The Real Daughter Just Wants to Pilot Mechas - Chapter 186

Lu Feng’s smile faded. His expression turned serious and he slowed his pace, falling behind the group.

Jiang Momo sensed something was off. She glanced at the growing distance between them and the others and straightened her posture. “What’s the problem?”

Lu Feng hesitated for a moment. “As a member of the military, I’m glad you’re here. But as your friend, I don’t think you should stay.”

“Why?” Jiang Momo asked.

“Remember the list you gave me?” Lu Feng said quietly.

“Of course,” she replied, slightly surprised.

“I told them I hadn’t looked at it before submitting it, but I did. And the list they ended up publicly releasing is not the same one we gave them.” Lu Feng kept his voice low, barely above a whisper. “The screening criteria we used had a threshold of seven minutes. That shouldn’t have changed. And…”

“And?” Jiang Momo prompted.

“A new technical advisor just joined the military,” Lu Feng said quickly. “She transferred in from the research institute.”

It was clear the higher-ups planned to pin the blame on Jiang Momo. She’d have little room to grow within the military, even though she was clearly someone whose capabilities increased the higher she rose.

“Qin Chu?” Jiang Momo asked.

“Yes.” Lu Feng nodded. “Sorry, I don’t have much say. I even got warned by the military for speaking up for you on the StarNet. Do you want to meet Qin Chu? I can help you arrange it.”

Jiang Momo thought for a moment. On the way there, the President had said he’d ask Qin Chu to clarify things for her and would go live to broadcast their location, drawing the public’s attention to the front lines. She had to enter battle before the public could ‘arrive,’ but…

She looked up at the President who had made sure not to let himself be caught on camera and turned to Lu Feng. “Thank you.”

“No need to be polite. I’ll contact you once I’ve set it up.” Lu Feng waved his hand, hesitated a moment, opened his mouth as if to say something, and then paused.

“What is it?” Jiang Momo asked.

“Just a personal suggestion… If you join the military now, you probably won’t be placed in a high-ranking position. Your talents might not be fully utilized,” Lu Feng finally voiced his thoughts with some hesitation.

“Position doesn’t matter. As long as I show up, it’s enough.” Jiang Momo’s tone was uncertain.

Lu Feng frowned and was about to say something when the President, surrounded by a crowd ahead, finally noticed someone missing beside him. He turned his head and spotted her.

“Why didn’t you keep up?” The President casually placed a hand on Jiang Momo’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s talk about that plan. We’re preparing a spectacular entrance for you. Do you have any ideas?”

Jiang Momo immediately felt the weight of all the surrounding gazes turning on her. The complex, fervent attention made her unusually uncomfortable. She returned each stare, one by one, until they all looked away. Only then did she withdraw her gaze.

“Mr. President, I remember you said you’d go live when we arrived.” She glanced at the media personnel being blocked by the crowd from filming the area.

The President’s eyes flicked from side to side. “That’s why we’re thinking of devising a tight plan first, to minimize risk and maximize benefit.”

The explanation sounded logical if you ignored the slightly guilty look in his eyes.

Jiang Momo stared at the President’s face for a long moment and asked again, “So when will Qin Chu help clarify things for me?”

The President turned to look at a military official beside him.

That man froze for a second and then said, “Oh, I just asked. Qin Chu’s currently out doing on-site inspections at the battlefield. She won’t be back for a few days.”

“Where is she inspecting? I’ll go too. I have something to say to her,” Jiang Momo said, locking eyes with the President.

“She’s in a remote area, on the outskirts. Not many alien beasts there. We analyzed it already and it’s not dramatic enough. But don’t worry, the military will have her clear things up before we go live. Oh, and I’ve already notified your colleagues from the research institute, so they should be arriving soon. You should get ready.”

***

It wasn’t until Jiang Momo leaped into the mecha cockpit under the watchful eyes of the media that Lu Feng finally understood her intention amidst the noisy chatter of the research institute’s members.

“Where’s the Mo Faction? Get the Mo Faction to the front! We need something heart-wrenching!”

“Interstellar pirates, stay back a little. Don’t get involved.”

“Lighting! Audio, ready! Cameramen, keep a bit of distance! Once we officially start shooting, adapt as needed, okay? We must capture that fearless and heroic vibe!”

Vice Director Liu was barking orders at the top of her lungs. She grabbed Shi Qin who had accidentally backed out of the frame and shoved him back in. “More emotion! Understand? Your teacher’s going to the battlefield, get those tears flowing!”

Lu Feng’s gaze passed over the red-eyed maintenance crew, the sea of media personnel hauling gear, the legendary mecha ahead stretching its joints a little stiffly, and finally, the research team bustling about behind the scenes.

“Control the public narrative, okay? Absolutely control it. If Director Jiang actually kills an alien beast, talk up her mental power. If she doesn’t encounter one, praise her courage. And if her mental power gives out mid-fight, cut to Shi Qin and the others’ expressions…”

Vice Director Liu was nagging relentlessly. Still uneasy, she sat down in front of the main monitor. Beside her, the director who had just won the Federation’s top film award, and used the prize money to buy a ticket to escape their star system, was now sweating buckets after being ‘recruited’ to the frontlines by the authorities.

Jiang Momo rolled her shoulders in the cockpit, scanning the people working furiously below, and then flicked her eyes toward the camera nearly shoved in her face. She let out the faintest hiss under her breath. “This is a bit much, isn’t it?”

Vice Director Liu and the director both looked up toward the source of the voice above them.

“General Lu, do you think something’s wrong?” Vice Director Liu stood.

The director also scrambled to his feet.

Lu Feng pointed at the screen showing a close-up of Jiang Momo’s face. “If the camera pulls back a little and captures her full body, that’d be best.”

Vice Director Liu hesitated. “I know full-body shots are more aesthetically balanced, but our Director Jiang, even though she’s the one who developed the mecha, has never piloted one before. A full-body shot could expose that…”

“Did Jiang Momo tell you she’s never piloted a mecha before?” Lu Feng frowned.

Vice Director Liu paused. “Well, no, but…”

But can someone really be good at everything? Is there even any justice left in the world?!

E/N: I know the president was sus but I didn’t expect he was in cahoots with the military!