Home / Sci-Fi / MECH WARRIO / Chapter 001: The Old Thief Who Stole a Starship
MECH WARRIO
MECH WARRIO
Author: Armstrong
Chapter 001: The Old Thief Who Stole a Starship
Author: Armstrong
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

"Name."

"Ji Xinghe."

"Gender."

"Male."

"Age."

"65."

"Why would you, at retirement age with a pension, want to steal? And not just steal anything, but a single-pilot starship. I mean, can you even operate it if you got it?"

"I can."

 

The interrogating officer was momentarily stunned. Could this be a retired veteran of the Federation? If so, his interrogation might come to a halt as the Federation had its own military courts.

 

Single-pilot starships were only piloted by space fleet soldiers or retired ones. The New Phoenix City Police Department had some who could operate them, retired soldiers from the space fleet.

 

Although Ji Xinghe was attempting to steal from the New Phoenix City Police Department, the officer couldn't help but wonder... wait, 65 years old? How long had the space fleet been established? How long had single-pilot starships existed? Where did this 65-year-old retired soldier come from?

 

Name, gender, age, fingerprints, and other information were input into the terminal in front of the officer. The officer was not impressed, not because Ji Xinghe's records were too stellar, but because they were incredibly ordinary.

 

Born on January 19, 2022, in a regular family in the Federation's Longzhou region. Attended kindergarten at three, primary school at six, junior high at twelve, high school at sixteen, and university at twenty, where he graduated with an ordinary degree in mechanical maintenance. After graduation, he worked in a large automotive repair factory in his hometown, got married at 31, had a son at 33 (only one child), his wife passed away at 55 due to an accident, and his son, Ji Chenxing, was admitted to the Federation's Longzhou Aerospace Military University (Major in Mech Piloting). He retired in September this year with no criminal record prior.

 

"But how could a mechanic like you operate a single-pilot starship? Did your son teach you?"

 

Upon hearing this question, Ji Xinghe, who had been calm and collected, showed a hint of sadness on his face, quickly suppressing it.

 

"I learned while playing games."

 

"Huh?" The officer was puzzled. "You mean Interstellar Glory?"

 

"Yeah, Interstellar Glory."

 

The officer tapped on the terminal again, bringing up more information about Ji Xinghe. His Federation credit score was 739, a normal value, but it would likely drop significantly after today. He had only one phone number and one social media account. All of these details painted Ji Xinghe as incredibly ordinary.

 

However, in the game Interstellar Glory, Ji Xinghe achieved the title of Glory King for 21 consecutive seasons, with over 2200 points in peak matches for 19 seasons, and had twelve national server heroes.

 

A pro gamer.

 

The officer couldn't help but be amazed. Interstellar Glory had only been out for ten years, and for 99% of players, that meant only twenty seasons. Achieving Glory King for twenty-one consecutive seasons indicated that Ji Xinghe was an early access player.

 

An elite gamer.

 

"Sir, are you addicted to gaming? Interstellar Glory, as realistic as it may seem, is just a virtual reality competitive game. Can your skills in the game match those of real single-pilot starship operators? Let's be honest, you're impressive among amateur players, but compared to professional gamers or streamers, aren't they better than you? How could you have the audacity to claim you can operate a single-pilot starship?"

 

Ji Xinghe fell silent again. He didn't emphasize that he started playing the game at the age of 55, while professional players and streamers peaked around 20. There was no point in emphasizing this; he was 65 now and couldn't go back to his peak at 18 to prove he was better than those top-tier professionals.

 

And the officer was right—games were just games. As realistic as they might be, they were still just games. Otherwise, he should have already taken off in the starship, leaving the Blue Planet behind, rather than being handcuffed in the interrogation room of the New Phoenix City Police Department.

 

"Alright, I won't press further. At your age... Just tell me your son's contact information. It's not listed in your records."

 

After confirming that Ji Xinghe wasn't a retired soldier, the police officer determined that this case fell under the jurisdiction of the New Phoenix City Police Department. Everything had to go through the proper procedures, including informing the family.

 

According to the records, Ji Xinghe had only one living relative, Ji Chenxing, who served in the Longzhou Military Aerospace Force.

 

But Ji Xinghe fell silent again.

 

"Sir? I've told you, this is a serious case. You'll likely go to prison, but the Federation provides every citizen with the opportunity to seek legal aid. Before you're deprived of all your rights, you can contact your family to find a defense attorney. A few years less in prison might matter to someone of your age. Of course, if you pick the wrong lawyer, you might end up serving more time."

 

Ji Xinghe remained silent.

 

The officer seemed to understand something.

 

"Are you embarrassed? Well, your son is out there fighting on the front lines against the Imperial gorillas, carrying the weight to ensure the peace of our Federation, and here you are causing trouble..."

 

Perhaps feeling his tone had been too harsh, the officer paused.

 

Even when facing a criminal, the traditional Dragon Continent virtue of respecting the elderly and cherishing the young was not forgotten. Furthermore, stealing a single-pilot starship, although a serious offense, hadn't resulted in any damage yet. The single-pilot starships provided to the New Phoenix City Police Department, and indeed to all police departments in the Federation, were unarmed and could be understood as patrol cars that could fly into space.

 

During the theft, Ji Xinghe hadn't caused any casualties. It was unclear how he managed to sneak into the police station and get into a single-pilot starship, but before he could even start the engine, the AI detected anomalies, shut down the starship, and locked the hatch. Informed officers promptly apprehended him.

 

A 65-year-old old turtle.

 

"If you don't speak up, we'll just contact them directly."

 

After remaining silent for a while, Ji Xinghe finally spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse. "Officer, there's no need to contact them. I won't defend myself. Whatever punishment is deemed fit, whether it's life imprisonment or sending me to the mining planet, I accept it. Don't contact them."

 

"Wow, you're quite enlightened. Why didn't you think of that earlier? Just think about it."

 

The officer neither agreed nor disagreed. Contacting family was a necessary procedure. After the first round of interrogation ended, Ji Xinghe was detained, and the police began contacting the Longzhou military while investigating other possibilities, including the potential for Ji Xinghe being a terrorist or an Imperial spy.

 

Contacting the military was a tedious process. After several layers of transfers and authorization requests, the New Phoenix City police finally contacted the unit where Ji Chenxing was stationed. After a brief conversation, the police received shocking news.

 

"Ji Chenxing sacrificed himself half a month ago?"

 

"You only informed Ji Xinghe a week ago?"

 

"He told you he wanted to join the military and fight on the front lines, and you refused? Well, he was 65 years old after all."

 

"Oh, Ji Xinghe came to us to steal a single-pilot starship six days ago. Apparently, he listed the front lines as his destination. We're still investigating, concerned he might be an Imperial spy or something."

 

"Huh? You officially rejected his request to go to the front lines six days ago? Then this..."

 

The New Phoenix City police knew—they were dealing with a criminal case, but also a story of avenging a son.

Next Chapter

Related Chapters

  • MECH WARRIO   Chapter 002: The Violent Offender

    New Phoenix City is located in the coastal area of Longzhou, a well-known tourist city in the Federation.Although the Federation claims to have entered the interstellar era, there is only one habitable planet. Other planets within reach are all within the Blue Star system, including the front-line battlefields and a few mining planets collectively known as the Perplexing Exoplanets.Due to its large population, the Blue Star has no shortage of tourists, and people living here can enjoy a high level of happiness.But Ji Xinghe was not happy at all. He had become a true loner."Sir, why are you here?"Inside the detention center in New Phoenix City, Ji Xinghe heard the question from the person next to him, but he didn't want to answer or look at anyone else. He sat there silently like a statue.In his hazy gaze, the image of his son, Ji Chenxing, emerged briefly, only to be replaced by a red blur—a head full of red hair.A young man with a red explosion of hair appeared in front of Ji

  • MECH WARRIO   Chapter 003 His Talent Is Not Bad

    As the newly appointed federal hero, Han Li received the medal of honor with a heavy heart. It seemed as if the medal weighed down on his chest, and his expression was not pleasant to look at.It wasn't surprising to the Major General Tu Yuan, who awarded the medal. He also felt uneasy because every achievement of the federal military meant that a large number of soldiers had made sacrifices.Some say that all the medals of honor are stained with the blood of enemies, symbols of glory. But on those medals, there wasn't just the blood of enemies; there was also the blood of their own people.What was most heartbreaking was that most of those who sacrificed couldn't even wear their own medals. Many of their bodies were lost, making all the medals feel heavy."Casualties are inevitable. What's most important is to live on well and carry the will and spirit of our fallen comrades into battle," Major General Tu Yuan patted Han Li on the shoulder, then prepared to leave. Today, there was on

  • MECH WARRIO   Chapter 004 Just a Bit Older

    Tu Yuan watched the holographic projection screen in front of him expressionlessly. On it, Ji Xinghe effortlessly performed a shoulder throw, the entire process clean and crisp. Even though Tu Yuan had seen many skilled martial artists, he couldn't help but admire silently: this old man still had some skills.After all, he was 65 years old.Yet Tu Yuan remained expressionless. After watching it several times, he shifted his gaze to another holographic projection screen, which clearly displayed all of Ji Xinghe's information. The key point that made him expressionless was that the data did not show that Ji Xinghe had any martial arts skills.So he asked directly, "Why?"The people from the detention center and the New Phoenix City Police Department were a bit puzzled, unsure of what the famous federal Major General was asking about.Tu Yuan was well-known because he didn't become a federal Major General this year; he became one three years ago when he was only 37 years old, making him

  • MECH WARRIO   Chapter 005: A Military Recruitment Assessment

    Age is inconsequential, as is the ongoing conflict between the Federation and the Empire. Jixinghe, who has lived a modest and unassuming life, now possesses only one fervent ambition: to seek vengeance.However, he couldn't venture alone to the extraterrestrial frontlines. The alien planets were inhospitable to human life. The thin atmosphere lacked breathable air, drastic temperature fluctuations between day and night necessitated protective spacesuits, chaotic magnetic fields and unpredictable storms rendered much of the technology useless.Apart from military camps and bases, there were no habitable spaces for humans on the alien frontlines. Even the formidable Imperial gorillas struggled to survive on the alien surface without equipment.Humans, when wearing spacesuits, were ill-equipped for combat. Hindered mobility and the risk of oxygen leaks leading to death made them vulnerable. In contrast, the Imperial gorillas only needed auxiliary breathing devices. Thus, the initial enc

  • MECH WARRIO   Chapter 006: He Said He Doesn't Believe in Limits

    "Hey, old Jixing is back! Been gone for days, probably off chasing some old lady.""Nonsense, old Jixing never pays attention to those old ladies. You think he's like you, an old man dancing in the square every day. Old Jixing, how about a game of chess? It's been ages since we played. I'll give you a rook.""Hah, you give old Jixing a rook? Hasn't it always been old Jixing giving you the rooks and knights?"In the green area of the community, a group of elderly men and women basking in the sun greeted Jixinghe, who had been absent for a few days, indicating that he was well-liked among the residents.This popularity was built on Jixinghe's willingness to help others, his excellent character both before and after his wife's passing, and the conditions of having a pension and retirement benefits."Nah, got things to do, you guys carry on."Jixinghe hurriedly responded and made his way straight to his home. He didn't want to discuss his experiences of the past few days with anyone, as i

  • MECH WARRIO   Chapter 007: He Can Resort to Any Means

    "Girl, you're 29 and still not finding a partner. Are you planning to grow old alone?""Mom, I'm only 18 plus 132 months old.""Nonsense! Let me tell you, if you don't bring a boyfriend home by Chinese New Year this year, I'll arrange blind dates for you.""Fine, arrange blind dates. Find me an old man with a house, savings, and retirement benefits, preferably.""Alright, I'll arrange it. I knew you had your eyes on Old Ji. Tell me, have you secretly agreed to spend your life with him? That Old Ji, in his sixties or seventies, still dares to flirt with my daughter. I'll go find him now."The daughter sighed, "Go ahead, Mom. But let me tell you, Old Ji's son is in the Space Fleet, a mech warrior. If you mess around in front of him, I won't bail you out if you get arrested."Federal civilians have always respected federal soldiers because the Federation is currently at war. Citizens can go to the zoo to see gorillas and monkeys, rather than being locked in a zoo and stared at by gorilla

  • MECH WARRIO   Chapter 008: Some Things Are Expected

    "The old man's gone?" Inside the largest automobile repair factory in New Phoenix City, the mechanics gathered around the television set, their faces filled with disbelief. Some of them had watched Jike Chenxing grow up, while others had grown up alongside him. Over the years, Jike Xinghe had often visited the repair factory with his father, Jike Xinghe, who not only worked there but also imparted knowledge to his son. However, Jike Chenxing had never been keen on learning automobile repair. It wasn't because he couldn't learn; the older folks at the repair factory knew that Jike Chenxing was only interested in learning to drive and repair mechas. Unfortunately, none of the workers at the repair factory were knowledgeable about mechas; they only knew how to fix cars. To address this, Jike Xinghe had begun self-studying how to drive and repair mechas. However, having only theoretical knowledge didn't convince Jike Chenxing to learn from his father or the other workers at the repair fac

  • MECH WARRIO   Chapter 009: Some People Will Lose Face

    Inside the New Phoenix City Stadium, one young person after another verified their identity and collected their numbered tags, then lined up in orderly queues, ready to begin today's physical fitness test. The test involved running, but the location was not within the stadium itself. The stadium served merely as a gathering point; the finish line was located ten kilometers away from the New Phoenix City Gymnasium, along a road that had been cleared for the event. Four batches of young people had already run out of the stadium, and now it was the turn of the fifth batch, who slowly made their way out.No one would sprint or dash madly right from the start of the ten-kilometer run; doing so would result in elimination. The young people who had registered online a week ago and had now arrived at the test site were determined not to be eliminated. As the five hundred young people ran out, several drones closely followed them overhead. After leaving the stadium, they saw the spectators on

Latest Chapter

  • MECH WARRIO   

    Chapter 140: Revenge in the Name of Training

    Having decided to participate in the orbital drop mech warrior test, Ji Xinghe did not leave Base Five immediately. It wasn’t that he had hesitated again; the “education” from Ji Rongxinyue had been very effective. The delay was simply because the necessary equipment required time to manufacture.“Lieutenant Ji Xinghe, we have reviewed your relevant physical data and estimate that it will take ten days to customize your orbital drop mech suite. Please confirm once again if you want to continue using the Federal standard 16th generation mech?”“Yes, I want to use the Federal standard 16th generation mech.”Ji Xinghe confirmed his choice. If possible, he would have preferred to pilot the Federal 1st generation standard mech, the one he first encountered and used the most. However, the initial models, still usable in the game Starry Glory, had long been phased out on alien battlefields. Therefore, he chose the 16th generation standard mech, which he was second most familiar with.In term

  • MECH WARRIO   

    Chapter 139: Grandpa, Let’s Fight Side by Side

    Ji Xinghe and his Xinghe Squad finally returned to Base No. 6, but they didn’t have much time to reunite with Master Liu and the others. As soon as they arrived, the transfer convoy between Base No. 3 and Base No. 6 was already prepared, and they received orders to depart immediately.“Thank you, and take care.”Ji Xinghe accepted the gift they had prepared for Ji Rong Xinyue, waving goodbye without saying "see you again," because he knew that "goodbye" might mean "forever."The journey was uneventful, and the transfer convoy took three days to finally reach the relatively safe Base No. 5. Despite the sudden influx of people, Base No. 5 did not face any resource shortages as the Federation had already made preparations.Ji Rong Xinyue was very happy to receive the gift, but even happier to see that Ji Xinghe had returned unharmed.“Grandpa, what does orbital drop mean?”For many, this information was still classified, but Ji Xinghe revealed it to Ji Rong Xinyue without reservation, ev

  • MECH WARRIO   

    Chapter 138: The Ace Mecha Warrior’s Interrogation

    At the start of a video conference, all the elite mecha warriors participating watched footage from a battle recorder. The footage showed Ji Xinghe’s fight in the canyon.In this battle, he single-handedly destroyed fourteen Empire mechas, bringing his total number of gold stars to thirty-six, placing him at the middle rank among the Federation’s three hundred and twenty-seven active elite mecha warriors.The first scene depicted a pale blue energy shockwave bursting from a diamond-shaped metal object, sending Federation Level Two mecha warrior Zuo Qiyu flying. He then got up and chose to charge forward.The combat recorder’s audio had not been removed, so all 116 elite mecha warriors participating in the video conference could hear Left Hand’s voice: “Go, Old Ji, don’t look back, run, run fast, I can hold them off.”Through Ji Xinghe’s mecha’s perspective, the elite mecha warriors watched the Federation mecha charging at the Empire mechas and heard the pilot’s shout. Even though all

  • MECH WARRIO   

    Chapter 137: Orbital Drop

    Inside Base Six, many people were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the convoy from Base Three, hoping to reunite with familiar faces.The surface area of this alien planet couldn't compare to the Blue Planet, and the Federation's controlled area wasn't vast. But the extreme difficulty of transportation and the scarcity of resources meant that many people who met and became familiar on this alien planet might never see each other again after parting.They had promised to reunite on the Blue Planet after winning the war, but some would never return. Even their ashes could only remain on this alien planet, buried deeper and deeper under the orange-red dust, until no one would remember where they were buried.Perhaps one day, when humanity fully occupies this planet, technology will advance enough to change the planet's environment, creating a real atmosphere. Seeds will be scattered across the alien land, taking root and sprouting, carried by the wind to spread new life.When countless se

  • MECH WARRIO   

    Chapter 136: Decapitation as a Show of Force

    A squad of nine mechas was moving swiftly through the canyon. They were a support unit, initially tasked with escorting a convoy to a designated area before returning. However, unexpected developments forced them to turn back.“Have we established contact yet?”“No, the Xinghe Squad is still out of contact.”“Damn it, what the hell are they doing? I could understand if Ji Xinghe and Left Hand went silent, but why did the support team, Blind Man’s group, also go dark? Couldn't they have left someone outside the blackout zone to maintain communication?”When the Xinyue Fox battleship bombarded the area from space, this mecha squad did not advance at full speed. But when a flare illuminated the alien night sky, they accelerated to maximum speed. The flare, following the bombardment, indicated ongoing enemy presence, necessitating immediate support.But they had no intel.“It's a new team after all, lack of experience is understandable. I heard that Blind Man and his group came from the R

  • MECH WARRIO   

    Chapter 135: In the Name of Xinghe

    One, two, three.Faced with encirclement by eight Imperial mechas, Ji Xinghe seized every opportunity he could. After single-handedly taking down three Imperial mechas, he finally ran out of chances. There were still five mechas left in pursuit, with enough distance between them for him to take them out one by one, but the canyon held more dangers than just those five. While Ji Xinghe wasn’t sure how long it would take to completely destroy the rhomboid metal construct, the Imperial mechas’ previous caution suggested it wasn't invulnerable to mecha attacks.The six Imperial mechas assigned to destroy the construct could join the pursuit at any moment. If Ji Xinghe waited until they appeared, he would lose his chance to escape.He didn’t want to die, so he chose to run before the opportunity vanished completely.At full speed, the sixteenth-generation Federation standard mecha dashed through the dark canyon, kicking up a trail of dust. Behind him were eleven Imperial mechas that had al

  • MECH WARRIO   

    Chapter 134: Kill the Gorillas, Save the Old Ji

    Six Federation mechas gathered together, now in full power mode, advancing quickly in an assault formation toward the depths of the canyon. The previously lively communication channel had fallen silent, with only the faint sound of each other’s breathing audible.They had already increased their speed once when they entered the canyon, shifting from reconnaissance mode to fast-advance mode. But when the signal flare's light pierced through the dark canyon and exploded in the night sky, their speed reached its peak.If they wanted to go faster, they would have to charge, but now was clearly not the time for that."We are about to enter the communication blackout zone. All units, take note: if the enemy's numbers are overwhelming, Niuma, Heavy Cannon, immediately retreat to maintain communication. If necessary, withdraw at full speed."Blind Man’s command was met with no objections, not even from Su Chuanyun, who had just become Niuma. Despite his personality, he didn’t argue. He knew v

  • MECH WARRIO   

    Chapter 133: I Can Still Kill

    As Ji Xinghe once again destroyed three Imperial mechas, the total number of Imperial mechas in the canyon didn't decrease; instead, it increased.Twenty-two, exactly matching the number of golden stars on Ji Xinghe's mecha."The warp gate has disappeared. They're gone. They've stopped."Left Hand exclaimed in surprise. In his sight, the diamond-shaped metal warp gate vanished suddenly, as if it had run out of energy, just as the thirtieth Imperial mecha descended from it. The diamond-shaped metal reverted to being an inert metal ingot.Their reinforcements were gone, and they had stopped moving.After breaking eight Imperial mechas in total, the third batch of four Imperial mechas chasing Ji Xinghe and Left Hand finally halted. They chose not to continue their charge, maintaining a safe pursuit distance from Ji Xinghe and Left Hand's mechas.The eighteen Imperial mechas guarding the diamond-shaped metal also remained motionless, as if their systems had shut down.But Ji Xinghe showed

  • MECH WARRIO   

    Chapter 132: I Am Not a Reckless Warrior

    “Old Ji, you should have run, really.”Left Hand stared at the three Imperial mechas two hundred meters away, which had stopped their charge, and the ten more mechas near the rhombus-shaped metallic structure further back. He still believed Ji Xinghe should have run.The two Imperial mechas he was holding off had been destroyed the moment Ji Xinghe joined the battle. Up to this point, the two of them had already taken down five Imperial mechas, and neither of their mechas had suffered any substantial damage. It was a rare and complete victory, but the number of Imperial mechas remained overwhelming, and they kept increasing.“We still have time to run,” Left Hand continued to persuade. “We’re right near Base No. 3. They’ve got heavy defenses there, and Blind and the others are ready to back us up. If we run together, we might be able to link up with them. By then, with eight mechas fighting together, they might just give up chasing us. Plus, once we get to a zone where communications