All of them were staff of the competition too.

As a token of appreciation, Arthur paid them for all overtime.

Despite spending a lot of money, compared to a traditional on-site wedding, it was still very economical.

It was also environmentally friendly, while saved data could be saved on the hardware.

Yan Xueshan was very satisfied with this. Also, this was the last match. After today, he won’t be throwing his weight around so often.

During the short time he waited for Lin Qi to announce the start, Yan Xueshan looked at the audience’s comments.

[Hahahahahahaha! It’s true that no matter how powerful men are, they all turn into big idiots when they fall in love!]

[Congratulations to Admiral Arthur for getting what he wanted!]

[We’ll wait until the competition is over and then watch your wedding!]

Then both of them boarded their respective mechas. Today, they both chose their own mechas to fight. Yan Xueshan was in Artemis, while Arthur was in Zhulong.

This pair of twin mechas automatically matched up just by appearing, and their synchronization rate began to soar.

80%…       85%…       90%…
92%…       95%…       98%…

It climbed to 99% before finally slowing down and rose to 99.901% before stabilizing.

None of the previous battles had a synchronization rate for their mecha, but this time it appeared. The energy that was activated because of the match flowed through the mechas , causing the two already beautiful mechas to emit overflowing colors with its core technology.

In the mecha cabin, the heat from the lights brought by the energy was also pressed against Yan Xueshan’s skin, making him feel extremely comfortable.

This time the match field was also from Ancient Earth.

During several matches, the program team had taken everyone to see many places on Earth, including Times Square, the Kremlin, the Roman Colosseum and so on.

This time, they came to the top of the snowy Himalayan Mountains.

This was the highest mountain range in the history of the earth, the place closest to the starry sky and snow-capped peaks.

Moment later the battle began.

Yan Xuenshan seemed to enter a state of emptiness.

Generally, his battle state was calm and stable, with no drastic changes, but today he was in a particularly excellent state.

So far, in the past ten years, there have been no more than ten times like this.

In the past, it was an outbreak at a critical moment of life and death, but this time it wasn’t. There was no threat to their lives at all. It was just a friendly match, so why did he enter such an excellent state?

He had no time to think about the reason. He decided to just enjoy the feeling as inspiration was fleeting so he had to hurry up and seize it, otherwise it would escape.

The last time this happened was during Armageddon, when he fought side by side with Arthur.

Why now?

Yan Xueshan even began to walk away, which didn’t affect his mecha operation as his body could deal with the battle rhythm intuitively.

His AI piloting was precise, ruthless and seamless.

Yan Xueshan remembered that when he was eleven years old, his adoptive father used the broken screen of his tablet to show him a picture of a humanoid mecha.

He’d asked him, “What is this?”

His adoptive father had said longingly, “This is a humanoid battle mecha.”

Yan Xueshan pointed to the gun on the mecha with his little finger, “This is a sniper rifle.”

His adoptive father touched his little head and said smiling, “Yes, you are really smart. This is a sniper mecha. I really want to be a Sniper Mecha Master.”

In the present, Zhulong approached his location. It was a hundred meters away, but as it sensed something, he stopped, then turned around, and retreated at a faster speed than before. At almost the same time, the energy cannon blast shot by Yan Xueshan exploded where Zhulong had stood only a few tenths of a second before. 

Yan Xueshan’s thoughts now drifted back to when he joined the army at the age of eighteen. On the first day he entered the barracks, he went to ask his instructor privately, “Can I become a Sniper Mecha Master Sergeant?”

The instructor wasn’t impressed with him and said with a smile, “No way, but it might be possible for you to become a regular Sergeant. How about you get a high score in sniper training first?”

The next day, Yan Xueshan got a high score in sniper training.

A month later, he was sent by his instructor to train for a Sergeant position. His instructor told his superior officer, “This kid, don’t think of him as young or stupid. He is really good at shooting. Train him, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Yan Xueshan didn’t listen to what they were saying too carefully because just then he saw a mecha. It was a C-rank battle mecha, which was the most common, but it was the first time he saw the real thing. It was like lightning struck his brain at that moment.

He then thought his adoptive father was right, the mechas were beautiful.

“The Zhulong, which had escaped a killing blow, rushes again ,flexibly changing his position with the help of the environment. But Artemis is more dexterous than him because of its small size. After turning on the anti-detection function, he jumps into shadow, even giving the impression of being invisible.”

The sniper rifle has the sound of the interlude, like a strange song, simple but full of power.

Unknowingly, Arthur suddenly maneuvered his mecha close, approaching at a distance of a dozen meters from Yan Xueshan… a distance that a mecha lightsaber could swing to.

Arthur did just that.

Yan Xueshan sniper rifle hit the hilt of the sword, making the lightsaber fall, but this action also cut off his gun.

Almost instantly, Yan Xueshan put away his gun and two sharp, short blades popped out of the mecha’s palm.

At the age of 26, he and Arthur became partners.

One day, on the way to the training room, Arthur, following behind him, suddenly said, “”Master, you are so kind. You’re not only willing to train with me but also teach me everything you know.”

Yan Xueshan glanced at him and said, “It’s nothing.”

He wasn’t sure why, but maybe it was because Arthur was too young and too inexperienced. He thought it would be a pity if he died like that. Or maybe it was because Arthur always looked at him with strange eyes, or that he was obviously gifted, he thought.

In fact, maybe from then on, Arthur was different from other people in Yan Xueshan’s heart.

He believed that this young man was different, and he would eventually grow into a useful person.

They trained countless times, and Arthur was knocked down countless times, but none of it made him feel depressed. When he exited the mecha cabin he was always shining like the sun.

Just like this time. Zhulong was knocked to the ground by him.

The final match was over and the winner was decided.

Yan Xueshan operated the Artemis up and held out his hand, letting Zhulong take it. Energy sparks creaked from the wound created on the mecha body.

Arthur smiled and said, “Sure enough, I still can’t beat you. Master is master.”

 Yan Xueshan said, “The trick you just attempted is quite interesting.”

The weapons on the Zhulong were knocked off, and the airframe was hacked to pieces by Yan Xueshan, but even if they couldn’t see what Arthur looked like in the mecha cabin, the audience could tell that the person who lost the battle to his partner wasn’t upset at all.

The first thing the nearly scrapped Zhulong did when it got up was to quickly circle Artemis, who was also badly injured, three times.

He then made a strange movement. The audience couldn’t understand it, but Yan Xueshan understood it. He curled his mouth and then piloted Artemis to sit on the shoulder of Zhulong.

The Zhulong flew away with him on its back.

After flying through the virtual Earth sky, the data of the two mechas were supplemented and repaired, restoring them to their original state.

Through a star tunnel, they come to another room.

It was a huge palace with the dome of the starry sky.

They both pulled the mechas to either side of the main wedding platform, then got out, and went to change into their wedding clothes.

On the main wedding platform stood the President of the Federation in his Commander-in-Chief uniform, waiting to witness the marriage of the two of them.

The guests had half an hour to enter the venue, and the room lit up as they poured into the auditorium.

When Arthur and Yan Xueshan came back after changing their clothes, the dots of light floating on both sides of the red carpet were as bright as the Milky Way, each flickering representing blessings.

Yan Xueshan thought it was said that the human soul might also be created from electrical waves, another kind of energy, with a weight of 7 grams.

So, can those invitations he sent in the present attract the souls of martyrs to attend his wedding?

He wouldn’t be afraid but honored.

Hopefully, among these lights, there were energies that belonged to a deceased comrade in arms.

It was said that everyone wanted to look their best at weddings.

This couple seemed to not be an exception.

Earlier everyone had been speculating, or simply drawing conclusions about what the two of them would wear to their wedding.

Now they could finally see it.

 Arthur was wearing his Admiral uniform.

This wasn’t unexpected.

Surprisingly, Yan Xueshan also put on a military uniform. It was the first time the audience saw him in one. It wasn’t a white uniform, but a uniform with shoulder straps.

His military rank wasn’t that of a Major before he retired, but that of an Admiral, just like Arthur.

—Yan Xueshan accepted going from formal retirement and returned to active duty.

Of course, he would still only do his Master Sergeant work and wouldn’t be in charge of a command.

He would also no longer refuse to be promoted. Relying on his many years of military exploits, he was directly promoted to the rank of Admiral.

Wearing the Admiral uniform, he was so handsome that it took peoples’ breath away.

Then wedding music played. He and Arthur walked shoulder to shoulder towards the main wedding platform.

As soon as he put on his uniform, his posture immediately straightened and he took every step with proper composure and meticulousness.

It wasn’t like he was going to get married but like going to get an award.

Coincidentally, their officiant was also the President of the Federation!

It was a very short path, but Yan Xueshan had the illusion of walking for twenty years.

In the orphanage, as a penniless child who watched the candles silently burning out in front of his parents’ photos, he never thought that he would one day achieve such happiness.

On the day the doctor diagnosed him as emotionally incapacitated he took his adoptive father’s hand, bowed his head, looked at a small stone that had fallen in a muddy puddle on the ground and said, “They say I’m a little monster, a freak, annoying and not likable.”

His adoptive father then squatted down and said seriously, “No, Yan Xueshan you are a good boy. Can I make a bet with you?”

Yan Xueshan had asked, “A bet on what?”

His adoptive father said, “A bet that someone will appear in the future who will love you to your soul.”

He was emotionless, so he hadn’t looked forward to it.

When he left the army, he’d just wanted to find a suitable person to spend the rest of his life with.

He never expected to find true love in his life.

After all, it was written in the books that the odds of even ordinary people meeting true love was like a small miracle, not to mention that he was a person suffering from emotional disorders.

Who would love someone who could never fall in love with them without reservation and without hesitation?

That would be silly.

He didn’t think he would ever meet such a fool.

His Arthur.

He has gone through more than twenty years of loneliness and suffering, and finally met one person in the world who has become unique to him.

Yan Xueshan felt something was wrong, and turned to look at Arthur.

Arthur was fine, but his walking posture wasn’t right so Yan Xueshan informed him, “You are moving your feet and hands at the same time again.”

Arthur’s ears turned red as he said, “I am sorry.”

Yan Xueshan thought for a while, held his hand and then gently stroked the back of it with his finger and said, “Calm down, don’t worry, I won’t run away.”

Holding hands, they came to the wedding stage.

The President himself officiated their wedding and this was also the first time he was an officiant.

No one else could invite him.

“Mr. Yan Xueshan, may I ask if you are willing to marry this gentleman beside you, in sickness or in health, for richer or poorer, in happiness or in sorrow, respecting him, cherishing and loving him, as well as taking care of him and never separating from him?”

Yan Xueshan replied, “I am willing.”

“Mr. Arthur von Felix, may I ask if you are willing to marry this gentleman beside you, in sickness or in health, for richer or poorer, in happiness or in sorrow, respecting him, cherishing and loving him, as well as taking care of him and never separating from him?”

Fearing he might bite his tongue, Arthur took a deep breath before he said steadily, “I do.”

The vows were said. The officiating President continued, “Please exchange wedding rings.”

Yan Xueshan put the ring on Arthur first, simply and neatly.

When Arthur put it on for him, Yan Xueshan felt that Arthur’s palms were sweaty and hot. His fingertips were still trembling as he put all his attention on putting the ring on him.

Finally, it was put on him without any mistakes. Arthur breathed a sigh of relief.

Yan Xueshan looked at him.

The president held the hands of the two of them wearing wedding rings, folded them together, and said with a smile, “The ceremony is completed, and the two of you are married. Here, you have signed an oath and I hope you will respect and love each other until death.

“You can finish the vows with a kiss.”

Both of them held hands and turned toward each other.

Yan Xueshan stared at Arthur. Under his gaze, Arthur’s face became redder and redder. He wanted to control himself, but there was nothing he could do.

It was a bit funny, why act so innocent now?

Yan Xueshan thought.

Who should kiss whom?

  Arthur took a deep breath again, then slowly bent down turning his head stiffly as if he was trying to look from a different angle and then searched for a long time, but couldn’t find it.

Yan Xueshan waited a little impatiently, put one hand on his shoulder, lifted his face, and kissed him directly.

Instantly, the lights around them flickered to their limits.

His lips brushed Arthur’s cheek, and he whispered in his ear, “My golden boy, I am glad to have you in my life.”

He was so glad to have him.

Arthur became dizzy with kisses, or rather dizzy with happiness.

It took him five or six minutes to finally calm himself down enough to be able to speak with his usual Admiral composure.

The two held hands, looking at each other with the same gaze and the same ideals.

Arthur said, “Here, apart from the wedding, we have one more thing to announce. I expect to complete the work of the Galactic Federation Discipline Clearance with my beloved within ten years.

“So, after that, what are we going to do? Are mechas just weapons used for war? No, in the beginning during the migration of human beings away from the Earth, they were created to protect the pioneers of human beings in the exploration of the universe.

“Today, the Galactic Federation will start to prepare for a mission of exploring the unknown star field outside the Milky Way. It will be called the New Explorer Project. At that time, my lover and I will lead a team of Sergeants for the advancement of mankind.

“Salute.”

The lights flashed, making Yan Xueshan’s vision snowy white, but his head was incomparably clear.

This plan naturally had the consent of Yan Xueshan.

The first time he heard about it he had already approved.

Not only his mecha operations, but the knowledge he had learned about plants and minerals should come in handy, but this time for peace.

He might enjoy flying a mecha more than he thought.

He also wanted Artemis to see more and more magnificent and beautiful places in the universe, not just battlefields. Isn’t this another kind of freedom?

When he would become too old to pilot a mecha he would return to his hometown Vega and retire to farm with Arthur, but he wasn’t in a hurry.

His life was still long.

From today onwards, he will open the first page of the second half of his brand new life, in the vast universe.

The End

 

Edited by: Antiope1

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