Chapter 54: Birthday Gift

Shao Ye’s heart was still racing, his nerves not yet calmed.

He had no intention of giving in to Lu Zhanxing’s request—at least, not easily.

But before he could shut him down, Lu Zhanxing was already leaning in, his lips hot against Shao Ye’s, sucking and nibbling at him with a hunger that left no room for hesitation.

For a moment, panic shot through Shao Ye, his breath hitching as he let out muffled groans, unsure of what was happening.

But then, as if something inside him had ignited, the urgency of his body took over, and despite himself, he found himself responding—moving in sync with the push and pull of Lu Zhanxing’s mouth on his.

Just when they were reaching a fever pitch, Lu Zhanxing suddenly froze, his hands stilling, a frown pulling his brows low. His face flushed, and an almost imperceptible darkness clouded his eyes, a heavy, unreadable mood settling in.

Shao Ye, ever sharp, immediately caught the shift. His own concern flared, and he whispered urgently, “Lu-ge, what’s wrong?”

Lu Zhanxing’s face twisted with more discomfort, his brilliant eyes dimming as he lowered his gaze, pressing his lips into a tight line, not a word escaping.

Shao Ye followed his stare, and a realization hit him. He was surprised—maybe this was just the aftershock of that damn hit earlier, the one that knocked him out cold.

Still, Shao Ye wasn’t about to leave him like this. “You’re probably just worn out from the past few days. Why don’t you rest tonight?”

Lu Zhanxing looked guilty, his voice a quiet murmur, “Ah Ye... I... I’m sorry. Let me help you.”

Shao Ye quickly waved him off, shaking his head. “No need, Lu-ge. I came here for something else anyway.”

With a sense of urgency, Shao Ye pulled a USB drive from around his neck. “Let me use your computer.”

Without hesitation, Lu Zhanxing grabbed the computer and handed it over.

Shao Ye’s fingers flew across the keys, moving with practiced ease. Within moments, he had the presentation file up and running. With a flick of his wrist, he activated the 3D holographic display, casting the design blueprint for the fourth-generation mech into the air.

Lu Zhanxing stared, wide-eyed, as the virtual image of the mech took shape before him, his breath caught in his chest. For a split second, he froze, completely speechless.

Then, it hit him. This wasn’t the third-generation mech they were still using. No, this was something entirely new, a fourth-generation prototype. The expression on his face morphed into one of sheer disbelief.

“Ah Ye, this is…”

“It’s the fourth-generation mech. It fixes every flaw in the third-generation design. It’s the ‘Terminator,’ developed specifically to take down the third-gen mechs…” Shao Ye spoke with precision, his eyes gleaming with hope as he laid out the advantages and features, each more impressive than the last.

Lu Zhanxing stood there, absorbing the information, stunned into silence, as the full weight of what he was seeing sank in.

This was more than just a weapon; it was a game-changer. Especially that space-jumping feature—it was something the scientific community had written off as impossible, but now it was real. It could turn the tide of war in the Alliance’s favor.

“Shao Ye, this... this could be the key to ending the deadlock,” Lu Zhanxing said, his voice grave. “But turning this design into a reality? That’s a different beast entirely.”

He paused, shaking his head. “You know the first and second-generation mechs took over three hundred years to develop, right? Generations of people poured their hearts into it, and we’ve barely had the third generation for twenty years. Hell, it’s only been in active military use for five. Who knows if we’ll even see the fourth-generation mechs come to life before then?”

But Shao Ye was calm, completely confident, though he kept his cards close to his chest. “I’ll take you somewhere. You’ll see.”

Lu Zhanxing didn’t press for answers, simply draping his jacket over Shao Ye’s shoulders with a soft, almost protective gesture. “It’s cold tonight. Don’t catch a chill.”

And with that, he followed Shao Ye, not asking any more questions, as they headed toward the postal station of the Seventh Star System.

Shao Ye finally broke the silence, a sly grin tugging at his lips. "There’s a delivery for you. Come and sign for it."

Lu Zhanxing blinked, clueless about what was coming his way. He figured Shao Ye had brought along some little surprise from home—maybe a thoughtful gift, something sweet but manageable.

Curiosity piqued, he strolled into the pickup station, casually dropping his name to the staff.

The place was chaos—clerks scrambling with barely a moment to breathe. But the moment "Lu Commander" left his lips, the worker froze like they’d just met a goddamn celebrity. Their voice wobbled with excitement, hands fumbling over a clipboard. "Lu Commander? Oh, yes, your package! It’s... uh... a big one. Right this way, sir."

Big? What the hell did that mean?

The staff led Lu Zhanxing toward the storage area, leaving his brain spinning.

Big?

What kind of "big" are we talking here?

"Shao Ye, what the hell have you done?"

The answer smacked him in the face the second they opened the storage door—a towering crate sat there like a beast waiting to be unleashed. The clerk handed him a delivery receipt with shaky hands. "Just sign here. Oh, and heads up—it’s non-refundable and non-returnable." Then they bolted like their life depended on it.

Once Lu Zhanxing scribbled his name down, he shot a glance up, a sly smirk playing on his lips. "So, I crack it open right here, or what?" he drawled, his voice carrying a sharp edge of challenge, like he already knew the answer but dared anyone to stop him.

Before Lu Zhanxing could process that ominous disclaimer, Shao Ye’s voice purred from behind him, smooth and unbothered. "Lu-ge, your 27th birthday’s around the corner. This is my gift to you." A smile danced on his lips, smug and satisfied. "Open it. Go on."

"Such a big gift?" Lu Zhanxing’s heart skipped a beat, adrenaline lighting up his veins. He hadn’t expected Shao Ye to remember his birthday, let alone go this far. Hands trembling with equal parts excitement and disbelief, he grabbed a cutter and sliced through the packaging.

Layers fell away, and yet another massive shape loomed beneath a draped black cloth. Whatever it was, it was huge—monumental even. His mind raced, an impossible idea bubbling up, daring to take form.

No way. No fucking way.

His fingers tightened around the edge of the cloth. His breath hitched. Then, with a swift yank, he ripped it free.

There it was.

The fourth-generation mech. Gleaming, untouchable, a goddamn metallic masterpiece. Light from the warehouse caught its polished armor, making it glint like a star—a towering, dangerous beauty that practically screamed power.

Lu Zhanxing froze. Just stood there, jaw slack, staring at it like his brain short-circuited. For a moment, the world stopped. It was just him and that magnificent machine.

Shao Ye sidled up, voice low and casual, but with that telltale note of pride. "So? Like it?"

Like it?

Lu Zhanxing spun to face him, voice raw and shaking with emotion. "Shao Ye... I love it." His tone dropped, vulnerable and honest. "But I love you more."

And then he grabbed Shao Ye, pulling him into a crushing hug, every ounce of emotion poured into the embrace. His grip was so tight it felt like he was trying to merge them into one being.

Shao Ye laughed softly, his voice warm as he whispered, "Happy birthday, Lu-ge."

"Shao Ye..." Lu Zhanxing’s words tumbled out, unpolished and clumsy for the first time. "Thank you. I love you."

He held on, letting his racing heart speak for him. Words were failing anyway—no language could handle how utterly wrecked and rebuilt he felt in that moment.

Shao Ye clapped Lu Zhanxing on the shoulder with a sly grin and said, “Lu-ge, this baby right here? It’s the product of some serious behind-the-scenes magic by me and a group of badass Omega veterans. You know it’s illegal as hell to build mechs or heavy weaponry without the Alliance’s blessing. These folks risked permanent mental lockdown just to finish the research. Hell, some of them gave up their lives so I could complete the testing phase. I had to smuggle this thing over under the guise of a ‘mech model’—all just to get it to you. Now it’s up to you. Take this to the Alliance Committee and convince them to mass-produce it. End this damn war.”

Lu Zhanxing’s chest pounded like a war drum, and his voice carried an unshakable resolve. “Ah Ye. I hear you. I won’t let any of you down.”

Shao Ye smiled. “Peace is what we’re all fighting for. We believe in you, Lu-ge. Now get in there and take it for a spin.”

The second Lu Zhanxing climbed into the cockpit, his jaw practically hit the floor. He’d thought he’d seen it all, but Shao Ye had outdone himself. In just a few months, the kid hadn’t just designed a fourth-gen mech—he’d built the damn thing.

His genius? Pure insanity.

Born in the slums, a place where tech and education were pipe dreams, yet he’d leaped past even the Alliance’s top-tier scientists, who were still fumbling over theories.

Every feature Shao Ye had outlined earlier?

All there. Flawless.

Shao Ye climbed to the third-floor viewing platform of the warehouse, positioning himself at eye level with the cockpit. Waving furiously to get Lu Zhanxing’s attention, he shouted, “Hey, big guy! There’s more where that came from! Take it outside and see for yourself!”

On the control panel, a button labeled SURPRISE popped up, accompanied by a cheesy little fireworks animation.

Turns out, Shao Ye had swapped out the missile bay with fireworks for Lu Zhanxing’s birthday.

Warmth surged through Lu Zhanxing’s chest. This wasn’t just a weapon—it was Shao Ye’s way of saying, I’ve got your back. Moving the mech closer, he knelt, one massive metal knee hitting the ground, like a warrior bowing before his king.

Shao Ye froze, his eyes darting nervously around the warehouse. Crap. Did anyone see that? Are there cameras? His voice shot out, panicked and hurried. “What the hell are you doing?! You can’t kneel in a mech! That’s a total no-go!”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Lu Zhanxing said, voice steady as steel. “This isn’t for you. It’s for those Omega researchers. For their sacrifice.”

Lu Zhanxing stretched out the mech’s hand, palm open in invitation. Shao Ye hesitated only a second before leaping onto the metal palm, standing tall in its center.

With Shao onboard, Lu piloted the mech through the warehouse’s back exit. The open field beyond was empty, vast, and perfect. The night blanketed the sky in endless black, stars scattered like shattered glass.

Without a word, Lu Zhanxing hit the SURPRISE button.

Fireworks erupted from the mech, blazing into the sky. They burst apart in brilliant colors, igniting the night like an explosion of wildflowers, painting the darkness with impossible light.

It wasn’t just a celebration. It was a promise, burning bright against the endless void.

The bustling crowd froze mid-motion, their work abandoned as their eyes snapped upward, locked on the night sky ablaze with fireworks, a riot of colors painting the darkness. For a fleeting moment, awe overtook them, silencing their chaos, softening their edges.

It hit them like a slap: explosions weren’t just the soundtrack of war and carnage. No, the same gunpowder that tore through lives could also birth beauty—raw, unapologetic, fleeting beauty that bled into the black like hope slipping through fingers. Fireworks weren’t just noise; they were the kind of wild celebration that burned brighter because it was brief.

Lu Zhanxing shot into the sky with Shao Ye in tow, a bullet of reckless grace tearing through the kaleidoscope of sparks. They moved like they owned the damn night, weaving through the chaos and turning it into their playground.

Fireworks—flames that dared to bloom, defiant in their destruction. They were symbols of hope, splinters of beauty clawing their way out of the dark.

Holding Shao Ye as if he were the most fragile, dangerous treasure in the world, Lu Zhanxing pressed him close, right to his chest, his voice low but burning with conviction: “Ah Ye, I love you.”

People liked to say mechas were a boy’s ultimate dream. But let’s be real—the ultimate fantasy wasn’t gears or steel. It was responsibility. It was stepping up, bearing the weight, and saying with your actions, not your words, I’ve got you. I’m all in.