Chapter 157 - 160

Chapter 157: Skill Test

So they wanted to test her special skill.

It seemed Blazing Wind truly had no idea how she had obtained this ability.

Derek Su glanced back at Stella.

Stella gave a slight nod, carrying herself with the regal poise of an empress.

A mere Blazing Wind had no chance of competing with her for the throne.

After all, she was the supreme VIP who got to slip into Derek Su’s bed every night and sleep right beside him.

…

Half an hour later.

The three of them arrived at the abandoned dock Mr. Xavier had taken over. It was usually watched by an elderly man who already knew Derek Su and his group well, so they were let through without question.

On the runway, Blazing Wind entered deployment mode.

Derek Su pulled open the car door and climbed inside.

Stella stood off to the side, watching with open curiosity.

It was her first time observing a Mecha Girl activating her skill at such close range.

But this ability was different from what she had imagined. Unlike the sudden surges of psychic energy other Mecha Girls unleashed, Blazing Wind’s psychic fluctuations were gentle—like waves drifting with the wind—calm and soothing.

Derek Su felt the same.

【Hyper-Core Synchronization】 was a passive skill. The moment he sat down and the cockpit door closed, it activated.

Creak, creak—

Several faintly glowing strands, like fiber-optic cables, extended from inside Blazing Wind’s cockpit. They connected to the back of Derek Su’s head, his forehead, and the nape of his neck. Some slipped beneath his racing suit and latched onto his spine.

As his hands settled onto the control sticks, the cockpit slowly reclined. Protective barriers rose on both sides like enclosing walls, forming something akin to a gaming pod.

“Wow~ This feels kind of cool,” Derek Su said, lying back in the soft cockpit.

The Hyper-Core Synchronization hadn’t fully kicked in yet, but the experience already felt completely different from piloting other Mecha Girls.

Driving Stella felt like streaking across the track at extreme speed, pure adrenaline pumping through his veins.

Driving Imperial Scale felt like returning home—solid, warm, an unbreakable shelter.

Tunbao… was harder to describe. Bouncy, noisy. If he had to drive Tunbao again, he’d better wear a noise-canceling helmet in advance, or that “Thousand Birds” would drive him straight into neurasthenia.

So what did driving Blazing Wind feel like?

Like lying in a cradle—fully protected from every angle, completely comfortable. He was practically half-reclining. The only downside was that he couldn’t see the road.

And that was a serious problem.

Fortunately, the doubt didn’t last long.

Buzz—

A tingling sensation spread from his spine to the back of his head.

He felt a faint current slip into his brain.

His vision went dark for an instant, then lit up again.

Now he could “see” the track—but from a lower angle than a driver’s usual perspective.

He immediately understood.

This was Blazing Wind’s point of view.

At the same time, the world became astonishingly detailed. It felt like upgrading from 1080p to 4K. His field of vision widened dramatically, and he could even make out textures on objects hundreds of meters away.

Eagle Eye.

The term surfaced in his mind.

“Boss, how does it feel? The skill is fully activated… ah!”

Blazing Wind’s startled cry echoed in his mind.

“What’s wrong, Blazing Wind?”

She went quiet for a moment, then spoke haltingly, as if enduring discomfort.

“My head is suddenly filled with racing knowledge and techniques… all of it… it’s crammed in so tight, it feels like it’s about to spill out…”

Tsk.

That line was really something.

Derek Su’s lips twitched.

From what Blazing Wind said, it was clear that 【Hyper-Core Synchronization】 only temporarily shared racing-related knowledge and techniques—not memories.

Their mental networks filtered the data, extracting only racing-relevant information, processing it, and feeding it back into both minds.

Without that filtering, the massive flow of information would probably have reduced both of them to idiots.

Even so, the sheer volume of knowledge on Derek Su’s side was overwhelming for Blazing Wind. She had to force herself to forget most of it immediately, or her head really would split apart.

Soon, Derek Su received the information from her side.

It was pitifully sparse—so underdeveloped it was almost primitive.

With this level of knowledge…

Passing the old driving test from his previous life would’ve been questionable at best.

It perfectly reflected how underdeveloped driving techniques were in this world. There wasn’t even a mature system in place.

He suspected many drivers here simply relied on instinct.

That explained why so many applicants for coaching positions were unqualified.

These so-called coaches knew next to nothing. Ask them a few questions and they were completely lost. Most were just Mecha Girl drivers with some years under their belts, past their racing prime, drifting around in hopes of becoming instructors to earn a living.

It didn’t pay as well as underground black-market races, but it was respectable and safe.

…

As their connection deepened,

Derek Su gradually lost awareness of his original body.

Or rather, he felt like he had gained a new one—Blazing Wind’s chassis.

At this moment, he was the Mecha Girl.

The sensation was extraordinary.

Piloting a Mecha Girl already offered more immersion than driving an ordinary vehicle.

But that immersion was nothing compared to actually becoming the Mecha Girl.

It meant his control over Blazing Wind’s body would be even more precise. Normally, a human mind couldn’t fully command a Mecha Girl’s capabilities.

Now, 【Hyper-Core Synchronization】 solved that limitation.

“Boss, can you tell me what you’re feeling right now?”

Blazing Wind’s headache had eased, and her voice sounded much lighter.

“All my senses are enhanced. My body too,” Derek Su replied. “It feels like I could punch down a bull with one hit. I’ve got endless energy running through me. I was a little sleepy before, but now I’m completely awake. Clear-headed. Calm. Almost… weightless.”

He wanted to say it felt like entering Sage Mode.

But Blazing Wind was too innocent. She probably wouldn’t get the joke.

“So my special skill improves your mental stability and physical strength? Is that right?” she asked softly, hope flickering in her voice.

If her skill could strengthen a driver’s body and mind, then maybe even Vanessa despite her illness, could drive her.

“Yes,” Derek Su nodded. “Let’s take a lap and see how it feels. And try your active skill too.”

With that, he drove Blazing Wind around the track.

The most obvious change was that his mental reflexes—already sharpened from training with Stella—had multiplied several times over. His thinking speed surged. If he could handle ten calculations per second before, now he could process a hundred.

And when he activated “Bullet Time,” it became even more impressive.

The passive skill enhanced thought speed.

But Bullet Time went beyond thought—it affected reality itself.

Both his actions and Blazing Wind’s movements gained a kind of relative acceleration within that slowed environment.

Imagine this:

When others approached a corner, they had to proceed cautiously.

But driving Blazing Wind, caution wasn’t nearly as necessary. The boosted processing speed allowed him to calculate the vehicle’s state with precision, pinpoint the optimal cornering speed and braking point.

And even if a turn still seemed impossible, activating Bullet Time turned the world into slow motion.

In that instant, the number of possible responses multiplied dramatically.

“Another all-purpose baby car,” Derek Su muttered with a sigh.

He tested it thoroughly. Together, they could use Bullet Time at most five times.

After that, Blazing Wind started complaining about a headache and couldn’t activate it anymore.

And when her head hurt, he felt it too.

Under 【Hyper-Core Synchronization】, their sensations were interconnected.

…

Test complete.

With Derek Su’s help, Blazing Wind now had a much clearer understanding of her special skill.

Standing before Derek Su and Stella, she could hardly contain her excitement.

Finally, she voiced what she had been holding back all along.

“Boss… do you think my special skill could let Vanessa race on the track?”

...

Chapter 158: The Confession Session

“You want to take Vanessa Ming to the track?!”

Derek Su looked at Blazing Wind, suddenly enlightened.

Blazing Wind had been picked up by the sponsor’s daughter near the bridge. With her simple, innocent personality and all the hardship she’d endured under Chloe Qin, Vanessa Ming must be like a sacred light in the darkness to her. That was why she wanted to become Vanessa Ming’s Mecha Girl—to take her onto the track and do everything she could to fulfill her dream.

Whoa…

Recalling the sensation from Blazing Wind’s skill, Derek Su couldn’t help clicking his tongue in amazement.

“Well, I’ll be damned. You might actually be onto something.”

Blazing Wind’s eyes widened, the light in them almost spilling over.

Seeing Derek Su nod, she listened intently.

“You can try your skill with Vanessa,” Derek Su said. “If it can boost her physical strength while keeping her emotions stable, getting her on the track shouldn’t be a big problem. The only issue is your active skill probably won’t last long. It drains a lot of mental energy. I’m already feeling a bit tired. If it were Vanessa, she’d probably feel even worse.”

“Ah! That’s great!” Blazing Wind clenched her fists and bounced in place like an excited rabbit.

“But whether it’ll work or not, I’ll call the old man tomorrow and have him bring Vanessa over for a test run.” Derek Su’s expression turned serious. “Don’t assume everything’s settled. Vanessa’s condition is very special. There’s a chance your special skill won’t affect her at all.”

“Oh… Oh, got it. Thank you, Boss!” Blazing Wind stuck out her tongue shyly and bowed.

“Alright, head back and get some sleep. I’m not tired yet. I’ll take Stella for a walk.”

Blazing Wind stood there blankly, watching Derek Su and Stella walk side by side toward the river bend.

Under the dim pier lights, their shadows stretched long behind them, almost merging into one.

“Boss and Stella… they don’t seem like just pilot and Mecha Girl…”

Her gaze lingered on their naturally clasped hands, and she fell into thought.

...

“You seem a little down. Something on your mind?”

Derek Su glanced at the girl beside him.

Even though he and Stella were already very close, being alone together still made things a bit awkward.

Sleeping was different. Once the lights were off, you couldn’t see anything.

Face-to-face like this, though, was somehow more nerve-wracking.

He had just climbed down from Blazing Wind’s cockpit.

When he stepped in front of Stella earlier, she had looked distracted. He had stood there for quite a while before she snapped back to herself.

Stella kept her head lowered. The night breeze lifted the strands of hair at her temples, revealing her downcast eyes, faintly shadowed with something hard to read.

“Master… am I really that useless? I’m supposed to be a top-tier Mecha Girl, but I can’t even use my special skill.”

“How could you be useless?” Derek Su smiled gently. “You’re already better than a lot of Mecha Girls without using any skill at all. And that special skill? You’ll definitely be able to use it someday.”

Stella stayed silent.

Only when they reached the river bend did she look up and meet his eyes.

“Master, I know you have some kind of special ability that improves my performance.”

Derek Su stiffened.

Had Stella noticed his golden finger?

Was it really that obvious?

Thinking back, he used to disguise it with training. But after getting closer to Stella, he stopped being so guarded. And with her usual silly demeanor, he had let his guard down even more.

He had forgotten that Stella was emotionally sharp. She might look cheerful and carefree, but she understood everything.

“How could I possibly have something like that?” Derek Su rubbed his nose, his gaze drifting. “If that kind of ability existed, the world would’ve gone crazy already. Haha…”

“Master is lying.”

Stella stared straight at him.

“When Master lies, he rubs his nose, looks to the right, and lets out that weird, silly laugh.”

Derek Su: “…”

For a split second, facing Stella felt like facing Mr. Liang.

Cold sweat broke out down his back.

After a long pause, realizing he couldn’t keep hiding it, Derek Su sighed.

“I didn’t mean to keep it from you. It’s just… it’s hard to explain. You can think of it as a Techmaster’s ability. The difference is, I don’t need psychic energy. I can directly act on a Mecha Girl and selectively enhance your performance.”

“Knew it…”

Stella pouted. Her shoulders drooped as she let out a deflated sigh.

“I thought my training was really paying off. Turns out it was all Master boosting me…”

“Your hard training did improve you. I can see that.”

“But the improvement must’ve been tiny. Probably not even one percent of what Master gave me.”

“No, actually it’s about the same. I’m just assisting—”

“Master is lying again.”

Stella grabbed Derek Su’s hand and leaned into his chest, burying her face against him.

“I’m not blaming you. I’m happy you’re willing to enhance my performance. It’s just… there’s always a price for something like that, right? I want to know what you paid.”

Her voice trembled, gradually thickening with tears.

“Master… last night I saw two white hairs on your head. You didn’t trade your lifespan for my performance, did you? You’re not… going to grow old and die soon, are you?”

Derek Su was speechless.

Was she a jinx or what? Was he about to drop dead any minute now?

His chest ached, like he’d been hit by a mud-hauling truck.

“There’s no price. All I have to do is win more races. The more we win, the more performance I can enhance.”

He stroked Stella’s head gently.

“Stop reading those weird novels. Trading lifespan for power? How do you even come up with that stuff?”

Stella lifted her tearful eyes to look at him.

This time, he wasn’t lying. She could tell immediately.

She let out a soft breath.

As long as it wasn’t his lifespan, she could relax a little.

If winning more races was all it took, then she’d just work harder. Even if it meant running more, pushing herself more.

“Master has to live to a hundred.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist as if holding the most precious thing in the world.

“You have to live to a hundred. Live a very, very, very long time…”

“Then I’d turn into an old turtle.”

“Fine. If you’re an old turtle, then I’ll be a little turtle.”

Hearing her pout in his arms, Derek Su couldn’t help laughing.

Who calls themselves a turtle like that?

They both fell quiet.

It wasn’t that cold tonight. Or maybe the warmth from their close bodies was enough.

In this world of extreme temperature swings between day and night, it even felt pleasantly cool at this moment.

“Master… from now on, don’t enhance my performance anymore,” Stella suddenly said.

“Why?”

“It’s not worth it for me.” She lifted her head, her expression serious. “My base performance isn’t great. You should give more performance to Imperial Scale or Tunbao. They can make better use of it.”

The MP points would eventually go to Imperial Scale.

But precisely because Imperial Scale was so well-rounded, she wasn’t the most urgent priority right now. Stella’s Acceleration was already maxed out. What she needed next was Stability. Once she could safely activate the [Sovereign Engine], he would start focusing on Imperial Scale.

“But I’m following the Elite Soldier Plan. I have to turn you into an Elite Soldier first.”

“I can train myself! I’m already fast enough!”

She bumped her forehead against his stomach as she spoke.

“In the desert race a few days ago, if Imperial Scale had improved her speed performance, we wouldn’t have placed fourth. She wouldn’t have been so sad… she even cried.”

Though Derek Su still intended to prioritize Stella’s Stability, he went along with her for now.

“Alright. I understand. I’ll consider giving the next performance upgrades to Imperial Scale.”

If he refused, with Stella’s stubborn personality, she would go back and stew over it again. She might act cheerful every day, as if she’d moved past the failure at the Maratela Training Race, but deep down she still blamed herself.

“Hehe, that’s good!”

Stella broke into a smile through her tears.

She stared at Derek Su for a moment. Her lashes fluttered, her eyes still shimmering with moisture, something unreadable flickering within them. A faint blush spread across her cheeks.

Under his puzzled gaze, she beckoned to him.

“Master, you’re too tall. Crouch down a little.”

Derek Su blinked but did as she asked.

“Closer…”

He lowered himself into a half-squat and shuffled forward like a crab.

Stella stepped closer too, hands clasped behind her back.

Suddenly—

Peck.

She planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

Covering her flushed face, she took a few hurried steps back and turned to run.

Derek Su froze.

“Stella, you—”

By the time he looked up, she was already gone.

The palm trees lining the path swayed wildly in the gust stirred up by her sprint, a few fronds snapping clean off.

Did she just kiss him?

The cool, soft sensation lingering on his cheek told him it wasn’t his imagination.

Stella had really kissed him.

...

Chapter 159: Wishing to Give You Wings

By the time Derek Su returned, Stella was already curled up on the bed, fast asleep.

Soft, animal-like breaths slipped from her lips.

He couldn’t tell whether she was truly asleep or just pretending.

Looking at her back, he climbed into bed stiffly. The moment he slipped under the covers, a wave of heat wrapped around him, like an electric blanket that had been left on all night.

“Is it really that hot?”

Derek Su reached out and touched Stella’s shoulder.

She didn’t wake, but she was scorching.

If he didn’t know Mecha Girls couldn’t get sick, he would’ve thought she had a fever.

Maybe she was just too shy.

Thinking back to what had happened earlier, he settled on that explanation.

He swallowed and pulled the overheated quilt over himself.

As for what he was supposed to do now, he had no idea.

In his previous life, he had been the Track Emperor—the ultimate boss in his rivals’ eyes. Countless women had wanted to share his bed, his villas and mansions, and the fleet of luxury cars in his garage that he could rotate daily. But his focus had always been on improving his skills. He trained relentlessly, competed without pause. Where ordinary people found passion in tangled sheets, his passion was the blood-pounding rush of pushing speed to its absolute limit on the track. Moves that were deadly dangerous to other drivers were nothing more than muscle memory to him.

There had been no room for women in his heart. Behind the wheel, he had been untouchable.

Only in the instant he was sent off a cliff by a dirty hit did regret finally crash over him.

He had lived more than half his life…

And never even had a proper relationship.

So after coming to this world, he no longer resisted the idea of love.

But not resisting didn’t mean he knew what he was doing.

He let out a slow breath.

The best way to deal with awkwardness was simple: sleep.

Since Stella was already “asleep”…

He closed his eyes as well.

Exhausted from the day, he drifted off within minutes.

Unaware that Stella, still facing the wall, had her eyes wide open.

Her gaze was damp and glistening, her face so red it looked like it might start steaming.

...

The next morning, Beto Ming got up early. He didn’t go to the office, instead personally preparing breakfast for Vanessa.

The night before, Derek Su had already sent him the details about Blazing Wind.

When he learned that Blazing Wind’s special ability might allow his daughter to step onto the track, he’d been so excited he hadn’t slept at all.

But he didn’t dare tell Vanessa everything.

He only said that he would take her to see Blazing Wind today.

“Daddy, won’t we be bothering Blazing Wind? She has training to do too!”

Vanessa really wanted to see Blazing Wind. She liked everyone at the Stella Club. To her, that place was the far shore of her dreams. But she didn’t want everyone to stop what they were doing just to revolve around her.

“Today, Blazing Wind is the one who wants to see you.”

Beto Ming pushed her wheelchair forward, smiling. “She’s been missing you.”

“Oh? I didn’t know Blazing Wind was so clingy.”

Vanessa Ming puffed out her cheeks in mock complaint, though the corners of her lips lifted.

If Blazing Wind wanted to see her, then she’d just treat it as fulfilling her little wish. Maybe they could meet outside the club.

She held a small fish tank in her hands.

Inside was a tiny turtle.

Yesterday, when they left the Stella Club and Beto Ming saw she was in low spirits, he’d taken her to a pet market.

They had meant to buy a cat or a dog, but Vanessa had only liked the turtle. She named it Mimi.

When Beto Ming asked why she chose that name, she had simply grinned and stared happily at the little turtle in the tank.

Seeing his daughter so cheerful, he didn’t ask further.

...

When the father and daughter arrived at the club, Derek Su asked Blazing Wind to stay with Vanessa first.

He then pulled the sponsor into the next room alone.

After considering his words, he spoke seriously.

“Sir, after the desert incident, Blazing Wind unexpectedly awakened a special ability. I tested it last night. It can enhance the driver’s body and mind, keeping them in an absolutely calm state. The physical and mental burden is shared between the driver and the Mecha Girl… I think this might be Vanessa’s chance to get on the track.”

Beto Ming was visibly moved, but deep worry lingered in his eyes.

Suppressing his expectations, he asked gravely, “Are you sure? You know Vanessa’s condition. If there isn’t complete certainty, I don’t want her taking the risk.”

“Complete certainty is impossible,” Derek Su said honestly. “Based on my own experience, there’s a seventy to eighty percent chance it will work. But you should think about this—this is Vanessa’s dream. And the one helping her realize it is the Blazing Wind she loves most.”

Beto Ming fell silent.

Vanessa often said that living without a dream was no different from being dead.

Much of her usual cheerfulness was an act, something she put on for him as her father.

He knew she wasn’t truly happy.

At an age when other children went to school, she could only lie at home.

In spring, while children flew kites in the square, she could only watch from the window. In summer, when everyone went swimming, she could only sit in her wheelchair with a water gun, barely participating. Autumn was probably the season that suited her best—she could sit beneath a tree, watching red leaves drift down, quietly waiting for dusk until the last glow of sunset faded. And in the bitter winter, activities like skiing were completely out of reach. She could only sit by the fireplace and gaze at the endless white world beyond the window.

Because of her condition, she had almost no friends.

No one wanted to play with someone who could only watch from the sidelines.

Bodyguards and nannies could keep her company.

But it was always superficial. They were adults, after all. Pleasing the young mistress was a rule ingrained in them.

If he thought about it, Blazing Wind might be Vanessa’s only real friend—even though they had known each other for less than a day.

Beto Ming had always known what his daughter wanted.

He wanted to give her wings.

He dreamed of it.

And now the chance was right in front of him.

Was he supposed to just give it up?

No.

Beto Ming gritted his teeth and nodded.

The hesitation in his eyes disappeared.

“Then let Vanessa try.”

He had brought enough emergency medicine today.

If anything went wrong, he would give it to her immediately.

But after this, they would never attempt something like this again.

...

Once the plan was decided, Derek Su discussed the details further with the sponsor.

The most important thing was that Vanessa couldn’t know what was really happening yet. If she did, she might not be able to handle it the moment she got into the cockpit. She needed to ease into it gradually.

So they decided Blazing Wind would deploy inside the club. With everyone gathered around Vanessa and no race-like atmosphere, there would be no sense that she was about to drive a lap. She would simply sit in Blazing Wind’s cockpit and feel it out.

What happened next would depend entirely on how Blazing Wind’s ability affected her.

After they finalized everything, Derek Su moved quickly.

He cleared the clutter near the club’s back entrance, leaving only the rolling shutter door.

If Vanessa proved capable of driving Blazing Wind, he would open the shutter and let Blazing Wind take her out for a short run.

Before the plan began, he pulled Blazing Wind aside and handed her a box of medicine.

“Blazing Wind, this is Vanessa’s emergency medication. If anything happens, immediately cancel deployment and give it to her. Don’t waste even a minute.”

Blazing Wind looked at the box in her hands, took a deep breath, and nodded seriously.

“Don’t worry, Boss. I’ll protect Vanessa with my life.”

Her assurance was steady and firm.

Derek Su glanced around.

Stella, Imperial Scale, and Tunbao were all in position. Absolute Shadow had already called in the medical team, who were on standby in the backyard.

“Daddy, what are you going to show me?”

“You like race cars, don’t you? I’ll show you Blazing Wind’s deployment mode.”

“Oh! Yes, yes! I’ve never seen it before!”

The father and daughter’s voices drifted in from outside.

The door opened.

The little angel sat in her wheelchair.

The sponsor pushed her inside.

...

Chapter 160: Picking Up Sunshine

Just past nine in the morning.

Blazing Wind entered deployment mode.

Her bright red body unfolded as the doors lifted upward.

Beto Ming carefully carried Vanessa and gently settled her into Blazing Wind’s cockpit.

He kept watching his daughter’s expression the entire time. To his surprise, she didn’t lose control of her emotions. From beginning to end, she kept her small face tense and serious.

But once she was properly seated inside the cockpit, the flush spreading across her cheeks betrayed her true feelings.

She was happy. Excited. Blissfully so.

And yet, the closer one came to happiness,

the closer death could be.

“Daddy, Blazing Wind, Derek Su! Do I look like a driver?”

Vanessa Ming gripped the control stick with both hands, her expression solemn.

To her, driving was something sacred.

Especially now that she was driving Blazing Wind.

“My Vanessa definitely has the look of a top-tier driver.” Beto Ming stroked his chin and nodded repeatedly.

“That’s right! Vanessa is world-class material!” Blazing Wind chimed in.

“She does look the part,” Derek Su praised. “Isn’t this basically a mini version of The Magician?”

“Hehe~”

The praise finally broke through Vanessa’s serious act. A sweet smile bloomed across her face. She rubbed her eyes, lips curving upward, though tears shimmered at the corners.

Derek Su and Beto Ming’s expressions changed instantly.

They quickly signaled to Blazing Wind.

Blazing Wind immediately closed the doors.

The skill [Hyper-Core Synchronization] activated at once.

As several fiber-like strands connected with Vanessa, her attention shifted and her emotions gradually steadied.

“Blazing Wind, what are these?”

Vanessa held one of the mental link fibers. It felt warm and smooth, almost like holding Blazing Wind’s finger. The strand gently slipped past her palm before attaching along her spine.

“These are mental connection fibers. With them, we become inseparable.”

Blazing Wind watched Vanessa nervously through the rearview mirror.

When she heard the word “inseparable,”

Vanessa’s eyes lit up even more.

As the cockpit reclined, Hyper-Core Synchronization fully engaged.

From behind came Vanessa’s nervous, slightly panicked voice.

“B-Blazing Wind I… I can’t see… Oh! I can see again!”

“Mm… this perspective is so strange. Dad has that much leg hair? No wonder he doesn’t wear thermal pants in winter…”

“Derek Su still has eye gunk he didn’t wash off!”

“Vanessa, how do you feel?” Blazing Wind asked, unable to hide the anticipation in her voice.

“It feels really good. So driving is actually this comfortable,” Vanessa said softly.

Blazing Wind couldn’t help but smile foolishly at her words.

But she quickly remembered what mattered most.

“How are your emotions feeling?”

“My emotions?” Vanessa sounded puzzled. “That’s strange… they’re really stable today.”

In truth, the moment [Hyper-Core Synchronization] activated, the sharing had already begun.

Blazing Wind felt an overwhelming wave of weakness crash over her. For a brief instant, her body felt like it was about to collapse. She had no strength at all; even breathing required effort. Though the sensation lasted only a moment before being evenly distributed, she understood—

That was Vanessa’s normal state.

Her body had always been like this.

Like a candle flickering in the wind.

And what emotions had Vanessa shared with her?

Joy. Happiness. Cherishing.

They surged over her in waves.

So there really was someone who felt this happy just because they could drive her.

Blazing Wind’s nose stung, and she barely forced the tears back.

This was good.

The neural connection suppressed Vanessa’s emotional fluctuations. And as the terminal of that connection, Blazing Wind functioned like a processor. While receiving Vanessa’s emotions, she could regulate them.

She could even channel them entirely into herself,

improving her competitive state.

But this was Vanessa’s first time driving her.

She didn’t want Vanessa to see her bursting into tears.

“Blazing Wind! I suddenly have all these driving techniques and knowledge in my head! Do you know why?”

“I transmitted them to you,” Blazing Wind explained.

At the same time, she received feedback from Vanessa.

Compared to Derek Su’s vast, ocean-like racing experience and refined techniques, Vanessa’s knowledge was much simpler and easier to process. It was broad and somewhat vague, mostly gathered from race recordings and livestreams.

Derek Su’s was completely different.

His techniques were meticulously categorized. Just looking at the structure and summaries was enough to make her head spin.

And once Derek Su left the cockpit, those techniques disappeared from her mind like a removed hard drive. In the end, she could only retain a faint trace.

Receiving so much knowledge at once filled Vanessa with delight.

The knowledge told her how to start a Mecha Girl.

But she didn’t dare try.

In her understanding, she wasn’t meant to be on the track. If her emotions fluctuated too much, something would go wrong. If something went wrong, her father would be heartbroken. The people who liked and loved her—the uncles and aunts in the research lab, and now Blazing Wind—would be sad too.

So, to keep them from being sad,

even if living was painful, she was willing to grit her teeth and endure.

Even though her emotions were unusually steady today, even though her body felt stronger than usual, she still didn’t dare.

“Vanessa, do you want to try driving me?” Blazing Wind asked gently.

“I-Is that okay?” Vanessa’s eyes widened.

“Of course. Those connection lines are my ability. They let us share physical and mental strain. You can think of it this way—right now, you and I are one. I’m helping you bear your illness. So you can try driving me without worrying about anything going wrong.”

Blazing Wind had expected Vanessa to feel happy.

Instead, sorrow and panic flowed back through the connection.

“Blazing Wind, I don’t want you to bear my illness.”

“I’ve endured it since I was five. I know how painful it is. Give it back to me. I don’t want you to suffer with me…”

Blazing Wind fell silent for a moment.

She lifted her hand and wiped away the tears at the corner of her eye, then smiled.

“Vanessa, I’m a Mecha Girl. We don’t die from falling over ten meters. We can punch a crater into the ground with one blow. Our physical abilities far surpass humans. Sometimes we even struggle to control our strength. Sharing a bit of your burden actually helps me improve my control. I should be thanking you.”

“Really?”

Vanessa didn’t doubt her.

Mecha Girls really were far stronger than humans. She had seen one pull a truck with one hand and smash a four-hundred-pound sandbag in a single punch.

Maybe she really could help Blazing Wind?

“Oh! I get it! Blazing Wind is too strong, so she needs weak little me to balance her out. That means we’re the perfect combination, right?”

“Exactly.” Blazing Wind nodded. “We’re the perfect combination.”

And…

Vanessa wasn’t weak at all.

She was stronger than many people.

Those fragile shoulders carried pain and pressure most could never imagine.

“ Blazing Wind, I’ll try!”

The idea of being the perfect combination gave Vanessa courage.

Nervously, she followed the knowledge Blazing Wind had transmitted and issued commands.

With Blazing Wind’s assistance, she awkwardly pressed the accelerator.

The engine responded with a gentle hum, no longer as fierce as before.

Derek Su and Beto Ming exchanged a glance and immediately pulled open the rolling shutter door.

A beam of sunlight streamed inside.

Blazing Wind slowly moved forward.

She and Vanessa were like toddlers taking their first steps, gradually stepping into the morning breeze.

…

Blazing Wind and Vanessa had both picked up a piece of sunshine.

And this time, they wouldn’t have to return it to the sun at dusk.