DL-02 came over with an imposing air.
Her high heels clicked sharply against the racetrack with every step.
Richard Cheng, trailing behind her, had far less presence.
He was wearing the finest racing suit and certainly looked the part, but the instant his eyes met Derek Su's, the little bit of confidence he had managed to gather vanished without a trace.
There was nothing he could do. Derek Su had beaten the fear into him.
Richard Cheng was just a rich kid who had never really weathered any hardship. He did have some talent, but 80 percent of how far he had come was thanks to money. After all, the boost a top-tier Mecha Girl provided in a race was undeniable. From the starting line, he already stood a step above ordinary pilots and their Mecha Girls.
Add in all kinds of advanced Modules tailored to offset his Mecha Girl's weaknesses, and it was only natural that he had stayed far ahead for such a long time.
But that overwhelming lead had been completely broken once Derek Su appeared.
In the past, when competing against racers from other clubs, he still had a real chance at the championship.
Now, he could basically only hover around the top three.
That was no small blow to Richard Cheng.
Before leaving home today, he had even drunk a Coke to psych himself up.
His main opponents were Derek Su and Imperial Scale, and deep down, he was nervous. People said alcohol gave cowards courage, and on the way to the racetrack, he kept thinking about DL-02's formidable performance and the excellent Modules he had installed for her, convincing himself there was nothing to fear. But now that he was looking at Derek Su, all that mental preparation collapsed completely.
"Imperial Scale, we meet again!" DL-02 lifted her chin, her cool gaze fixed on Imperial Scale. Deep in her eyes burned a fierce fighting spirit. "I thought you wouldn't dare show up. After all, if you lose this race, your DL-01 model will exist in name only. But I suppose as long as you never race me, you'll still technically remain the first Mecha Girl of the DL model."
"All roads lead to Rome." Imperial Scale's lips curved as she took Derek Su's arm of her own accord.
Her red lips parted slightly. "And I was born in Rome!"
Rome was a prosperous ancient nation in this world, a glorious place everyone yearned for.
Imperial Scale's meaning could not have been clearer.
Seeing Imperial Scale and Derek Su acting so close, the chill in DL-02's eyes deepened.
Unfortunately, DL-02 still had no idea that Derek Su and Imperial Scale had already signed a Core Contract. Otherwise, her confidence would probably have shattered on the spot.
"Those who do not deserve their position will be driven out of Rome in the end."
DL-02 walked past Imperial Scale, brushing by her as she headed toward the starting position she shared with Richard Cheng.
Without looking back, her indifferent voice drifted over once more. "Imperial Scale, I hope you can still keep that smug look when you reach the finish line!"
Richard Cheng met Derek Su's eyes, smiled awkwardly, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and followed DL-02 to take his position.
Derek Su, however, was slightly taken aback.
Ever since Imperial Scale had arrived at the club, she had always seemed cold, but that coldness was more like a calm, lazy detachment with no aggression behind it. Today was the first time he had seen Imperial Scale look so openly combative.
Still, Richard Cheng really had come well prepared today.
Derek Su watched DL-02's back, and DL-02's stats appeared in his mind.
[Drifting: 79]
[Acceleration: 90]
[Cornering: 77]
[Boost Charge: 0]
[Stability: 90]
[Impact Resistance: 99]
[Endurance: 95]
Compared to when he had seen DL-02 before, her attributes had changed drastically.
Her Acceleration in particular had received a huge boost.
Derek Su compared DL-02's current panel with the one he remembered from before and found that her total attributes had increased by a full 10 points. Since it was unlikely she had improved that much through short-term training, there was only one explanation left: a Module. With a total attribute bonus of at least 10, it was obvious Richard Cheng had spent a fortune and directly equipped DL-02 with a gold Module.
A gold Module, and an Acceleration Module at that.
If he remembered correctly, that should be in the 50 million range.
That was enough to buy a full ten thousand Stella units!
"Hiss. Damn, you evil capitalist!" Derek Su gritted his teeth inwardly, his eyes turning red.
That bastard Richard Cheng already had 14 top-tier Mecha Girls, didn't he?
How much money did he even have?
With that much money, couldn't he spare some for Stella Club?
In the future, they could even reserve a little corner of every championship trophy for the ESW club's naming rights. What a bargain!
"Master."
Just as Derek Su was gritting his teeth and indulging in his daydreams, Imperial Scale's cool voice came from behind him.
"Hm?" Derek Su turned to look at Imperial Scale and froze slightly.
For the first time, he saw such extreme seriousness and resolve in Imperial Scale's eyes.
It was a longing for honor.
A desperate defense of her own standing.
"Today, I want to win!"
She spoke each word clearly.
It was not a plea. It sounded more like a statement of something that absolutely had to be done.
Derek Su understood. Back at the Bana Valley Training Race, when facing Caio Yang and Comet, Stella had said something similar. That race had been dangerous, but in the end, he and Stella had still given everything they had and defeated Caio Yang and Comet.
"Good." Derek Su's gaze sharpened, and he nodded seriously.
Back then, he had led Stella to beat Caio Yang and Comet.
Today, he could lead Imperial Scale to beat Richard Cheng and DL-02.
And Caio Yang was even a Techmaster!
Richard Cheng was nothing more than a rich kid with money.
[All competitors, please prepare for the start!]
At exactly five o'clock, the announcement rang out. Derek Su and Imperial Scale exchanged a glance and entered deployed mode.
...
At the same time.
In a villa somewhere.
Eternity stared at Lucy Luo, who was still snoring away on the bed, and the corner of her mouth twitched.
She gritted her teeth. The light in her heterochromatic eyes could no longer remain calm, and a flicker of anger rose in their depths.
She turned, went to the storage room, and brought back a megaphone.
Leaning close to Lucy Luo's ear as she sprawled across the bed, Eternity took a deep breath.
Then she roared, "Master!!"
"The Mermaid Bay Advanced Race has already started, and you're still asleep?!"
"Get up right now!"
The deafening shout finally jolted Lucy Luo awake.
She shot up from the bed like a corpse springing back to life, staring blankly at Eternity and the megaphone in her hand.
Still dazed, she asked, "Wh-what? Did they find a sleeping mermaid in the Golden Rooster Reservoir behind our place?!"
Eternity: "…"
She was so tired.
She really wanted to knock Master out and sell her off.
...
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