Part 2
With that, Han Naijin walked toward a mobile lift. Standing on it, Bai Mu immediately followed. Han Naijin pressed the button, and the lift rose quickly, docking directly with the cockpit door.
At this moment, the projection on the central screen was no longer a bunch of code; the image had switched to show the two of them.
Han Naijin made a gentlemanly “after you” gesture. Bai Mu reached out to touch the small lock icon on the cockpit door’s touchscreen, and then… Bai Mu froze.
He didn’t have access permissions.
Since the mechas had left the Empire, the buyers would naturally have performed relevant modifications. Most directly, like a person buying a light computer, they would first set a private password.
The mecha naturally had its cockpit access permissions reset.
Although Bai Mu couldn’t hear or see the voices and expressions of the mecha masters below, he knew they must be mocking and laughing.
Han Naijin didn’t speak, instead watching Bai Mu silently. Bai Mu had just publicly challenged everyone, saying he could solve a problem that they had failed to solve for days and nights. At that moment, seeing Bai Muâs calm and composed look, Han Naijin had somehow believed him. Even amidst everyoneâs skepticism, he had brought him up to the mecha. But could he really repair the coordinate system? Han Naijin still had some doubts.
Opening this lock wasn’t actually difficult for Bai Mu. As long as he entered his permissions as the chief designer of this model, the lock would open.
But he couldn’t do that. He could only use the most “clumsy” method to crack the lock.
Bai Mu pulled up the touchscreen’s input box, tapped lightly on the displayed keyboard, and then pressed enter.
The system popped up a warning:
[Illegal program, unrecognizable.]
At the same time, this warning appeared on the giant holographic screen.
A young mecha master said contemptuously, “What is an Omega doing up there causing trouble? Just leave, stop wasting everyone’s time!”
“He’s just doing it to gain presence in front of the Consul.”
“Even if you want presence, find the right place. Is a mecha base a place an Omega should come to?”
“Look at the screen, look at the screen. The face-slapping is in progress, don’t miss it.”
The mecha masters staring at the screen continued their mockery.
After the warning popped up, Bai Mu continued to tap on the control screen. Then, another striking red warning appeared:
[You do not have access.]
Han Naijin leaned an inch closer and said nonchalantly, “How about we forget it? Itâs fine if you can’t unlock it.”
Through the reflected light on the control screen, Bai Mu saw Han Naijin standing very close behind him. Han Naijin definitely had the permissions to enter the cockpit, but he hadn’t used them to open the doorâhe was clearly testing him.
The corner of Bai Muâs mouth curled slightly. He didn’t answer, instead continuing to tap the panel while sliding through complex procedural buttons.
After this operation, his expression turned serious, his eyes fixed on the screen without blinking until a green dialog box appeared:
[Enter EW-003IA-M model mecha control system?]
Bai Mu clicked “Confirm” without hesitation.
The system prompted again:
[Administrator identity verified. Cockpit opening.]
Bai Mu finally turned his head to see Han Naijin leaning lazily against the railing. He tilted his chin toward Han Naijin, a hint of pride in his eyes.
The cockpit door popped open, and Bai Mu and Han Naijin entered directly. The EW-003IA-M model mecha cockpit had one main pilot seat and one retractable, foldable co-pilot seat.
Bai Mu sat straight into the pilot seat. He performed a series of fluid operations on the control panel, completely ignoring Han Naijin. He focused on the panel; those operation procedures seemed etched into his very bones. It was as if he didn’t even need to look to know the exact position of every button.
The system prompted:
[Switch to management mode?]
Bai Mu clicked “Confirm.”
Han Naijin took it upon himself to pull out the hidden co-pilot seat beside the main seat and sat down to watch Bai Mu work.
Bai Mu sat upright in the chair, his expression intensely focused. His eyes were fixed on the screen, his hands constantly tapping the control panel. Han Naijin noticed the scars on his hands from his injuries at the underground casino. This made him think back once more to when he first met Bai Muâthe Omega who had pitifully begged him for help. Even after being brought back to the Han Manor, the Omega had always seemed sickly.
But the Bai Mu in the cockpit had a completely different face. This was unlike anything he had seen before: he was calm, wise, and lacked any hint of hesitation or panic. The difficult problem that a group of mecha masters hadn’t solved in days didn’t seem to be in his eyes at all. He was focused only on the panel before him, as if it were his entire world.
He hadn’t even looked at Han Naijin since entering the cockpit, treating him as if he were air.
A person who was usually the center of attention was now being completely ignored. Han Naijin felt a bit depressed. He let out a light cough, but the person beside him didn’t react at all. He then tried adjusting the seat height, but the person still didn’t give him a single look. Han Naijin gave up his antics and looked at the screen Bai Mu was staring at. The control panel in management mode was completely different from the combat mode interface; he couldn’t quite understand the content.
But at this moment, he roughly knew that the Omega before him was definitely not as simple as his words “I can repair mechas” suggested.
Han Naijin couldn’t help but let out a very light, chuckling hum.
One program after another ran on the screen. Bai Mu activated the self-test system, performing a comprehensive overhaul of the mecha. This was an extremely complex and slow process. He needed to operate intermittently, inputting adjustment commands based on the feedback from the interface. Now that a program was running on the screen and didn’t require his action for the moment, his spirit relaxed, and Han Naijin’s light laugh entered his ears.
He finally realized there was a Consul beside him. Bai Mu tilted his head, and their gazes met silently in the air.
The cockpit was very quiet, with only the slight noise of the self-test program. Bai Mu hadn’t expected Han Naijin to study him so bluntly. His face showed no expression, but his body beneath his clothes instinctively tightened. Han Naijin, on the other hand, leaned back casually in his seat, his body in a naturally relaxed posture. He had a faint smile on his face, his expression intriguing.
Bai Mu had always been somewhat resistant to meeting Han Naijin’s eyes. He felt those eyes were too sharp, as if they wanted to pierce through him and leave all his hidden thoughts with nowhere to hide.
But now was different. They were in the cockpit; he was repairing the mecha, and Han Naijin knew nothing about how to fix the coordinate system and had to rely on him. Bai Mu felt like a beast returning to its own territoryâthis small space of the cockpit was his domain, and he would defend his dignity within it.
So, he looked back calmly.
The atmosphere was somewhat tense, the air between them almost solid. The program continued to emit beeping sounds, ringing over a dozen times. Neither of them looked away. Bai Mu felt he was about to lose his composure, his eyes beginning to sting. Just as he was wondering if he should end this childish game, he heard another chuckle. Han Naijin suddenly raised his arm, grabbed his wrist, and shook it. “Alright, let’s stop here for today. We have to go back.”
Han Naijin looked away first, but Bai Mu didn’t feel any pleasure. Instead, he felt his heart rate beginning to accelerate. His arm was held by Han Naijin, forced to press the pause button. He checked the time and realized it was indeed quite late. Looking at the main control panel, he thought: the program was only half-finished, and he had just gotten a lead. If he left it now, he wouldn’t be able to sleep all night. Bai Mu thought for a moment and said, “Can I take this data back to process it?”
“Hmm? How?” Han Naijin asked, puzzled.
Bai Mu performed another series of operations on the main screen, then leaned back against the chair. The touchscreen popped out, revealing a rectangular component underneath. Bai Mu removed the component and held it to his chest along with the touch panel. “Like this.”
Han Naijin was a bit dazed. He actually dismantled the mecha! That rectangular component was the mecha’s main control unit, equivalent to a human brain. Countless wires connected it to various programs, and it was set with a self-destruct sequence. Forcing a removal would cause an explosion powerful enough to destroy the entire mecha and turn them both into ash. Yet this Omega had dismantled it in just a few moves, acting as if it were perfectly natural.
Furthermore, as a vital military weapon, a mecha had strict management protocols. Unauthorized dismantling was a serious crime. At the mecha base, only the Chief Mecha Master, with written consent from the highest military commander, could dismantle a mecha.
And he just… took it apart?!
After a long while, Han Naijin finally opened his mouth. “…Fine.”
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