The Real Daughter Just Wants to Pilot Mechas - Chapter 103

Jiang Momo turned off her light brain and stopped paying attention to Yan Chang who had clearly been acting strangely the past few days.

Wu Yue was still busy eating when she noticed Jiang Momo’s movement. She instinctively looked up at her and Ling Yelin also turned to look.

Jiang Momo asked, “What is it?”

“Nothing.” Wu Yue shook her head and wiped her mouth, before straightening up. “Where are we going to play later?”

“No idea. It’s my first time here. Do you have any recommendations?” Jiang Momo asked.

Wu Yue lowered her eyelids slightly to hide the confusion in her eyes.

The food Jiang Momo brought back was the most famous specialty on the planet and the restaurant wasn’t close. Even by spaceship, it would take at least half an hour. Judging by when she put the breakfast on the table and went back to her room to touch up her makeup, unless Jiang Momo left the moment she closed the door and went straight there, it was unlikely she could’ve returned and met them at that exact moment.

Ling Yelin noticed Wu Yue’s confusion and gave her a subtle look, signaling her not to ask.

Just based on the rare materials Jiang Momo carried and her background that even he couldn’t trace, her identity clearly wasn’t simple. But that didn’t matter.

Wu Yue cleared her throat. “Let’s go shopping in the underground market later.”

“Sure.” Jiang Momo didn’t notice the silent exchange between the two of them because just then, Little Eight suddenly popped up.

[Momo, can we block Yan Chang for a bit? He’s too annoying.]

Jiang Momo was puzzled and opened the chat with Yan Chang, only to be stunned by the flood of messages.

“Holy hell. How did he send two hundred messages in three minutes?”

[He really does seem curious.] Little Eight rested its claw on its chin.

Jiang Momo said firmly, “We’re not telling him anything! Our relationship is just fine the way it is.”

From what she’d seen in various literature and film works after coming to the Capital Star, friendship was the most reliable human relationship.

As they spoke, several more messages came in.

Jiang Momo glanced at the rainbow flattery sprinkled in between, then quickly replied with one line.

[Jiang Momo]: Your A-grade mecha is finished. You can pick it up tomorrow.

The messages immediately stopped.

[No. 1 Fan of the Mecha Queen]: How is it done so fast? Did you pull an all-nighter again?! [wagging finger] Can’t you take care of your health?! Huh???

While it did stop the message spam, the response made Jiang Momo, who had expected some praise, freeze up.

It didn’t match Yan Chang’s mecha-obsessed personality at all!

[Jiang Momo]: So is there something wrong with my body you discovered during the physical examination?

Yan Chang had been overly cautious before but Jiang Momo hadn’t thought much of it. She’d just assumed it was his controlling nature acting up again. She happened to be in a good mood during that time, so she went along with it.

[No. 1 Fan of the Mecha Queen]: Huh? No way! Wouldn’t you know if something was wrong with your own body?

Jiang Momo didn’t reply.

[No. 1 Fan of the Mecha Queen]: …Fine. There was a tiny issue but it’s been resolved.

Reading that, Jiang Momo subconsciously touched her own body and looked down in thought.

She hadn’t felt anything wrong before.

“When are we heading out?” Wu Yue noticed Jiang Momo’s distracted gaze and waved a hand in front of her.

Jiang Momo snapped out of it. “Let’s go now.”

***

The three of them took a spaceship to the underground market Wu Yue had mentioned.

It was a narrow street lined with stalls on both sides. Each stall sold different things, dazzling in variety. The street was packed with people, touching shoulder to shoulder and bustling with activity.

“This is the ‘underground’ market?” Jiang Momo looked at Wu Yue.

But it’s still above ground?

Confirming that Jiang Momo had never been there, Wu Yue patted her shoulder and led her inside.

Jiang Momo followed, her eyes sweeping across the various stalls.

The ones near the entrance mostly sold ordinary trinkets and food, nothing worth mentioning. But as they moved deeper, some stalls began to display weapons and minerals with noticeable radiation.

“There’s someone shouting over there.” Jiang Momo’s sharp ears caught the words ‘Mecha Queen’ from the noise and immediately sped up her pace.

Soon, the three of them reached the stall.

“Don’t miss out, folks! This is the Federation’s latest Mecha Queen’s battle highlight reel! Only 200 star coins a copy!” The vendor was a middle-aged man and he was enthusiastically yelling while seated on a small stool.

Jiang Momo approached and scanned his empty stall. She then crouched in front of the stall and asked, “What video are you selling?”

“The Federation’s strongest Mecha Queen fighting alien beasts. She’s insane! She took down dozens on her own,” the vendor said with a secretive tone.

“That amazing?” Wu Yue got interested and crouched beside Jiang Momo.

Jiang Momo stopped Wu Yue from paying. “In that fight, wasn’t there a few other mecha present too?”

The vendor hesitated. “How’d you know?”

“I also know the original version of that video only sells for 50 star coins,” Jiang Momo said.

The vendor glanced around and snapped, “What do you know? If you want to get it for 50 star coins, you’d need a simulation pod first! My cost’s high, okay?!”

Wu Yue pulled back her hand and said in disdain, “It’s a pirated copy.”

“Shoo! Don’t block my business if you’re not buying!” the vendor shooed them away.

Jiang Momo stood and pulled Wu Yue along.

After they walked a few steps, the vendor suddenly shouted in panic, “What the hell?! My video’s gone?!”

Wu Yue quickly looked at Jiang Momo.

[I deleted the source code of that pirated video.] Little Eight popped up.

[Actually, we could sell our own version of that video on the Star Network using his business model.]

“Go ahead and upload it using a side account. It’s a good way to attract traffic,” Jiang Momo said. “Let’s set the price at 200 star coins.”

[On it!]

Little Eight vanished from sight.

After that, the three of them spent the afternoon exploring the underground market. Since they’d be returning to the Central Star System and would need to pass inspection, they didn’t buy any weapons and just looked around.

Still, the trip was eye-opening for Jiang Momo. Before leaving the market, she reluctantly caressed an energy cannon said to be capable of blowing up half a planet before finally letting it go.

“Can’t we smuggle it somehow?” she asked Wu Yue.

“No way. The second this thing enters the Central Star System, the police will show up in under a second.” Wu Yue ruthlessly crushed her hope and led her away.

***

At 3 AM on Monday, Jiang Momo got off Wu Yue’s spaceship at the academy gate. After waving goodbye and making sure the ship left, she turned to head inside.

After just two steps, she turned a corner and suddenly locked eyes with Yan Chang who was leaning against a wall in the shadows, looking deeply aggrieved.

Jiang Momo was startled. “What are you doing here this late? Don’t you sleep?”

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking that?” Yan Chang straightened up and handed her a jacket. “You came back this late and you did not even bring a coat.”

Jiang Momo accepted the jacket and put it on.

Yan Chang looked her over from head to toe, clearly wanting to say something but holding back.

“What is it?” Jiang Momo asked, confused.

Yan Chang pulled out a bottle of hot water from his arms and handed it to her, saying, “Today, a user claiming to be the Mecha Queen posted a combat video on the Star Network and set 200 star coins to buy it. It’s already sold over a hundred million copies.”

Jiang Momo held the still-warm bottle, unscrewed it, and took a few sips. “Really? Then why do you look like you’re not sure whether you should say something?”

“I checked around and that account was yours,” Yan Chang hesitated for a moment before suddenly speaking.

Jiang Momo choked on the water and coughed a few times, silently asking Little Eight, “You used my account to post?”

[I didn’t! I definitely didn’t use the main account. Could it be that my tech is outdated?] Little Eight was just as confused.

[This is bad. If he could trace it, doesn’t that mean he could also find out it was us behind the protest parade and the various promotional stunts?]

Jiang Momo’s expression grew serious.

The point now was that she might not be able to hide it anymore.

Yan Chang continued, “Also, the money, including the payments we made in the battle system to buy videos, seems to go into your account.”

That’s not right. How would Yan Chang know the details of her account?

Jiang Momo tried to explain, “Listen, let me explain…”

“There’s nothing to explain. Look at you, this wasn’t very ethical.” Yan Chang went on, “Even if you’re the game’s developer, that video was the result of our Mecha Queen’s skills. Since you made money from it, you should’ve at least shared some with her. You can’t just keep it all.”

Jiang Momo hadn’t expected that angle and froze. “Huh?”

E/N:

The vendor: I sell for 200 to break even!
Jiang Momo: Good idea.