Chapter 109: The Poise of the Victor

Bai Sha raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Hmph." Dai Sheng fell silent, his gaze fixed on her, a tangled mix of resentment and envy. "You'll find out soon enough."

Bai Sha pointed at herself. "Am I supposed to take that as a threat?"

A flicker of self-mockery crossed Dai Sheng's face.

"As if." He stood, dusting off his thighs. "My run in this competition is over."

"Isn't there an elite team match right after the exercise?" Bai Sha said. "You're the Federal commander—aren't you participating?"

The exercise had three rounds, and the elite team matches, held after each, were like side dishes to the main course.

Dai Sheng's irritation flared. "Don't play dumb! You know I screwed up so bad I'll be yanked from the main roster!"

Bai Sha gave a noncommittal "oh," sizing him up critically from head to toe. "Honestly, with your skills, you're not bad for a Federal main team member. Among the short, you're tall enough to pass."

Dai Sheng looked ready to brawl on the spot.

But knowing he'd lose, he swallowed his humiliation, teeth gritted.

"…You still want in on the elite matches?" Bai Sha continued, her tone slyly consoling. "Maybe you'll get a chance to change everyone's mind in the next rounds."

Dai Sheng frowned. "Even if I wanted—"

His words were cut off by the click-clack of cameras. A dozen media drones, sporting various outlet logos, swarmed them, jostling for the first post-match interview.

A few hovered above, but most zeroed in on Bai Sha—nearly all from Imperial star-net outlets.

"Your Highness Bai Sha, if we may—congratulations on the first exercise's conclusion. Any thoughts on your victory?"

"The Imperial team achieved stellar results in the joint exercise. Any words for the home audience, or perhaps a glimpse into your journey this match?"

"Brilliant strategy, Your Highness! On behalf of XX Media, we salute you. Many Imperial citizens are curious: which branch of the royal family do you hail from, and how close is your relation to His Majesty Cecil?"

Dai Sheng: "…" The Federal commander was drowned out by the machines, as if he didn't exist.

That was the Imperial way—only the victor's thoughts mattered. The loser? They couldn't be bothered to mock or rub salt in the wound.

Bai Sha, playful a moment ago, transformed instantly. A polished, warm yet elegant smile spread across her face as she deftly fielded the reporters' questions with rehearsed, impeccable platitudes.

Skills honed in her royal heir training, now wielded with ease.

Dai Sheng watched coldly, chuckling under his breath.

So, a pampered prodigy of the Imperial royal family.

He turned to leave when Bai Sha mentioned him: "…This match was thrilling, thanks to the efforts of both Imperial and Federal team members, culminating in such a splendid outcome. Especially the Federal commander, Dai Sheng—I personally admire his fearless courage and unyielding spirit. On the field, we may be rivals, but off it, we could be great friends… The bond between the Federation and Empire won't be swayed by a mere exercise. Our stance of friendly competition and mutual progress remains unshaken."

"—Right, Dai Sheng?"

Her sudden call froze him in place.

Click-clack… The media lenses swiveled to him.

"Come on, let's take a commemorative photo, friend." Bai Sha strolled over to the rigid Dai Sheng, clapping his shoulder, both framed in the shot.

Blinded by flashes, Dai Sheng hissed under his breath, "What are you playing at?!"

"Just play along." Bai Sha gave his back a heavy pat, nearly knocking him off balance. "I'm saving you here."

Ten minutes later, their handshake photo splashed across star-net headlines. Outlets framed it around "poise," highlighting Bai Sha's grace as the victor and the Ares Empire's magnanimity.

In the photo, Dai Sheng's smile was corpse-stiff but passably proper.

This, ironically, sparked a wave of Federal sympathy for him—

"Too much! What are the Imperials gloating about?"

"Sure, our mech pilots can't match the Empire's—that's not news. But this is blatant provocation!"

"We get Dai Sheng, we feel for him. There's a saying: 'shame fuels courage.' Even if we lost the exercise, we can't lose our spirit! Fight to the end!"

The Empire's loud coverage forced the Federation to counter with their own narrative. Without it, their citizens would be stuck fuming over Imperial news. Dai Sheng became their angle—a warrior resisting genius odds, resonating with countless frustrated Federals as an "unyielding everyman." They conveniently forgot he was a double-S-grade elite who'd fought his way onto the team. In this climate, no outlet dared point that out.

Suddenly, "Dai Sheng" became an indispensable symbol for the Federation in the joint exercise.

The Federal military had considered benching him, but now, they couldn't.

No one knew how things spiraled this way—except Dai Sheng himself.

The photo with Bai Sha, seemingly a whim, was seen by some as shallow gloating or sarcasm. None realized she'd planned it all.

Dai Sheng, stunned by the shift in public opinion within hours: "…"

Terrifying!

Bai Sha Roning was downright terrifying!

No wonder he couldn't match her tactically. Her schemes were endless!

…

Bai Sha's actions caught some eyes, especially her teammates'.

After the first exercise, the Imperial team held a casual victory feast during their debrief, piling snacks on the table and chatting as they munched.

Cen Yuehuai, chewing potato chips, asked, "Your Highness, why cozy up to that Federal commander on camera? That's not like you."

In her mind, Bai Sha was low-key and avoided trouble, not one for stunts without reason.

"Just to gather more intel," Bai Sha said calmly. "Dai Sheng's a good window. Keeping him on the Federal team means more useful info."

Cen Yuehuai: "What about your friends? Still no contact?"

Bai Sha sighed. "It's a sensitive time. They can't leave their team to meet me, and they haven't left any messages online…"

Xino and Ji Ya, who'd faced Bai Sha's friends, vouched for Zhou Ye and Yan Jingyi's combat skills. But Xino, during the debrief, singled out Zhou Ying: "He's an engineer, but his combat's solid. More importantly, they're tight—pulling off seamless combos out of nowhere."

Zhou Ye and Zhou Ying, high-mental-strength twins, fought with a synergy greater than the sum of their parts.

Zhou Ye and Yan Jingyi, long-time training partners, knew each other's moves so well they could sync up for devastating joint attacks mid-fight.

Yan Jingyi and Ya Ning Kelly… Though Ya Ning was a commander with average combat skills, his sharp battlefield analysis fed Yan Jingyi strategies while providing support.

Their complex teamwork bred versatile tactics.

After Xino's rundown, Cen Yuehuai counted on her fingers: one, two, three, four. "That leaves one more, right?"

Bai Sha sighed suddenly. "If not for some twists of fate, I might've been that fifth pick."

Everyone stared at her in silence.

Bai Sha coughed lightly. "Alright, alright, no what-ifs. No what-ifs."

Ji Ya frowned, her amber eyes like clear mirrors reflecting the heart. She gently reassured Bai Sha, "Your Highness, I've heard bits of your history with them. But on the field, they're our enemies. You can't hold back out of old ties."

Bai Sha: "…"

Her thoughts shifted, and she lowered her gaze, silently exuding a faint melancholy.

Ji Ya faltered, flustered. "Wait, Your Highness, that's not what I meant. I'm not doubting you. I know it must hurt to face old comrades—"

"It hurts," Bai Sha murmured. "Only a pat will fix it."

Ji Ya: "…"

Having known Bai Sha long enough, Ji Ya knew her antics.

Seconds later, a black-and-white striped Siberian tiger sprawled lazily on the meeting room floor, ears twitching, docilely letting someone stroke its fur.

"Enough, Xino, keep analyzing," Ji Ya said through gritted teeth, exhaling softly.

"Keep going? On what? The Feds released their elite match lineup, but I haven't faced their fifth guy from the exercise," Xino said, shrugging. "Still, from what we've got, that mystery guy might be our weak link."

Cen Yuehuai blurted, "What if he's not a weak link?"

No one answered for a moment.

Only Yu Yan glanced calmly at Cen Yuehuai. "Then you'd better pray. Objectively, you're our weak link."

Cen Yuehuai: "…"