As if to prove his words, Ying Chen brought his friend to the training base that very evening.
The base didn't just provide training grounds for mech pilots—it also offered free access to mech modification workshops and repair bays, complete with basic mech maintenance services.
But as the saying goes, "free isn't always the best." While the staff's skills were decent, few held senior mech engineer certifications. They wouldn't dare dismantle high-end mechs—overall, they couldn't compare to Bai Sha or Ying Chen's expertise.
At seven p.m., Ying Chen pushed a cart loaded with tools, slowly entering the mech hangar.
Behind him trailed a boy with messy hair and slightly disheveled clothes, eyes bleary, yawning three times in seven steps.
"Why'd you drag me here?" the boy said, the three bone studs in his right ear glinting silver as he moved. "You're not even close with the Tianquan Academy folks… Sure, fixing mechs pays, but you're never short on gigs like that. And that girl who switched roles, snatching your slot—you really don't mind at all?"
"I don't mind," Ying Chen said, stopping abruptly. The boy behind him had to halt too, listening helplessly as Ying Chen finished slowly, "You can just stand there, no need to work. I need to prove I have friends."
The boy: "…"
He took a deep breath, his face earnest. "Can we temporarily call it quits for the night? I just want to nap."
Ying Chen stared at him, expressionless.
The boy surrendered instantly. "Fine, since you're talking normally for once, I'll admit it—I'm your good friend. Geez, look at you getting all serious. I wasn't really going to ditch you. I'll help out, alright?"
They hadn't chatted long when Bai Sha walked in, a tablet analyzer slung under one arm. "Hey, you guys are early."
Her gaze flicked to "Ying Chen's friend," and she offered a polite smile. "And this is?"
"He's Dai Weifen, my good friend," Ying Chen said stiffly, introducing them. "This is Bai Sha Ronin, our year's lead mech engineer."
Bai Sha and Dai Weifen nodded to each other.
"Let's get to it," Bai Sha said. "We're doing deep maintenance on a lightweight mech tonight. The main focus is the damaged shielding and outer hull. After fixing the external flaws, we'll disassemble it to tweak the internal joints."
She activated her tablet analyzer, which floated up, projecting a glowing white hologram. All the mech's data appeared on a massive holo-screen. Bai Sha tapped the enlarged blueprint. "Based on the user's feedback, we should focus here… and here."
Dai Weifen, despite his sly, carefree demeanor, appreciated Bai Sha's no-nonsense dive into work. Propping his chin, he studied the blueprint. "This has to be an Exceptional-grade mech, right?"
Bai Sha nodded. "It is."
"The owner's got some guts, letting a few academy students handle it," Dai Weifen said, cautious since this was his first time working on an Exceptional-grade mech.
"Ying Chen and I are both senior mech engineers. Repairs alone shouldn't be an issue," Bai Sha said, raising an eyebrow with a playful glance at Dai Weifen. "Not sure about you, though…"
"Who're you underestimating? I got my senior mech engineer license a year ago," Dai Weifen said, rolling up his sleeves and flashing a number with his fingers. "This is my hiring fee. No lower, got it?"
"Deal," Bai Sha agreed without hesitation, then mused, "As expected, academy engineers are way cheaper than outside pros."
Dai Weifen's eyelid twitched. "You saying we're undercharging? No way—sure, we haven't taken big jobs in a while, but I know market rates. Our price isn't cheap. Who've you been hiring? You didn't get scammed, did you?"
Bai Sha: "…The Imperial Mech Design Institute? They wouldn't scam me, would they?"
Dai Weifen: "."
Dai Weifen went numb.
"If you're talking about the Ares Mech Tech Research Center, the Imperial Mech Design Institute… their prices were practically charity."
He'd forgotten—she was a Ronin.
If life were a game, she wasn't some common player but a VVVIP whale.
She probably had no real grasp of industry rates, did she?
After the banter, they discussed task assignments. When it came to mech work, Ying Chen seemed to enter a focused, almost oblivious state. His speech no longer faltered, and he even proactively discussed technical details with Bai Sha.
"This mech's interesting—likely crafted by a master engineer. But something feels off," Dai Weifen said, eyeing the blueprint again before starting repairs. "The core components are finely made, with strong, sustained engine output. But the limb gear and cockpit? Just passable. It could deliver precise, devastating strikes, but aside from speed and mobility, it's got little else going for it…"
To Dai Weifen, it was an "Exceptional-grade mech barely scraping the line."
One tiny slip, and it wouldn't qualify as Exceptional.
Bai Sha pondered briefly. "Maybe it was built on a tight budget."
Dai Weifen tsked. "Budget cuts—too real."
Bai Sha shook her head lightly.
"I noticed those issues long ago and compensated with weapon tweaks," she said, glancing at the holo-screen's clock. "Let's start now, or we'll be pulling an all-nighter."
Ying Chen strapped on a mechanical arm, while Dai Weifen shed his jacket, eyes gleaming. "Can we play some music? It boosts efficiency."
Bai Sha shrugged. "Up to you."
Grinning, Dai Weifen linked his holo-brain to the workshop's audio system, glanced at the playlist, and hit random.
A mellow electronic track filled the spacious room.
Flap, flap—the faint sound of wings. A burst of colorful light flashed before Bai Sha's eyes as a vibrant macaw appeared nearby. Its head and tail were mostly scarlet, with yellow gradients on its low-fanning feathers and deep blue edges on its outstretched wings—a dazzling, lively spectacle.
Dai Weifen twirled a screwdriver to the music's rhythm, while the macaw perched on a high rack, swaying its head ecstatically.
Bai Sha: "…"
She couldn't hold back a chuckle.
Dai Weifen didn't mind, pointing at his mental entity. "Wanna join? My bird can dance."
"I'd have to ask mine," Bai Sha said, releasing Xiao Bai Jiu.
With a "jiu," Xiao Bai Jiu eagerly joined the macaw. The two birds rocked side by side on the rack.
So, birds loving music was just instinct, huh?
…
The next day.
Cen Yuehuai stood before her gleaming mech, eyes wide with amazement.
"It's like brand new!" She patted the hull, deeply touched.
She'd paid for the repairs herself. After reconciling with her family, her allowance was back to normal.
Cen Yuehuai hopped into the mech, testing its movements, and let out an awestruck gasp. "Incredible! The responsiveness is unreal!"
"With your recent skill boost, I loosened some sensor limits. Should feel good," Bai Sha said, nodding. "Also upgraded the assisted aiming system. You can toggle it on or off."
Cen Yuehuai's mech did have a flaw: insufficient firepower.
She excelled at roaming support and long-range sniping, possibly unaware that a lighter frame could enhance her speed. But if pinned down, she'd struggle to break free.
That was what Dai Weifen meant by "areas where money could improve this mech."
Upgrading the mech would require Cen Yuehuai to adjust her fighting style. Since her techniques were still forming, there was no rush. If she became a main team member, the Empire's "master mech engineer squad" might tailor a solution for her.
Having secured the mech engineer slot, Bai Sha didn't need to compete for a pilot slot. She quietly observed as the four academies' pilots went through an elimination round, narrowing candidates to ten, followed by a round-robin format.
Cen Yuehuai, hyped as if on stimulants, maxed out her engine output. On the arena, she was a blur of afterimages—perhaps because the mech was freshly repaired, she had no fear of breaking it.
In the arena, her movements were ghostly, nearly uncatchable. Her longbow sang, maximizing her ranged attack advantage.
Her luck held strong. She avoided facing Xino, Ji Ya, or Yu Yan early on, maintaining a perfect win rate. When the four highest-scoring candidates emerged, she clinched the final main team slot—
Only to suffer a solid three-match losing streak against her own teammates.