After Winning The Esports Championship I’m Going To Pilot A Mecha: Chapter 28

28. “The last hope.”

Since Tian Nan appeared, You Jia has always been his loyal audience. Whenever Tian Nan goes online, regardless of whether You Jia is streaming or doing something else, he would rush to Tian Nan’s game audience seat first and watch a complete match. And regardless of whether the parties involved can see it or not, You Jia would fill the chat channel with endless compliments.

On the forums, many experts enjoy analyzing Tian Nan’s combat videos. Whenever someone praises Tian Nan, You Jia would applaud and cheer, and even give tips as a form of support. When encountering those who think Tian Nan is “hyped” or “overrated,” You Jia would defend him vigorously, leading the charge and becoming an unwavering diehard fan.

At the same time, You Jia was Tian Nan’s first opponent since the account was created, a title that made You Jia proud for a long time.

And now, his idol, whom he has always admired, is right beside him, and they are even classmates!

Oh my god, what a dreamlike scenario!

At first, You Jia wasn’t sure, thinking he might have mistaken, but as the intense battle between Ji Mingzhu and Chang Haoyang unfolded, You Jia became more and more convinced.

The graceful and smooth movements, the elegant rhythm of the combat like a dancer, and the effortless execution of the second overclocking—You Jia was certain that there was no one else like him!

Faced with You Jia’s bright and expectant gaze, Ji Mingzhu hesitated slightly before nodding.

“It’s really you!”

With his guess confirmed, You Jia seemed to be overwhelmed by happiness, almost floating in the air.

He wanted to ask Ji Mingzhu for an autograph but was afraid it might be too presumptuous. He stood there in a dilemma, his initially aloof demeanor turning inexplicably awkward, and he couldn’t find the right words to say.

Finally, You Jia cautiously said, “So, Nán Shén… Those few people who were bothering you at school, was it because of this?”

“I’m not sure,” Ji Mingzhu thought for a moment and replied, “The Disaster Control Bureau is still investigating. They said if needed, they will ask me to cooperate with their inquiries… Also, you don’t have to call me Nán Shén, just use my name.”

A silly smile appeared on You Jia’s face. “Okay.”

Hehe, my idol told me to call him by his name…

With that thought, You Jia no longer harbored any resentment from taking a bullet for Ji Mingzhu last night. Instead, he felt incredibly fortunate and considered himself someone who had formed a close bond with his idol!

….

“Your younger brother lost, huh?”

The woman smiled at Chang Bei and said, “He looks quite disappointed, like a stray little dog without a home. What do you think? If you intervene, perhaps the Calamity Control Bureau will give him a second chance in consideration of your face as the Red Guard Commander.”

Chang Haoyang’s easy defeat came as a surprise to many. He had been highly anticipated since enrollment and was considered the most likely candidate to become a Titan pilot reserve. But he couldn’t even make it past the first assessment and was brought down by Ji Mingzhu, a dark horse who appeared out of nowhere. It was truly regrettable.

Chang Bei glanced expressionlessly at Chang Haoyang in the distance. The expression on Chang Haoyang’s face was far from pleasant, and his classmates dared not approach him, keeping their distance.

Rather than describing him as a stray little dog…

It would be more fitting to say he was a dog without a home.

Chang Bei casually tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Rules are rules. I’ve retired, and I don’t have the face to speak for him anymore.”

The woman seemed to have anticipated his response and shrugged. “Well… that child named Ji Mingzhu truly exceeded my expectations. I think the Red Guard Commander will probably like him.”

Chang Bei lowered his gaze and remained silent.

Becoming a Titan pilot sounded extremely prestigious and was the dream of every mecha pilot. The Titans, hailed as “gods among men,” possessed unimaginable power in their every move and were capable of directly confronting Disaster-level Aberrations. They were the last line of defense in the Satellite Cities and the guardians of the human world.

But Chang Bei had come down from that position. He knew that being a Titan pilot was both an honor and a curse.

Is it Ji Mingzhu?

Looking at the slender figure of that young boy, Chang Bei shook his head, his expression a mix of regret and sorrow.

He then stopped paying attention to the following assessments and left straight away.

…

At 4:50 PM, the final group assessment concluded.

The entire mecha combat class consisted of thirty-four students, and a total of seventeen were eliminated.

Naturally, the mood of the eliminated students was not good, while those who successfully advanced didn’t feel particularly relaxed either. Their gazes, intentionally or unintentionally, fell upon the young boy beside them, with a hint of jealousy in their eyes.

During the assessment, that figure controlling the mecha in an unstoppable manner, like a war god, left a deep impression on them.

“Ji Mingzhu.”

Just as Ji Mingzhu was preparing to leave the training grounds, he was suddenly called out. Looking up, he saw that it was one of the examiners calling him.

The examiner nodded at him and motioned, “Come with me for a moment.”

Amid the surprised gazes of the others, Ji Mingzhu stood up and followed the examiner to a group of people.

“He’s here.”

“What a spirited young lad. Indeed, heroes are born in their youth.”

“Cultivate him well, and he will undoubtedly become a formidable pilot in the future.”

Vice Dean Zhu Gehua, Head of the Mecha Division, several senior instructors, as well as a few core members of the Calamity Control Bureau, including Huo Zai, were among them. And… Zuo Quanzong was also there.

Ji Mingzhu’s gaze swept across the faces of these people, his expression masking a feigned confusion and apprehension.

“Don’t be nervous.”

Zhu Gehua, the Vice Dean, stepped forward and kindly patted Ji Mingzhu’s hand. “These individuals came from the Calamity Control Bureau to observe your assessment. They wanted to meet you.”

Ji Mingzhu’s face suddenly lit up with realization, and his gaze towards Huo Zai and the others became filled with respect.

For ordinary people living in Satellite City, the Calamity Control Bureau maintained public order and fought against dangerous Aberrations. They were considered the guardians of peaceful life.

The core members of the Thunder Division observed Ji Mingzhu, their expressions friendly.

Assuming that Ji Mingzhu’s talents and performance lived up to expectations, even if he couldn’t become a pilot of the “Zhu Jiuyin,” he would most likely become their colleague. Thus, they were generous in expressing goodwill.

With astonishing talent, a clean record, and diligent effort, even the seemingly weak point of coming from a “commoner” background could be described as “hardworking and persevering.” In any case, he was an unlimited star of tomorrow.

Zhu Gehua introduced, “This is the newly appointed Minister of the Thunder Division, Jin Qing.”

Amidst the surprised gazes of others, Jin Qing extended his hand to Ji Mingzhu. “Hello.”

Everyone exchanged glances.

Although Jin Qing had only arrived at the Calamity Control Bureau a few days ago, his background was well-known to all. Not to mention a student, even Deputy Minister Huo didn’t receive such a friendly reception…

Seeing this scene, the way everyone looked at Ji Mingzhu changed.

Ji Mingzhu hesitated for a moment, not sure what Jin Qing’s intentions were. But he put on a bewildered expression and extended his hand, shaking hands with Jin Qing.

Their hands touched and then separated.

Jin Qing displayed a somewhat stiff smile to Ji Mingzhu. “I’m looking forward to seeing your name on the future list of Titan pilots.”

Subsequently, the leaders of various Divisions and the officials from the Calamity Control Bureau stepped forward, offering encouragement to Ji Mingzhu. This somewhat peculiar meeting concluded.

From a normal perspective, Ji Mingzhu’s outstanding performance in the assessment and the reception he received from numerous leaders and officials of the Calamity Control Bureau indicated that he was on the path to success.

Zuo Quanzong, the Red Guard Commander, had a similar experience. Within two months of entering Zhongbingyi Academy, he became a formal pilot in the Calamity Control Bureau and then a Titan pilot, embarking on his legendary journey.

It was almost like a replica of that time.

Ji Mingzhu’s demeanor was also well-executed. He neither appeared subservient nor lacked the perceptible reverence and trepidation that a typical young person would display when meeting important figures.

However, Ji Mingzhu’s heart was far from calm.

Because…

He could feel that at the moment he shook hands with Jin Qing, the connection with Axiu, who had always been inside his body, suddenly and without warning was lost.

No matter how much Ji Mingzhu called out to Axiu in his mind, there was no response.

Finally, Zhu Gehua led Jin Qing and the others away. Before leaving, he asked Ji Mingzhu if he needed a ride back to his dormitory, but Ji Mingzhu politely declined, saying he could find his way back and also become more familiar with the paths in Zhongbingyi Academy since he was new there.

After everyone left, the feigned expression on Ji Mingzhu’s face completely disappeared.

“Axiu.”

Ji Mingzhu called out, “Axiu?”

After a while, Axiu finally responded, “I’m here.”

Ji Mingzhu breathed a sigh of relief.

The weight in his heart lifted, as he had feared something had gone wrong.

He hadn’t known Axiu for a long time, but Axiu was the first…being he encountered when he came to this world. Without Axiu, Ji Mingzhu might have died long ago. It could be said that in his heart, Axiu was both a trusted friend and a comrade he could rely on.

“Why didn’t you respond earlier?” Ji Mingzhu asked, “Did you encounter a bug?”

“No,” Axiu replied, “When you shook hands with Jin Qing, I detected a special data flow, so I cut off external communication.”

“A special data flow…” Ji Mingzhu was puzzled, “What does that mean?”

Axiu explained, “It means that Jin Qing is also an artificial intelligence.”

Ji Mingzhu was shocked.

…

“Yes.”

Huo Zai softly spoke through the communication channel, “Cease operations temporarily.”

“…”

“Our last assassination attempt failed, and we lost several more people,” Huo Zai’s gaze lowered. “The Calamity Control Bureau has already intervened. It’s time to stop. That child… is not the biggest threat at the moment, so we don’t need to worry about him.”

“…”

“They are in the Pestilence Division.”

After listening for a while, Huo Zai continued, “And the Ruminant Hounds, after they were captured, they were also sent to the Pestilence Division. The functions of different divisions in the Calamity Control Bureau do not overlap, and as the Deputy Minister, I don’t have access to the authority of the Pestilence Division… I know, I will find an opportunity.”

The lighting in the Thunder Division Minister’s office was dim, but the virtual screen in front provided the main source of light. The faint blue light illuminated Huo Zai’s profile, casting a subtle blue hue on his skin, even highlighting the veins on his face.

“I’m still investigating the Netherworld Organization.”

Huo Zai lightly tapped the desktop with his fingers. “They operate very covertly, with hardly any useful information leaking. But I have received information from Sky City. Two months ago, during the operation at the research institute, the Sky City’s ‘High Priest’ seems to have encountered some issues and is currently in a deep slumber. In these two months, the ‘High Priest’ has shown no signs of awakening.”

“This means that the ‘High Priest’ was not successful, and it’s likely that the target has already been intercepted by the Netherworld Organization…”

As Huo Zai listened to the voice on the other end of the communication, he continued tapping his fingers.

Suddenly, along with Huo Zai’s movements, there was some activity on the back of his hand. The previously smooth skin seemed to crack like the earth, revealing a few eerie fissures, with the edges slightly raised.

Huo Zai extended his other hand and smoothed out the cracks on the back of his hand.

He gazed at his hand, and in an instant, his expression became extremely complex.

Remembrance, hatred, confusion, self-pity… It was as if the sole survivor after doomsday stood in place, surveying the devastated landscape.

“I will be cautious.”

The emotions in Huo Zai’s eyes gradually dissipated. He sighed and said through the communication, “You should also… be careful.”

“After all, we are the only ones left, and the last hope.”

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