You said mechs were going to fight monsters, but instead you're destroying stars with your bare

Chapter 190 The Traveler
As the exercise progressed to the middle, Li Zhe's personal score had broken through to an astronomical number in a way that made everyone feel hopeless.

He practically "cleared out" the entire training ground by himself.

The remaining students either hid in some corner, trembling, praying that they would not be discovered by this "demon god".

They either gave up resistance altogether and chose to "surrender," ending this exercise, which was a nightmare for them, prematurely.

Finally, when the "Abyssal Aggregate," which was supposed to appear as the final boss, had just poked half its head out from the core hub of the central island...

What awaited it was a weapon that had been accumulating power and was imbued with all of Li Zhe's rage...

Ultimate electromagnetic railgun.

"boom--!!!!!!!!!"

Accompanied by a beam of platinum-gold light powerful enough to cleave the heavens and earth, the entire exercise proceeded ahead of schedule in a way no one could have predicted…

The curtain has fallen.

……

"Commander, according to my latest analysis... it seems we... have failed again."

Zero's voice echoed in my mind, carrying a hint of barely perceptible weariness.

"I know."

Li Zhe's answer was calm but hoarse.

He stood on the completely purified central island, looking at the deserted battlefield around him, his eyes filled with endless emptiness and bewilderment.

He won.

They won the exercise and earned everyone's respect.

But he lost.

They lost to that invisible yet omnipresent...

time.

He tried everything.

Let nature take its course, plan meticulously, and crush with brute force...

But every time, when the clock strikes midnight on August 31st...

He would wake up on time in that familiar bed, ready to greet a brand new...

8 month 20 day.

the fourth time……

the fifth time……

The tenth time...

Li Zhe had lost count of how many times he had repeated these damned eleven days.

All he knew was that his spirit was being worn away, little by little, by this endless cycle of reincarnation.

The initial anger and resentment have long since turned into numbness.

He even began to lose interest in fighting altogether.

Because he knew that no matter how glorious his victory, it would eventually be ruthlessly wiped out.

This is the deepest despair.

……

After more than a dozen failed attempts, Li Zhe gave up completely.

He no longer tried to break the cycle, nor did he harbor any illusions about the exercise, which was full of falsehoods and repetitions.

When another brand new August 20th arrived, he did not go to the East China Joint Defense Mech University as usual.

He simply sent a short message to Xu Lei and Yi Ze—

"I have something to do, you guys have fun on your own."

Then, all communications were shut down.

Completely shut out all the noise from the outside world.

Li Zhe decided to take a break.

A vacation that may never end.

He left Starfish Island and returned to the long-lost urban area of ​​Shanghai.

This city remains as bustling and vibrant as ever, brimming with vitality.

Skyscrapers stand tall, cars stream by, and neon lights flash. Everything is exactly as he remembered it.

But he knew that it was all just a fleeting illusion.

Eleven days later, everything will be ruthlessly reset.

This feeling is amazing.

It's like a player who has gained the ability to "load a save" and has returned to a beginner village that they have already completed countless times.

He knows the dialogue of every NPC, the process of every quest, and even the location of every hidden treasure chest.

But all of this has lost its initial surprise and meaning for him.

He was just a passerby, a ghost.

A solitary observer detached from this world.

He wandered aimlessly along the familiar streets.

Looking at those people rushing about, busy with their lives.

Their faces radiated anticipation for the future and a love for life.

They can laugh heartily at the slightest bit of happiness, and frown at the slightest setback.

Their joys and sorrows all seemed so real and so vivid.

All of this made Li Zhe feel a long-lost feeling...

envious.

He walked into a roadside noodle shop and ordered a bowl of steaming hot plain noodles.

The familiar proprietress was still as enthusiastic as ever.

"Young man, you're here again! What would you like to eat today?"

Looking at her face, which bore the marks of time yet was incredibly kind, Li Zhe felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

"A bowl of plain noodles, with extra scallions."

"okay!"

Soon, a bowl of fragrant plain noodles was served.

A clear broth, chewy noodles, and vibrant green scallions...

Simple, yet full of the feeling of home.

Li Zhe picked up his chopsticks and began to eat slowly.

He ate very slowly and attentively.

It's as if they want to deeply engrave every flavor of this bowl of noodles into their soul.

Because he knew that this might be the last bit of reality he could feel before the next "reincarnation".

After finishing his noodles, he didn't rush to leave.

Instead, he sat there quietly watching the people and cars come and go outside the window.

It's as if they want to take in every detail of the city.

He sat there from dawn until dusk.

Until the afterglow of the setting sun bathed the entire city in a warm golden hue.

He slowly stood up and left the noodle shop.

In the following days, Li Zhe completely let loose.

He stopped thinking about that damned cycle and stopped caring about those heavy missions.

He embarked on a spontaneous trip, just like any other tourist.

He went to Beidu, climbed the magnificent Great Wall, and felt the profound sense of history that spanned thousands of years.

Standing atop the beacon tower, overlooking the endless mountain range below, the restlessness and oppression in his heart caused by reincarnation seemed to ease considerably.

He went to western Sichuan, ventured deep into the mysterious bamboo forest, and saw the adorable giant pandas.

He watched the black and white "pandas" rolling around on the ground, munching on bamboo, looking carefree and untroubled by the world, and couldn't help but chuckle.

Perhaps, living carefree like them is true happiness.

He went to Yunnan, strolled along the cobblestone streets of Lijiang Ancient Town, and felt the unique leisure and comfort there.

He sat in a riverside bar, ordered a cocktail called "Wind, Flowers, Snow, and Moon," and listened quietly to the slightly melancholic voice of the resident singer, letting his thoughts drift freely in the alcohol and music...

(End of this chapter)