The Real Daughter Just Wants to Pilot Mechas - Chapter 81

After speaking, Lu Feng paused. “I just got word. The local army on Planet No. 333 has evacuated the civilians to a safe distance. Momo, go ahead and blow it up.”

Jiang Momo was still thinking about the training simulation. Hearing her name, she moved on reflex and then stopped. Something felt off. “How?”

“There are energy bombs stored on the warship. Just launch it like you would any regular weapon,” Lu Feng said casually while coordinating the evacuation.

“I don’t know how,” Jiang Momo replied.

She glanced at the control panel, silently switched the manual control to system control, and wiped the override record.

Of course she knew how to operate the warship’s weapons but the point was, she wasn’t supposed to know.

Lu Feng paused for a few seconds and then casually returned to the warship in his mecha. “You should consider learning to pilot a warship. It’s useful.”

“Thanks but there are too many buttons. It’s not really my thing,” Jiang Momo replied.

Just then, she finally figured out the thought that had flashed through her mind earlier.

On the way there, Lu Feng said the army hadn’t entered the Chaos Star System since destroying the interstellar pirate group’s private lab a few years ago. But that didn’t match up.

When she first arrived at the Jiang family, the butler had said she was discovered because a military unit passing by noticed all the alien beasts had moved to the planet’s dark side. She now knew her home planet was in the Chaos Star System. So Lu Feng was lying.

Why would he hide that?

It was well known that the Chaos Star System harbored the interstellar pirate hunter, skilled and capable of flying the spaceship to fight interstellar pirates and rescue captives. The hunter’s whereabouts are unknown and they haven’t been seen in a month, while her departure lines up with the start of the hunter’s disappearance.

Jiang Momo reviewed the image she’d projected to Lu Feng. Grew up in the Chaos Star System (which he had investigated), was skilled with mecha exoskeletons, and was experienced in combat, and if she also knew how to pilot a warship, that would complete the profile.

“Little Eight, which unit passed by the Chaos Star System on a mission? When did Lu Feng transfer from the Border Star System to the Capital Star?” Jiang Momo asked silently, staring at his back.

[Two months ago,] Little Eight replied, pulling Lu Feng’s record from the military database. [No other data available.]

That was a month before she was brought back.

Jiang Momo’s thoughts raced but she kept a calm face. She scanned the soldiers who had returned and noticed none of them were from the squad she’d seen before.

“Your usual squad didn’t come this time?” she asked from the doorway.

Lu Feng paused. “They’re on another mission.”

“Are there more alien beasts?” she asked.

“No, it’s a special assignment,” he replied.

“Oh.” Jiang Momo was silent for a few seconds.

Watching his fingers fly over the controls, she suddenly said, “I grew up on a planet full of alien beasts. A military unit passing by noticed something odd and contacted an inspection team. That’s how I was found. I’ve always wanted to thank them in person. Do you know which unit it was?”

Lu Feng’s hand trembled.

How did she know that detail? It wasn’t in any official report. The Jiang family really had pulled strings, accessing military secrets like that!

“It’s been a long time. Why ask now?” he asked with a smile.

“Is it too late?”

“Not really,” Lu Feng said, a little awkwardly. “Honestly, there’s no need to thank them. That unit just reported that all the alien beasts had moved to the planet’s dark side. They thought maybe something appeared on the planet’s bright side that could be used as a weapon, like a radioactive material.”

So he had reported it and then never followed up.

With the final keystroke, a cannon barrel extended from the bottom of the warship and launched a glowing projectile.

In the next second, a thunderous boom rang out, and smoke and dust filled the air. The alien beast and everything within a few hundred miles were vaporized, leaving a giant crater on the planet’s surface.

“Let’s go,” Lu Feng said.

He handed control back to the system, checked the override log, and then sat beside Jiang Momo.

She turned her head. “So you knew everything about me from the start. Then why, during the last alien beast eradication mission, did you…”

“I didn’t know from the start. When we first met, the time was too tight, so my people only managed to find out you were an instructor at the Central Mecha Academy,” Lu Feng explained. “The rest of the information was discovered only after we eliminated the alien beast last time.”

Jiang Momo nodded in understanding. “No wonder you suddenly had me deal with the alien beast alone this time.”

Lu Feng sighed. “There was no helping it. Aside from my direct unit, the others in the First Military District are always a bit lacking in experience when it comes to fighting the alien beasts. These hundred people were already the best of the best.”

“…That’s why I suggested keeping that alien beast from earlier to train with,” Jiang Momo said with slight disdain.

“That would be against regulations,” Lu Feng said firmly. “But if you’re willing, you can help us adjust the alien beast data in the simulation battles.”

Jiang Momo thought for a moment and agreed. “Sure. When?”

“Today, after we return. I’ll take you to the research institute,” said Lu Feng.

“No problem. I’m free this weekend,” Jiang Momo said readily.

At that moment, the soldiers present still had no idea their simulation battles were about to hit hell difficulty. They were still exchanging looks, curious why Jiang Momo had returned so quickly from Planet No. 332 and what exactly she and Major General Lu were talking about.

***

After returning to the military area, Lu Feng dropped off the soldiers and took Jiang Momo straight to the Equipment Management Office at the Military Research Institute.

The head of the office was an unassuming man. Upon seeing Lu Feng, he shot up from his chair and smoothly slid over to him, saluting. “Major General Lu, long time no see. What can I do for you?”

“We brought in an expert to help adjust the alien beast data in our simulation battles,” Lu Feng said directly.

The director looked past Jiang Momo to see who he was referring to but found no one else. He asked in confusion, “When is the expert arriving?”

“She’s right here.” Lu Feng placed a hand on Jiang Momo’s shoulder and pushed her forward a step.

The director was stunned but still shook her hand. “Hello, hello.”

On the way there, Jiang Momo had already reviewed footage of the soldiers’ previous simulation battles and had a rough list of necessary changes in mind. “Hello, should I explain the changes directly to you?”

“We have specialized tech staff,” the director replied.

He recognized Jiang Momo’s face since she’d been making waves recently but he was too busy to babysit a vanity project, so he casually picked a newcomer. “Major General Lu, since the scope of our simulation system is massive, we can only adjust a portion for now. How about Zone Z56?”

He’d thought it through. Zone Z56 belonged to a marginal unit of the First Military District, the weakest squad, and was typically used for unreliable reform and innovation trials.

Lu Feng refused. “Adjust Zone A1.”

The director was baffled and tried to dissuade him gently. “Isn’t Zone A1 usually very busy?”

That was the core unit. Was Major General Lu treating the troops like chess pieces?

“Which is exactly why they need focused training,” Lu Feng said firmly.

The director, still trying to reason with him, was interrupted by the panting arrival of the technician he’d just assigned. Clearly, she had sprinted from her office. “Director! I’m here. What do I need to do?”

Qin Chu hadn’t expected to be given a task from the director himself during her first week on the job. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Adjust the alien beast data for the Zone A1 simulation battle,” the director instructed.

Qin Chu froze. “Huh?”

She didn’t know how to do that.

“Do your best. If you run into trouble, ask your colleagues. Or ask me,” the director said, giving her a hearty pat and tossing in a casual bribe. “Do a good job and I’ll nominate you for the year-end award.”

Qin Chu nodded vigorously. “Director, I’ll do my best!”

“Take this expert to the control room. Major General Lu and I have something to discuss,” the director ordered.

“Yes. This way, please,” Qin Chu said, leading Jiang Momo to the right. Once they were out of the director’s sight, she looked up and immediately got excited.

It’s Teacher Momo!

“Teacher Momo, you also do research on virtual combat?” Qin Chu took a few deep breaths to contain her excitement and asked casually.

Jiang Momo replied, “I’m more familiar with the alien beasts.”

Qin Chu let out an awkward laugh. “You’re so funny.”

Who on the Capital Star ever gets to see an alien beast?

“Will adjusting the data be difficult? I have quite a few points I want to tweak,” Jiang Momo asked.

If it’s too hard, she could cut a few.

“It’s not hard,” Qin Chu said, though she didn’t actually know. But her idol was right in front of her, so how could she say no? “Just tell me what you want. I can change it all!”

Qin Chu was filled with passion and resolve, determined to show Jiang Momo her best work. Then she heard the specific requests… and instantly regretted everything.

“What? The alien beasts fighting in groups? Group attacks? Smart, coordinated ambushes? Timed upgrades? Special abilities?” Qin Chu’s mind buzzed and she blinked in disbelief.

That would require rebuilding the entire simulation system from scratch!

“Exactly. Ideally, every battle should have random numbers, levels, and types of alien beasts. And include leaderboards for battle completion time and total kills,” Jiang Momo said.

“Ambush and coordination are key, so make sure to include that. Do you have access to tactical strategy data? Feed it directly into the system. Also, each battle should have one alien beast king and 3 to 50 regular alien beasts.

“Next…” Jiang Momo pointed to the first alien beast in the database on screen. “Open this one up so I can check the data. Hmm… it’s wrong. In reality, this type has no special abilities, so its stats should be balanced. Max out the strength, speed, reaction time, and defense so I can see what it looks like.”

Qin Chu silently closed the floating user manual only she could see and started adjusting the settings with trembling hands.

“How many alien beast types are in this system?” Jiang Momo asked.

Qin Chu checked. “132.”

“Open this one,” Jiang Momo said, pointing to a dragonfly-shaped one in the middle.

Qin Chu clicked it.

“This data’s wrong too.” Jiang Momo scratched her head. “Let’s do this. Create a new alien beast database. We’ll start with ten common types and gradually build variants on top of those.”

Qin Chu’s eyes went blank for a second and then she gritted her teeth. “Alright. Give me the detailed stats or descriptions.”

“Let’s add each other first. I’ll send them to you as I go. Start building the base framework,” Jiang Momo said, pressing her wrist to Qin Chu’s.

[Jiang Momo]: [Image] For this type we just looked at, in every randomly generated battle, all stats must be consistent and above the median.

[Draft Animal Goes Back To Work]: Got it.