A 1% Victory

“Bi Minghan has suffered 1% damage. Tang Xiao 0%. Tang Xiao is victorious.”

The emotionless digitized voice hung in the air.

The fourth student battle finished as the time ticked down to zero. Tang Xiao had won his second in a row, by virtue of a single minor attack.

The entire audience burst in to uproarious laughter.

It rang in the ears of every Lir student and teacher.

A 1% victory was usually a display of luck, just barely winning over the enemy. But when it was intentional, as this battle was, it was more embarrassing than flogging corpses.

Bi Minghan burst from the simulator, his face purple with rage. Even Hua Qianhu, whose mecha was absolutely obliterated, looked on him with sympathy.

This fight wasn’t lost because of any difference in equipment. No, he lost this one because he was outplayed. His enemy had more heart.

Bi Minghan knew it was a lesson, and an image he wouldn’t forget. Behind his eyes he could still see the curtain of red lasers filling the sky.