First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 139

Chapter 139: Discuss

Lian Sheng walked out of the training room close to nine o'clock.

Nearly two hours of competition meant she'd been running inside the sensor for almost two hours. The latter half had been a desperate sprint, and when she finally stepped out of the sensor, her legs were weak. She sat by the entrance for thirty minutes, casually accepting the admiring glances from passersby.

Just as evening classes ended, a large crowd surged out of the teaching buildings, bustling and jostling forward.

Lian Sheng tilted her head to look at the streetlights above. She felt hungry—and a bit empty.

"Look who I see! My hubby!"

A familiar voice came from behind.

Her roommates recognized her and rushed over, slinging arms over her shoulders while laughing uproariously.

"I just watched your match," Roommate C said in a hushed voice. "So amazing, my god. You were almost literally flying!"

People around them turned to look, recognizing her, and slowed their steps to linger nearby.

Lian Sheng asked, "Weren't you in class?"

Roommate C snorted. "As if the professor could keep us apart?!"

Roommate A laughed. "Mainly because the professor didn't use the right method. Should've brought a stick."

Roommate C shoved her away. "Get lost!"

The four of them walked along, chatting and laughing, until a male student observing from the side finally confirmed her identity and approached with his optical computer raised.

Clearly excited, he asked eagerly, "Lian Sheng, right? Can I interview you?"

Lian Sheng glanced at him and replied bluntly, "No."

The boy said, "Sorry, it won't take long."

Lian Sheng: "How long is 'not long'? I don't want to waste a single second, let alone anything longer."

Boy: "..."

Lian Sheng gave him a nod and walked past.

This guy was so unprofessional. She'd been sitting outside the training room for half an hour with nothing to do—where was he then? Now that she was rushing to eat, he suddenly wanted an interview?

No deal.

Lian Sheng detoured to the cafeteria while her roommates returned to the dorm to prepare materials for tomorrow's classes.

She ordered a bowl of noodles with extra vegetables. After slurping down a few bites, she finally reopened her optical computer.

Bright Bulb had been spamming her with calls—twelve missed, and another incoming.

Lian Sheng clicked her tongue in annoyance but answered anyway. As expected, Hundred Meter Flying Dagger was the one using the device. He grinned and waved at her.

The others were gathered together, and when they saw the call connect, both Bulb brothers came over.

"Yo! Congrats on the win," Bright Bulb said, crossing his arms. "Not bad."

For them, whether it was the finals or not didn't matter. Defeating strong opponents and making progress were the real significance of competition.

Bright Bulb added, "You should thank your opponent. Without him, you wouldn't have grasped the practical application of thrusters so quickly."

Lian Sheng nodded.

Combat and training were entirely different. Things like state and epiphanies were nebulous and heavily influenced by one's opponent. Perhaps it was Yan Shuo's sword that had drawn out her speed—today, she'd truly taken her first step.

Hundred Meter Flying Dagger leaned in, peering at her screen, then said, "You're eating noodles? Noodles at night make you fat. Eat more chicken and high-protein stuff. You've been working hard lately."

Lian Sheng took a sip of broth and chewed. She thought she heard background noise on the other end but didn't pay it much mind, assuming they were watching something.

Bright Bulb chatted with her a bit longer, assigning some targeted training. Finally, Super Bright Bulb couldn't take it anymore and snapped, "Zhou Shirui! You absolute lunatic, answer the damn call already! Or just hang up!"

Hundred Meter Flying Dagger remained unruffled. "Not hanging up. She'd kill me."

Super Bright Bulb: "Then mute it! Are you insane?!"

"No," Hundred Meter Flying Dagger said, picking at his ear. "If I mute it, how will I know when she calls? I need to imagine her furious expression right now."

It was the first time Lian Sheng had seen Super Bright Bulb so angry. But he was clearly already at his limit—and then he truly exploded.

Bulb Brother grabbed him by the neck, twisted his arm behind his back, and dragged him out of frame.

A series of yelps followed, punctuated by Super Bright Bulb's roars: "Answer it or not?! Hurry up and answer, damn it!"

Lian Sheng: "..."

Bright Bulb gave them a sidelong glance, shook his head, and turned back to Lian Sheng. "Don't mind them."

Lian Sheng focused on her noodles, nodding between bites.

"..." Bright Bulb said, "At least look at me. I'm your teacher."

Win a match and the first thing she does is eat noodles instead of thanking her master?

They seemed to be waiting for her specifically, so they must have had something to discuss. Lian Sheng asked, "What's up?"

Bright Bulb said, "We might not be around for a while. I'll set up a training schedule for you—follow it, then adjust the intensity yourself once you adapt. Get your physical condition up as soon as possible."

Lian Sheng nodded. "Got it. Thanks. I feel like I've improved a lot recently."

This match had taught her something: while mech performance could compensate for some gaps, sensor operation demanded immense physical stamina.

Against stronger opponents, this would be a fatal weakness.

Bright Bulb glanced into the distance before looking back. He swayed slightly and asked, "By the way, do you want to switch out your weapon? Something more suited to your style would make things easier. Like in this match—it didn't really complement your techniques."

Lian Sheng perked up instantly. "I can change it?"

Bright Bulb smirked. "Mhm. What do you think?"

Super Bright Bulb returned just in time to hear this and chimed in, "If you're swapping gear, Lion can handle the fine-tuning. But for weapon specs, he's clueless—you'll need someone else for that."

Lian Sheng, lost, asked, "How does that work?"

Super Bright Bulb said, "It's complicated. Sanyao's data structure is a mess. We'd need specialists to convert the weapon into a data package first, then slot it in. The studio knows plenty of people who can help. Do you need someone to design the weapon for you? Weren't you in Materials Engineering before? Any ideas?"

Lian Sheng thought about it. For a video, her roommates had once helped her design a weapon based on her preferences. That one had been pretty good. "I have something in mind."

Super Bright Bulb: "Great. If not, no worries—they've got tons of models. Tweaking won't take long."

Lian Sheng hesitated, then rubbed her ear. "Is it troublesome? How much will it cost?"

Very few people in Sanyao carried custom weapons—most used the standard broadsword. It was called a sword, but it could easily pass for a blade. This meant swapping gear wasn't simple. Maybe not even something money alone could solve.

Super Bright Bulb laughed. "Nah, don't worry. Let that idiot pay with his body. He's so bored he's growing mold—good chance to exercise his brain."

Lian Sheng felt genuinely embarrassed. "You're spoiling me too much."

From the moment she'd met Hundred Meter Flying Dagger and the Bulb brothers, they'd taken care of her. Coaching, sparring, analysis—they'd dragged her into all sorts of things.

To put it solemnly, this was already a debt of gratitude.

She was sure it had nothing to do with Zhou Shirui. When they'd said to "show him the ropes," it had been offhand. Without their help, at her level back then, she wouldn't have even made it to the finals.

"It's all about vibes," Bright Bulb said, waving a hand. "Don't overthink it. Focus on your matches. Once things settle down—next week, probably—you'll have a break before the second half of prelims. I'll pick you up to swap gear. Just hang in there till then."

Lian Sheng agreed. "Got it!"

Hundred Meter Flying Dagger leaned against the railing, squinting against the strong wind as he gazed into the distance. He tapped to answer.

Liliana, after being ignored for so long, had been about to redial when the call finally connected.

Zhou Shiren stood on the balcony. The overhead light cast deep shadows across his face, making him look even more desolate.

He asked irritably, "What? If it's about last time, forget it."

"Enough, Zhou Shirui. Throwing away your future over something like this—have you lost your mind?" Liliana said. "Get back here. Do you even know what's happening right now?"

Hundred Meter Flying Dagger: "I said, if Li Min's there, I'm out."

"Stop being childish," Liliana said, wearing her uniform as she sat across from him. She looked exhausted, rubbing her forehead. "No one knows the Twelfth District like you do. No one's more suited to be vice-commander. Since you left, the analysis and recon teams have been in chaos. The new guy can't control them."

Hundred Meter Flying Dagger wasn't in the mood to listen. He turned away, letting his optical computer dangle from his hand.

All Liliana could see was the nightscape outside—lights flickering, traffic flowing.

This land was peaceful and prosperous.

They existed to protect it, yet were so estranged from it.

Hundred Meter Flying Dagger said, "I gave them the maps. What more do they want?"

Liliana frowned. "They're idiots. What good are maps without analysis? By the time they figure it out, the war'll be over."

Hundred Meter Flying Dagger snorted. "That's not what you said back then. 'With or without you, it's the same'—wasn't that it? What am I, huh? Only when you need cleanup do you remember me. Not worried I've wiped so much it stinks by now?"

Liliana: "I know you're smart. You understand what's at stake—you wouldn't let emotions cloud your judgment. We need you now. If anyone tries to stop you, I'll leave with you."

Hundred Meter Flying Dagger fell silent.

He closed his eyes, feeling the wind against his face.

"Don't say that, Liliana. I'm not targeting you, and I don't want you to leave. But you know how we got those maps of the Twelfth District. How many people did we lose infiltrating that place? How long did we hide like rats in the gutters? We never thought of giving up because we believed it was worth it. And I was leading new recruits—kids, you know? The most hopeful, most human of us all."

"But when that conviction gets spat on, I can't forgive it. If we lost, if sacrifices were made—whether it's the commander's fault or the vice-commander's, fine. The Twelfth District maps were mine—if they're wrong, I'll take the blame. But he had no right to steal credit while shirking responsibility. Is he that desperate for a promotion? And you want to make him what? Commander? Are you insane?"

"Soldiers and politicians have different fates. They think we'll bleed for the Alliance no matter what, so they exploit us without conscience. Fine. We accept that. Born here, born good. But if they take our lives and our honor too, I won't lead troops under that banner."

Liliana: "Alright, enough. I understand. I'll talk to them—they won't refuse you now."

Hundred Meter Flying Dagger took a breath. "How's the Twelfth District?"

"Same as ever. Stalemate, negotiations, internal strife. But lately, General DeWegel—the one pushing for peace—got seriously ill. They've stopped engaging with us. Get ready and come back."

Hundred Meter Flying Dagger replied coolly, "Mhm. I'll hang up now. Do your job."

Liliana ended the call.

Hundred Meter Flying Dagger immediately dialed Zhou Shirui.

"Little bro! Guess what? The Expeditionary Force begged me to come back!"

Previous Contents Next

If you enjoy my translations, please consider supporting me!