The entrance to the Zero Boundary Arena was crowded with people. Eugene bought two buckets of popcorn and handed one to Chao Hao.
"I didn't expect so many people this early in the morning. I thought they wouldn't come until the afternoon."
"Today is a special challenge match. Everyone probably wants to come early to see their favorite teams, right?"
"True, Zero Boundary has a lot of events like this... Let's watch for a bit. If it's boring, we can leave early and go karaoke or something."
Chao Hao looked at the holographic display screens outside, grabbing a handful of popcorn and stuffing it into his mouth.
"How long has it been since I watched a mecha competition? I don't even recognize any of these competitors anymore."
Fu Manli and Jin Xi walked over, each holding an ice cream.
"Hey, they're selling headgear and masks over here. Want to buy some?"
Chao Hao turned around and locked eyes with a zebra mask on the stall. For some reason, he suddenly thought of the zebra-headed kid in his class...
"I'll take this one. How much is it?"
"Then I'll take this bear one."
"I'll pass."
"Hahaha, that'll be sixty star coins in total! These represent our rising stars here at Zero Boundary. They've been selling like crazy lately, and you'll get to see them today!"
The group entered one by one. Jin Xi had bought VIP seats, located right in the center with the best view.
Because it was a continuous tournament, Zero Boundary had opened ten arenas for the first round, and they could see several of the rings from where they sat!
Above them hung a massive, unobstructed screen broadcasting live, currently scrolling through the names of the competing teams.
"Let me see if there are any teams I know playing today."
"'Blade' versus 'Shadow', 'You're the Clown'... 'QL's Greatest Threat'?"
Chao Hao stared at the name, repeatedly confirming it three times.
"This QL... It couldn't stand for Qilin's Greatest Threat, could it?"
The teachers all fell silent. Fu Manli took a bite of her ice cream.
"Do you think... it's teachers or students?"
"Students."
Eugene barely had to think about it.
"Teachers wouldn't come up with a name like that."
"Yeah, it's normal for students to participate in competitions..."
Jin Xi shared the popcorn in his hands.
"So what grade are they in? They must be current students, right?"
The surrounding audience had mostly taken their seats by now. The four of them ate their snacks in silence...
It couldn't be students they had taught, right? Why did they have such an ominous premonition?
Some juniors? Or seniors?
Next up was the competitors' entrance. There were twenty teams participating today, and they would compete in four rounds!
The first round would eliminate half of them. After the last two teams finished their match, there would be a ten-minute break, immediately followed by the next round.
In the third round, one team would get a bye. The final match would be a three-way free-for-all, and the last team surviving would win!
The four teachers could not help but look toward the transparent skybridge leading to the arena for "QL's Greatest Threat".
Until four competitors wearing strange masks entered, cheerfully waving to the crowd...
Chao Hao's hand trembled, crushing his popcorn bucket out of shape, while the ice cream in Fu Manli's hand melted into a puddle.
Eugene had his mouth wide open, and Jin Xi's face was filled with complex emotions.
Their suspended hearts finally flatlined!
These kids... and their masks... well, what do you know! What do you actually know!
"At least they know to cover their faces..."
Eugene racked his brain for a long time before speaking dryly, trying to ease the tension.
The other three teachers turned their gloomy gazes toward him.
"Do you think there's a possibility... that it's actually not them?"
It would have been better if he hadn't said that. Once he did, even Jin Xi couldn't help but slap his thigh.
"Just shut up..."
Jian Jingyu was halfway through waving when he shuddered all over, withdrawing his gaze in terror.
"Sister Ma! Why do I feel like I just saw your major's teachers!?"
"What!?"
Wang Tianwei immediately looked in the direction Jian Jingyu was pointing!
Among all the cheering spectators waving at the competitors, there were four people staring dead at them, motionless and silent!
Two were wearing masks, so it was unclear who they were for now, but the other two—weren't they her mecha teachers!!
"Holy crap!! This is bad, this is bad... Quick, block me!"
Jian Jingyu stood on the outside, constantly glancing downward.
"Sir Huang! What do we do... are we still fighting?"
Walking at the back, Huang Yan naturally saw the two mecha teachers as well, but he was more focused on the two people next to them wearing the zebra and little bear masks...
"We've already been spotted anyway... let's just fight?"
Wang Tianwei peeked out again, gritting her teeth.
"In for a penny, in for a pound... let's just do it! It's not like the school has a rule against this anyway!"
Zhang Lyra kept her eyes straight ahead, taking large strides forward, though she was actually sweating profusely inside her mask.
Huang Yan offered a timely reminder,
"...Lyra, are you walking with the same arm and leg forward?"
"!!!"
The teachers watched the obviously guilty-looking group, not knowing whether to be angry or laugh.
"Everything makes sense now... No wonder their teamwork is so good, they've been practicing here!"
"Greatest Threat, they really know how to pick a name..."
"Hehehe, the kids have quite a rich leisure life!
So much energy, huh? Grinding so hard at school, and they still have time to compete on the weekends?"
"They're already LV2! Tsk tsk tsk, incredible, simply incredible! They must have started this last semester, right?"
The two mecha major teachers were clearly a bit more relaxed than the two advising teachers, even having the time to critique the students' outfits.
"Actually, their disguise isn't bad. The main issue is that Jian Jingyu and Wang Tianwei's heights are just too prominent, hahahahaha."
"A zebra, a little bear, a goldfish, and a weasel! So fitting! How do you think they came up with that?"
Fu Manli said seriously,
"Regardless, it's still too early for first-years to be fighting in this kind of competition!
They haven't finished all their courses, nor have they undergone systematic training! Their team training hasn't even been going on for long. What if they suffer some irreversible injury here?"
"What warrior doesn't get injured?"
Chao Hao couldn't hold back his reply, only continuing after seeing Fu Manli glaring at him through the bear mask,
"Of course, I'm not saying what they're doing is right, either!"
"Today's prize is Liquid Gold, huh... no wonder."
Jin Xi hurriedly placated the two,
"Alright, alright, let's just watch the match first! Whatever we have to say can wait until they're done competing!"
"Orady is also here today! Oh man... those kids might be in trouble!"
"It's fine if they don't win, as long as the kids are safe."
"We have to inform their parents about this! Those underground tournament fighters don't know when to hold back... Bah! If they accidentally hurt someone, they'll be left with psychological trauma!"
Halfway through her sentence, Fu Manli saw the PK sign and suddenly felt it was unlucky, immediately changing her tune.
Chao Hao operated his optical computer to start recording, muttering under his breath,
"No wonder each one is wilder than the last... What are we supposed to say about these brats?
Just in case... Eugene, we can't break this energy shield from the outside, right?"
Eugene looked over helplessly,
"A high-level energy shield like this can't be broken from the inside either! You're a commander, don't you know that?"
"..."
