The Real Daughter Just Wants to Pilot Mechas - Chapter 149

Every time a major public outcry erupted in the past, the President would quickly make a statement but this time, he said nothing, allowing public opinion to spiral for a full two days.

The atmosphere around the controversy immediately grew more severe than ever before, so much so that Jiang Momo hadn’t had any work to do the past two days because every student had voluntarily joined the protests.

“These protests seem to be happening a little too often, don’t you think?” Jiang Momo sat at her desk, fiddling with the leaves of a potted plant.

Ge Qing, watering the plants under Jiang Momo’s care, said, “It’s a good thing the people are politically engaged. Even with all this, so many deaths are still being covered up. If we didn’t protest like this, wouldn’t those people be even more reckless?”

Setting down the watering can, Ge Qing added, “Anyway, I’ve already prepared myself to be arrested again. This is what happens when power runs unchecked. If we can force it back on track, it might actually benefit the Federation in the long run.”

Jiang Momo didn’t quite agree but said nothing, continuing to scroll aimlessly on her light brain. Suddenly, a livestream pop-up appeared.

Jiang Momo was about to close it absentmindedly but her gaze caught the title of the stream and she paused, clicking in.

The livestream focused on the President’s profile. The background noise was somewhat chaotic, making it hard to hear.

On-screen comments scrolled nonstop in the lower right corner.

[The President finally showed up. Why isn’t it a full-face shot? Is this stream not an apology?]

[Oppose the privatization of power! Oppose the power monopolies!]

[Is the Population Purge Plan real?]

[Step down! Step down! Down with the tyrant!]

As the comments flew by, the President’s eyes moved slightly. “Looks like everyone’s here.”

The moment he spoke, the camera zoomed out rapidly, pulling away from his face to reveal his entire body, then the mecha he was piloting, then the entire military unit, and finally the battlefield where they stood.

The towering skyscrapers, a mushroom-shaped landmark, glowing light strips, and high-end spaceships parked haphazardly all showed that it was a highly developed region.

Someone immediately recognized the scene in the comments.

[That’s Planet Z2, the closest planet to the Capital Star! Is this a holographic game? Why are there so many alien beasts?!]

[The Capital Star is in chaos and the President is livestreaming a game? Is this a joke?!]

[No, no, it’s real. I’m from Planet Z2. The military evacuated us to other planets a few days ago, saying the alien beasts would appear!]

[That can’t be true. Why would the alien beasts suddenly show up there? The outer-ring planets haven’t even been attacked!]

[It’s true! I’m from Planet Z2 too!]

The comments were in total uproar but no one on the battlefield had time to check them. The military, piloting the latest legendary mechas, launched a frantic cleanup operation against the alien beasts.

There were so many alien beasts, far more than expected, that no one had time to pay attention to the President who trailed behind them, pitifully out of place.

The battle lasted most of the day before the alien beasts were finally cleared out.

By the end of the fight, the live stream had even more viewers than when it started.

Jiang Momo had been watching the whole time. When the camera returned to the President, she leaned forward slightly and studied him, frowning.

“The President’s condition doesn’t look good. Same with the others. This mecha’s side effects are way too obvious.”

As she muttered, the President lowered his head slightly on screen.

“Because of the recent public doubts about some of my actions, I felt it necessary to show everyone the reality. We’re currently on the closest second-tier planet to the Capital Star. For reasons we haven’t yet uncovered, the alien beasts have been appearing randomly throughout the Central Star System in recent years.

“We used to handle them secretly because of their rarity and small numbers. But after careful thought, especially with the recent incidents and repeated alien beast invasions, we can’t hide it any longer. So today, I’ve decided to make everything public.”

He took a deep breath, vision darkening slightly, and shook his head to stay conscious.

“The legendary mechas we now use are modified from B-grade mechas. Before their debut, do you know how long it took to repair a military-grade S-grade mecha? Not even counting the cost, just getting in line took over two weeks, and repairs another half month.

“But one external mecha manufacturer we hired to protect and repair S-grade mechas could finish repairs in under a week. We never expected that kind of speed. Even without full military blueprints, this manufacturer could develop super S-grade and legendary mechas.

“So I ask you, when the research institute monopolized S-grade mecha manufacturing technology and pushed for criminalizing unauthorized cross-level mecha manufacturing and teaching, was that really about protecting the mecha manufacturing industry?”

He continued, voice growing firmer, “According to the research institute’s own records, only the powerful and influential are granted access to S-grade mecha manufacturing and maintenance. If that monopoly continues, soon only they will be able to handle even A- or B-grade mechas.

“Why did Shi Qin face a death sentence in his case? For illegally attempting to build an S-grade mecha? No, it was because he refused the research institute’s olive branch. That’s right, after his arrest, they tried repeatedly to lure him with offers of immunity in exchange for cooperation. He stood firm. I know many have criticized my recent actions but if the research institute could make such offers, they themselves knew that building an S-grade mecha wasn’t a crime deserving death.

“I understand the desire for a stable job but everyone must think clearly. After the mecha monopoly expands, are you still in a technical field or a political one? With such large-scale recruitment, can they really keep current wages? If tens of thousands of legendary mechas built in a week have to wait months for proper repairs, then how are we supposed to protect our people in the face of the worsening alien beast invasions?

“Everyone, you’ve seen it now. We once hid the truth about the alien beasts reaching the Central Star System for fear of panic. Now they’re just one step away. As the president of the Federation, I’ve remained optimistic about our future ever since the emergence of the legendary mechas. That’s why I refuse to let anyone extinguish this dawn’s light. I no longer have the power to block the Congress’s proposal. What comes next is up to you.”

He gave a deep bow and then sneakily glanced at a cheat sheet in his palm, confirming he’d gone through almost everything. Straightening up, he finished with one last line, “If this proposal passes, I will resign as president of the Federation. Thank you, all citizens, for your continued support.”

With that, he ended the livestream immediately.