The night was exceptionally still.
Inside Research Lab No. 2, lights blazed brightly, and the soft rustle of turning pages could be heard intermittently.
In one corner of the hall, Bai Hao was intently reading a book titled "Overview of Energy Particles." This was one of the readings recommended by his mentor, Huang Shujian. However, a significant headache for him was that many of the specialized terms in the book were unfamiliar. He had to constantly search the network while reading to understand them. This way, he could just barely grasp the content of this highly specialized text.
On his first day of work, the old man Huang Shujian had pointed out Bai Hao's deficiency: a relative lack of foundational theoretical knowledge that required deeper study. Thus, under the old man's guidance, reading during his spare time became an extremely important task.
Compared to reading, Bai Hao preferred hands-on work.
However, the knowledge in books formed the theoretical foundation for practical application. Although he had learned various bits and pieces about mechas through the highly developed network on B5 Mining Planet, he had ultimately not received a proper, orthodox education. In the eyes of the old man, he was still far from adequate.
Therefore, absorbing more theoretical, systematic knowledge was his most urgent task at present.
"Finally finished the first read-through. This theoretical knowledge is really troublesome!"
Bai Hao gently closed the "Overview of Energy Particles" in his hands, placed it aside, then stretched his limbs freely and let out a long sigh.
Over the past three months, he had read about ten similar books, each at least three times. When he encountered problems he didn't understand or found unclear, he would actively seek guidance from the old man Huang Shujian. Of course, he occasionally bothered his second senior sister, Yan Yifei, who possessed both intellect and a violent streak. Huang Shujian was quite satisfied with Bai Hao's proactive approach to learning and would sometimes offer pointers when he had time. This moved and deeply grateful Bai Hao.
"It's already midnight. Looks like I'll be sleeping in the lab again tonight."
Bai Hao checked the time, looking somewhat resigned. Unknowingly, over five hours had passed. It seemed reading was also a good way to pass the time.
Besides the regular workspace, Research Lab No. 2 had several rooms for resting, intended for breaks during fatigue or for naps. However, Bai Hao sometimes used them as a dormitory, like tonight. It was too late, so he couldn't be bothered to return to the employee dorm and planned to spend the night in the rest room. Of course, he wasn't the only precedent. The seemingly extremely dedicated teacher sometimes wouldn't leave Lab No. 2 for days on end. When tired or sleepy, he'd sleep in the rest room, wake up, and continue working. Bai Hao greatly admired the old man's fanatical, dedicated work ethic, though he hadn't yet reached that level himself.
"Haven't practiced my moves in a while. With no one around now, I can stretch a bit."
Bai Hao stood up and walked to an open area, starting to practice a set of uncomplicated fist and foot techniques—the very set Young Master Yin Ya had taught him. Yin Ya's enlistment application had been approved. Before leaving B5 Mining Planet, he had notified Bai Hao. By now, he had probably already boarded a starliner bound for the Eastern Sector.
Half an hour later, Bai Hao stopped, slightly out of breath from the exertion. Although the technique seemed simple, it was extremely taxing. He remembered after practicing it the first time, his whole body felt like it had fallen apart, aching terribly the next day. Now, the reaction wasn't as intense, but each session still left him somewhat fatigued.
"Huff… huff…"
Bai Hao panted lightly, walking slowly to stand beneath the mecha in the center of the hall. He looked up at it, his gaze filled with irrepressible excitement.
These days, although he hadn't controlled a real mecha, he had thoroughly experienced the thrill of piloting one in the simulation pods. He was now somewhat beyond the realm of a complete rookie. He had broken through the 5C segment and entered the B-tier, currently striving for the B1 segment. The difficulty of B1 was several times higher than the 5C level; achieving it in a short time seemed challenging. Bai Hao's rapid progress was partly due to his innate talent for mechas, but the most important reason was likely the comprehensive guidance from Senior Sister Yan Yifei. As his piloting skills improved, he began to sense that Yan Yifei's abilities were somewhat inscrutably profound. Each detailed instruction from her left him feeling greatly benefited, which could only mean one thing: Yan Yifei's piloting level was far beyond what he had initially imagined.
Gazing up at the mecha before him, Bai Hao couldn't help but fantasize about what it truly felt like to pilot a real mecha. Would it be the same as in the simulation pod?
Curiosity, like a fermenting seed, took root and sprouted in Bai Hao's heart.
Bai Hao walked slowly to the lift mechanism and gently pressed the button beside it. The platform descended before him.
He stepped onto it lightly.
Entering the mecha cockpit again, Bai Hao still felt a surge of excitement. This was his third time inside. The first was with Senior Sister Yan Yifei. The second was a few days prior with Mentor Huang Shujian, where they inserted the key card and performed some adjustments. Afterward, Huang Shujian had even permitted him to enter the cockpit freely. This had thrilled Bai Hao for a long time, after all, this was a genuine mecha, not some simulated system.
Bai Hao sat in the pilot's seat, curiously examining the cockpit.
"Too bad there's no key card."
Thinking of the key card, a slightly solemn expression appeared on Bai Hao's face. He pulled a silver card from the card holder he carried with him. This silver card was the one An Jie had secretly given him after stealing his first kiss. He had always wondered what the card was until he saw the card in his mentor's hand, which gave him an answer. If he wasn't mistaken, the silver card should be a mech key. He just didn't understand why An Jie had slipped him a mech key. Was there some secret involved?
Staring at the silver card in his hand, Bai Hao pondered for a moment, then shook his head helplessly.
"Could this silver key card have any effect on this mecha?"
Just as Bai Hao was about to return the silver card to its holder, a strange thought suddenly popped into his head.
After a moment's hesitation, Bai Hao tentatively inserted the silver card into the mecha's card slot.
"Authentication system initializing…"
As soon as the silver card entered the slot, the screen before Bai Hao lit up, displaying a prompt.
Bai Hao's face immediately showed a hint of tension, mixed with a sliver of anticipation.
"Authentication system activated. System authentication in progress. Please wait…"
"Authentication failed. Key card mismatch!"
Bai Hao gave a wry smile, and the anticipation in his heart vanished like smoke. Key cards were produced to match specific mechas; a key could only activate its paired mech, just like a key to a lock.
However, just as Bai Hao was about to retrieve the silver card, the screen flickered and a dialog box popped up.
"Decryption system activated. Beginning crack."
"Crack progress: one percent, two percent…"