Even with the protection of the mecha, Ye Qi didn't know when his face had been bruised.
He struggled to climb out of the cockpit, and due to the angle, it was more like he had fallen out directly.
The young man who had been spirited just moments ago now looked disheveled, his cheeks covered in sweat, but his smile was bright.
The previous spar had only lasted a few minutes, but the subconscious reactions within such a short time were enough for him to ponder for a long time.
Ye Yun dismounted from another mecha. Compared to Ye Qi, his condition was much better. He looked at Ye Qi with admiration in his eyes.
"Not bad."
Ye Qi chuckled. The young man was rebellious and untamed; even if he lost a match, he wouldn't be discouraged.
He picked up the jacket placed on the viewing stand and put it on, then casually ruffled Luo Qi's hair. "Alright, I have things to attend to in my team, so I'll be leaving now."
Luo Qi nodded obediently. "Brother Ye Qi was also very powerful just now, super powerful!"
Ye Qi paused, then burst into laughter. "Good Luo Luo, I'll bring you something fun next time."
Luo Qi nodded, then wiggled a finger and said earnestly, "I'm not praising Brother Ye Qi for the fun of it!"
Ye Qi hummed, "Our Luo Luo is so lovable."
He scooped Luo Qi up and hugged him tightly.
Buried in his embrace, Luo Qi's cheeks were imprinted with two circular red marks, identical in shape to the brass button.
After placing the lovable little brother on the ground, Ye Qi was met with an angry glare from a less-than-lovable brother.
He thought for two seconds, then suddenly raised his hand and hugged Ye Mu as well, teasingly saying, "Oh dear, Ye Mu, don't be jealous. Big brother still loves you."
Ye Mu's cheek was pressed against the same button that had marked Luo Qi, receiving a similar circular red imprint on the other side.
"Who cares about that kind of thing... *sob sob sob*."
Ye Mu was manhandled by Ye Qi, his skin on his face rubbed rosy by the stiff military uniform before he was finally put down.
The two little cubs, who had grown up together, now had matching round marks on their faces, one on the left and one on the right, appearing symmetrical at first glance.
Ye Qi admired them for a moment, then decided to make a quick escape, hands in his pockets, and ran off without looking back.
Ye Yun carefully placed Elizabeth back and organized the children for an orderly visit. He couldn't help but smile when he saw the marks on Luo Qi and Ye Mu's faces.
"Alright, today's homework is to draw a simple diagram of a mecha control panel.
You can refer to the diagrams in your textbook or observe the basic mechas yourself.
Regardless of how many functions a mecha is equipped with, the basic operations are the same. I need you to find out these fundamental aspects."
Having witnessed the mecha competition just now, the children's interest soared. They chattered excitedly and dispersed, heading towards the neatly arranged basic mechas.
Ye Mu was called away by Ye Yun, seemingly to discuss teaching progress.
Luo Qi, holding his notebook and pen, walked towards a mecha. Several classmates were already gathered there. Luo Qi didn't recognize them and couldn't tell which race they belonged to.
"Hello... huh?"
Luo Qi reached out to greet them, but as the classmates saw Luo Qi approaching, they exchanged glances and walked away.
Perhaps they hadn't heard Luo Qi, or for some other reason.
Luo Qi frowned in confusion and walked towards the mecha. He truly didn't know how to greet strangers. Perhaps he had said something wrong, causing them to be unwilling to interact with him.
Luo Qi shook his head, dismissing the thought, and looked at the mecha in front of him.
Compared to Elizabeth, the basic mecha looked much rougher. It was specifically manufactured as a teaching tool and was incapable of actual combat.
However, this also had its advantages; at least tonight's homework would be easier to complete.
The mecha's cockpit was more than half a meter above the ground. An adult could just about sit in it, and the control panel was about one meter seventy or eighty from the ground. For Luo Qi, there was only one word to describe it: unreachable.
Luo Qi swallowed, resignedly stood on his tiptoes, and stretched his neck to look up.
Suddenly, Ye Mu's scream echoed in his ears. Due to extreme terror, the sound was sharp and almost piercing: "Luo Luo, dodge!"
Luo Qi didn't have time to react. He instinctively turned his head and saw Ye Mu sprinting towards him.
Such a terrified expression was something Luo Qi had never seen on Ye Mu's face before.
A bad premonition arose in his heart. He bolted in a certain direction. He didn't know if it was the right direction, but he trusted Ye Mu.
A shadow seemed to fall behind him, and Luo Qi's entire body bristled. It was an instinctual reaction to danger.
But the event happened too suddenly. Even as he was shoved hard and fell to the ground, Luo Qi hadn't realized what had happened.
The pain was instantaneous. Luo Qi felt a burning sensation in his hands, his ears buzzed, and then came even more chaotic sounds.
He looked back sharply. Ye Mu was shielding him, and the heavy mecha had toppled over, crushing him.
Luo Qi's vision blurred instantly. He ignored the injuries on his hands and scrambled towards Ye Mu.
Ye Mu's consciousness was a bit hazy, but he could still hear Luo Qi's tearful voice, asking if he was in pain.
His eyes were bloodshot. He managed to extend a hand, which was then grasped by someone. "Don't cry."
At this moment, he only felt relief. The wound on his back was so painful; his Luo Luo surely couldn't bear it.
Just as he finished speaking, it felt like tears fell on his cheek, large drops that seemed to scald Ye Mu's heart.
The weight on his back was carefully removed. Luo Qi grunted and finally lost consciousness.
Luo Qi carefully tried to lift Ye Mu, but his back, crushed by the mecha, was covered in oozing blood. Luo Qi had no idea where he was injured.
His trembling hands supported Ye Mu, propping his upper body up to lean on him, his eyes bloodshot.
Ye Yun, with a grim expression, threw the mecha aside with his bare hands. The mecha hit the ground with a dull thud, its sturdy alloy casing cracking open to reveal ugly wiring.
He took a deep breath, lifted Ye Mu from the ground, and scanned the surroundings. The classmates who met his gaze instinctively retreated.
Everything was chaotic. Ye Yun squeezed his eyes shut, forcing himself to remain calm. "I'm taking student Ye Mu to the infirmary. Students, don't be too scared. Please return to your dormitories."
Luo Qi stood in place, staring blankly at his hands. His hands were scraped, but he knew that so much blood couldn't possibly be all his own.
Suddenly, someone hugged him, and a gentle voice reached his ears. "Little Highness, there's no need to worry."