Chapter 126 - 129

As the auction continued, more and more Mecha Girls took the stage.

Some auctions ended in success, others in failure.

It was an eye-opening experience for Derek Su. This was his first time seeing this kind of auction format—after placing a bid at the starting price, bidders still had to conduct a face-to-face interview with the Mecha Girl. In other words, even if you were the highest bidder, the Mecha Girl might not necessarily choose you—your chances were simply higher. The final price wasn’t guaranteed to match the auction bid either; it could end up higher or lower.

How should he put it?

The whole system emphasized personalization. Mecha Girls had a wide range of choices and a high degree of freedom.

During the interview, a driver’s personality could be roughly judged through their words and behavior.

Of course, there were those who were exceptionally good at putting on an act. There was nothing to be done about that—after all, Mecha Girls couldn’t read minds.

After watching a full round, Derek Su hadn’t placed a single bid.

It wasn’t that the Mecha Girls weren’t good enough. The main issue was that most of them were speed-type units. Even if he wanted a secondary Mecha Girl, it couldn’t be another speed type. He needed different types to handle special tracks. On top of that, none of them were cheap. With starting bids of three or four million, prices would skyrocket before he even had a chance to speak.

He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination.

But Derek Su kept feeling that some of the Mecha Girls were glancing in his direction, intentionally or otherwise.

Had he gotten more handsome lately?

...

“Bidders, next we present our finale—four high-performance Mecha Girls with formidable specs, along with one top-tier Mecha Girl. I won’t bother introducing this elite unit. You’re all quite familiar with her.”

As the functional Mecha Girl finished speaking,
a cylindrical platform rose from the floor.

Five Mecha Girls stood beneath the spotlights, each dressed in a style that reflected her specialization. Flashy, cyberpunk-inspired outfits usually marked technique-type units. Bodysuits or tight-fitting gear were typical of speed types. Collision-type Mecha Girls tended to wear bold, sexy outfits, their tall frames and toned muscles evoking the power of a female panther.

But among them was a clear exception.

Standing at the very center was Model DL-01.

She held her head high beneath the lights, clad in a military uniform, a scepter planted firmly in her hand. Her icy gaze swept across the bidding seats, radiating an overwhelming, domineering authority. No one dared meet her eyes.

“This Mecha Girl… that killing aura is intense,” Derek Su muttered inwardly.

Beside him, Stella stared wide-eyed, her small mouth slightly open.

Pineapple General!
This was exactly the Pineapple General she wanted!

That feeling of a top-tier personal guard.
An imperial master!

“Master, I want her!” Stella turned to Derek Su, once again voicing her longing for the General.

Lingwind puffed out her cheeks beside them.

Stella had just said she’d make her a guard, and now she’d forgotten all about it.

“I want her too,” Derek Su said with a bitter smile, spreading his hands at Stella. “Give me the money and I’ll bid right away.”

Stella pulled a Pineapple out from behind her and placed it into Derek Su’s hands. She pouted, pressed her palms together, and looked utterly sincere.

“This is my last Pineapple today. It’s priceless!”

Her expression was deadly serious,
as if Derek Su were holding a diamond rather than a Pineapple.

Derek Su: “...”

He had already taken a quick look at the four high-performance Mecha Girls.

Their total attribute scores were all around 550.

It was clear that Mecha Island knew their exact stats. Even if not every detail, they certainly knew what each Mecha Girl excelled at.

And with such performance came equally outrageous prices. Even the starting bids were far beyond what he could afford, leaving him with nothing to do but watch.

What made it even more depressing was that some clubs couldn’t secure a Mecha Girl even after pushing the price to seventy or eighty million.

There was one middle-aged guy—probably around two hundred pounds.

He successfully bid one hundred million for a Mecha Girl with the model designation TB-21, but he came out of the negotiation room in less than five seconds.

After that, he silently returned to the VIP seats in the front, completely dejected. He was sitting quite far from Derek Su, yet he was crying so loudly that Derek Su could hear him clearly.

“Next, we welcome our final Mecha Girl to the stage—DL-01 from the Imperial Family!”

As the functional Mecha Girl’s voice rang out,
all five spotlights converged on DL-01, giving her maximum presence.

DL-01 stepped forward into the center position. Her gaze drifted slowly across the bidding seats, as if searching for someone.

Derek Su glanced at DL-01’s attributes.

Good grief.

One look was enough to shock him.

【Drifting: 80】
【Acceleration: 75】
【Cornering: 80】
【Boost Charge: 0】
【Stability: 99】
【Impact Resistance: 99】
【Endurance: 99】
【Special Skill: Imperial Might — When a Mecha Girl is present within 50 meters, the nearest one becomes the target of judgment. If the opponent’s speed exceeds DL-01’s, DL-01 gains a partial Acceleration bonus based on the difference in Acceleration. If the opponent’s speed is lower than DL-01’s, no bonus is gained, and DL-01 becomes immune to all control and collision effects from that opponent. For all non-judgment targets, when subjected to control effects (skills or collisions), DL-01 performs a resistance check. If DL-01’s Impact Resistance + Stability exceeds the opponent’s, control is nullified. If it is lower, the control effect is doubled.】

The drifting and acceleration stats were fairly average.

But when Derek Su saw the Impact Resistance, Stability, and Endurance, he sucked in a sharp breath.

Impact Resistance at 99—he’d never seen anything like it.

Snowpeak’s Impact Resistance above 90 already let her smash through obstacles head-on. This mysterious DL-01 would be a full-on road tyrant.

Who would dare collide with her on the track?

Looking at her special skill only confirmed it.

Derek Su was speechless.
This DL-01 was definitely a road bully.

Boost Charge at zero didn’t even matter. Her special skill was passive—no charge required.

Still, Derek Su was a top-tier driver.

Just from her stats and skill description, he could already see her weakness.

Those terrifying numbers and abilities weren’t invincible.

Absolute speed could crush DL-01.

Her strength lay in her stability. As long as she was on the track, she had absolute dominance over any Mecha Girl with similar speed. But if she raced against Stella, a single explosive launch at the start would let him carry Stella far ahead, leaving DL-01 eating dust.

That wasn’t to say DL-01 wasn’t strong.

She truly had no obvious weaknesses and was suitable for any track.

And no matter the circuit, she’d take care of her driver like a baby.

On collision-heavy tracks, there was no need to elaborate—she’d smash other Mecha Girls into idiots.

Derek Su rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

If this were a game, she’d be the ultimate all-purpose starter character every player dreamed of.

Like a meticulous, six-stat nanny, she’d carry players through the brutal early stages of getting beaten down by mobs.

Did Derek Su want a Mecha Girl like this?

Of course he did. But after glancing at his bank card, he decided it was best to keep a low profile.

...

“DL-01, starting bid fifty million! The auction begins! Each increase must be no less than ten million!”

The functional Mecha Girl’s voice rang loud and clear.

But someone else was even louder.

In the front VIP seats, a young man leapt to his feet, his face flushed with excitement.

He raised his bidding paddle high and shouted,
“I’m bidding! I bid five hundred million!”

DL-01 had finally lowered her starting price!

Richard Cheng was practically in tears. This was the day he’d been waiting for!

What did it mean for DL-01 to lower her starting bid?

It meant she had been moved by his relentless pursuit and sincerity!

Today was the day he would claim DL-01!

However, on the auction stage—

DL-01 glanced at the young man holding the paddle.

An impatient twitch tugged at the corner of her lips.

“Tsk.”

...

Chapter 127: Auction Rule 177

The bidding price shot up to five hundred million in an instant.

Three-quarters of the hopeful gazes in the bidding seats dimmed on the spot. Only a quarter remained stubbornly hanging on. The light in Stella’s and Derek Su’s eyes faded as well—though to them, fifty million and five hundred million were no different anyway.

It was simply the difference between something they couldn’t afford and something they could only watch.

“Oh, right—DL-01 has activated Auction Regulation 177. Bidders who are short on funds may issue promissory notes to DL-01~” the functional Mecha Girl added with a cheerful smile.

Even so, very few people made a move.

Regulation 177 allowed bidders to write IOUs, but it came at a cost.

Promissory notes were not covered by any breach-penalty clause. In other words, if the driver or the club failed to satisfy the Mecha Girl, she could turn around and leave at any time—and the IOU would be voided immediately. Even if the club and driver earned her recognition, the outstanding note would still hang over them like a mountain, forcing them to watch the Mecha Girl’s mood in everything they did.

In short, without penalty restrictions, the Mecha Girl would have to be treated like an absolute sovereign.

Only after the club or individual fully repaid the IOU could they formally sign a standard breach agreement with the Mecha Girl. The penalty amount would then be negotiated by both sides, usually set at three times 50% to 100% of the final transaction price.

...

As the auction continued, scattered bids trickled in.

The increases were slow, creeping up by ten or twenty million at a time.

The young tycoon seated in the VIP section held his “Love Ticket” with a relaxed smile, ready to step in at any moment and deal a fatal blow to all remaining bidders. Money was clearly not an issue for him.

But just then, DL-01, standing at the center of the display platform, suddenly turned and said something to the functional Mecha Girl.

“May I go to the bidding seats?”

There was a trace of urgency in DL-01’s eyes.

The functional Mecha Girl was stunned. This was the first time she had ever seen impatience and anxiety in DL-01’s gaze. Normally, this top-tier Mecha Girl always carried a lazy, detached air.

What was going on today?

Had the sun risen in the west?

“You can… but why?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

The functional Mecha Girl: “...”

Fine. She wouldn’t interfere. Let DL-01 do as she pleased.

With permission granted, DL-01 walked straight down from the auction platform.

Her long legs stepped crisply along the central aisle of the bidding seats, high heels tapping out a clear, commanding rhythm.

Everyone watching that queenlike, oppressive figure felt their hearts tremble. All Mecha Girls were beautiful, nearly flawless, each possessing a different kind of allure. It was inevitable that some would look at them with lecherous or covetous eyes.

But DL-01 was different.

No one dared look at her that way.

As if harboring even the slightest hint of desire toward her was a sin.

She moved into the VIP section, drawing closer and closer to Richard Cheng, the ace of the Top 300 ESW Speedwave Club.

The light in that ace’s eyes grew brighter by the second.

He had been bidding on Mecha Girls for nearly a month.

The Mecha Girl he camped on every single day.

Now, she was walking straight toward him.

Her gaze was icy, like she was looking at an insect.

Yet even that look was something he was more than willing to accept.

In fact… he could take even more! Ssshh—sss—

However, DL-01 did not stop there.

Her gaze shifted with her steps, briefly brushing across the VIP seats before drifting past as if it were nothing.

“Tap, tap—”

Derek Su, who had been looking down at his phone, suddenly noticed a pair of high heels enter his field of vision.

Stella tugged at his arm beside him.

Strange noises spilled from her mouth—sounds only a completely stunned teenager could make.

“M-Master… M-Mas-Master! Uh… uh… y-you, hurry up and look!”

Look at what? A deity?

Derek Su raised his head in confusion.

Past the long, straight legs and the exquisitely tailored military uniform, past the imposing chest, his eyes finally met a pair of rose-red pupils. The chill within them was thawing, replaced by reproach and helplessness.

Wasn’t this DL-01?

Why was she standing right in front of him?

Derek Su was completely dumbfounded, his brain grinding to a halt.

“Why didn’t you bid on me?” DL-01’s tone carried unmistakable displeasure.

“...No money,” Derek Su replied instinctively.

“You can write an IOU.” DL-01 took out a special promissory note form and placed it on the small table in front of him, her red lips moving slightly. “Sign it.”

Derek Su stared blankly at the IOU.

The maximum limit printed on it was actually ∞?

“Um… I don’t think spending beyond your means is a good idea…”

He looked up at DL-01, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead.

“Bid on me.” DL-01 was clearly growing more anxious.

She leaned forward, compressing his personal space, her face drawing dangerously close. Both hands pressed against the table as she stared fixedly at the man she had had her eye on for nearly a month. “Hurry up.”

Derek Su turned to Stella for help.

But Stella, his so-called little cotton jacket, was currently staring at DL-01 with a completely dazed expression—like someone staring at the very thing they’d worshipped their whole life.

Completely useless.

Derek Su fell silent for a moment, rapidly weighing the pros and cons.

He wasn’t stupid. DL-01 seeking him out on her own had to be related to his driving skills. Otherwise, he had no idea what could possibly attract a top-tier Mecha Girl like her. It certainly wasn’t his looks—Mecha Girls didn’t care about that.

Winning DL-01 meant taking on massive debt, with no breach penalty clause.

That meant risk.

The saving grace was that if DL-01 chose to leave the club, the IOU would automatically become void.

Thinking it through, signing didn’t seem impossible.

And Stella clearly liked DL-01 as well.

That final reason became the last straw. Derek Su clenched his teeth and signed the promissory note. From that moment on, no matter how many bids followed, his offer would automatically exceed the highest bid by ten million until no one else bid. That final price would be the value of the IOU.

Even after signing, the whole situation still felt surreal.

He glanced up at DL-01. Maybe it was just his imagination, but within those icy eyes, he seemed to glimpse a deeply hidden trace of amusement.

DL-01 said nothing. She took the IOU and turned away, returning to the display platform.

The young tycoon in the front VIP seats was so anxious he was practically tearing his hair out, completely unaware of what had just happened. Only the bidders near Derek Su understood what had transpired.

They stared at him in stunned silence, unable to comprehend why DL-01 had shown him such favor.

Zane and Xavier Young both looked like they had seen a ghost.

“Uh… do you know each other?” Mr. Xavier asked in a hushed voice.

“No… first time meeting…” Derek Su placed both hands on his knees, sitting perfectly straight.

“This is really bizarre…” Zane muttered, shaking his head.

“Master, you won the Pineapple General?” Stella clung to Derek Su’s arm, her face flushed with excitement, words tumbling out incoherently. “I—I’m the happiest Mecha Girl in the world!”

Pineapple General? Derek Su gave a bitter smile.

Yeah, right.

she’d end up being someone you had to put on a pedestal.

Stella clearly hadn’t grasped the seriousness of the situation yet.

Her Pineapple King might fail to buy the horse at any price, only to be thrown off its back instead—leaving only him, the Pineapple Grand King, to hold things together.

The auction continued.

In the end, the final price stopped at 1.5 billion.

Under Regulation 177, his bid automatically rose to 1.51 billion.

He became the last bidder to conduct a face-to-face interview with DL-01.

All the bidders before him were genuine big shots paying with real money.

Seven in total.

...

Chapter 128: Second Form

“I don’t like men.”

“I specifically brought women’s clothes today. I could—”

“Tsk. I don’t like transvestites either.”

“Then—”

DL-01 tapped the table, cutting him off, and pointed toward the door.
“The door’s over there. Take care.”

The ESW ace, Richard Cheng, completely broke down.

“Why?” He looked at DL-01 with shattered eyes, his voice filled with despair. “I chose you without hesitation. Why won’t you give me even one chance?”

Imperial Scale blinked.
“Because… I don’t like you.”

Crack—

It felt as though something had shattered.

Richard Cheng knew that mutual selection between Mecha Girls and drivers or clubs could never be forced. Even if he couldn’t understand what was lacking in ESW as a Top 300 club, or what made him, their ace, unqualified, the reality was simple—those three words, “I don’t like you,” were enough to deny everything.

“Alright, I understand.” Richard Cheng let out a dejected sigh, then asked pitifully, “Can I at least see what kind of person ends up winning you?”

DL-01: “You can see from outside.”

Richard Cheng: “...”

...

The interviews continued.

“Sorry, I don’t like women.”

“Sorry, I don’t like bald men.”

“Sorry, I don’t like beanpoles.”

“Sorry, you have a mole under your left eye. I don’t like it.”

“Sorry, your nose hair is sticking out. I don’t like that.”

...

DL-01 was extremely efficient. Most people were sent out in under ten seconds. They went in smiling and came out with dark expressions, yet none dared complain. One guy looked especially broken—the one who had bid 1.5 billion.

Soon, it was Derek Su’s turn.

“Gulp—”

Derek Su swallowed.

Even though the IOU had been offered by DL-01 herself, he still couldn’t help feeling nervous.

It suddenly felt like the first time he’d gone for a club interview in his previous life—the moment when the gears of fate had begun to turn…

He entered the conference room.

DL-01 sat behind a desk, her lower body hidden from view.

She leaned lazily against the chair, black hair cascading down like a waterfall. Without lifting her head, she said indifferently, “Sorry, I don’t like people who wear flat shoes. Get out.”

Derek Su: “...”

He lowered his head and glanced at his Nike flats, feeling speechless.

“So I should leave?!”

This was the first time he’d ever encountered such a uniquely temperamental Mecha Girl.

She’d proactively given him an IOU, and now she was looking down on him for wearing flats?

What was wrong with flats? Did they eat your family’s rice or something?!

Hearing Derek Su’s voice, DL-01 quickly looked up. Seeing that the man had already turned to leave, she suddenly stood up.

“Come back!”

Derek Su turned around in confusion.

What he saw was a Mecha Girl who no longer looked imposing, but instead slightly flustered.

Her delicate face flushed red. After hesitating awkwardly for a while, she finally said flatly, “Sorry. That slipped out. I didn’t realize it was you who came in.”

As she spoke, she pulled out a tea set hidden under the desk and poured Derek Su a cup of tea herself.

The interview rooms were all stocked with tea, but to save time she had skipped it earlier.

Now, there was no need to rush.

“Please, sit.”

DL-01’s attitude did a complete one-eighty.

Derek Su sat down across from her, still trying to adjust.

“Uh, hello.”

“Hello.” DL-01 kept her head lowered, looking a bit reserved as well.

The two of them fell silent.

Derek Su felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, as though ten thousand ants were crawling all over him.

He felt he couldn’t let things stay this awkward, so he took the initiative to start a conversation.

“I have a question. What do you think is your main appeal to me?”

DL-01 froze, staring blankly at Derek Su.

This question… was normally something a Mecha Girl would ask a club representative or a driver.

Derek Su didn’t know that. Neither Xavier Young nor Zane had taught him what he was supposed to say in an interview like this.

They hadn’t even had time to react yet.

If a driver or club agent asked such a question, the Mecha Girl would probably be embarrassed into anger and kick them out on the spot.

But if it was this man…

DL-01 thought about it very seriously.

After a moment, she said calmly, “Strong performance, stable handling, a warm interior… and a second form.”

Second form?

Derek Su stared at DL-01, completely dumbfounded.

This Mecha Girl had dual forms?!

“Do you want to see the second form?” DL-01 glanced around, then stood up and casually lifted the solid wood table to the side with one hand.

With that, the space looked just about sufficient.

“Let’s see,” Derek Su nodded.

He needed to understand DL-01 from every angle before making a final decision.

DL-01 stood at the center and entered deployment mode. Amid flickering photons, she transformed into a rugged, heavily armored jeep. The ferocious look gave Derek Su the distinct feeling that DL-01 could easily roll straight over other Mecha Girls.

No wonder her Impact Resistance, Stability, and Endurance were all 99. It fit perfectly.

After deploying her first form, DL-01 was once again enveloped in black photons.

With another transformation, the fierce jeep turned into a sleek, streamlined sports car.

Her attributes and special skill changed along with it.

【Drifting: 70】
【Acceleration: 85】
【Cornering: 70】
【Boost Charge: 52】
【Stability: 85】
【Impact Resistance: 85】
【Endurance: 85】
【Special Skill: Imperial Blade – Massacre: The more Mecha Girls within 100 meters, the higher the Acceleration (＋1 per Mecha Girl, up to +10). When two or more Mecha Girls are within 50 meters, gains the Piercing Edge effect. Piercing Edge: Actively trigger to gain a burst acceleration of +20% Acceleration, temporary +10 Impact Resistance, and knock aside all Mecha Girls along the route. Piercing Edge lasts 10 seconds. (Form change limited to once per day.)】

Hiss—

Derek Su scratched his head as he looked at DL-01’s speed-form stats.

Another all-rounder. DL-01 was a super all-purpose unit.

In technique, she couldn’t match Purple Lightning. In absolute speed, she couldn’t match Stella. As for Impact Resistance…

Well, there was no need to even talk about that. Her first form was downright invincible in collisions.

Both her first and second forms were steady, all-rounder types.

On provincial-level tracks of the current scale, Massacre would likely only fully trigger at the starting line, or on tracks like Blade Path where all Mecha Girls launched simultaneously. The conditions were fairly strict.

The active ability, Piercing Edge, was much more interesting—a god-tier overtaking skill.

Another baby-mode skill.

Can’t overtake? Doesn’t matter. DL-01, the six-sided nanny, will just ram you through.

...

“So? Does the speed form look better?”

DL-01’s voice carried a hint of nervousness.

She had heard that many drivers disliked the jeep’s appearance, finding it ugly and bulky. She was afraid Derek Su wouldn’t like it, and at the same time relieved that she had a more stylish second form.

“It’s pretty good, but I think the first form is more appealing—and suits you better.”

Derek Su rubbed his chin and nodded repeatedly.

DL-01 canceled her deployed form. Hearing his answer, she moved the table back into place. With her back to Derek Su, the corner of her lips lifted slightly. When she turned around again, she had already returned to her cold, indifferent expression.

“Then let’s talk about the final price. It’ll be included in the IOU.”

As she spoke, the two of them sat back down.

“Your current auction price is 1.51 billion. I want to know your bottom line.”

Derek Su clasped his hands together and looked at DL-01 seriously.

Taking all risks into account, if DL-01 accepted him and the Stella Club, was willing to stay long-term, and allowed for gradual repayment, the price he could accept was around fifty million. It wasn’t an insultingly low valuation, and it was something he believed he could just barely manage.

DL-01 lifted her gaze to meet his, her eyes turning sharp.

...

Chapter 129: Final Price

Price negotiations are like a battlefield.
Open attacks are easy to block; hidden arrows are hard to guard against.
It’s a psychological war—the winner gets everything they want at a slightly lower price.

So both of them were deadly serious.

Earlier, a functional Mecha Girl had said that humans all have inherent flaws—you can’t give everything away at once, or it won’t be cherished. DL-01 took that to heart, so she absolutely… well, probably, maybe, seemingly wouldn’t just give herself away for free. She had to see what she was worth in this man’s eyes.

But she also knew he had only just opened his club. There was no way he had much money.

So—

“Thirty million! Thirty million minimum! That’s my bottom line!” A cold glint flashed in DL-01’s eyes as she spoke in a low voice. “Top-tier Mecha Girls usually start at fifty million. I’m cutting you twenty million—that’s the absolute limit of what I can do!”

Derek Su: “???”

Uh…
That didn’t seem right.

Wasn’t her auction price supposed to be 1.5 billion?

He had been ready to start bargaining down from at least 500 million.

So what was with DL-01 opening at thirty million?

Seeing Derek Su’s stunned expression—mouth slightly open, completely baffled—DL-01’s heart sank. Had she set the price too high? What if he just turned around and walked away?

After struggling internally for a long moment, she bit her red lip, tilted her head slightly to avoid Derek Su’s gaze, and whispered, “…If it really won’t work… twenty-five million… no… twenty million is fine too. I can accept that…”

She dropped the price again!!

Derek Su’s pupils shook.

“You—”

“Fifteen million!”

“I—”

“Ten million. I can’t go any lower!” DL-01 looked at the man who had fallen silent, nervously rubbing her fingers together, her voice carrying a hint of grievance. “How about this—name a price you think is acceptable. If it feels about right to me, we’ll sign the contract.”

Derek Su: “…”

He suddenly felt that even if he said fifty, DL-01 would probably still sign.

But that wasn’t who he was.

He didn’t know why DL-01 thought so highly of him, but being chosen with such one-sided determination—especially by an outstanding top-tier Mecha Girl—was impossible not to enjoy. It was exhilarating.

At the same time, Derek Su was thinking.

How should he treat someone like DL-01?

“To be honest, I don’t have much money, and I don’t want to take on outside debt.” Derek Su rested his elbows on the table, clasped his hands in front of his mouth, and spoke calmly. “My assets are less than five million. I still need to set aside some for my first Mecha Girl, Stella, to choose modules and buy nutrient solution. I also have to maintain a club. You’re an exceptional top-tier Mecha Girl, so…”

“Thirty million,” he continued. “I’ve heard that the starting bid for top-tier Mecha Girls is fifty million. If a Mecha Girl is especially satisfied with her driver, that price usually gets cut in half. You chose me, so I’ll take that as you being very satisfied. Thirty million, settled in the form of an IOU.”

According to Regulation 177, when an auction price is settled via IOU:

If the Mecha Girl is dissatisfied with the driver or the club, she may leave at any time without paying a penalty.
Once the IOU is fully repaid, penalty terms may be renegotiated.
If the Mecha Girl has followed the club for a period of time, participated in competitions, and repaid part of the IOU, then if she chooses to leave, half of the amount already paid must be refunded.

Derek Su felt that IOUs were basically a way to get something for nothing, but under the circumstances, this arrangement was fairly balanced for both him and DL-01. DL-01 could leave at any time. He was confident he could make her stay, and repaying the IOU gradually wouldn’t be demeaning to her. On top of that, agreeing on this price would keep others from having anything to say.

Just look at those guys outside with their miserable expressions.

If DL-01 had really been given to him for free, he seriously wondered whether walking alone at night would get him stuffed into a sack, beaten senseless, and dumped into a river.

...

DL-01 looked at the man sitting across from her, light flickering in her eyes.

Suddenly, she felt that all the time she had spent waiting behind the glass wall hadn’t been wasted.

This man was truly exceptional—both in skill and in character.

If it were anyone else, judging by her attitude, they would probably have driven the price down as far as possible, eager to take her away for nothing. But Derek Su was different. A Mecha Girl who came out of an auction had a corresponding value. Since he had acquired her through this channel, the price itself was, in a sense, a form of respect and recognition.

Derek Su, whose assets were less than five million.

Had already done his utmost to show her respect.

Perhaps the human flaws that functional Mecha Girls talked about were indeed common, but she believed that Derek Su would lead her to claim her own glory on the racetrack. And she, in turn, would carry Derek Su toward the pinnacle of racing—the world stage.

“Let’s sign the contract.”

DL-01 took a deep breath and pulled the form out of the drawer.

She filled in her part first, then handed it to Derek Su.

Derek Su glanced through it briefly. It mainly covered the rights and obligations between the Mecha Girl, the driver, and the club; DL-01’s transaction price [Thirty Million]; and the repayment method when the price was settled via IOU.

As for the repayment date—
At any time.

Written by DL-01 herself.

Her handwriting was elegant and forceful, like silver hooks and iron strokes, carrying a sharp, killing edge.

There was nothing more to say. Derek Su signed his name.

From today on, he was officially tens of millions in debt. Thinking about it was oddly thrilling.

He laughed at himself.

“Master, please give me a name.”

For the first time, a clear smile appeared on DL-01’s face.

It was still cool and restrained, but her good mood was unmistakable.

A name…

As someone who was hopeless at naming things,
Coming up with names had always been painful for Derek Su.

He looked DL-01 up and down, his gaze inevitably lingering on her overwhelmingly impressive bust.

“How about… Thunder?” he smacked his lips.

No beating around the bush—it really was huge.

Even more imposing than the combat-type Mecha Girl named Warhammer he had encountered during his first training race.

The smile on DL-01’s face slowly disappeared.

A chill ran down Derek Su’s back. Facing those icy eyes, cold sweat broke out as he scratched his head and forced a laugh. “Ahahaha… that doesn’t sound very nice. How about this, DL-01—what do you think would be better?”

Out of respect for her Master, DL-01 had originally given Derek Su the right to name her.

But his naming sense completely broke her.

So she decided to take that right back.

After a brief moment of thought, she looked up at Derek Su, her gaze sharp and solemn. “Then from now on, my name will be Imperial Scale… the scales of an emperor, unbreakable. I hope that on the racetrack in the future, I can become the unyielding shield in your hands and fight through obstacles together with you!”

“Imperial Scale… that’s good!”

Derek Su nodded with an awkward smile.

The name fit Imperial Scale’s performance—and even her special abilities—perfectly.

“So, should we leave now?”

“No, Master. We’ll return to the auction seats first. There’s still another auction coming up.”

“Huh? Weren’t you the last one?” Derek Su froze.

“Mecha Girls who weren’t bought earlier get one final group auction at the end. There’s one called TB-21—you can bid for her,” Imperial Scale said calmly. “She’s been with me for a long time. I wouldn’t feel at ease if she were taken by someone else. When you negotiate the price, you can bring me along.”