The Mecha Ace Gets a Second Career

Xie Chongshan finally retires at thirty-two. After eleven years away, he returns to the familiar capital planet, only to be baffled by how much prices have skyrocketed! His retirement pay isn't even enough to buy a home on the capital planet?! To support himself, Xie Chongshan returns to his old line of work and sets his sights on the wildly popular virtual-network mecha competitions. His opponent is an expert at wilderness survival? Oh, I served five years in a jungle special forces unit. He gets matched against a native of a glacier village? Oh, I spent two years stationed at a border defense post at a polar research base. A popular Sky Island streamer provokes him? Oh, I spent three years on an undercover mission there. "Who's that new streamer called Chongshan?" "Middle-aged guys should stop playing mecha games!" "What the hell is this weird, awkward movement and footwork..." "I'm tilted. He took me out in less than a minute!" "I never want to run into Boss Chongshan again, sob!" "He's on a rampage! Can someone stop him?!" Li Qingzhou is a club captain. Arrogant, conceited, and boastful, he's a streamer known throughout the league for trash talk. Reality gives the young man a brutal wake-up call. After Xie Chongshan demolishes him fifteen times, Li Qingzhou falls silent. "Boss! You have to join my team!" "Full benefits, meals and lodging included! Pick whichever handsome men and beautiful women you like!" "Owning a home on the capital planet is within reach! Paid leave, no overtime!" Xie Chongshan: What's with this young guy? Are job offers really this good these days? Still, the prize money for winning the league mecha championship should be enough to buy a house, right? Trash-talking hotshot x retired veteran Switch couple! The mecha details are all made up, so just enjoy them and don't take them too seriously. Theme: Work together and care about the reemployment of laid-off workers.