C3 33 Bay Road
Gu Xian arrived at 33 Bay Road, where the first thing that met his eyes was desolation, as if it were a scene lifted from paper. The location was on the outskirts of Aelley, in the old district. An "L"-shaped office building clad in white porcelain tiles and a towering red-brown iron structure piercing the sky made up this address.
Following the directions he'd been given, Gu Xian entered the office building and navigated the silent corridor until he located the office. He knocked on the door.
"Come in," came a voice from within.
Pushing the door open, Gu Xian stepped inside to find a burly man engrossed in an ancient English book, seemingly too small for his large hands.
"Hello, my name is Gu Xian. I'm here for the engineering mechanist interview," he introduced himself.
The man glanced up, setting aside his book, and extended a hand. "Name's Vian. I'm the foreman around here and I'll be conducting your interview today." After a firm handshake, Gu Xian simply said "hello" and waited silently for Vian to continue, maintaining a composed demeanor despite his lack of eloquence.
Vian, a former military mechanist, possessed the characteristic frankness and vigor of his background. However, he seemed somewhat disappointed with Gu Xian at first sight, struggling to muster enthusiasm.
"How old are you?" he asked.
"Calmly, Gu Xian replied, "Eighteen."
"Eighteen, finished with your studies?"
"If you're asking about a diploma, I don't have one. But the job posting mentioned that it wasn't necessary."
"I'm aware," Vian said, his brow furrowing slightly. "No diploma needed, sure, but we're not looking for useless people either."
The demolition project at 33 Bay Road was expected to take over half a year, with stringent demands for the engineering mecha drivers. After unsuccessful recruitment efforts, they offered high wages to attract candidates from the public.
Initially, a steady stream of applicants came, but none could meet Vian's standards. He had specified "no diploma required" in the job listing to appeal to ex-military pilots, who often lacked formal education but possessed exceptional mecha piloting skills.
Vian himself, a retired pilot, understood their job search struggles. Yet, he hadn't anticipated attracting a delusional toad lusting after swan meat.
"Are you a dropout?"
"No."
Gu Xian sensed that Vian wasn't fond of him, though he couldn't fathom the reason.
"Never been to school?"
"No."
"Ever piloted a mecha?"
"Yes."
"How much experience do you have piloting?"
"Roughly ten years."
"Heh," Vian nearly chuckled.
Ten years? At eighteen? So you've been piloting mechas since childhood? If that were true, why bother looking for work here?
No use in boasting.
"Follow me. Let's see what you've picked up over these years," Vian said with a hint of sarcasm, barely acknowledging him further.
Gu Xian's name might as well have been a breeze that whisked past Vian's ear, leaving no trace.
It was merely a formality, not worth the effort to remember.
Vian grumbled internally as he guided Gu Xian inside, briefing him on the site at 33 Bay Road.
"This facility was erected during the interstellar era, a full steel structure, standing 183 meters tall and spanning 50,000 square meters. Aelley City plans to overhaul the site. Demolition is too complex, and per our patron's request, we're here to dismantle these buildings.
"High-altitude work demands exceptional pilots, especially since the engineering mechas here are outdated. That raises the bar even further. What's your control level?"
He paused to ask, turning to Gu Xian.
Control, reflex speed, and physical strength are all measurable indicators of a pilot's capability.
The greater the control, the finer the mecha maneuvering, and the greater the challenge.
Gu Xian shook his head.
He hadn't covered this in training camp and was clueless about his control level.
Vian felt an impulse to just walk away, his disdain for Gu Xian no longer concealed.
"Let's be upfront—no time-wasting. If you're here for some sort of fieldwork assignment, you might as well leave now. We have stringent standards for our pilots. Got it?"
Gu Xian didn't grasp the concept of social practice assignments; his focus was solely on Vian's inquiry about his mecha piloting skills.
He nodded, assuring Vian with a calm voice, "Don't worry, I'm exceptionally skilled."
"Heh," Vian scoffed, clearly unimpressed by Gu Xian's unwavering confidence.
Together, they made their way to the warehouse. As the doors swung open, rows of engineering mechas stood in formation.
A blend of icy metallic scent and the pungent odor of engine oil hit them, an unmistakable welcome.
The mechas were robust, standing only ten meters tall with a base nearly four meters wide, resembling a horizontally expanded, chubby version of their kind.
Silent and imposing, they resembled dormant titans stretching into the distance, a serene and respectful assembly.
Each mecha was outfitted with a laser cutter and forceps-shaped clamps on its arms—one slender, one thick—and a circular saw mounted on its back.
"This is the Explorer-12 model engineering mecha. It's quite outdated and demands considerable physical strength from the pilot. Moreover, I expect an even higher level of control proficiency. You claim to excel at piloting mechas, so show me—pilot one just like they do," Vian challenged, gesturing toward the steel skyscraper in the distance.
Atop the building, mechas, akin to diligent ants, were at work.
They meticulously detached the building's exterior and internal framework, then used the forceps-shaped clamps to deposit hefty steel sections into the transport flyers below.
They had to ensure no fragments fell during the cutting process and that the steel was precisely placed within the transport flyers.
From such heights, even a fragment the size of a soybean could prove lethal.
Others, taking a break, became intrigued by Gu Xian and Vian's exchange.
A tall, lean man with dark skin approached with a grin, "Got a new recruit?"
Vian gave a confirming nod.
Someone else chimed in with caution.
"Listen, piloting an engineering mecha here is no easy feat. See them? The Explorer-12s lack flight capabilities—if one falls, it's game over. This work is life-threatening. Why join the fray as a youngster? Looking for trouble?"
"Indeed, at your age, there are better things to do. Why not just walk away? You're clearly not cut out for this."
"Kid, this job's technical demands are steep. You might as well head out and not waste our boss Vian's time," said one of the crew with a dismissive wave.
Vian watched Gu Xian with a sly grin, eager to witness the youngster's blunder.
These young ones always in a hurry, thinking they're top dog, acting all high and mighty with little to show for it. They'd typically lose their cool when faced with such dismissal.
But Gu Xian paid them no mind, treating them as if they were nothing but thin air. He strode over to an unoccupied engineering mecha in silence.
Mounting the mecha, he slipped on the neural headset and initiated a system diagnostic.
The lean man with dark skin flashed a grin, his yellow teeth standing out. "Looks like you know your way around," he chuckled.
Vian just shook his head. "Starting up a mecha is child's play."
As the mecha ran its self-check, Gu Xian was already scanning through its specs.
"Standard engineering mecha, model: Pioneer-12.
"Constructed from C-type ultra-light alloy, it tips the scales at 125 tons with a main engine power of 2500 kW, and a top speed of 200 km/h. It's designed to accommodate various external devices.
"Current attachments include: Moly-C2 Laser Cutter, Clint 77p forceps-shaped clamp, and Mocha III wheel. The Moly-C2 Laser Cutter's maximum output..."
Once the self-check concluded, Gu Xian piloted the mecha forward, his movements betraying the ease of a seasoned Warcaster who had years of experience.
Vian let out an intrigued "Huh," his interest piqued by Gu Xian's handling of the machine.
The initial steps were admittedly awkward, but any sense of unfamiliarity quickly dissolved like ice in the sun, leaving a fluidity as smooth as flowing water.
Could it be an illusion?
Vian, taken aback, began to question his own seasoned judgment.
The dark, skinny man suddenly cried out, "What's he up to?"
Snapping to attention, Vian saw that Gu Xian had made his way to the fringe of the derelict structure.
Above him, a swarm of engineering mechas buzzed in activity, resembling a colony of industrious ants.
Given the high-risk nature of the work, their storage and rest areas were situated nearly two kilometers from the edifice—a negligible distance for the Pioneer-12.
In just a moment of distraction, Vian noticed Gu Xian had already made his way over there. Watching Gu Xian's actions, he suddenly broke into a cold sweat, exclaiming, "He's not planning to operate it, is he?"
The lean, dark-skinned man shivered intensely.
Even for a mechanist accustomed to high-altitude work, there remained a deadly risk in such an environment, especially for someone who appeared to be a rookie.
"Has he lost his mind?!" the lean man shrieked at the top of his lungs.
Even for them, the driving test was conducted in a warehouse, and only after passing the control and physical strength assessments could they qualify for the job. Gu Xian's behavior seemed like a death wish to him.
"Damn it, we haven't even signed a death waiver with him!" Vian's face went pale as he yelled, "Get him back here, now!"
The death waiver was akin to a life-and-death declaration, essentially serving as insurance. Should a mechanist die during construction, a dedicated insurance company would step in to verify and compensate the victim's family, absolving the client of any responsibility.
Everyone, including Vian, had signed such a document.
If they had an accident here, that would be the end of it, but Gu Xian was a different case.
He hadn't signed the document. If he died here, it could halt the project at best, or at worst, lead to a lawsuit.
Vian was frantic with worry.
The lean man was well aware of the risks, which threatened his own interests. He hurried into his own engineering mecha and tried to reach Gu Xian via the comms.
But he soon stormed out of the mecha, cursing, "Damn rookie, doesn't even have his communicator turned on!"
Vian, terrified, was shouting while instructing the lean man to contact the engineering mecha above to intercept Gu Xian before he could ascend.
His voice, carried over a thousand meters, naturally couldn't be heard, but the lean man managed to relay his instructions successfully.
Both men breathed a sigh of relief.
The Explorer-12 lacked flight capabilities. To reach the building, one would need to use the mecha's dedicated elevator.
As long as we can intercept Gu Xian, we can talk terms.
"Damn it, I'd rather die than let someone like him work here!" Vian swore vehemently. "Even if he somehow qualifies, he can forget about it."
The lean, dark-skinned man was still shaken. "This is just messed up."
But before he could finish his thought, he began to stutter in shock, "What, what the hell is he doing?!"
Vian whipped around, a jolt running through him.
Gu Xian had made his way to the front of the building.
Spanning 50,000 square meters, Gu Xian, not being an insider, was unaware of the mecha-specific elevator. After a moment's consideration, he began to maneuver his mecha to scale the building's exterior.
At the training camp, they had courses designed for mecha combat in challenging environments.
This seemed like a minor test to Gu Xian, similar to what he had experienced before. Surely, this must be the first challenge Vian had set for him.
The building, cylindrical in shape, was clad in steel that bore the dark red hue of rust. The paint had long flaked off, and the glass that once served as windows was now just shattered remnants.
Back at the training camp, Gu Xian had scaled a mountain as smooth as a mirror, with hardly any footholds and requiring exceptional mecha piloting skills.
That training claimed the lives of three skilled individuals, but Gu Xian had emerged first.
By comparison, using a mecha to climb this type of structure was a breeze.
He ascended like a colossal spider, using the forceps-shaped clamps as if they were strands of web. When he encountered spots out of reach, he would leap up to grasp the steel above. If he still needed more height, the clamps proved invaluable.
The engineering mecha pilots working high above caught a glimpse of him and froze in disbelief.
"What in the world is he up to?"
"What's going on?" another asked, peering over curiously, only to be equally dumbfounded.
Soon, all the engineering mechas were like statues, crowding the building's edge, watching in disarray as Gu Xian scaled the structure with reckless abandon.
On the other side, Vian and the lean, dark-skinned man, who had been hurrying this way, gradually slowed their pace. Their eyes grew wider and wider, resembling a pair of owls perched on a tree branch. Meanwhile, Gu Xian continued to ascend, his speed astonishingly quick.
