The national teams arrived one after another. Some stayed at the Aslan Royal College, while some stayed at their own embassies. They were all making their final preparations for the competition.
The same was true for the Solar System team. The team led by Wang Zheng finally gathered. The team leader was not just a title. As the team leader, Wang Zheng had to give commands for battle.
“Our first opponent is out. We are against the Locke Star team, a very difficult opponent. Are you guys prepared?” Meng Ao laughed.
As the head of the entire delegation, Meng Ao specifically went to Wang Zheng to talk about it alone. It could be said that the Solar System had high hopes for their team this time around. In particular, the military reformists were represented by Meng Ao. It would be a heavy blow to them if no results were produced again this time.
Meng Ao looked at Wang Zheng. Could this young man be able to assume such a heavy responsibility? What he was more worried about was the difference between actual combat and practice, especially when psychological fear weighed in.
Wang Zheng smiled. “I am looking forward to it.”
“Do you have confidence in your first battle? The Locke Star’s team is considered to be a traditionally strong team. They know all types of mecha well enough to make a targeted strategy against our chosen mecha when it comes to both attacking and defending. Having them as our first opponent is greatly disadvantageous for us.” Meng Ao laughed.
“General, we have great confidence in ourselves. Just defeating the Locke Star’s team is not our end goal.” Wang Zheng said, “I want to know the specific form of the IG competition. There are rumors that it is actual combat, and some say that it is virtual simulation.”
Wang Zheng was hoping for it to be actual combat.
“There are a lot of participating countries and a large number of people, so before entering the final phases, simulation programs will be used. There will be actual combat once the competition properly starts. The specific arrangements have not yet been announced by the IG.”
Meng Ao said. Based on the circumstances in the Solar System, it would not be easy enter the actual competition.
Wang Zheng nodded. This was what he wanted to know. As for the opponent, he could only get a grasp of them upon proper contact.
The fervor for competition could be felt pervading all of Aslan. Zhang Shan and others learned that their opponents were also highly motivated. This was really a narrow road for revenge.
Only 16 teams would eventually enter the final competition. The Aslan Empire, the Atlantis Republic, the Arbiter Empire, the Manaluosuo Empire, and the Gabriel Republic. These five countries entered the final competition directly. The remaining 100 countries would compete for the remaining 11 places.
The probability of entering the final competition was tragically low. The reason why there was no choice of actual combat for the preliminaries was very simple. Actual combat could only be used to distinguish between elite pilots. Between two weaker pilots, there was just no need to do so. In fact, Aslan’s simulation system would be used. In addition to the high safety factor, there was no difference in its operation as opposed to actual combat. Although Wang Zheng was the captain of the Solar System team, his influence over the Solar System was not as strong.
Due it being a sensitive period, Aina was unable to meet Wang Zheng. Moreover, as the first Princess, she had many things to sort out herself. In particular, she had to pay courtesy visits to various politicians who were in Aslan.
Wang Zheng and everyone entered the final preparation period.
Yan Xiaosu was not idle in Aslan, and through special relationships, he was sourcing for business opportunities. He was not just a tourist, he had come to support Wang Zheng. On the other hand, he had the rare opportunity to source for deals with the KING company.
Aslan Royal College was a typical aristocratic elite college. Many students came from rich families, which gave room to easy interactions and collaborations, sometimes even on the corporate level. Ye Zisu’s business acumen naturally found many opportunities. However, since her main focus was on mech design, she introduced some of these business opportunities to Yan Xiaosu.
The oath Wang Zheng and Yan Xiao made when they were lying on the hillside when they were still at Dawn Middle School was finally starting to see light. At least both of them had taken a leap forward from Earth and onto a bigger stage. They might still be a small characters now, but who knew what the future will hold?
Wang Zheng did not exert his captain’s status overtly. He had come to Aslan earlier to facilitate things for the team, making things more convenient since the battle was going to be held here. With so many countries, the practice times allocated to each team were also very tight. At least with his connections, he could try to fight for more practice time and mecha slots.
Things were calm as time flew past. Very quickly, three days had passed.
The Milky Way Alliance IG competition officially began. The first round included 86 countries, including strong members, like Locke’s Star, Ghana, Norton Star, and so on.
The first opponent of the Locke’s Star team was the Solar System team. One of the teams who consistently made it into the top ten being challenged by the Solar System Team was like a free pass to the next round.
This did not really matter to the Locke’s Star team as they were strong enough to not fear any opponent, at least in the first few rounds. It was also quite impossible to run into any particularly powerful opponents.
As a star that produced numerous mercenaries, they had comprehensive technologies and excellent psychological and physical qualities. They would roll forward and suppress all enemies!
The preliminaries of the IG competition did not bar the media from participating. Apart from the media and people from their respective delegations, there were also many Aslan Royal College students.
The Solar System team and the Locke’s Star team battle were certainly hot as it involved one of the ten major powers. However, this was the only exception.
The delegations of the Locke’s Star and the Solar System Federation arrived and sat in their respective positions. Meng Ao did not appear. Military personnel normally only showed up once the proper competition commenced, so Gu Te led the crowds. There were a few greetings from the Locke’s Star’s side, but many turned up only for the sake of it, and they were seemingly impatient.
Still, there were surprisingly some Aslanian viewers, probably viewers who just wanted to watch for fun.
Si Jiali sat down quietly. She did not know why she had come, but she was here. Perhaps, deep down inside, she wanted to watch Wang Zheng battle.
At the start of the match, the captains of the two sides came forward.
Jackman arrogantly looked down on Wang Zheng with a smile of disdain. “Actually, your direct surrender would be best. It saves time for all of us and might even save you from some embarrassment.”
Wang Zheng smiled and raised his middle finger at him.
Jackman was stunned. “Lovran, the first round is yours. Blast them apart for me!”
Once the fight began, the members would no longer treat each other politely.
Three wins in five games. The qualifiers were simple, the stronger one would advance.
Achilles and the rest were very calm. So far, they had given their captain full reign to do whatever he wished. Deep down, they could not be bothered with the Locke’s Star team. They weren’t even a challenge.
From the substitutes’ side, Zhang Shan could no longer sit still. “Wang Zheng, let me fight!”
Zhang Shan volunteered to take the initiative. Gu Te and the others frowned. With such an important battle, they should definitely send their best member and not take chances.
However, once the fight began, and the members decided, nothing could be changed.
Wang Zheng smiled. “For the first battle, Zhang Shan, go get him. Don’t hold back!”
Zhang Shan jumped up and waved his fist at Jackman.
From the position he stood, Jackman knew that Zhang Shan was a substitute. To think that he had sent his most courageous, main team member, Lovran, yet the opposing team had only sent a substitute. What the heck were they thinking?
Were they brain damaged? What kind of game were they playing?
“Yuyan, is the Locke’s Star team very weak?” Si Jiali asked.
Bi Yuyan shook her head. “I’m not sure about the specifics, but the data said that the ranking of the Locke’s Star should be dozens of ranks above that of the Solar System Federation.”
“How can Wang Zheng let a substitute fight the opposing team’s main member?”
Bi Yuyan shrugged. “Maybe they have some kind of tactic in place. It will be very difficult for the Solar System Federation to win, so maybe they just want to clock in some participation… On the other hand… Wang Zheng seems to be looking rather dashing in that outfit right now…”
In the face of a battle, men would inadvertently erupt into a strange brilliance.
Si Jiali was silent. Wang Zheng was full of incredible things. Although she did not understand it well, a person who could pilot an Atlantean mech should not be too bad.
Regarding Wang Zheng’s decision, Lear and Achilles were quite calm and had no objections. Raston and the rest were rather worried.
Was Wang Zheng too clouded by his emotions?
The first win was crucial to the current situation of the Solar System Federation, and they needed a good start.
Zhang Shan VS Lovran
Zhang Shan chose Mars’ Flaming Guard third generation, a humanoid mech that belonged to the warrior series. It was a very balanced mech equipped with a titanium blade with the ability to burst forward briefly.
Lovran chose Arbiter’s Overlord mech. It possessed immense force and was violent and fierce. It was a mech that sought to suppress the enemy through force.
The two entered the cockpit, and two mecha appeared on the virtual battlefield.
The battleground was the most common type of battlefield, nothing too fancy. The pre-selection match only sought to test one’s ability to fight.
Whoever was stronger would destroy the other. As it was a battle, one would require both smarts and strength to triumph. The only condition to win was to crush the opponent.
Basically, there was no possibility of relying on luck and speculation to win this battle.
“Little kids from Earth, let Brother here teach you what it means to be in the IG!”
Lovran burst forward howling. As the Overlord was not the quickest, it was best used against warrior type and tank type mecha.
The Flaming Guard mech’s overall performance was not spectacular. Movement wise, it was slightly more flexible than the Overlord, but it did not have possess any other exciting features.
Lovran looked down on his opponent. With a body full of rippling muscles, he was able to pilot the Overlord without significant strain. He intended to rip his opponent into shreds in a single breath. It was a pity that this was not actual combat, or he might have broken down his opponent’s courage with his fearsome charge.
The Overlord and the Flaming Guard charged towards each other. Did he have a plan or was he looking for death, challenging the almighty Overlord headfirst?
Lovran’s spear glimmered. It could be seen that he had activated his Ability X, which seemed to be a pure strength type!
Even the protection of an energy shield was useless against a strike infused with utmost strength!
The two mech were already within reach of each other. The Overlord’s spear stabbed out, but the Flaming Guard still looked as though it was still in the midst of a move. Would this be the determining blow?
Oh…
The Flaming Guard disappeared at this point.
It escaped the spear and appeared behind the Overlord! Kill ~~~~~~~
For first time in a long while, Zhang Shan lashed out in fury, and the titanium blade sliced downwards savagely!
Real men spoke with their blades!