Knowing a mecha as intimately as one's own body - what its strengths are, where its weaknesses lie - can be vital enough to compensate for the inherent disadvantages in its design and configuration.

Each mecha has variations in its thrust-to-weight ratio, sensitivity, and handling feeling armor coefficient. Asking questions alone is not enough for improvement. The best way is to slowly adapt to its operational feel through a suitable model.

Given the variations in personal styles, mecha selections are diverse. Hence, Feng Yi provided Elvis with a sound piece of advice - explore and observe. It's like a market - if you dislike the taste, switch to another. There should always be a feature that you adore. If you can't find anything to your liking, maybe you should rethink whether you should be a pilot at all and start considering other alternatives.

Elvis was uncertain about how much of Feng Yi's word to trust since he knew little about him. If he were led astray by some shady hustler, he might find himself too deeply embroiled in trouble to extricate himself.

Fortunately, Elvis found Feng Yi to be reliable. Since he had suggested it, why not give it a try? Elvis had maintained a 60 APM (actions per minute) for half a year without making any progress. It wouldn't be too difficult to find a mecha that suited his current playstyle with this APM.

As the sky began to darken, the end-of-school bell echoed, and everyone left with a cheerful face after their first day back...

Meanwhile, Feng Yi decided not to go home immediately. Instead, he resolved to find something to do during this period, earn some extra income. After all, courage comes with money. He wouldn't wait to maintain his livelihood when he was in desperate circumstances.

In fact, Feng Yi desired to learn more about civilian mecha crafts. At times, repeatedly reading mechanical textbooks would limit your thinking, trapping you in routine thought patterns. Many wonderfully spontaneous techniques were passed down among commonfolk – you could only discover new horizons through immersive learning.

That evening, he visited multiple mechanical repair shops, eventually deciding to apply for a testing position at the most famous repair shop not far from his home. While it was a relatively easy job compared to most, it did come with some risks.

Feng Yi pushed the door open and was immediately hit with the potent smell of engine oil and messy surroundings. The refreshing face and sweet smile of the receptionist were a breath of fresh air amidst the chaos of the repair shop.

When Feng Yi finished his mecha test, the receptionist swiftly guided him into a noisy room and whispered something to an older man's ear before leaving...

The older man stretched his muscular arms, sizing up Feng Yi, before lighting a cigarette nonchalantly, "Ah, a new young one, huh? Let's talk about the price and job details."

Assuming the applicant has some driving experience, he cuts straight to the chase and asks bluntly: "How much do you expect to be paid per test run?"

There are no fixed standards for this job. The price is negotiated by both parties, depending on how hard a bargainer you are. Experience plays a crucial role here. The old man's question clearly anticipated Feng Yi's response.

Typically, a newbie would reply by asking the boss for his rates. This puts the power in the owner's hands to suppress the price, increasing it gradually based on your reaction. The outcome wouldn't be ideal as he would push the price to the lowest acceptable range for you.

Seasoned workers would react entirely differently. People who do this job are just trying to make a quick buck. If you have the ability to test, why not find a safer testing job at a regular company for the same wage? Who would come here to haggle?

Feng Yi feigned deep thought before raising two fingers.

"What, two Federal Coins!" The boss showed an incredulous expression, as though he hadn't expected Feng Yi to shoot so high. "Kid, are you here to rob us, perhaps?"

"No, not at all." Feng Yi responded calmly: "The role of a tester carries certain risks. There is no guarantee for the performance of modified from the original mechas. During full-speed tests exceeding 600 kilometers per hour, any malfunction in the mecha could be fatal. The transmission system or torque device malfunctioning alone is a deadly factor. I can even envision myself being turned into a pulp. Risking my life for money, 2 Federal Coins is not an exorbitant rate for a test run, is it?"

The old man's surprised expression faded at his words, his tone softened almost immediately. Mustering a hearty laugh, he said, "Young man, we've verified the safety of the mechas for testing. What are the odds of such a hidden danger? Your price might be just a little too high."

Feng Yi's price was certainly not too high, but the old man wanted to recover some cost. In this tug-of-war negotiation, the attitude of both parties was pivotal. If either displayed a hard line, the negotiation wouldn't end amicably.

Feng Yi, a proficient reader of psychology, understood the boss's thoughts. Since both parties were in the know, there was no point in playing dumb. The other party was only feigning a strong position. Therefore, even Feng Yi softened, saying that even one Federal Coin was acceptable. He admitted he didn't like being idle, enjoyed running around randomly, and favored tinkering with discarded parts. Suppose the store owner didn't mind this habit, then one Federal Coin wouldn't be a big deal.

What could a dilapidated repair shop offer? Useful items would require filling out invoices. Hearing Feng Yi's intention, the boss enthusiastically agreed, "You mess around with whatever you want. Our repair shop lacks many things - time, efficiency, money. But there's never a shortage of scrap metal."

People who do this risky job were dwindling, and even business was not as good as before. Those who know about this job, know. And those who don't, don't. Based on what he said, he would have had to pay three Federal Coins if he couldn't find anyone else. He didn't expect to meet such a unique applicant today. Their deal was cheerfully sealed among the old man's hearty laughter.

From that day on, Feng Yi became the official tester at the Invincible Repair Shop. For the following three months, he would head directly to the repair shop whenever he stepped out of Wind Thunder.

However, these private repair shops aren't officially authorized and often cater to some adventure hiring organizations. Mechas are rarely seen here, unlike battle motorcycles and armored jeeps, which are highly sought in the Shadow District. Authentic mechas are few and far between. But catching a big order every now and then makes up for it. That's why their motto says they won't take orders easily, but when they do, they feast for half a year.

After all, humanoid mechas aren't allowed to operate in broad daylight. Since the Shadow District is notorious for its chaotic public security and diversity of crowds, surviving there requires some backing from the underground forces. They usually have a few critical equipment units pieced together from various sources. Some even originate from concealed channels of supply. Whichever way it happens, these are their indispensable resources.

The humanoid mechas used by underground forces rarely possess weaponry and are often smuggled goods. At most, they might have small-caliber machine-gun arrangements. Because of this, the officials have let the Shadow District be for many years now, focusing instead on the Saudi Empire. As long as things don't get out of hand, they don't care about the petty fights – they're all minor skirmishes, anyway.

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