When Derek Su returned with XC-99, Mr. Liang was already waiting at the door of the small cabin.
He glanced at the delicate, porcelain-doll-like girl beside Derek Su and frowned. Without commenting, he simply opened the door and said, "Ahem... It's freezing out there. Come in and have some fish soup."
Feeling guilty, Derek Su led XC-99 inside. He scratched his head and sat down at the table.
Mr. Liang ladled out three bowls of fish soup and set them down. Derek Su picked up a bowl and drank quietly. XC-99 looked like she wanted to say something, but sensing the heavy atmosphere, she swallowed hard and looked at the soup—wanting to drink but too nervous to make a move.
Mr. Liang set down the ladle, his eyes shifting between Derek Su and XC-99. His lips tightened. "So you dragged a mecha girl up from the warehouse? Planning to race again?"
"Uh... haha, Mr. Liang, nothing gets past you," Derek Su said with an awkward grin. "Yeah, I'm thinking about getting back into racing."
There was no point hiding it anyway.
Mr. Liang sat silently, then sighed. "Ten minutes ago you told me you were done racing and would inherit the recycling yard. Now you change your mind? What are you, a chameCaio?"
"Well… I just happened to see a mecha girl I liked in the warehouse."
"Her?" Mr. Liang pointed at XC-99.
XC-99 instinctively hugged her head and shrank back.
"Yes. XC-99 is excellent. I think she has the potential to compete in the Knox Rally—maybe even bigger races after that."
XC-99's cheeks turned bright red. She hadn't expected someone with skills like Derek Su's to praise her like that. After seeing his launch control and drifting, she already saw him as a godlike existence.
"Excellent?!" Mr. Liang's chest rose and fell sharply as he snapped his head up, anger and helplessness flashing in his eyes. "You could've picked any decent mecha girl at the Ascend Club—but XC-99 is the one you absolutely cannot choose!"
"Why?" Derek Su froze.
"You didn't look at XC-99's debut record? She practically can't turn! You want to drive a mecha that can't Corner through the Knox Rally? Then smash into a turn and die? Are you tired of living?"
It was the first time Derek Su had ever seen Mr. Liang so angry.
The small cabin fell silent, save for the wind slamming against the windows.
The old man's usually hunched back was ramrod straight now, his eyes burning. Maybe it was an illusion, but Derek Su also glimpsed something else—regret, helplessness, sorrow… all tangled together into something he couldn't understand.
"I know XC-99's steering is bad." Derek Su glanced at the girl sitting beside him, her head lowered after being scolded. "But that flaw can be fixed. And I still have five days to modify her. Mr. Liang, trust me. Before the Knox Rally, I'll make her a mecha girl ready for official tracks. And I'll take care of the recycling yard too."
Mr. Liang stared at him for a long moment. Maybe it was the determination in Derek Su's eyes, or maybe the old man was just too tired to argue. He slumped into his chair and looked out the window with a bitter laugh.
"You got kicked out of the Ascend Club, didn't you? And your driving license got revoked too? If you want to compete in Knox, you'll have to retake the exam. With XC-99's terrible steering, you think you can pass?"
"I can."
Two words—absolute confidence.
According to his plan, as long as he raised XC-99's steering stat to 40, passing the exam would be no problem.
"Fine! Go take it then! I want to see you try!" Mr. Liang snatched up the bowls of soup. His voice echoed from the kitchen: "And don't worry about the recycling yard—it'll be inherited by a short-lived brat like you anyway!"
"Mr. Liang, I didn't finish the soup…"
"Get out!"
...
That night, Derek Su didn't dare go back to the cabin to sleep.
He stayed in the warehouse with XC-99, who opened her vehicle form so he could lie in the driver's seat.
"I'm sorry, Master… I made him scold you," XC-99 said softly, staring down in guilt.
"It's fine. Mr. Liang is actually a good man," Derek Su said, hands behind his head as he sighed. "Racing is dangerous. He's just afraid I'll get hurt—plus, he doesn't really know what I can do."
"Is he your father?"
"No," Derek Su shook his head. "But in this world, he's my only family. So I respect him."
XC-99 tilted her head. The phrase "in this world" puzzled her. It sounded like Derek Su didn't belong to this world.
"Anyway, don't take what he said too seriously."
"I'm not. He's right." XC-99 hugged her knees. "My turning really is terrible. Without Master, I'd never dare say things like wanting to race or win. That kind of dream was way too extravagant for me."
Derek Su stared at the ceiling in silence, thinking about how to improve XC-99's attributes.
Whenever he focused on her, a virtual attribute panel appeared, with detailed descriptions for each stat.
For example, XC-99's "Cornering" stat was below 10, so 1 MP point increased it by 1. Once a stat reached 50, each point cost 5 MP. Above 90, each point cost 10.
A first-place finish in a training race earned 15 MP points; second place 10; third place 5.
Official races doubled the rewards—first place got 30 MP.
So before the Knox Rally, he needed to enter XC-99 in at least two training races—and win both. That would give them 30 MP points, enough to raise Cornering to 37. The remaining 3 points could be gained through training and modifications.
Mecha girls were living beings after all. With targeted training, their attributes could improve.
But each mecha girl had a talent ceiling. Eventually, improvements stopped.
Which was why most racers relied on installing Modules to adjust their mecha girls' stats for different rally tracks.
"Tomorrow, we'll check the Module shop, then ask Mr. Liang where the next training races in Jiangcheng City are."
Derek Su wasn't worried about finding races. Before official competitions, there were plenty of training events—some organized by private racers, others by clubs.
All he had to do was pick tracks that matched XC-99's strengths. With her speed, winning shouldn't be hard.
"Master... let's sign a contract."
Derek Su blinked, realizing XC-99 had quietly moved right in front of him. Her sapphire eyes glowed faintly even in the darkness.
"Alright. After we sign, you'll officially be my mecha girl."
This was important to him—he hadn't forgotten the humiliation Jade-786 had given him. A top racer mocked by a mecha girl from another world?!
In five days, he would show Jade-786 and Kyle Zhang what a real track emperor was.
XC-99 grinned and pulled out her AI Core.
"Master, just put a drop of blood on it."
Derek Su stared at the cube-shaped core, confused. "I thought a Mind-Imprint Contract only needed a verbal promise? Why blood? And why your AI Core…?"
"The Mind-Imprint Contract can be undone. If that happens, a mecha girl can choose another driver." XC-99 held the glowing core toward him like it was her heart. "But a core imprint can never be removed. After that, I can only be Master's mecha girl."
Looking at XC-99 offering her heart, Derek Su didn't hesitate. He bit his fingertip, a drop of blood forming.
"Just so you know—I'm broke. I can't buy Modules yet. If you follow me, you'll have to work hard. While other mecha girls get Modules, you might have nothing."
"I'm not afraid of hardship or lacking Modules." XC-99 stood on tiptoe and pressed the AI Core to the drop of blood. "Only weak mecha girls rely on Module support!"
The AI Core absorbed the blood and began glowing a soft pink.
XC-99 tucked it away happily—the contract was complete.
She had already decided to stay by Derek Su's side forever. Unless he sent her to the Recycling Yard, she'd always be his.
Such devotion took enormous courage for a mecha girl.
But XC-99 believed no one else would accept her flaws—and no one else could guide her through a Cornering. Only Derek Su could handle her.
"It feels weird calling you XC-99 all the time. You need a proper name."
Derek Su rubbed his chin while XC-99 watched him with sparkling anticipation.
Naming a mecha girl was a sacred act—a sign of genuine recognition.
"How about… Stella?"
Derek Su tapped his chin as he said it. The name came to him naturally—her silver, starlike chassis, her elegance even in motion, the faint glow in her eyes. "Stella" fit her in every way.
XC-99's eyes widened.
For a moment, she didn't breathe. The name carried everything she longed for—light, speed, hope. A name that didn't mark her as a defective unit, but as someone meant to shine.
To her, it felt like Derek hadn't just named her.
He had recognized her.
"Master… I won't let you down!" Stella said, tears gathering as she bowed deeply, her voice trembling with emotion.
Derek Su blinked. He had only given her a name…
Why was she acting like he'd done something earthshaking?
And why did she look so fired up all of a sudden?
...
Meanwhile, inside the cabin at the center of the recycling yard.
Even though it was late, Mr. Liang had no intention of sleeping.
Leaning against the headboard, he held a photograph, tears shimmering in his eyes.
In it, a family of three posed together—the father and son wearing helmets, the mother smiling brightly beside them, all three making peace signs.
Mr. Liang stroked the face of the young man in the photo. His lips trembled as he whispered:
"You were stubborn too… Did you really have to enter that race…?"
He stared at the photo for a long time, smoked two more cigarettes, then gently placed it back in the drawer of the bedside table.
"Both of you are stubborn brats… cough, cough…"
He clutched his chest, caught his breath, pulled a savings card from the drawer, slipped it into his jacket, and finally turned off the light to sleep.