Emily Scott was furious: “That guy is too much! After knowing each other for so long, he just left without saying a word. It’s outrageous, absolutely outrageous! Next time I see him, I’ll definitely give him a good beating!” She had completely forgotten that she herself had once been defeated by Brian Clark.

Emily Scott grabbed Grace by the hand: “Come on, let’s go look for him in the combat zone!”

They searched room by room in the combat zone, but never saw that familiar black bird again, nor did they see the familiar yet unfamiliar YC.

They didn’t know that Brian Clark had already switched to a different mecha, nor did they know that just before they arrived at the combat zone, Brian Clark had just left and headed to the Gutisda District.

“Hey! Little Y, what have you been busy with these days? Haven’t seen you in a while!” An old man greeted Brian Clark on the street.

Brian Clark bowed slightly and said, “Hello, Grandpa Hughes. How have you been lately? My training has been pretty intense these days, so I haven’t come by as often!” Brian Clark had genuine respect for this old man surnamed Xu. He was a retired engineer who had given Brian Clark a lot of guidance, and Brian Clark had benefited greatly from him.

Grandpa Hughes chuckled, “What could be wrong with this old man? Little Y, you’re just as polite as ever! Such a good kid. Those old fellows will be so happy to see you! Alright, I won’t chat with you any longer, I have to go now. Have fun, Little Y!”

Brian Clark gave a shy smile and replied, “Okay, Grandpa Hughes, take care!”

Brian Clark was heading to a discussion room in the Gutisda District called “Aurora.” “Aurora” was extremely well-known in the area; most of its members were retired senior mecha engineers or mechanics, all with profound expertise in various aspects of mecha. When these experts gathered, the power they could unleash was truly formidable. Many companies would come seeking help when they encountered problems, drawn by their reputation. Their eccentric tempers were as famous as “Aurora” itself. Each of them was highly skilled and experienced, enjoying generous pensions in real life, never worrying about food or clothing. So if you wanted their help, money was completely useless here. If they took a liking to you, even if you didn’t want their help, they’d go out of their way to find solutions for you. But if they didn’t like you, even if you piled up mountains of gold in front of them, they’d just scoff and ignore you. This left many companies, used to solving problems with money, feeling extremely frustrated.

But when in need, these usually high-and-mighty big shots had no choice but to humble themselves, cursing these old geezers in their hearts while still forcing a smile and acting subservient. Yet, which of these old men wasn’t a wily old fox? None of them were easy to deal with, leaving those who wanted to take advantage of them feeling like mice trying to pull a turtle—completely at a loss!

Section Thirteen

Brian Clark was the only member of “Aurora” under the age of fifty.

Brian Clark’s joining “Aurora” was entirely by accident. As a total newbie in the virtual net, Brian Clark had stumbled into the “Aurora” discussion room. But none of the old men paid him any attention; some were off to the side discussing, others were absorbed in their own research. Out of curiosity, Brian Clark wandered over to the group arguing most heatedly to listen in, only to find they were debating the design of a mecha engine’s piping. Brian Clark was immediately interested and listened intently, becoming more and more absorbed.

The two old men each proposed their own solution, defending their ideas vigorously.

Suddenly, Brian Clark remembered a schematic of the Muxiang engine he had just seen not long ago. Lost in the discussion, he blurted out a completely new suggestion. Instantly, the room fell silent. Both sides stopped talking and stared in astonishment at this kid who had appeared out of nowhere!

At once, Brian Clark broke out in a cold sweat!

From then on, Brian Clark became acquainted with this group of old men. One of them, on a whim, insisted that Brian Clark join “Aurora.” Unexpectedly, many others agreed. They didn’t even give Brian Clark a chance to speak before adding him as a member of “Aurora.”

And so, Brian Clark muddle-headedly became a member of the highly esteemed “Aurora” in the eyes of others.

As for Brian Clark, he was actually quite frustrated. He used to think he had learned seventy or eighty percent of his father’s skills and was rather confident in mechanical modification. But here, he realized that any random person was someone he had to look up to—how could he not feel discouraged?

Never willing to fall behind, Brian Clark began his arduous journey of learning.

Any random question, after being deepened and expanded by these idle old men, became thousands of times more difficult and complex. Fortunately, Brian Clark had a very solid foundation. He was like a high-speed spinning vortex, frantically absorbing everything around him.

Very soon, Brian Clark’s extraordinary talent, astonishing learning ability, and solid foundation were noticed by these old men.

These old men had achieved remarkable things in their lifetimes and enjoyed great authority in their respective fields, but many of them faced the awkward situation of having no one to pass their knowledge on to. A good teacher is hard to find, but a good student is even rarer!