Chapter 10: A Watermelon
Before Zhuang Yun could make a move, the eldest senior brother single-handedly took down the thugs one by one.
Those once arrogant and domineering henchmen now lay sprawled on the ground—some clutching their stomachs in agony, others wailing in pain, all groaning miserably.
Seizing the chaos, Zhuang Yun pulled the eldest senior brother away.
They descended to the second underground level, entering an entirely new world. Brilliant lights dazzled overhead, and the noise was overwhelming, yet it only heightened the spectators’ excitement.
At the center, a colossal glowing orb resembled a star suspended in the cosmos.
Inside this luminous sphere, two mechas were locked in a breathtaking duel, each attack’s aftershocks instantly absorbed by the orb’s protective barrier.
A massive screen streamed the match live, while commentaries flooded the feed.
“Iron Soul! Keep it up! Hit him hard!”
“Blue Whale Mecha! Charge! Break his arm! Break his arm!”
Zhuang Yun looked around with curiosity, eager to understand the scene. Seeing her hesitation, the eldest senior brother shook his head—he too was visiting for the first time.
Zhuang Yun then approached a man nearby and asked, “Big brother, it’s my first time here. Could you explain how this works?”
This was Lake, a man who had been searching for someone capable of one-punch killing an A-grade star beast, unaware that the person was right before him.
Lake, having won three matches in today’s tournament and in high spirits, patiently explained the situation to Zhuang Yun.
“Look here,” Lake pointed out, “the red and green buttons correspond to the two mechas fighting. Spectators can place bets according to the odds and earn rewards.”
“Of course, you can also bring your own mecha to compete—either matched randomly or by issuing a challenge.”
Zhuang Yun asked, “What if I don’t have a mecha?”
Lake studied her carefully. “Most people bring their own, but you can also rent the most basic mechas here.”
“Those rented mechas are usually hired cannon fodder, meant to take the fall for their employers.”
Lake figured Zhuang Yun might be hired as disposable fodder, yet she didn’t even understand the basic market conditions.
He continued, “There are five tiers of the arena, from E-grade up to A-grade.”
“You start with a base score of 5,000 points. If you defeat your opponent, you gain all their points; if you lose once, you have to start over.”
“The scoring rules are shown right there.”
He pointed to a luminous billboard clearly listing the points required for each level and the corresponding star coin exchange values.
E to D grade: 50,000 points (500,000 star coins)
D to C grade: 500,000 points (5 million star coins)
C to B grade: 5,000,000 points (10 million star coins)
B to A grade: 50,000,000 points (50 million star coins)
“When your points are high enough, you can exchange them for cash at the redemption counter and move up a level.”
---
“Skipping levels is generally difficult; the Black Factory assigns highly skilled mecha warriors to stop you.”
“You’re just in time—right now, it’s a PK match between the Black Factory’s top two: Iron Soul and Blue Whale Mecha,” Lake’s eyes gleamed.
Seeing Zhuang Yun unmoved, he elaborated, “Iron Soul has held the top spot for months, a legendary figure with near-perfect mecha control; he’s never lost in a direct confrontation.”
“Blue Whale Mecha is a rising star from the past few months, climbing to number two. Today’s duel is like Mars colliding with Earth!”
As Lake spoke passionately, the arena match concluded.
Iron Soul secured first place once again.
The Black Factory’s forum in District 11 exploded with messages.
“Iron Soul! You’ll always be my god!”
“Iron Soul just barely won; Blue Whale Mecha was clearly holding back!”
“Nonsense! If you can’t win, don’t talk trash.”
Sitting expressionless inside the Blue Whale Mecha, Reno viewed this as a foregone conclusion, more of an exhibition match.
Once a prodigy at the Imperial Military Academy, Reno’s downfall began when the Black Factory targeted his mother—his sole guardian—into gambling, plunging her into astronomical debt. He was forced into servitude for the Black Factory.
A rising star extinguished.
He gave a resigned smile, retreating backstage to rest briefly before heading to the E-level for his next match.
The eldest senior brother watched the mecha battle, clearly aware of his vast gap compared to others. He pulled out his light brain device and began taking notes, determined to learn.
Meanwhile, Zhuang Yun arrived at the E-level registration desk, ready to rent a mecha and give it a try.
“Please enter your ID name.”
After a moment’s thought, she typed:
“One Watermelon Cut in Half.”
The ticket clerk scrutinized the young girl, then said, “Turn left ahead to the mecha rental room. You’re number ten.”
The clerk also reminded her that any damage would require compensation at full price.
Hearing this, Zhuang Yun’s heart sank. “Alright... how much?”
“Two million star coins.”
---
In the room, a petite, entry-level mecha—the Spirit Sky—stood before her.
Compared to the massive mecha her master once piloted in the Void Crossing, this was a far cry in terms of caliber.
Reading the manual carefully, Zhuang Yun exclaimed, “Good grief, the attack cannon can only fire three times!”
She had just seen their endless firing during the match!
Once inside the cockpit, she began familiarizing herself with the controls but accidentally pressed the [Start Challenge] button. Her ID displayed as “Blue Whale Mecha.”
Her heart skipped a beat, but it was too late to back out.
Soon, the Black Factory’s teleportation system transported her onto the arena.
Her opponent was none other than Reno, who had just slain nine challengers in a row. Defeating Zhuang Yun would elevate him to the next level.
The forum buzzed again.
“LOL, who messed up and sent a cannon fodder to challenge Blue Whale Mecha?”
“Who knows, maybe Blue Whale Mecha bought his own cannon fodder.”
“Good joke. Blue Whale Mecha doesn’t need cannon fodder with that strength.”
Zhuang Yun’s heart trembled; she never expected to face the raging Blue Whale Mecha, and she was exactly the last target he needed.
Reno stood coldly in his mecha, glancing at the tiny Spirit Sky across from him. A faint, barely perceptible smirk curled his lips.
“Ready?” His voice echoed through the mecha’s speakers, eager to end this quickly.
Zhuang Yun took a deep breath to calm herself, swiftly analyzing the vast disparity between them.
Though their mecha levels differed greatly, she believed her skill and experience were not inferior. Besides, Reno had been fighting for hours and showed signs of fatigue.
Moreover, his energy core was severely damaged during the match against Iron Soul. If she timed it right, victory was possible.
“Bring it on!” Zhuang Yun declared confidently.
The battle erupted instantly.
Blue Whale Mecha gave no respite, firing cannon after cannon at Zhuang Yun.
Using Spirit Sky’s agility, she darted left and right like a startled rabbit, narrowly dodging each blast. “Is this cannon free to use or what?!”
Occasionally hit by the shockwaves, Zhuang Yun winced as she observed the damage accumulating on her mecha.
She had no intention of prolonging the fight; with only 30% energy charge left, she cursed, “This is such a trap!”
Suddenly, Zhuang Yun shifted from defense to offense, unleashing a burst of incredible speed straight at Reno.
Seeing this indestructible cannon fodder, Reno’s interest peaked. “Want to play close combat, huh?”
He drew the Thunder Shadow Blade from behind him.
Zhuang Yun also brandished her own blade, ready to meet his strike.
In a flash of steel, her sword shattered instantly.
“Damn it!” Zhuang Yun groaned, now truly defenseless.