Double Full Score
Xia Fei's theory was actually very easy to understand. It was impossible for a hastily assembled drone to have a strong performance, which was why he had fully unleashed the potential of its firepower. This was akin to a person's struggle before death. When faced with a battle that they could never win, a true warrior would never choose to run away. Instead, they would use their last bit of life to give it their all.
If they were lucky enough to win, it would naturally be a joyous occasion. If they were unlucky enough to lose, they would not have any regrets. After all, they had given it their all.
Years of Floating Light and Constantine's mistake was to treat an UAV that had been assembled at the last minute, had inferior performance, and would never see the light of day, as an ordinary machine. They never considered that this machine was already tottering on the verge of collapse, and its life could end at any moment. What use was there in defending it? They might as well fight with their backs against the wall like Xia Fei, using the last bit of strength they had as a stake.
Years of Floating Light nodded. Even Master Lu Xuan, who had always advocated defense, did not say anything. Strengthening the drone's defense was indeed a good thing, but it also depended on when. In the current situation, Xia Fei's choice was the most thorough, the most carefree, and the most likely to carve out a path of blood in this desperate situation.
"We all have scruples in our hearts. We can't let go of everything we already have. We're afraid of sacrifice and death, which is why we believe that the best combat drone should have a balanced performance. That's why we've forgotten that there's no way out of our current situation.
"Xia Fei, you've made a good choice. In an extremely difficult situation, all you can do is fight back. You can't have any wishful thinking. It's foolish to always think that you'll survive the battle if your armor is a little thicker. You'll only be digging your own grave in the end. Alright, the committee has already seen through your creative ideas. You can go back now."
Xia Fei and Constantine left the room, and Years of Floating Light said to the other chief judges, "Everything is as clear as day. Let's begin the scoring."
The various elders all pressed the calculators in their hands, and the result was unsurprising. The nine chief judges gave the same score.
…
Today's match had ended, but the audience refused to leave. Most of the contestants stayed behind, too. They all wanted to know the final score of Xia Fei and Constantine. This bizarre match had everyone wondering what the Association of Machinists was up to.
"Look! The score is out! "
Someone shouted, and everyone looked up at the big screen. The first to appear was Constantine's score.
"A hundred and twenty, full score! Ten points from the committee, a total of one hundred and thirty! "
"What? One hundred and thirty points! How could he get 130 points by assembling that broken metal box? "
"How is that possible? So many outstanding contestants only got zero points, so why did Constantine get a high score of 130? "
"Is there something wrong with the judges' heads? I really don't know what their criteria are! "
The crowd went into an uproar. Constantine's work was not considered outstanding in their eyes, but the score was ridiculously high. They could not help but be confused. At the same time, the posts on the interplanetary internet were also flooding in. The Golden Finger Cup was a top-notch competition in terms of scale and influence. There were countless viewers in the Alliance. The moment this news was released, it immediately caused a huge tsunami, pushing the Association of Machinists to the forefront.
Li Mo's expression darkened. Constantine had surpassed him by 107 points in this competition alone. The competition would only get more difficult in the future. After all, it would not be easy to catch up to more than a hundred points.
However, this was not the end. When Xia Fei's score came out, everyone's emotions had already turned from shock to anger, for Xia Fei had scored 170 points! Full marks for the competition schedule! The committee gave him 50 points, which was also the full score!
"Double full marks! Xia Fei actually got double full marks! "
"That's just too strange! This is the first person to get double full marks in this competition. I didn't expect it to be given to Xia Fei. That thing he made is absolutely hideous! "
"It's not just ugly. I've never seen such an ugly drone in my life!"
"Get the judges to explain the situation! Why did Xia Fei get full marks?! "
"That's right! The Association of Machinists is also a first-tier organization. How could they fool us like that? "
"In my opinion, not only should Xia Fei not get full marks, but his points should be deducted instead. Looking at the drone he designed is simply polluting my eyes!"
The spectators in the stands were yelling for the Association of Machinists to come forward and explain their grading standards. Li Mo was so angry that his entire body was trembling. If Constantine's score was a little ridiculous, then Xia Fei's double perfect score was practically heaven-defying!
Now that he was at loggerheads with Xia Fei, he could not wait to devour the latter's flesh. How could he be willing to see Xia Fei leave him far behind in this competition?
Li Mo turned around with a cold expression and strode outside. At the same time, he pressed a button and accepted a call.
"Dad, I suspect that there's something fishy going on with the Association of Machinists. I only got 23 points in today's competition, but there's a fellow who got the full score of 170 points. You and the judge this time, Floating Light, are old acquaintances. Can you find out what's going on?" Li Mo said, suppressing the hatred in his heart.
Li Mo's father, Li Guan, furrowed his brows slightly. "I've already told you not to participate in such a meaningless competition, but you just wouldn't listen. As the heir of the Li family, you'll inherit the Conglomerate one day. The title of the Golden Finger Cup won't help you at all."
Li Mo gritted his teeth. "Father, I promise you that this will be the last time I touch machinery. I'll go to work at the company as you've arranged for me after the competition."
Li Guan was slightly taken aback. His precious son had loved to disassemble and reassemble toys since he was young, and he was even more obsessed with machinery when he grew up. As his father, he had always been worried that his son would choose to become a machinist and reject the family business. Now that Li Mo had personally guaranteed that he would go to work at the company, he was naturally very happy.
"Alright, I'll sell my old face for you this time. I'll give Floating Light a heads up. Wait for my call."
* Pa. *
The video call ended. Li Mo looked at Avril in the distance, then at the eye-catching score on the screen. He snorted coldly and kicked an innocent Crimson Lily by the side of the road, sending its petals flying everywhere.
…
"Congratulations. I accept my loss wholeheartedly, but this isn't the end of the competition. I'll give it my all to compete with you for the rest of the competition," Constantine said as he pushed up his glasses in the elevator.
Xia Fei replied, "Actually, it's nothing much. It's just that we have different philosophies, which is why the results are so different. It has nothing to do with a person's skill. I'm curious, who did you learn your skills from?"
Constantine shook his head. "Then who did you learn your skills from?"
Xia Fei smiled. "I don't want to say."
"I don't want to say, either," Constantine said.
The elevator doors suddenly opened, and countless spectators rushed over, surrounding Xia Fei and Constantine so tightly that not even a drop of water could escape. They were all asking questions, wanting to know why Xia Fei and Constantine had gotten such a high score.
Xia Fei furrowed his brows and said to Constantine, "Take care. I'll be leaving first."
* Whoosh! *
His Crafty Approach was unpredictable, and Xia Fei was as nimble as a loach even in the middle of the crowd. He weaved through the narrow gaps like a bolt of lightning, disappearing in the blink of an eye, leaving Constantine to face the thousands of questions from the crowd.
"An interesting opponent," Constantine muttered to himself as he pushed up his glasses out of habit as he watched Xia Fei's back disappear.
…
The entire world was in an uproar, and the Association of Machinists had no choice but to send their chief referee, Floating Light, to personally explain the situation before the storm was quelled.
The attention on the interplanetary internet took a sudden turn, going from condemning Xia Fei and Constantine to praising them for their adaptability. Of course, the Association of Machinists' assessment strategy was still criticized by some, believing that they had failed to clarify the rules of the assessment, which was a serious violation of the rules.
The Association of Machinists naturally ignored the voices of these opponents. As the most authoritative organization in the field of machinery, they had every reason to test the adaptability of the participants. Moreover, they claimed that they would add more uncertainties in future competitions to assess the overall quality of the participants.
As the sun set, Avril finally saw Xia Fei in a small garden far away from the tournament center.
"I was so worried just now. I thought you were stopped by those people," Avril said nervously.
Xia Fei replied, "I saw that the situation wasn't good, so I slipped away. They didn't do anything to me."
"You're so cool this time! You got full marks! This is the first time you've gotten such a result in the tournament. " Avril was pleasantly surprised. Though the crowd outside the venue was full of doubts about Xia Fei, Avril was still sincerely happy for him.
Xia Fei did not continue the discussion on this topic. He had only done his best, and the results were not something he could control. Actually, he enjoyed the process of the competition more.
"I know a pretty good grilled fish shop nearby. Why don't we go there tonight?" Xia Fei suggested.
Avril had a guilty look on her face. She held Xia Fei's hand and said, "I'm sorry. Grandpa's birthday is coming up, and I still need to go back and practice those cumbersome aristocratic etiquette. I heard that many royalty from various countries will be here. If I don't practice well, I'm afraid that grandpa won't let me come out and see you."
Xia Fei expressed his understanding and urged Avril to go back early so that she would not worry about him.
…
"That contestant Xia Fei didn't break any rules, so you shouldn't overthink it. I don't think you have much of a chance of winning this tournament. You should just give up and come to work at the company. As the heir of Planet Conglomerate Financial Group, it's not something to be proud of, having to deal with those dirty machines all day long.
"Also, the Jian family's patriarch's birthday is coming up soon. When the time comes, you'll have to prepare a gift to win the old man's favor. Though the Jian family's Starlink Corporation is much smaller than our Planet Conglomerate Financial Group, the interplanetary network is connected to every aspect of the Alliance. If we can control this company, we'll be able to deal a heavy blow to our potential competitors through information channels. Besides, Starlink Corporation's development prospects are quite good, so we mustn't mess this up," Li Guan said.
Li Mo pursed his lips. "Don't worry, father. I've always liked Avril, so leave this matter to me."
Li Guan flashed a sly smile. "What does this have to do with liking her? If you like her, you can find a place to raise her; there's no need to marry her and make her your first wife. The reason why I asked you to get close to the Jian family is because they have value. You're not young anymore, and love is just a child's toy. You can't take it seriously. In the future, you'll naturally understand that as long as you have money and power, you can get whatever you want. "
Li Mo nodded. "Father, I understand now. Everything in this world is empty. Only money is the best friend, but I can't accept losing to that kid called Xia Fei. He's been pestering Avril all day, and that's going to be detrimental to our plan."
Li Mo took advantage of his father's good mood to secretly bring Xia Fei up. His choice of words was also very clever. He did not mention the relationship between Xia Fei and Avril but instead placed him as a stumbling block.
Li Guan laughed. "What can he possibly do? The only reason Xia Fei is by Avril's side is because of money. Just give him whatever he wants."
Li Mo shook his head. "I've tried, but he didn't accept it. Do you think …"
Li Guan was slightly stunned. He seriously considered the possibility of killing Xia Fei.
"No. Now's not the time. Let's wait a little longer," Li Guan said firmly.
After ending the video call with his father, Li Mo slammed his fist on the table. He just could not take this lying down. It was not just because Xia Fei was ahead of him in the Golden Finger Cup; more importantly, it was because of Avril's attitude toward Xia Fei. Even a blind man could tell that the two of them had a very deep relationship, and it was not just any good impression. Instead, it was a kind of tacit understanding that had been formed over time and countless trials and tribulations. Although they did not see each other often, they still had each other in their hearts.
"A pauper from the countryside! What's so good about him?! " Li Mo roared angrily. The moment he thought about how he might not be able to win Avril's heart even if he had her, Li Mo became extremely deranged. A young master born in a wealthy family would always think that he was the best, and he would not allow anyone else to touch what he wanted.
There was an internal communicator on the table. Li Mo placed his finger on the button and hesitated for a long time, but he still could not press it. He retracted his right hand and circled the table again and again. He only needed a single command to make the nail in his heart disappear forever, but he was afraid that he would be scolded by his father if he did that.
Li Mo and Li Guan's relationship was similar to that of many wealthy families. It was not good. Born in a wealthy family, they were raised by servants and nannies, and the only contact they had with their parents was a routine conversation once a week. Furthermore, there were many rules that prevented them from doing this and that, so they were unable to have a childhood like a normal person.
Perhaps this was the main reason why many wealthy families looked refined on the surface, but they were often able to play unimaginably perverted games behind the scenes.
Time passed, and Li Mo hesitated for a very long time. In the end, the evil in his heart prevailed over his fear of his father. He used his finger to lightly press the encrypted number nine key, letting out a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
Very soon, the man with the handlebar mustache who had always been by Li Mo's side knocked on the door and entered Li Mo's room.
"Young master." The handlebar mustache bowed and greeted him with a smile.
Li Mo took out two wine glasses from the wine cabinet and poured in some orange-gold liquid before giving one to the handlebar mustache. The handlebar mustache was very surprised, laughing bitterly in his heart. 'Young master is pouring wine for me? I'm afraid it won't be a small matter this time. Sigh. '
As the saying went, a smile from the master could cost the servant his life. The handlebar mustache, who had been serving the Li family for a long time, was already aware of this.
Li Mo took a sip of the wine and said, "There's someone I don't want to see anymore."
The handlebar mustache was slightly taken aback before he smiled. "Young master, are you referring to Xia Fei?"
"That's right."
"Master, he …"
Li Mo's eyebrows furrowed as he coldly stared at the handlebar mustache. "You listen to my father, but you don't listen to me?"
The handlebar mustache hurriedly put down the wine glass and bowed even lower. "I wouldn't dare. I'll obey the young master's orders."
Li Mo coldly harrumphed. "Hmph! You can only succeed, and you can't fail. I'll take responsibility for whatever happens. As for how you do it, that's up to you. "
"Understood," the handlebar mustache replied.
Exiting Li Mo's room, the handlebar mustache adjusted the black bow on his collar and muttered to himself in an almost undetectable voice, "These rich grandsons sure are hard to please. Who should I get to do it this time? What a headache. "
…
For the sake of convenience, Xia Fei stayed in the dormitory provided by the tournament. Though it was not as comfortable as a hotel, at least he did not have to spend any money. Though Xia Fei was no longer considered a poor man, he still did not like to be extravagant and wasteful. Xia Fei would not hesitate to fork out a hundred million star coins to equip himself with a high-performance warship, but he would never spend the night in a hotel that cost a thousand star coins a night.
Avril was busy preparing for her grandfather Ernst's birthday, so she had left early. Xia Fei had a full meal in the private cafeteria provided by the tournament before returning to his room to continue his research and cultivation.
The Black Bat radar system was still a long way from being mass-produced. Though its current design had decent performance, it was still rather difficult to produce it. Just modifying a single machine would require a top-notch machinist to work for several days and nights, not to mention the waste of materials during production and the possibility of crashing or damaging the machine due to the overly complicated design.
Xia Fei wanted to reduce the production cost of the Black Bat radar, but he was not willing to lower its performance. After all, Quantum Holdings was still in its infancy, and every new product was crucial. Xia Fei would not do anything that would ruin his own reputation.
It was just that cost and performance were always at odds, and he needed to spare no expense to produce the best product. Of course, there was a market for such a luxury product, but Xia Fei's eyes were not just on the warships of the rich. He would, of course, earn their money, but he would not give up on the normal customers, either.
Xia Fei had once said to Phantom, 'One day, I'll have all the spaceships flying in space use the radar system produced by Quantum Holdings.'
To achieve this goal, Xia Fei had to work day and night. He leaned over his desk, working with Potter and Harris, who were far away on Earth, to analyze every detail through the instant messaging system.
All of a sudden, he heard two people talking outside the door. The quality of the private dormitory in the Association of Machinists was average, and the soundproofing was not very good. Furthermore, Xia Fei's ears were very sensitive, so he could vaguely hear every word that was being said outside.
Xia Fei did not pay too much attention to it. There were at least eight hundred people passing by the corridor every day. If he had the energy to listen to what they were saying, he would not have to work anymore.
"Avril …"
* Shing! *
Xia Fei jumped up from his chair. His ears had indeed heard the familiar name being mentioned outside the door, but the other voices were very faint and indistinguishable.
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