The three men's curses toward Gu You soon turned into hoarse cries — before long, their bodies withered and they died of rapid aging.
"Abandoning your mechas means abandoning your lives," Gu You said with a faint smile. "Cursing me won't change that. In the end, the ones who get cursed are often the ones who win."
People can talk all they want — he simply didn't care to listen.
After collecting the three strange black mechas, Gu You shot toward the real battlefield in a flash.
From afar, a distorted scream came through the comms of the red mecha:"No! You brat—what did you do!!"
He knew full well what those three black mechas meant to their Green Skull Mecha Corps — they weren't just comrades, they were sworn brothers. They had dreamed of conquering the world together, yet today… today they'd been wiped out in an instant.
"Your opponent is me." Cai Yue'er's voice cut through his grief like cold steel.
"You'll pay for this!" the pilot howled. The red mecha flickered backward, its speed breaking the sound barrier tenfold before vanishing into the distance.
By the time Gu You arrived, the red skull mecha was already gone.There was nothing he could do — it was simply too fast.
Only then did reinforcements from the Xingluo Empire arrive — over three hundred newly manufactured mechas, all part of the empire's elite military force.
But when they got there, they were stunned into silence.The enemies were gone.
What use was their arrival now?
"Not bad, kid." Cai Yue'er flew up beside Gu You, patting his dragon leg approvingly.
"Of course," Gu You replied, shaking his dragon head proudly before reverting to human form.
After the battle, the Soul-Guided Train and its tracks were too heavily damaged to be used again.
The Xingluo Empire dispatched luxurious Soul-Guided buses to transport them, with hundreds of mechas left behind as escorts.
Though the ambush had been sudden, casualties were minimal — but since it involved forces from two continents, this was a serious diplomatic incident.
"The situation's been summarized," Wu Zhangkong said quietly. "The ones who attacked us belong to an organization called Green Skull — a rebel group within the Xingluo Empire. They're extremely powerful, occupying two mountainous provinces. The empire has fought several large-scale wars against them, but due to the strength of their core members, they've never been completely subdued. The empire can only limit their territory bit by bit. This attack was clearly meant to provoke conflict between the Federation and Xingluo, buying them more time."
Information about Green Skull was easy to obtain.
A modern-day version of a warlord faction, then?
Gu You frowned. He, of course, knew of the Green Skull organization — but what surprised him was that the mighty Xingluo Empire hadn't managed to reclaim two provinces from them.
No matter how weak Xingluo had become, surely it couldn't have fallen this far?To be pushed around by a small rebel force, reduced to "compressing their living space"?
If that was truly the state of the Xingluo Empire, then when war broke out with the Sun and Moon Federation, the result would be nothing short of dimensional suppression.
With an entire mecha battalion escorting them, the rest of their journey went smoothly and uneventfully. Within two days, they arrived at Xingluo City, the capital of the Xingluo Empire, located at the heart of the continent.
The city sprawled wide across the land, surrounded by tall, ancient walls — something long unseen on the Douluo Continent. It resembled an ancient fortress city from centuries past.
The walls were equipped with numerous Soul-Guided defense weapons, further proving that this empire was anything but peaceful.
Yet once inside, a sense of familiarity washed over them.
The streets were bustling with people. Aside from the architectural style and clothing, which differed slightly from Douluo customs, there was little real difference.
After days at sea and the exhaustion of travel, the Shrek Academy delegation finally relaxed upon entering the great city.
They were arranged to stay at the Xingluo Grand Hotel, the most luxurious establishment in the capital. Perhaps as compensation for the fright they'd endured, even Gu You himself was given a lavish suite.
The hotel's decor was opulent — dominated by white and gold tones, shimmering with grandeur.
The moment Gu You entered his room, he impatiently summoned one of the captured yellow mechas and began studying it.
His own mecha was already complete — a high-grade purple-level unit. But it hadn't been used much; it was still too low-level for his liking.
Now, with materials from the yellow, purple, and even black mechas, he was confident that soon, using his own hands, he could build his very own black-level mecha.
Satisfied, Gu You collapsed onto the soft bed and drifted into deep sleep.
"Idiot, have you no shame left in our clan?"
"You're the idiot! I'm telling you, we're missing a King-class shark from the pod!"
"Whatever, I'm done talking to a fool like you."
"Count again if you dare…"
When Gu You woke, his body felt light and clear.
He stretched luxuriously, then opened the window — a cool, moist breeze carrying the scent of morning dew drifted in. The freshness filled his chest with calm satisfaction.
He gazed eastward, waiting for the first blush of dawn to appear.
Just then, the window in the next room opened with a soft creak.
"Gu You," came Gu Yue's voice.
"What's up? Want to go out and play?" he asked, turning toward her with a grin.
"Mm. I want to see what's different between the Xingluo Continent and the Douluo Continent," Gu Yue nodded.
"Then what are you waiting for? Let's go!" Gu You said, laughing as he darted past her. "Three days — I'll show you everything here! Who cares about the debt? You have to enjoy life while you can."
Before Gu Yue could react, he had already grabbed her hand — and together, they rushed out of the hotel.
The Xingluo Grand Hotel, being the most luxurious in the city, was naturally located right in the center.
Outside was a broad pedestrian avenue teeming with people. There were no vehicles here — this was Xingluo Avenue, the city's most famous and widest walking street.
Shops lined both sides, their architecture quaint and traditional — much like Tian Dou City's old streets, exuding a nostalgic charm.
Gu You strolled lazily with his hands behind his head, while Gu Yue followed calmly beside him, her gaze straight ahead.
"This place has a nice retro feel," Gu You murmured. "Even with all the new tech mixed in, it somehow gives me peace of mind."
"Wouldn't adding more new Soul-Guided technology be a good thing?" Gu Yue asked curiously. "It would make life easier for everyone, and the power of Soul-Guided science would continue to grow."
"Good? Not necessarily," Gu You replied softly, shaking his head. "When things go too far, they always turn back on you. Someday, technology will make us pay a price for it. Maybe not today, maybe not soon — but that cost will come… you'll see."
(End of Chapter)