After the test was completed, the team woke up after an hour and their temperament have gone through tremendous change. They were all very calm and composed when faced with the rest of the people. To see the results they all began to trial the maze once more. Since they had reached the eighth level of the maze and passed it, the first few levels were easy for them.
Well, that was what the analysis looked like, however, the performance was still the same when they had reached the deeper levels of the maze. This came as a shock to the others. They could not understand how this bunch of people were able to maintain this, after all, the change in performance was almost a perpendicular spike on the data graph.
Milo was holding his head in his hands, he could not understand, how they reach such a level overnight. During the maze trials when the contenders faced them, the Ace Division, although did not lose, they was held back. The competition was head to head. Well, the ace division did not use any special skills or to the best of their abilities.
Yet, the shock in their hearts was not shallow at all. Shi Lang did not convince them at all, he only dropped one sentence, “You all know what they faced, and you have also faced something similar to this. So, quit brooding over it and go work a sweat.”
The team entered a state of secluded cultivation. Shi Lang wanted them to understand the meaning of detachment even more deeply, it was not actually detachment, but indifference. This was something that would make all the difference in the competition. It was not that he wanted them to become machines but he wanted them to be stable when they face the enemy.
While the team was inside seclusion cultivation, the people from the technical team had to pay attention to the mecha and tech for the team as well. The armor of the team was dealt with by the ace division to some extent. Yet, they were not professionals, and Shi Lang lacked the experience, so the practicality of the suit was enhanced to another degree.
The entire team was working as a unit and they were all progressing quickly. Just when Shi Lang was thinking about whether they will be picked up or not, X contacted him, they had to report to the frontier. The pickup ship from the Galactic Council would arrive there in a week.
The team loaded up everything they had in their warship and along with Ace Division, they headed to the frontier. The identity of the ace division was special so Shi Lang had them all dress up in normal uniforms. It took them three days to reach the frontier, and then they took a much-needed rest before setting off.
The contending team picked up the people from the first fleet and they organized a sparring fest. They gained and honed their skills to another level while helping the first fleet gain some things as well. OB-One was the only bot that was allowed to follow Shi Lang to the galactic council. The rules stipulated that every team can take with them, a contingent of twenty members, no more no less. Ten mechas, and one service bot.
When they were done with the final preparations, Shi Lang spend a cozy dinner night with Amelia at a secluded spot on the planet filling her in his embrace. Then he asked her to take care and look after the families if anything happened to him, but before he could complete his words, Amelia kissed him, leading to a night of indulgence.
…
The envoys of the galactic council took their sweet time inspecting everything to fit within the rules. They were pleased with how the Terran team did not make them waste more time and that things were kept in order and by the rules. Soon, the equipment was all loaded on the ship and the people moved.
Shi Lang was never good with departures but he had to do it anyways. He hugged Amelia right before he got on the ship and the girl asked, “Ace, are you scared?”
“I am.”, he did not lie or put up fake bravado in front of her. Because only she was the person he would display his true emotions to.
Amelia snuggled closer to him and after taking a deep breath she whispered, “It is good that you are scared. It will keep you from risking out recklessly. Do not worry too much. Just do what your heart tells you.”
Shi Lang broke the hug and gazed into her eyes and said in a voice that could be heard by only two of them, “My heart tells me to make babies with you right here and now.”
Amelia was flooded with a scarlet hue over her face and she kicked him in the shin. Shi Lang chuckled and after pecking her nose, he ran away to board the ship. Amelia mumbled behind him, “Rogue.”
…
Shi Lang and the rest of the team were given dormitory beds on the ship, their equipment was locked in the cargo bay and only they could access it with the passcodes. The ship was not only picking them up but a lot of other teams from other spots as well. The speed of the ship was twice as much as it was of his personal warship.
When they moved around the ship, the team was gazed at by the potential opponents. Things were not harmonious. However, they were indifferent and this tweaked with the brains of the others on the ship.
Since they were traveling, they could not cultivate in front of so many eyes. Everyone was trying to get a hook on the other teams as that will be very helpful. The competition had started from this moment only.
A lot of other females from other species were attracted to the aura around Shi Lang but the young man simply brushed off their gazes as if air. This was not only him but the other males as well. If it were the past, Lucas would have hugged Jane’s thigh and asked her to prevent him from getting charmed.
…
The team had a simple routine, they would all eat together, and then go back to their beds, and began to cultivate with their eyes closed and legs crossed. However, they were not cultivating spirit energy, but simulating the final battle with Shi Lang in the battle.
They were unable to do anything else and this was the best way to avoid the pairing eyes of the people. What was even more, this way they were able to adjust their bodies and improve their skills over and over. They were all at the sixth-star level of Terrna blood cultivation. They could manipulate the actions of their body to a great degree, it was just like they can do what they imagined.
Shi Lang did not know who came up with this method but he did not bother them. In his mind, he was sensing everything and was surprised. He could see that almost all the teams were similar to them, trying to hide the details. However, there were some who did not hide anything, even the presence of the public could not stop these people from holding an orgy in the team.
Shi Lang had to withdraw his special ability out of shame. It took them a couple of weeks to arrive at the Galatic Council headquarters and all the people were gathered on the observation deck as the ship was getting closer to the spaceport. This place was an artificial planet, the size was ten times bigger than the earth, yet it had a complete atmosphere.
Shi Lang was not the only one who was surprised, some people were almost going down on their knees when they saw the place and worshiped the designers. The biggest marvel was not the design of such a gigantic thing but making it act like just a normal planet, and maintaining those features.
On board this ship, Shi Lang found out through a book that this place was at least a few hundred old. How much they had to spend in order to maintain this place. This was something they could not understand. One of the people even commented that the ones who could spare funds to maintain this place ming be able to buy out an entire system and rule.
However, this place was a manifestation of all the efforts of the stronger forces in the galaxy, and it was to display their might. The ship was docked at the spaceport and then the teams were transferred to smaller vessels and entered the atmosphere of the planet below them.
Shi Lang said, “What do you people think, can we win?”
The rest of the people were silent when Ryan said, “I do not know about win or loss, sir. However, we can definitely survive, we can definitely learn. We may be young but we also have the vigor.”
The others looked at him and nodded in support.