Ding ding ding...The electronic alert sounded under the flickering lights. The metal gate slowly opened, and a Federation Type-16 standard mech emerged, visibly bearing the marks of a fierce battle, with numerous dents and some damaged areas. It should have headed straight to the mech repair area, but it stopped upon crossing the gate into the inner hangar because it had used up its last bit of strength to turn around.With a creaking sound, the back armor automatically separated, revealing the cockpit to those waiting eagerly."Grandpa."Qi Rong Xinyue ran towards Qi Xinghe, who had just jumped out of the cockpit, arms open for a hug. She expected her grandpa to lift her, but as she got closer, she saw him crouch down. It didn't matter; it was still a hug."Xinxin."Qi Xinghe, still wearing his helmet, hugged Qi Rong Xinyue and gently patted her back, saying softly, "Grandpa has to go make a report first. Will you wait for Grandpa, Xinxin?""Okay."Qi Rong Xinyue replied, feeling Qi
“His body is fine, mainly just exhaustion and dehydration. Under normal circumstances, a week's rest should see a full recovery. Once he's done with the glucose and nutrient drips, he'll be able to go about his daily activities. It should take about another half an hour.”Outside a hospital room in the medical wing, the doctor's words brought a collective sigh of relief from the waiting crowd.“Alright then, I'll head back to work.” Master Liu and the other repair crew members didn’t go inside to greet Ji Xinghe. Having received reassuring news, they returned to the repair zone to continue fixing the mechs. Their workload had suddenly increased, as almost every mech involved in the battle had sustained some damage. Ensuring the readiness of the mechs at Base Six was their top priority.“As long as he’s okay, it really gave us a scare.”The mech warriors also began to disperse. Some had been waiting at the base, unable to join the fight, while others had returned after completing their
“Welcome, Technical Sergeant Mecha Repair Specialist Ji Xinghe.”As the electronic prompt sounded, the metal gate of the repair area opened to the sides, and Ji Xinghe stepped inside. Su He, following behind him, frowned slightly upon hearing the title used for Ji Xinghe.Promotions in rank are to be expected. It had been just a day since Ji Xinghe returned to Base Six, and although the tally of his military achievements had not yet been completed, he had already achieved another two-level promotion.However, curiously, Ji Xinghe’s rank still had the prefix "Technical Specialist," similar to Shen Mu’s Technical Second Lieutenant, rather than ranks like Major Han Li, Major Jackson, or Second Lieutenant Li Lin. From a certain perspective, this indicates that the superiors still hope Ji Xinghe will remain a mecha repair specialist, staying in the relatively safe base to repair mechs rather than appearing on the battlefield as a mecha warrior.“In a couple of days, Old Ji, you should beco
Although the Federal standard mechs number as many as thirty-six generations, the core engine is only up to the twelfth generation. The twelfth-generation engine is the latest and most powerful core engine of the Federation, and currently, only ace mech pilots and some special-grade mech warriors have mechs capable of accommodating this engine.When Jixinghe designed the "Old Man's Joy" mecha, he had said that without the twelfth-generation core engine, "Old Man's Joy" could never truly be completed.The most crucial component of a mech is its core engine. The weakest point of "Xingyue" is also its core engine, which comes from a discarded engine of an Empire mech. After repair, its performance parameters are equivalent to the Federation's outdated fifth-generation engine.“Why won’t they change it?” Su He voiced his dissatisfaction even before Jixinghe could. “To take down nine Empire mechs single-handedly—if it weren’t for Jixinghe, who knows how many would have died… cough, and Jix
Although Shen Mu can sometimes come across as a bit of a clown, his professional skills are beyond doubt. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had his own independent operational zone and been promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant upon arriving on the alien planet. According to him, he also received the highest special talent allowance.So, even after Shen Mu personally assembled the Star Moon, even Jixinghe, who inspected it personally, couldn’t find any issues. After running off to help Jixinghe apply for the Federation’s 11th-generation core mecha engine and an alloy shield with shock functions, Shen Mu returned to the mecha repair area and cautiously leaned in to ask Su He in a low voice.“Did Old Ji use a hammer?”“A hammer?”“Yeah, the kind you use to knock and pound on the Star Moon.”“No, he didn’t.”“Good, good.”With a sigh of relief, Shen Mu then lamented, “Old Su, as a professional mecha repairman trained in a formal school, why do I feel that my ability to repair mecha compone
The Sixth Base didn’t have the 12th-generation core engine, which was one of the reasons Jixinghe couldn’t upgrade. However, the 11th-generation engine was available. Since the 27th-generation Federation standard mecha, all mechas have been equipped with this engine. Among the 50,000 mechas currently active on alien planets, more than 20,000 are the new models that include the 27th-generation standard mecha.The previous 26th-generation standard mecha is no longer in production but is still in use, much like how many discontinued cars still run on the road. The problem is not only its outdated performance but also the cost of replacement; if it works, it will be used, and it must be used.Some first-tier and special-grade mecha warriors who are skilled with previous-generation mechas may also upgrade their mechas by replacing engines and associated components with more advanced ones. Only non-professional mecha warriors like Jixinghe, who do not have dedicated mechas, or mecha warrior
"Didn’t you say that both people and resources should be used to their fullest on the front lines?" Jixinghe countered.Colonel Chen Xun maintained his usual impassive expression. “I’m just a lieutenant colonel staff officer. My responsibility is limited to the Sixth Base and only certain matters.”Jixinghe remained silent for a moment. “Go on.”“They want you to choose a direct promotion to second lieutenant with a professional technical prefix,” Chen Xun said with a tone that mixed calmness with a hint of helplessness. “You would become the fastest-promoted professional technical officer since the Federation landed on alien planets, responsible for three independent operational zones, with twelve specialized mecha repair technicians and related staff assigned to you. In theory, you could be promoted to captain within three months. When you return to Azure Star with Xinxin, you would at least hold the rank of lieutenant colonel and enjoy the benefits of retirement as a lieutenant col
Jing Rong Xinyue wasn’t short; her height of 1.27 meters was significantly above the average height of a six-year-old girl, which is about 1.16 meters. Considering she had just celebrated her fifth birthday, her growth was quite impressive. However, this wasn’t necessarily a good thing.Born in a low-gravity environment, her bone density was lower than normal. The difference wasn’t drastic, and human genetic strength doesn’t change fundamentally from one generation to the next, but the impact was not limited to bone density alone.Muscle development, including the heart, was also affected, with the most severe issues being related to the heart. As the first generation born on an alien planet, children like Jing Rong Xinyue had heart problems due to their genetic makeup. Their bodies did not exhibit noticeable changes in fluid pressure or blood supply needs, so their hearts often experienced about a 10% enlargement in low gravity. Regardless of whether they returned to Blue Star or not
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
“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