Mech: Shattering of the Galaxy

Mu Fan stepped out of the hangar and immediately caught sight of Wang Nuonuo holding a thermal container in the distance.

The girl's expression clearly lit up with surprise when she saw Mu Fan.

As Mu Fan approached, he sniffed, definitely catching the aroma from the container.

To have a girl who had been pampered since childhood willingly carry takeout, Nuonuo's innocent and kind heart was always an aspect Mu Fan adored.

"Please follow me," said a staff member dressed in the Interstellar Mecha Association uniform, in a respectful tone.

After a roughly fifteen-minute journey on the Mecha Association's near-Earth flyer, the aircraft descended onto a huge mid-mountain plateau, about four to five hundred meters higher in altitude than the plateau they had fought on before.

As Mu Fan and company stepped out, they already saw the place crowded with flyers.

Moreover, plenty of media reporters with long spears and cannons were already waiting in strict formation.

And once Mu Fan and Wang Nuonuo emerged, a blinding array of flash lights went off.

They didn't care who was arriving; snapping photos first mattered, as it was always better to identify the shots afterward rather than having no material at all.

"Thunderbolt Heavy Industry, we've been keeping an eye on you, go for it!"

"Nanben Machinery's Mechanical Master, could you please give us a smile over here? Yes, that's it, thank you so much."

...

The bustling cheers and discussions around him were overwhelming; Nuonuo couldn't help but envy, "This is the treatment for victors; the exposure right now is something money can't buy."

As the two passed a formation of reporters, suddenly there was some commotion inside.

"Wait a sec, this guy looks familiar."

"I feel like I've seen this guy's face somewhere," two reporters glanced at each other when they saw Mu Fan through their lenses.

"Isn't this the pilot who smashed his opponent to pieces in the first round! The one with the black mech, Black Ocean!!"

Finally, someone realized, looking at the person in the camera and shouting excitedly.

The seeded competitors had predictably swept through the first round, with all 30 advancing.

To the media, a match without suspense had no value for interviews or viewing; the footage of evenly matched, extreme comebacks was what the audience loved most.

That's why Mu Fan, who shined in the first round, naturally caught their attention.

"Loki Heavy Industry, way to go! Your last battle was spectacular," a reporter with a small mustache lifted his face from his camera, giving Mu Fan and Wang Nuonuo a thumbs up.

This scene left both a bit confused; out of the roughly two hundred companies, they were recognized at a glance.

Moments later, Nuonuo's face finally blossomed like a flower, and Mu Fan also cracked a smile, as recognition from others was the best affirmation for them.

Nuonuo hurriedly thanked them, and after this episode, the girl's mood instantly brightened considerably.

Guided by the staff, the two made their way to the second row at the side of the ring stage, which was their exclusive area as contestants.

More and more people arrived, and soon the natural amphitheater was brimming with heads.

Rumble rumble~

Two floating planes flew in, their powerful air currents whipping the grass beneath into ring after ring of waves.

"Dear contestants, good afternoon!!"

With a high-pitched shout, a blonde, sunglass-wearing man suddenly appeared below one of the floating machines, waving his fist and holding onto a rope, performing a one-handed fast-rope descent.

Accompanied by his flashy entrance, his voice was even more fervent:

"The competition will get more exciting from now on. A piece of bad news for all of you who have made it this far is that your opponents will get stronger and stronger! But here's some good news: winning will double your honors and fame. So… let's keep our passion burning in the time to come!"

Below, the sound of camera shutters was incessant, blending into a continuous rumble. Damn, though this guy was spouting nonsense, didn't he see the fire lighting up in many Mechanical Masters' eyes?

This blonde, sunglass-clad man sure knew how to stir up emotions.

"All right, no more nonsense, let me explain the rules for this draw."

"Unlike the first time, this time the arrangements will be drawn at random by everyone, where those who draw the same number will be opponents in the sequence represented by that number. And this time, all 284 people who successfully advanced to the second round are here, and you will no longer be separated but will switch to a super-large competition area! You will compete for glory in the same area!"

"Next, the draw will begin, please press the button on your left when the countdown ends on the screen behind me."

3, 2, 1!

"The second round of combat draw begins!"

Some people pressed the button without hesitation, while others prayed with their hands together for a long time before hesitantly pressing the button.

Wang Nuonuo nervously looked at Mu Fan but saw that he had a warm smile, "You go ahead."

"Okay!" The girl nodded, closed her eyes to feel her heartbeat thudding, and then pressed the button firmly.

"Sequence number: 4."

A number emerged above.

But the girl still had her eyes closed, "Sir, has the number appeared?"

"It has, you can open your eyes now."

When Wang Nuonuo saw the number "4," she frowned, "I don't know who the opponent is, but I don't like this number."

"The number is very early on; this way, you'll have plenty of time to rest before the next round. The number you drew is very good," Mu Fan said softly.

"Really? Okay, as long as you like it, Sir. Please, please be careful!" Nuonuo finally let go of her fixation on the number and quietly prayed that her matched opponent would be weaker.

Mu Fan nodded, his face bearing a smile because he really liked the number and the opponent that came with it.

Numbers began to appear row by row on the screen, and the positions of participants who had not pressed the button showed question marks.

But soon, these question marks also turned into numbers.

The giant sequence chart on the screen was finally filled completely after two minutes.

Everyone began to look up at the huge combat list on the high platform, as countless flashlights lit up.

This would be the next round where the Gambling Companies made their fortune, this would be where major news was born.

Before the passionate blond man with sunglasses could speak, Nuonuo impatiently moved her gaze to the first row and began scanning downward.

"One, two, three, four, found it!"

"Fourth battle sequence: A-grade Mecha—Extreme Special Soldier (Loki Heavy Industry) vs A-grade Mecha... Hahaha, Sir, I'm really amazing, the opponent is A-grade! Much weaker than the last round, let me see which company it belongs to."

"Deep Blue Cavalry... Lan Du Military Group?!" Wang Nuonuo's voice suddenly choked as she read the number.

Her pale fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt suddenly dug into her flesh, Nuonuo's voice carried a deep-rooted hatred and a trace of panic.

Nuonuo's attention was now entirely focused on that line of combat information, she didn't notice that Mu Fan beside her remained calm, seemingly unsurprised by this development.

Seeing Nuonuo's body uncontrollably trembling, Mu Fan patted the girl's shoulder, "Nuonuo, this is a very good draw."

The girl looked back at Mu Fan, unable to understand, only to find a certain dismissive and unhidden murderous intent in his eyes.

"Sir..."

"Nuonuo, see if the odds are over 1, and if so, bet all our money on it. Because I am going to... tear it apart."

Mu Fan's voice was like the chilling winds of the polar regions, carrying a cold that cut to the bone.

He had been waiting for this moment from the start!

On the other side of the circular platform, a young man with a somewhat pale complexion, his eyes revealed a cold light upon seeing the name of the opponent.

Sarcastic words hissed through his teeth:

"What you think about comes to you, this number... haha, very good."