Chapter 7: Logic Frame Emerges
The ceremony hall gradually emptied as officials processed each newly awakened pilot through the final registration checkpoints. Lin Feng waited his turn, watching the reactions of those around him with the detachment of someone who'd already lived through the emotional turbulence of youth once before.
A girl three seats away was sobbing—whether from joy or disappointment, Lin Feng couldn't tell. A boy near the front was practically vibrating with excitement, gesturing wildly as he described his mecha to an official. Another teenager sat slumped in his seat, staring at his screen with hollow eyes. Tier 1, probably with average stats. The reality of being ordinary in a world that worshipped power settling on his shoulders.
Lin Feng felt a twinge of sympathy but pushed it aside. Everyone's path was their own. He had enough to worry about without taking on others' burdens.
"Group 47, rows 15 through 20, proceed to Testing Chamber 7," an official's voice called through the speakers.
Lin Feng stood, following the flow of teenagers through a side corridor into a smaller chamber. This room was different from the awakening hall—more clinical, with white walls and sophisticated equipment lining the perimeter. In the center stood what looked like a large circular platform, maybe ten meters in diameter, with scanning arrays positioned around it.
Director Zhao Mei was waiting there, along with three technicians in white lab coats. She smiled as the group filed in.
"Congratulations again on your successful awakenings," she said. "This next phase is purely procedural. We need to conduct detailed scans of your mechas to establish baseline measurements. This data will be used for your pilot licenses, academy applications, and official military records."
She gestured to the platform. "You'll each take turns manifesting your mecha here in the physical world. Yes, I know you haven't been taught how to do that yet, but trust me—it's instinctive. Just like synchronization. Your mecha exists in your soul space, but with focus, you can project it into physical reality. That's the core of what pilots do."
One of the technicians stepped forward, a woman with sharp eyes and efficient movements. "The process is simple. Step onto the platform, close your eyes, and focus on your mecha. Feel the connection you established during awakening. Then will it to appear beside you. Don't overthink it. Just want it to happen, and it will."
A boy from Lin Feng's row volunteered first, eager to show off. He stepped onto the platform, closed his eyes, and his face scrunched up in concentration. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the air beside him shimmered, like heat waves rising from hot pavement, and light coalesced into form.
His mecha materialized—a twelve-meter assault type, painted red and black, with oversized arm cannons and a aggressive forward-leaning posture. The gathered teenagers gasped, and the boy's face split into a massive grin.
"Tier 2," one of the technicians announced after checking his instruments. "Assault classification. Weapon specialization: energy projection. Above average awakening."
The boy practically danced off the platform, and Lin Feng saw several others looking at him with envy. Tier 2 on first awakening was rare—maybe one in fifty people. It meant higher starting power and faster growth potential.
Several more teenagers went through the process. Most were Tier 1 with average stats. One girl manifested a support-type mecha that was only eight meters tall—significantly below average—and she left the platform trying not to cry. Another boy got Tier 1 but with a speed-type mecha that the technicians praised for its "excellent mobility specifications."
Then it was Lin Feng's turn.
He stepped onto the platform calmly, ignoring the expectant stares from those waiting behind him. Director Zhao was watching him with professional interest—she'd probably seen thousands of awakenings over the years, but each one was still unique.
Lin Feng closed his eyes and reached inward, feeling for that connection he'd established minutes ago. It was there, solid and clear, like a thread connecting his consciousness to something vast. He could feel Logic Frame waiting in his soul space, patient and ready.
Come, Lin Feng thought, and pulled.
The response was immediate. Energy flowed through that connection, and Lin Feng felt something shift in the fabric of space around him. The air grew heavy, charged, and then reality bent as his soul space overlapped with physical reality for just a moment.
Light erupted beside him—not harsh, but steady and bright—and when it faded, Logic Frame stood on the platform.
Fifteen meters of midnight blue and silver metal, standing with perfect balance despite the confined space. The mecha's single visor-eye swept across the room, and Lin Feng felt its awareness through their connection. Not true consciousness, but something close—an intelligence focused entirely on protection, on combat, on serving its pilot.
The gathered teenagers went silent, and Lin Feng opened his eyes to see them staring at his mecha with varying expressions. Some impressed, some envious, some analytical.
Logic Frame was taller than most of the mechas that had manifested so far, and its design was clearly more sophisticated. Where other mechas looked like they'd been built for a single purpose—pure offense, pure defense—Logic Frame looked adaptable. Every line suggested functionality, efficiency, and potential.
The technicians immediately sprang into action, their instruments humming as they directed scanning beams at Logic Frame from multiple angles. Numbers scrolled across their screens, and Lin Feng saw their expressions shift from routine professionalism to genuine interest.
"Tier 1," the lead technician announced, and Lin Feng felt several teenagers lose interest immediately. Tier 1 was common. Average. Nothing special.
But the technician wasn't finished.
"Energy capacity..." She paused, double-checking her readings. "500 units. That's five times standard for a Tier 1 mecha."
Now people were paying attention again. Murmurs rippled through the waiting group.
"Height: 15 meters, definitely above average. Classification: Balanced type with modular architecture." The technician looked up from her screen, meeting Lin Feng's eyes. "Your mecha is designed for equipment integration. See those mounting points on the shoulders and back? Those hard points along the arms and legs? This frame is built to accept additions and modifications far beyond what most mechas can handle."
Director Zhao stepped closer, walking around Logic Frame with an appraising eye. "Interesting. Very interesting. The energy capacity alone would be noteworthy, but combined with this modular design... You have a mecha that's built for long-term growth rather than immediate power."
"Is that good or bad?" Lin Feng asked, though he already knew the answer.
"It's neither, objectively," Director Zhao said. "But in practical terms, it means you'll need to invest more effort into equipment acquisition and optimization than pilots with more straightforward builds. However, if you do that work, your growth potential is exceptional. I'd say this is one of the more interesting awakenings I've seen this month."
The technician nodded. "Frame integrity is also notably high—your mecha's structural stability is in the 90th percentile for Tier 1. And look at this synchronization resonance..." She showed her screen to Director Zhao, who raised her eyebrows.
"You achieved 45% synchronization during your first awakening?" Director Zhao looked at Lin Feng with new interest. "That's unusual. Most pilots take weeks to reach that level."
Lin Feng kept his expression neutral. "I've been preparing for this for a long time."
"Clearly." Director Zhao made a note on her tablet. "Well, congratulations, Lin Feng. You have a solid foundation to build on. With proper training and equipment investment, I expect you'll do very well."
She gestured for him to step off the platform. "You can dismiss your mecha now. Just will it back to your soul space the same way you summoned it."
Lin Feng focused on the connection again and gently released it. Logic Frame didn't vanish—instead, it seemed to fade, becoming translucent and then simply ceasing to exist in physical space. But Lin Feng could still feel it in his soul space, could still sense its presence waiting for him.
He stepped off the platform, and the next student eagerly took his place.
After all the testing was complete, the newly awakened pilots were herded into a large briefing room. Director Zhao stood at the front with a presentation screen behind her.
"Now that you've all awakened, you face your first major decision as pilots," she began. "What path will you take? You have three primary options."
The screen displayed three columns:
Military ServiceCorporate Employment
Independent/Academy
"Military service," Director Zhao explained, "means enlisting in the Portal Defense Force. You'll receive structured training, regular salary, and clear advancement paths. The military needs pilots desperately, and they offer excellent benefits. However, you'll be subject to military discipline and deployment orders. Your freedom will be limited."
She moved to the next column. "Corporate employment means signing with one of the major corporations that operate in the Land of Origin. Companies like Azure Sky Industries, Stellar Mechanics, and Titan Resources all hire pilots for resource extraction, territory defense, and commercial operations. The pay is often better than military service, but corporations can be... demanding. And their ethics are sometimes questionable."
Finally, she gestured to the third column. "The independent path usually means attending a mecha academy first. Academies provide comprehensive training without binding contracts. After graduation, you can choose to go military, corporate, or truly independent as a mercenary. This path offers the most freedom but also the least security. You'll need to fund your own equipment and training."
She paused, letting them absorb the information. "You don't need to decide today. You have one month before academy applications are due, and military recruitment is ongoing year-round. But start thinking about what you want. Your awakening doesn't determine your path—your choices do."
Lin Feng had already made his decision years ago. Academy first, to learn fundamentals and make connections. Then independent mercenary work, building his own team, maintaining freedom to pursue his goals without corporate or military constraints.
But that was future planning. Right now, he needed to focus on the immediate next step: getting accepted to National Defense Academy.
The ceremony officially concluded two hours later. Officials distributed information packets, answered questions, and scheduled follow-up appointments for final licensing. By early afternoon, Lin Feng was finally released to meet his family.
They were waiting in the plaza outside, and Xiao Yue spotted him first. She ran forward, practically tackling him with a hug.
"How did it go? What tier? What type? Let me see it!"
"Xiao Yue, give him space to breathe," their mother chided, but she was smiling as she embraced Lin Feng too.
His father approached more sedately, but there was pride evident in his expression. "Well?"
"Tier 1," Lin Feng said, watching his father's face carefully for disappointment. There was none. "Balanced type. But with 500 unit energy capacity and modular design."
His father's eyebrows rose. "500? That's—"
"Five times normal," Lin Feng confirmed. "The officials said it means high growth potential with proper equipment investment."
"That's incredible!" Xiao Yue bounced excitedly. "Can I see it? Can you manifest it here?"
Lin Feng glanced around the plaza. Several other newly awakened pilots were showing off their mechas to family members, creating a chaotic scene of multi-colored metal giants and excited crowds.
"Not here," Lin Feng decided. "Too crowded. When we get home, I'll show you properly."
The family headed to the parking area where they'd left their car—not a hover vehicle, those were still too expensive, but a reliable electric sedan. During the drive home, Xiao Yue peppered Lin Feng with questions that he answered patiently, while his parents listened with quiet satisfaction.
When they finally arrived home, Lin Feng led everyone to the backyard. Their property wasn't huge, but there was enough space for a fifteen-meter mecha if it stood carefully.
"Everyone stand back," Lin Feng instructed unnecessarily—his family had already retreated to a safe distance.
He closed his eyes, reached for that now-familiar connection, and pulled. The air shimmered, and Logic Frame materialized in the backyard, its feet settling into the grass with surprising lightness. Despite its size and metal construction, the mecha's weight distribution was so efficient that it barely left impressions in the ground.
Xiao Yue gasped. "It's beautiful."
Their mother's hand covered her mouth, eyes wide. Even having seen her own mecha and her husband's countless times, witnessing her son's awakening was clearly emotional.
But it was their father's reaction that Lin Feng valued most. The old pilot walked forward slowly, examining Logic Frame with a professional eye. He circled the mecha, taking in the modular mounting points, the layered armor design, the efficient proportions.
"This is a well-designed frame," he said finally. "Not flashy, not overwhelming, but solid. The kind of mecha that gets better with every upgrade you install." He looked up at Logic Frame's visor-eye, and the mecha looked back. "You can tell a lot about a pilot from their mecha. This one says you're patient, methodical, focused on long-term growth. That's exactly what I'd expect from you."
Lin Feng felt warmth spread through his chest at the approval. "You really think it's good?"
"I think it's perfect for you," his father said. "A flashy Tier 2 assault type would have drawn too much attention, too many expectations. This—" he gestured at Logic Frame "—this is a foundation you can build an empire on if you're willing to do the work."
"I am."
"I know." His father smiled. "I've watched you prepare for ten years. If anyone is ready to maximize their mecha's potential, it's you."
They stayed in the backyard for another hour, with Lin Feng demonstrating basic movements—making Logic Frame raise its arms, take steps, kneel down so Xiao Yue could get a closer look at the chest core. The mecha responded to his thoughts smoothly, the synchronization feeling more natural with each passing minute.
Finally, as the sun began setting, Lin Feng dismissed Logic Frame back to his soul space. The mecha faded from reality, but Lin Feng could still sense it there, patient and ready.
"What's your first step?" his mother asked as they headed back inside.
"Academy application tomorrow," Lin Feng said. "National Defense Academy. With my stats, I should qualify for the advanced track."
"And after that?"
Lin Feng paused at the doorway, looking back at where Logic Frame had stood. "After that, I start building. Equipment, skills, connections, experience. Everything I need to become the kind of pilot who can protect what matters."
His father clasped his shoulder. "Then let's have a celebration dinner. Tomorrow the real work begins."
That night, after dinner and family celebration and finally retreating to his room, Lin Feng sat on his bed and closed his eyes. He focused inward, slipping into his soul space with ease that came from ten years of preparation and one day of practice.
Logic Frame stood in the infinite white void, waiting.
Lin Feng approached it, placing his hand against the cool metal of its leg. Through their connection, he could feel the mecha's systems, could sense its capabilities and limitations.
Tier 1 with 500 energy capacity. Modular architecture ready for upgrades. Balanced type with no specialized strengths but also no critical weaknesses.
It was exactly what he needed.
"Tomorrow we start testing the Analysis Protocol," Lin Feng said aloud in the silence of his soul space. "Ten years of theory. Time to see if it actually works in practice."
Logic Frame's eye brightened in acknowledgment.
Lin Feng smiled. After everything—death, reincarnation, a decade of preparation, and now awakening—he was finally ready to begin his real journey.
The path from Tier 1 to the peak of power was long and dangerous.
But Lin Feng had something no one else had: a programmer's mind, a systematic approach to combat, and ten years of preparation waiting to be put into practice.
Let the other pilots rely on talent and instinct.
Lin Feng would rely on his system.