The Real Daughter Just Wants to Pilot Mechas - Chapter 94

It was another Tuesday.

Jiang Momo closed StarNet’s news page about the [Military Department’s Upcoming Holographic Game Launch] and looked at Yan Chang who was rambling on in front of her.

“Momo, the team battle mode is releasing today. You know I’m a huge fan of the game, so I won’t be able to keep you company for now. Make sure you rest early and don’t stay up too late. As for that A-grade mecha, finish it when you have time. If not, just let it sit for a while…”

Jiang Momo had heard those same nagging words so many times lately that her ears were practically growing calluses. She hurriedly agreed to everything and promised, “Don’t worry. I’ve been feeling great lately. They just installed simulation pods in our teacher dorms two days ago. You’ll see me online.”

“You’re planning to play too?” Yan Chang was surprised.

Over the past few days, Jiang Momo hadn’t shown any particular interest when he talked about the game and he thought she, as one of the planners, wasn’t enthusiastic about playing it.

“Of course.” Jiang Momo gave him a strange look.

Right now, only the First Military District is using the simulation battle setup. Those unlucky soldiers and the bunch of unlucky students didn’t need to worry about clearing the stages for the next few weeks.

When her walkthrough video dropped, it would sell like crazy!

Two days ago, after discussing with Qin Chu again, they adjusted the original system which made it too hard to earn points. Now, walkthrough videos can be purchased with either star coins or points.

If star coins were used, the proceeds would be split fifty-fifty and transferred into the individual account. If points were used, they’d all go into the creator’s account.

That was the only way they, as the publishers, could legally receive funds. The earnings would be distributed in a 7:2:1 ratio among Jiang Momo, Qin Chu, and the military respectively.

Yan Chang also realized how ridiculous his question was and said, “I wonder how they’ll group people in the team battle. If there’s a system, we could end up on the same team. I’ll cover you.”

“No need.” Jiang Momo raised a hand.

“Fine then, forget it.” Yan Chang handed his empty plate to the nearby robot, straightened the wrinkles on his clothes, stood up, and left in a hurry.

Jiang Momo continued eating her pork knuckle.

Two days ago, after the team battle mode was developed, Qin Chu had sent her a message. She had checked out the initial few rounds of battles and according to the combat setup, anyone who joined within the same ten-second window would automatically be grouped together. Those ten seconds were calculated from seconds 0–9.

That mechanic had already been figured out within a day of the battle going live and the First Military District already had teams close to clearing it.

Jiang Momo finished gnawing on the knuckle, wiped her hands, stood up, and headed back to the dorm.

There weren’t many people on campus. It was empty and quiet.

It had been like that ever since the simulation pods were installed. Jiang Momo glanced around and quickened her pace.

At that moment, inside the simulation pod, Yan Chang was spinning around excitedly in the virtual combat lobby.

It was a scene completely different from solo battle mode, with an endless, dazzling hall decorated in post-modern style. Countless avatars, clearly not AI, stood crammed together, occasionally disappearing.

“Can you hear me? Potato?” Yan Chang grabbed a potato-shaped avatar beside him and asked.

“Yes. Cherry Tomato,” the potato replied.

Yan Chang bent down with difficulty, catching a glimpse of a sea of red. He immediately pulled up his profile.

In the photo section of his profile was, shockingly, a cherry tomato. Next to the ID was a string of numbers and a [Rename] button.

He tapped [Rename] and a prompt popped up.

[You may only rename once for free. Please consider carefully.]

Yan Chang canceled, looked around the hall again, and found doorways labeled [Shop], [Start Battle], [Leaderboard], and [Combat Highlights] on the wall.

He headed straight for [Shop].

In the next second, the scene shifted to reveal a massive armory. Yan Chang stayed inside for a while but after confirming there was no way to exchange star coins for points, he left dejectedly and walked toward [Start Battle].

A banana walked alongside him.

When he could see again, they were on a vast, flat plain with no obstructions in sight. Around him, nine mechas were positioned and ready.

“What’s going on? Did you two miss your assigned team?” a strong voice came through the comms.

Yan Chang froze.

That voice didn’t sound like a student. Was it a teacher?

“Which company are you from? These two minutes were reserved for our squad’s training time. Didn’t we schedule it?” the voice continued.

Yan Chang was confused. “What squad? I’m a student.”

“Damn. Seriously? Two freeloaders? What kind of system is this?!” the voice spat. “Is that other quiet one your classmate?”

“No idea,” Yan Chang said irritably. He hated people swearing in front of him.

“This sucks. Whatever. Just stay behind us. We’ve been training for two days and are about to clear it. Don’t get in the way,” the voice said.

Yan Chang wasn’t about to obey. “Don’t worry about me. Do your own thing.”

Before the voice could respond, several low growls and clawing sounds echoed around them.

“What the hell?! Why are there so many alien beasts this round?!” a shocked voice came through the comms.

Yan Chang looked around and his heart dropped.

There really were a lot of alien beasts of all shapes and sizes surrounding them, nearly two hundred of them.

He’d never encountered so many before. The pressure from the alien beasts piled up like a small mountain making his limbs go cold.

“We can’t protect you. You’re on your own,” the voice said hastily. Eight mechas quickly shifted formation, standing back-to-back in a circle, putting Yan Chang and the other mecha in the middle.

Yan Chang immediately activated his weapon and particle guns replaced his hands.

“That weapon’s crap. Don’t use it. Just go in. You’ve got an S-grade mecha,” a female voice said over the comms.

Yan Chang thought the tone sounded strangely familiar, like Jiang Momo’s, but the voice was totally different.

He was so startled he cracked his voice. “Who the hell came up with that strategy?! I’ve got pain settings at 100%!”

That’s basically suicide!

No one responded. As the alien beasts closed in, Yan Chang started shooting during the gaps between the military’s salvos.

“You’ve got decent aim,” the previous voice said again. “Why isn’t your classmate doing anything?”

“She said to go in directly, no need for guns,” Yan Chang replied.

“Hahahahahaha, ridiculous!”

“For real. Who tries melee on their first alien beast encounter? Does she think she can punch them to death?”

The comms erupted in laughter.

Only then did Yan Chang realize he was the only one who had heard the girl’s voice earlier.

Their reaction made him completely abandon any fleeting thought of melee combat and continue firing.

But the alien beasts were too many. The protective circle of the military squad shrank under the pressure.

A curse rang out, “These crappy weapons only lightly wound them after several shots! We can’t kill two alien beasts even in half a day. What trash design. And this terrain sucks, there’s no cover at all.”

The mecha in front of him was nearly backed into him. He could see the saliva in the alien beast’s open maw. Phantom pain from previous bites surged up again.

In a panic, Yan Chang fired several more rounds. They were useless and just made the alien beast angrier.

Just as he gave up and braced for ‘death,’ the mecha beside him moved.

In the blink of an eye, it leaped straight into the alien beast horde. The sudden movement drew the alien beasts’ attention.

Yan Chang looked over.

The mecha had jumped incredibly high but hadn’t activated its thrusters, meaning she didn’t intend to fight in the air.

Under Yan Chang’s gaze, the mecha rapidly plummeted. Then, under the alien beast herd’s watchful and hostile eyes, it bent its arm and punched one of the alien beasts square in the neck.

That same alien beast, which had taken over a dozen bullets earlier without the slightest sign of weakness, collapsed with a loud crash.

“Every alien beast has a weak spot. If you can identify it, your fist can pierce it. If you can’t, then bullets are just surface wounds,” that female voice came through the comms again, in the same tone as before.

But this time, Yan Chang could hear the strength, calmness, and cold edge behind it.

His heart began to race wildly.

“This is the suspension bridge effect,” Yan Chang whispered to himself. But it was no use, as his cheeks had started to heat up. |7|

As Yan Chang tried to calm himself down, the mecha’s movements didn’t stop. The massive figure moved nimbly within the alien beast herd, perfectly dodging all their attacks and striking out from time to time.

None of the alien beasts struck by her fists ever got back up again. The other alien beasts clearly sensed danger. They grew noticeably more cautious and a few even tucked their tails slightly.

Oppressed by the sense of crisis, the alien beasts quickly ceased their reckless attacks. The situation on the field shifted into a tense standoff, rarely seen.

It was something that the First Military District members had never seen, not once in all their battles. They were so stunned they didn’t know where to put their limbs and some even began to wonder if the higher-ups had sent someone in to raise the difficulty level.

“What are you standing around for? Get in there!” that female voice rang out again.

The soldiers snapped out of their daze. Even Yan Chang put away his weapon and charged toward the alien beasts.

“Look for their weak points,” the female voice reminded them. “Don’t attack recklessly. If your first strike fails, you won’t get another chance.”

Yan Chang immediately lightened his steps. The image of the mecha’s attack posture replayed in his mind.

When he fought alone before, he knew nothing. All he did was bombard the alien beasts with artillery until they were blown into meat paste. He had never considered there might be another way.

But clearly, learning on the spot wasn’t very effective. Only two of them managed to successfully kill an alien beast.

Yan Chang quickly retreated, dodging a now-enraged alien beast that had taken a punch. When it lunged at him with jaws wide open, he reflexively shut his eyes tight.

Two seconds passed and the pain never came.

When he opened his eyes again, all he saw was the back of the mecha that had killed the alien beast in front of him and then strode away with casual grace.

Yan Chang’s heart began to pound again.

The battle ended with the complete annihilation of the alien beasts. Yan Chang was still a bit dazed as he left, not even noticing the banana-suited person brushing past him again.

Jiang Momo didn’t understand why, after everything she had just told Yan Chang, he still sounded like he hadn’t recognized her at all. She didn’t dwell on it. Instead, she walked straight to the highlight zone, uploaded the footage of the recent battle, priced it at 50 star coins or 5 points after a moment of thought, and then logged off, hiding her achievements and name.