Derek Su drifted off to sleep still savoring the feeling in his hands, and woke up the next morning with dark circles under his eyes.
During breakfast, Mr. Liang spotted him and immediately began scolding:
"You're taking your pilot qualification exam today—do you think it's easy? What were you doing all night instead of sleeping?"
"Grandpa Liang, Master did sleep last night," Stella said as she sipped her fish soup, defending him. "He probably just had a lot of dreams… very intense ones, so…"
Mr. Liang: "???"
Why did young people speak so cryptically these days? He could barely follow.
"I know the Knox Rally starts tomorrow. You're excited and anxious, too restless to sleep, maybe even dreaming about the race," Mr. Liang said in a comforting tone. "It's good to feel pressure, but you also need to manage it. Remember— the Knox Rally is only the starting point of official racing. There are many more challenges waiting for you."
Derek Su silently nodded while drinking his soup, unable to explain the truth.
He definitely had not dreamed about the race…
"Right, do you remember Caio Yang, the VVC Club pilot you raced yesterday? The Techmaster."
"I remember." Derek Su looked up. "Stella already told me about how incredible Techmasters are."
"Good. As long as you know." Mr. Liang frowned, cheeks tightening. "In the future, if you encounter a Techmaster, never get into conflict with them—especially on the track. Don't provoke them. If they provoke you, ignore it. If you're capable of overtaking, then overtake when the chance arises. But don't say a word."
Derek Su froze.
How was that any different from being a coward?
In his past life, he lived by the motto "ignore women, drive like a god," but his personality had always been bold—he never let a grudge go.
If someone provoked him on the track, he'd make them call him daddy on the next Cornering.
"Why?" Stella asked, voicing exactly what Derek Su was thinking.
"No need for 'why.'" Mr. Liang clearly didn't want to go into detail. "Just remember what I said."
Derek Su and Stella nodded. They'd listen—whether they followed through was another matter entirely.
"Mr. Liang, do you know how someone becomes a Techmaster?" Derek asked.
"I do. But you're still far from that. When you manage to win first place in the provincial competition— the Panlong Mountain Circuit—then come ask me again. But let me warn you in advance: getting the qualification to awaken as a Techmaster is extremely difficult. Becoming one is even harder. You can treat it as a goal, but not as your belief or your life's sole pursuit."
Mr. Liang sighed, a flash of regret and melancholy passing through his eyes.
Racers and Mecha Girls, in a sense, were beings who fought for their beliefs.
And if those beliefs collapsed, it would be devastating.
"Alright, go take your driver's exam. There's a lot to do today. Finish early and come back—I have something to discuss with you later."
Mr. Liang briskly cleared the table without checking whether they'd finished eating—his usual way of sending people off.
Derek Su and Stella exchanged looks and watched his hunched figure disappear into the kitchen.
...
10:00 AM — [Driving School]
Beep beep beep beep beep beep…
Stella stared at the chain of consecutive corners ahead, trembling from head to toe.
Although none of them were particularly difficult hairpins, there were so many of them.
"Stella, relax! Don't be scared!" Derek stood on the viewing platform, cupping his hands like a megaphone as he shouted to the row of Mecha Girls lined up before the Cornering.
He had already finished his own test. Those driver skill tasks were child's play to him—easier than the driving exams from his previous life.
It was clear that due to the advancement of Mecha Girls, the threshold for becoming a driver in this world had become laughably low.
"That white-haired Mecha Girl is yours? She looks kinda dumb. Shaking like that, hahaha~"
A few racers beside Derek, also watching their own Mecha Girls being tested, teased him when they saw Stella's nervousness.
"She is a bit silly," Derek laughed. He didn't mind friendly teasing.
"Young man, relax. The exam can be taken twice a month. If she fails this time, she can try again. Don't be fooled by how calm mine looks—she's already taken this bend ten times." The older racer lit a cigarette and exhaled with a weary expression as he looked at his Mecha Girl.
Each attempt cost ten thousand dollars, and if the guardrails got smashed, he had to pay for those too.
He hadn't even begun upgrading her Modules yet; just the tests were already draining a household that wasn't well-off to begin with.
His wife had left him, his child wouldn't acknowledge him—though of course, it wasn't because he was obsessed with his Mecha Girl's body.
"Mine is on her third try," another guy said, shaking his head.
"Hahaha, mine's on her fifth."
...
The racers shared embarrassing stories about their Mecha Girls while Derek listened quietly. He realized Stella was the only one taking the exam for the first time.
The consecutive C-curves ahead were considered the "devilish exam" by most Mecha Girls.
Training races didn't require an official license, but participating in the Knox Rally did.
Derek focused on Stella's back, her status panel appearing clearly in his mind.
[Drifting: 21 points]
[Acceleration: 85 points]
[Cornering: 40.5 points]
[Boost Charge: 85 points]
[Stability: 72 points]
[Impact Resistance: 77 points]
[Endurance: 81 points]
With the [Hurricane] Module installed, Stella's Cornering had reached 40, while other attributes dropped slightly.
Two days prior, Derek had calculated carefully that with Cornering 40, Stella could handle all eight consecutive C-curves at a slower speed. Combined with the advanced techniques he'd taught her, completing the sequence shouldn't be an issue.
Glancing at the other Mecha Girls' stats, he noticed many had better Cornering than Stella.
The reason they couldn't clear the sequence was simply a lack of technique and experience.
"Do your best, Stella."
He recalled the note he'd found in her room that morning—his cornering techniques copied a thousand times and plastered across her wall like a strange wallpaper.
...
"Slow down early, don't brake, accelerate after clearing two-thirds of the turn!"
"Handbrake + downshift + steering wheel + throttle = drifting!"
Stella whispered to herself repeatedly, eyes locked on the chain of corners, steam practically rising from her forehead.
This was her first time facing the bends alone without Derek nearby. The fact that she wasn't curled up in fear was already impressive.
"Stella, you've got this. It's just a chain of corners. Just use Master's cornering secrets!"
"What are you muttering?" the Mecha Girl next to her asked with a sideways glance.
"N-nothing." Stella shrank back half a step.
Without Derek at her side, she felt like she was about to curl up into a ball.
"Nervousness won't help," the Mecha Girl snorted. "I've challenged this chain of bends ten times. This time I'm going to clear it. Just watch—you'll be jealous!"
She was about the same height as Stella, with a mane of fiery red hair. She thumped her chest confidently, her bright smile shining—though her A-cup chest didn't move at all.
"Whoa, so you're a senior who's taken this ten times?" Stella's eyes sparkled as she rubbed her hands together. "Do you have any secret tips?"
"Hmph, you're asking the right person." The redhead raised her chin. "The secret is… close your eyes and charge forward! Just do it!"
Stella: "…"
This was a bending exam. Master told her to watch the road and face her fears—not close her eyes.
Was this Mecha Girl… giving up entirely?
[Mecha Girl UN-70X, prepare for testing!]
The broadcast suddenly sounded.
The red-haired Mecha Girl jolted, pupils shrinking, her whole body trembling.
"A-ah! Y-yes, I'm ready! O-Ollie!"
"Senior… why are you shaking…" Stella poked UN-70X's waist.
"Brrr… what do you know?" The redhead glared at her. "This is a very special warm-up technique! Brrr…"
Stella: "…"
UN-70X then deployed her chassis, finally stopping her trembling.
As the test signal sounded, Stella faintly heard an "Ollie!"
Moments later, the red compact car shot forward like a wild colt, smashing through four guardrails before screeching to a halt.
[UN-70X test complete. Evaluation: Failed!]
Stella: "…"
Thanks to her senior's "sacrifice," she suddenly didn't feel so nervous.
She turned toward the viewing platform.
Even if she couldn't see clearly, she could feel the concerned, encouraging gaze aimed at her.
It was her Master.
"Master! I will pass this exam!"
Stella took a deep breath and clenched her fists.