By this point, the people who had been watching the livestream for most of the day had finished dinner. They were not particularly interested in the relatively uneventful jungle-survival segment that was about to continue into the night.
Quite a few had already switched channels—to watch movies, play games, or enjoy the countless forms of entertainment and vibrant nightlife available in the interstellar era. Naturally, viewership declined in the evening.
But not long after they left, their mecha-obsessed friends, who had been glued to the livestream and refused to miss a single detail, called them back—
[Quick, check the league livestream! Something exciting is happening again.]
[Which contestant’s stream?]
[Not an individual feed. It’s the main broadcast—and it’s Pei Liang again.]
Considering how spectacularly she had performed during the day, quite a few people had developed an unusually intense interest in this S-rank dark horse.
Thus, the viewership numbers, which had been dropping sharply only minutes earlier, surged once again.
Countless viewers returned to the league broadcast, where they saw Pei Liang and Brian run into another team.
The leader of that team was Hodgson, a contestant from Ares Military Academy. Though somewhat more low-key than Brian, he was unquestionably a powerful 3S-rank Alpha, and he had put in impressive performances during the previous two competitions.
In terms of direct combat ability, he was slightly inferior to Brian, who was practically a human tank when it came to sheer explosive power. But when it came to patience and cunning, he was even more troublesome than Brian.
Still, as a 3S-rank Alpha, he could hardly avoid looking down on those beneath his level.
Most viewers entering the livestream saw Hodgson looking relieved as he expressed his delight at running into Brian.
Quite a few of them immediately burst out laughing.
[Bro, didn’t you notice that your teammate looks like he’s about to cry?]
[Brian: I heard someone had arrived, so I happily ran over to see which unlucky bastard was about to become my slave. Then I saw who it was, and tears streamed down my face—the unlucky bastard was my teammate.]
[Hahaha, give it a rest. Brian only got beaten because he underestimated her. Hodgson is different. He may not give Pei Liang the chance.]
[Hodgson, take down that S-rank!]
Most people had bet on these two 3S-ranks to make it into the top ten. For the sake of their money alone, they hoped someone would eliminate Pei Liang, this unpredictable anomaly, as soon as possible.
Sure enough, the moment Hodgson heard Brian’s words, he noticed that something was wrong with him.
Given Brian’s vengeful and violent nature, the fact that this S-rank was still standing there unharmed was already bizarre enough.
What was even stranger was that the other contestant had not a single mark on his face or body. He looked calm and composed, showing no sign whatsoever of being under Brian’s control.
Hodgson frowned. “Brian, that guy provoked you like that, and he’s still standing alive in front of you? You’ve certainly become more patient.”
Brian was practically crying. This idiot was about to walk right into the trap.
He hurriedly said, “Which direction are you planning to head in?”
Before the other side could answer, he continued on his own. “No need to say it. Since we ran into each other face-to-face, we must obviously be heading in opposite directions.”
“It’s almost dark. We need to find a suitable place to spend the night as soon as possible. There’s no need for everyone to stand around reminiscing and chatting here. We’ll have plenty of time to talk after the competition.”
As he spoke, he even gave Hodgson a meaningful look.
Hodgson had never seen Brian say such friendly nonsense in the middle of a match. He immediately realized that something was wrong.
But his first thought was not to suspect that the problem had anything to do with the S-rank in front of him. Instead, he became alert and looked around.
He wondered whether Teresa or Arnold might be nearby, having already defeated Brian and forced him to become their puppet. Perhaps they had spotted Hodgson’s group first and were hiding somewhere, using Brian to lull him into lowering his guard.
However, relying on his mental strength, he swept his awareness over the surrounding area and found absolutely nothing.
Then he heard the S-rank’s dissatisfied voice.
“What’s wrong with you? Weren’t you the one who suggested just now that I find a new living weapon?”
“Senior Hodgson here is obviously cleaner and more refined than you. He’s attentive, considerate, and meticulous. Just look at how he gathered so many companions in such a short time and coordinated everyone’s movements so efficiently. You can tell that he’s a reliable adult.”
“I thought that no matter how petty and narrow-minded Senior Brian was, he would at least think of his schoolmates when he encountered a good opportunity. I never expected you to conceal the truth and retreat. Are you afraid that once Senior Hodgson joins us, his abilities will make you look dull by comparison?”
Brian: “…”
If he admitted that was the reason, would this guy let the people from Ares Military Academy off the hook?
He had already been captured, cutting Ares’s hopes of winning the championship in half. He really did not want to make his school’s results look any worse this year.
Looking at Brian’s obsequious demeanor, Hodgson’s brow furrowed so deeply it could have crushed a mosquito. Seeing that huge man acting so timidly sent a chill through him.
It seemed that the S-rank had considerable backing. The situation might be even worse than he had imagined. Otherwise, how could an ordinary S-rank dare to act so arrogantly in front of two hostile 3S-ranks?
Hodgson’s reaction was undeniably quick. The moment he realized this, his expression did not change, but he suddenly made his move, reaching out and grabbing Pei Liang.
At the same time, he signaled the contestants under his control. “Activate your mecha and fire indiscriminately at the surroundings.”
As he spoke, he prepared to enter mecha mode himself.
In an instant, gunfire erupted throughout the jungle. The laser barrage blasted apart trees and sent stones flying, while the startled animals fled in terror, shattering the forest’s original tranquility.
Hodgson never expected those useless people to inflict any damage on Teresa or Arnold, who might be hiding nearby. But the dense curtain of gunfire formed a defensive barrier that would be enough to buy him a little time.
His choice had been correct. But the moment Brian saw Hodgson seize Pei Liang before activating his mecha, clearly attempting to make his hidden “opponent” hesitate out of concern for her safety, he knew that everything had gone wrong again.
Sure enough, just as Hodgson’s ring-shaped mecha had extended and was about to cover half his body, a sharp pain struck his nerves.
Brian’s entire face contorted.
Caught off guard, his mental state was violently shaken, causing the mecha’s deployment to halt for a split second.
But that instant was already enough.
The next second, Hodgson felt the world spin. His vision flipped upside down, and the first thing he saw was Brian’s enormous feet and thick, sturdy calves.
Looking closely, there seemed to be something stuck to the hem of his pants. It was yellowish-brown and smelled rather pungent.
Before regaining consciousness, the last thought that flashed through Hodgson’s mind was—
[Damn it, where did Brian step in shit?]
The fall of yet another 3S-rank left the people who had been counting on Hodgson to turn the tide looking hollow and despondent.
[Damn it, what species of useless trash are the people from Ares? Two 3S-ranks can’t even beat one S-rank.]
[Question: Is there any scandal bigger than a 3S Alpha getting captured without even activating his mecha? Yes—two of them.]
[Did you notice Pei Liang’s movement? When she attacked Hodgson, she didn’t use much force at all. It looked like barely a tap, yet look at Hodgson’s expression. He perfectly demonstrated what it means to look like you’re in pain just from watching.]
This was not merely a matter of curiosity for the audience. The military and the higher-ups at the various military academies were equally intrigued.
“Richter, Pei Liang’s movements are clearly different from the combat style taught at the Imperial Military Academy. Her flexibility and range of motion even surpass those of the most versatile fighters. Is this a new experimental approach by the Imperial Military Academy?”
Richter watched Pei Liang on the livestream. Since everyone had learned that she was the first naturally evolved 3S-rank Alpha in history, the people in the room were primarily focused on her.
The high-ranking figures present had all once been outstanding members of military academies or the armed forces. At a glance, they could tell that Pei Liang’s seemingly effortless movements—and her two victories—had involved no element of luck.
In terms of technique, she had completely crushed two 3S-rank opponents whose abilities were already firmly established.
“No,” Richter replied. “If the Imperial Military Academy had developed a new combat technique, we wouldn’t use an evolved Alpha as a test subject. Pei Liang’s abilities are innate, and she shared them freely with the team members participating in the competition.”
The others were left stunned and uncertain.
The Pei family had never been a military aristocratic family. Even the current head of the Pei family was a politician rather than someone from the military.
What sort of inherited techniques could they possibly possess? If the Pei family truly had such an extraordinary legacy, then surely more of its members would have made a name for themselves in the armed forces.
Yet no matter how unbelievable it seemed, several military bigwigs who had good relations with the Pei family had already called the head of the Pei family.
At the same time, on the top floor of the most luxurious hotel in the central district of the imperial capital—
The more than three-hundred-story building rose straight into the clouds. Inside the lavish penthouse at the very top, it felt as though one could reach out and pluck the stars from the sky.
The nobles were holding a banquet there, gazing down upon the masses in an atmosphere of romantic grandeur.
The guests attending the evening banquet were naturally the same people who had watched the match from the private box earlier.
Meanwhile, Pei Liang’s father and mother were seated face-to-face with Mr. Valen, and the atmosphere between the three of them was distinctly at odds with the festive banquet around them.
Unable to conceal his anger, Pei Liang’s father glared at Valen. “You knew about this all along, didn’t you? You set me up!”
Valen smiled. “How could that be? You’re underestimating the Imperial Military Academy and Richter. He isn’t the sort of person who would show favoritism in a matter like this. Besides, other than His Majesty the Emperor, anyone who dares abuse their position or connections to interfere with the military academy is committing a serious crime.”
“How could I possibly have known that the child had evolved?”
“She isn’t your child,” Pei Liang’s father roared coldly. “I heard that you spoke with Richter before she became a starting member.”
“Because she got into a fight at school, and the school called her mother. As her parent, I naturally had to give them a response. Although Richter didn’t indicate that she would be punished, we couldn’t allow her record to become too unsightly, not if we cared about her future.”
Pei Liang’s father looked at the bastard, who had completely assumed the role of her father, and wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face. Unfortunately, Valen had earned his rank through countless battles. An ordinary person was no match for him.
Suppressing his anger, Pei Liang’s father said, “I’ll report this matter. Valen, don’t think you can get away with it.”
Valen spread his hands, completely unafraid. “Go ahead. Given Richter’s position and mine, a record of our phone call will certainly have been preserved. If the court requires it, I’ll cooperate fully and provide the evidence.”
As he spoke, he gave a meaningful smile. “But the signature Mr. Pei has already put on the agreement is legally binding.”
“I don’t acknowledge it!” Pei Liang’s father shouted. His outburst even drew the attention of those around them.
He paid no heed to his loss of composure. His expression twisted as he said, “Before that, I had no idea she had evolved into a 3S-rank!”
Valen’s smile deepened. “Neither did I.”
Then, as if to drive the point home, he added, “What wonderful luck.”
“Dream on. I’m not handing my child over to you.”
“Then I suppose we’ll see each other in court.” Valen was entirely unmoved by his attitude.
He leisurely took a sip of red wine, then leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with undisguised mockery as he looked at Pei Liang’s father.
“Mr. Pei, you know about the league’s betting pool, don’t you?”
Pei Liang’s father said nothing. Valen had never expected an answer anyway, and continued, “Before the competition began, I took a look at that child’s odds. They were astonishingly high.”
“But hardly anyone placed a bet on her, because everyone thought she would be among the first to be eliminated. Yet if you were to check the sentiment online now, you’d find countless people regretting that they hadn’t spent the price of a beer or two betting on her.”
There was no need to go online. The nobles present were naturally participating in the betting pool as well, and the sums they had invested were staggering beyond imagination.
Quite a few regretful voices could already be heard nearby.
Valen looked Pei Liang’s father in the eye. “Now, everyone wishes they could turn back time to before the competition began. With that child’s odds, a single bet could have made someone rich overnight.”
“But the thing I despise most in life is someone who keeps whining about regret after seeing the outcome—someone too worthless to accept the consequences of their own choices.”
At this point, Valen’s eyes curved with amusement. “You wouldn’t be the kind of person who doesn’t even understand that once a bet is placed, there’s no going back, would you, Mr. Pei?”
Pei Liang’s father’s expression shifted repeatedly from livid to ashen. Clenching his teeth, he said, “What right do you have to lecture me?”
Valen shrugged. “As that child’s legal father, I naturally have a duty to maintain a good relationship with her biological father, so that she won’t be caught in the middle.”
Pei Liang’s father nearly vomited blood. Then he heard Pei Liang’s mother’s voice.
“What? You two have already signed an adoption agreement? Why didn’t I know?”
If the original owner had been there, hearing that she had become someone else’s child—and that even her own mother knew nothing about it—she probably would have burst into tears.
Mr. Valen, however, explained with ease, “Earlier, I laid out the benefits for Mr. Pei and reached an agreement with him. The condition for me to become that child’s father was that everything I own would be inherited by her.”
“After three minutes of agonizing deliberation, Mr. Pei reluctantly accepted my proposal for the sake of the child’s future.”
How could Pei Liang’s mother fail to understand after hearing that?
Although Valen was not the head of his family, he was currently the highest-ranking member within it. The wealth, resources, and military connections under his control were beyond imagination.
That man had simply decided that exchanging a daughter who was hopelessly incapable for the many resources of the Valen family was a guaranteed profitable deal.
Besides, his illegitimate son was the same age as Pei Liang and a 2S-rank Alpha. He could let the more promising illegitimate son inherit everything, while making use of the daughter he had never valued. What a perfect arrangement.
No wonder he had acted so furious earlier when Valen claimed to be the child’s father. It turned out that his outrage had merely been a performance put on before the paperwork was finalized.
Pei Liang’s mother looked at Pei Liang’s father with undisguised contempt. “I see. I’m sure that child will get along well with you.”
“After all, she’s an adult now. Once she learns the whole truth, I imagine she’ll be willing to fulfill her biological father’s plan and give everyone the best of both worlds.”
Pei Liang’s father finally lost control. “What right do you have to blame me? If you, as her mother, hadn’t been unfaithful and stayed away from home, how could she have gotten into so many disgraceful situations?”
“And what about her genetic rank? Why did she inherit only an S-grade? Even the child my lover had with an Omega of ordinary lineage is 2S-grade.”
If Mrs. Pei cared about such accusations, she would not be the woman she was today.
She let out a derisive laugh. Though nearly forty, her face remained flawless; even sitting there, she was breathtakingly beautiful.
She drawled lazily, “Of course. It’s because a useless man like you isn’t worthy.”
“Why did I marry you? Because you’re a rare kind of useless. You can guarantee me the greatest possible freedom even after marriage.”
Mr. Pei was furious. He instinctively raised a hand, but Valen immediately released his pheromones—a clear warning and show of intimidation.
Mrs. Pei smiled leisurely. “You’d better start thinking about how you’re going to answer your brother and the entire Pei family when they come questioning you.”
Mr. Pei felt his scalp prickle. As luck would have it, his terminal began issuing an alert at that very moment: the head of the Pei family was calling.
Before answering, he shot Mrs. Pei a vicious glare and sneered, “If I remember correctly, your illegitimate son is also in the arena, isn’t he?”
“Now I’m actually looking forward to seeing him run into my daughter.”
With that, he hurried out of the venue and found a quiet place to figure out how to explain himself to the head of the Pei family.
At his words, the mocking expression on Mrs. Pei’s face faded.
Valen handed her a glass of wine and asked, “If I remember correctly, that boy is a student at Poseidon Military Academy.”
“Why didn’t you just have him attend Imperial Military Academy on Imperial Capital instead?”
Mrs. Pei thought for a moment. “Who knows? One day, he suddenly started crying and throwing a fit, insisting on leaving Imperial Capital. He was thirteen at the time, I think.”
“His father’s home planet happened to be Neptune, so I let him have his way. If I hadn’t seen him at the opening ceremony just now, I would have forgotten he’d already enrolled in university.”
Valen: “...We looked at his acceptance letter together, barely six months ago.”
Mrs. Pei shook her head. “My memory isn’t very good.”
Fortunately, she hadn’t forgotten what her own child looked like.
Of course, none of the commotion outside could affect Pei Liang. It was already dark on the arena planet.
Hodgson had also woken up. He and Brian were crouched in a corner with their arms wrapped around their knees, looking like two bears that had just been beaten half to death.
The other contestants didn’t particularly care that Pei Liang had replaced Hodgson as the leader of their group. Either way, they were still being ordered around by someone.
Besides, for contestants who lacked strength, relying on powerful seeded contestants was not necessarily a bad thing.
Although they were usually treated as reserve power sources and cannon fodder, if they were lucky enough to make it all the way to the end, the survival points they accumulated and the number of bugs they eliminated along the way would be much higher than those of ordinary contestants.
That would affect both the subsequent events and their overall evaluations after the league ended.
Following Pei Liang’s instructions, they searched for an open area with abundant water to use as their campsite for the night. Then they went hunting and gathered wild fruit before starting a fire to cook.
The recognition systems in their mecha could identify most organic life-forms in the universe. Many of the species in this rainforest had already been observed by humanity, so a quick scan was enough to determine whether they were edible.
In fact, the initial survival conditions were not difficult for students equipped with mecha.
Since the students were given time to adapt, the real test usually did not begin until after the third day.
Pei Liang accepted a piece of roasted meat from a female Alpha and smiled as she thanked her.
Then she kicked the two men, who looked as though they were on the verge of death. “Do you need someone to call you over just to eat?”
She looked at Hodgson with profound disappointment. “I originally had high hopes for you. I never expected you to be so useless that you can’t even gather firewood.”
“I don’t keep freeloaders here. You’d better show me your value as soon as possible.”
Then let me go, you bastard, Hodgson cursed inwardly.
But he knew that was impossible. As a 3S-grade, there was only one reason she might voluntarily let him go: she wanted him eliminated.
Hodgson reluctantly picked up a piece of meat. Unable to hold back, he lowered his voice and asked Brian, “What if the two of us work together—”
Brian remained expressionless. “Don’t ask me. I’ve already lost. Might makes right. Do you really take me for someone with no competitive spirit?”
“Hodgson, I’ve matured. I’m capable of facing my failure head-on, so you should find someone else for this kind of breach of contract.”
Hodgson: “...So what did she threaten you with?”
Brian said nothing, but there was unmistakably a glimmer of tears in his eyes.
Hodgson bared his teeth in a savage grin and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, “You idiot. As long as we take her down, we can force everything she has over us out of her.”
“She’s fast, and the slightest disturbance would be enough for her to kill us before we can even activate our mecha. But she can’t keep her eyes on both of us forever. The later stages of the arena won’t give her that opportunity. When the time comes, we’ll attack her at the same time—whoever succeeds, we both get away.”
“Then, before Teresa and Arnold can regroup, we’ll find them first and take them out one by one. The championship will be ours.”
Brian was tempted, but he did not lose himself completely to the idea.
What Hodgson had considered was not beyond Brian’s imagination either. But unlike Hodgson, who had been knocked down the moment he encountered that woman, Brian had experienced Pei Liang’s terrifying strength firsthand.
The feeling of having his entire body controlled by her, of being unable to act according to his own will, was something he had never experienced before—not as the highest-ranked human being alive.
He no longer had the confidence that he could defeat her the moment he activated his mecha. That was why he was being especially cautious.
The two men continued whispering to each other, while Pei Liang and several contestants from ordinary military academies sat around the fire, chatting quite happily.
Before long, the atmosphere had visibly become warm and harmonious. Those people seemed to have forgotten that they were merely tools and cannon fodder.
Suddenly, several kilometers away, a massive beam of light shot into the sky.
The sounds of battle followed, faintly perceptible even from that distance.
Everyone hurried to their feet, activated their mecha, and flew toward the direction of the fighting.
The mecha once used by the Emperor was famous throughout the empire. The moment Pei Liang brought it out, everyone nearby recognized it.
Brian and Hodgson exchanged a glance, both relieved that they had not acted rashly. Anyone capable of controlling a 3S-grade mecha was undoubtedly 3S-grade as well.
If they fought her one-on-one, they might not necessarily have a chance of winning.
A distance of more than ten kilometers was nothing to a mecha. They soon arrived at the site of the battle.
The fight was already over.
A black mecha seemed to blend into the darkness of the night. Scattered around it was the corpse of a massive bug.
The bug was earthworm-shaped, but its color resembled black gold. Its diameter was estimated to be no less than fifteen meters, while its length was even more astonishing. If it could stand upright, its bulk would likely rival that of a skyscraper.
No wonder the contestant had fired a particle cannon straight into the sky earlier. The darkness of night and the dense jungle had obscured the earthworm-like bug’s enormous body.
“Isn’t this the deployment zone? The safest area in the entire arena. Why would a bug of this level be here?” one of the S-grade contestants blurted out.
This Zerg was at least S-class, and even he would have had trouble dealing with it.
To kill it so easily in such a short time, the pilot in the black mech standing before them had to be at least 2S-class, or even 3S-class.
Within a radius of barely a hundred miles, there were actually so many high-level fighters. Everyone grew even more curious about the other party’s identity.
But the other party was clearly wary of them as well and had not lowered the weapon in his hands.
Hodgson hurriedly stated his position. “I’m Hodgson of Ares Military Academy. On my honor as a soldier, I propose a truce for tonight. What do you say?”
The other party glanced at Hodgson’s mech, then nodded in agreement.
The group promptly withdrew their mechs, revealing the other party’s face.
He was a boy who looked even younger than them, with an air of childishness he had yet to fully shed.
He had black hair and green eyes, and was exceptionally handsome.
But Pei Liang felt awkward the moment she saw him. Wasn’t this the kid her stepmother had given birth to outside the family?
The two of them had met once before, but the encounter had apparently not been a pleasant one.
The boy spotted Pei Liang as well, and his expression changed. He turned around and was just about to leave.
But the next second, his pupils contracted as he stared in Pei Liang’s direction.
Almost instinctively, he shouted, “Get out of the way—”
