Wuji Ban Zhi Hong rapidly tightened its massive limbs, attempting to embrace You Yin and obliterate Gu Ya with its intense heat and unparalleled strength.
At the critical moment, Gu Ya mustered all his strength and, with trembling hands, pressed the "Confirm Execution" button.
[Static Arena: Realm of No Wind - Autumn Muster in the Arena]
The next instant, Gu Ya's head lolled as consciousness fled, scorched by the extreme heat.
Just as Wuji Ban Zhi Hong was about to envelop You Yin,
A powerful gale erupted, its ferocity even causing the flames on Wuji Ban Zhi Hong to burn in the opposite direction!
Immediately after, You Yin vanished, reappearing on the ground hundreds of meters below!
Wuji Ban Zhi Hong grasped empty air.
Hong Yan showed no surprise, knowing Gu Ya possessed this instant teleportation ability. "It's not over yet, Gu Ya."
As Hong Yan prepared to unleash a new ultimate skill, she suddenly saw You Yin, who was on the ground, collapse onto their knees, unable to move any further.
"Hmm? Defeated?" Hong Yan asked coldly.
Wuji Ban Zhi Hong retracted its dazzling flames and super high temperature. Vast amounts of coolant extinguished the flames on its body, and it descended to the ground, emitting white steam.
It slowly grasped You Yin's neck, lifting it with one hand.
The nearly sixty-meter-tall Wuji Ban Zhi Hong holding the eighteen-meter-tall You Yin was like a human holding a chicken.
Hong Yan said coldly, "You lost."
The ecological simulation system rapidly restored the high temperature within the cockpit. Gu Ya slowly awoke from his daze.
Looking at the proud and massive Wuji Ban Zhi Hong, Gu Ya weakly stated, "No, you are the one who failed!"
Suddenly, Wuji Ban Zhi Hong's chassis froze.
"What!? What's happening? The mech can't move?" Hong Yan asked in a cold voice.
You Yin forcefully pried open Wuji Ban Zhi Hong's mechanical giant hand, erupted with fiery aura, and delivered a kick to its head.
Wuji Ban Zhi Hong's chassis shuddered, remained in its original pose, and then tilted backward.
With a "boom," it crashed straight onto the ground, stirring up dust storms like massive waves.
Gu Ya panted, his body scorching hot. The [Pain Immunity] and the ecological simulation system had not yet restored his body temperature to normal.
"What did you do?" Hong Yan asked coldly.
Gu Ya, panting, replied, "You lost, I won. That's all."
"Heh heh!" Hong Yan suddenly chuckled and said, "You're too naive!"
Abruptly, four streams of white gas erupted from Wuji Ban Zhi Hong's chest exterior armor.
The chest armor split into four pieces and shot upwards into the sky.
A red mech, about the same size as You Yin, emerged from its chest cavity, suddenly bursting with fiery aura and flying towards You Yin!
"This is my true form," Hong Yan said coldly.
"Hahaha! You didn't expect this, did you? Wuji Ban Zhi Hong is a mother-child mech!" Qiao Weiwei shouted proudly.
The smaller Wuji Ban Zhi Hong burst forth with red fiery aura, charging directly at You Yin.
Gu Ya was startled, not expecting the opponent to have this move.
He quickly operated You Yin, but it was useless. The previous high temperature had severely damaged You Yin's various joints, and the communication lines and precision electronic instruments within the armor were all burned out.
Now, You Yin could only perform the simplest mech movements.
Gu Ya weakly muttered, "Defeated, already defeated..."
From the moment he was forced to use the external skill [Autumn Muster in the Arena] for self-preservation, Gu Ya had believed he was destined to fail.
He actually had countermeasures. He could open the cockpit and use his exoskeleton to fly onto the opponent's mech and paralyze it using [Code Tampering].
However, that was not the outcome Gu Ya desired.
He wanted to engage in a real mech battle. He wanted to fight relying on his own strength like ordinary mech pilots, not be protected by the system.
Continuous use of [Code Tampering] had made him dependent, causing his mech operation skills to stagnate.
He needed to exercise restraint. Gu Ya did not want to live his entire life under the system's protection.
"But, even if I fail, I will fight with all my might!" Gu Ya declared with a grim expression and quickly operated the mech panel.
You Yin slowly adopted its final offensive posture, trembling as it raised both arms and slowly flew towards Wuji Ban Zhi Hong.
The smaller Wuji Ban Zhi Hong charged forward, drew its red beam saber, and slashed at You Yin's neck.
You Yin suddenly powered down, its momentum thrown backward by the impact. With a "boom," it crashed onto the ground.
The smaller Wuji Ban Zhi Hong swiftly flew back, landing before You Yin and striking a victor's pose, pointing its beam saber at You Yin's chest cockpit.
"Hahahahaha!" Qiao Weiwei's arrogant laughter echoed.
Hong Yan said coldly, "You lost, Gu Ya."
Gu Ya powerlessly lowered his arms, closed his eyes, and calmly settled his emotions. He reopened them and said calmly, "Yes, I lost."
"Come out. I have something to say," Hong Yan stated coldly.
A few minutes later,
Several people stood on the reddish-yellow gobi desert, with You Yin and the large Wuji Ban Zhi Hong towering around them.
Gu Ya had already unlocked the fault code of the large Wuji Ban Zhi Hong, and it had regained its vast and proud posture.
Hong Yan took out a pack of slim women's cigarettes from her flight suit and offered one to Gu Ya. "Have one."
Gu Ya waved his hand and said, "No, thank you."
Hong Yan looked at Gu Ya, the corner of her left lip curving up in a disdainful smile. She said faintly, "After a battle, one always needs to alleviate the tension. My way is smoking."
As she spoke, she lit her cigarette.
Her fiery red lips tightly embraced the cigarette holder, and she took a deep drag, as if trying to inhale the entire cigarette.
The smoke entered her lungs, and after holding it for three seconds, Hong Yan exhaled a long breath, releasing the turbid smoke from her lungs.
Immediately after, she took another deep breath, completely exhaling the smoke from her lungs.
Only then did her tense expression relax. She smiled faintly at Gu Ya and asked, "How old are you? Twenty-four?"
Gu Ya was somewhat puzzled. In terms of psychological age, he was indeed twenty-four, but after his transmigration, he was only eighteen.
This Hong Yan could actually discern his psychological age.
Gu Ya shook his head and said, "Eighteen."
"Eighteen, what a fine age." Hong Yan hugged her knees, the cigarette holder at her lips, her eyes gazing at the sky as if reminiscing about the past. "When I was your age, I was still a student. Ignorant and clueless, with no idea what I wanted to do in the future. Later, I stumbled onto the battlefield and earned a lot of merits. One day, inexplicably, I was called a War God."
Gu Ya said coldly, "Sorry, I have urgent matters at home and need to return." He had no interest in hearing Hong Yan's past.
Hong Yan continued speaking to herself, "It's been ten years since I left school."
Gu Ya felt a bit annoyed. This Hong Yan truly disregarded others' feelings and was very self-centered.
Hong Yan lowered her gaze, her eyes showing a hint of coldness as she looked at Gu Ya and said, "After becoming a War God, you are the first person who has given me trouble. And the key is, you are only eighteen. Weiwei! Rui Zi!"
Qiao Weiwei and Rui Zi heard Hong Yan's call and scurried over.
Hong Yan looked at Gu Ya and said coldly, "Apologize to Gu Ya."
Qiao Weiwei immediately expressed her displeasure and whined, "Master, what's wrong with you? He clearly bullied me! Why are you taking the side of an outsider? I don't want to!"
Hong Yan's face turned cold, and she shot Qiao Weiwei a sidelong glance.
Only then did Qiao Weiwei curb her spoiled temper, averting her eyes and saying insincerely, "Sorry, we were too impulsive."
Rui Zi lowered her head and said softly, "Sorry."
Hong Yan's expression then softened. She smiled faintly at Gu Ya and said, "The younger generation is impressive."
Gu Ya was actually very disheartened. During the previous battle, he had a chance to escape but missed the opportunity due to panic, leading to his defeat.
Also, whenever he engaged in combat, Gu Ya's mind was always focused on charging forward, without fully considering the battlefield environment and appropriate countermeasures. This was also one of his shortcomings.
This defeat was not a loss, as it made Gu Ya fully recognize his own deficiencies.
Gu Ya's expression was calm. He nodded and said, "It's fine, we learn from each other."
Qiao Weiwei turned her head further away in disdain, clearly still unconvinced.
A few minutes later, Gu Ya piloted You Yin towards Wu He City.
Only then did Qiao Weiwei revert to her spoiled demeanor. "Master, that Gu Ya is truly excessive. He's disrespectful to you and acts arrogant. He said he could beat me even though he lost himself."
Hong Yan watched the receding silhouette of You Yin and asked faintly, "What mech was he piloting? And yours? After he switched to his specialized mech, I only narrowly defeated him. If it weren't for his youth and lack of combat experience, I probably would have been the one to fail."
Qiao Weiwei lowered her head, pouted, and kicked her feet. She whispered, "Master, what's wrong with you today? You're always defending others."
"It's for your own good," Hong Yan said faintly, walking towards Wuji Ban Zhi Hong. As she walked, she continued, "In the future, if you meet him again, treat him kindly. He could be the one you settle down with."
Upon hearing this, Qiao Weiwei's face turned completely red. She covered her face and said in disbelief, "Master, how can you say such a thing!"
Rui Zi said softly, "Master's judgment of people is very accurate."
At six in the morning,
Gu Ya finally returned to Wu He City. Entering the city was more difficult than traveling outside.
Gu Ya stowed You Yin and quickly flew on his mech motorcycle to his home, arriving at eight in the morning.
Youyou had just left the house. She gave Gu Ya a cold glance and then turned to walk down the street alone.
After a couple of steps, she suddenly stopped in her tracks, slowly turned her head, and looked again carefully.
Only then did she realize it was her brother.
In an instant, all her longing and grievances surged forth.
Gu Ya smiled slightly and called out gently, "Youyou."