Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest

Mach 5 speed.

At an altitude of 13,700 meters, the ZS-057G universal combat training mech had its wings fully extended, slicing through the clouds in high-speed flight mode.

Inside the mech, Wang Chen once again experienced a sensation akin to Sword Flight.

All combat mechs, including training aircraft, had flight capabilities within the atmosphere. Higher-end models could even escape planetary gravity and directly enter cosmic space.

The Fist Blade-tier mechs ranked low in the combat mech sequence and therefore lacked such capabilities.

Yet, in Wang Chen's view, their performance was still remarkably fierce.

Mach 5 was not the limit for this mech—it was merely the upper limit stated in the combat training manual requirements.

"Tower calling. Trainee DPB2899720, you are about to leave the controlled zone. Please return immediately. Repeat, return immediately!"

Hearing the announcement, Wang Chen shook his head helplessly and promptly maneuvered the mech into a long arc in mid-air, heading against the wind back toward his point of departure.

To date, he had spent one month training with actual-mech simulations at the Seventh Combat Training Base, taking and passing two mandatory assessments, both with an outstanding A+ grade.

Although he hadn't yet obtained a certification, Wang Chen was essentially already a qualified mech operator.

Of course, this qualification was limited to operational control.

The ZS-057G's weapon systems were fully locked. Even its alloy battle sword was unusable.

He needed to complete the next stage of training to qualify for utilizing this mech's arsenal. Another round of assessments was necessary to achieve the beginner-level mech operator certification.

Half an hour later, Wang Chen returned to the K3 Hangar.

The training base's hangar could accommodate 100 combat training mechs. And there were at least ten similar hangars within each base. The number of bases was classified, but they were ample enough to satisfy the training needs of all freshman students in the Mecha Combat Department.

After reaching his designated bay, he opened the cockpit, undid his safety straps, and jumped down.

Landing firmly on the ground.

"Wang Chen, want to grab a drink?"

A fellow trainee, who'd also just disembarked, waved to Wang Chen: "My treat."

Wang Chen hesitated briefly, then nodded: "Alright."

The classmate's name was Fang Yong. Like Wang Chen—or more accurately, like the original Wang Chen—he was also an orphan of a fallen soldier and had entered the First Military Academy through sponsorship channels.

Due to their similar backgrounds, the two developed a casual friendship after meeting—just enough to be considered acquaintances.

Freshmen training at the combat base was extremely demanding, with schedules packed to the brim, leaving little time for rest or entertainment. Being able to sneak a drink occasionally was regarded as a rare pleasure.

The two headed to the base's leisure center and found an open spot in the bar to sit.

Unlike Wang Chen, who preferred solitude, Fang Yong had a much more outgoing and lively personality. He quickly invited a few chatting classmates over, creating a lively group at the table.

In the bar, groups of freshmen gathering like this were everywhere.

Where there are people, there is a Martial World; the First Military Academy was no exception. Forget the entire freshman class—various social circles thrived even within the same department.

Noble descendants had their circles, Scholar Families had theirs, and commoners naturally had their own.

There were also circles formed by those from the same star cluster or even the same planet, as well as groups divided by gene enhancements versus non-enhanced individuals.

In short, the social dynamics were incredibly intricate.

Wang Chen generally disliked blending into social circles, but in the Martial World, one cannot act solely by their own will. Unless one completely excludes themselves from group life, occasional socializing was necessary to avoid becoming an outlier.

Still, in these settings, he only listened without speaking, sipping iced draft beer to relax.

What Wang Chen hadn't anticipated was that before he even finished his first beer, three fellow freshmen suddenly approached their table. One of them asked, "Are you Wang Chen?"

His tone sounded anything but friendly.

Fang Yong and the others immediately stopped their conversation, each showing signs of unease.

Everyone knew these three; they were all noble descendants, and the leader was an Earl's son—someone far out of their league to provoke.

Wang Chen looked up at him, replying calmly, "I am. What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

The Earl's son, Jaster, smiled slightly. "Just wanted to get to know you. My name is Jaster. I've heard you're quite capable. Let's spar sometime if you're up for it."

Wang Chen swirled the beer in his glass. "Sure."

He was never one to shy away from sparring or duels!

Seeing Wang Chen's confident demeanor, a hint of displeasure flashed in Jaster's eyes. Yet outwardly, he maintained his composure, giving a small nod. "Apologies for interrupting."

With that, he turned and left decisively with his two companions in tow.

Quick and straightforward.

Once Jaster's group had left, one of Wang Chen's tablemates suddenly spoke up, "I've got something I need to handle. Sorry, I'll be off."

"Same here. Let's chat another time."

As a result, everyone but Fang Yong quickly found excuses and left, each acting as if they were fleeing a fire.

Fang Yong was stunned. "Why are they like this?"

Jaster obviously harbored intentions of targeting Wang Chen. Otherwise, he wouldn't have approached out of nowhere and said such cryptic words.

But they were all classmates; was there really a need to act so scared?

Even if Jaster was dominant, he wouldn't dare make a move against others within the academy!

Wang Chen patted Fang Yong's shoulder, smiling. "This is the norm. You should avoid associating with me in the future to prevent being implicated."

Fang Yong froze for a moment, then slowly lowered his head.

He had to admit, Wang Chen was right. Reality was cruel: what could commoners possibly use to compete with noble heirs?

"Thanks for the drink."

Wang Chen stood up and said, "Next time, it'll be my treat."

Leaving the bar, Wang Chen exited the leisure center just as three mechs flew overhead in formation.

Their engines roared deafeningly.

Wang Chen glanced up before striding toward the hangar.

The afternoon held more training sessions.

Time flew quickly, and soon it was the day for the third mech combat fundamentals assessment.

This time, the assessment's difficulty far exceeded the previous two. But for Wang Chen, it hardly made a difference.

Then an unexpected twist occurred.

This time, he was given a score of B+!

That was absurd.

Although the legendary highest grade of S existed only in rumors, Wang Chen's abilities undoubtedly met the A+ standard—something proven by the results of the previous two assessments.

What was the meaning of a B+?

Without hesitation, he requested a reassessment as soon as he saw the score.

Mech combat assessments were fully monitored and recorded, and students had the right to question their results and apply for a reassessment.

The reassessment outcome was quickly issued.

A+!

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Second update delivered.