The Real Daughter Just Wants to Pilot Mechas - Chapter 51

“When are you planning to go?” Wu Yue shook her drink and tapped the glass with her diamond-studded nails, sounding relaxed. “Just saying, if you want to use my ship, it’s going to cost a bit.”

“This weekend,” Jiang Momo said and then added, “Friday to Sunday.”

[That timing isn’t ideal!] Little Eight immediately jumped in to stop her.

Before it could finish, Wu Yue nodded. “Perfect. I was just planning to go to the Border Star System for a vacation. We can go together. I’ll give you a discount.”

“How much?” Jiang Momo asked.

“One hundred thousand per person,” Wu Yue said. “This ship cost over two hundred million. I need to earn it back somehow.”

Jiang Momo scratched her head and said silently to Little Eight, “That doesn’t sound so expensive. The repair money Yan Chang gave me is just enough for both me and E Mingjun.”

[I strongly suggest you don’t go. This isn’t the best time.] The Siamese cat hesitated.

It didn’t know how to put it but based on E Mingjun’s progress, finding out who the interstellar pirate hunter is was just a matter of time. However, the timing wasn’t right. The emotional bond between Jiang Momo and E Mingjun was developing slower than it had expected.

They weren’t at the point of mutual trust yet.

“But it’s cheap now!” Jiang Momo rushed to say. “If I wait any longer, I might not be able to afford it.”

[Have you considered this? In 36 days, it’s the anniversary of the victory in the Alien Beast War. There will be an 8-day holiday.] The Siamese cat pulled up a calendar for her.

[You could fly your own ship then.]

“True!” Jiang Momo hissed in realization and then looked up at Wu Yue who was staring at her. “Sorry, I just remembered something came up. I might not be able to go.”

“Is it too expensive? We can talk about the price! I’ll go as low as eighty thousand per person,” Wu Yue offered. “I’m only giving you that deal because of Boss Ling!”

The Siamese cat whispered, [You can go on your own during the holiday!]

“No need, thank you,” Jiang Momo refused through gritted teeth.

Just wait 30 more days? She could wait!

“Fifty thousand per person?!” Wu Yue also spoke through clenched teeth.

Jiang Momo paused and then silently said to Little Eight, “Why do I feel like if I wait a bit more, it’ll get even cheaper? I get it, Little Eight, you’re teaching me a new bargaining technique! You’re amazing! You’re even good at this!”

Firmly, Jiang Momo said, “I really appreciate it but I truly don’t have plans for this trip right now.”

“One hundred thousand for three people, no lower,” Wu Yue offered.

“Deal!” Jiang Momo glanced at Wu Yue’s expression and felt that it was the bottom price, so she agreed right away.

That way, she could bring Yan Chang along too. What a deal.

The Siamese cat covered its face. It’s over, totally over.

Wu Yue breathed a sigh of relief.

She hadn’t had the money to charge her ship’s energy lately. But if she didn’t go to the Hundred Flowers Planet in the Border Star System on the weekend, she’d have to wait five more years. She didn’t have any new goods to sell either. The old ones could barely keep her credit card balanced.

She had been planning to hit up Ling Yelin for some cash again but unexpectedly ran into Jiang Momo who also needed to go to the Border Star System. No way she was letting her slip by!

Wu Yue stretched out her arm. “But I need the money in advance.”

Jiang Momo reached out and bumped fists with her. “I’ve already transferred it.”

“It’s a pleasure doing business with you!” Wu Yue threw a flirtatious wink at Jiang Momo, raised her chin slightly, and lazily sank into the couch. “By the way, who are you bringing?”

“E Mingjun and Yan Chang.” Jiang Momo held her cup with both hands and took a sip of juice.

Wu Yue waved her hand. “Oh, my hometown buddy? If you’d said earlier…”

“Would it have been cheaper?” Jiang Momo asked curiously.

“Then I would’ve raised the price higher.” Wu Yue snapped her fingers. “And then dropped it from a super inflated price to now. He’d owe me a huge favor!”

[Don’t learn these useless tricks!] Little Eight quickly warned, seeing the way Jiang Momo looked like she was seriously taking notes.

“Oh.” Jiang Momo pulled her thoughts away from that brief epiphany.

Wu Yue was already used to Jiang Momo constantly mumbling to her light brain. It was a common habit among people from the Capital Star, nothing strange about it. She turned to look out the window.

A few minutes later, Wu Yue turned back. “Get ready, we’re almost there.”

Jiang Momo stood up at her words.

“Take out the materials beforehand. Spatial compression storage devices won’t pass the security check,” Wu Yue reminded her.

“I didn’t bring a spatial compression storage device,” Jiang Momo said, confused. She patted the white cloth bag slung over her shoulder and added, “The materials are in my bag.”

“That’s way too unsafe!” Wu Yue was shocked. “You’re walking around with something worth a whole apartment on the Capital Star! If you’re not using a spatial compression storage device, why not just mail it? At least there’d be an armed escort.”

Most spatial compression storage devices can only be accessed with the consciousness of the owner who stored the items, making them the most secure storage method currently in the Federation.

Jiang Momo shook her head in disapproval. “No need. It’s perfectly safe with me.”

Wu Yue didn’t get it but her habits told her not to push further. She efficiently operated the ship to hover in the right position.

Then, the ship emitted a beam of light that formed a platform, gently placing the two of them on the roof of the Mecha Parts Exchange trading center.

At that moment, Ling Yelin was waiting by the rooftop stairwell, chatting with others. When he saw Jiang Momo and Wu Yue arrive, he quickly ended the conversation and walked toward Jiang Momo.

“You’re here. The auction is about to start. I reserved a private room for you. If there’s anything you want, just press the button next to your seat. The cost will be deducted from the Golden Crow ore auction proceeds,” Ling Yelin said as he stopped in front of Jiang Momo.

“Okay, thank you.” Jiang Momo pulled the Golden Crow ore from her bag and handed it to him. “What are the main items up for auction?”

“Some rare and scarce items outside the Central Star System.”

Ling Yelin carefully took the ore with a gloved right hand and placed it on the tray held by a nearby attendant.

“In other words, most of it is stuff from the Chaos and Border Star Systems,” Wu Yue added quietly. “Except for your two precious items that are rare even in the entire galaxy.”

Jiang Momo responded with an ‘Oh.’

It didn’t sound that interesting.

“There’s free food in the private room. You can eat before you leave,” Ling Yelin said before turning away.

Once he disappeared from view, an attendant approached Jiang Momo. “Miss Jiang, please come with me.”

Jiang Momo glanced at Wu Yue.

Wu Yue waved casually. “I’m not going. That auction stuff is boring.”

“Alright, see you this weekend then.” Jiang Momo waved back and followed the attendant to the private room.

The private auction room was spacious, almost as large as the one-bedroom apartment at Jiang Momo’s academy dorm. Inside was a full set of super comfy-looking sofas and a stone coffee table with a small sensor icon on top.

Jiang Momo had seen the same thing when she and Yan Chang ate at a restaurant before. She skillfully reached out.

The menu immediately popped up before her eyes, all her favorites!

Jiang Momo thought for a moment and ordered one of everything.

Soon, a line of attendants came in with trays.

Jiang Momo buried her head in food. When she looked up again, the auction was already halfway through.

She thought for a moment and opened her light brain.

The Siamese cat was currently lying on its back on the screen, pondering the meaning of its cat life.

“Nothing worth buying?” Jiang Momo asked.

The Siamese cat looked wistful. [If there are any self-defense tools, you should buy a few.]

“Self-defense tools??” Jiang Momo was confused. “Is the Capital Star dangerous?”

[You could say that,] the Siamese cat sighed.

Jiang Momo: “???”

What’s going on? Little Eight had never been so pessimistic before!

Ten minutes later, a new auction item was pushed onto the stage. The host paused briefly upon seeing it and then picked up the description card.

“Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce this item in detail. This is the hand portion of a mecha exoskeleton with the wrist violently severed. It is said to have been accidentally left behind during a fight by the interstellar pirate hunter and was preserved by the rescued civilians… Starting bid at three hundred thousand.”

“Another interstellar pirate hunter,” Jiang Momo muttered, resting her chin on her hand, staring seriously at the mecha exoskeleton’s hand being zoomed in on the screen. “So Little Eight, these exoskeleton hands really aren’t sturdy. Mine also got knocked off in a mecha fight before… That was like four years ago?”

The Siamese cat was silent for a moment before answering, [Five years.]

“Oh, right, I forgot.” Jiang Momo scratched her head.

That day, she had been flying to another desolate planet to scavenge. Her own planet had already been stripped bare by her, so most materials had to be found on uninhabited ones. But not long after takeoff, the ship issued an alert of someone nearby calling for help. She immediately changed course.

Then came the familiar scene of cutting off the lights and rescuing the hostages. Everything went smoothly at first but later, a powerful mecha pilot from the interstellar pirate group appeared out of nowhere. If it hadn’t been for the fact that they were inside a ship and the mecha had limited mobility, she might not have gotten out in one piece.

That was the moment she became determined to learn mecha piloting!

“I’ll bid on this and give it to E Mingjun! He’ll love it! That’s his idol! But wow, this exoskeleton is so crudely made,” Jiang Momo muttered while slapping the bid button beside her seat and immediately messaged E Mingjun.

[Jiang Momo]: E Mingjun, guess what I just found at the auction? The interstellar pirate hunter’s discarded exoskeleton hand! [Picture] I remember you said they were your idol!

E Mingjun replied instantly.

[Stay Away From Me]: So room 666 is you?

[Jiang Momo]: Yup, you’re at the auction too? I ordered a whole table of food. Do you want to come eat?

E Mingjun quickly pushed the door open and came in. “I don’t like the interstellar pirate hunter. Don’t bid on it.”

“But I remember you said that day…” Jiang Momo tried to recall the conversation.

“I’m just looking for them, they’re not my idol.” E Mingjun sat naturally beside her, picked up the teapot from the table, and poured himself a cup.

“Alright, and there’s more good news. We can go to the Border Star System this weekend. Wu Yue’s spaceship is capable of continuous long-distance space jumps. A round trip only takes two days. Let’s invite Yan Chang too since he also likes the interstellar pirate hunter!” Jiang Momo said.

E Mingjun looked up, just in time to meet Jiang Momo’s sparkling eyes. The words ‘I don’t like the interstellar pirate hunter’ got stuck in his throat.

He lowered his gaze slightly to look at the teacup in his hand. “The interstellar pirate hunter isn’t quite what you think. They don’t hunt interstellar pirates, they hunt their wealth.”

“Thief robbing another thief?!” Jiang Momo blurted out.

She had originally thought the image of the interstellar pirate hunter kind of overlapped with hers and had been thinking about secretly asking Little Eight about it. Now she was glad she didn’t. Otherwise, she definitely would’ve been laughed at!

Little Eight had always taught her to be upright. She had never taken anything from the interstellar pirates. She always just rescued people and left!

“Exactly, thief robbing another thief,” E Mingjun said.

Jiang Momo looked at E Mingjun, hesitating.

E Mingjun gave a bitter smile. “I’m not an interstellar pirate.”

[He really isn’t,] Little Eight added from the side.

Jiang Momo scratched her face. “But you don’t like the interstellar pirate hunter. Is it out of a sense of justice?”

She didn’t think so.

“No.” E Mingjun let out a soft laugh, his eyes showing a trace of pain and confusion. “Because of my foster father.”

Jiang Momo had never seen E Mingjun show that expression before. She could tell he didn’t want to talk more about it, so she changed the subject. “So, what did you come here to buy today?”

E Mingjun was silent for a while. “I have something in the auction.”

“So do I!” Jiang Momo cheerfully rinsed a set of tableware and placed it in front of him. “The food here tastes pretty good, try some. Oh, by the way, you said earlier that you had a lead on the interstellar pirate hunter. What was it?”

“A witness contacted me and said they saw the interstellar pirate hunter by chance.”

“I see.” Jiang Momo tore off a leg from the large plate in the center of the table. “Well then, I hope you get what you’re looking for soon.”

“Thanks,” E Mingjun said.

***

By the time the auction ended, Jiang Momo still hadn’t managed to buy anything.

E Mingjun had already left before the auction finished.

As the event was about to wrap up, Jiang Momo opened her light brain and sent a message to Ling Yelin.

[Jiang Momo]: How much did my ore sell for?

She had been too focused on eating earlier to pay attention and only vaguely remembered the number starting with a six.

After a while, Ling Yelin replied.

[010]: Sixty-three million. Have you thought about what you want?

[Jiang Momo]: Not yet. Can I owe you for now?

[010]: You trust me that much? Aren’t you afraid I’ll run off with your money? Sixty three million isn’t exactly pocket change.

[Jiang Momo]: I’m not worried.

After all, Little Eight had deemed Ling Yelin an ‘upright’ person.

[010]: You really don’t want anything? A spaceship? Property? Land? A planet? Luxury goods?

[Jiang Momo]: Not at the moment.

[010]: Your lack of material desire is kind of a problem. I’ll write you an IOU, so go get it notarized.

[Jiang Momo]: Okay, thank you.

Soon, Jiang Momo received the IOU from Ling Yelin in her light brain. She searched for the nearest notary office and a pop-up appeared.

[This location is 100 kilometers away. Would you like to summon an autonomous aircraft with one click?]

Jiang Momo clicked ‘yes’ and two minutes later, an aircraft stopped by her window.

***

After finishing the notarization, Jiang Momo didn’t return to the academy. On the way, she sent a message to the class monitor, asking him to gather the class at the Mecha Arena for their practical lesson.

By the time she arrived at the arena entrance, the students were already lined up neatly. They looked incredibly well-behaved, standing tall and straight, disciplined like perfect students, if Jiang Momo ignored the fact that she had just seen them scrambling into formation after spotting the incoming aircraft.

The manager was also waiting at the entrance and immediately came forward to greet her. “Teacher Momo, are these the fifty assistants you mentioned? They’re all your students?”

“Yes.” Jiang Momo nodded a bit guiltily.

Was the manager realizing she was treating the arena like a teaching base and having second thoughts?

“They already know how to assemble some parts of B-grade mechas?” The manager wiped his cold sweat.

Eighty percent of the Central Mecha Academy’s mecha manufacturing students enter the Military Research Institute after graduation. Just the thought that future researchers whom he might never even get a chance to meet would be making mechas at his facility made him nervous.

He thanked his past self for taking time out of his busy schedule to show Jiang Momo around. The manager folded his hands in gratitude internally.