"My golden finger!"
[ Ultimate Tuner System online! ]
Looking at the message, Miles felt a sense of deja vu! Before he transmigrated to this parallel earth, he used to be a mechanic! He worked in garages, constantly repairing cars and performing maintenance.
With this system, isn't it his destiny to became a mechanic? But after careful consideration, Miles realised he need to broaden his horizon. Why limit himself to ordinary cars, what about GearGirls?! If his guess his correct, GearGirls are expensive to afford, and even more expensive to maintain! Miles could smell money flying to his pocket!
Focusing on the floating screen, he had a quick thought, then said:
"System, what's my cheat?"
*Ding
[ Host, you have unlocked special ability: Eyes of Truth Lvl 1. ]
[ Eyes of Truth: with a simple glances, all secret are revealed! Evaluate the performance of machines. Upgrade to unlock more secrets ]
Reading the description, Miles was quite pleased. It wasn't quite broken as he expected, but the ability to appraise would certainly come in handy.
*Ding!
[ Task triggered! ]
[ How could you face customers with such a shabby shop?! ]
[ Task: tidy the shop! ]
Miles looked around the store. Although the space was quite large: 10x10 metres, it was quite messy, and looked like someone left in a hurry. There was a layer of dust on every surface, left untouched for ages.
Miles took a deep breath, mentally preparing for cleanup. Walking to the back of the store, he found a cleaning closet. He grabbed a broom, put on gloves, and started sweeping!
As Miles swept the floor, clouds of dust kicked up, causing him to squint. He pushed on, ignoring the discomfort. After the floor was swept, he found a towel, soaked it in water, then wiped down every surface he could find. Even the tiniest nook and cranny were not spared!
Miles was a mechanic, and he was no stranger to hard work. Compared to a bit of cleaning, it was much better than the long hours of intense labour in the garage. He was always a go-getter, and complaining wasn't something he liked. If anything, he would much rather save the effort he spent complaining on work.
After an hour, the store finally looked semi-presentable. The store was cleaned, every surface wiped, making Miles smiling unconsciously.
However, if Miles wanted to turn this shop into a garage, he needed much more work. He needed the necessary equipment; which Miles couldn't afford. Looking at his bank account, his balance only had 4 digits. Which was not enough to afford what he needed.
*Ding!
[ Task finished! ]
[ However, the store isn't outfitted to purpose, and lacks equipment fitting for a garage. After consideration, the mighty system will remodel. ]
[ Please stand back. ]
Suddenly, the interior of the repair shop undergone a earth-shattering change! The original wallpaper peeled off by it self, replaced with white paint. The flooring was changed to ceramic plates, and the windows were removed. The front of the store transformed into a massive garage door. The cupboards were replaced with industrial equipments, and the entire floor-plan was changed!
Looking around the place, this felt like a proper car workshop!
———x———
"This result is unacceptable! We don't hire you to warm the bench!"
In a small meeting room, a pot-bellied businessman with slick hair sat behind his desk. His aura was imposing, and emitted pressure on those around him.
Standing in front, there was a tall and sharped-eye girl with a high pony-tail. If one had to describe her, she was unnaturally gorgeous, because she met all beauty standards from whichever way you looked. But at this moment, she looked depressed and worried.
With a pleading look, the girl begged: "I'm sorry president. I'll try harder next race."
The man slammed the table. "You always say that! But what are the results? Poor finish after poor finishes! We don't keep tractors here!"
The girl gritted her teeth. In the GearGirl world, calling someone a "tractor" is the greatest insult. These lifeforms are built for racing, and being insulted this way was humiliating! But she could only resist, because it was true!
Reina was a GearGirl. And she was one among the first ones produced. Seeing her potential as a race car, the DarkFuel racing club signed her on a contract. She was once the pride of the club, representing them in numerous races and winning trophies every so often.
However, the new models keep releasing year after year. Her once proud performance falling further and further behind. Now, almost 10 years from her debut, she is considered a relic of the past. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn't keep up with the newer models, and even the drivers complain about her performance.
For GearGirls that don't race, the future is grim. They can only survive by working odd jobs; delivery, taxi, or even hauling bricks on the construction site. Don't underestimate GearGirls, each one superhuman strength and endurance!
But this is also the greatest insult, how could these proud racing machines stuck working these odd jobs? Most GearGirls that are forced into retirement would much rather go to the scrapyard than living meaninglessly. Those that chose this path, only death awaits them.
Reina didn't want to be recycled. She still wants to race! Her passion for speed in eternal, and nothing could stop this.
She gritted her teeth. "Just one last chance. Please."
The man looked at Reina, then sighed. "Fine. Considering your years of service, you deserve this much."
He picked up his papers, then looked through the schedule. His eyes shined as he landed on a particular event.
"The Boom Street Circuit Race is next week. If you finish top 3, I'll reconsider."
Reina narrowed her eyes. Street circuits are often narrow and windy, with tight corners everywhere. This suited her characteristics, but considering the other GearGirls that have faster engines and better cornering, Reina knew it would be tough, but it ain't impossible.
The only way for her to finish top 3 is to increase her performance. And that required a mechanic.