After Winning The Esports Championship, I’m going To Pilot A Mecha

16. Thunder Division's Red Guard Commander, Zuo Quanzhong


In the following days, Jì Míngzhu had Axiu search for various information online related to the Calamity Control Bureau, the Netherworld, and the organization known as Striker. Meanwhile, Jì Míngzhu immersed himself in the game "Warfall," steadily advancing in rank with impressive results.


At the beginning, he was relatively unknown, but as his rank increased along with a winning streak, he quickly climbed to the top tier of the 4000-point bracket. He encountered more and more skilled players, including professional gamers and popular game streamers. These players had large followings and impressive skills, but when they faced Jì Míngzhu, the outcome was almost predictable.


Soon, the players of "Warfall" discovered a rising star with an unknown account who swiftly climbed to the top tier of the 4000-point bracket. This extraordinary feat garnered a significant amount of attention.


[Three days from 1000 points to 4000 points? Is this for real?]


[Whose smurf account is this?]


[Tian Nan... Never heard of them.]


[Both popular streamers Taotao and Lei Yi lost to them! Wow, they're so strong!]


[Latest battle report! Even professional player Chen Shun lost to them!]


[And they're using the unmodified Azure Storm that newbies get, can you believe it?!]


[???]


One after another, reports of these battles flooded in. For those who saw this news for the first time, their immediate reaction was disbelief. These well-known streamers and professional players had undeniable skills. Defeating them alone was already astonishing, let alone doing it with the starting model. It was as if a three-year-old knocked out Mike Tyson with a single punch on the boxing ring. The gap between the mecha models was not easily overcome. Being able to defeat numerous modified A-rank and even S-rank mechas with a model like Azure Storm that regular players would overlook indicated that the opponent's skill level was far superior.


Those who initially held doubts regarded these comments as publicity stunts by internet celebrities and immediately tried to refute them. However, when confronted with a series of videos that showcased the battles, the doubters closed their mouths in unison after watching the recorded matches, left with only one thought —


What the hell!


This alternate account named "Tian Nan" not only defeated numerous top players but also made it look effortless. From the videos, it seemed like each match lasted no longer than two minutes. Calling it a crushing victory would not be an exaggeration.


The question is, what kind of person can overpower these top-tier experts in terms of skill? Could it be a Titan Pilot?


As the pinnacle of the mechapiloting field, every Titan Pilot is considered a human treasure, representing the highest level of mechapiloting. Whenever news about Titan Pilots surfaces, it generates significant attention. Unfortunately, these legendary Titan Pilots remain shrouded in mystery, and the public has limited knowledge about them. It is rare to come across information about them.


When people heard about this newcomer who seemingly appeared out of nowhere and might be a legendary Titan Pilot, players became intrigued and engaged in discussions.


[Could it really be a Titan Pilot?!]


[Unlikely, would a Titan Pilot bother playing with an alternate account?]


[Could it be God Miao?]


[Miao Feiyan? What are you thinking? Isn't he currently under investigation? Does he even have time to play games?]


[Oh, right…]


Miao Feiyan is the Titan Pilot mentioned by Bai Weng, who was embroiled in a public controversy in the capital city. He is one of the few Titan Pilots who actively appeared in the public eye. He piloted the "Zhu Jiuyin" and defeated a Catastrophe-level aberration, earning him the reputation of a savior in the eyes of many.


However, recently, Miao Feiyan has faced a barrage of scandals that dealt a severe blow to his reputation. He is currently facing multiple accusations such as "dereliction of duty," "collusion with corporations," and "participating in illegal mecha battles." Many speculate that this esteemed Titan Pilot may be removed from the Titan Pilot roster.


As Ji Mingzhu's battle videos were released, discussions about the mysterious player named Tian Nan increased, including among major corporations, organizations, and... the Calamity Control Bureau.


...


Calamity Control Bureau, Thunder Division's Minister's Office.


"Knock, knock."


The sound of knocking echoed, and Huo Zai lifted his head, diverting his gaze from the screen. He leaned back slightly in his chair. "Come in."


The door was pushed open, and a figure walked in. The person had gray hair and appeared to be in their thirties or forties. With sharp eyebrows and piercing eyes, they gave off a sense of authority. Their movements were slightly unnatural, and upon closer observation, one could notice the metallic shine beneath their right pant leg—a mechanical prosthetic.


This person was the current Thunder Division's Red Guard Commander of the Calamity Control Bureau, Zuo Quanzong.


The Calamity Control Bureau consisted of five divisions: the Jupiter Division, responsible for coordinating with Sky City and issuing directives; the Epidemic Division, dedicated to researching Aberrants and corruption; the Water Division which handled finance and logistics; the Fire Division, responsible for executing various key tasks similar to a police role; and the Thunder Division, responsible for mecha combat and maintenance.


Among them, the "Titan Combat and War Command Office" of the Thunder Division was a rather unique place. It was commonly referred to as the "Red Guard" by the outside world. The Red Guard oversaw all Titan pilots and matters related to Titans. Although the Red Guard belonged to the Thunder Division, in terms of authority and status, the Red Guard Commander was almost equal to other division heads.


"You're here," Huo Zai nodded at Zuo Quanzong. "How have you been lately?"


Zuo Quanzong let out a cheerful laugh and tapped his leg. "Don't worry, I'm doing great."


Speaking of Zuo Quanzong, even the most unruly pilots showed respectful manners in his presence. He was a renowned figure. He entered the Zong Bingyi Academy at the age of seventeen and was promoted ahead of schedule at nineteen to become a Thunder Division pilot in the Calamity Control Bureau. In less than two months, he became an official Titan pilot, showcasing extraordinary talent that surpassed everyone. To this day, Zuo Quanzong has piloted Titans 79 times, making him the most experienced Titan pilot in the world. In the hearts of everyone, he was the unrivaled pilot who was revered as the strongest, without a doubt.


Unfortunately, *fate was envious of his talents. Six years ago, during a battle with an Aberrant of Disaster level, Zuo Quanzong suffered a life-threatening injury, on the verge of death. The Calamity Control Bureau made every effort to save him, and even the Immortal Clan sent envoys from Sky City for his treatment. His life was ultimately saved, but he lost a leg in the process, relying on prosthetic assistance for the rest of his life. Later, Zuo Quanzong resigned from his position as a Titan pilot and became the new Red Guard Commander.


天妒英才 idiom: heaven is jealous of heric genius - the great have great hardship to contend with.


Although it had been six years, the aftereffects persisted, and Zuo Quanzong's body would occasionally have some issues. Whenever Huo Zai saw him, he would ask about his well-being.


"That's good," Huo Zai smiled. "It's been a few days since we last met, and I knew you came here for something."


"You know me well. You truly are my *shidi ah."

*shidi - junior brother


Zuo Quanzong grinned widely and leaned forward to look at the computer screen in front of Huo Zai. As expected, the screen displayed battle videos of "Warfall."


Although they held equal authority and status, it was undoubtedly impolite to directly look at the Vice Minister of the Thunder Division's computer. However, Huo Zai didn't mind. He was younger than Zuo Quanzong, and both of them were senior brothers who graduated from the Zong Bing Yi Academy. They had a close relationship, so there was no need for formalities between them.


Huo Zai raised his eyes and looked at Zuo Quanzong. "What do you think?"


When it came to mecha piloting, Zuo Quanzong was the expert. Asking him about mecha piloting was like consulting a textbook.


Zuo Quanzong placed a stack of freshly printed documents on the table and stroked his chin. "Forward Momentum Flash Beam Blade, Level 2 overclocking, and the *Barlot Spin... This kid really has some skills."

Mhm..Is this a reference to Dragon Ball?


"Have you looked at his information?"


"Of course," Zuo Quanzong nodded towards the documents on the table. "I obtained the information from the Jupiter Division. He's an eighteen-year-old orphan, grew up in a welfare home, and entered the Zongbingyi Academy based on his abilities... His potential is limitless."


Huo Zai didn't look at the documents on the table. He had already gone through them before Zuo Quanzong arrived.


There were no issues with the information, but Huo Zai couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. "How can an orphan who has never had any contact with mecha possess such skills and master so many advanced techniques?"


"The information shows that he had a strong interest in mecha from a young age. While at the welfare home, he understood the importance of working and used the money he saved to play 'Warfall' at the game arcade. Initially, he played with a 60% correction rate, but gradually reduced the correction percentage until he became accustomed to playing with a 0% correction rate in just four years," Zuo Quanzong said.


"Because he used temporary accounts at the game arcade, not many people paid attention to him. It was only yesterday when he took out a loan to buy a cockpit and created his own personal account that he started to stand out," Zuo Quanzong explained.


"This... is a genius?" Even if talents varied among individuals, this level of talent was terrifying. It was even on par with a young Zuo Quanzong.


Zuo Quanzong nodded affirmatively. "No doubt, he's a genius."


Huo Zai glanced at him and smiled. "Are you interested?"


In the current capital city, one official mecha pilot had retired, and the other was under investigation and likely to be dismissed. As for the other mecha pilots, although they had the qualifications to pilot Titans, Zuo Quanzong didn't find them satisfactory.


Zuo Quanzong raised an eyebrow in response, giving his otherwise dignified and righteous features a somewhat comical appearance.


Of course, he was interested. Ji Mingzhu's record was clean, without any flaws. There were corresponding records from the welfare home and the game arcade. More importantly, Ji Mingzhu's life trajectory almost perfectly mirrored Zuo Quanzong's own.


Coming from a humble background, striving for progress, refusing to bow to fate, and possessing astonishing talent at such a young age—Ji Mingzhu could potentially be the next Zuo Quanzong. It would be insincere to say that Zuo Quanzong wasn't intrigued.


Zuo Quanzong patted Huo Zai's shoulder. "As the Red Guard Commander, I cannot express my stance directly, so..."


Rubbing his slightly sore shoulder, Huo Zai thought to himself, "How is this person still as fierce as when he was young?" He replied, "I understand. I'll keep an eye on him and make sure to present him to you for your personal review."


"Thank you for that," Zuo Quanzong expressed his gratitude before changing the subject. "By the way, how is that person doing?"


"You mean, 'him'?" Huo Zai asked.


Zuo Quanzong nodded.


"What else can be done? The superior who came down from Sky City. Where can I reason with them?" Huo Zai shrugged. "First, the Calamity Control Bureau went to the Jupiter Division for assistance. As the Vice Minister, I've barely met the new Director a few times, and yet they expect me to handle all these tasks."


Zuo Quanzong looked at him with sympathy. "It's a pity. I thought this time you might..."


They exchanged a glance, and at the right moment, they stopped discussing the topic further, no longer mentioning Jin Qing.


After all, the Calamity Control Bureau was a direct organization of Sky City. To put it bluntly, they were a group of enforcers nurtured by Sky City. It was best to keep certain matters in mind without bringing them to the surface.


Zuo Quanzong chatted with Huo Zai a bit more, giving numerous reminders and instructions for Huo Zai to keep an eye on Ji Mingzhu. Before leaving the office, Zuo Quanzong turned back, still uneasy, and repeated his words once again amid Huo Zai's urging of "Yes, yes, I understand." Then he left.


Once Zuo Quanzong was gone, the smile on Huo Zai's face gradually faded.


He leaned back again, resting against the back of his chair. His personal terminal lit up, and a communication that displayed no information was connected.


"Hmm, I see. Zuo Quanzong just told me about this person," Huo Zai said with a faint expression. "He has thoughts of nurturing this child."


"...”


"As for that child..."


Whatever was said on the other end, Huo Zai raised an eyebrow, pondered for a moment, and finally uttered a few words slowly.


"Kill him."