Chapter 15: Mecha

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Once everything was settled, Lin Xinghai couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. Becoming an official employee of the Administrative Office meant that Liu Miaomiao and the others effectively gained a protective shield. At least here in the Lower District, whether it was gangs or any other forces, no one would dare to openly target them.

It was worth mentioning that because Liu Miaomiao and the others were exceptionally outstanding both in appearance and ability, Lecheng had even raised their wages, offering them 100 points per week.

Such a salary in the Lower District was absolutely astronomical, even matching Lin Xinghai’s own pay.

Of course, this referred to pure salary alone.

If the genetic enhancement drugs were factored in, the two sides were still incomparable.

“All right, congratulations on officially joining. Also, it’s better if I pick you up after work tonight; we still need to be wary of the Axe Gang. Once you move into the Administrative Office’s staff dormitories in a few days, you won’t have to worry anymore,” Lin Xinghai said with a smile.

“In that case, we won’t be able to live together. Won’t you feel lonely and empty at night?” Wang Yao leaned close to Lin Xinghai’s ear, her voice dripping with temptation.

“I’ll be moving to the Middle District soon; I believe life there will be colorful enough,” Lin Xinghai replied lightly, giving Wang Yao a gentle retort.

“Don’t worry about us. You should be the one to be careful,” Liu Miaomiao spoke up, her tone calm but her eyes filled with concern.

“Don’t worry!” Lin Xinghai waved his hand dismissively and then left the Administrative Office with Roger, heading toward Mercenary Square.

…

Mercenary Square was the largest plaza in the Lower District. It was named so because mercenary groups had to come here for audit and registration before setting out on missions.

Similarly, upon return, they underwent the same process. Ordinary people who came here could witness these mercenary groups returning victoriously and see what resources they brought back.

The higher-ups at Starshield Refuge had designed this setup not only to elevate the status of mercenaries through this ritual but also to showcase their prestige and attract more people to join the profession.

When Lin Xinghai arrived, the Rift Sky Mercenary Group was nearly ready.

The entire Rift Sky Mercenary Group numbered 35 members, not many, but they stood out conspicuously on Mercenary Square.

Beside them were three armored vehicles — these steel beasts, each weighing over fifty tons, exuded an oppressive aura even when just quietly parked there.

In addition, two smaller multifunctional off-road vehicles stood in front; no one dared underestimate these, as each had a heavy machine gun mounted on its roof.

But the most eye-catching by far were the two towering five-meter-tall humanoid mechs.

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Whether it was the shockwave great blades in the mechs’ hands, the miniature missiles loaded on their legs, or the electromagnetic railguns hanging on their backs, all signaled that these machines were born for slaughter.

“How does it feel? Pretty shocking, right?” Roger smiled as he watched Lin Xinghai’s expression.

Lin Xinghai nodded involuntarily; to say he wasn’t impressed would be a lie.

Though he had seen mechs after waking from the cryo-chamber, he had been in a dazed state then. Viewing them now was an entirely different experience.

“Haha, when our mercenary group bought its first mech, I was just as amazed as you are now. And back then, their weapon systems weren’t even this advanced!” Roger chuckled.

Curious, Lin Xinghai asked, “If a first-tier mercenary group has equipment like this, how powerful must second-tier or even third-tier mercenary groups be?”

“Second-tier mercenary groups? Actually, they aren’t much stronger than us,” Roger replied.

“As long as a mercenary group has three elite members with genetic optimization above 90%, or possesses three mechs, meeting either condition allows them to apply for second-tier status,” he explained.

“So that means we’re still one mech short,” Lin Xinghai said, looking at the two mechs nearby with a hint of envy.

It was like how he felt when he saw a top-tier sports car in the era he had crossed over from.

“That’s right,” Roger nodded, then added, “Of course, having one more member with genetic optimization above 90% would also do.”

“Our Rift Sky Mercenary Group has two members with genetic optimization above 90%?” Lin Xinghai was genuinely surprised.

“Yes. Both the captain and vice-captain exceed 90% optimization, allowing them to fully unleash the performance of these two mechs. So in terms of overall strength, we’re even stronger than some newly promoted second-tier mercenary groups,” Roger said proudly.

“All right, let’s go! I’ll introduce you to the captain and the others.”

…

Led by Roger, Lin Xinghai drew closer to the group, carefully observing his future comrades.

“Captain Roger!”

“Captain, you’re finally here!”

“Captain Roger, is this the new member you mentioned earlier?”

As they approached, many greeted Roger warmly, and quite a few eyes turned to Lin Xinghai.

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Roger responded to each greeting but kept moving forward, leading Lin Xinghai to the red mech.

Four men stood there at the forefront, with the other mercenaries loosely guarding them — clearly the leadership of the mercenary group.

“Here, let me introduce you. This is the captain of our mercenary group, Fang Tianhe,” Roger said, pointing to the leading man.

Fang Tianhe was very burly. Wearing a sleeveless vest, his bulging muscles were clearly visible, marred by countless scars.

He exuded a faintly oppressive aura, but his expression was calm as he extended his hand, “Welcome to the Rift Sky Mercenary Group.”

Lin Xinghai quickly reached out to shake.

However, after the handshake began, Fang Tianhe didn’t let go. Instead, he gradually increased the grip’s strength.

“Testing me?” Lin Xinghai quickly guessed the intent.

This was expected. After all, what he had told Roger yesterday was so unbelievable that it was only natural for them to test and verify it.

So he remained calm and increased his grip strength in return.

Soon, Lin Xinghai’s strength exceeded 10 points and kept rising rapidly.

When he surpassed 15 points, he saw a hint of approval in Fang Tianhe’s eyes.

When he reached over 18 points, the approval turned into surprise.

Finally, Lin Xinghai applied 20 points of strength, which Fang Tianhe recognized as his limit.

“Good!” Fang Tianhe said excitedly, then released his hand.

Lin Xinghai had been an ordinary man just yesterday, but now he could exert 20 points of strength. There was no doubt he possessed a special constitution that accelerated the absorption of genetic enhancement drugs.