New Person
After taking the photos, they quickly returned to the training room.
Shen Xingtang was in the office organizing promotional materials. Jiang Simiao, seeing that everyone else had left, asked Shen Xingtang, "Why didn't you tell Chenlin about the roster? Chenlin thought it was you who would be on it."
Team battles in mechas follow a five-mecha format. Due to the large number of mechas, pre-match inspections and maintenance are required by repairmen. Therefore, bases need to submit a list of repairmen to the alliance. This list specifies repairmen who can enter the match preparation area and are called team repairmen, requiring approval from the alliance.
For the fairness of the competition, there can only be one team repairman during the match. They stay in the preparation area in the transition zone, monitoring the data of the mechas before and during the match to prevent any special situations.
"I was too busy and forgot. Besides, his skills are better than mine." Shen Xingtang remembered the last time they went to the Polluted Zone of the Tianyu Star. Even on the outskirts of the competition area, Ying Chenlin could enjoy the scenery with the lively group for a long time. "He likes it, and I'm not interested in that place. Let the kid broaden his horizons. Also, I received some news recently."
Jiang Simiao looked at her in confusion.
"The Team Battle League may undergo restructuring in the coming years. After the incident in the Tianyu Star, the Star Alliance has already held several emergency meetings." Shen Xingtang pinched her brow and continued, "The introduction of medical mechas is a matter of time."
Jiang Simiao had heard about the introduction of medical mechas, but there had been no follow-up for several years. "Are you talking about the introduction of mecha team doctors?"
In recent years, the frontline medical mecha system had matured, introducing intelligent repair systems internally. Although it couldn't match the abilities of repairmen, it could handle some wartime situations. In the border or other military areas, these types of mecha teams gradually matured and were called 'mecha team doctors' because they were medical mechas.
Since its establishment, the Team Battle Mecha League had not undergone any restructuring. If medical mechas were introduced, shifting from a five-mecha to a six-mecha format, the Team Battle Mecha League would undoubtedly undergo restructuring.
"If medical mechas are introduced, a position will be added to the Team Battle Mechas, and the tasks of the team repairman will also be transferred in part to the medical mechas." Shen Xingtang continued, "I'm thinking that if restructuring is really going to happen, if Chenlin's body can adapt, let him give it a try."
Ying Chenlin couldn't sustain high-intensity mecha operations continuously. Shen Xingtang noticed this in some footage from the Tianyu Star and later asked other KID members, learning that Ying Chenlin had fatigue periods when piloting mechas. But thinking of the sincerity Ying Chenlin showed in the repair room that day, Shen Xingtang knew he also yearned for that vast battlefield. The kid had retired due to his body being forced to retire before he reached adulthood, which was a pity.
Jiang Simiao: "Do you want him to adapt in advance? But these things that haven't been finalized yet, what if..."
"So I didn't tell him, but it's probably something in the next few years."
Shen Xingtang said, "The Alliance will disclose this information to let other mecha bases prepare in advance. I heard that other teams in different star domains have already been cultivating medical mecha pilots. The incident in the Tianyu Star is also a reason, the complexity of the polluted area's environment. If the league is to continue, a medical system will inevitably be introduced."
---
In KID's dormitory area, Ying Chenlin returned to his room holding the clothes, changed into the repair overalls, which fit perfectly.
On the other side of the repair overalls was a set of combat suits similar in style to those of others. The combat suit was a special outfit exclusively for mecha pilots, with a lightweight fabric containing various nanomaterials for more convenient synchronization with mechas.
Repairmen don't have combat suits, and this combat suit was probably customized by Shen Xingtang for him, perhaps recalling his retirement mentioned last time.
Ying Chenlin picked up the combat suit, which fit exceptionally well. He also noticed some simple modifications on the right arm, making it more compatible with his mechanical arm.
He never gave up on the dream of becoming a mecha pilot. Choosing surgery, preparing to manufacture a mecha that suits Yuan, retraining muscle memory, and many other preparations Ying Chenlin made were all geared towards not giving up on mechas. He needed to adjust himself and be fully prepared to face the future restructuring of the Team Battle League.
With his current physical condition, even if he recovers to the peak level, the regression of his physical functions would prevent him from possessing the excellent qualities of a solo mecha pilot. Team battles were his only opportunity to engage in the league, and he also knew... the future Mecha League would undergo restructuring.
From a five-mecha format to a six-mecha format, adding one mecha position, and introducing medical mechas.
The restructuring involving medical mechas occurred after the Black Hole incident.
After the Star Alliance League noticed the uncertain factor of super S-class pollutants, they implemented an existing plan, which was to introduce the medical mecha system into the league.
Medical mechas were mature in the professional field, but as league mechas, there was uncertainty, and it was difficult to find mecha pilots who could drive medical mechas. Currently, most medical mecha drivers were repairmen.
However, these repairmen might not have a high level of combat skills. Therefore, most medical mecha pilots found it challenging to adapt to the pace of the battlefield. Until the maturity of intelligent medical systems, even mecha pilots unfamiliar with repair knowledge could quickly assist teammates using intelligent medical systems. That's why the league considered the introduction.
At that stage, some mecha pilots switched to the medical field, creating a dual system of mecha and repair known as "with-battle repairmen," marking a significant change in the maturity of the Team Battle Mecha League.
And Ying Chenlin knew that it was the future, and it was his opportunity.
"Black Hole." Ying Chenlin looked at himself in the mirror, thinking about what might happen in this league. Now that the league playoffs haven't taken place, let alone the top 8 qualifiers after the playoffs. The specific announcements and formats of the polluted areas as playoff-level polluted areas haven't come out yet...
Ying Chenlin's gaze tightened a bit. As a team repairman, he could observe the changes inside the arena more clearly.
He couldn't let KID's members repeat the same mistakes in that FS polluted area.
---
The virtual battlefield caused a widespread discussion due to the QPDik team. Many people focused on the IDs of these mecha pilots, but later couldn't find their new records on the Star Network. There was no chance to continue observing. Jiang Simiao's secondary account's training plan was forcibly increased midway. Team boss Shen Xingtang took all account passwords and bought a bunch of name-changing cards in the store to change those 'memorable' names.
Time passed quickly, and soon the elimination round began. After the last match of the elimination round, the 15th Star System Mecha League Qualifiers began. The qualifiers involved the top 16 from the previous season and the top 16 from this season's elimination round, making a total of 32 mecha teams competing in a month-long event. The competition format would only be announced before the matches.
The 32 teams were divided into four groups, with only one match per group. Only the top four in each group would advance to the next round.
The start times of the four regional competitions were staggered, with the D region starting the earliest and the A region the latest. When the group information was announced before the competition began, the Star Network had already ignited fervent discussions. The most attention was on the top eight teams. This time, the top eight teams were separated, with the top four Gale, Black Crow, YDS, and BZZL1 going to four different regions.
KID's team was assigned to the D region, and the polluted area in this region was the Fiyalge Polluted Area. Participating teams needed to register in the area the day before the match.
The Fiyalge Polluted Area was a level-3 tournament-grade polluted area, with a forest coverage rate exceeding 50%. It was also a type of polluted area where no one survived.
KID's team wasn't participating in the qualifiers for the first time, but most of the team members were coming to this polluted area for the first time. Unlike usual missions, a competition-grade transit entrance was set up at the edge of the polluted area to build the competition venue. There were on-site spectators who came for the reputation, as well as real-time virtual image broadcasts from Star Alliance across the Star Network. Even before entering, you could hear the outside world buzzing with activity. Even though the popularity in the D region didn't surpass the other regions, it was still a full house at this moment.
Ji Qingfeng said, "It's really lively outside!"
Huo Yan looked at Shen Xingtang, "Boss, should we bring our sponsor's virtual banner?"
"Of course, bring it." Shen Xingtang arranged everything, "Once you enter the preparation area, there will only be a few of you. Chenlin, follow the staff, and I and Simiao will wait for you in the rest area."
You Su tilted his head, noticing Shen Xingtang and looked at the repairman, Ying Chenlin, who was carrying a repair kit.
Ying Chenlin, wearing a hat and a long-sleeved team uniform on the outside, and a well-fitted repair overall inside.
His face still carried that calm and composed expression, but the slightly loose outerwear made him look smaller. Standing weakly next to the tall figure of Huo Yan, he formed a particularly sharp contrast.
Ying Chenlin noticed You Su's gaze, "What's wrong?"
He looked calm, observing other places while still having time.
"Nothing." You Su shifted his gaze back and noticed the team behind. Since a while ago, people have been watching them from that side.
Several people stood in the corridor, and in front of them were more than a dozen or twenty people from other mecha bases. There were also about ten people from other mecha bases behind them, and there were only eight people in their KID team. There was a lot of space around them, and the momentum was weaker by a few points.
"Our opponents are DE in the back." Lin Yao stood beside them, looking back and noticing the familiar sandy-yellow team uniform. "Da Feng, we have to beat them in this match!"
Ji Qingfeng saw Xu Yaojun standing in the team with a high-spirited look. "Keep an eye on Xu Yaojun."
DE was ranked behind KID, and the order of appearance had to go through a round.
When it came to DE, everyone remembered the incident with the weapon core. In the previous season, KID's repairman violated the rules and leaked mecha data, and DE, on the field, produced a weapon with core data similar to their team's. There was no evidence on the surface, making it impossible to appeal, but all KID members knew the truth.
Shen Xingtang glanced at Xu Yaojun standing in the DE team, "It's almost time to enter. Let's go."
In the distance, the boss of the DE team saw KID's people, and a shrewd expression on his face carried a touch of gloominess.
KID's ranking has always been above them, and the result of this match will affect the allocation of resources around the Sirius system. Moreover, the competition in the D region is intense this year, with only four spots available for the top 16, and many powerful teams...
The DE boss looked at the team of more than ten people behind him and emphasized, "After entering the field, don't let go of KID's people. Prioritize dealing with them. It's also a way to deal with a competitor."
The mecha pilots nodded, and when Xu Yaojun withdrew his gaze, he noticed that the DE boss was looking at him, making him a bit nervous. "Boss."
The DE boss called him over and whispered, "I don't care what kind of artillery mecha pilot KID hired. If necessary, it's okay to use that weapon."
"You know, I just want a winning result."
---
The scene was buzzing with voices.
"Dear viewers from all over the Star Alliance, we are now at the live scene of the 15th Team Battle Mecha League Qualifiers in the first star system of the Dawn Galaxy. The competition zone is the Fiyalge Polluted Area."
"Today, there are eight participating teams, and all the teams are ready. Now, let's warmly welcome the teams from various mecha bases to enter the field—first, our fourth-ranked team from last season, BZZL1."
...
In the center of the venue was the teleportation area for the competition. Each area had a team resting area. With the host's voice, the teams entered the arena.
On the Star Network, major live streaming platforms also started real-time broadcasts. Star Network users wandered between various live rooms, speculating on the games in this zone early on. As a 32-to-16 match, only the top four positions were taken, and in a sense, some of the advanced positions were basically reserved for teams with strong original top-eight qualifications. Except for the two positions firmly held by the top eight, the remaining two positions were determined among the teams from the old top 16 and the new top 16.
It was lively, especially in the D region, where there was a dark horse team from the new 16 generated in this elimination round and several other strong teams from the old 16. Among them, the internal war combination of the Sirius, DE team, and KID team attracted the interest of many netizens.
The conflicts between these two teams were not a secret on the Star Network. DE was becoming more powerful, while KID was getting worse. KID's decline was felt by many people from the time they publicized the artillery mecha pilot trace. This kind of unreliability continued, including their realization, only after the elimination round ended, that they released the team's promotional photos. While other mecha battles could release movie-level epics, KID only posted the most primitive and simple photos for promotion.
In the D region, the teams participating in the match were entering. The barrage in the official live room had already started—
KID's repairman was also one of the key points that netizens paid attention to.
After all, the recruitment announcement to hire a repairman for 8,000 star coins after the end of the last season was memorable. Although some netizens came out to reveal that KID had recruited someone, netizens didn't believe that KID could really hire a repairman. Under such conditions, only a fool would agree.
On the Star Network, those who paid attention to KID were not just netizens, teams from other regions also opened the live broadcast on the Star Network.
When Zhao Lejie opened the official live room, he saw netizens discussing. He turned his head and looked at Qi Sicheng beside him. "Did Zhang ge say last time that KID hired a repair apprentice? Then this time, should Shen Xingtan take up the position of KID's repairman?"
Qi Sicheng nodded. "Shen Xingtang retired from the battlefield, and there's no one more suitable than her."
He was watching KID's side. Since the announcement of Trace, he hadn't seen any other news on the Star Network. Others might not know, but for them, who had experience cooperating with KID in the Tianyu Star Polluted Area, they knew that there was another mecha pilot stealth in KID.
If the opponent appeared as a substitute mecha pilot, KID's lineup would be more versatile.
Qi Sicheng paid attention to the opponent. The young man surnamed Ying was very agile, and he had studied the opponent's tactics. At that time, the opponent used a light knife and a thunder-magnetic cannon. The use of both close-range and long-range weapons was handy, coupled with the performance of a suspected solo mecha pilot. Perhaps he could replace KID's close guard or control mecha pilot at any time.
Soon, three mecha teams in the venue had already walked.
The host said, "Next to enter the arena is the KID team from Sirius."
In the official live room, the commentators responsible for explaining the game saw this situation. One of them, who was more familiar with the internal affairs of the league, said, "Among all the teams in the Dawn Galaxy, KID is probably the one with the fewest logistics personnel in the league. Many viewers are curious about KID's repairman. It is said that Shen Xingtang is a retired repairman and should be KID's accompanying repairman this time."
The passage leading to another rest area lit up, and the other spectators on the field turned their eyes to KID's direction. Even the teams that had already entered the rest area also looked at the passage. The flashlights on the high platform shone at the exit. Compared to the other teams' grand entrances, KID's appearance was a bit too plain, and the number of people was few.
The camera zoomed in on the walking KID's team members. The commentator noticed another unfamiliar face in the KID team. While the boss Shen Xingtang and coach Jiang Simiao were well-known, the remaining unfamiliar face, even the commentator had never seen before. Moreover, the person seemed to be carrying Shen Xingtang's repair kit.
As KID's team reached the intersection of the rest area and the preparation area, Boss Shen Xingtang and Coach Jiang Simiao went towards the rest area. However, the last person followed the team of KID's mecha pilots to the preparation area.
The commentator lowered his head and scanned KID's information page. He found that at some point, KID's information page had been refreshed, and the name on the repairman section was not Shen Xingtang's.
Zhao Lejie, who was also watching the live broadcast, slipped and fell from his seat. "Wait?! Ying Chenlin is not a mecha pilot! Trace is the artillery mecha pilot, he shouldn't be a substitute!"
KID did not announce the substitute mecha pilot, but for those who had experience cooperating with KID in the Tianyu Star Polluted Area, they had tested the lineups KID might use. Earlier, when KID announced Trace, they thought Ying Chenlin was the substitute waiting in the wings. Who knew this person wasn't KID's mecha pilot at all but a repairman!?
Moreover, there was still Shen Xingtang in KID, and everyone in the industry knew that Shen Xingtang was an experienced repairman. Naturally, she would be more stable in the field.
Qi Sicheng's eyes widened. "KID didn't bring a substitute."
Everyone in the venue looked at the young man following behind KID's mecha pilot. As the live broadcast zoomed in, everyone saw KID's sixth person. The young man wore a hat, making his face unclear. He wore a loose red and white long-sleeved jacket and carried a repair kit on his side, standing behind the tall mecha pilot, looking slightly frail.
The sleeve was slightly rolled up, revealing a faint cold light of delicate machinery inside his long sleeves.
Seemingly aware of the camera, the young man turned his head slightly, revealing a pale side face.
"Where's KID's repairman? Come this way," the on-site staff shouted.
The virtual camera, following the filming, paused for a moment and locked onto the young man.
The young man raised his hand to adjust his hat, seeming to hear the distant guidance, and quickly ran over.