Chapter 157 Stay Tuned

Seeing Lou Yitong's aggrieved expression, Xuan Xuan smiled and said, "Let her come up. I'll just protect her."

It had taken Lou Yitong a great deal of courage to finally want to participate in the competition; her enthusiasm could not be dampened.

True strength was forged through practice. Without real combat experience, one would forever remain a flower in a greenhouse, hesitating and worrying about this and that. Might as well just go straight home and not show up at all.

What was the point of using mechas or entering competitions?

Lou Yitong had finally mustered a trace of backbone; she could not be allowed to wither away like this.

Since Xuan Xuan agreed, Moqi Weihao had no other choice but to nod, though he repeatedly admonished them to mind their safety.

Xuan Xuan glanced at him sideways. Did he really think her strength was so weak that she needed the protection of a few men?

"Just worry about yourself and that will be enough."

Looking helpless, Moqi Weihao led the group onto the martial arena. Aizhe's team still fielded six members, while the remaining mecha mechanic still did not come up, merely standing off to the side. Seeing Xuan Xuan and her group step onto the stage with seven members, a hint of confusion crossed his mind.

The spectators off the stage felt even more strange. Did these two individuals possess some special abilities? Otherwise, bringing a few dead weight passengers onto the field was simply pointless.

Kuang Shao and the others, however, knew that Xuan Xuan's group was going all out. Even Kuang Shao did not dare to underestimate Lou Yitong's support capabilities.

Aizhe was somewhat surprised; his impression of Lou Yitong was still stuck on her previous all-around support and comprehensive reduction of opponents' strength. In a match like this, Lou Yitong's utility should actually be quite minimal.

As for Xuan Xuan's abilities, Aizhe was unaware of them, though he felt somewhat concerned for Xuan Xuan's safety and cast a very displeased look at Moqi Weihao.

The commentator for this match happened to be the same person from last time. Although he had shirked for a long time and no one else was willing to step up, he gritted his teeth and began his commentary: "The two groups of contestants that everyone has been eagerly anticipating have actually met before the final showdown. As to who will emerge victorious, let us all wait and see!"

"The group on the left side of the podium is the most promising contender for the championship. Their leader is Aizhe, and this team has consistently achieved swift victories throughout. They haven't revealed much of their true strength, and I believe they hold numerous hidden cards. Can the 'Seconds-Kill' squad force them to play all their cards?"

"On the other side is the massive dark horse, the 'Seconds-Kill' squad. This lineup is probably the most eccentric combination in the history of the Federal First Military Academy, with support personnel making up more than half the team. Their goal is the championship, and I look forward to their performance. So far, only two members of their team have seen action, but neither of their strengths can be underestimated, especially their captain, Moqi Weihao. So, who among today's matchup between their squad and the one led by Aizhe will claim the ultimate victory?"

Just as the commentator's voice faded, the referee on the arena announced the official start of the match.

The moment the referee announced the start, everyone in the arena fell silent, all eyes locked on the competition unfolding before them. Yet, contrary to expectations, after the referee's declaration, the two teams on the field remained completely still for a long time.

Both sides were poised and ready for action, yet neither wished to make the first move.

The one who broke the deadlock between the two factions was Lou Yitong. Her singing gradually rose. Once she entered her state, the gazes of everyone in the arena shifted entirely to her, for her voice possessed a peculiar charm.

Except for the first-year freshmen, everyone else had only heard rumors that the Federal First Military Academy possessed such a newcomer, but had never actually witnessed it.

Even so, everyone felt a trace of doubt. It seemed her abilities were not quite as miraculous as the legends suggested.

Those present on the field did not feel any buffing or debuffing effects, though their spirits did experience a slight uplift.

Aizhe's gaze was also fixed on Lou Yitong. He had experienced Lou Yitong's singing quite a few times; it made no sense for it to have no effect whatsoever at this stage. Glancing at Moqi Weihao, he noticed they seemed to have already felt the enhancement of Lou Yitong's song.

Frowning deeply, could it be that Lou Yitong was now capable of selectively choosing targets for enhancement?

If that were the case, the longer the match dragged on, the more disadvantageous it would be for them. Without hesitation, Aizhe made the first move with his feet, moving at blinding speed straight toward Lou Yitong. Though uncertain, he chose to trust his intuition.

The moment Aizhe moved, his teammates, who had fought alongside him for a long time, instantly sprang into action as well, demonstrating formidable coordination.

As Aizhe charged over, Lou Yitong made no defensive moves whatsoever. As if she hadn't even noticed Aizhe's approach from across the field, she continued singing her song.

Moqi Weihao, Moqi Weihan, and the others swiftly formulated their counter-measures, each fulfilling their respective duties exactly as instructed off the stage beforehand.

Xuan Xuan watched the unfolding scene with composed detachment. Although the combat prowess of Zuo Chen and the others was inferior to Aizhe's subordinates, their advantage lay in their mechas' rapid reaction speeds, allowing them to barely hold their ground. Meanwhile, Moqi Weihan single-handedly entangling two opponents was not an issue; though he couldn't resolve the situation instantly, he remained entirely at ease.

Moqi Weihao and Aizhe, however, were evenly matched adversaries. Both moved with extreme swiftness—Aizhe was fast, but Moqi Weihao was no slower, and his reaction speed was particularly astonishing.

The combat awareness of both men was exceptionally high; each other's moves were entirely within the other's expectations. Before one side even made a move, the other already knew what their next action would be.

Sometimes, their movements were so harmoniously synchronized that they looked like the actions of a single person.

Even Xuan Xuan could not help but view the two of them in a new light.

Moqi Weihao had grown considerably of late, while Aizhe was actually two years younger than Moqi Weihao. Yet, standing before Moqi Weihao, he did not show the slightest sign of weakness, making him all the more admirable.

The situation on the field was slowly shifting. While Moqi Weihao and Aizhe remained locked in a stalemate, one of the two opponents engaged by Moqi Weihan had already been neutralized. Out of the corner of his eye, Aizhe caught a glimpse of this and saw that one of his teammates had already been eliminated. Though his expression remained calm, his movements grew increasingly rapid.

Aizhe naturally excelled in wind-attribute speed, and pushing his mecha to its absolute limits, his sparring with Moqi Weihao was so fast that his movements became nearly imperceptible, at times leaving behind only a blur of afterimages.

Yet the spectators grew even more awestruck by Moqi Weihao. Amidst such blistering speed, Moqi Weihao was actually able to anticipate Aizhe's moves in advance and react even before Aizhe executed them.

Throughout their exchange, everyone could see that not a single movement made by Moqi Weihao was wasted; every single action was specifically targeted at countering Aizhe's next move.

Aizhe's speed grew increasingly frantic. He had already realized that under Lou Yitong's enhancement, Moqi Weihao's speed was continuously increasing and his combat power growing steadily stronger. What was more, it wasn't just Moqi Weihao—all five members of their opposing team exhibited this trend. If this progression continued unchecked, it would take almost no time at all for his own team to be placed at a complete disadvantage.

He had to deal with Lou Yitong first, or launch an all-out assault to take down Moqi Weihao. Otherwise, once Moqi Weihan freed up his hands, they would have no chance left to play.