Fifteen days passed in the blink of an eye, and before they knew it, the day for March 7th and Scott's duel had arrived.
"Well, well, look who it is—our very own heroic Miss March 7th!"
On the Xianzhou Luofu, in Aurum Alley, the group arrived at the agreed-upon location.
Seeing March 7th and her companions approach with such fierce determination, Scott immediately greeted them with a slightly sarcastic remark.
"Hmph! This girl has neither dodged nor hidden! You issued the challenge, and naturally, I'd come to accept it!" March 7th retorted, seemingly oblivious to Scott's sardonic tone. Her adorable face remained unchanged as she planted her hands on her hips, tilted her chin upward, and declared with a hint of pride.
"Though..." she added, quickly reverting to her usual demeanor. She glanced around, surveying their surroundings, and asked Scott with genuine curiosity, "Why did you insist on Aurum Alley for this duel? There are so many people around. If someone gets hurt in the crossfire, it won't end well. The Cloud Knights would definitely come after us then."
"Why Aurum Alley?" Scott muttered under his breath, then burst into hearty laughter. "For revenge, of course!"
"As for why I want revenge, you'll have to ask your gray-haired little sister over there!"
As he spoke these words, Scott glared fiercely at Stelle, his jaw clenched.
"Heh." The corners of Stelle's lips curled upward, revealing a smile reminiscent of the Dragon King's triumphant return. "Last time, your dog-like howls echoed throughout Aurum Alley."
"This time, you won't fare any better."
"Better prepare yourself for the pig-like squeals that will reverberate through Aurum Alley later."
Stelle waved dismissively at Scott, as if victory were already assured.
"Heh heh heh... Let's see if you're still so confident when you're losing!" Scott regained his composure, crossed his arms, and continued speaking to the crowd with an icy, indifferent gaze. "You know why I specifically chose Aurum Alley?"
"It's so all those elders and villagers who mocked me back then can witness my glorious return—the ultimate face-slapping script!"
Scott's lips curled into a smirk, mirroring the "Dragon King Returns" smile that Stelle often wore.
"Oh," March 7th said, planting her hands on her hips and staring at Scott with utter exasperation.
This guy seems awfully confident... she thought. Is it confidence in himself, believing he won't get much stronger in just fifteen days? Or confidence in the IPC's mechs?
The more confident Scott appeared, the more anxious and uneasy March 7th felt.
"Sorry... I'm late."
Just as March 7th's anxiety peaked, a warm, soothing voice like a spring breeze flowed into her ears, instantly dispelling all her negative emotions.
A white-and-green figure slowly materialized beside March 7th. As the figure fully materialized, the once-noisy arena fell into complete silence.
"Ah, Sister Lumina, you're here!" March 7th exclaimed, her face lighting up with joy as she sensed the familiar presence beside her.
"La... Lady Lumina!!!"
"I... Is that really Lady Lumina?!"
"Of course! There's no mistaking her! My son's room is plastered with her posters and merchandise—I'd recognize her anywhere!"
As March 7th's joyous voice rang out across the now-quiet arena, the surrounding crowd erupted into a frenzy.
Though Lumina, as the Abundance Emanator, had long been a taboo on the Xianzhou, Jing Yuan had simply lifted this prohibition on the Jade Abacus after the Ambrosial Arbor Event.
Thus, while Lumina's fame on the Luofu didn't match her recognition across the Cosmos, her cosmic fame still earned her the Luofu citizens' respect.
With enough fame, even in a completely new place, one's reputation would naturally grow over time—as long as internet access was available.
Unlike Jarilo-VI, which had been cut off from the network due to the Stellaron's corruption, the Luofu's internet connectivity allowed Lumina's fame to spread rapidly through trending topics.
"L-L-L-L-Lady Lumina!" Scott stammered, frozen in shock at Lumina's sudden appearance.
The Astral Express was a minor concern; she had agreed herself, and he hadn't mistreated her. The Express certainly wouldn't hold him accountable for something so trivial.
The Luofu was equally insignificant; such a massive ship wouldn't bother targeting him over such a minor incident.
But... but Lumina is all alone.
Scott hadn't noticed it before, but now he realized that Lady Lumina and March 7th's relationship seemed... unusual. At the very least, they were friends.
Watching Lumina and March 7th interact so intimately, Scott couldn't help but swallow nervously.
Last time, he had left Lumina with a bad impression due to the cargo incident. This time, he had challenged her friend to a match and demanded she squeal like a pig if she lost.
After all this is over, Lady Lumina won't report me all the way up the chain of command, will she?
"Hmm, rest assured, Scott," Lumina said, her smile knowing. "Since both parties agreed to this match, I naturally won't interfere excessively." She gestured for him to relax, assuring him she was merely here to watch the show.
Is that the truth?
Of course not. Though Lumina knew March 7th would win, she had dispelled her cognitive-altering disguise and revealed her true form to cheer her on.
And to subtly undermine Scott's confidence, hoping it would affect his performance and lead to his defeat.
It was a bit underhanded and not exactly a fair victory.
But let's put the facts aside.
Was it wrong for her to cheer on her best friend, who was practically her daughter?
The fault lay with Scott's fragile mindset, so easily influenced by external factors.
"I... I see. Then... then let's hurry up and start the battle?" With Lumina's appearance, Scott's previously sharp aura instantly dissipated. His tone became noticeably more respectful, and even his challenge now sounded like a timid question, clearly having been reduced to utter humility.
It's hard to blame Scott for his reaction. After all, it was just a match. Losing would at most mean making pig noises in front of the Aurum Alley elders, suffering a loss of face, and experiencing a mortifying social death.
But if he won—or, worse, offended Lumina in the process—he might very well lose his job...
He might even be thrown before Lady Lumina by the IPC and secretly disposed of...
Scott couldn't understand why so many people online claimed they'd rather die on the spot than face social death.
After all, social death wasn't actual death—it was merely becoming the laughingstock of others, or being universally scorned. What was the big deal?
Losing some things on the road to success was perfectly normal, wasn't it?
Scott had already decided that even if March 7th couldn't defeat the IPC's Official Mech, he would throw the match.
He'd make the Official Mech hold back exactly as much as March 7th fell short.
After the competition, Scott would naturally honor his promise, adding a little extra flair to make his pig squeals echo throughout Aurum Alley!
Then he'd launch a series of groveling displays toward March 7th and Lady Lumina!
Not for any particular reason—Scott still stood by his conviction:
Compared to success, the so-called social death and dignity were nothing at all!