Tian Xingjian lay motionless in the crater, the dirt covering his body blending him into the surroundings. In this former artillery base, far from the battlefield, there was no living creature besides him. Not even a rat. In fact, there were no rats on Milok. This small hill was covered with dense jungle, and the Federal artillery company that had been hidden in the jungle had been reduced to ashes in the artillery fire of the previous few days. All kinds of debris were scattered around Tian Xingjian. There was metal, and there was flesh and blood. The detonation of the ammunition destroyed the jungle for hundreds of meters around, and the fire burned for two days before it was extinguished. Tian Xingjian felt a little sleepy, his eyelids drooping again and again. He patted his face gently and forced himself to focus on the battlefield. This was the 21st battle of Tian Xingjian, a corporal in the Federal Air Corps. From the Galileo Galaxy to the Newton Galaxy, the retreating Federal Army lost 22 resource planets and five human settlement planets. Milok is one of two human settlement planets in the Newton System. The other, Milok II, had been completely occupied by the Imperial Army two months prior. If this planet were to fall to the Imperial Army, the Federation would be forced to surrender the Newton System, home to over thirty resource-rich planets. Tian Xingjian's concerns were not these; his sole concern was survival. The philosophy of self-preservation was his guiding principle. Thus, after twenty-one battles, Tian Xingjian, a mechanic and corporal of the 1st Squadron, Logistics Squadron, 3rd Armored Battalion, 5th Marine Division, remained a corporal. His comrades, who had fought through the first eighteen battles, had generally received promotions. However, after fighting across three planets from the Galileo System to the Newton System, the only one who survived to reach this point was this mechanic, who hadn't received a promotion. The 5th Armored Division of the Bond Marines had been delisted, with ninety-five percent of the division killed in action. The remaining five percent remained on Milok II, facing a precarious situation. Tian Xingjian narrowly escaped death, only to be incredibly lucky enough to board a retreating warship and be assigned to the remnants of the 9th Armored Division, retreating to the planet Milok. Tian Xingjian stealthily moved behind a tree that had been blown down by an artillery shell and, lying on his side, urinated. It was a skill, but he had mastered it perfectly. As long as he lay high, his urine wouldn't backflow and wet him. Long battles had at least taught Tian Xingjian how to avoid being frightened and wetting his pants on the battlefield. A shudder sobered him up a bit. He leaned sideways and spat, cursing his bad luck. The 9th Armored Division, suffering a 40% loss in personnel, had been ordered to retreat to the Darwin System for rest and recuperation. However, the Imperial Army had landed on Milok within a week, forcing the High Command to concentrate all forces near Milok to resist, delaying the Imperial Army while reinforcements gathered from the rear. Although this hiding spot was carefully chosen and far from the center of the battlefield, it wasn't a reliable option for Tian Xingjian, who was desperate to save his own life. From his perspective, the distant battle continued raging. At the nine, twelve, and three o'clock positions, nearly a hundred Imperial Army "Sacred Armor 22" two-meter-tall, anti-jointed, individual mechanized combat armor vehicles were deployed. These standard Imperial armor models leaped and scurried about like ostriches, their wing-like missile launchers emitting a piercing shriek as they unleashed a barrage of laser-guided missiles. Condensed within the six o'clock position were more than a dozen Galactic Federation "Honor 15" three-meter-tall, multi-legged, five-man combat armor vehicles. These hulking armor boasted astonishing defensive capabilities, their dozens of short legs, controlled by a central computer, allowing them to effectively execute complex evasive maneuvers. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned by the Imperial Army, the Imperial armor's fleeting swarms proved powerless against the Federation armor, which had formed a unified defensive formation. The two sides engaged in fierce back-and-forth. Smoke from missiles crisscrossed the battlefield, and the roar of energy machine guns filled the air. This area, fought entirely by a small number of mechs, lies in the northwest salient of New Rome, the largest industrial city on the planet Milok. It is garrisoned by a Federation Army consisting of a reinforced medium armor squadron and an artillery battery. Their mission is to protect the rear logistics route. With no fortifications or trenches to block infantry, this is merely a forward position. The Federation's true first line of defense lies in the jungle more than ten kilometers away. Beyond this first line of defense is the Sujiang Bridge, a massive steel bridge spanning Milok's largest river, the Supengman River. Across the bridge is the Federation's hastily constructed second line of defense, New Rome's final line of defense. If this line is breached, the Federation will be forced into urban combat. The only non-mech soldier on this battlefield is mechanic Xingjian Tian. He was assigned to this forward position a few days ago to repair mechs. Since the battle began, he has been observing alone for two days. There are no trenches, no fortifications, and no infantry to share the battle. The thought of this filled the hapless Tian Xingjian with melancholy. "Bah! This life is unbearable!" At this moment, the order for a general retreat rang through his earpiece. The Imperial Army had partially breached the central defense line thirty-seven kilometers away, and a large number of Imperial armored units were pouring in from the breach. One of these units, a squadron of two heavy armored vehicles and eight medium armored vehicles, was encircling the enemy from the rear. If they couldn't disengage before this squadron arrived, then everyone was ready to die. In the hilly terrain, armored vehicles could reach a speed of 150 kilometers per hour. With access to roads, that speed could be doubled. Even if the dense jungle and a few small streams along the way slowed the enemy's advance, they could reach the battlefield within twenty minutes.
Finally receiving the order to leave the combat zone, Tian Xingjian practically leaped for joy. However, the thought of being pursued and intercepted by an Imperial armored squadron, including two heavy land-based mechs, left a bitter taste in his mouth. He activated the combat recorder on his left arm to confirm the order, and then began his twenty-first escape. After checking his equipment to make sure it was intact, Tian Xingjian leaped out like a cheetah, his speed astonishing. He leaped over two fallen trees and five bomb craters, reaching the edge of a small hill. Using his hands and feet, like a frightened lizard, he scrambled across the twenty-meter-wide slope, clinging to the grass like a frightened lizard, and plunged deep into the jungle. The Federation mech squadron, having received the order to retreat, began to pull back. Perhaps the Imperials had also received the same news, as the fighting intensified. The sky was filled with endless smoke, and violent explosions sent dust and dirt high into the sky. The Federation's Honor 15s took turns covering their retreat, while a squadron of Imperial individual armored vehicles began to circumvent the Federation's position, apparently aiming to capture the Federation's last twelve medium-sized mechas. The Imperials' route led to the hillock where Tian Xingjian had previously hidden. The Federation had also discovered their intention. Though the hillock wasn't high, it commanded the enemy. If captured by the Imperials, it would be like driving a nail into the Federation's armored squad's retreat. Soon, two Honor 15s, forcibly disengaged from the battle by their companions, charged towards the hillock. They had to seize the hill before the thirty Imperial individual armored vehicles, the Holy Armor 22s, could reach it and secure a path for their retreating companions. Tian Xingjian, like a frightened dog, scurried through the jungle. "Well, this is a strange coward. He looks honest on the outside, but he's a despicable bastard." This was the assessment of everyone who knew Tian Xingjian. Tian Xingjian's nature was indeed lewd. Tian Xingjian, with his ordinary looks and somewhat overweight figure, loved to hang around girls in school. He always said his ancestor's name was Bo Guang, but unfortunately no one paid any attention to him. He still enjoyed it. He was very patient in doing things and always found a new way to deal with some problems. The reason why Tian Xingjian joined the army showed that this person's mind was indeed beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. His only reason for joining the army was to lose weight. For Tian Xingjian, there were actually many reasons. First, he felt that he was lazy, really lazy to an unreasonable extent. So, he decided to start a new life. Second, he felt that he was fat. Since leaving school, he had gained more than 20 pounds. If he gained 20 pounds a year, then in ten years... Tian Xingjian felt that he couldn't imagine it. Third, he was not a person who could persevere and endure hardship. If no one supervised him, he would probably not be able to stick to the weight loss plan for a day. So, seeing that the world was at peace, Tian Xingjian resolutely joined the army. During the military physical, the attractive female military doctor noticed that this chubby man possessed strength disproportionate to his frame. He ran very fast, was agile, and had remarkable endurance. Tian Xingjian proudly declared, "Beautiful lady, my family has inherited a set of light kung fu—Walking Alone for Thousands of Miles, a Swift Knife, and 365 Sex Techniques." The female military doctor nodded and, with a flourish, assigned this descendant of Tian Boguang to the special training squad. "Tian Boguang, huh? If you flirt with me, you should be prepared to endure hardship." Tian Xingjian was certainly not a descendant of Tian Boguang; he simply admired the lecher. However, his natural abilities were indeed exceptional, both in speed and endurance. Upon entering the special training squad, Tian Xingjian realized the serious consequences of his bad mouth. The special training squad was a training camp for special talents within the Lele Federation Army. New recruits with special abilities were assigned there for intensive training before being assigned to positions suited to their special abilities. Some individuals possess exceptional computational abilities. As long as they survive the training camp and avoid elimination, they can enter the Combat Planning Department or the Logistics Management Department, where they can utilize their exceptional computational abilities. Computers can't calculate everything, but these individuals can. Others possess a keen sense of hearing, a keen sixth sense, exceptional physical strength, exceptional strength, exceptional manual dexterity, or exceptional academic performance in a particular subject. After completing their special training, these individuals are typically assigned to a department suited to their specific strengths. Tian Xingjian was assigned to the Scout Training Squadron for training. Current technology allows for the monitoring of almost any designated target. Please note, this refers to designated targets. If there's no designated target, or if the target's location is unknown, monitoring is impossible. These tasks can only be performed by scouts. Scouts are particularly useful in ground combat. While high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, spy satellites, and space reconnaissance vessels are powerful enough, there are times when they can't distinguish authenticity from counterfeit. Current electronic technology can create numerous illusions to deceive radar and cameras in the sky; all that's needed is a jammer. In addition, the air is the most important battlefield for military strategists. If the air superiority is lost and there are no scouts, then the war cannot be fought. Scouts? This is going to cost Tian Xingjian his life. How could Tian Xingjian do such a life-threatening job? He would not do it even if he could! For Tian Xingjian, life is the most precious thing. He will not put himself in danger for any reason. Greed, lust, cowardice and fear of death are common problems of Tian Xingjian's generation. It's just that Tian Xingjian is more straightforward and worse than ordinary people. Round after round of ideological work did not make Tian Xingjian give up his idea. He was so determined that he refused to gather at the scout training squadron. But things were not something Tian Xingjian could control. Once he entered the army, could a new recruit have the final say? The scout instructor beat him up, completely eliminating Tian Xingjian's determination to die rather than obey.
Before beating him, the instructor asked, "Why don't you want to be a scout?" "Scouting's too dangerous. I'm afraid of death." "Very good. Either you become a scout and then die, or I'll beat you to death right now." "Are you going?" "Yes!" A wise man knows his time. "Bah, bitch. You won't go after being coaxed, so you'll have to be beaten," the incredibly strong instructor said as he left. Tian Xingjian crawled on the ground, trying hard to be cheerful. He thought, "Damn it, it's peacetime. It's just reconnaissance training camp, not a reconnaissance company fighting a war. What's there to be afraid of?" "Once I've learned the ropes of being a scout, instructor? I can beat ten with one hand!" A typical moral triumph. So he happily got up from the ground and followed the instructor to report. And so Tian Xingjian entered the reconnaissance training camp. His training was rigorous. The bear-like instructor followed him every day, beating him if he slacked off even a little. Tian Xingjian himself did have some talent for reconnaissance training. Furthermore, he inherently possessed a bit of Tian Boguang's bachelor temperament. Consequently, after a year of training, he excelled, surpassing even his instructors in wilderness survival, camouflage, concealment, and long-distance marches. When his hand-to-hand combat skills reached a remarkable level, Instructor Gou Xiong began accompanying him daily, carrying a knife. Tian Xingjian pondered for a long time, finally refusing to risk his life. Just as he was about to graduate from training camp, he cunningly found a way to avoid being assigned to the reconnaissance company. During his free time, Tian Xingjian would frequently visit the Mechanical Maintenance Battalion. "As long as you complete your training, you can do whatever you want. As long as you don't cause trouble, you can do whatever you want," the scout instructor said. In his opinion, few could still spare the energy for anything else after the daily grind of the scouts. Those selected for the Mechanical Maintenance Battalion possessed exceptionally skillful hands. They were no ordinary mechanics; their expertise was far more advanced than that of ordinary mechanics, encompassing everything from aircraft carriers and fighter jets to land combat mechas and electronic equipment. There was nothing they couldn't fix. Tian Xingjian had quick hands. He could dismantle and restore a gun in record time, five seconds faster than the maintenance battalion's record. Even a second faster was impressive, let alone five. Every day, Tian Xingjian watched in amazement as the new recruits in the Mechanical Maintenance Battalion endlessly disassembled and reassembled warships, mechas, and weapons. He also attended the instructors' classes on mechanical principles, blueprint analysis, troubleshooting, field assembly, and electronics. Soon, every instructor and cadet in the battalion knew about this seemingly naive reconnaissance cadet. A month before the end of the special training, Tian Xingjian approached the instructor in the Mechanical Maintenance Battalion and bluntly requested admission. This request infuriated the reconnaissance battalion instructor, yet he was helpless. The instructor in the Mechanical Training Battalion was also the highest-ranking officer in the special training team. In just two hours, Tian Xingjian completely won over the white colonel. He took the theoretical exam for the Mechanical Training Battalion cadets and achieved a top score. The subsequent hands-on experience further delighted the colonel. Tian Xingjian's quick hands convinced him that he was a prodigy in mechanics. Because mechanical maintenance involves the design of numerous technological and military secrets, the Mechanical Maintenance Battalion holds a higher rank than the Reconnaissance Battalion, and many of the Federation's mecha designers hail from the Mechanical Maintenance Battalion. Seeing a talent about to be buried in the reconnaissance battalion, a place reserved for the sleazy, the colonel unhesitatingly used his privilege to assign Tian Xingjian to the Mechanical Maintenance Battalion. Tian Xingjian rejoiced at his escape, but the outcome left him with a bitter regret.