I'll Get You a Win

Xiao Bai felt awkward and quickly tried to explain, only to realize that everyone else could speak directly while he was the only one typing—had he forgotten to install a "microphone"?
Souls can't communicate verbally; they can only type...
But before Xiao Bai could finish typing, a flurry of voices erupted in the team chat:
"He's pretty dedicated, huh? The official beta for Virtual Battlefield has only been out for three days, and he's already played nearly 30 matches. Though this win-loss record is painfully eye-catching... And that mech build is hilarious—no defense at all? If he doesn't get red, who does?"
"Ugh, why is my luck so terrible? I thought I'd find a pro to carry me, but I ended up with someone even worse than me. Now my credits are really gone..."
"Yeah, this is insane. I can't believe the Academy is actually using Simulator performance for regular credits. Don't they consider the difficulty? This is clearly harder than the final exam!"
"This has to be a backdoor project. That's why the Academy is pushing it so unreasonably. Ugh... Is this what they call the dark and heavy side of society?"
"Alright, alright, young brothers, don't panic. Let's talk this through, hey? Raven Bro? Hey? Hey? Can you talk?"
"Damn, he's mute. What do we do now?"
Xiao Bai was stunned, desperately wanting to transform into a "Keyboard Immortal" right then and there to show off his typing speed. But then he remembered his own Green Record, achieved through his own efforts, and found himself momentarily speechless.
He tried to block the chat, only to discover there was no such function. Resigned, he opted for Intracranial Silence and silently adjusted his Mech's configurations.
To fight effectively, relying solely on a Chainsaw Sword wouldn't cut it. He needed some ranged firepower.
But not too much; too many heavy weapons would sacrifice mobility, leaving no room for maneuver.
After careful consideration, Xiao Bai equipped his right shoulder with a 155mm single-shot Howitzer—a stripped-down version of his usual model.
Then, he armed his left hand with a Precision Rifle—
A classic, versatile weapon that balanced power, rate of fire, range, and stability at a mid-tier level. It was the type of weapon you could choose when you weren't sure what else to pick, knowing you wouldn't go wrong.
Capable of firing armor-piercing rounds, high-explosive shells, incendiary rounds, and even illuminat ion rounds, this versatile weapon was more comprehensive than even a 155mm howitzer. Xiao Bai had been eager to get his hands on one for ages, but despite scouring every corner of the Mecha Graveyard and the Base, he couldn't find the necessary components.
Though its caliber was only 75mm, for a mecha, anything under 100mm was still considered a "gun."
After equipping the new weapon and corresponding ammunition, Xiao Bai checked his mecha's speed. It was still acceptable, with only a slight decrease. With a mental nod at the "Ready" button, he initiated the activation sequence.
But then the voice chimed in again, its tone dripping with exasperation:
"Are you kidding me, bro? You don't want to win, do you? You're not bringing any defense, and you're picking a chainsaw sword and a precision rifle? Do you have any idea how useless those things are? Why not just bring some rocket launchers?"
"He's probably some newbie who's watched too many movies, trying to imitate those overpowered protagonists. How abstract... We spent three years training at the Academy and wouldn't dare touch that kind of gear, but he's not scared at all."
"Bro, why don't you just switch to a light mecha and play recon? We'll cover you from the back... Hey? You still there? Ugh... Why is my luck so terrible? My credits are already tight, and now I have to deal with this deadweight!"
The three of them were clearly students from the Mecha Academy, likely upperclassmen. Their records were just as dismal as mine, yet they were the first to start complaining?
Every major city had its own Mecha Academy. Xiao Bai used to attend the branch in C City. I couldn't tell where these three were from, but judging by their ID styles, they were probably from the Eastern Continent.
The remaining voice, more steady than the others, belonged to an investigator with some experience. His record was only '3-2', not exactly impressive, but he spoke up to mediate:
"Alright, alright, everyone. It seems he can't hear us. I'll take the scouting position. I have more experience in that role."
As he spoke, he switched his mech to the standard-issue light mecha designated "Martial Soldier" and reconfigured it with lightweight scouting gear.
The three students immediately protested:
"No, no, no, bro! You're the only one in our team with a green record. We're counting on you to carry us through! I'll do the scouting instead."
"No, I'll go scout. You're better at the tech, so take the close-quarters position and see if you can contain Red-Name Bro. He's fought 30 battles, so he must know something ."
"Alright, alright, stop arguing! I'm the worst here, so I'll scout!"
"Then we'll put two in close-quarters: one to cover Big Bro in Position 1, and one to cover Red-Name Bro."
"Sounds good!"
Xiao Bai was surprised to hear this.
These three might lack discipline and have crude speech, but instead of giving up, they were actually strategizing to win?
Even though they despised him so much, they weren't trying to abandon or screw him over—they were even willing to cover for him?
It reminded him of his first lesson at Mecha Academy: Never abandon your teammates.
Then he recalled that night over a month ago, the night before his first Practice Class , when he and his roommates had stayed up late arguing about position assignments, all excitedly vying for the most thrilling, dangerous, but also the most glamorous and attention-grabbing close-quarters position—the one that movie protagonists always had.
"Xiao Bai, you're too cautious. Here, take a ranged position and play it safe. Who else but me is fit to carry as the melee Big Carry?"
"Please! You're so scared playing a game. You expect me to tank up front? Shouldn't a melee position be reserved for a Top Lane Daddy like me?"
"Damn it, Xiao Bai! You still have the nerve to say that? Every time you play top lane, you end up nurturing a monster! Darius can't even beat Teemo! You should just go play a gacha game!"
"Exactly! Second Dimension games are much better. Oh, by the way, Xiao Bai, did you get Yellow Springs yet?"
"Nope. Looks like I'm going to hit the Big Pity... If I was going to get hungry anyway, I should have skipped dinner and used the time to pull Yellow Springs instead."
"Sigh... Second Dimension... You two just stick to being ranged cheerleaders. Just lie back and watch your Godfather carry the game."
Xiao Bai drifted into reminiscence until he noticed the scene before him change. His teammates had finished preparing, and the countdown to mission start was underway.
He snapped out of his thoughts and murmured:
"I'll just lead you guys to a win."
The simulated scene dimmed, randomly selecting a combat environment. It quickly settled on a hazard level 3 simulated "Paradise."
Several explanatory texts then appeared, briefly outlining the real-world prototype of this "Paradise," the actual combat situations humans encountered while exploring it, and their mission objectives.

Chapter end