The Real Daughter Just Wants to Pilot Mechas - Chapter 185

Jiang Momo turned her head and stared at the President for a long moment, her gaze deep and unreadable.

The President gave her a puzzled grin. “What?”

“Nothing. You just seem… a lot more cheerful than I expected,” she said.

“That’s just because we weren’t that close before,” the President replied easily. Then he pulled a soda bottle from under the table and took a long drink. His gaze lingered on Jiang Momo’s back with a trace of something unreadable in his expression, which vanished as soon as she turned around.

Jiang Momo sat across from him, caught the bottle he tossed her and took a sip. They sat in silence for a long while until the President fidgeted a bit.

Back at the Yan family’s ancestral residence, they had both been preoccupied with their own matters. Aside from meals, they hadn’t spent much one-on-one time in close quarters.

“So, uh,” the President started, “I asked the military these past couple of days. Their report says the original list of qualified candidates came from another researcher on the combat simulation system team. They’ll clarify that later.” He paused and then added, “It was supposed to be clarified today, actually. But given our new strategic plan, I told them to postpone it.”

Jiang Momo frowned. “Don’t postpone it. My plan wasn’t—”

Before she could finish, the spaceship suddenly jolted. Alarms blared and orange lights flashed inside the cabin.

[Warning. Warning. A nearby spaceship is attempting to intercept. Please prepare accordingly.]

The President immediately peeked out the window, then quickly ducked back and shut the blackout panel. “We’ve been tracked?! Is the public that good? Wait, could there be a mole inside the government?!”

Jiang Momo glanced at the spaceships closing in like an inescapable net and, without a word, immediately switched to full manual piloting mode. “Hold on,” Jiang Momo ordered.

The President, not understanding the situation, instinctively grabbed the nearest handle.

In the next second, the ship abruptly shifted its trajectory, tilting 90 degrees and slipping out of the encirclement at a sharp, almost impossible angle.

“Cool!” The President clung to the wall of the spaceship, gripping the handle with all his might, and couldn’t help but let out a whistle.

Jiang Momo glanced at the screen, where red dots swarmed in from all directions, and clicked her tongue. “That’s quite a crowd coming after us.”

“Why not activate a spatial jump?” the President suggested.

“This ship doesn’t have that function,” Jiang Momo replied, deftly dodging several interception attempts in the blink of an eye.

“Don’t joke around! All of Yan Chang’s spaceships can do spatial jumps. I’m the one who processed the paperwork for them!” the President blurted out.

“This is my ship,” Jiang Momo cut him off before he could say more, “not a gift from Yan Chang.”

The President went quiet for a moment. “You can use Yan Chang’s spaceships whenever you want, why insist on flying this one?”

Jiang Momo didn’t answer.

Her silence made the President pause, his gaze growing somber as he stared at the control console.

Jiang Momo, focused entirely on breaking through the encirclement, didn’t notice the President’s expression. Her hands flew over the controls like a blur.

Soon enough, they broke free.

Why? Simple. The Federation’s latest regulation required all spaceships to undergo inspection at ports. But Jiang Momo’s spaceship carried the President of the Federation.

From the back window, the President watched as the port’s guards blocked all the spaceships that had been chasing them. He cheered quietly to himself, fist clenched in victory, “Yes!” Then he looked up proudly, seeking acknowledgment. “I told you my decisions would come in handy sooner or later!”

Jiang Momo responded absentmindedly, still busy calibrating the spaceship’s navigation settings.

***

At the military’s frontline base, the lights were on day and night, and time seemed meaningless. By the time Shi Qin saw Jiang Momo again, he was so out of sorts he couldn’t tell if it was day or night.

“Teacher Momo!” Shi Qin pushed through the crowd, waving frantically at the travel-worn Jiang Momo descending from the spaceship.

The moment she stepped off, Jiang Momo spotted the group in matching uniforms with her name on them, the so-called ‘Mo Faction,’ a nickname coined by a media reporter. Although public opinion of her had been harsh lately, the repair technicians had made undeniable contributions at the front. Whenever they appeared on-screen, the online hate against her noticeably softened.

She gave Shi Qin and the others a small smile and nod, then followed behind the President to shake hands with each of the high-ranking military officers who had come to greet them. Standing at the far edge was Lu Feng.

“Another promotion?” Jiang Momo raised an eyebrow, noticing the new insignia on Lu Feng’s uniform. She skirted around the crowd flocking to the President and walked beside him at the end of the group, speaking in a low voice.

Lu Feng touched his shoulder and gave a small nod. “Aren’t you going up front?”

“What for?” Jiang Momo replied.

“It’s a leadership inspection. You’re supposed to walk up front,” Lu Feng joked lightly.

Jiang Momo gave him a punch.

Lu Feng winced, rubbing his shoulder. “You’re still so strong. What a waste if you don’t pilot a mecha.”

Jiang Momo tilted her head toward him. “Didn’t you offer me a part-time job before? Is it still on the table?”

Lu Feng smiled. “Are you serious?”

“Of course.”