That night, I was hunched over my dorm workstation, fine-tuning the green defense module I'd modified earlier. The smell of fresh paint still hung in the air. Under the desk lamp, the smooth metal surface glimmered faintly.
Out of habit, I refreshed the page on MechLoversNet.
The post about my so-called "turtle shell" had only been up for two days, yet it had already hit over a thousand views. The comment section was exploding.
Most people were debating the design concept and color choices. Some even wondered if the image came from an instructor's demonstration model.
But among all the replies, one particular username caught my eye—
SteelHand_07.
He didn't leave a public comment. Instead, he sent me a private message.
It was short.
"Can you share your defense module data? Especially the parameters for that multilayer energy coating."
I stared at the message for several seconds, fingers frozen above the keyboard.
Most people wouldn't have even noticed that layer of energy coating. It was something I'd stumbled upon while browsing through old archives—a material combination that hadn't been published anywhere.
I typed back a question mark.
"What do you need it for?"
A reply came almost instantly.
"For an experiment. Not for commercial use."
I hesitated.
The academy had strict rules about sharing design data, especially anything related to energy systems or defensive layering.
Before I could decide, another message popped up.
"I can trade. Name your price—what do you need?"
Straightforward, at least.
I leaned back in my chair, thinking it over, then replied:
"If we're trading, I'm looking for a high-latency compensation model for neural control circuits."
That was something I'd been wanting for months, but the data was nearly impossible to find.
He didn't reply for a long time.
I thought the conversation was over—until my screen blinked again.
"Give me two days."
I closed the window.
Outside, the night was thick and inky. Wind slipped in through the window cracks, cooling the sharp scent of paint.
Two days later, he returned.
"Sent the circuit model to your email. By the way—your mecha, it's defense-oriented, isn't it?"
My hand paused above the keyboard.
I had never mentioned that detail anywhere in the post.
I replied with a simple smiley face and left it at that.
He didn't push.
"Great work," he wrote. "Looking forward to your next one."
That was the end of our exchange.
Later that evening, Wang Mian and Ethan both rented bunks in my dorm room. They dragged in their gear, claiming they needed to "stick close."
I watched them set up their sleeping bags, expression unreadable.
"You two planning to move in permanently?" I asked dryly.
"Temporary command center," Wang Mian said seriously. "Tonight's mission is critical. No room for logistical errors."
Ethan leaned against the doorframe, smirking. "We're just making sure you don't sneak out again. The school forum's buzzing—people say you're seeing someone."
I rolled my eyes. "Dating? You all have way too much imagination."
Wang Mian fluffed his pillow and grinned. "Then clear it up for us. You disappear every night, come back with dark circles every morning. What are we supposed to think?"
I didn't bother explaining. I just said, calmly, "Then tonight, you'll find out for yourselves."
Ethan's smile faltered. "Wait, you're not seriously taking us to—"
"Quiet." I zipped up my jacket and grabbed my bag. "You'll see when we get there."
The campus after curfew was silent. Only the wind seemed to patrol the empty streets.
I led Wang Mian and Ethan through the maintenance hatch, down the shadowed path behind the teaching blocks, and into the abandoned sector. From there, we slipped into a narrow underground passage that connected to the main street.
Night on Planet 11 always looked too vivid to be real.
Giant holographic ads shimmered across the skyline. Neon light fractured against metal walls, scattering into broken reflections.
Street vendors whispered under the glow—selling parts, chips, and black-market energy cores.
It was chaos, noisy and alive, yet strangely familiar.
"This place definitely doesn't look like somewhere you'd go for a date," Wang Mian muttered, glancing around.
I smiled without answering.
After a few turns, we stopped before a half-collapsed wall.
A narrow iron door blinked with a red light, flickering like a heartbeat.
I raised my hand and knocked three times.
A sharp electronic tone replied. The door slid open, revealing a dim corridor lined with metal plating.
"Put your masks on," I said quietly.
I activated Apollo's auxiliary module. A thin film of light formed across my face, shaping into a sleek combat visor that left only my eyes visible. Then I pulled a metal ID tag from my pocket and scanned it against the entrance.
A faint blue light flashed.
[Verification Complete: ID – APOLLO]
Wang Mian and Ethan froze for a moment, then scrambled to follow. Their auxiliary systems booted up, translucent energy shields flickering to life over their skin.
The registrar at the counter barely looked up as our IDs appeared on his screen.
"Two guests, entering together?" he asked lazily, fingers gliding over the terminal. "Remember the rules. No fights off the stage, bets are your own risk."
He yawned and added, "Rest area's free for twenty hours. Win to extend, lose to shorten. Run out of time, and the system kicks you out automatically."
Ethan let out a low whistle. "Even rest time's a competition here."
The registrar ignored him and waved us through.
We followed the glowing arrows deeper in.
The spiral staircase wound downward, the air growing colder with each step. The sound of engines and metal grew louder, rumbling through the floor.
When we reached the bottom, the world opened up before us.
A massive underground arena spread out like a coliseum.
Engines roared. Sparks flew through the air.
Crowds cheered as towering mechas clashed, their strikes shaking the very walls.
Light panels above the stands flickered with betting odds and combat stats.
The sound was deafening—metal grinding, flames bursting, the roar of adrenaline and steel. The ground trembled beneath our feet.
Wang Mian shouted over the noise, "This is… the underground dueling arena?"
I nodded, eyes fixed on the two mechas locked in combat at the center of the pit.
One was built for speed, the other for sheer defense. Each impact landed like a mountain strike.
I clenched the ID tag in my palm and whispered,
"Welcome to the real battlefield."