Zi Ye rushed against the clock, reviewing all three modification plans one last time, ensuring there were no errors or oversights.

No matter the means by which they had clawed their way into the final four, those who made it this far were certainly no weaklings. From another perspective, these teams were the absolute top-priority contenders across the galaxy. Having reached this stage, no one was willing to be the first team eliminated.

The six members of Chu Qiang sat together in pairs, discussing the specific issues relevant to their roles. Even the usually mischievous twins adopted serious expressions, analyzing the capabilities and tactics of their potential rival pilots. They meticulously studied the combat videos of their opponents, cross-referencing them with the rivals' usual conduct, bit by painstaking bit. They even pulled out the combat footage of the Platinum Tycoon-class pilots that Zi Ye had previously shown them, re-immersing themselves in the dazzling and overwhelming fighting style of those elite pilots.

When Ling Yin called the team together, Zi Ye noticed the twins sitting side-by-side like mirrored reflections. Suddenly struck by an idea, she hurried over to them. The two were just about to close their optical computers when they saw Zi Ye approaching. In perfect unison, they shifted aside, making room for her in the center. Spender pulled Zi Ye down to sit, draped an arm over her shoulder, and murmured, "Sweetheart, you missed us?"

They were sitting on the testing benches—cold, porcelain slabs. Zi Ye felt a distinct chill bloom beneath her, but before she could say anything, the rest of the team converged around them. The six were seated facing each other across two testing benches. Seeing the setup, Zi Ye decided against standing up. "I have a feeling Illya is very likely to pull a dirty trick," she stated. "You two, as the pilots, must be extremely careful."

Ling Yin nodded. "That's what I was going to say. We just uncovered some faint clues. Illya has targeted the pilots of three relatively strong teams since the round of sixty-four. In this final four, the weakest team is Fei Fei's team, and she won't sit idly by."

The twins exchanged a look, grinning slyly. "Chill out, chill out. She's just a little cutie; she’s got a long way to go if she thinks she can handle us."

Slap— Slap—

Ling Yin delivered a sharp pat to the top of each twin's head with both hands. "Don't be overconfident."

The twins glared unhappily at Bobo. "Brother, control your little kids."

Bobo tugged Ling Yin back a little further. Ling Yin snapped back, "I’m doing this for your own good!"

The twins said in unison, "We know, Mom!"

Ling Yin was furious and stood up, ready to strike. Bobo quickly restrained Ling Yin and told the twins, "Stop shouting nonsense! I'm not your dad."

Laughter erupted among the group, and the subject was dropped without further investigation.

Zi Ye understood the twins' nature. No matter how cautious they were internally, they would always maintain a carefree, dismissive attitude on the surface. Of course, there was another, more important reason: they disliked taking orders from anyone, except perhaps their parents or their Captain.

She signaled Ling Yin to stop speaking and addressed the twins directly. "Illya is extremely cautious. My biggest guess is that she will target one of you first, then identify the other, and then focus all her efforts on dealing with both."

The twins adopted thoughtful expressions. "That's assuming we draw her as an opponent in the final four."

However, with a single glance between them, they had already finalized their countermeasures. Illya, bring it on if you dare!

After the group concluded their strategy session, Zi Ye stored the mechs in her spatial buckle, keeping them close, and everyone boarded the airship to head to the restaurant for lunch.

Chu Qiang had become the number one team at Lingsi. Everywhere they went, they attracted stares, and they frequently received overtures from various students in private. The twins, for their part, simply wore their own school’s mandatory military uniforms, paired with stiff military boots, ensuring that onlookers only dared to admire from a distance rather than approach intimately.

Unfortunately, that day, they ran into Du Shuangyu.

Speaking of Du Shuangyu, he used to be incredibly high-profile, but recently, he had inexplicably failed to even make the top thirty-two in the Mech Tournament, much to everyone's shock. Consequently, he had adopted a much lower profile. However, running into them in the restaurant today, where old enemies meet, made his resentment flare violently, making it impossible for him to stay low-key.

Who was Du Shuangyu's enemy? In the past, it was Zi Ye first, then Bobo second. After Du Shuangyu tried to recruit Zi Ye, the ranking shifted to Bobo first, Zi Ye second. Pity Du Shuangyu hadn't even managed to recruit Zi Ye before the Meng Ya Group scandal involving plagiarism broke. After subsequent troubles, Du Shuangyu realized she was a magnet for controversy, lost interest, and stopped provoking Zi Ye. But Bobo—the one who had snatched everything from him since enrollment—he would not let go of so easily.

Du Shuangyu and a few lackeys were exiting the restaurant just as Chu Qiang was about to enter. Zi Ye spotted him, offered a slight smile, and gave a vague greeting, intending to let them pass first. Aix Spender, not being from Lingsi, preferred to avoid conflict and stayed near Zi Ye. Li Chunyu was a gentle soul who wouldn't stir up trouble either. Unexpectedly, Ling Yin linked arms with Bobo and stood directly in the doorway, immediately creating a situation of mutual confrontation.

The tension between the two parties was palpable! People inside the restaurant, sensing a good show was about to unfold, began whispering and even activated their optical screens to record the scene.

But at that precise moment, Du Shuangyu smiled faintly, walked forward, and extended his hand toward Bobo. "Long time no see. I heard Chu Qiang made the final four—congratulations! Our school is counting on you all to bring glory!"

Bobo extended his hand and shook his, returning an equally affable smile. "Thank you, classmate Du. We will certainly do our utmost."

Du Shuangyu laughed heartily. "Good, good! We'll be there to cheer you on!"

Their faces smiled with practiced ease, but beneath the handshake, they were secretly exerting pressure. Zi Ye watched from the side as the veins bulged on the backs of their hands; they were clearly putting considerable force into it. Du Shuangyu, having been trained in the military, possessed significantly more raw strength than Bobo, who had softer skin. Bobo’s face gradually paled, and his smile began to falter.

Du Shuangyu laughed again, released his hand, clapped him on the shoulder, and said, "Keep it up!" Then, he led his group away with a sweeping departure.

The surrounding audience, witnessing this display of apparent camaraderie, began to grumble. Hey, aren't you supposed to be enemies? Shouldn't enemies glare at each other? Why are the handshake and shoulder pat so affectionate? This doesn't match our expectations! Bobo, stop smiling so brightly, you’re making Du Shuangyu look like your best buddy instead of your rival! And Du Shuangyu, are you sure Bobo is your brother and not your enemy?

They completely missed the subtle contest of strength. The spectators eventually sighed dramatically and uploaded the video to the light net with a glaring title: "You two are so close, do your parents know?"

Team Chu Qiang entered the restaurant. Bobo sat down, his face a bit white, unable to lift one shoulder properly. Ling Yin, whose entire focus was on her boyfriend and who possessed the sharp eyes of a doctor (thanks to her mother), immediately noticed something was wrong. She reached out to roll up his sleeve. Bobo grabbed her wrist with his good hand. "Don't. Let's eat first." If anyone saw this in the restaurant, how the feud between him and Du Shuangyu would be gossiped about could only be described in four words: disastrously humiliating.

-RS