The Real Daughter Just Wants to Pilot Mechas - Chapter 75

“Momo!”

A voice full of excitement spilled out of Ge Qing’s throat from across the room.

Jiang Momo was in a daze, memorizing what she had to teach the students tomorrow. She barely lifted her eyelids. “What is it?”

“No need to memorize anymore! A former student of mine said he wants to join our study tour. He’ll do the teaching!” Ge Qing patted Jiang Momo’s shoulder with relief. “The Military Research Institute has strict rules. He’s the first one to ever come back and join one of our events!”

“Huh?” Jiang Momo blinked, not quite believing it. “None of your former students have ever come back to visit?”

Then did that mean all the geniuses she taught would disappear too?!

Ge Qing felt like her words stabbed him but he knew Jiang Momo wasn’t the real culprit. He still answered kindly, “The research institute is a military-run official institution. The management is strict. Unless you become part of upper management, you’re not allowed to leave for personal activities.”

“Not even for personal trips? No vacations?”

Jiang Momo’s bluntness made Ge Qing pause for a few seconds.

“I guess not. They still think of us though. They donated money and supplies for the school anniversary,” Ge Qing answered after thinking carefully.

Jiang Momo nodded and decided to ask the students directly tomorrow.

If the management really was that strict and she wouldn’t be able to see them again, then she wouldn’t stop Shi Qin from staying to become a teaching assistant.

The next day, at the entrance of the Central Mecha Academy’s Mecha Manufacturing Department, more than three thousand students were crowded together, all noisily discussing why the academic study tour had started so early. Their eyes kept drifting toward the corner.

The graduating class led by Jiang Momo stood neatly in that corner, not joining in the discussion. They looked quiet and composed, like they were deliberately keeping a low profile and hiding their achievements.

The ‘success guru’ Xiang Jiuming quietly leaned over to the class monitor Shi Qin and asked in a low voice, “Does the academy think we’ve met the graduation requirements? Are you planning to graduate early?”

Shi Qin gave him a silent glance and pushed his head away. “No.”

“Why not? The earlier we graduate, the higher our chances of getting into the Military Research Institute! That’s the dream of all mecha manufacturers across the Federation. Don’t you want that?”

Xiang Jiuming looked incredulous and started going on about the Institute, “My older brother works there. He’s already a level-seven researcher. You know how the researcher system works, right? From Level 12 and up is senior level and from Level 5 onward, you’re in management. Their benefits are amazing; light workload, eight-hour workdays, nine to five, one day on, two days off, and high social status.”

“One day on, two days off?!” Jiang Momo had just walked up to her students when she overheard and softly exclaimed in surprise.

Seeing Jiang Momo, Xiang Jiuming smiled a little sheepishly and then nodded with certainty. “Yes, but they have to live on the military base and can’t go out freely or take private jobs.”

Just as Xiang Jiuming finished speaking, Ge Qing arrived with someone in a light gray uniform, getting off a nearby aircraft.

The person looked young but carried an air of authority, chin slightly raised, scanning the students below with a disinterested look.

Jiang Momo frowned immediately under that gaze and quietly asked Xiang Jiuming, “Did your brother ever mention if the research institute has a tradition of senior staff bullying newcomers?”

Xiang Jiuming thought about it and then shook his head. “No.”

Jiang Momo patted his shoulder and gave him a small squeeze. “Maybe I misunderstood but I suggest you guys work on your muscle training before going in.”

The squeeze made Xiang Jiuming nearly jump. He quickly dodged to the side. “Got it.”

Ge Qing led Li Yu to the steps in front of the teaching building. With all the students watching, he raised his hand and said, “Everyone, quiet down. Let me introduce today’s important guest, level 6 repair technician Li Yu from the Military Research Institute’s Maintenance Department.

“Li Yu also graduated from Central Mecha Academy and was once my student. We’re honored to have him participate in our study tour today. Now, let’s have Teacher Li Yu explain some key notes for the trip.”

The students gasped when they heard Li Yu’s identity.

Li Yu raised his hand, his eyes sharp and condescending as he swept his gaze over the students below.

The crowd instantly fell silent.

“I only have three points to say,” Li Yu said. “First, follow orders and don’t wander. Second, stay quiet and request permission before speaking. Third, I’ll be going with the soon-to-graduate students, with their supervising teacher accompanying us.”

He lowered his hand and asked Ge Qing, “Which students are about to graduate?”

He was sent by the research institute, not to babysit. Talking to two or three students was already generous.

Ge Qing pointed at the group of fifty in the corner. “That class. The teacher next to them is Jiang Momo, their supervisor.”

Li Yu was startled by the number, glanced at Jiang Momo, and then nodded. “Got it. I’ll take them for this study tour.”

Ge Qing hesitated. “And the rest of the students?”

“I’ll leave a teaching projection at the location. Professor, you understand that it’s hard to get good results with too many people,” Li Yu replied. “Leave these fifty to me. Let them get used to the research institute’s work environment early.”

Ge Qing felt something was off but when he saw the smile on the face of his former student, he nodded in the end. “Alright, I’ll leave it to you.”

Li Yu turned to the students and raised his arm. “Let’s move out! That class and your teacher, follow me!”

With that, he boarded the spacecraft.

Jiang Momo waved to her students and followed him in.

Inside the ship, Li Yu sat right in the center, resting his hands on the armrests and propping his legs up on the small table, watching the students as they entered.

The seating inside was unusual, arranged in rings radiating out from the center. Each circle had a wide middle section, enough to lie down in.

“Stand by the walls. I have a few more rules,” Li Yu said as the students were only halfway in.

“First, I expect full respect during this trip. With military-style management, orders are to be followed. Second, don’t move around without permission. You all know the standard military posture, right? Unless told otherwise, stay like that. Third, I brought a lot of equipment and they’re pretty heavy, so later, each of you will carry some. You’re responsible for your own load. Don’t lose anything…”

Li Yu droned on while seated. Jiang Momo finished counting heads, closed the hatch, looked around, and simply said, “Everyone, find a seat. What are you standing for?”

Li Yu’s monologue was abruptly interrupted. His temper flared and he stood up, furious. “Teacher Jiang! Didn’t you hear what I said?! That includes you too, you know? Stand against the wall!”

Jiang Momo ignored him, walked over, and under Li Yu’s shocked and uncertain gaze, stood behind him, placed her hands on his shoulders, and pushed him firmly back into his seat.

“No need to be polite. Please, sit,” Jiang Momo said calmly, her hands still on his shoulders.

Li Yu tried to get up but her hands were shockingly heavy. The harder he struggled, the more pressure she applied. The joints in his shoulders even began to creak under the weight.

He froze and looked toward the students still standing at the door. Then he smiled coldly.

“Teacher Jiang, no matter how tough you act now, they’ll still end up in the research institute. I’ll be promoted to level 5 administrator in six months. What do you think will happen if no one’s there to look after them? I’m giving them a chance, you know? If you apologize now, I can pretend this never happened.”

Jiang Momo took a deep breath, her mind spinning rapidly.

What should she do in this kind of situation? She couldn’t flip the table like in a game, not when her students were involved. She had to think for their sake.

So this is what it feels like to have a weakness.

It would’ve been easier if they just let her teach from the start.

Jiang Momo looked a little troubled. “So you rushed over here just to exercise your authority early?”

“Who said I came on my own?” Li Yu shot her a sideways glance.

Jiang Momo lowered her head and helped straighten the already perfectly neat collar of his shirt, silently calculating how much force it would take to knock him out just enough to make him forget the last few minutes.

Li Yu looked at Jiang Momo, who was now ‘gently’ fixing his collar in a show of submission, with the triumphant air of a victor. He turned back to the students and barked, “Stand properly! Didn’t you hear me?”

The students started moving, lining up neatly along the wall.

Jiang Momo suddenly raised her hand. “Wait! Nobody moves yet!”

At that moment, her light brain received an email from the military department, signed by Major General Lu.

[Momo, I previously bought you a pass to visit the Maintenance Department at the research institute. But now it seems like you won’t need it. The institute won’t refund it, so since you’re doing a study tour, I’ve assigned you a teaching assistant. Just tell him what to do. If he doesn’t cooperate, here’s the complaint contact.]

“9908536.”

Before Li Yu could figure out why Jiang Momo was suddenly being defiant, he heard a string of numbers softly uttered from behind him. He instantly broke out in goosebumps.

“You—!” Li Yu spun around and, seeing Jiang Momo’s smile, quickly changed his tone. “Oh! You should’ve said you were the one who submitted the order! You have connections like that and still talked to me so politely. How embarrassing.”

He’d known before coming that the order came from Major General Lu. Otherwise, no matter the cost, the research institute wouldn’t have allowed anyone to participate in an event like a study tour.

Jiang Momo blinked. His attitude changed way too fast.

“If I call this number, will your pay get docked?”

In Jiang Momo’s understanding, getting your pay docked was already the most severe punishment.

Li Yu shook his head slightly. “I’d be put in solitary confinement, worse than prison. Even the most rebellious types learn to behave fast in there.”

“Is your research institute always this intense?” Jiang Momo asked.

“I’ve already toned it down a lot so I don’t scare the students away,” Li Yu said meekly. “When I first joined, I didn’t greet the senior class and got summoned to their dorm in the middle of the night to hold a plank position till morning.”

Jiang Momo: “…”

“You didn’t fight back?” she asked.

“There’s no way to fight back. No one in society dares to hire someone who’s dropped out of the research institute.” Li Yu sighed, sneaking a glance at her face. When he saw she seemed to believe him, he relaxed a little.

Jiang Momo noticed the expression and raised a brow, quietly sending a message to Lu Feng to confirm if it was true.

“Everyone sit down,” she called to the students still standing awkwardly.

Instead of moving immediately, they first looked at Li Yu and then went to sit as far away from the two of them as possible.

Xiang Jiuming sat right next to Shi Qin and whispered, “No wonder Teacher Momo told me to build muscle earlier. This is just bullying. My fantasy of the research institute is shattered. I’ll train with you a bit longer before going in.”

Shi Qin glanced at him. “I’m not going in. I’m going to be Teacher Momo’s assistant.”

From the attitude of the senior from the research institute, it was obvious Teacher Momo had completely outclassed him. So why throw himself into a pit when he could stay close?

E/N:
Me: Lemme combine mecha manufacturer’s level and mecha’s grade, my mistake.
Research institute: Lemme introduce to you our exclusive mecha manufacturer’s level.