The blueprint design phase concluded.
The second round—the mech modification phase—began.
The advisors on the judges' panel couldn't help but fix their gazes on Bai Sha, while the holographic projectors hovering above focused their lenses on Bai Sha and Ying Chen's workstations.
They were the students who had taken first and second place in the design phase.
On the large screens, their blueprints were displayed prominently at the top of their respective live feeds. The competing students in the arena couldn't see the full details of these designs, but the spectators outside had a clear view.
"Ying Chen's a freak. He had barely any time left, and he still managed to produce a blueprint like that…"
"Ying Chen had the guts to start modifying parts before finishing his blueprint! Damn, who was spreading those fake rumors about his slow hands? His mental entity might be a sloth, but his hand speed's way faster than most!"
"I've never seen someone draw a blueprint so fast their stylus left afterimages…"
"Why's everyone talking about Ying Chen?" In the increasingly noisy arena, a mech engineering student, eyes glued to Bai Sha's feed, grew more exhilarated with every move she made. Unable to hold back, he grabbed his teammate and blurted, "Why aren't you talking about Bai Sha Ronin—"
He turned, only to see his two companions pause their discussion and exchange helpless glances.
"She's a Ronin. No matter how exceptional, it's expected."
"Her level? She could graduate from Tianquan Academy right now. We're not even in her league. A few sighs are enough…"
They were third-year students, yet their blueprint skills were so far behind they could only eat the exhaust of her hovercar.
What was that saying?
For rookies, scrutinizing a master's blueprint too closely is a form of cruelty.
By comparison, Ying Chen was more "relatable." With little time left, his drafting was rushed. Though his skill was evident, it wasn't outrageously unattainable.
But Bai Sha Ronin… she was on a godlike level. It made people hesitate to even compare themselves to her.
"The modification phase, though—maybe the outcome's not set," a student said, glancing at Ying Chen's feed. "Ying Chen already modified the engine earlier, so he'll save a ton of time. Bai Sha's practical modification skills are still unknown. Her hand speed can't possibly outpace Ying Chen's… right…" His eyes drifted to Bai Sha's feed, watching her work at the table. His mouth hung open, words trailing off into silence.
Multi-track assembly, dynamic molding, molecular welding…
Bai Sha maintained her calm, composed demeanor, operating like a precision machine. Her movements were dazzling, yet every detail was flawless upon closer inspection.
"It's not just solid fundamentals—she's using advanced techniques. First-year courses don't cover this level," the student murmured.
"Then she self-taught? Or her mentor drilled her."
Gifted students were often scouted by renowned mech engineers as personal disciples.
Much of the knowledge wasn't taught in academy classrooms but passed down privately by mentors.
Students, bogged down by heavy coursework, had limited time to practice mech crafting, no matter how diligent.
Bai Sha's exceptional talent, paired with what seemed like a mentor who thrived on pushing limits, resulted in work that didn't resemble a student's. She moved like a seasoned professional with years in the field.
Time ticked by, second by second…
Ding! Ding!
Two green lights flashed on the electronic leaderboard displaying candidate rankings.
Numbers 7 and 81 had completed their mech modifications!
"Submitted almost back-to-back?" a judge adjusted his photonic glasses, leaning in to review the two mechs.
The prepared scanners were already at work. It'd take a minute or two for the detailed metrics to come through, but that didn't stop them from critiquing the mechs' performance early.
"Ying Chen's got a distinct personal style. His modified mech has incredible racing burst power, perfectly aligning with the competition's theme," someone commented. "And his hand speed is remarkable. Honestly, it's rare to see such skill in a first-year."
"Heard he funded his academy tuition and travel by repairing mechs," another judge said, glancing at Ying Chen with unmasked admiration.
Tai Shirong sat quietly at the judges' panel, saying nothing.
She knew they'd end their praise with a pivot.
"But—"
"But we have another option that's simply flawless."
The scan data for both mechs came through quickly.
The judges exchanged glances and unanimously cast their highest votes for Bai Sha.
"The mech modification competition has concluded. Design and modification scores are finalized…"
A score table framed in blue appeared on the hovering screens.
Bai Sha squinted, unsurprised to see her name at the top.
Her "design score" and "modification score" were both perfect.
The broadcast announced: "First place—Tianquan Academy, Bai Sha Ronin."
With a burst of ceremonial cannons, shimmering golden ribbons fluttered down from above.
Bai Sha listened as the broadcast continued: "Second place, Dongluo Academy…"
She smiled, tuning out the rest. Pulling out her holo-brain, she snapped a photo and uploaded it to her private group chat with her friends.
"Mech engineer main slot secured. Leaderboard.JPG"
Moments later, the chat exploded with a string of "666" reactions.
Bai Sha noticed a new name in the group and clicked to check—Ji Ya from Nanmi Academy!
Surprised, she messaged Cen Yuehuai: "When did Ji Ya join our group?"
Cen Yuehuai replied instantly: "If we're recruiting her, we gotta start communicating early. Don't worry, she's already on board!"
Ji Ya's message popped up next:
"Honestly, I was planning to thrash Kaisin Grez in the selection challenge. But no matter how hard I beat him, his skill would still land him a pilot slot… I refuse to be teammates with that dumb dog! Thanks, Your Highness, for solving that problem for me. So, I'm in!"
Bai Sha: "…"
Just how much did Ji Ya despise Kaisin Grez?
Still, recruiting her was a stroke of luck.
Suppressing her quiet excitement, Bai Sha typed in the group: "How about dinner tonight to celebrate?"
"…Maybe not," Cen Yuehuai replied, sending a bleeding-mouth emoji. "We're still in special training. Probably getting beaten so bad we won't even have an appetite for dinner…"
Bai Sha hesitated, recalling the pilot department's schedule. "Is there special training today?"
Xino chimed in: "It's me and Ji Ya taking turns drilling Cen Yuehuai."
Cen Yuehuai sent a teary cat emoji.
After that, the group went silent.
…Cen Yuehuai was probably getting pummeled to the point of skipping meals.
Bai Sha sighed, silently praying for her friend.
At Cen Yuehuai's current level, securing a main team slot—even the lowest-ranked one—would be a significant hurdle.
Though her progress was remarkable, earning frequent praise from Xino and Yu Yan, her unruly mental entity held her back from unleashing her full combat potential. She'd positioned herself as a roaming support, pushing her already exceptional mech speed to new heights…
Lost in thought, Bai Sha was startled by approaching footsteps.
Turning, she saw Ying Chen from Dongluo Academy.
He'd recalled his mental entity and looked at Bai Sha, his faintly shadowed eyes carrying a listless air.
Ying Chen stared at Bai Sha.
Bai Sha gazed back at Ying Chen.
Bai Sha: "…?"
Just as she was about to speak, Ying Chen took a deep breath, his hoarse voice softly breaking the silence:
"You're… really, strong."
"Next time, let's… spar again."
Bai Sha nodded in response.
Satisfied, Ying Chen turned to leave, but Bai Sha called out, "Uh, do you always… talk like that?"
A faint flush crept across Ying Chen's cheeks.
Sensing his embarrassment, Bai Sha quickly apologized. "Sorry, I just heard you don't talk much with others."
"I—talk—slowly," Ying Chen explained hurriedly. "The more… nervous, the… slower—"
Frustrated, he pulled out a portable screen and started typing.
[I find text communication more convenient. That's why I rarely talk to people.]
Bai Sha nodded in agreement.
Ying Chen silently attached a magnetic ring to his forehead, securing the screen to it.
"You don't have to go that far… You're a person, not a robot! Show your face and stop dodging reality!"
Ying Chen's screen displayed a teary 〒_〒 emoji.
…In short, Ying Chen was socially anxious, likely due to psychological reasons.
Bai Sha didn't press him to keep talking, only insisting he remove the screen. She was certain that if Ying Chen walked out of the arena with that thing, tomorrow's rumors about "Ying Chen the weirdo" would only grow. Though he already had a reputation for oddity, Bai Sha believed he didn't want things to get worse.
"You should probably take it off—"
Ying Chen shook his head, turning to bolt.
Bai Sha tsked, grabbing a retractable mechanical arm from the worktable and yanking him back by the collar.
Ying Chen reacted instantly, a metal gauntlet forming on his wrist. He swiped at the arm, sparks flying.
Students lingering in the arena, yet to leave, gaped at the scene, stunned for a moment before blurting:
"The first and second place are fighting?!"
Bai Sha: "…"
Great. The weird rumors were multiplying anyway.