Chapter 166 - 170

Chapter 166: The Deal

Derek Su closed the webpage, thought for a moment, then said helplessly, “If she came to take a look, it means she wants to join. But she still didn’t come in the end, which clearly means she hasn’t finished paying off the penalty fee. We can invite her to join the club, but with her personality she’ll probably insist on paying the penalty in full first. So we need to give her a reason to feel that joining the club isn’t causing trouble for me or for us.”

“Leave it to me!”

Stella sat up, patted her chest, and volunteered with a confident grin.

“I am the imperial empress. It’s only proper that I welcome a worthy consort into the palace! Tomorrow I’ll go find Consort Purple Lightning”

Derek Su stared at her blankly.

What was she even talking about?

He didn’t understand the first half at all.

But he understood the second half.

“Alright, alright, go win her over,” Derek Su said, lying down and pulling the blanket up a little. The warmth Stella had left under the covers instantly wrapped around him. “But remember—use strategy, not force. Don’t think you can just drag her back here if she refuses. That would seriously hurt her pride.”

“Don’t worry!”

Stella lay down as well, curling up and promising confidently.

“I’m not some muscle-brained idiot Mecha Girl like Tunbao.”

Despite Stella’s confidence,

Derek Su didn’t have much hope.

No matter what excuse Stella came up with, it would only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. Purple Lightning wasn’t stupid. If they really wanted to bring her over, they either had to wait until she paid off the penalty fee herself—or cut the problem off at its source.

...

“Miss Qin, the matter you asked us to handle has been taken care of. However, the driver and the Mecha Girl involved are difficult to deal with. We’ll need another sum of money.”

The butler stood in front of Chloe Qin, looking nervous.

After all, anyone would feel uneasy when faced with something that looked like a mechanical spider.

There were plenty of cyborgs within the jurisdiction of the Human Federation.

The technology of Mecha Island had made enormous contributions to human society. Even people born with disabilities could live normal lives. They could have mechanical limbs that were stronger than human ones and offered more functions.

But someone like Chloe Qin, with eight mechanical arms extending from her back, was something he had never seen before.

“How much more do they want?” Chloe Qin frowned.

“At least thirty million.”

“Oh… then go ask my fiancé for it.”

“Miss Qin.”

The butler wiped the sweat from his forehead and spoke carefully.

“President Wang can no longer provide you with additional financial support. The funds used for your mechanical reconstruction were taken from the group’s reserve funds, and that gap still hasn’t been filled. Many shareholders are already dissatisfied with President Wang. He won’t be able to support your future competitions either.”

“Have you heard? Longteng Group has already moved into Tianyuan City and has recently been aggressively seizing market resources. President Wang is under tremendous pressure right now.”

“I see.”

To the butler’s surprise, Chloe Qin only twitched slightly when she heard this.

There was no outburst.

If this had happened in the past, she would have already started smashing everything in the room.

“Alright, you may leave. I’ll handle the money myself.”

Chloe Qin waved a mechanical arm dismissively.

The butler bowed slightly and hurried out of the room.

Now only Chloe Qin remained.

She lowered her head. After a long moment she clicked her tongue softly.

“Damn… that hurts.”

She moved her neck slightly—the only part of her body she could still move freely.

The immediate problem now was where to get money.

Her family could support her somewhat. Although she wasn’t as wealthy as Howard Wang, becoming his fiancée meant she wasn’t from an ordinary family either.

But even with her family’s help, there was still a gap of about ten million.

Her phone rang.

Chloe Qin glanced at it and saw it was the club calling.

“Hello?”

“Miss Qin, sorry to bother you. We just wanted to confirm—have you already requested to terminate your contract with Purple Lightning? There’s a club interested in purchasing Purple Lightning.”

“A club wants to buy Purple Lightning?”

A trace of vigilance flashed in Chloe Qin’s eyes.

“What club? Stella Club?”

“No. It’s WFC (Wheel Fire Club). They heard you have a top-tier Mecha Girl that’s currently unused. Her performance happens to match what they need, so they want to purchase that Mecha Girl from you. Essentially, they would be buying the penalty agreement from you. As for whether they can convince Purple Lightning to join them afterward, that would be their problem.”

Chloe Qin had heard of WFC.

It was a mid-sized club with fairly average influence.

She pulled out her laptop and looked up information about WFC. Nothing seemed unusual.

At first she had suspected Stella Club or Longteng Group might be trying to buy Purple Lightning.

That would absolutely not be acceptable.

No matter where Purple Lightning went, she could not end up in Derek Su’s hands.

Purple Lightning was meaningless to her now, and the penalty fee was being repaid slowly anyway. That wouldn’t solve her immediate financial crisis.

So why not sell Purple Lightning at a high price?

That would be equivalent to Purple Lightning paying off the penalty early, and she could even earn extra money on top of that.

Two birds with one stone.

Thinking this through, Chloe Qin quickly made up her mind.

“Tell WFC’s representative that Purple Lightning isn’t cheap. She is a top-tier Mecha Girl after all. They should be mentally prepared.”

There was silence on the other end for a moment. She could faintly hear someone discussing things.

After a short while, the voice returned.

“Miss Qin, they’re asking for your expected price.”

“Thirty million.”

Chloe Qin immediately named an outrageous figure.

More murmuring followed on the other side.

After a moment, the voice came back.

“Miss Qin, they say Purple Lightning has an acceleration defect. Your asking price is too high. They also know that Purple Lightning’s original transaction price was only ten million. If this is the price you insist on, they won’t consider the deal.”

Hearing WFC bargaining actually made Chloe Qin relax.

If they had accepted the price without negotiating, that would have been suspicious. She might not have dared sell then.

“Tell them we’ll negotiate the price face-to-face. I’ll go to the club immediately.”

Chloe Qin hung up the phone and immediately got up to change clothes.

...

Half an hour later—

Chloe Qin arrived at the BSC club and met with WFC’s representative.

The two sides had a pleasant conversation, and the deal was finally concluded at fifteen million.

Just like trading professional athletes, until the penalty fee was fully paid, she still had the authority to handle Purple Lightning on behalf of BSC club.

“From now on, Purple Lightning’s agreement will be transferred to you. But whether you can persuade her to join your club is something I cannot guarantee.”

Chloe Qin emphasized this point several times.

She was mainly worried that Purple Lightning might ultimately choose to keep paying the penalty instead. If Purple Lightning refused to join WFC club, their boss might come looking for trouble.

After all, judging from the amount of penalty Purple Lightning still owed, WFC club was clearly making a losing deal.

“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t take the job if I couldn’t handle it.”

The WFC club owner gestured toward several functional Mecha Girls behind him, leaning back on the sofa with his legs crossed confidently.

“I believe Purple Lightning will like the big family at WFC. We have a complete logistics and medical team. And so many Mecha Girls can keep her company.”

Chloe Qin curled her lips slightly but said nothing.

A trace of disdain flashed in her eyes.

Purple Lightning’s psychological trauma had been caused entirely by her.

She knew very well that simply having other Mecha Girls talk to Purple Lightning wouldn’t help at all.

With Purple Lightning’s personality, she wouldn’t become close to them. She would be like a hedgehog—anyone who touched her would get hurt.

“Oh, and remember. The agreement clearly states that you are not allowed to resell Purple Lightning. If you do, it will be considered a breach of contract and you will have to pay the penalty.”

To be safe, Chloe Qin had included this unusual clause in the contract.

The WFC owner had no objection.

“We never planned to sell Purple Lightning again. She’s an excellent asset for our club.”

He said this with complete seriousness.

He truly believed it.

“Good.”

“Then you can go pick her up at the Haitang Street black market.”

Chloe Qin waved them away.

In her heart, she looked down on WFC even more.

Typical behavior from a mid-sized club.

They actually thought someone like Purple Lightning was exceptional.

Once they reached a track with long straight sections,

they would probably cry.

...

Chapter 167: Departure

Stella was extremely efficient.

Early the next morning, while Imperial Scale was doing yoga in front of the TV and Tunbao was still half-asleep gnawing on fried dough sticks, Stella had already gotten dressed and was ready to head out to find Purple Lightning, a slice of bread clamped in her mouth.

“Master, I’m going to recruit Consort Purple Lightning!”

“Master?”

Stella searched around the Stella Club but couldn’t find Derek Su anywhere.

“Stop shouting.” Tunbao, who had already finished breakfast and was sprawled on the sofa catching up on sleep, rolled over. With dark circles under her eyes, she yelled irritably, “The boss went outside to take a call. Probably something important. If you need to do something, just go. I’ll tell him.”

“Oh… okay.” Stella nodded blankly.

She glanced at Tunbao, who had already gone back to snoring.

Then she slipped on her shoes and pattered out the door.

On the way back, she planned to buy a bottle of chili oil and mix it into Tunbao’s nutrient drink.

That would teach her to be so fierce all the time.

...

Stella made her way to the Haitang Street black market.

A convoy of vehicles was parked outside the market, but she didn’t pay attention and ran straight toward the gladiator arena to find the arena owner. The owner seemed busy with something, so she waited quite a while before the middle-aged, chubby boss finally came out of the building, drenched in sweat.

“Oh, Stella.” The boss immediately forced a smile. “What wind blew you here today?”

Even though Stella was just a Mecha Girl, the boss cared about the power behind her.

That was the Stella Club.

Even the owner of Foxfire Club—Xavier Young—treated them with respect. At best, the boss was just a manager working under Xavier Young to earn some money. There was no comparison at all.

“Hello, boss.” Stella grinned, revealing her little tiger teeth. “I’m here to find Purple Lightning. What is she doing right now?”

“Purple Lightning… uh…”

The boss suddenly froze.

Seeing the strange look on his face, Stella quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Did Purple Lightning get hurt?”

“No, not that.” The boss shook his head. “Purple Lightning was just taken away by people from WFC Club. I don’t know the exact reason, but I’m guessing—just guessing—that BSC Club sold Purple Lightning’s contract to WFC Club.”

“Sold to WFC?” Stella’s eyes widened. “Then what will happen to Purple Lightning? Will she become a Mecha Girl for WFC Club?”

She didn’t know what to say.

Maybe leaving Chloe Qin was a good thing.

But was joining WFC Club really what Purple Lightning wanted? Probably not.

Purple Lightning often stood outside the Stella Club watching her train. Maybe Purple Lightning actually wanted to join the Stella Club.

Of course, that was just Stella’s guess.

Or maybe she simply hoped that the cool and spirited Purple Lightning could join the club.

“I’m not sure.” The boss scratched his head. “If it’s just a contract transfer, Purple Lightning still has to pay the penalty fee. That means she has two choices. Either she stops paying the penalty and joins WFC, or she keeps paying it off. Once it’s fully paid, she’ll be free again. You can think of it as her creditor changing from BSC to WFC.”

He paused and sighed.

“Honestly, I think it’s pretty good. At least she’s completely cut ties with BSC now. Though she probably won’t come to the gladiator arena anymore.”

The boss felt a little regretful.

Back then, he had come up with the so-called Gladiator Star Program in a hurry. It was supposedly to make money, but the real purpose was to cover up the help Xavier Young and Derek Su were giving Purple Lightning.

Unexpectedly, things had worked out perfectly.

The Gladiator Star Program had become a huge success.

Purple Lightning had already become the arena’s star attraction.

Every time she appeared, the arena earned a massive profit.

“Then… where should I go to find Purple Lightning in the future?” Stella felt a hollow feeling in her chest.

She had always considered Purple Lightning part of the Stella Club and Derek Su’s future backup racer.

But now Purple Lightning had been snatched away by WFC Club.

“That club is in Xibin City, which is pretty far away,” the boss said. “Purple Lightning can only go with them. Maybe she’ll find a decent job there and slowly pay off her debt.”

Xibin City…

That really was far away.

Stella’s thoughts drifted. She felt like she might never see Purple Lightning again.

Even though they hadn’t talked much, just from a few encounters she could tell Purple Lightning was a very, very good Mecha Girl.

As a fellow Mecha Girl, she hoped Purple Lightning would find happiness.

“Oh right, did you notice the convoy at the entrance of the black market when you came?” the boss suddenly asked. “That convoy belongs to WFC. If you go out now, you might still catch up and say goodbye to Purple Lightning.”

Stella’s pupils shrank.

She jumped to her feet and dashed out of the arena.

At that moment, the convoy outside the black market had just started moving.

She ran after the vehicles, shouting Purple Lightning’s name while people stared at her in surprise.

Finally, she spotted Purple Lightning through the rear window of a business van.

Purple Lightning was curled up in the corner of the back seat, her face buried in her knees. The hood on her head covered almost everything. Only a few strands of gray, slightly curled short hair slipped out from the gap between her hood and her arms.

“Purple Lightning!!”

Stella shouted while running beside the vehicle, pressing against the window.

Inside the car, Purple Lightning lifted her head when she heard the voice.

Her violet eyes were filled with tears, flashing with shock and reluctance.

She hadn’t expected Stella to come.

But… she was about to leave this city.

She was going far away, to distant Xibin.

There she wouldn’t find a job as profitable as the one at the Haitang black market. It would take her much longer to repay the penalty fee. Maybe a year. Maybe even two.

By then… could she still go to the Stella Club?

The van accelerated.

It didn’t slow down for the two Mecha Girls staring at each other.

Stella gradually fell behind.

She couldn’t transform and chase them all the way to Xibin. That would be meaningless.

All she could do was watch those violet eyes in the rear window grow farther and farther away until they disappeared completely at the end of the road.

“Uu…”

Stella stared at the empty street.

She crouched down and hugged her knees, feeling a little wronged.

After sitting there quietly for a while, she sighed and slowly walked back toward the Stella Club. She had to tell Derek Su what had happened.

Last night she had promised she would bring Consort Purple Lightning back.

And today she had already failed.

Derek Su would probably feel disappointed too when he heard the news.

Sigh…

It took her more than two hours of slow walking to reach the entrance of the Stella Club.

At ten in the morning, the streets should have felt refreshing and calm.

But Stella felt like there were unusually many cars today.

She had to keep weaving around them, which made her increasingly irritated.

She subconsciously looked up.

Among the long line of vehicles parked outside the Stella Club,

she suddenly spotted a familiar business van parked right at the entrance.

She looked again at the license plate.

Stella froze.

A flood of question marks popped up in her mind.

Wait…

Isn’t that the van that took Purple Lightning away?

Why is it back?

...

At the same time.

BSC Club.

Chloe Qin’s phone slammed onto the floor with a loud crack.

Just moments ago, one of her subordinates had called with news.

The WFC Club that had bought Purple Lightning had gone bankrupt.

Bankrupt within just a few hours.

And the one who had acquired WFC Club…

Was the Stella Club.

...

Chapter 168: Let the Bullets Fly for a While

“How is that possible?! WFC Club was perfectly fine this morning. It hasn’t even been that long—how could it suddenly go bankrupt?!”

Chloe Qin picked up the phone from the ground and demanded angrily.

But in truth, she already had a pretty good idea what had happened.

When the WFC Club owner came earlier, he had acted arrogant on purpose—clearly putting on a show for her. So the bankruptcy was probably deliberate as well, a way to bypass the contract and allow Stella Club to swallow the entire club. And the force behind it was almost certainly Stella Club.

[Miss Qin, we’ve investigated. WFC Club had actually been acquired by Longteng Group some time ago… After purchasing Purple Lightning, they dissolved all the club’s drivers and Mecha Girls, keeping only the logistics team. Now the club is basically an empty shell, so they declared bankruptcy.]

“Where were you people earlier?! Why didn’t you find this out before?!” Chloe Qin gritted her teeth.

[Miss Qin, this information was only released just now. Before that, no one knew WFC had been acquired. There wasn’t even a hint of it… We’re sorry!]

Chloe Qin hung up the phone, feeling like she was about to explode.

A sharp, needle-like sensation pulsed repeatedly from the back of her neck, forcing her to regain some clarity. She steadied her breathing and tried to calm herself down.

“Hoo—! Since things have already reached this point, there’s nothing else I can do.”

She took a deep breath. Purple Lightning being bought by Stella Club was already a done deal. The contract had been signed in black and white—there was no room for regret now.

All she could do was stick to her original plan, spend every bit of money where it mattered most, and make sure the provincial race track project was absolutely flawless.

“So what if they bought a club? I can do that too!”

Chloe Qin muttered to herself, her eyes hardening with determination.

...

Stella walked toward the club entrance, feeling both confused and expectant.

She first glanced into the business van. No one was inside—clearly they had already entered the club.

Even though she could hardly believe it, a ridiculous thought popped into her mind.

Could it be…

While she was fast asleep last night, had Master secretly pulled some kind of trick behind her back? Otherwise, how could WFC Club’s vehicle be parked outside the door?!

Normally she was very alert while sleeping. If Derek Su moved even a little, she would notice. But yesterday’s training had been exhausting. It felt like even thunder and lightning outside wouldn’t have woken her.

Which meant…

Even if Derek Su had done something to her last night, she probably wouldn’t have reacted much.

Unfortunately, Derek Su slept like a dead animal. Aside from breathing, he didn’t move at all. Whatever position he fell asleep in was the exact same position he woke up in the next morning.

The kind of midnight “raid” described in novels simply never happened.

Sure enough, some things only exist in fiction.

Stella sneaked into the club like a suspicious little dog. Before she even reached the lobby, she heard a buzzing murmur of voices. Peeking around the corner of the wall, she saw the hallway packed with functional Mecha Girls—at least a dozen of them at a glance.

The ones wearing white coats were healing types.

Those dressed in work pants and tank tops with berets were modification types. They were mainly responsible for post-race maintenance for the racing Mecha Girls, as well as tire changes and emergency repairs during competitions.

Why were there so many functional Mecha Girls?

There hadn’t been any when she left this morning.

Could this be the legendary “draft selection”?!

Since it was a draft, then as the Empress she naturally had to pay attention. Of course, this was really just Stella’s excuse to overcome her social anxiety around crowds. After convincing herself, she boldly stepped out from the corner and walked through the group of chattering functional Mecha Girls.

Under their curious and admiring gazes, she also carefully sized each of them up.

Hmm… this year’s draft candidates are all top-tier!

Very nice, very nice!

When she reached the reception room door, she poked her head inside.

Stella’s eyes instantly locked onto Purple Lightning, who was sitting stiffly on the sofa with her hands clasped between her knees and her head lowered nervously.

Oh ho~ The beautiful Consort Purple Lightning is eye-catching no matter where she goes.

Just as expected!

Stella narrowed her eyes.

Last night, Master had acted like he didn’t care at all.

But in reality, he had already prepared everything to bring Consort Purple Lightning into the palace.

Huh? So this is the so-called imperial strategy…

Better remember this. Study it carefully!

Pushing those messy thoughts aside, Stella finally felt relieved the moment she saw Purple Lightning.

She didn’t know exactly what Derek Su had done, but since Purple Lightning was here, she probably wouldn’t be sent off to Xibin City anymore.

Right now Derek Su was discussing matters with the WFC Club owner.

She’d better not interrupt.

Instead, she might as well go to the supermarket next door and buy a bottle of chili oil—perfect for adding some extra fiery stimulation to Tunbao’s taste buds.

With a sly chuckle, Stella quietly slipped out of the club again.

...

Inside the reception room.

Purple Lightning was still a little dazed.

She had already fallen into despair, convinced she would never see Derek Su or Stella again.

But before the WFC Club convoy had even left the city, the WFC owner sitting in front suddenly said in a strangely apologetic—yet somewhat fake—tone, “Oh dear~~ Sorry about that, we’ve gone bankrupt~”

Then he slammed on the brakes, made a U-turn, and drove straight to Stella Club.

Even when she stepped out of the car, she still felt like she was dreaming.

“Mr. Derek Su, thank you and Longteng Group for supporting our WFC Club.”

The owner shook Derek Su’s hand politely, even with a hint of flattery.

WFC had actually been struggling to continue operating for quite some time. The club had never produced any successful Mecha Girls or drivers, so there was no incoming investment. Relying solely on his own passion to keep the club alive had been extremely difficult.

This was the fate of most clubs.

New clubs would always emerge with enthusiasm and hope, and old ones would inevitably be crushed by the rising tide of newcomers.

The strength and good fortune of Stella Club was something he had always admired.

So when Longteng Group approached him with an offer to acquire the club, he didn’t hesitate for even a second before selling the whole mess.

The only ones he felt sorry for were the functional Mecha Girls.

Once the club was dissolved, they would have to return to the Intelligent Machinery Island and wait for reassignment. Some might be purchased by other clubs, some might be assigned to medical stations, but most would likely have to wait a long time.

The number of functional Mecha Girls had already reached saturation. Employment opportunities were scarce.

As for the drivers and racers, there was less concern.

Those with talent would join stronger clubs. Those with less ability would move to ordinary ones. There would always be somewhere suitable for them.

“No need to be so polite. WFC’s logistics team is excellent—I like them a lot… And thank you for delivering a top-tier Mecha Girl to me as well. I’ve had my eye on this one for a long time, but because of some conflicts with BSC it wasn’t convenient for me to make a move.”

Derek Su glanced at the still-dazed Purple Lightning and happily shook hands with the WFC owner.

After Stella whispered her pillow talk the night before, he had tossed and turned in bed for a long time.

Waiting for Purple Lightning to slowly repay her contract penalty might lead to unexpected complications.

But if he paid it off directly for her, it would hurt Purple Lightning’s pride.

Right before falling asleep, inspiration suddenly struck him. He remembered that the wealthy sponsor had recently acquired several clubs, so he sent a message to ask about it.

Sure enough, WFC Club was among them.

The logistics team from WFC was actually a gift the sponsor had already promised him. They were also scheduled to arrive in Tianyuan City today.

So in the middle of the night, the two men stayed up discussing the matter.

In the end, they came up with this flawless plan.

A perfect way to bring Purple Lightning over.

As for the extra money involved, the sponsor guy had only said one thing:

“At my level, efficiency matters more than money!”

...

Chapter 169: I Want to Get on the Track

“Well then, Mr. Derek Su, if there’s nothing else, I won’t take up any more of your time.”

After sitting for a while, the WFC owner prepared to leave. Having finally cast off the heavy burden of the club, he felt much lighter. For him, merging the club into Stella Club was the best possible outcome—and the one that let him rest easy. Next, he would return home and take over the family business.

After drifting around outside for so many years and taking hit after hit, it was finally time to bow his head to the family.

“Take care,” Derek Su nodded.

The owner smiled, put on his hat, and walked away. His departing figure looked a little lonely.

And so, aside from the functional Mecha Girls eavesdropping outside, only Derek Su and Purple Lightning remained in the reception hall.

“Purple Lightning?” Derek Su called.

“Y-Yes!!”

Purple Lightning immediately straightened up, chest out and posture stiff, her face full of nervous tension.

But the moment her eyes landed on Derek Su, she quickly looked away, unable to meet his gaze.

“Starting today, you’re a Mecha Girl of this club.” Derek Su slid the contract over to her with a smile. “Since Stella Club acquired WFC in its entirety, your contract has also transferred to Stella Club. Right now, you still owe a breach fee of 12 million. So what do you want to do? Pay it off and regain your freedom, or join Stella Club directly? If you join us, you won’t have to repay it at all~”

Purple Lightning glanced at Derek Su.

The young owner of Stella Club wore a gentle smile, yet there was something sly about it.

Like a well-read, calm and calculating… fox.

“I… I…” Purple Lightning pressed her lips together, then gathered her courage and looked up at Derek Su seriously.

“Boss, you really didn’t deliberately buy me over from BSC, did you?

There are too many coincidences. Buying me from Chloe Qin would’ve meant taking a loss!”

The moment the words “taking a loss” were spoken—

From the doorway of the side room beside the reception hall, Imperial Scale quietly poked out half her head, her cool gaze sweeping over Derek Su and Purple Lightning.

After silently issuing a warning with her eyes, she slowly withdrew again.

Derek Su instinctively wanted to touch his nose, but held himself back and gave an awkward laugh.

“Uh… you’re overthinking it. It’s not that complicated.”

Purple Lightning: 0_0 Stare—!

Her gaze was extremely serious—so serious it felt like it could see straight through him. Derek Su’s eyes unconsciously drifted to the right.

This time he couldn’t hold it in.

Fine. Derek Su had another move ready.

He simply closed his eyes and said calmly:

“Here’s the situation. Stella Club needs a logistics team. You know that during the Maratela Training Race we should’ve made the top three, but we were sabotaged by the logistics team from Giant Group and ended up missing the podium. Since then I’ve been keeping an eye on clubs willing to sell their logistics teams, and WFC happened to be one of them. You met that owner yourself—he was torn between freeing himself and keeping the club alive. In the end, he chose to sell it. Originally he intended to use you as a trump card for a desperate gamble in future races. But now it just happens to work out in my favor.”

Derek Su finished telling this enormous lie with his eyes closed, completely calm and composed.

Still, he felt a little nervous inside.

The overall story was logically consistent, but if someone examined it carefully, there were definitely questionable parts.

For example, it made sense for WFC to keep a trump card.

But why choose Purple Lightning, who had a speed disadvantage?

And why had WFC never considered selling the club before buying Purple Lightning—yet suddenly decided to sell after spending money to acquire her?

But life was full of coincidences anyway.

Whatever Purple Lightning said next, he could always dismiss it with one word.

Fate.

Fate really was a mysterious thing~

Purple Lightning lowered her head and thought it over. Something felt slightly off, but the whole sequence of events also seemed to connect logically.

Still, suddenly joining Stella Club, and suddenly not needing to repay the breach fee—those two enormous surprises were difficult for someone like her, who had lived in hardship for so long, to process.

It wasn’t that she thought Stella Club or Derek Su meant to harm her, nor was she deliberately acting coy.

It was more like a stress reaction—once bitten, twice shy.

“But…”

“No buts!”

Derek Su immediately launched a full assault.

With a wounded expression, he said gloomily:

“I see now, Purple Lightning. So you never wanted to join Stella Club in the first place. Sigh… I guess that’s understandable. After all, Stella Club has only just been founded. We have no history, no impressive results. Our drivers are just me, Zane, and an underage girl. That lineup would be a complete joke out there. What’s even more ridiculous is that we didn’t even have a proper logistics team… well, now we do. But as the saying goes, if something won’t stay in your hands, you might as well let it go.”

Derek Su looked up at the chandelier at a perfect forty-five-degree angle, his eyes filled with melancholy.

“You should go. Pay the breach fee if you want, or don’t if you don’t. I wish you happiness.”

At the door of the side room, Imperial Scale and Tunbao both poked their heads out, curiosity written all over their faces.

What kind of Mecha Girl could possibly reject an offer from Derek Su like this?

She must be quite a peculiar Mecha Girl.

Seeing Derek Su stand up as if he were about to leave, Purple Lightning hurriedly scrambled to her feet.

But she lost her balance, tripped over the leg of the coffee table, and fell forward onto the floor.

One hand grabbed Derek Su’s hand, and the other clutched his pants.

Her nose stung, and tears burst out as she cried.

“Boss, I—I didn’t mean that! I want to join Stella Club! I think about it every day—even in my dreams! I’ve been waiting to finish paying the breach fee so I could slam the contract in Chloe Qin’s face and walk proudly into your club. I don’t even hope to become your main Mecha Girl. As long as I can join the club, have a place here, and have a chance to prove myself, that’s enough.”

“But I’m afraid I’ll cause trouble for you.”

She hugged his leg like it was a lifeline, sobbing.

“What if I bring shame to Stella Club? What if I keep losing races? What if no matter how many resources you invest… I still don’t improve? How could I face everyone’s kindness then…?”

Derek Su looked quietly at Purple Lightning as she cried, her eyes red and swollen.

After a long moment, he gently patted her head and asked softly:

“Purple Lightning, do you want to get on the track?”

There were no comforting words.

No promises.

Just that calm question.

But to Purple Lightning, those words were like a sharp blade, cutting down every trace of self-doubt and self-pity in her heart.

“I do…”

“I want to get on the track.”

She buried her head, her voice trembling as she cried out loudly:

“I want to get on the track!!”

“Good.”

The gentle smile on Derek Su’s face suddenly disappeared, replaced with a serious expression.

“New member of Stella Club—Purple Lightning. I understand how you feel.”

“But if you don’t let go…”

“…my pants are going to fall down.”

Purple Lightning froze, hiccuping mid-sob.

She instinctively looked up and saw Derek Su with a dark expression, desperately pulling up his pants with both hands.

But the corner of his blue-striped boxer shorts was already sticking out…

...

Chapter 170: Purple Lightning Joins the Team

By the time lunch came around, Purple Lightning was still blushing and didn’t dare look at Derek Su.

Almost making the boss expose his underwear on the very day she joined the club… that kind of thing would be explosive anywhere.

Not to mention Derek Su’s jeans were still stained with the snot and tears she left behind while crying.

Since a new Mecha Girl had joined today—and she had essentially dropped in out of nowhere, with no buildup or adjustment period—Derek Su decided to avoid any awkwardness by going to the restaurant next door and bringing back twenty pounds of pork chops, turkey, steaks, and various side dishes for lunch.

Unfortunately, Zane couldn’t enjoy the feast.

He had already been recruited by Zuanka Tech and was now a proper researcher, working nine to six with weekends off, living a full and satisfying office-worker life. Apparently his vacation schedule was quite flexible too, so he could come out to compete with Lingwind whenever he had time.

...

There was nothing that couldn’t be solved at the dining table.

After the dishes were served, Derek Su first introduced Purple Lightning to everyone, briefly explaining her background and what she had been through, but he didn’t go into much detail.

He knew that saying too much would only reopen old wounds. A simple mention was enough.

After introducing Purple Lightning, he began introducing the other Mecha Girls to her.

First up, of course, was Pineapple King Stella.

“You two probably already know each other, so I won’t say much. She’s my starting Mecha Girl.” Derek Su patted Stella on the shoulder.

“S-Stella, hello.” Purple Lightning looked at Stella, her eyes lighting up slightly, and her nervousness eased a little.

Among everyone present, Stella was the one she was most familiar with. She had started following Stella back during the Knox Rally and hadn’t missed a single race since.

In a way, Stella was her idol.

Watching Stella go through ups and downs felt almost like she had experienced them herself.

“Hehe, Consort —mm!” Stella quickly covered her mouth and blinked her big eyes.

That was close. She almost said it out loud.

Reorganizing her words, she said:

“Purple Lightning, welcome to Stella Club! Here, this pineapple—I smashed it open with my own hands. Have some!”

“Thank you!” Purple Lightning accepted the pineapple with both hands as if it were something precious.

But… what did “smashed with my own hands” mean? Was that some kind of new pineapple brand?

Well, whatever. It didn’t matter. As long as it was from Stella.

“This is Imperial Scale, my second starting Mecha Girl. She may look cold, but she’s actually very warm.”

Derek Su silently added in his mind: truly warm—inside and out.

Even after hearing that, Purple Lightning still felt a bit intimidated when facing Imperial Scale.

She carefully glanced at the tall Imperial Scale, gathered the courage to meet those cool eyes, but the pressure was too strong and she immediately lowered her head again.

“H-Hello, Imperial Scale… and thank you, for earlier during the tornado…”

“Mm.” Imperial Scale nodded without saying anything else.

She knew Purple Lightning was referring to dealing with Chloe Qin, but she didn’t think much of it.

Purple Lightning felt so embarrassed she almost wanted to disappear, staring nervously at her bowl with a red face.

The next second, a massive turkey drumstick appeared in it.

It was almost as big as her face.

Purple Lightning looked up in surprise, but Imperial Scale had already withdrawn her chopsticks.

Meeting Purple Lightning’s gaze, Imperial Scale said calmly,

“I’ve got your back.”

“Uu…” The tears Purple Lightning had just managed to stop began welling up again.

The boss was right. Even Imperial Scale, who looked so cold and serious, was actually very gentle.

“Next is Tunbao.”

Before Derek Su could finish speaking, Tunbao—whose lips were still swollen—had already stepped forward and hooked an arm around Purple Lightning’s slender shoulders, speaking in a carefree tone.

“Hey, Purple Lightning. Just say the word and I’ll go deal with that bitch Chloe Qin right now. From now on, I’ve got your back at Stella Club. If something happens inside the club, just say Stella’s name. If something happens outside, say Imperial Scale’s name.”

Imperial Scale & Stella: “……”

“O-Okay, I’ll remember!” Faced with Tunbao’s enthusiasm, Purple Lightning felt a bit overwhelmed and nodded seriously.

Then she instinctively asked,

“Then when should I say your name?”

“Heh.” Tunbao bared her teeth in a grin and took a gulp of nutrient solution.

“When the enforcement squad comes looking for the Mecha Girl who committed murder. At that point, just give them my name. I, Tunbao, have always acted openly and honestly. If Chloe Qin dies, I’ll take full responsibility—cough, cough! By the way, why is today’s nutrient solution so strong? Is this a new flavor or something?”

Stella quickly lowered her head and focused on eating, her feet shifting slightly under the table.

Imperial Scale glanced thoughtfully at the empty chili oil bottle that had rolled to her feet.

Derek Su’s mouth twitched slightly.

He thought to himself that Tunbao was surprisingly loyal—ready to shoulder all the blame if trouble came.

“Next, Blazing Wind!”

Derek Su quickly pulled the gentle Blazing Wind forward.

If Tunbao kept talking like that, Purple Lightning might start picking up bad habits.

If he remembered correctly, when Purple Lightning lost control, she wasn’t any less intense than Tunbao.

Back when the cemetery race ended and they were receiving their awards, Purple Lightning had stood alone leaning against a streetlamp. Those eyes still carried traces of killing intent—he remembered them clearly even now.

She might look timid now…

But what she’d be like on the track? He honestly didn’t dare imagine.

“Hello, Purple Lightning. Welcome to the Stella Club family!”

Before Purple Lightning could speak, Blazing Wind had already reached out her hand with a warm smile.

Among everyone present, she understood Purple Lightning the most.

Not only because she had seen Purple Lightning suffer under Chloe Qin’s abuse, but also because she herself had once been another unfortunate Mecha Girl under Chloe Qin.

The difference was that Blazing Wind had been slightly luckier. She had at least received some resources from BSC and eventually managed to escape Chloe Qin’s control through her own efforts.

Purple Lightning, however, had truly drawn the short straw. When Chloe Qin first bought her, she had only been an ordinary driver.

She didn’t have a fiancé like Howard Wang, nor did she receive resources from BSC.

It could be said that during the time she followed Chloe Qin, Purple Lightning lived a life of constant hardship.

Purple Lightning shook Blazing Wind’s hand, and the two Mecha Girls exchanged smiles.

Blazing Wind had once been her replacement. Chloe Qin bought Blazing Wind to take her starting position, completely removing her chance to race.

Back then, Purple Lightning had definitely resented Blazing Wind.

But after entering the underground black market, she had seen too much.

She saw irresponsible drivers coaxing their Mecha Girls into agreeing to unreasonable modifications.

She saw drivers acting one way in front of their Mecha Girls and another in front of others.

To those drivers, Mecha Girls weren’t partners—let alone companions.

At best, they were tools.

Tools for making money.

Tools for venting their desires.

And tools that could be discarded at any time.

Slowly, she realized something.

Not being able to get on the track wasn’t Blazing Wind’s fault.

It was Chloe Qin’s.

Later, Blazing Wind had often taken care of her. But with Chloe Qin around, most of that kindness could only be expressed in secret.

“Thank you,” Purple Lightning said softly, her eyes shining as she looked at Blazing .

Not only for the welcome now.

But also for the small rays of light they once shared while enduring the darkness together.

“Last one—Lingwind!”

Derek Su pushed forward the extremely socially anxious Lingwind, who had been rehearsing her lines all this time but was still panicking.

“W-W-W-Welcome!” Lingwind bowed repeatedly with a red face, like a receptionist greeting guests.

“Ah—no… Welcome Purple Lightning to the club! I’m Lingwind, Zane starting Mecha Girl! P-Please take care of me!”

She kept her head lowered, eyes closed, right hand stretched out stiffly with all five fingers straight, sweat dripping down her forehead.

“Thank you. Let’s work well together.”

Purple Lightning took Lingwind’s cold little hand.

Feeling the friendly gazes surrounding her, she couldn’t help wiping the corner of her eye with a smile.

It felt wonderful.

She had a home now.