A redshift filled the void, and the mysterious mecha disappeared.

Inside Freedom Dancer, people cheered ecstatically. Some individuals with a fragile heart cried hysterically on the spot. "It's amazing, we all survived," they exclaimed, relishing the sensation of narrowly cheating death. They were grateful for the mysterious mecha pilot, but at the moment, they couldn't find the words to describe their emotions- an overwhelming mix of profound joy and astonishment. Athena and the four popular idols were mist-eyed, celebrating together with high fives- while they didn't know who the mysterious pilot was, they firmly believed that he was on the side of justice.

Charlotte mumbled a few words, "Revenge Shadow Rider..."

Looking at Charlotte speaking to herself, Little Wu was puzzled, "Charlotte, what are you talking about?"

"No... Nothing." Perhaps this was a case of déjà vu. She wondered how she ended up linking the mysterious mecha pilot with the Revenge Shadow Rider.

As a refugee, her voyage was not on the same ship as Hans, and even left at a different time, but the destination was the same.

However, officials thought that the mysterious pilot was probably just testing the performance of the mecha on the fly. He came without a cloud and left without taking one. He didn't have any insignias of the Federal Army or any faction. If guessed conservatively, he must be at the mid-term stage of the Red Cloak, and definitely an ace mecha pilot of a certain power. There couldn't be more than a thousand people in the world who could perform high-speed over-frequency steering maneuvers.

As soon as the news was reported, it quickly attracted the attention of the higher-ups. The appearance of such a powerful and mysterious mecha within the country was simply too dangerous. Fortunately, it didn't act excessively, but the federal government couldn't possibly ignore this unidentified pilot within its borders. What was even more terrifying was the unit's advanced capabilities, which allowed it to cover a distance of two astronomical units from the Dragon Gate space station- a feat that was also difficult for a super soldier to achieve.

General Greedy Wolf kept looking at the blurred images, sighing and shaking his head. He wondered why such an unwelcome guest would suddenly appear in the federal star domain. Frankly, even a super soldier would not be able to fly such a long distance of two astronomical units unless the engine was replaced with a warp design and equipped with a safety system. But then, the problem of engine volume is unsolvable.

Of course, the news of the mysterious pilot was covered up by the military. If released, it might trigger a panic. But unfortunately, the fighting scenes had been recorded by passengers inside the shuttle. The news of a single mysterious mecha saving three shuttles quickly spread like wildfire the next day after they reached the destination.

According to the analysis of senior mecha enthusiasts, this person might have originally been a federal super soldier. Although the video was blurry because the mysterious soldier was too fast, they were still able to analyze the intensity of the mecha and the strength of the driver. Both its acceleration and steering capabilities were among the world's best. It could definitely compete with a super soldier. People had no reason to believe that it was from outside.

To maintain its mysterious status, the information was of course withheld by the military. This was just a popular analysis, and there were plenty of speculations. No one was quite sure, and the federal military was slow to respond. Frankly, the higher-ups were in a fix, as the truth would inevitably come out sooner or later, making it even more embarrassing.

Luckily, several survivors were found among the soldiers involved in the escort mission, including Zhang Xiaobo. Thankfully, the outer armor of the Gun Rider was not fatally damaged, otherwise survival in outer space would have been impossible. The rescue operation spanned half a day. When Zhang Xiaobo woke up, he found himself lying in a hospital bed, bandaged from head to toe. Upon inquiry, he learned that he had been sent to the 777 Military Hospital at the Capital by the Normandy fleet.

"Shit, could it really be true?" Zhang Xiaobo was stunned for a moment, then laughed and cried, "Damn, I'd rather die than to live such a miserable life." Particularly after sending that Heavenly Communication to Sheng Qiangwei, he thought back and felt utterly humiliated.

Zhang Xiaobo never expected his life to be so tenacious. Back then, since he had nothing to lose and no psychological burden, he became bold and fearless, speaking his mind. But now, he embarrassed himself and even tarnished his image among friends. He felt bitter inside.

In fact, Zhang Xiaobo was not the only one who had feelings for Sheng Qiangwei. During their time at the Ancient Martial Arts School, quite a few male students had a crush on Qiangwei.

Soon the door squeaked open, and Feng Yi strode in, grabbed an orange, started peeling and eating it without saying a word, utterly ignoring the patient's feelings.

"Feng... Brother Feng, is it really you?" Zhang Xiaobo hadn't come to his senses from his shock when he saw his long-lost friend. He even suspected that Feng Yi's farewell was a veiled hint of a permanent goodbye. But as a comrade, he never harbored any wrongful ideas about Sheng Qiangwei until the very end.

Feng Yi smiled, "Humph, of course it's me. By the way, you did a good job in that battle- here, this is for you." Feng Yi casually tossed a letter and a box to Zhang Xiaobo.

Zhang Xiaobo frowned and obviously hesitated. He recognized the box, but not the letter. Still, he braced himself, opened the letter, and read it. His spirits soared instantly. The letter was a thank-you note from the passengers of the three shuttles, respectful of the dead, and full of admiration for the living heroes.

Zhang Xiaobo and the other survivors were each awarded the Third-Class Medal of Honor. Although it was not made of diamond, its gold composition could still fetch some money. Of course, this was Feng Yi's thought- Zhang Xiaobo, on the other hand, was in high spirits. He pinned the letter and medal to his chest and started running around the hospital ward, keen to show everyone his medal.

Feng Yi helplessly shook his head. As a healthy person, he had no intention of staying in the hospital ward. Upon lifting his foot, his body shot towards the high ceiling like a cannonball. He then found a shadowy spot, brought out his watch, and started watching a program that intrigued him.

The program of interest was not some reality show, but the much-admired mecha duel loved by countless men. In this era of mecha dominance, numerous women would fall head over heels for the pilots. However, what intrigued Feng Yi wasn't that, but the Free Alliance's War Idol Project. An individual's influence was miniscule, but not everyone was qualified to become the Revenge Shadow Rider idolized by the public. Hence, official support was indispensable.

In a way, mechas were no longer just machines in this era influenced by the Shadow Rider Effect. They could also possess a soul and embody a kind of spiritual pillar endowed with a mission. The Federal Government had never attempted nor advocated individual heroism, but they had made exceptions for certain extraordinary times. If a mecha pilot can make more significant contributions in a battlefield than expected, like the influence of the Revenge Shadow Rider, it could replace the strategic significance of most tactical effects.

(These few days have been busy moving into a new house, loaded with work. It's not easy, couldn't spare any time. I hope you all understand.)

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