Chapter Fifty-Four: Ignition of the Propulsion System

“Very well, from this moment on, your name will be Zhuang Xiaosi. I look forward to working with you, Instructor Zhuang Xiaosi.” For the first time, a trace of softness appeared on Zhuang Xiaosi’s otherwise expressionless face as she received her new name. Zhuang Xiaoyuan could distinctly sense a genuine joy emanating from the depths of Zhuang Xiaosi’s heart, though it seemed suppressed by some unknown force, never fully surfacing.

With a faint sigh of regret, Zhuang Xiaoyuan realized she had to interrupt Zhuang Xiaosi’s process of emotional self-recognition. If things continued like this, Zhuang Xiaosi might interpret these emotions as a malfunction. It was better not to let her dwell on it too much and to shift her focus elsewhere.

With that thought, Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s smile faded to a more serious expression as she addressed the mechanical girl before her: “Instructor Xiaosi, please begin teaching me how to fly.”

“Understood.” Prompted by Zhuang Xiaoyuan, Zhuang Xiaosi snapped out of her fleeting emotional reverie, her attention fully returning to the task at hand. Those of her type, who repressed their feelings, tended to be exceptionally serious and rational, always prioritizing their duties.

“So, where do we begin, Instructor Xiaosi?” Zhuang Xiaoyuan glanced down at the propulsion nozzles attached to her hands, feet, and body.

“First, activate the propulsion system,” Zhuang Xiaosi replied, her eyes flickering with green data lines—01—an indication that she was accessing the beginner’s manual for teaching someone with no prior experience. How did mechanical girls learn to fly, after all?

“The propulsion system? Is it this thing on my back?” Although there seemed to be propulsion devices everywhere—on her hands, feet, and back—Zhuang Xiaoyuan, relying on common sense, assumed those on her limbs were for controlling direction. She smartly pointed at the small, winged backpack-like device behind her.

“That’s right, that’s the propulsion system. But don’t ignite it yet. First, you need to unfold your wings.” Zhuang Xiaosi nodded at Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s gesture.

“Unfold my wings? How do I… Whoa, it’s moving!” Before she could finish, the sound of mechanical gears whirred from her back, and the small wings extended outward, growing until they spanned the length of her outstretched arms.

Zhuang Xiaoyuan experimented with her control, and found she could lengthen and retract the wings at will. Mastering this proved surprisingly simple—just like moving her own hands or feet, a mere thought sufficed, and the device responded accordingly.

“Good. Now that you’ve mastered the wings, try igniting the propulsion system. It’s the foundation of our flight, and your speed will depend on its output.” Seeing Zhuang Xiaoyuan skillfully manage her new wings, Zhuang Xiaosi proceeded with the next lesson.

“Ignition, ignition… Come on, ignite.” But this time, nothing happened, no matter how earnestly Zhuang Xiaoyuan chanted the command or pictured the boosters firing in her mind.

“Come on, ignite!” Frustrated, she clenched her fists and focused all her strength on her back.

With a sound suspiciously like a fart, Zhuang Xiaoyuan vanished from where she stood.

“Aaah! Help! Stop! Stop, please!” Her shrieks echoed through the sky.

Just moments before, as she concentrated all her energy on her back, the propulsion system had suddenly ignited with a burst of blue flame, launching her straight into the sky.

Flailing her arms and legs in panic, Zhuang Xiaoyuan shot across the heavens in wild, erratic arcs. Such uncontrolled flight was extremely dangerous—she could collide with anything at any moment.

And sure enough, with a resounding crash, she fulfilled everyone’s expectations and crash-landed.

“Cough, cough—ah, that scared me to death. Finally landed.” Some seven or eight hundred meters from where she’d started, the once-smooth rubber ground now featured a massive crater. Zhuang Xiaoyuan sat at the bottom, half-stunned. This was her crash site. Despite the speed and the loud impact, she showed no serious injuries—just a few scrapes and bruises by human standards.

“Diagnostic mode engaged. Overall damage: 0.02%. Minor abrasion on right mechanism, minor scratch on left tail. Self-repair possible; estimated recovery time: eight seconds.” As Zhuang Xiaoyuan sat at the crater’s bottom, grateful to have finally stopped, Zhuang Xiaosi stood by the rim. Her eyes glowed faintly red as she scanned Zhuang Xiaoyuan, confirming the extent of her injuries.

As if to validate Zhuang Xiaosi’s words, the red glow faded, and the scrapes on Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s right hand and left leg began to swiftly heal, vanishing entirely within seconds. There was no trace left of her former wounds.

“Instructor Xiaosi, why did I suddenly shoot off like that? Flying… it’s terrifying.” Crawling out of the pit, Zhuang Xiaoyuan brushed dirt from her clothes, her face a mixture of shock and lingering excitement.

She had merely tried to ignite the system, yet it launched her as if riding a roller coaster—without warning, at full speed. Even someone without a fear of heights could have developed one from such an experience.

“Operational error. Please follow my instructions step by step. First, check your throttle restriction before trying again.” Unmoved by Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s complaints, Zhuang Xiaosi simply pointed out the mistake, before mentioning the crucial detail she’d omitted earlier.

“Throttle restriction? I have that feature? Instructor Xiaosi, where do I check for throttle restriction?” Having entirely missed the fact that Zhuang Xiaosi had neglected to mention this earlier and had simply told her to ignite, Zhuang Xiaoyuan began searching herself for the so-called throttle restriction.