What truly caught Qian Qi's attention was the military rank on his shoulder.
A general's star, gleaming gold!
A major general?
So young—and already a major general? It was him?
Qian Qi had heard of him long ago. Lately, his name had become known to nearly every member of the Blood God Legion.
Qian Qi narrowed his eyes slightly and strode over.
Gu You was enjoying his coffee, though he also noticed the café becoming increasingly crowded. Yet curiously, the window seat in that corner was always left vacant—for him.
"Sir, may I sit here?" A stranger's voice sounded.
Gu You looked up and saw a tall officer who appeared to be in his thirties standing before him. The man wore a colonel's insignia on his shoulder. His features weren't especially handsome, his eyes were narrow, but his sharp, chiseled face left a strong impression.
"Of course." Gu You gestured politely.
Qian Qi sat down, subconsciously glancing at the coffee in Gu You's hand. Black coffee? He liked that too.
Gu You continued gazing out the window, undisturbed by the noise in the café.
All the noise simply filtered itself out.
"Sir." The voice across from him came again.
Gu You turned his head toward Qian Qi. "What is it?"
Just then, Qian Qi's black coffee was delivered. He wrapped both hands around the cup.
"I'm Number Seventy-Nine. I look forward to meeting you in a future match."
Gu You's brow lifted slightly. "The Star Dou Battle Network Federal Challenge?"
"Yes."
"Good luck." Gu You nodded, finished his coffee, and gave Qian Qi a small smile before standing and leaving amidst the watchful gazes of nearby female officers.
Qian Qi sat dazed. He had come more out of curiosity. But from Gu You, he hadn't sensed anything—no aura, no presence. In every way, he looked like a normal man. And yet, Qian Qi's instincts warned him: this youngest general in the entire legion… was dangerous.
Would he face him in the next round?
Unconsciously, Qian Qi clenched his fists.
Gu You didn't think much about Qian Qi afterward, but every soldier was worthy of respect. He remembered his face.
…
He entered the Star Dou Pod and connected to the battle network.
As usual, a service attendant guided him. Golden light radiated from his body.
He chose a mecha. His weapon remained the same—a long spear.
The match was over in moments. His opponent was fragile and easily defeated.
From that day on, he earned a new title: Spear King.
After the match, Gu You left the Blood God Camp. It was time for his afternoon coffee again. At the café, he ran into a familiar face.
Colonel Qian Qi.
Gu You walked over and sat across from him, ordering a black coffee.
Qian Qi looked slightly downcast, hands wrapped around his coffee cup, brows furrowed.
Gu You sensed something. "You were looking for me?"
Qian Qi looked up. "You're the Spear King, aren't you?"
"Mm." Gu You nodded. They were from the same legion—nothing to hide.
Qian Qi nodded. "I didn't make it to the top sixteen in the mecha division. You're stronger than me. But if we meet in the Soul Master bracket next… I hope to see your true power. You haven't used your mecha-division skills in those matches. Are you hiding your strength, or your identity?"
Gu You's lips twitched into a smile. "In battle, I only use what's most suitable."
Qian Qi drained his coffee, nodded, and left with long strides.
'What a strange guy,' Gu You thought.
But Qian Qi's appearance hadn't ruined his mood.
His coffee arrived, rich and fragrant. Gu You lifted the cup and took a sip while it was still piping hot. The aroma lingered on his tongue.
…
Quarterfinals—Top 8 to Top 4!
Gu You remained relaxed. The match was just as fierce and decisive as before—ended in a single strike.
His popularity soared. The betting odds now placed him firmly at the top.
Second place had odds three to four times worse than his.
…
"How do you feel? You've watched his matches these past few days," Xue Er asked his son.
"He's more than twice as strong as he was before," the former Blood Nine replied with a helpless smile.
Xue Er nodded. His expression remained calm, unreadable.
…
Gu You selected his mecha and armed himself with his spear. He walked into the arena. The clanging of the mecha was drowned out by the deafening cheers of the crowd.
His opponent entered from the other side. A close-combat mecha wielding a sword.
Gu You remembered this opponent—recently rising in fame.
The Metal King!
His ability: manipulating all kinds of metal elements. In addition to being a Soul Master and Mecha Pilot, this man was at least a Level 7 Mecha Engineer.
Though mecha engineering was slightly easier than forging in later stages, reaching such a level was still no small feat. A Level 7 engineer could easily build black-grade mechas. Some even said his skills had reached Level 8—making him terrifying.
In a direct Soul Master battle, Gu You wouldn't consider him a threat. But when the opponent combined his martial soul of metal elements with a mecha? That created a qualitative leap in combat potential.
"Spear King versus Metal Master. Xiao Lin, who do you favor?" asked commentator Hai Shu, glancing at his co-commentator.
"That's a no-brainer. I think most people would agree with me—the Metal Master has a huge advantage in this tournament. His abilities offer far more utility than any martial soul. The Spear King is strong, but facing this kind of opponent is like trying to cook without ingredients. Maybe if they were using their personal mechas from real life, the fight would be more even. But in this format? The Metal Master is just too dominant."
Hai Shu sighed. "Yeah, against someone like the Metal Master, your only hope is to beat him before he finishes his modifications. If you miss that window, you don't stand a chance. Still, let's watch and see. Maybe the Spear King will surprise us."
"Five, four, three, two, one—begin!"
With the electronic countdown, Gu You launched instantly. He hurled his spear straight at the Metal Master and activated his mecha's boosters, turning into a howling gust of wind racing forward.
The Metal Master also activated his boosters…
(End of Chapter)
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