Mecha Design Was the Real Key

In the repair shop, Wang Dagou sidled up to Chen Xing.

"Little godfather, Master's going to teach you himself. That's a huge opportunity."

Xu San nodded too.

"Yeah. Study hard. Master might ask you to show him your ability first."

Chen Xing nodded and looked toward Tang Ziran, who was opening the door, while his mind raced.

He knew Tang Ziran wanted to see his Illusory Creation ability for himself. After all the commotion in the shop yesterday, Tang Ziran had only heard about it secondhand.

Anyone would be curious.

But Chen Xing was thinking beyond that.

What he really wanted to learn was Mecha design.

Yesterday, he had learned the basics of repair from Wang Dagou. With AI Pom-Pom's help, he had grasped them quickly.

But that was still just repair.

He wanted to build a Starfarer of his own, step by step.

Knowing how to fix mecha wasn't enough.

He needed to know how to design them.

Na'er stood beside Chen Xing, gently tugging at the hem of his shirt. She looked up at him, then at Tang Ziran, and followed along without a word.

Tang Ziran walked to the workbench and picked up a component.

It was the Drive Arm Base Chen Xing had created with Illusory Creation yesterday.

"Little Chen, your two senior apprentices told me yesterday that you learn quickly."

"I'll teach you something more advanced today. But first, make this again. I want to see how you draw it."

Chen Xing nodded at Tang Ziran's request and stepped up to the workbench.

He spread out a sheet of drawing paper and summoned the World-Painting Brush.

Tang Ziran's gaze snapped to it.

He hadn't seen Chen Xing use Illusory Creation yesterday, only the finished object his son had made.

Now that he could watch it firsthand, he intended to look closely.

How exactly did his son draw a Mecha into existence?

Na'er obediently let go of Chen Xing's shirt and sat on a nearby stool, though she stayed close.

Just two steps away, she rested her hands on her knees and craned her little head to watch.

Chen Xing's brush tip moved across the paper. Golden lines wove together, gradually tracing the outline of a component.

A moment later, Chen Xing set down the brush and channeled Wish Power.

Golden light rose from the paper.

The next second, a complete Drive Arm Base landed on the table with a clack.

The whole room fell silent.

Tang Ziran looked up at Chen Xing. His mouth opened, but no words came out.

Holding back a laugh, Xu San quietly nudged Wang Dagou with his elbow.

"See? Even Master's stunned by our little junior apprentice."

Na'er sat quietly on the stool in the corner, her legs swinging gently. When Tang Ziran remained speechless, she couldn't help hiding a little smile.

Big brother Chen Xing is amazing.

Tang Ziran took a deep breath, steadying himself after the shock and excitement that had welled up inside him because of Chen Xing.

"Little Chen, that ability of yours really is remarkable..."

Chen Xing laughed to himself.

If Himeko's Illusory Creation Authority weren't impressive,

it could never create a Mecha like the Starfarer.

But he had a bigger goal today.

"Dad, I want to learn Mecha design."

Hearing this, Tang Ziran went rigid.

He blinked.

"What did you say?"

"Mecha design," Chen Xing repeated. "I want to learn how to design Mecha."

Looking into his son's earnest eyes, Tang Ziran suddenly felt uneasy.

Why does he suddenly want to learn design?

Did he catch me secretly drawing designs one night?

Impossible. I always wait until everyone's asleep before I work on Mecha designs.

With that thought, he hid his unease.

"I don't know how to design them either."

At that, the corner of Chen Xing's mouth lifted.

He knew Tang Ziran was pretending.

As someone who had crossed into this world, he knew exactly who his father was. Tang Ziran really was a Level 4 Mecha Repairer, but that was only what people saw.

Tang Ziran's true talent lay in Mecha design.

He had hidden away in the little city of Aolai City because of a set of top-secret blueprints.

Chen Xing still wanted to learn, though.

"Dad, I saw you that night."

Tang Ziran was startled.

Wait, I thought I'd hidden it well enough.

He hadn't expected Chen Xing to catch him.

With that, he shook his head helplessly.

"All right. If you want to learn, Little Chen, I'll teach you design."

Tang Ziran turned, took a thick stack of blueprints from a cabinet, and spread them across the table.

Chen Xing leaned in for a closer look. They were designs for Mecha of every class.

Na'er slid off her stool and tiptoed over to Chen Xing. She stood on her toes to peek at the blueprints, her eyes full of curiosity.

But she didn't interrupt. She simply stood beside him.

“Mecha design: the first step is figuring out what you want to build.”

Tang Ziran pointed to an outline on one of the blueprints.

"This is the basic frame of a White-Class Mecha. Understand this structure thoroughly before we go any further."

Chen Xing nodded and immediately called out in his mind.

"Pam Pam, record and analyze this."

"Roger, Pom."

For the next hour and more, Tang Ziran explained the White-Class Mecha's basic structure from beginning to end.

With AI Pom-Pom helping him analyze it,

Chen Xing was soon answering every question with ease, drawing constant praise from Tang Ziran.

This child really is gifted.

In all his years teaching apprentices, he had never seen anyone learn so quickly.

While Chen Xing immersed himself in his studies,

out on the streets of Aolai City,

a burly middle-aged man walked at an unhurried pace.

A girl walked beside him. She looked eleven or twelve, with long golden hair tied in a high ponytail, a slender figure, and a spring in her step.

The girl looked around as they walked.

"Uncle, Aolai City is tiny. It doesn't even have a decent shop."

The middle-aged man smiled.

"Small places have their own charm. You'll see if you walk around a little more."

The girl pursed her lips, clearly unconvinced.

As they talked, a boy's voice suddenly came from a nearby shop.

"Dad, I want to see if I can make a White-Class Mecha."

At those words,

the middle-aged man stopped in his tracks.

He turned and saw a gray-haired boy standing before a workbench,

a luminous white brush in his hand.

"What is it?"

Seeing her uncle stop so suddenly, the girl turned to look, curious.

“Zero Soul Power?”

[Who do you think this passing girl is?]