were complete opposites. Bent attacked with overwhelming force, yet his strikes were dense and fine as rain—fast, precise, and ruthless. Li Wei, however, seemed to transform the moment he entered the battlefield. All negative traits like timidity and impulsiveness vanished, leaving him completely rational and resolute.
The crowd stopped their chatter, staring intently at the two mechs.
The most ancient, rudimentary Ling Si model moved under their control with unbelievable agility, as if suddenly alive.
Many spectators who had intended to place bets on who would win entirely forgot about wagering as the fight raged on. It was a devastating, world-shaking battle, so intense that it made Axcus yearn to jump in and experience the thrill of combat himself.
Even Ziye, usually uninterested in roughhousing, felt her palms sweat, as if she were the one fighting.
The battle reached its apex. Li Wei sent his long spear flying like a streak toward Bent’s chest. Just then, Bent’s mech suddenly moved as if possessed, generating countless afterimages.
Li Wei’s thrust went wide. He spun around, and with a sudden CRASH, he was violently hurled to the ground!
Bent had won!!
Many in the audience couldn’t grasp what had happened—how Bent managed to evade Li Wei’s attack, or how that final thrust was even executed. After the fight ended, instead of cheering, everyone remained frozen in shock.
Had Bent received divine assistance?
While others were bewildered, Ziye understood perfectly clearly.
He had learned that move from the pilot of the Platinum Tycoon!
She herself had stumbled countless times attempting that move previously and was now so familiar with it she could visualize the true trajectory with her eyes closed. Back when she was preparing to fight Meijin, she had shown the battle footage of the Platinum Tycoon to the twins. At that time, the twins had mimicked the movements with about sixty to seventy percent accuracy. Later, on the day she dueled Meijin, Tang Wen had sketched out the sequence of that move.
It turned out the twins had memorized it all this time, and now they had perfected the execution to almost one hundred percent fidelity.
Truly worthy of being called Aces; they certainly had a trick up their sleeve!
Ziye organized the video footage, wondering what expression Tang Wen would wear if he saw this move.
After the duel concluded, Bent dismounted his mech in absolute delight, nearly skipping with joy. In stark contrast, Li Wei’s face was ashen.
When the two approached to shake hands, Li Wei mumbled dejectedly, “I lost.”
Li Wei, representing the pinnacle of Ling Si’s combat prowess, had been defeated by Dongdian Military University.
Ling Si was ranked first overall among interstellar universities, while Dongdian Military University was the best military academy in the galaxy. Now, Ling Si had lost to Dongdian...
The thought alone was humiliating.
Bent gripped his hand tightly. “You were excellent.”
Li Wei looked up at him blankly. “How exactly did you evade me at the end?”
Bent clapped him on the shoulder. “How about we discuss that later when we get back? Your fighting style also has many valuable things I can learn from.”
Li Wei remained crestfallen.
It wasn't just Li Wei; everyone present felt a sense of deflation.
The staff members present were assigned to Ling Si by Kaga and held a deeper emotional attachment to the university. Most of the spectators were Ling Si students, with only a few Dongdian students and a handful from the military academies.
Ziye had initially been ecstatic for Bent, but upon surveying the crowd, she realized everyone else looked unhappy. Suddenly feeling overly exuberant, she toned down her reaction and pulled him back toward their team.
A staff member approached and announced in carefully chosen words, “Congratulations to Team Chuqiao’s Bent for achieving the final victory in this decisive battle! Friendship first, competition second! We hope these two young pilots, who brought us such a spectacular visual feast today, can shake hands in harmony!”
He deliberately avoided mentioning Ling Si at all.
By framing the event as a team PK between Chuqiao and Qingtian, they sought to lessen the gloom among the Ling Si students.
Bent, happy with his win, flashed a peace sign at the staff member, his smile radiantly bright.
The staff member asked further, “Your final move was spectacular. Did your instructor teach it to you? Or is it original?”
Bent answered without hesitation, “No, Ziye taught it to me.”
At this, the Ling Si students forgot their previous dejection, stunned. “Ziye?!”
-(To be continued.)