Chapter 46: Chapter 46 The Hand Speed That Must Surpass the Limit
Editor: Noodletown Translations
The human limit reaction time was 0.1 seconds. Normal people simply couldn’t reach this figure, while trained individuals could get close to it. However, the closer one got, the difficulty would geometrically increase.
This was textbook content, and Mu Fan was naturally unaware of it.
He only heard Black explaining: “According to my calculations, when your effective operation on the mechanical console buttons reaches over 400 times per minute, you can perform unimaginable movements with the mecha through the continuous micro-adjustments of system command signals.”
“This is where mecha operation differs from human operation, and it’s the charm of mecha operation! Don’t look at me like that; I’m quoting from the Dingchuan Academy’s curriculum.”
Mu Fan looked speechlessly at Black, listening to Black continue rambling.
“Step skill—Virtual Flash, is a skill developed in fantasy-based operations in the PO Battle Net. After being reduced to 60% simulation, it can be used. Experts in the Battle Net can use it in the 65%-70% simulation range, with the highest reaching 80%, so it is believed to be a skill that doesn’t exist in reality. But through my calculations, this skill is feasible in reality.”
Black’s eyes projected a light screen from the console again. The cockpit of the RX-16 was much more spacious than that of the EH01. Mu Fan focused on watching the projection beside the battle screen.
“Look closely, this is your console. The console dimensions are 667mm long and 374mm wide, which means you must make a semicircular operation with your elbow as the center. According to calculations, the APM for the Virtual Flash action must reach 500 to achieve initial control through continuous command reordering. The PO Battle Net has simulation limits, so I require you to quickly pass 40 levels of gravity training in reality, so your hand speed might be fast enough to use Virtual Flash in real operation!”
“Due to the weight restriction of the mecha, the enormous inertia can easily allow the opponent to judge your attack route. The step skill of Virtual Flash was born to issue, interrupt, and issue commands again, allowing the system to constantly refresh commands within the limits and avoid dead loops, achieving a forced route change when the mecha action initiates. This is Virtual Flash! Watch the video.”
As the screen changed, Mu Fan saw two mechas engaged in field combat. A white mecha squatted in the distance, holding a Gauss Rifle, firing continuously. Each shot created a pit about two meters in diameter on the ground, and the obviously incongruous wings on the mecha showed this was a fantasy series mecha.
One kilometer away, a dark red mecha wielding a Magnetic Energy Oscillation Blade was dashing forward at high speed. At first glance, it seemed to be moving in a straight line, but upon careful observation, the mecha exhibited peculiar movements. It subtly dodged just when the metal bullet was about to hit, with an odd and disorderly direction change.
“Look carefully, this is the Chaotic Zigzag Step, an advanced technique for high-end mecha in reality, with an operation difficulty that stabilizes at a basic threshold of apm350 or higher,” Black elaborated earnestly to the side.
“Pay attention, after the next chaotic direction change, you need to learn the skill—Virtual Flash.” Black suddenly raised his voice to remind Mu Fan.
Huh? Mu Fan widened his eyes, only to see the red mecha in the video change direction. The white mech opposite fired two consecutive shots, and the latter shot seemed to follow up, targeting exactly at the landing point of the red mecha’s foot.
No escape? The red mecha seemed doomed to be hit by this bullet. Once hit by the Gauss Rifle in the foot, mobility would inevitably be compromised, leading to a one-sided sitting target.
At this moment, the red mecha, to Mu Fan’s astonishment, suddenly turned into an afterimage, appearing behind its original forward path!
It completely defied the laws of physics, ignoring the momentum of the heavy mecha charging forward! Encountering its own past route in mid-movement, it seemed as though it rewound in a playback!
“What’s going on?!” Mu Fan was truly scared.
“Speed beyond limits! Completely defying the human body’s endurance range, traversing a control table over 65 cm, with continuous single-hand operation over eight keys per second! For ordinary people, reaching this figure would definitely mean muscle tearing, yet your muscle density can fully bear it.”
“This is the first skill to be taught to you—Virtual Flash!” Black shut down the light screen, blinking at Mu Fan.
“Now starting training, press down the first row of 45 keys from left to right with your left hand in succession, twice, then start pressing while skipping one key position, twice!”
“Faster! Faster, even faster!”
In the quiet factory under the night sky, the bonfire flickered. The young boy leaned there quietly, and in the ocean of spirit, his eyes were already bloodshot! The nerves in his hand already sent out overwhelming alarms!
APM160…
APM195…
APM226…
Mu Fan’s hand began to ache faintly, but he gritted his teeth and persisted. He was unaware that the mental pressure monitoring chip on the light computer helmet in reality had been tampered with by Black, directly bypassing the system’s monitoring, meaning that if Mu Fan continued without exiting, real danger might occur.
Whether his eyes were open or closed, all Mu Fan’s brain conjured up was the control table. Trained by Black, Mu Fan memorized the layout of the control table buttons in his mind.
At first, Black’s reported keys were orderly. As Mu Fan gradually managed to reluctantly complete them, Black immediately increased the difficulty, with a clear reason—you can’t always flash backward, as the enemy’s attack routes are multi-line. Moreover, the difficulty rising geometrically from 1 vs. 1 to 1 vs. 5 couldn’t be more evident.
Thus, under Black’s supervision and increased training difficulty, one-key disorder was added, then two-key disorder… until now three-key disorder was added.
Mu Fan didn’t know that his backstage-recorded apm had exceeded 230. He only heard Black say he was unqualified, followed by a strong electric shock from his tongue going numb initially to now having a facial paralysis. Mu Fan didn’t even bother to wipe away the virtual drool running unconsciously.
Black was now practically from hell, training completely devoid of emotion, even more perverse than that Fighter Instructor!
Effective APM235! This was already Federation’s junior Mechanical Master’s standard… Mu Fan was completely unaware.
Mu Fan only heard unqualified! Because when consecutively executing unordered keys, he thought for over 0.2 seconds and caused a series of misoperations.
Not even half of the Virtual Flash requirement!
Mu Fan’s eyes turned red, and under urgent psychological pressure, he once again entered that feeling of complete control in the blood-colored vision.
The sound he heard slowed down, slowed down, “H7, L19, Z2…” With commands coming, his left hand accurately clicked these keys, sweeping a shadow across the control table.
Suddenly Black reported: “Effective APM297!”
Mu Fan’s heart rejoiced. In the PO Battle Net, under the blood-colored vision’s support, his APM reached an unimaginable level, flawlessly completing this set of operations!
Applied on the mecha, Mu Fan piloted the RX-16 in an irregular arc forward. Although the movement wasn’t that smooth and natural, the general motion contour could already be seen clearly!
Mu Fan didn’t know how much time he had left but deeply understood the necessity of achieving this beyond-limits hand speed!
“Detected a decline in spirit state, training halted.” As Mu Fan’s left hand swept the keyboard again, the surroundings suddenly changed and dissipated. Black forcibly stopped his training.
“It is now 2:08 AM, and you’ve been focused for over two hours, beginning to show signs of mental decline, unfit for continued training. I suggest you rest first. You need ample strength for tomorrow’s Gravity Room training; of course, as the host, you can reopen it.” Black gazed at Mu Fan.
“Listen to you, stop it, continue tomorrow.”
Mu Fan’s APM value finally locked at 303; this certain individual had unknowingly slipped into deep sleep accompanied by snores.
…
In the PO Battle Net, Black appeared in front of the Fighter, staring into those cloaked and ghostly green eyes. “Mu Fan ran into trouble.”
“…” The eerie green flames in the eyes danced.
“If you don’t teach your treasured skills, the host will be gone!!” Black’s tone uncommonly intensified.
“Don’t worry.” The deep and hoarse voice said; the Fighter’s hands again wielded that short stick, twirling until it turned into a virtual shadow. When the ends drew a green arc gradually forming a complete circle, two green scythe blades suddenly appeared! Then the entire person vanished out of thin air!
Only a faint echo remained, “He is my disciple.”
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PS: Who’s the Fighter’s prototype? Tip one, not a movie character.