Capítulo 22: Chapter 022 Sorry _1
After landing on the alien planet, Ji Xinghe didn't experience the lightness he had anticipated. The Azure Star's gravity, which was only a third of what he was used to, didn't make him feel as agile as he used to be in his twenties at his physical peak. This dented his confidence somewhat.
"You'll feel much better once you take off your spacesuit."
The voice of Han Li echoed beside Ji Xinghe. Han Li, in his mecha suit, stepped out of the spacecraft. Despite its weight, the craft and the base floor could easily bear it.
Only then did Ji Xinghe realize that he was crammed into a bulky spacesuit. The 60KG outfit could buffer him from the impact during the spacecraft's landing. But it also compensated for the difference caused by the weaker gravity.
The hangar door was already closed behind him. After the completion notice of oxygen fill-up, voices advising everyone to remove their spacesuits echoed around. Among the thousand passengers on the spacecraft, only a dozen or so had visited alien planets before. Everyone else, including the expert mechanic Shen Mu, was making their first trip.
"Hurry, take it off!"
Shen Mu was the first to remove his helmet and started urging others, leading to all the passengers in the spacious area undressing. A group of robots rushed out from a metallic door just opened at one side of the hangar, ready to collect their spacesuits, check them then put them back, awaiting their next use.
Ji Xinghe finally got around the sense of lightness, aligning with his initial expectation. His strength escalated when the gravity dropped sharply, reducing the burden on his body. His 65-year-old body felt like it was back in his prime at 20.
However, the change was only applicable to aspects like strength and speed. As for the agility of fingers and the responsiveness, he didn't notice any significant improvement. His body had indeed aged.
"How are you feeling?"
Han Li, in his mecha suit, stood beside Ji Xinghe, seeming towering compared to the robots that were fetching spacesuits. After Ji Xinghe took off his spacesuit, his altitude advantage was lost, rendering him like a six or seven-year-old kid in comparison.
"Not bad."
Ji Xinghe started to move about. During the three-month-long space voyage, there had been a slight decline in his physical form.
"Shall we have another go?" The words from Han Li, transmitted by the megaphone of the mecha suit, find their way to many people's ears nearby. "Your ability should be far superior under this low-gravity environment than on the Azure Star. You might win if we fight again."
Ji Xinghe continued to exercise his body in small movements, seemingly a bit odd.
"Colonel Han Li, don't fool Ji. His body would be stronger in a low-gravity environment, and so is yours."
Having taken off his spacesuit, Shen Mu ran over, looking up at Han Li's mecha suit and yelled out the fact.
Indeed, the 65-year-old Ji Xinghe's physical performance would be stronger with a weaker gravity field. However, 34-year-old Han Li was also in his prime. Although his energy level may not be as high as it was in his twenties when he could power on all night long, what he had lost could be made up with experience. Under such circumstances in the low-gravity planet, Han Li's fighting power would be much more than when he was on the Azure Star.
Yet to break the record of fighting power were the mecha suits. Han Li's suit was made with a special alloy. It was driven by a powerful engine and nuclear fuel cells. But it still felt heavy on the Azure Star. When carried onto the alien planet with a lighter gravity, the combat power could increase by several times.
"I was referring to the first-generation federal mecha suit that Ji is most adept at." Han Li started explaining, "Our battles in the virtual world were based on the Azure Star environment, not that of an alien planet. His suit was too heavy for him to operate, posing some difficulties. But now we are on an alien planet. His mecha suit's speed and strength would see a clear improvement. If we fought again, I believe you stand a good chance of winning, Uncle Ji."
The crowd fell silent. Shen Mu wanted to say something but didn't. With Han Li's words being expressly clear, he was set to withhold effort in the upcoming battle to give Ji Xinghe a big start after landing on the alien planet.
Generally, seeing a 65-year-old mechanic driving a first-generation federal mecha suit defeating a 34-year-old special-level mecha warrior in a twenty-third-generation suit would reasonably bring joy, wouldn't it?
Just like everyone was helping Ji Xinghe to set up his old-age amusement, they all wished Ji Xinghe would be happy. Because there was a fact recognized by all: in this war, the youngsters should protect the elderly and children who were weaker. They shouldn't be directly involved in the battle.
But Ji Xinghe turned out to be a participant. After successfully landing on the alien planet, he became the oldest federal soldier there apart from scientists.
"I haven't tried driving a real mecha suit. The simulation in the virtual world has its flaws." Ji Xinghe stopped working out and began talking to Han Li who was looking down at him. He thought about that long spear that couldn't kill without a spearhead.
"If you really want to fight, you step out."
Han Li was stunned. And so was everyone else.
"Ahem!" Shen Mu approached Ji Xinghe: "Ji, why don't you go for a health check first? Or let me touch your head, just a touch."
Only by having a fever does one need to check the temperature by touching the head. Now, Shen Mu, as a younger man, had already raised his hand. However, when facing Ji Xinghe, he could joke and even tease, but he dared not take any actions that would be disrespectful. This was a traditional virtue of respecting the old and cherishing the young from Dragon Continent.
Ji Xinghe looked at Shen Mu and spoke again, his words making everyone around continue to think he was ill.
"You can go up with Han Li."
"Cough...cough…"
Shen Mu began to cough violently. He was choked by his saliva, it was not a cough to clear his throat and draw attention as before.
"Okay!"
The voice came from inside Major Han Li's mecha, causing everyone around to remain in a stunned state. Unlike the silence before when they were surprised, it was now a startled silence: What was Major Han Li going to do?
Those who had already guessed that Han Li was going to intentionally lose to Ji Xinghe were completely bewildered by Ji Xinghe's and Han Li's behavior. It's easy to hold back when piloting a mecha, because the performance difference of the suits themselves is not noticeable, and the physical fitness of the pilot, even if there is a significant gap, is also not easy to detect.
But without the amplification of the mechas, a 34-year-old Major Han Li vs a 65-year-old Private Ji Xinghe, no matter how much one held back, the outcome was predetermined. What was the point of such a conspicuous act? It didn't seem right.
"Alright."
Ji Xinghe also agreed, but the battle did not start immediately.
The door of Han Li's mecha opened and he emerged, speaking softly, "Uncle Ji, first go for a medical check. We'll fight elsewhere later."
Medical checks and sanitation are mandatory procedures after landing on an alien planet, which everyone must follow. A usually boring process, this time, however, attracted more interest. The thousand people on the spaceship all became incredibly excited, not just because of the thrill of landing on an alien planet for the first time but also the anticipation for Han Li's second match against Ji Xinghe.
Even if the result was predetermined, even if they didn't understand why they had to fight, everyone was eager to watch.
After all the requisite procedures were over, Ji Xinghe changed into a soldier's uniform. Underneath he was still wearing the tight protective suit, which everyone on the Alien Planet had to wear, even if they were inside the base.
Base No. 6 was huge. Almost all of the structure was underground, shaped like an underground city. Those landing on the alien planet for the first time were not permitted to leave the base immediately. They needed to acclimate to the alien environment at the base before heading to their respective posts.
Thus, the audience for this fight between Ji Xinghe and Han Li was big, including not only the passengers who came with them but also some base staff who were temporarily idle. Thousands filled the base's assembly space.
However, the audience that truly mattered to Han Li and Ji Xinghe was just one person. A girl just through with crying was being led by a nurse to the front row, a place she wasn't originally privileged to be.
Those who didn't know found it very strange, for there were very few children to begin with on the alien planet, even fewer than the scarce number of Special Level mecha pilots. Those who did understand were not surprised at all. They also realized why Han Li was so insistent on having another match with Ji Xinghe after seeing this little girl.
This was not a battle, but a gift.
Major Han Li was giving a gift to Chenxing, a gift to Ji Xinghe, a gift to the little girl.
In the name of the Federation's Special Level Mecha warrior, in the name of the Federation combat hero, in the name of the first place winner of the Military School's Combat Tournament, in the name of the seventy-three Gold Stars earned from his mecha, Han Li was offering a gift—he was putting all these honors that he did not need, that he did not want, on the line.
I'm sorry, I caused the death of your son.
I'm sorry, I caused the death of your father.
I'm sorry, please let me lose to you.
I'm sorry, please let me lose to your grandfather.
I'm sorry, there's not much I can do, but I am willing to do everything within my power, so long as it will help make things better for you.
Presentes
-- Presente
recebido Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder