Mecha Design Was the Real Deal
Inside the repair shop, Wang Dagou leaned toward Chen Xing:
"Little Godfather, Master's going to teach you himself. That's a huge opportunity."
Xu San nodded too:
"Yeah. Pay attention. Master might have you demonstrate your ability first."
Chen Xing nodded and looked toward Tang Ziran, who was opening the door, while his mind raced.
Of course he knew Tang Ziran wanted to see his Imagenesis ability firsthand. After the commotion he had caused in the shop yesterday, Tang Ziran had only heard about it from others.
Anyone would be curious.
But Chen Xing had more on his mind.
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 picked it up fast.
But that was still only repair work.
He wanted to build his own Starblazer, step by step.
Knowing how to fix things wouldn't be enough.
He needed to know how to design them too.
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 quietly without a word.
Tang Ziran walked to the workbench and picked up a component.
It was the Drive Arm Base Chen Xing had created yesterday.
"Chen Xing, your two senior apprentices told me you learn quickly."
"Today, I'll teach you something more advanced. But first, make another one of these. 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 paper and summoned the World-Painting Brush.
Tang Ziran's gaze snapped to it.
He hadn't seen Chen Xing create anything yesterday, only the finished object his son had made.
Now that he could watch it happen, 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 didn't go far.
Just two steps away, she rested her hands on her knees and craned her little head to watch.
Chen Xing's brush moved across the paper. Golden lines wove together, gradually outlining the 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 that? Even Master's stunned by our junior apprentice."
Na'er sat quietly on the stool by the wall, her legs swinging gently. When Tang Ziran remained speechless, she couldn't help hiding a little smile.
Brother Chen Xing is amazing.
Tang Ziran took a deep breath, calming the shock and excitement his son had stirred in him:
"Chen Xing, that ability of yours really is incredible..."
Chen Xing grinned to himself.
If Himeko's Imagenesis Authority weren't incredible,
it could never create a Mecha like the Starblazer.
But he had a bigger goal today:
"Dad, I want to learn Mecha design."
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 blueprints one night?
Impossible. I always wait until everyone's asleep before working on Mecha designs.
With that thought, he kept his unease from showing:
"I don't know how to design them."
The corners of Chen Xing's mouth lifted.
He knew Tang Ziran was pretending.
As a transmigrator, he knew who his father really was. Tang Ziran was a Level 4 Mecha Repairer, yes, but that was only what people saw.
His true talent lay in Mecha design.
He had hidden away in little Aolai City because of a top-secret blueprint.
But Chen Xing still wanted to learn.
"Dad, I saw you that night."
Tang Ziran was startled.
What? I thought I'd hidden it well.
He hadn't expected Chen Xing to catch him.
He shook his head helplessly.
"All right. If you want to learn, 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 all Mecha designs of various classes.
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 just stood obediently beside him.
"The first step in Mecha design is knowing 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. First, you need to understand this structure inside and out."
Chen Xing nodded and immediately called out in his mind:
Pom Pom, record and analyze this.
Got it, Pom.
For the next hour or so, Tang Ziran explained the White-Class Mecha's basic structure from start to finish.
With AI Pom-Pom helping him analyze it,
Chen Xing could soon answer every question with ease, drawing praise from Tang Ziran again and again.
This child really does have a gift.
In all my years teaching apprentices, I've never seen anyone learn this fast.
While Chen Xing was absorbed in his studies,
on the streets of Aolai City,
a burly middle-aged man walked at an easy pace.
A girl walked beside him. She looked about eleven or twelve, with long golden hair tied in a high ponytail, a slender figure, and a spring in her step.
She looked around as they walked:
"Uncle, Aolai City is so small. It doesn't even have a decent shop."
The man smiled.
"Small places have their own charm. Walk around a little more and you'll see."
The girl pursed her lips, clearly unconvinced.
As they spoke, 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 man stopped in his tracks.
Turning his head, he saw a gray-haired boy standing at a workbench,
holding a luminous white brush.
"What is it?"
Seeing her uncle stop so suddenly, the girl turned to look, curious.
"Zero Soul Power?"
[This girl just happened to be passing by. Can you guess who she is?]