Chapter 29: The Behind-the-Scenes Xiao Sa

Ever since Xiao Sa thoroughly disciplined Kaman and his group, the climate of Mecha Operation Class A was completely transformed.

Kaman no longer dared to loiter, be late, or leave early. Every day, he attended classes diligently, diligently completed his assignments, and finished his training tasks.

He didn’t even dare to publicize the fact that he had been threatened by Xiao Sa, as it was too humiliating.

He had thought that Xiao Sa would lose interest in this "game" after a few days, but to his dismay, Xiao Sa was a man of his word and truly kept an eye on them every day.

Kaman was miserable but had no other option. The only consolation was that the supersonic car his father had promised him had arrived, though he no longer had the time to participate in flying races with his former companions.

Adhering to the principle that he shouldn’t be the only one suffering, and being the leading troublemaker in Class A, Kaman's influence spread across the entire class. When he and his companions started to study earnestly, the nightmare began for the other students.

Ever since Kaman started attending classes on time, he wouldn’t allow any other student to arrive later than him. There were two bodyguards stationed at the classroom door, standing like gatekeepers, constantly monitoring the attendance of the other students.

From then on, students in Class A were compelled to overcome their habit of oversleeping and had to be seated in the classroom early in the morning, waiting for the professor to begin the class.

When the professors entered the classroom, they were shocked by the students’ newfound ‘enthusiasm’—could this really be the same class of noble playboys who were only here to polish their resumes？

During lessons, no one dared to sleep openly, play games on their light computers, or chat with others as if no one else existed. There were no more cases of tardiness, early departures, or skipping classes, and even the daily homework was handed in on time, neatly.

The mecha training sessions in the afternoon, once a haven for skipping or proxy participation, were now under the strict supervision of Xiao Sa and Kaman. The other students were not even permitted to have someone else complete their training for them.

Seeing his former carefree classmates now looking just as miserable as he was, Kaman finally found a sense of equilibrium amidst his pent-up frustration.

Suddenly, being bullied by Xiao Sa no longer seemed so painful; there was even a subtle sense of satisfaction.

He had dominated the class before, but this was the first time his "tyranny" received praise and approval from the professors and his father.

This sense of satisfaction reached its peak when the parents of the students in Class A began calling Duke Lot one after another, uncharacteristically expressing their gratitude and praise for Kaman.

Kaman, who seldom received attention or praise from his father, was showcased repeatedly during a family dinner that day.

Even his elder brother, who usually didn’t think much of him, fell silent, though the faint mocking smile at the corner of his mouth seemed to be waiting for Kaman to revert to his old ways.

※※※

That afternoon.

Kaman yawned lazily and stretched, making his way to the mech training ground, heading to the VIP training room.

It was only when he reached the door that he realized it had been occupied.

Bayer hurried back, looking annoyed, and informed him, "Today is the combined training session for Classes C and B. The other training grounds are full, so they took over Class A’s VIP training room since it was empty."

Kaman glared at him angrily, snorting through his nose, "What do you mean they took it over? Don’t they know this VIP training room is reserved for Class A?"

Bayer awkwardly shrugged and said, "They said since we never use it and always have others complete our tasks, it was better to put the empty room to use."

His voice trailed off as Kaman grew increasingly furious.

Kaman snorted coldly. Since being forced to submit to Xiao Sa’s tyranny, he had become reckless.

Over the past few days, he had felt increasingly good, and even the once tedious and annoying mech training tasks no longer felt as painful.

However, just when he was in high spirits, these people, who previously wouldn’t have dared to provoke him, poured cold water on his enthusiasm.

How could he let this slide?

Kaman gestured to the two bodyguards behind him, "Go and clear the room. Tell them I want the place cleared."

Shortly after, the two bodyguards returned, looking embarrassed, and bowed their heads, "Young Master Kaman, the trainees inside won’t leave. They said it’s a critical moment in their training, and…"

Kaman suppressed his anger, the veins on his temples throbbing, "What else did they say?"

At that moment, a few students from Class B walked out of the training room. While their families aren’t as influential as the Lot family, they were still the heirs of some of the most prominent noble families in Central Star of the Empire.

One of them, tall and broad-shouldered, casually greeted Kaman with a smile, "Sorry, but all the other training rooms are full. We need to use your training room temporarily."

"We’ll get someone to complete your daily training tasks. Please go and enjoy yourself elsewhere, Young Master. The mechs inside are flying around, not a place for delicate young masters like you." He continued, "I’ve already called your elder brother to apologize. He said you would understand, right?"

Kaman’s expression changed instantly. His elder brother was the person he hated the most since childhood.

Everyone knew that his elder brother would be the one to inherit their father’s title. In the shadow of his outstanding brother, Kaman was merely a dispensable playboy in the family.

He had never been able to compare to his brother in anything, and over the years, he had grown accustomed to it.

But today, Kaman was especially furious—just when he wanted to make progress and enjoy some attention from the elders, was it not allowed?

He suppressed his anger and narrowed his eyes, giving the other person a cold stare. "What if I don't want to?"

The other person's brow furrowed, and he was about to say more when someone by his side suddenly reached out to stop him.

Joan Lane, the eldest son of the Lane family, nodded at Kaman and said with a smile, "Since you're so eager today, why don't you come in and have a practice match with us? We're training anyway."

Kaman clenched his fists and sneered, "That's exactly what I was thinking."

With so many people watching at that moment, he was in a position where he couldn't back out. Even if he knew he might lose, he couldn't afford to be a coward.

Moreover, he hadn't participated in the grade battles before because he rarely practiced actual combat. As a double-A rank, it would be embarrassing to back down in front of opponents one rank lower than him.

The news that Kaman, the famous rich, spoiled kid from the nobility class, was going to fight against Joan, the eldest son of the Lane family from class B, spread quickly across the entire training base. Students who were free flocked to the VIP training room to watch the spectacle.

Joan Lane, a special admission student to class B, ranked in the top ten every month in the grade battles. He was highly regarded by the Lane family and was being groomed carefully.

The Lane family had also invested heavily in research and development but was always outshone by the Lot family. Joan had long wanted to give Kaman a lesson.

He half-closed his eyes and gave Kaman a sneer.

Just a useless person relying on his family’s influence, not someone worth his attention.

With a coconut milk box in his mouth, Xiao Sa strolled into the training area. He could hear people around him talking about Kaman's match. Without having to ask, the surrounding gossip gave him enough details.

By the time he reached the VIP training room, the battle in the center of the arena had already reached an intense phase.

Kaman's red mech was almost being overpowered by the blue mech opposite him.

Even though his psychic power level was higher than his opponent's, his actual combat skills were far inferior to a top-ten student's. If the mech’s performance had been better, it might not have looked so bad, but the Lane family's mech was clearly top-tier as well.

With a loud "Boom," Kaman's red mech was blasted to the ground by a shot from his opponent, shaking the entire training area.

Inside the cockpit, Kaman was dazed by the impact, surrounded by muffled mocking laughter from class B and C students.

"Higher psychic power level, so what? Without ability, it's just wasted genes."

"Probably the only use is for a family marriage alliance, to produce better offspring."

Bayer and the other class A students were both angry and helpless. This was why most of them didn't want to participate in the monthly grade battles.

He had neither the motivation to strive forward nor the perseverance to endure hard training, and he didn't want to suffer the ridicule of failure, choosing instead to lie around like a spoiled brat, letting his great talent go to waste.

Enil shook his head and whispered to Bayer, "Let's just forget about Kaman. We can bring more people next time and secretly beat up Joey to vent our frustration. We can't beat them even if we try. Why embarrass ourselves here?"

Xiao Sa leaned against the door, deftly twirling his psychic needle between his fingers. As he listened, his brows furrowed with a thoughtful look, and he gently touched the earring on his right ear.

"Haino, get in touch with Kaman."

"No problem."

At that moment, Kaman sat rigidly in the cockpit, his hands gripping the joystick tightly, breathing heavily.

Sweat soaked his back, and cold sweat dripped down his forehead.

He stared up at the blue mech hovering above him, its gaze condescending. Even though he couldn't see Joey's face, he knew the guy must be smirking contemptuously.

Was he really going to admit defeat in front of everyone?

But if he continued, he would only get beaten more severely. For now, his abundant psychic power allowed him to hold out against his opponent.

Just as Kaman was torn between self-loathing and the torment of his wounded pride, a voice suddenly crackled through the console's channel chat:

"Kaman, listen, do as I say from now on."

Kaman was taken aback. "Xiao Sa, how are you in my friend channel? I never added you as a friend."

Xiao Sa's casual voice responded. "Don't worry about the details. If you want to win, follow my instructions."

Kaman frowned. "Even if you’re a C-class with excellent hand-to-hand combat skills, you're still a beginner at mechs. How can you possibly help me win?"

"Summon your mental entity and bring it to me."

Kaman was still confused, but he had no other choice.

The blue mech in the air spoke once more. "Admit defeat, Kaman. I don't want to push you too hard. After all, your brother is my friend. Don't worry, we'll still help you with your training tasks. Don't be a hero."

Laughter erupted around him.

Kaman’s temples throbbed, and without hesitation, he released his mental entity, which flew to Xiao Sa’s shoulder.

Xiao Sa gently patted Red Eagle's head, and his S-level psychic power instantly spread beneath his feet. As his fingers made contact, it invaded the mech's spiritual sea in an instant.

Kaman was suddenly terrified to realize that his spiritual entity was no longer under his control!

Instinctively, he wanted to repel the invader, but remembering the blue mech's taunts, he forced himself to endure the discomfort.

He took a deep breath. "What do I do now?"

Xiao Sa's voice was low and calm, like a steadily running precision instrument, resonating in his mind. "I've observed this already. The blue mech’s weakness lies in his left hand. This guy is good at attacking but not so good at defending. He's also heavily reliant on his energy cannon and is poor at accelerating."

"Approach him, and he will panic and try to increase the distance. That's your chance to turn the tables."

Xiao Sa's unhurried tone carried a reassuring rhythm, and his presence instinctively inspired trust.

Kaman couldn't understand how Xiao Sa had analyzed his opponent's weakness so quickly, just from observing their battle.

Despite his usual idleness, Kaman still had the basic skills to control a mech. Gritting his teeth, he launched his mech off the ground.

The moment he attacked the blue mech, he suddenly felt his spiritual sea surge powerfully, as if an endless stream of psychic power was flooding into him.

His senses expanded dramatically, and the blue mech's movements now appeared sluggish in his eyes—he couldn't tell if it was the opponent slowing down or himself speeding up.

"Xiao Sa!" Kaman's eyes widened in surprise.

Xiao Sa simply uttered three words: "Trust me."

Gritting his teeth, Kaman decided to focus solely on delivering a powerful punch to the blue mech, to regain some dignity.

Following Xiao Sa's instructions, he launched relentless attacks on the blue mech’s left hand, leveraging his suddenly enhanced psychic power. For a brief period, his efficiency in controlling the mech nearly doubled.

This fierce assault caught Joan by surprise.

He couldn't understand why Kaman had suddenly turned into a mad dog, and he unexpectedly received two blows.

Joan instinctively tried to retreat and create distance, raising his right hand to unleash his energy cannon, aiming to blast the other mech back to the ground.

But Kaman's red mech suddenly vanished from his view, leaving only a faint afterimage. In an instant, it closed in again, giving him no chance to catch his breath.

The short-range ion cannon in the red mech’s palms, which had the highest attack power, began bombarding the joints of his left hand!

Joan was heavily damaged this time and lost his balance immediately.

He rarely engaged in close combat with his opponents, always maintaining a safe distance with his agile movements and then unleashing a barrage of attacks. But now, he felt overwhelmed, as if he were running for his life.

He couldn’t maintain distance or defend effectively.

Suddenly, his left side shook violently, and the control panel let out a sharp screech—the left operating system had malfunctioned! The mech now had only one functioning arm.

Before Joan could react, the red mech leaped into the air, switching to a mid-range laser cannon and firing a barrage at him, forcing him from the air to the ground, unable to get back up.

Worse, Joan had relied too heavily on the high-energy particle cannon, revealing its weakness—he was running out of power.

Under the astonished gazes of the spectators, Kaman’s stunning counterattack pinned Joan down, thoroughly humiliating him, until he surrendered in defeat as the energy depletion warnings blared.

Not only were the students from Classes B and C astonished, but even Kaman’s classmates from Class A were stunned, staring at him as if they had seen a ghost, watching him dominate the arena.

After a brief silence, Bayer, Kaman’s closest friend, was the first to react, whistling loudly and clapping, shouting, “Well done, Kaman!”

Soon, the students from Class A began to clap sincerely, and soon, the entire training room erupted into a thunderous cheer.

“So Kaman does have some skills, after all. No wonder he’s a double-A rank.”

“I thought he never joined the monthly grade battles, but it makes sense—ordinary opponents aren’t worth his time.”

Some still refused to accept the outcome: “Kaman’s mech must have been modified! Isn’t the Lot family’s main business mech research? Maybe Joan just lost to Kaman’s mech.”

However, most of the students were pragmatic admirers of strength—whoever fought brilliantly and showed greater power would naturally earn more respect.

Amidst the applause and whistles filling the room, Kaman opened the cockpit and jumped out.

He looked up at the intense lights on the ceiling, never before having felt all the lights focused on him with such warmth and brilliance.

He glanced at the blue mech lying beside him, its left shoulder twisted and ruined, emitting plumes of black smoke, the acrid smell of burnt metal filling his nose.

The cockpit door opened, and Joan struggled to crawl out, his face covered in dust, his expression a mix of shock, disbelief, and embarrassment, utterly humiliated.

In Kaman’s memory, this guy had always been extremely arrogant except in front of his older brother. This was the first time he had seen such a helpless expression on Joan’s face.

An overwhelming sense of satisfaction surged in Kaman’s heart, uncontrollable. Was this the taste of victory?

But this fleeting sense of elation soon dissipated.

He walked slowly through the crowd. Bayer, Enil, and others surrounded him, chattering away in his ear, but he paid no attention. His eyes were searching for Xiao Sa among the people.

It wasn’t until he reached the door that he spotted Xiao Sa. Xiao Sa stood quietly apart from the commotion, his arms crossed, a straw dangling from his mouth. An empty box was being lightly tossed in his hand.

His expression was calm, as if the outcome was exactly what he had expected.

Xiao Sa casually nodded at Kaman, saying nothing, then headed outside on his own.

In the vast training ground, only Kaman knew that the applause and cheers around him weren’t for his own glory, but for Xiao Sa’s.

The burning heat in his chest gradually subsided, and his excited heartbeat returned to its normal rhythm.

Kaman said to Bayer beside him, “I have something to do. You guys go ahead first.”

The people around were surprised and looked at him. “Why the sudden change in behavior? In the past, he would have boasted about defeating such a formidable opponent, wanting the whole school to know about his glorious feat. Why is he so composed today?”

Kaman pushed through the crowd and quickly followed Xiao Sa.

Sure enough, Xiao Sa was making his way to his silver mech as usual, preparing to start today’s training, as if nothing had happened.

As the area around them gradually emptied, Kaman stopped him, lowered his voice, and urgently asked, “How did you do it? Why did you help me?”

Xiao Sa helplessly furrowed his brow. “I’ve already explained my goal. I wasn’t specifically trying to assist you. I was helping myself. As for how I did it, I have my own methods.”

The students from Class A were usually lazy and lax. If they lost another match here, they would have no chance of regaining their confidence for next month’s battle.

No matter what, they had to win convincingly. Even if it meant cajoling and dragging them along, he had to get these spoiled brats over the average line.

Finally, he added, “But it’s best if you don’t spread the news about this. After all, you wouldn’t want people to know it was essentially a two-on-one, right?”

Kaman looked at him with a complex expression and said softly, “I understand.”

Just as Xiao Sa was about to climb into his mech’s cockpit, he noticed Kaman was still standing there, seemingly reluctant to leave. Xiao Sa reluctantly asked, “Is there something else you need?”

Kaman hesitated, then asked, “Do you really think we can participate in next month’s actual combat? Maybe you can win, but it’s hard to say how many of the rest of us will succeed.”

He really didn’t want to admit that his group was indeed dragging Xiao Sa’s leg.

Kaman thought irritably. Playing games, street racing, hanging out at clubs and drinking—what's so fun about that? Nothing beats the excitement of mech battles. Since there's nothing else to do, I should have practiced more for mech battles instead of wasting time.

Xiao Sa rubbed his chin and admitted, "Well, that's indeed a problem. After all, you guys aren’t exactly skilled. It's hard for me to carry you by myself."

Kaman felt a lump in his throat; this guy was too blunt. Couldn’t he at least be a bit more polite?

He glared at Xiao Sa and stammered, "If things don't work out, don't worry. I’ll protect you. No one will dare to mess with you again."

Xiao Sa looked at him speechlessly. "Do I need your protection?"

Kaman was momentarily speechless; in terms of strength or background, he was no match for the other. His skills were likely far below C-rank.

But admitting weakness was hard for him; his pride wouldn’t let him. Fortunately, Xiao Sa didn’t expect him to say anything.

Just then, another cold voice interrupted.

"I was wondering how this guy managed to beat Joan. So, you were secretly helping him just now."

Kaman turned to see Feng Yu approaching with his woodpecker.

Kaman’s face darkened. "What’s it got to do with you? Who asked you to eavesdrop?"

Feng Yu, who had never gotten along with him, replied coldly, "I’m always here at this time, training with Xiao Sa. I wasn’t deliberately eavesdropping on your conversation."

Kaman’s eyes widened as he looked at Feng Yu, then back at Xiao Sa. "What? You train together every day?"

The words "how unfair" almost slipped out, but he swallowed them back.

"Yes,” Xiao Sa nodded indifferently. Inhibitors were plentiful for him, but one-on-one tutoring from a top student wasn’t easy to come by.

Especially someone like Feng Yu, who, despite his sharp tongue, took his commitments very seriously.

Ever since Feng Yu agreed to coach Xiao Sa one-on-one in mech operations, he has been waiting here for Xiao Sa every afternoon.

He even went back and wrote a customized manual full of techniques and targeted corrections after assessing Xiao Sa’s basic level.

Thanks to Feng Yu’s efforts, Xiao Sa had made rapid progress in mech operations. It was undeniable that Feng Yu deserved a lot of credit.

Feng Yu frowned and looked at Xiao Sa, his eyes filled with confusion.

He couldn’t understand why Xiao Sa insisted on hanging out with someone like Kaman. Especially since that day, Xiao Sa had even beaten them up. Not only was he not bullied by these guys, but he was actually helping Kaman achieve such a despicable victory.

Feng Yu originally thought that Xiao Sa was just another idle, short-lived enthusiast.

After tutoring him for this period, he discovered that Xiao Sa was actually very diligent and talented, able to grasp things quickly with minimal guidance.

Sometimes he even wondered if Xiao Sa was truly a beginner, but his initial clumsy moves were indeed quite frustrating.

Feng Yu felt that before long, there would be nothing more he could teach Xiao Sa.

At some point, he had forgotten how he used to mock Xiao Sa for being a member of the privileged class.

Now, he saw Xiao Sa as a motivated companion from the lower planet, just like himself.

What he once considered Xiao Sa’s “marriage” into the Wenser family, becoming General Landis’s partner, seemed like a stroke of luck. Now, he felt somewhat regretful about it.

Thinking about it, he suddenly spoke to Xiao Sa, "If you just want to pass next month’s battle and gain field combat qualifications to eventually join the Exploration Legion, why don’t you just ask General Landis to transfer you to our class? I can also explain the situation to the professor on your behalf."

Before Xiao Sa could respond, Kaman blew up, "You’re not even from our class, who asked for your input? Xiao Sa is a student in our class; what business is it of yours?"

He didn’t know why he was so angry; he just suddenly felt a deep fear.

He had finally found some motivation, thanks to Xiao Sa, and he didn’t want to be abandoned by Xiao Sa at this crucial time.

Feng Yu was also a bit angry, "You clearly can’t help him and are actually holding him back. Xiao Sa clearly has better opportunities, yet you’re trying to stop him. How selfish!"

Kaman was left speechless, his face turning red. He wanted to refute but couldn’t find the words.

He refused to admit defeat, "Who’s holding him back? I’m a double A, with a higher rank than you. With your half-baked skills, how could you help him? I have far more resources at my disposal than you."

Feng Yu didn’t back down, "But just now, you relied on Xiao Sa to help you win, didn’t you?"

Just as the two were at an impasse, Xiao Sa suddenly jumped out of the cockpit, looked at Feng Yu, blinked, and asked, "Are you really willing to help me?"

Feng Yu immediately nodded, "Of course."

The inhibitor Xiao Sa gave him was so effective. Over the past few days, he could clearly feel that the contamination in his woodpecker’s spiritual sea had significantly decreased, and he hadn’t been irritable since.

Feng Yu always felt that his skills were just superficial, and given Xiao Sa’s abilities and background, he could easily find a highly experienced professor for one-on-one tutoring.

He insisted on choosing him, which was essentially poverty alleviation.

He even suspected that Xiao Sa might have found an excuse to specially give him the inhibitor out of sympathy.

Kaman was so anxious that he scratched his ears and ruffled his hair. He didn’t want to be outdone by Feng Yu and didn’t know what leverage he could use to change Xiao Sa’s mind.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Sa’s gaze shifted between the two of them and he slowly said, "Since that’s the case, it’s indeed difficult for me alone to improve the overall level of the class. But if you also join, the success rate will significantly increase."

Xiao Sa said calmly, "I’d like to ask for your help to motivate these guys and raise their level. We’ll train together every afternoon from now on."

The two of them were instantly confused: "???"

At that moment, Xiao Sa’s communicator beeped, and he summoned the screen to check the message:

"It’s almost time to leave school? I’ll come to pick you up and take you out for dinner."

It’s rare that Landis, the workaholic, actually remembered to initiate a date.

Xiao Sa marveled at the surprise and was about to leave.

The two of them looked at Xiao Sa in unison and almost asked in one voice, "Where are you going?"

Without turning back, Xiao Sa waved one hand casually with the other in his pocket, "Going on a date."