The Big Catfish and the Tomato

“Whether they're after money or something else, there's only so much we can do before the match this time.” When it came to individual combat, that was entirely Dolanston Academy's strength and Moye's weakness. Xu Lingqu glanced at everyone. “Treat this as a test for yourselves—don't leave any regrets.”

Those who had been feeling lost were suddenly invigorated, as if injected with adrenaline, each vowing to intensify their training in the short single-day interval, desperately cramming at the last minute so they wouldn't be kicked in the face by Buddha.

On the first day after the top-eight draw, Shaji and Qingjun opened the competition early in the morning with an island-based battle.

Xu Lingqu didn't go to watch the match, nor did she go to Yuheng Military Base. She borrowed Liu Zheng's Sky Network account and entered the dormitory's Sky Network pod, determined to take a good look at what the replica mechs were like.

Her own account was anonymous—an unregistered black-market user—so she couldn't view high-tier mechs. The military cadet identity authentication that the mighty Great King Bunny Aowu, Logan Bill, had done was only A-level, lacking the clearance to view S+ class mechs.

Xu Lingqu insisted on seeing for herself what the big catfish and the tomato that Liuming kept talking about looked like.

When she borrowed Liu Zheng's account, Liu Zheng didn't ask a single question and simply handed over the permissions. Xu Lingqu didn't even need to come up with an excuse.

“How can Liu Zheng trust you so much? If you sold her out, she'd probably count the money for you!” Liuming followed Xu Lingqu into the Sky Network. Liu Zheng's default appearance was also used, and her name was simply “Liu.” Liuming couldn't even muster the energy to roast this.

“If I sold you out, you'd count the money for me too.” Xu Lingqu was much more adept this time, heading straight to the mech training ground, opening a training room, and selecting the replica mechs.

Unlike the virtual mechs, which displayed a mini version in a showcase for the operator to inspect before choosing, the replica mechs presented a list directly for selection.

Without a second thought, Xu Lingqu went straight to the bottom and selected Chi Ren. Liuming sat on the floor nearby, pouting and propping up its face with its paws.

The system first popped up a warning—a disclaimer. The Sky Network couldn't directly test psychic power; it could only rely on the registration certifications from the Federation and Empire. In the past, there had been incidents where individuals with low psychic power borrowed accounts from high-psychic cadets to try S+ mechs and ended up with severe brain damage, becoming vegetables.

Even if it were just a replica, psychic power remained an insurmountable gap for mech piloting, let alone the S+ class Chi Ren and Chen Dao.

After such an incident, the Sky Network had paid out a hefty sum and then created this disclaimer. It popped up for every replica mech selection, warning those who borrowed accounts from high-psychic friends, and also warning high-psychic mech pilots themselves—meaning if such a situation arose again, they were responsible, the Sky Network wouldn't intervene, and they'd even demand compensation.

Liu Zheng could hand over her account permissions without asking a single question—she truly was the type to count the money after being sold.

Ignoring the disclaimer, Xu Lingqu clicked it away. Instantly, a massive mech, entirely black, appeared before her.

The black on Chi Ren’s body wasn't a dull, lifeless black; it shimmered with a flowing luster—that legendary “colorful black” that clients demanded from designers.

When this mech materialized in the space, the first word that came to Xu Lingqu's mind was “majesty.”

Chi Ren was considerably taller than the real mechs she'd seen at Yuheng Military Base that day, and its components were much larger, giving the machine a cohesive, monolithic feel rather than the patchwork effect of smaller parts. Yet the overall structure was crafted with exquisite precision, no hint of cheap, shoddy work. The eye area was treated with a shallow black, preventing it from looking like a pitch-black void and enhancing its humanoid quality.

It stood there, imposing and formidable, like a sovereign guarding its territory. Its primary weapon was a broad sword, also black. And this was just a replica—the Sky Network could only replicate about seventy percent of the real mech. It was hard to imagine how awe-inspiring the actual Chi Ren would be.

Xu Lingqu stepped forward, and Liuming pounced to hug her leg.

She looked down at it.

“Black catfish?”

Liuming said awkwardly, “Don't you think it looks like one?”

Xu Lingqu smiled, bent down, and patted Liuming’s head. “Let go.”

Liuming released her, casting a resentful glare at the replica Chi Ren before it. This black catfish was really awful—why did it have to be the one that got lost, not Chi Ren? If its original body were still around, it wouldn't be scared of Xu Lingqu going to see what Chi Ren looked like!

So Liuming had indeed been engaging in pure slander against its two companions all along.

“Let me look at Chen Dao.” Xu Lingqu pulled up the list and selected Chen Dao this time.

Chen Dao’s frame wasn't as massive as Chi Ren’s, matching the size of ordinary real mechs. Its entire body was a fiery red, as if it were perpetually burning. The mech’s structure was so exquisitely designed that it managed a rare sense of agility, unlike other mechs' clumsiness.

Its overall design leaned heavily into an anime aesthetic—besides the flaming red, it was accented with green and yellow stripes, making the mech visually striking and eye-catching. Especially the weaponry: its primary weapon, the Blazing Blade, could seamlessly transform into a sniper rifle on the spot, or into a red long whip. With three interchangeable forms and its agile nature, it boasted diverse, efficient, and high-damage attack styles.

If Chi Ren was the majestic sovereign, Chen Dao was the dazzling star.

Yet in Liuming’s words, these two were respectively a black catfish and a tomato.

“I wasn't wrong, was I? One's black, the other's red.” Liuming crouched on the ground, refusing to move.

“Get up.” Xu Lingqu patted its little head. “Can't you interface with mech internal systems? Go on, take over your two companions'.”

“Who's companions with them… I don't want to watch you pilot them.” Liuming was still reluctant, feeling like its owner was being stolen.

“You can watch and point out where they fall short of the galaxy's coolest and strongest mech, Liuming.”

Liuming was instantly soothed.

-

Xu Lingqu tried both Chi Ren and Chen Dao. All in all, the replica versions on the Sky Network weren't as challenging as the pressure Liuming had set for her in the simulation room that day. She adapted quickly and even attempted some maneuvers with them.

By the time the woman and her dog exited the pod, it was already evening. Xu Lingqu had Liuming help clean up the account's usage records, then opened her own smart device and, as usual, went through the messages from several people like reviewing memorials to the throne.

Summarizing the key updates:

Today's match—Shaji lost to Qingjun.