Chapter 4: The Programmer's Advantage
Lin Feng stared at the computer screen in his bedroom, his small fingers hovering over the keyboard. It was late—nearly midnight—and his parents had been asleep for hours. The house was silent except for the soft hum of the old desktop computer that his father had bought used from a military surplus sale.
In his previous life, Lin Feng had been a professional programmer. He'd worked for fourteen-hour stretches, building complex systems and solving problems that stumped other developers. His mind had been his greatest tool—analytical, systematic, capable of breaking down massive challenges into manageable pieces.
But that had been with adult hands, an adult brain, and twenty years of practice.
Now he was eight years old, sitting in a child's body with a child's physical limitations. His fingers were too small for the keyboard, his reach too short. When he'd first sat down an hour ago, he'd spent fifteen minutes just adjusting the chair height and monitor angle to something that didn't hurt his neck.
The question that had been burning in his mind since he'd woken up in this new life: Could he still think like a programmer? Could he still build systems and solve problems the way he used to?
He opened a blank document and started typing—slowly at first, hunting and pecking instead of the fluid motion he'd developed over years. But the knowledge was there. His mind knew what to do even if his hands had to relearn the movements.
He started with something simple, writing out the logic for a basic mathematical sequence. First this number, then that number, following a pattern. The structure came to him immediately, as natural as breathing. His fingers were clumsy, but his thoughts were sharp and clear.
It's still there, he realized with relief. The knowledge didn't disappear.
Encouraged, he moved on to something more complex. He began designing a system—just on paper, in plain words—for recognizing patterns. If someone did action A, then action B, what would they do next? How could you track multiple actions and find the repeating behaviors?
He wrote out the logic step by step:
Observe what happens Record it in order Look for things that repeat Use the repeats to predict what comes next
It was the foundation of pattern recognition, something he'd worked with extensively in his previous life. And even in this child's body, with these small hands and tired eyes, his mind could still construct the logical framework perfectly.
Lin Feng leaned back in his chair, a smile spreading across his face. This was his advantage. This was what set him apart.
In this world, everyone got a mecha at eighteen. Some people were born with higher potential than others, but awakening was largely random. You couldn't control what type of mecha you got, how strong it would be, or what abilities it would have.
But Lin Feng had something no one else in this world had: the mind of a professional problem-solver combined with ten years to prepare for awakening.
If mechas existed in soul space—a mental dimension—then who was to say he couldn't build systems within that space? The books he'd read at the library described soul space as responding to consciousness, to will and intention. Pilots could manifest their mechas through mental focus. Some advanced pilots could even customize their mecha's appearance through intense visualization.
If consciousness could shape soul space, then couldn't systematic thinking do the same?
The idea sent electricity through his veins. He pulled out a notebook—physical paper, because he needed to think this through carefully—and started writing.
My Advantages:
Adult mind in child body = 20 years of mental maturity Professional problem-solving experience = systematic thinking Knowledge of pattern recognition = can analyze combat 10 years before awakening = time to experiment and prepare Understanding of this world's mechanics = can plan accordingly
Current Limitations:
Cannot access soul space until awakening (10 years away) Child's body = physical restrictions No way to test theories until age 18 Limited resources as a child Must maintain appearance of being normal 8-year-old
Goals:
Master systematic thinking in this body Study mecha theory and soul space mechanics Develop framework for analyzing combat Maintain physical fitness for eventual pilot training Prevent father's death in 4 years Prepare for optimal awakening
Lin Feng stared at his list, his mind already racing ahead. The biggest problem was that he couldn't test anything until he awakened. Soul space was only accessible to those eighteen or older. Until then, he'd be theorizing blind.
But that didn't mean he couldn't prepare.
If he was going to build analysis systems in soul space eventually, he needed to train his mind first. Not just competent thinking—absolute mastery. The kind of mental clarity where complex logic structures formed instantly, where analyzing multiple variables simultaneously became second nature.
He turned back to his notebook and started sketching out ideas. If he was in combat, what information would he need? What would help him win against stronger opponents?
Combat Analysis Framework - First Draft:
Enemy observation:
What attacks do they use? How often do they repeat the same moves? Do they have patterns? When do they waste energy? What are their weaknesses?
Self-monitoring:
How much energy do I have left? Which of my attacks work best? Am I being predictable? What's my best tactical option right now?
Prediction:
Based on what they've done before, what will they do next? If I do this action, how will they respond? What's the most likely outcome?
Lin Feng studied his framework. This was the foundation of what he'd need—a systematic way to analyze fights. Combat, based on what he'd read, was all about patterns. Attack sequences, movement habits, energy consumption rates. If he could analyze patterns faster and more accurately than opponents, he'd have a tactical advantage even against stronger pilots.
Over the next two hours, Lin Feng expanded his framework, adding more details and refining his ideas. He thought through scenarios, imagining fights and working out how his analysis system would handle them.
By the time he finished, his eyes were burning with fatigue and his fingers ached from writing. But the notebook in front of him contained something he was actually proud of—a systematic approach to combat analysis that could, theoretically, give him an edge against anyone who relied purely on instinct.
It wasn't perfect. It wasn't even close to what he'd need for actual combat. But it was a start.
And more importantly, it proved to him that he could do this. That his skills weren't just memories but actual capabilities he could rebuild and improve upon.
Lin Feng closed his notebook and labeled it "Project: Analysis Protocol - Version 0.1" Then he finally let himself collapse into bed.
Sleep came quickly, but his dreams were filled with combat patterns and tactical calculations, systems weaving together in complex dances of logic and strategy.
The next morning, Lin Feng woke to sunlight and the smell of breakfast cooking. His body ached—apparently staying up until 2 AM was harder in an eight-year-old body than it had been at twenty-eight. Every muscle felt heavy, his eyelids refused to stay fully open, and when his mother called him for breakfast, his response was an incoherent mumble.
"Lin Feng! Breakfast! Now!"
He dragged himself out of bed and stumbled downstairs, where his father was already eating while reading something on a tablet. Military reports, probably.
"You look terrible," his father observed cheerfully. "Stay up late reading those books?"
"Something like that," Lin Feng muttered, dropping into his chair and reaching for the orange juice.
His mother set a plate in front of him—eggs and rice, simple but filling. "No more late nights on school nights. You need sleep to grow properly."
"Yes, Mom."
But even as he agreed, Lin Feng's mind was already working. He'd proven he could still think systematically. Now he needed to expand his skills, train his mind to process information faster, to track multiple variables simultaneously, to see patterns that others missed.
And he needed to find a way to connect all of that to mechas and soul space.
"Dad," Lin Feng said between bites of egg, "when you're in your mecha, in your soul space, what does it feel like? How do you control it?"
His father looked up from his tablet, eyebrows raised. "That's a pretty advanced question for someone who hasn't awakened yet."
"I'm curious."
His father set down the tablet, giving Lin Feng his full attention. "It's... hard to describe to someone who hasn't experienced it. Soul space isn't like the physical world. It's more like... lucid dreaming, maybe? You're aware you're in a mental space, but it feels completely real. The mecha is there, physical and solid, but it's also part of you. An extension of your consciousness."
"And controlling it?" Lin Feng pressed. "Is it like piloting a vehicle? Or something else?"
"More like... willing your body to move. You don't think 'move the left arm,' you just want the arm to move, and it does. But it takes practice. New pilots often overthink it, try to manually control every movement like they're operating a machine. The best pilots learn to treat the mecha like their own body, to let instinct and muscle memory take over."
Lin Feng absorbed this information, his mind already drawing parallels. If mecha control was about will and intention rather than manual commands, then building systems in soul space might work the same way. Not physical construction, but manifesting logical structures through pure thought.
Like thinking so clearly and systematically that your thoughts themselves became tools.
"What about tactics?" Lin Feng asked. "How do pilots make decisions in combat?"
"Depends on the pilot. Some rely on training and pre-planned strategies. Others trust their instincts. The best pilots do both—they have solid fundamentals but can adapt on the fly." His father paused, studying Lin Feng with that penetrating gaze. "Why all the questions? You're really serious about this preparation thing, aren't you?"
"I told you. I want to be ready."
"Most kids your age just play with toy mechas and watch combat videos. They don't start seriously studying until they're at least in middle school."
"I'm not most kids," Lin Feng said quietly.
His father's expression softened into something that might have been pride. "No. I guess you're not."
After breakfast, Lin Feng went to school, but his mind was only half-present. He sat through math class—percentages again, which he already understood perfectly—and language arts, where they were reading a story about a brave pilot defending a frontier outpost. Even during recess, when other kids played and shouted, Lin Feng found a quiet corner and pulled out his notebook.
He started sketching diagrams, trying to visualize how his analysis system might function in soul space:
Traditional Thinking: See something → Think about it → Decide what to do → Act
Combat Analysis System (Theoretical): See something → System automatically recognizes patterns → Calculates best options → Suggests optimal action → Act faster and smarter
The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that this could work. Soul space responded to consciousness. Systematic thinking was just organized consciousness—thoughts structured in logical frameworks. If he could train his mind to think analytically naturally, to structure his thoughts in clear patterns, then maybe he could manifest those structures directly in soul space.
It would be like having a tactical computer in his head. A system that could analyze combat situations, calculate optimal responses, track multiple variables simultaneously—all in real-time, all through his mecha.
The other kids wouldn't have this. They'd rely on instinct, training, raw talent. But Lin Feng would have a system. An analytical framework built directly into his soul space through years of mental training.
If it worked.
And that was a big if. But even if it only partially worked, even if he could only track a few patterns or make basic predictions, it would still be an advantage.
"Lin Feng?"
He looked up to find a girl standing in front of him. She was in his class—small, with pigtails and a curious expression. He couldn't remember her name.
"You're always writing in that notebook," she said. "What are you working on?"
"Just... ideas," Lin Feng said vaguely.
"About mechas?"
"Sort of."
She tilted her head, studying him. "You're weird. But the smart kind of weird. My brother says the smart weird kids usually awaken good mechas."
Before Lin Feng could respond, the bell rang, signaling the end of recess. The girl skipped away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
The smart kind of weird.
Yeah. That about summed it up.
That evening, after dinner and homework, Lin Feng returned to his desk. This time he had a specific goal: expand his combat analysis framework into something more comprehensive.
He couldn't test it in soul space yet. Couldn't even access soul space yet. But he could build the theoretical foundation now, create the mental framework that would—hopefully—eventually manifest in his mind during combat.
He opened his notebook to a fresh page and wrote:
Analysis Protocol v0.1 - Foundation
Step 1: Observation Watch the enemy carefully. Record everything:
What attacks they use How they move When they attack vs. when they defend How much time between actions Any repeated behaviors
Step 2: Pattern Recognition Look for patterns in their behavior:
Do they always attack after defending? Do they favor their right side? Do they repeat the same combination of moves? When do they make mistakes?
Step 3: Prediction Based on patterns, predict what they'll do next:
If they just did action A, they usually do action B next When their energy is low, they become defensive After missing an attack, they often try the same attack again
Step 4: Tactical Response Use predictions to plan counter-moves:
If I know they'll attack left, I can dodge right If I know they'll defend next, I can set up a strong attack If I know their pattern, I can interrupt it
Lin Feng stared at his framework. It was simple—maybe too simple for real combat. But it was logical. It was systematic. And most importantly, it was something he could train his mind to do automatically.
He thought back to his father's words about mecha control being like willing your body to move. If that was true, then maybe this analysis system could work the same way. Not consciously thinking through each step, but training his mind so thoroughly that the analysis happened automatically, as natural as breathing.
That would take practice. Years of practice.
But Lin Feng had years. Ten years until awakening. And unlike everyone else who'd be starting from scratch at eighteen, he'd arrive at his awakening ceremony with a fully developed analytical mindset ready to deploy.
He created a new page in his notebook—a planning document—and started outlining his development path:
Analysis Protocol - Long-term Development Plan:
Version 0.1 (Current - Age 8): Basic framework on paper
Understand the concept Practice thinking systematically Study combat patterns from videos and books
Version 0.5 (Target: Age 10): Mental training exercises
Practice tracking multiple things at once Memory exercises for pattern recognition Speed thinking drills
Version 1.0 (Target: Age 12): Applied tactical thinking
Watch real combat footage and analyze it Practice predicting outcomes Study energy management theory
Version 1.5 (Target: Age 14): Team coordination concepts
How to track multiple allies and enemies Resource optimization thinking Strategic planning frameworks
Version 2.0 (Target: Age 16): Advanced prediction models
Complex pattern recognition Adaptive thinking (when patterns change) Multi-variable analysis
Version 3.0 (Target: Age 18, at awakening): Full integration
Automatic analysis during combat Real-time tactical processing Complete combat management system
Each version would build on the last, training his mind to think more analytically, more systematically, until it became second nature. By the time he awakened, he'd have a decade of mental training behind him. A way of thinking so refined that it would function like instinct.
Lin Feng looked at his roadmap and felt that familiar sensation from his previous life—the excitement of a challenging project, the satisfaction of a clear path forward.
He was eight years old with an adult's mind and a systematic thinker's skills.
Everyone else would awaken and learn to pilot through instinct and training.
But Lin Feng would awaken with a system—not a physical one, but a mental framework so well-developed that it would function like having a tactical computer built into his thoughts.
And that would make all the difference.