The Real Daughter Just Wants to Pilot Mechas - Chapter 171

Don’t misunderstand. It’s not what you think,” Jiang Momo said, reaching out to pull him up.

Yan Yunkui immediately straightened and nodded hard. “Right, right, I definitely misunderstood. Totally my bad. My brain’s just really slow, it totally blanked out. Oh right! I just remembered I’ve got a patient waiting on the operating table for a craniotomy. I have to go now!”

As he tried to slip away, Jiang Momo grabbed him. “Did the President pay the bill before he left?” she asked.

“No,” Yan Yunkui replied.

“Got it. You can go, I’ll pay.” Jiang Momo quickly walked out, messaging Yan Chang to explain what had happened.

Yan Yunkui stood there and, after confirming that Jiang Momo had indeed left, immediately called Yan Chang on video.

Yan Chang declined, sending only a cold two-word reply, [Don’t worry.]

“Wait, don’t tell me Yan Chang was in on this too? Man, these young people are ruthless. I better head back to the hospital where it’s safe.” Yan Yunkui quickly made his escape.

Jiang Momo walked to the front desk to settle the bill. The moment she opened her light brain, she was startled by the sudden increase in her account balance.

“How do I have this much money?!”

[The military sent it over. It should be the payment for producing the legendary mechas,] Little Eight said, lounging sideways on the holographic screen.

“There’s no way I could ever spend this many star coins,” Jiang Momo said, counting the long string of digits in her balance again and again. Then she thought of something. “With this much in my account, will I show up on that wealth ranking thing?”

[Nope. Political figures are excluded by default, just like how the previous president’s personal assets were hidden after he took office,] Little Eight explained.

“Oh, good.” Jiang Momo felt reassured and switched her light brain to the payment screen, extending it toward the robot at the front desk.

The Federation Grand Hotel had no human employees aside from the lobby manager and the security guards, and they had long gone out to watch the excitement when the President was arrested. So after paying, Jiang Momo didn’t rush off. She simply directed the robot to help pack up the food in the private room.

Leaning at the doorway, Jiang Momo watched the robot work diligently when suddenly her light brain vibrated slightly at her wrist.

The light screen popped up with a message from one of her special contacts, Ge Qing.

[Ge Qing]: Momo, the President has been arrested.

[Jiang Momo]: Yes, the evidence is irrefutable. Nothing will change that now.

[Ge Qing]: So I want to take this opportunity to revert the textbook. Do you still think the previous content works? Anything you’d like to revise?

[Jiang Momo]: It’s great.

Jiang Momo replied, but as soon as she remembered how Black Tiger, Scarface, and the other researchers had defended her during the live stream, she quickly added another message.

[Jiang Momo]: Oh, actually, can we add one more section? About the legendary mecha’s energy core research team.

[Ge Qing]: Of course. Send me the materials and I’ll include them right away.

***

Two days later, the news of the President being executed by firing squad for multiple crimes appeared on the Star Network, right alongside the updated textbook.

Jiang Momo’s first reaction after reading the news was, “What about the Jiang family?”

[They’re still in detention, awaiting trial,] Little Eight said.

“No legal proceedings for the President?!” Jiang Momo clicked her tongue in disbelief.

“Because the President had powerful enemies,” Yan Chang suddenly appeared, explaining, “and the Jiang family might still be useful.”

Jiang Momo looked up, slightly confused.

“This is the edge of the estate, I have clearance to be here, but don’t worry, I can’t enter the villa.” Yan Chang sat down on the swing beside her.

Jiang Momo still looked puzzled. “How do you know what I was talking about?”

Ordinarily, when she was chatting with Little Eight, her voice and lip movements would be hidden by the light brain’s privacy system. No one else should have been able to tell.

“Because when the privacy system glitched, I had someone decrypt the system data as quickly as possible.” Yan Chang smiled casually and then turned to her. “So, who were you just talking to? The privacy system wouldn’t cover a monologue.”

“With me,” E Mingjun said, setting down a basket of fruit beside Yan Chang.

Yan Chang raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Who else?” E Mingjun shot back.

[Don’t worry, Yan Chang didn’t get a full decrypt, he can’t see the light screen,] Little Eight reassured Jiang Momo when it noticed her expression tighten.

After a moment, it added, [Let me be clear. I still have my biases against Yan Chang, but what I’m about to say is factual. He had a private meeting with the President for three hours before the execution. The content of that meeting is unknown.]

“Ah, I knew inviting you here was the right call. I’ve been messaging you these past two days and you didn’t reply. Don’t tell me you blocked me?” Yan Chang laughed and moved as if to sling an arm around E Mingjun like usual but the moment he noticed Jiang Momo subtly shifting away from him, he stopped and sat back down.

“What’s wrong, Master?” Yan Chang asked.

Jiang Momo shook her head. “You came to find E Mingjun?”

“Of course.” Yan Chang nodded. “Long story short, you already know about the President’s execution. I met with him before it happened. At that point, the man imprisoned was no longer the president.”

He had learned from a former close aide of the President who had defected after his downfall that E Mingjun had once been personally close to him. Yan Chang wanted to verify that in case the President had left behind any loose ends.

He had been pushing so hard to rush the execution precisely because he feared the man might escape. But in the end, he had still been a step too late.

What Yan Chang said was vague and cryptic, but Jiang Momo and E Mingjun understood perfectly, exchanging a glance.

“No need to worry,” E Mingjun said, arms crossed, leaning against the swing’s support post. “The President ‘used’ a lot of our ‘brothers.’ Now, all the remaining ones are just waiting for him to leave the Central Star System.

“The former president was already dead the moment he faced the firing squad.”

Yan Chang: “…What brothers?”