Arc 8: Interstellar Programmer Officer 6
There was little time before the live broadcast began, so they sat down and started chatting.
“What should I do? I’m so nervous. I feel like I can hear my own heartbeat.”
“Why are you so nervous? You’re already married with kids. Segre is the one who should be nervous.”
“This has nothing to do with being married with children. I am… Oh, right, now the most nervous person should be Segre.”
“Why should I be the most nervous? Can’t I be as nervous as you guys?” Segre smiled.
“Your nervousness and our nervousness, how could they be the same?”
“That’s right! We’re nervous because General Mai Wei is from the Third Military District like us, and we hope he wins. So, we’re tense. But it’s different for you. Your concerns are greater than ours, so you’re even more nervous, and your feelings are not the same as ours.”
“You guys always make fun of me. Don’t ask for my help in the future,” Segre said, pretending to be angrily embarrassed.
“How could we be making fun of you? We’re just jealous. By the way, when are you and General Mai Wei getting married?”
“How should I know? It’s not something I can decide.”
“Don’t be shy about it. We’re just curious.”
“Yes, don’t be embarrassed. Take the initiative and remind him a bit. The sooner you settle down, the more at ease you’ll be, right?”
“Yeah, if you don’t take the initiative, what if someone else snatches him away? You’ll regret it.”
“The live broadcast has started. Stop talking,” Segre said, seeing the screen in front light up. He immediately widened his eyes, looking focused.
Sipping the coffee brought by his assistant, Tao Yuan was well aware that the reason Segre had specifically invited him to sit together was to make him hear these words.
Those people probably said these things regularly, which was why Segre approached him and suggested he talk to them when he had free time. But Tao Yuan always preferred being alone and didn’t actively seek out conversations with others. So, Segre seized the opportunity today to ensure Tao Yuan heard those words. These little tricks didn’t even elicit a response from Tao Yuan.
As the live broadcast began, Tao Yuan also earnestly watched the screen. Mai Wei was one of the very few with A1 Mental Power, making his ability to control mecha battles unquestionable. However, Tao Yuan still wanted to see how Mai Wei could utilize the upgraded program and energy crystal cards to their full potential.
On the screen, both sides engaged in intense combat from the very beginning, treating each other as real enemies and not holding back. In such a match, the damage sustained by the mechs was absolutely real, and each military district sent out their best mechs, making it a considerable display of firepower.
However, such competitions only occurred once every three years, and they weren’t just about the honor of the military districts but also determined the subsequent mission acquisition and allocation.
Despite the live broadcast on the screen clearly showing Mai Wei having the upper hand, it still couldn’t help but make people feel tense. Tao Yuan initially had full confidence in Mai Wei, believing he couldn’t possibly lose. But as he continued watching, even he couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.
When they entered the most intense phase, it seemed like Mai Wei’s piloted mecha suddenly underwent an upgrade, with the energy levels skyrocketing. The speed became so fast that the opponent couldn’t keep up, and the agility and the energy cannon’s attack power instantly overwhelmed the adversary.
Except for Tao Yuan, everyone was stunned. They considered themselves the ones who knew Mai Wei’s mecha situation the best, understanding not only Mai Wei’s mecha but also the entire military district’s mechas on how they were configured and to what extent they could perform. But the current state of Mai Wei’s mecha made them suspect that he wasn’t piloting the same mecha as before. Instead, it seemed to be a newly manufactured, secretly developed model.
“Oh my! is this really General Mai Wei’s previous mecha? Am I seeing things, or is this a newly manufactured mecha?”
“Even if it’s a newly manufactured mecha, our programming department should definitely know. Such a big matter, but why is there no information from our programming department about General Mai Wei changing mecha?
The programming department was responsible for handling all mecha program issues and overseeing tasks such as program upgrades. So whenever a new mecha arrives at the military district, they should definitely be informed.
“This speed, agility, and energy intensity are so much better than before. How did he achieve this?!”
“General Mai Wei’s mecha is just too amazing. It’s not even on the same level as the opponent. There’s no suspense in this match anymore.”
“His mecha has been under the maintenance of a specific group this year. They must know something, but they haven’t said a word.”
“We don’t know what’s going on either,” the person in front turned around and said.
Segre turned to look at Tao Yuan, suddenly feeling a sense of unease. He had always been known as a programming genius, the youngest and most promising individual recognized by the entire department. His greatest aspiration was to earn recognition from Mai Wei, to become his exclusive programmer. However, watching the battle just now, Mai Wei’s mecha had become so powerful that it seemed like an achievement currently beyond his reach.
Mai Wei won, and he won beautifully. The opponent had almost no resistance, getting overwhelmed by Mai Wei’s attacks until they conceded to protect their mecha.
Despite the shock and confusion in everyone’s minds, Mai Wei’s victory brought them great joy. After the livestream ended, they all walked out, discussing with smiles on their faces.
Tao Yuan also stood up to leave. Segre watched his back, had an expressionless face, deep in thought about something.
Mai Wei received the title of the Empire’s strongest mecha warrior, and the entire Third military district was overjoyed, preparing to celebrate.
In this lifetime, Tao Yuan intended to be a solitary and melancholic individual. So, whether it was a grand celebration or a small one, he had no intention of participating. He preferred to be alone.
The next day, Tao Yuan sat in the office, bored and lost in thought. He recalled the affairs of the original host and his lover. Then he thought, “If I only had memories from one lifetime and was forced by family to marry and have children with someone I didn’t love, despite already having a deep connection with someone I love, how painful would that be?”
The programmers were scattered in pairs in the outdoor rest area, chatting over coffee. Almost everyone was discussing the current hot topic – the overwhelming victory of Mai Wei, who became the Empire’s strongest warrior.
Suddenly, the protagonist of the conversation, Mai Wei, walked into the programming department. After seeing him, the programmers immediately became excited.
“Look, look! General Mai Wei is here!”
“So handsome! No matter when you look at him, General Mai Wei is truly the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.”
“Segre, go greet him!”
“He must be here for something with one of the team leaders. Let’s wait for them to finish, and then say hello,” Segre said with a smile.
Then, under the watchful eyes of those people, Mai Wei walked to the outside of Tao Yuan’s office.
Mai Wei raised his hand, preparing to press the glass door, but when he saw Tao Yuan lost in thought, tears in his eyes, with a melancholic expression, he hesitated for a moment before finally ringing the doorbell.
Hearing the sudden sound, Tao Yuan snapped back to reality. When he looked up and saw Mai Wei standing outside, he immediately turned to wipe away his tears. Then, he opened the glass door. He had been too immersed in his thoughts, overwhelmed by the overwhelming sadness from the original host, and couldn’t help but shed tears.
After Mai Wei walked in, he pressed the glass door from the inside. The glass walls and the glass door turned into a deep blue, making it impossible to see inside from outside, and vice versa.
veryone outside was stunned. Then, they began speculating about the reason Mai Wei came to see Tao Yuan. Although they all knew Tao Yuan was brought in by Mai Wei, the fact that Mai Wei personally came to find him made them curious.
Tao Yuan looked at Mai Wei and asked, “Is there something you need?”
Mai Wei walked over and sat down, saying, “I’ve come to congratulate you.”
“Congratulate me?” Tao Yuan was momentarily puzzled. “It should be me congratulating you, right? You’ve won the title of the strongest warrior, a once-in-three-years honor. The whole military district is celebrating for you. Why are you here to congratulate me?”
“Because from yesterday when I returned until now, you haven’t come to find me or sent a message. Since you’re not here to congratulate me, I had to come and congratulate you.”
Seeing his somewhat displeased expression, Tao Yuan smiled and asked, “So, what are you congratulating me for?”
“Not only can you level up three ranks consecutively now, but my father also mentioned that if you continue to achieve higher accomplishments, he will consider granting you a military rank. The promotion notice will be out soon, and there will be bonuses as well. However, for the military rank, you can only obtain it using your current false identity. The true identity must remain concealed even more.”
“As long as I can achieve my revenge, that’s enough for me. I don’t care about anything else,” Tao Yuan said calmly.
“So, leveling up and getting a military rank don’t make you happy?” Mai Wei looked at him and asked.
“I think your achievement of becoming the Empire’s strongest mecha warrior is more worth celebrating,” Tao Yuan said. “How about I personally cook a meal to celebrate for you?”
“That would be excellent,” Mai Wei raised an eyebrow.
Tao Yuan glanced at the time and said, “Studio hours are over. Do you want to do it at your place or mine?”
“Cook?” In Mai Wei’s mind, the images from his dreams involuntarily flashed again.
Tao Yuan only realized he had made a pun, then forcibly composed himself, pretending not to notice. “I have ingredients at my place. How about we cook there?”
“Let’s go to my place. With my privileges, I can choose from a variety of high-quality ingredients. Whatever you want, someone will deliver it right away.” Mai Wei instantly had another motive in mind, wanting to bring Tao Yuan to his place.
“Let’s go then,” Tao Yuan stood up and said.
Mai Wei also stood up, and the two walked out together.
Seeing the two walking together, people outside couldn’t help but look at them. However, this was also because Mai Wei naturally attracted attention wherever he went.
As they reached the corridor outside, Segre seemed about to turn back. When he saw Mai Wei and Tao Yuan coming out together, he first paused, then smiled as he looked at Mai Wei.
“Mai Wei, where are you guys going? I…”
“We have important matters to attend to. You can go about your business,” Mai Wei said, walking past him without even sparing him a second glance.
Segre originally wanted to suggest joining them, but his words were cut off by Mai Wei.
Watching the two figures walking away, Segre’s smile gradually disappeared, and his expression turned noticeably dark.
Arriving at Mai Wei’s residence, Tao Yuan headed straight to the kitchen. He used the computer to select the ingredients and waited for them to be delivered. During this brief wait, Tao Yuan took the opportunity to explore Mai Wei’s residence, thinking to himself that the treatment for a general was indeed exceptional. A spacious and luxurious duplex like this was something not accessible to ordinary people in any era.
After taking a shower, Mai Wei came out, and Tao Yuan was already busy cooking.
Mai Wei went to the liquor cabinet, took out two bottles of wine, and then sat in the dining room, drinking and watching Tao Yuan cook. At this moment, he felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
Tao Yuan quickly prepared several dishes and placed them on the table, looking at Mai Wei, saying, “Try it and see if it tastes good.”
Mai Wei took a piece of braised beef with a fork, tasted it, and was stunned for a moment. He truly hadn’t expected Tao Yuan’s cooking to be so delicious. This beef was no less than what the military district chef could make.
“Is it tasty?” Tao Yuan looked at him with anticipation.
“Your culinary skills are unexpectedly good?” Mai Wei was genuinely surprised. Nowadays, except for professional chefs, it’s rare for people to cook for themselves, let alone cook so well.
“I practiced specifically,” Tao Yuan replied. In his original world, he could cook, and even after traversing so many worlds, he occasionally enjoyed preparing meals for his loved ones.
Mai Wei glanced at Tao Yuan for a moment, then opened another bottle of wine and poured a glass for him. “This is honey grape wine. Give it a try.”
Tao Yuan raised his glass, first giving it a sniff. A sweet fragrance wafted through the air. Taking a sip, he found it to be light on the palate. However, Tao Yuan knew well that wines like these could pack a punch later on.
“Tasty.” After finishing a glass, Tao Yuan looked at the bottle in front of Mai Wei and said, “I’ll have some of yours.”
“This one is pretty strong. Are you sure you want to try it?” Mai Wei asked, looking at him.
“Just a sip.” Tao Yuan extended his glass.
Mai Wei poured him a small amount.
Tao Yuan took a sip, immediately frowned, but still finished half the glass.
As they chatted and enjoyed their meal, along with the emptying of two bottles of wine, Mai Wei went to fetch a fruit wine for Tao Yuan.
After two hours of eating, drinking, and chatting, Tao Yuan felt a bit woozy. He stood up, ready to leave.
Mai Wei immediately stood up, striding over to support him, saying, “You can’t even make it to the door like this. How do you plan to go back? Take a rest first, sober up, and then we can talk.”
Half-embracing Tao Yuan, Mai Wei guided him to the living room.
Tao Yuan felt completely weak, leaning softly against him. Although he was dizzy, his consciousness remained clear. He knew that Mai Wei had purposefully given him so much delicious wine, undoubtedly with a certain intention in mind. He hesitated, contemplating whether or not to let him have his way.
See you all tomorrow ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡)
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