C4 Spinwheel Cutting

The mecha's engine was scorching hot, yet that heat paled in comparison to the fiery passion within the hearts of the engineering mecha pilots at the controls.

Perched atop the rooftop, the pilots watched as the pioneer grew from a speck resembling an ant to the size of a small cat, their eyes wide with a mix of envy and anxiety.

To put it bluntly, these engineering mecha pilots were the modern-day equivalent of bricklayers, but this era's bricklayers required a level of technical skill far beyond that of their Earthly predecessors.

Being a mecha pilot elevated one's status well above the average person.

Those handpicked and retained by Vian were each a seasoned expert, possessing a unique set of skills.

Most boasted over a decade of experience in engineering mecha operation, with some even being former military pilots.

In Aelley, they represented the elite of engineering mecha pilots.

They had traversed countless construction sites and military camps in their time, earning a reputation for being well-traveled and wise.

Yet, none had ever witnessed someone like Gu Xian manipulate an engineering mecha in such an audacious manner.

To think of using a 125-ton engineering mecha to scale a 183-meter steel tower was beyond the wildest dreams of mere mortals.

And even if one could dream it, who would dare to attempt it?

Ten or twenty meters might be manageable, but 183 meters equated to the dizzying height of a 61-story building.

No matter how robust the armor or advanced the shock absorption system, a single misstep could send you plummeting to the ground, creating a crater and turning the pilot and mecha into nothing more than a crushed metal sandwich.

This was sheer lunacy!

Or perhaps it was a sign of a mind that simply didn't function like the rest.

They were utterly astounded.

Each time Gu Xian leaped, detaching from his supports, their hearts leapt with him, and gasps of astonishment escaped their lips.

The communicators, initially silent, erupted into fervent chatter within a mere ten seconds.

"He's out of his mind! Can he actually make it up there?"

"Where on earth did Vian find this lunatic?"

"Damn, I'm starting to respect the guy. He's not from Aelley, is he? His piloting skills are leagues beyond mine."

"He can't be from Aelley. He'd be considered top-tier even in my old unit."

"Setting everything else aside, you've got to admire that kind of courage."

Gu Xian hadn't activated his communicator, so he was oblivious to their conversation.

Despite the task being well within his capabilities, he approached it with utmost dedication. His instructor had always emphasized that only by giving one's all could one earn the right to chase after success.

Within a minute, he had reached the rooftop.

The engineering mechas that had been clustered around the building's edge scattered abruptly, as if spooked by something formidable.

Gu Xian couldn't fathom their actions. Weren't they supposed to be working?

He didn't concern himself with their behavior, though. He clearly recalled Vian's instructions for the assessment: to demonstrate his ability to pilot the engineering mecha.

This meant that his arrival at the rooftop was just the beginning. Next, he would have to mimic their actions, slicing through the steel and using a forceps-shaped clamp to lower it to the freight flyer waiting below.

His evaluation was far from over; there was no time for pause.

Gu Xian strode to a clear area and extracted his laser cutter.

"What's he up to?"

"Is he going to work on something?"

"It's not that straightforward. The melting furnace isn't powerful enough. The steel's outer layer is corroded, brittle, and prone to breaking off. If he's not careful and a piece falls, even damaging a flyer, he'll be liable for it."

"At this height, even a bean-sized scrap falling is unacceptable."

"Definitely not. The freight flyer isn't a mecha; it lacks the thick armor."

"Wow, look at him go—so hasty. I'd bet my twenty years of experience that he's headed for a setback!"

Gu Xian was swift in his movements. The laser cutter emitted a nearly meter-long beam of red-hot laser light.

He positioned the cutter close to the steel wall, but his brow soon furrowed in concentration.

The walls were over ten centimeters thick, with a sturdy inner layer and a crumbly, oxidized exterior. A single misstep could cause debris to fall.

He needed to cut a precise one-square-meter section.

He could see that the other engineering mechas had cut steel pieces of the same size. Given the density of the steel, such a thick slab would weigh approximately one ton.

The Clint 77P forceps-shaped clamp utilizes a P-type alloy, which exhibits a unique property: the shorter the distance, the greater the strength; conversely, the longer the distance, the lower the strength.

Within a span of ten meters, it can support a maximum weight of 130 tons, but this limit steadily decreases with increased length.

At 183 meters, the maximum load is calculated to be around 1.2 tons. Exceeding this could lead to unpredictable consequences, even with just a gust of wind.

Truthfully, for an engineering mecha working on an "expansion" project, managing a square meter is trivial—it simply requires the arm to draw a steady square.

It's akin to using your finger to sketch a dozen-centimeter square in the air; with the mecha's control system, the result would be flawless.

The issue lies with the insufficient power of the Brilliant C-2 laser cutter.

From the cockpit, Gu Xian could see the struggle of the melting process. The 400-centimeter distance seemed insurmountable, and to prevent rust from shedding, he had to constantly adjust the cutting path. Completing the cut without stopping would likely take two minutes.

During those two minutes, there's no room for even the slightest tremor.

The slow advancement of other engineering mechas was largely due to this—they had to avoid dislodging rust, meticulously plan their cutting paths, and take breaks.

A square meter might seem minuscule next to a mecha, but the challenge is anything but minor.

Everyone's skill is truly impressive!

Gu Xian felt a pang of guilt for dislodging so much rust when he initially climbed up.

They were all masters, indeed.

He sighed internally, frustrated by the laser cutter's sluggish pace, and contemplated switching to the Mocha III rotary cutter.

This cutter's maximum depth of two meters was more than sufficient for the building's thickness.

But using it would inevitably knock off the outer rust layer.

Glancing down, Gu Xian realized why that wasn't an option—below lay a fleet of transport vehicles, and the cost of damaging them was too high to risk.

If only there were a way to prevent the rust from falling, he could employ the sawblade.

Suddenly, an idea sparked in Gu Xian's mind.

He brought the engineering mecha to a halt and began tweaking the settings of the Molten Light C-2 mode.

Sniggers erupted over the communicator.

"He's realized there's not enough power."

"No point in fiddling with it; that's the max power you're gonna get. He's gotta dig into his own pocket for a new cutter if he wants more."

"Hey, hey, what's he up to?"

The snickering swiftly turned into murmurs of confusion.

Work came to a standstill again as they all turned their attention to Gu Xian with curiosity.

The Molten Light in Gu Xian's grasp had undergone a total transformation. What was once a pencil-thin red laser now stretched into a ten-centimeter wide, one-centimeter thick band of light.

It resembled a giant paintbrush cradled in Gu Xian's hands.

He maneuvered the mecha to lean out halfway and began sweeping the Molten Light laser cutter across the rust on the wall's exterior.

"Holy shit, he's actually doing it!"

Vian, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, couldn't contain his expletive.

The gaunt man's face had blanched with fear. "This kid's got guts and brains."

A crowd spilled out of the lounge to catch a glimpse of the spectacle, watching Gu Xian with the same awe reserved for a deity performing miracles.

Rust's primary ingredient is iron oxide, which at 1,200 degrees Celsius, reduces back to iron and oxygen—a temperature well within the Molten Light's capabilities.

The idea of using the Molten Light to restore iron oxide wasn't new, but the challenge was daunting.

With half the rust located on the exterior, the interior posed no issue. But attempting to restore the external iron oxide with the Molten Light was tantamount to courting death.

Today, they witnessed someone who dared to flirt with danger.

Gu Xian made quick work of the exterior. Even if the Molten Light's power fell short, slicing through a layer of rust was a breeze for him.

He took the Mocha III in hand, and the hiss of cutting filled the air.

Sparks erupted from the steel's severed edge, but under Gu Xian's guidance, they all showered into the interior. In no time, an entire section of steel had been severed and was transported into the cargo vehicle with the help of the forceps-shaped clamps.

From such a lofty vantage point, the vehicles below resembled tiny matchboxes. Delivering a square meter of steel into one of those matchboxes was a formidable challenge, but for Gu Xian, it was a trivial matter.

He swiftly took care of the task at hand and then descended the building like a spider, simultaneously using a molten solution to stabilize any external rust and prevent debris from falling.

A line of engineering mechas peeked out from the upper floors, their heads turning in unison. Below, a group of more than ten people craned their necks, watching in an orderly fashion.

In the hushed stillness, with all eyes on him as if witnessing a miracle, Gu Xian made his way back to Vian.

With a "click," the sound of the air pressure rod releasing echoed as the cockpit opened, and Gu Xian emerged to the ground, greeted by the admiring stares of the onlookers.

"Wow, just a kid, huh? The youth of today are really something."

"I should have brought my son to see this. To see him, then look at my own... there's just no comparison!"

Amidst the murmured conversations, Gu Xian approached Vian and asked, "Is this acceptable?"

Vian's earlier disdain had vanished, replaced with a warm smile. "Not bad at all. I trust you'll handle this job well. You've got my confidence."

Gu Xian had anticipated this response. He nodded and inquired, "Is that everything? If there's nothing else, I'll get back to work."

Vian hastily called out to him, "Hold on, let's get the agreement signed first."

He led Gu Xian back to the office, replaced the ancient English textbook on the desk with a death agreement, and handed it over to Gu Xian, not without concern. "What do you think? Are the terms agreeable?"

Vian couldn't help but wonder about Gu Xian's background. With such youth and remarkable skill in operating engineering mechas, he could very well be a prodigy groomed by a prestigious family or a genius student from a top university, perhaps here incognito for some real-world experience.

The Death Agreement was not to be taken lightly; it signified real risk. If not for a past incident, no one would have thought to sign such a document, which had now become an industry-wide tacit agreement.

Consider a regular job—would your company ever ask you to sign a Death Agreement? A simple legal notice would usually suffice to address any disputes.

But in this field, it's different. Try refusing to sign and see where that gets you—unless, of course, you have no intention of continuing in the engineering mecha community.

It made sense that Vian was hesitant to bring out something that might startle Gu Xian. After all, when you're accustomed to the thrill of tightrope walking, fear doesn't usually factor in. But remind someone that they could potentially die, and it's like planting a thorn in their psyche.

Gu Xian gave the item a cursory glance and nodded. He quickly signed off on it and passed it back. "Anything else?"

Vian was taken aback; Gu Xian's response had caught him off guard.

"No, that's all for now. Ludwig, could you set him up with a dorm and show him around, get him acclimated?"