…
"Well, we've done everything we can for your fiancée. We've reattached her severed arm and ribs, but her current condition is psychological paralysis. What she needs to overcome now is a mental barrier."
The functional Mecha Girl in a white coat shook her head helplessly.
You really do see all kinds of strange cases these days.
It's common enough to hear of Mecha Girls becoming paralyzed due to psychological issues, but for a pilot? That's rare.
Mecha Girls may have fully mature appearances, but from birth to standing on the exhibition stage, it's only been about a year. During the AI Core phase, they absorb common knowledge and a wide range of information, but emotionally, they can't compare to humans.
Most pilots are adults.
They've spent at least eighteen years navigating the complexities of human society.
When facing disaster or adversity, pilots usually have stronger psychological resilience than Mecha Girls. That's precisely why Mecha Girls must have pilots. A pilot's responsibility isn't just assisting with driving—they're also a mentor and companion, responsible for the Mecha Girl's mental well-being.
Of course, there are rare cases where a Mecha Girl absorbs negative information during the AI Core phase, resulting in a twisted personality or even moral corruption. But those are exceptions. Most Mecha Girls are relatively simple and pure.
"Is there really no other way?"
The one who spoke wasn't Howard Wang, but Chloe Qin, lying pale on the hospital bed.
Psychological paralysis… Did that mean she would never be able to return to the racetrack?
"That's your own issue. If you can overcome your fear, you'll recover." The functional Mecha Girl glanced at Chloe Qin, then lowered her head and continued writing in her notes.
"How can she overcome her fear?" Howard Wang asked quickly.
"That depends on how she ended up like this—and who caused it. The best way to face fear is to defeat it."
Chloe Qin's face turned even paler. The race from yesterday replayed uncontrollably in her mind.
Yellow sand filled the sky. The wind howled outside the window. A tornado loomed overhead like a collapsing firmament. Outside the car, Imperial Scale was like a maddened beast, forcing her and Blazing Wind toward the abyss.
They had no room to resist.
That powerlessness. That helplessness. That despair.
The terror of brushing past death's door…
"Ah—!!!"
Chloe Qin suddenly let out a shrill scream.
A sharp smell quickly spread through the hospital room.
The functional Mecha Girl twitched her nose and looked at Chloe Qin with obvious disdain.
She'd heard that this pilot had already wet herself once on the track—right in the Mecha Girl's cockpit.
And now she'd done it again.
With nerves like that, she still wanted to race?
Seriously?
"Our sheets are sterile bedding specially supplied by Mecha Island. One set is $ 1,000. With the quilt and everything included, that's $ 5,000 total. As VIPs, you get a 20% discount—$ 4,000. Card, cash, or QR payment?"
Like a magician pulling props out of nowhere, the functional Mecha Girl suddenly produced a POS machine and a QR code. Howard Wang was momentarily stunned.
He took out his bank card and scanned the code.
Looking at Chloe Qin—lying there limp, half-crazed and paralyzed—gave him a splitting headache.
"Her fear comes from another racer and her Mecha Girl," Howard Wang sighed. "So if she wants to overcome it, she has to get back on the track. Otherwise, she may never stand up again."
He still wanted to fight for his fiancée. "Is there any way to let her return to racing?"
Seeing his sincere attitude, the functional Mecha Girl thought for a moment.
"There is a way. But it costs a lot."
She glanced at the bodyguards behind him and nodded. "You look well-off. This probably won't be an issue for you."
"Please, tell me." Hope flickered in Howard Wang's eyes.
"Her limbs can't move, but her brain still functions. We can use Mecha Island's technology to create something similar to an AI Core and link it directly to her brain. Then we connect that core to a Mecha Girl. That way, she can still pilot. Normally, we can also attach mechanical limbs to the core so she can move around."
She tilted her head, looking both cute and slightly confused.
"It's just that… she might end up looking a bit like a mechanical spider."
A spider…
Howard Wang struggled to picture it.
The whole procedure sounded outrageous. Whether to go through with it would depend on Chloe Qin.
"Chloe… Little Moon. What do you think?"
"I—I'm willing to undergo the modification!" Chloe Qin's eyes widened as she gasped for breath. "As long as I can get back on the track, I'll do anything!"
"Oh, you'd better think it through," the functional Mecha Girl warned. "It's very painful. We'll have to replace your spine with a sodium-fiber alloy… As for the price, it starts at 500 million. Payment upfront before we begin."
"I'm not afraid of pain. As for the money…"
Chloe Qin turned and looked at Howard Wang pitifully.
Howard Wang sighed.
In the end, he didn't refuse.
In the past, he wouldn't have blinked at spending money on Chloe Qin.
Now, for some reason, he genuinely felt a trace of irritation.
Each time he cleaned up her mess, his tolerance seemed to shrink a little more.
"Five hundred million it is." Howard Wang took out two bank cards and stuffed them into the functional Mecha Girl's hands. "The PIN is six ones. There's 300 million in each. Go ahead and arrange the modification."
The functional Mecha Girl couldn't help marveling at how rich humans could be.
After finishing Chloe Qin's records, she left with the two bank cards.
"Howard Wang, thank you." Chloe Qin looked deeply moved.
"Mm. It's nothing." Howard Wang replied flatly, rubbing his temples. "I have company matters to handle, so I need to go back. I'll leave two bodyguards here. If anything happens, tell them or call me… I'll have the housekeeper come change your sheets and blankets right away."
After saying that, he left quickly.
Chloe Qin leaned back against her pillow, completely unaware of the change in Howard Wang's mood.
She wasn't in the state of mind to notice.
To her, as long as he was still willing to spend money on her, it meant he still loved her—especially five hundred million.
Right now, her heart was filled with only one thing.
Hatred.
Hatred toward Derek Su.
She had to return to the track. She had to overcome her fear, wash away her humiliation, and restore her body.
Not live on like some half-human, half-machine monstrosity.
Knock knock knock—
A knock sounded from outside.
"Who is it?" a bodyguard asked.
"It's Blazing Wind."
Blazing Wind was Chloe Qin's Mecha Girl, so the bodyguard let her in.
He opened the door.
Blazing Wind, now changed into casual clothes, walked in with a cold expression, holding a bag of documents.
"Blazing Wind!" The moment Chloe Qin saw her, her face twisted. "How dare you come see me? Get out! If it weren't for you, would I be like this? Get out! You'll never set foot on the racetrack again. Go back to the furnace and be reforged!"
"Chloe Qin."
Blazing Wind looked at the woman who had once piloted her, her gaze devoid of warmth or attachment.
"I'm here to apply for termination of my contract with you and BSC Club."
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
p-@-treon/GhostParser (40 Chapters Ahead)
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.