First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 62
Chapter 62: Arena
Lian Sheng was still looking up at the sky, thinking to herself how well they had executed the details here. The atmosphere truly felt like a storm was brewing. She wondered if it would actually rain.
Zhao Zhuoluo walked out in his mech and waved at her, saying, "Let's go."
The three-meter-tall humanoid machine, with its gold-and-black exterior, appeared cold and imposing under the light.
Lian Sheng looked up and took a deep breath.
Such humanoid weapons were awe-inspiring just by their existence.
The entire surrounding area was a bombed-out district.
Zhao Zhuoluo led her to the lower third of the map, behind a broken wall, and set her down.
Lian Sheng could hide here, but Zhao Zhuoluo's conspicuous frame wasn't as inconspicuous. Yet he didn't leave, crouching behind her instead.
Zhao Zhuoluo detached a cannon from his back and thumped it onto the ground, saying, "This is for you."
The cannon was about a meter long and thirty centimeters in diameter, its metal shell kicking up a cloud of dust when it hit the ground. Its weight was evident.
Lian Sheng asked, "What is this?"
"An extra cannon configured for the mech. You can use it too. The energy is already loaded." Zhao Zhuoluo laid it horizontally on the ground, adjusting its angle with a rock. "When enemies come later, just aim and shoot. Have fun with it. The firing button is here."
Lian Sheng: "..."
Their teammates who overheard the conversation were nearly in tears: "...Could you two be serious? At our age, we can't handle this kind of shock."
Zhao Zhuoluo continued assigning tasks: "Cheng Ze, go lure the enemy team over. I'll clear the area for you."
Cheng Ze: "..."
Cheng Ze said, "Old Bu, I'll give you my cannon too. The mid-lane is yours."
Ye Buqing: "..."
While the group was still arguing over responsibilities, Fang Jianchen had already charged out. As the rear commander, he insisted on carrying a cannon and fighting on the front lines.
The positioning and tactics of these few were flashy yet unpretentious.
The self-proclaimed "Number One Inside and Out" was hopping mad: "Are you trying to dismantle your mechs? Who besides a mech can even lift those cannons? Are you here to joke around?! Just fight already!"
Amid his shouting, the enemy mechs had already attacked. They didn't seem to aim carefully, firing a shot straight down the street ahead.
The shockwave sent dust flying everywhere, layers of gray clouds rising from the impact site.
Grit seemed about to fly into her eyes, so Lian Sheng immediately dropped to the ground, hiding behind the wall.
Number One Inside and Out choked on a mouthful of dust, roughly wiping his face.
The dust hadn't settled, and visibility was still poor, but the system showed that the enemy's heavy attack had just wiped out over two thousand of their soldiers.
Number One Inside and Out cursed. Those had all been his assigned troops.
Cheng Ze looked ahead and said, "The enemy's reckless. Their heavy cannon is spent. No need to worry."
He handed his cannon to Ye Buqing and charged into the fray.
"No one's more reckless than you! Stop handing out cannons!" Number One Inside and Out yelled. "At least give some orders as commander! Don't hog the position if you can't do it!"
Fang Jianchen said, "Who needs orders? I'm charging straight out! The order is to kill!"
Cheng Ze clashed head-on with an enemy mech in the center, engaging in close combat. Soon after, Fang Jianchen and two other mechs arrived. Five mechs faced off in a three-versus-two at the map's center.
The other teammates hurriedly redirected their system soldiers to avoid collateral damage. The enemy clearly had the same idea. Thus, the small soldiers battled fiercely at the map's edges.
Everyone was in position except Zhao Zhuoluo and Lian Sheng, who remained hidden behind the wreckage, doing who-knows-what.
Number One Inside and Out, watching the green dots on the map, lamented the wasted mech potential and shouted, "Hey, mech pilot! Stop babysitting your girlfriend and come help already!"
Fang Jianchen retorted, "Don't insult my excellence like that!"
The mech's head tilted slightly as it calmly replied, "No need to worry. Conserving energy for a later strike."
The system soldiers fought on both sides while the five mechs battled fiercely in the center.
Cheng Ze was pinned against a building by three enemy mechs. Then the enemy fired a second heavy shot. Fang Jianchen slammed into Cheng Ze, barely dodging the attack.
The shot hit the building behind them, and the tallest structure on the map collapsed with a thunderous crash. The ground shook from the impact.
Lian Sheng covered her ears and looked into the distance.
This power, this speed, this destructive capability...
So this was what they called a mech?
"God, are they all elementary school kids?" Number One Inside and Out wailed, pounding his chest. "Just kill me now!"
Lian Sheng stood, brushed off her pants, and ran toward the green dots on the map.
Zhao Zhuoluo, confused, hoisted his cannon and followed.
Lian Sheng sprinted straight for the enemy.
Number One Inside and Out saw her approach and leaned out from a broken window, scowling. "What are you doing here?"
Lian Sheng stopped at a distance, raised her system-issued gun, and shot him in the head.
Number One Inside and Out fell with his eyes wide open.
The first casualty of the match had arrived.
Lian Sheng holstered her weapon and nodded. "Honored to oblige."
Everyone: "..."
The enemy team was equally shocked by the kill notification.
"What just happened? Who got killed?"
"No idea?"
"Holy crap, friendly fire? Internal conflict?"
"But the match just started!"
The enemy commander said cheerfully, "We're saved, comrades! While they're busy infighting, let's secure this win!"
The team was stunned by Lian Sheng's brutality, especially the latecomers. They gaped, utterly speechless.
Fang Jianchen sighed admiringly. "Truly worthy of a little sister who scored 250 points."
"Don't be scared, everyone. Be understanding. She's literally a child—only eight years old," Zhao Zhuoluo said. "So don't provoke her."
The channel fell silent. What kind of team was this?
Hearing "eight years old," Lian Sheng's lips twitched. Deadpan, she said, "Give me the soldiers. I'll command."
Fang Jianchen, busy fighting, hastily transferred command authority to Cheng Ze.
Lian Sheng: "..."
Cheng Ze, now in charge of forty thousand soldiers and one mech: "..."
He was terrified! Why were his teammates all backstabbers? Where did this trend even start?
Cheng Ze said, "Excellent! Let's farm points. You stay back and play with her."
Fang Jianchen felt the team atmosphere had deteriorated beyond repair. The joke had gone far enough—it was time to get serious. If they kept pretending, they'd never live it down.
He was a sniper, but this was a beginner's battlefield. The mechs were all low-tier mass-produced models, with no option to choose types.
Energy reserves were critically low, so the mechs resorted to melee combat. Each was equipped with a single-use heavy cannon.
Fang Jianchen pulled out his cannon and began retreating, shouting, "Block them!"
The enemy mechs, sensing danger, tried to flee. Cheng Ze went all out, charging at high speed and slamming into one. A heavy shot landed, and Cheng Ze barely escaped.
One mech was instantly destroyed, another heavily damaged, and the last one narrowly escaped—only to be pursued by Cheng Ze.
Fang Jianchen clicked his tongue regretfully. "What a waste. Could've been a double kill."
He raised his arm, aimed, and fired a full-power blast.
The third mech was eliminated.
The enemy team was utterly baffled. What was happening?
Fang Jianchen and Cheng Ze, now out of energy, disembarked their mechs and regrouped with Lian Sheng and the others.
Lian Sheng looked up and said, "It's about to rain."
"Seriously?" Fang Jianchen stopped and looked up. "Take cover! It's acid rain here!"
The group was skeptical but ordered their system soldiers into nearby buildings before gathering in a sheltered spot. Soon enough, rain began to fall.
As the drops hit the ground, a white mist seemed to rise in the air.
Zhao Zhuoluo, now the sole mech pilot, went out to sweep the battlefield.
Any system soldiers caught in the open were already incapacitated. Those hiding in ruins were easy pickings.
He took the heavy cannons stored with Lian Sheng and Ye Buqing and headed straight for the enemy base.
The group waited where they were for Zhao Zhuoluo's triumphant return.
Fang Jianchen turned to Lian Sheng in amazement. "Little sister, you can predict the weather too? How did you know it would rain?"
Lian Sheng raised her gun and shot him.
Fang Jianchen: "..."
A roar came from Fang Jianchen's device: "What the—hell?!"
Cheng Ze exclaimed, "Why did you kill him?"
Zhao Zhuoluo said, "He holds grudges."
"So do I," Lian Sheng said. "But tell him I'm eight."
Everyone: "..."
This particularly chaotic point-farming match hadn't lasted long—under half an hour. But afterward, the randomly matched teammates were so traumatized they all quit, forcing the group to find new members.
By noon, they had farmed eight points. The four then logged off to grab lunch.
Lian Sheng stayed in the Star Network to digest the experience.
She realized that farming points with them had few benefits beyond occasionally killing Fang Jianchen.
This was a beginner's arena, and their overwhelming advantage meant no real strategy was needed. They also refused to let her pilot a mech, strictly sticking to point farming. Efficiency-wise, it was painfully slow.
The only upside was Zhao Zhuoluo answering her questions about mech operation while following her around.
She decided to try joining another team to pilot a mech herself, relying on her weather-prediction skills.
Lian Sheng tried joining several teams but kept getting kicked.
She scratched her brow, puzzled. Her points were no longer zero, and among these beginners, she wasn't particularly outstanding. Was it really necessary?
As she turned to leave, she caught a glimpse of familiar text on a nearby wall but didn't pay it much mind. Just as she was about to log off, she realized it was her ID.
She spun around and saw a stream of messages scrolling across the wall.
[World] Number One Inside and Out: Since ancient times, Three Demons has been home to freaks. Congratulations to the beginner's zone for gaining another shit-stirrer—Piaoqi Great General.
Lian Sheng picked her ear and kept reading.
[World] Number One Inside and Out: Absolutely insane, killing teammates left and right! The whole team's nuts! People who can't command take command roles, people who can't analyze take analyst roles, stealing mechs to flirt on the sidelines—what's the point of showing off in the beginner's zone? Does your family know you're this much of a menace?!
A passerby noticed Lian Sheng's odd attire and ID, realizing she was the one being publicly shamed. They sidled over and egged her on: "Someone's trash-talking you like that. Aren't you going to challenge them?"
Lian Sheng turned. "What challenge?"
The person paused, then explained, "You set up a duel arena and invite them to fight."
They added excitedly, "Wanna try? Wanna try?"
Lian Sheng looked up the feature and found it.
Arena Duel:
Use all current points as a base to initiate arena challenge mode.
Scoring rules:
1. Cumulative points system in sets of three matches. Wins 1–3 award 1 point each. Wins 4–6 award 2 points each. Wins 7–9 award 3 points each... and so on, with no upper limit.
2. Each loss deducts 10 points. The challenge ends when base points reach zero.
Participation:
Sign up to join. Challengers lose 1 point if they fail and gain 10 if they succeed. Each person gets only one attempt. Generous rewards—participate enthusiastically!
Lian Sheng's eyes lit up. So this was an option? Stroking her chin, she set up an arena and sent an invitation to the trash-talker.
Simultaneously, a system announcement popped up.
[Announcement] System: Player Piaoqi Great General has initiated a personal arena. First challenger: Number One Inside and Out. The initial match will begin in five minutes. Players, please remain online.
The moment the message appeared, a flood of responses followed.
"An arena duel? Wait for me! I'm signing up now!"
"After all that ranting, the target finally shows up?"
"Impressive! Straight to a personal arena!"
"I'm so pumped I'm skipping lunch for this drama!"
"This is what I call a proper feud! I'm rooting for you! First sign-up, wait for me—I'm coming too!"
"It's been ages since anyone started an arena duel. I could cry!"
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Beat em up!
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