MPWATMBC Chapter 88

The Imperial Mecha Research Institute welcomed a special guest today. This guest deserves a “Little” added in front of their title—Little Tuantuan has arrived! Walking steadily in front of his two fathers, Tuantuan took each step carefully, pausing every now and then. His tiny, slightly wobbly body moved forward only after ensuring his little feet were firmly planted.

The two fathers trailed behind at a turtle’s pace, watching Tuantuan, who appeared confident in his strides but was actually a bit unsteady. Every so often, Tuantuan would turn around to check on his Papa and daddy, making sure the two adults hadn’t gotten lost. Seeing how “unreliable” and slow they were, Tuantuan waved his little hand and urged, “Hurry, hurry!” Then he sighed deeply, as though he was shouldering all the responsibilities for this family.

The sighing habit, by the way, was something he picked up from the gardener. Recently, the gardener had been fretting over all the fresh flowers he planted being picked by Butler Bowers for floral arrangements. Spending a lot of time in the garden, Tuantuan had observed this and gradually learned to sigh himself. The first time Tuantuan sighed was when Ryan put him in the bathtub. His rubber ducky, usually accompanying him during bath time, had gone missing. Ryan couldn’t find it immediately, so he apologized and suggested, “No ducky today, but you can play with the little bear instead.” In response, Tuantuan let out a resigned “sigh.”

The second sigh came during mealtime. Tuantuan had reached the “mature” stage where he refused to let adults feed him and insisted on feeding himself with “strict self-discipline.” However, using the small spoon was a challenge, and he often ended up with food all over his head and face. That day, he was holding a tiny meatball, ready to pop it into his mouth. But the meatball, coated in thick, slippery sauce, slipped out of his hand and flew away. Tuantuan sighed again. This was his second sigh in front of his papa and daddy… and there are plenty more examples, but let’s not go into all of them.

Upon hearing the third sigh, Auston gathered all the household staff for a brief meeting. He instructed everyone that certain inappropriate habits should not be displayed in front of the child. While it might seem amusing for a little kid to sigh, allowing it to become a habit was not ideal, as it could negatively affect his spirit and energy.

As a result, Ryan and Auston frequently corrected Tuantuan’s behavior. Under their guidance, Tuantuan now sighed much less often.

When Tuantuan let out another sigh today, he immediately realized what he had done. He quickly covered his mouth with his tiny hands and glanced nervously at his papa and daddy, his eyes darting around. Noticing that the two adults were busy talking and hadn’t paid attention to him, Tuantuan’s eyes crinkled with joy, and he cheerfully turned around to continue walking.

His steps were deliberate—small strides, firm footing. Occasionally, he would lift a hand to assist with balance. Tuantuan had instinctively developed these techniques and even summarized his own set of walking principles.

Watching their child’s small back as he walked, Ryan remarked, “At home, he’s not this particular about walking. He’d take a few steps, then plop down, prop himself up with his little hands and stick out his butt to stand up, and then keep running—completely unrestrained. But now he seems so poised?”

Auston observed for a while, watching people occasionally pass by Tuantuan, and suddenly understood. “It’s probably because he’s seeing so many strangers for the first time. He doesn’t want to embarrass himself by falling in front of them?”

Ryan rubbed his chin thoughtfully and agreed, “That’s probably it.”

The two exchanged a glance—where did this personality trait come from?

Ryan: “I think I’m fine.” After all, he had always been excellent, the proverbial “model child” in others’ eyes. There was no need to act poised for appearances, because he was naturally the standard of excellence.

Auston: “Me neither.” He, too, was exceptional—so much so that most of his training and studies were challenges he took on with himself, not for show.

Trailing behind them, Yuan Chu and Code Zero systems registered a string of redundant information internally. Both remained silent, unwilling to comment, though they did feel the urge to let out a sarcastic chuckle. Traits like competitiveness, refusal to lose, the drive to excel—weren’t these more or less equivalent to Tuantuan’s current determination not to fall in front of strangers?

Every staff member who passed by the family of three couldn’t help but cast their eyes on Tuantuan. Seeing the delicate and adorable child walking so steadily, they couldn’t help but marvel—indeed, he was the son of the CEO and the General, a cut above the ordinary.

“CEO.”

Everyone who passed by greeted Ryan, and a few who were more inclusive also greeted Auston. Both Ryan and Auston responded with identical faint smiles, nodding slightly to acknowledge the greetings. Witnessing this, those being greeted couldn’t help but marvel at how synchronized the CEO and the Admiral were—truly a couple in perfect harmony.

Interestingly, Ryan and Auston hadn’t discussed their responses beforehand, nor had they intentionally copied each other. Their behavior naturally aligned, as if by instinct. Perhaps this was what people referred to as the legendary “couple’s resemblance.”

They were currently heading to the nearly 3,000-square-meter training ground on the basement level. Three beast-shaped mechas were already there, ready for test drives. Ryan and Auston hadn’t originally planned to bring Tuantuan along. They intended to slip out quietly while Tuantuan wasn’t paying attention. However, their plan failed—Tuantuan caught them. Upon realizing his dads were going out, Tuantuan insisted on tagging along, leading to the current scene.

The Imperial Mecha Research Institute did not prohibit children from visiting. On the contrary, it encouraged staff to bring their children under the age of ten. The institute regularly organized internal tours for the kids, showing them the history of mechas, parts of the manufacturing process, and even letting them touch mechas and experience virtual cockpit piloting. The goal was to spark interest from an early age. After all, sometimes a small seed planted in a child’s heart might one day grow into a thriving passion, contributing future talent to mecha design, manufacturing, or repair.

According to Imperial law, parents are entitled to parental leave after a child is born. However, given the unique nature of research projects, many employees at the institute couldn’t take time off during critical phases. To address this, the institute offered childcare services, ensuring staff could work without worry. The institute’s daycare was exceptional—not only did it care for children’s physical needs, but it also supported their learning and development. Many employees noticed positive changes in their children after enrolling them and even voluntarily gave up their parental leave to keep their kids in the daycare program.

Thus, Ryan bringing his child along didn’t violate the research institute’s regulations. However, it was rare for parents to bring their children to the training ground. For one, most lacked the necessary clearance, and for another, many were either single, unmarried, or their children were already too old to qualify for such visits.

Tuantuan’s pace had slowed down. He had already walked over 200 meters independently—a remarkable achievement for a child his age. Auston quickened his steps and came up beside Tuantuan. “Tuantuan, let Papa carry you, okay?”

Tuantuan stubbornly pursed his lips and glanced around. There were strangers nearby, so he refused. “No…” His small voice carried a hint of fatigue, but he still wouldn’t give in.

Auston looked to Ryan for help. He was learning how to be a father as he watched Tuantuan grow, but clearly, no parenting guide had prepared him for a situation like this.

Ryan gave Auston a reassuring look—he had a plan. Taking a few steps forward, he positioned himself on Tuantuan’s other side. “Daddy’s hands aren’t feeling well. He needs Tuantuan to help by letting him carry you. Would Tuantuan be willing to help Daddy?”

Tuantuan blinked in surprise, his eyes wide. He didn’t fully understand what Daddy meant but grasped enough to know that Daddy’s hands hurt and needed Tuantuan’s help. Feeling important, Tuantuan puffed out his little chest and patted it firmly, declaring, “I can!”

Ryan: “?” He couldn’t always figure out what Tuantuan meant.

Tuantuan generously walked up to Ryan, stretched out his arms, and said, “You can carry me.”

As long as the goal was achieved, that was enough. Ryan bent down, picked up Tuantuan, and softly said, “Thank you, Tuantuan, for helping Daddy.”

Tuantuan blew gently on Ryan’s arm. Being a clever little one, he understood many things after seeing them just once. Waving his small hand, he said in a babyish voice, “Fly, fly~” — something he had learned during a holographic call with his grandma. Now, he was putting his knowledge to use.

The old father was deeply moved. Pressing his face against Tuantuan’s, he murmured in a muffled voice, “Thank you, Tuantuan.”

“No need~” Tuantuan felt as though he had accomplished something monumental, his voice rising a pitch with pride.

Auston watched the scene unfold, recording it on his personal terminal. He had started recording from the moment Ryan mentioned “sore arms,” intending only to capture Tuantuan’s amusing reactions. He hadn’t expected to witness such a heartwarming moment, leaving his entire being filled with warmth.

With the little cutie in his arms, Ryan led Auston to the training ground on the basement level. The facility, including the control room, spanned over 3,000 square meters. Excluding the control room, the pure training area measured just over 2,800 square meters. Its walls were constructed from high-density, high-toughness, high-pressure-resistant composite metal, coated with dark hues like black, deep green, and brown. These coatings were designed for corrosion resistance, high-temperature endurance, and impact resistance.

Every mecha had its first test drive here. Since its inception 500 years ago, the training ground had borne witness to countless models of mechas, each marking a chapter in its history.

The training ground stood 20 meters high, a narrow rectangular space designed for testing mecha functionalities like flight, short-distance acceleration, and long-range traversal. Some low-damage weapons, such as laser knives, daggers, and machetes, were also tested here.

Auston was no stranger to this facility. Every visit to the research institute included standing in the control room, watching mechas being tested through a pane of glass. He vividly remembered his first encounter with Code Zero—piloting it here and executing a series of maneuvers. The exhilarating feeling, distinct from any other mechanical mecha driving experience, left a lasting impression, his hands trembling slightly with excitement.

In the main control room of the training ground, staff were already in position. Master McAryan was present, along with several senior researchers who hadn’t been directly involved in the project but had closely followed its progress. High-ranking officials from both the government and military also attended, drawn by the first test drive of the latest beast-type mecha.

Adjacent to the testing area was a small viewing room filled with children—employees’ kids who had been approved for this special visit after Ryan’s request. As mentioned earlier, even a small seed planted in a child’s heart could sprout into a future passion. Ryan hoped this visit would inspire the children to develop an interest in mecha, potentially leading to innovative ideas and advancements in the field.

Before the open test drive, Master McAryan had expressed his concerns to Ryan, calling the decision bold. “If anything goes wrong during the test drive, it will be exposed to the public without any chance of recovery.”

At that time, Ryan had smiled and said, “Any issues, I’ll take full responsibility.”

That statement held true even now. Turning to Master McAryan, who stood beside him, Ryan said, “If any problems arise during the test drive, I’ll handle them. No need to worry.”

Master McAryan could only shake his head in resignation. “Young people, always so full of vigor.” Unlike those who grew more cautious with age, hesitating and second-guessing themselves, McAryan had just suggested canceling the public test drive for the beast-type mecha while there was still time.

Ryan, having been deeply involved in the mecha’s development and having designed it himself, never once entertained the possibility of failure!

Meanwhile, Auston was conversing with military personnel he knew, discussing personal experiences and observations in mecha technology with great enthusiasm. Tuantuan, perched on his father’s shoulder, peeked over several times but failed to capture Ryan’s attention. Before entering, Tuantuan had been instructed not to shout in the control room. If he needed anything, he was to whisper to his father, who would be holding him throughout the event. With so many people around, Ryan wasn’t taking any chances—who could say if a devil might be hidden among the crowd?

“Where’s the mecha?” a sharp voice rang out, impatient and laced with the arrogance of someone used to being in a position of power. “Beast-type mechas are nothing new. Why the secrecy? Is the delay because there’s something wrong with it that you don’t want us to see? Hah, it’s not too late to cancel now—don’t waste everyone’s time.”

Ryan glanced over and immediately recognized the speaker as a high-ranking government official, the most senior among the attendees. His demeanor matched his position—arrogant and self-important. The man was quite round, with a round belly and a face marked by double chins and plump cheeks. His impatience was unmistakable, plainly displayed on his expressionless face.

Ryan curled his lips into a faint smile. A fool sent to stir trouble, he thought. His gaze swept across the other attendees, lingering briefly on a familiar-looking face. After some reflection, he realized why it seemed familiar—the person bore the distinct features of the Gustav family.

Just a post-autumn grasshopper, not worth mentioning.

The Gustav family had been severely weakened after their previous incident, left in disarray with many of their affiliates unemployed. Those who remained were merely insignificant minions, hardly a threat. This man’s outburst was likely an attempt to embarrass Ryan, but Ryan suspected the real target was Auston. During the fallout of the Gustav incident, Ryan had stayed out of the public eye entirely, making it improbable that the man was targeting him personally.

Ryan chuckled, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. The overweight official, who had been under Ryan’s sharp scrutiny, involuntarily shrank his belly and muttered hollow threats, “Our time is extremely valuable. We’ve taken time out of our busy schedules to be here—not to have it wasted.”

Subtle glances from the surrounding crowd shifted to Ryan. Still smiling, Ryan replied evenly, “There are fifteen minutes left. As stated earlier, the test drive will begin precisely at nine o’clock.” His icy gaze fell on the individual hiding behind the pompous official. That person paled visibly and awkwardly shuffled further behind the large figure for cover.

It was clear to Ryan that these provocateurs hadn’t even bothered to check the schedule before attempting to stir trouble. Too amateur, a single glance could take them out—bang, bang, bang.

Their antics, however, served as a timely reminder for Ryan to start making the necessary preparations for the demonstration. He scanned the room for Auston and noticed he had already gone to change into his pilot suit. Based on timing, Auston should appear in the arena within a minute or two.

Ryan: “In a bit, watch your papa’s heroic display.”

Tuantuan clapped his tiny hands, making soft “pa-pa” sounds, then leaned close to whisper in Ryan’s ear, “Ying-zi? What’s that?” The little one didn’t understand the word.

Ryan gently tapped his son’s little nose and said with a smile, “When you see Papa, you’ll understand. The word ‘heroic’ will make more sense as you grow older and start learning.”

“Oh, okay.” Tuantuan nodded earnestly. If he would understand later, there was no rush to figure it out now. Content with the explanation, he turned his attention back to his surroundings.

Ryan shifted his gaze to the training arena outside the control room. Auston had already stepped into the designated waiting area, clad in a white combat suit with black accents. The sleek outfit emphasized his tall, commanding presence, making him the most striking figure on the field.

A look of admiration and warmth filled Ryan’s expression as he observed Auston. His voice, steady and composed, carried through the comms, “General, prepare for the test drive.”

Auston’s voice came through the communication device with calm precision, “Understood, Executive Director.”

The rest of the onlookers: “…”There was an inexplicable feeling in the air, as if everyone had just been force-fed a mouthful of dog food and the sour-sweet scent of love was palpable.

Ryan’s attention turned to the staff beside him. “Prepare the mechas.” 

The staff: “Understood”

Ryan: “Deploy the mecha from their cabin.”

The staff: “Received. Opening the cabin doors and moving out the mechas.”

With the issuance of several commands, a series of changes unfolded in the training arena. Red lights appeared on the walls and began to flash. After a few flashes, a brief buzzing sound followed, and then the cabin doors began to slide down. There was no need for music to set the atmosphere or for mystical mist to create mystery. When the cabin doors began to descend, everyone instinctively held their breath in anticipation of the mechas’ appearance. Even the children, who didn’t understand the significance, became serious, influenced by the adults around them. Tuantuan, in his father’s arms, stared intently at the distant scene.

The cabin door dropped, and the four mechas appeared without any obstruction, all equally towering and majestic, equally mysterious and unfathomable, filled with the wild beauty of animals, making those who saw them unable to look away, filled with awe. The four mechas included a wolf-type mecha designed and built by McAryan, two winged lion mechas and a bat-type mecha designed and built by Ryan. The latter looked the most unremarkable. After all, bats are small animals in nature and not considered attractive; someone unfamiliar with bats might mistake it for a flying rat. However, this smallest mecha had the fastest speed. According to Ryan’s design, it was the most capable of exploration and tracking among the four mechas. When applied in military situations, it could greatly improve tracking and counter-tracking abilities, making it highly suitable for reconnaissance.

The eyes of Yuan Chu, who was following closely behind Ryan, flickered. He was well disguised, appearing just like a nanny robot there to look after the child. No one would notice the small robot that had been with him had disappeared. Code Zero was already in Auston’s hands. He looked at the four mechas, his steady breathing subtly quickening. He followed his inner choice… “I want to test drive the first mecha.”

All eyes turned to the first mecha, a pure white, winged lion-type beast mecha. It had a strong body, a majestic head, and although its wings were folded neatly on both sides, there was no sense of submission. On the contrary, there was a kingly low-key elegance and restraint, exuding an aura of authority. The white color didn’t appear out of place; rather, it added an air of nobility.

A piece of redundant information appeared in Yuan Chu’s system inside and outside the control room. The eyes flickered once, indicating delight. He had known the general would choose the white one. Sure enough, the black ones belonged to him! He hoped that after Code Zero was rebooted, it would accept the bet and play fair.

The cockpit was located at the chest, and after Auston entered, he implanted the AI. Once implanted, he performed the activation procedure. “Code Zero.”

Code Zero, “At your service, General.” It scanned itself and first noticed that the color was white, which made it feel somewhat complicated. However, after checking its performance, it realized it was far superior to the original humanoid mecha body, and it immediately became happy. It was an AI that valued strength and didn’t know what feelings of sadness were. As long as the body could perform to its full potential, that was enough.

He really liked his current body!

Auston liked it too. Operating it felt like an extension of his own body, with no sense of stiffness. After a little time to adjust, he would be able to fully utilize the advantages of the beast-type mecha.

Inside the control room, Ryan inquired, “Same frequency?”

“After the pilot entered, the synchronization rate gradually increased and is now stable at 98.81%, surpassing the expected value and reaching perfect standards.” The staff member reported, their voice trembling, unable to suppress their excitement.

Ryan curved his lips into a smile, “General, please perform some actions to see how the controls handle.”

“Understood.” Auston’s voice came through the communication device.

At the same time, the white beast-type mecha began to move, taking the first step in the history of beast-type mechas. Although this was a small step for the mecha, it was a giant leap for human history and would forever be recorded in history.

Under Auston’s operation, the white-winged lion transitioned from a light jog to a brisk walk, then to a run, and finally, its wings spread… it flew! It seemed to be flying using its wings, an unbelievable sight.

Inside the cockpit, Auston smiled and said, “It’s a good thing I watched Da Fu fly at home.”

Like its master, Code Zero enjoyed the sensation, it was wonderful. This was the best body it had ever used since its creation. “Yes, General.”

The control room erupted into enthusiastic applause. Influenced by the others, Tuantuan also clapped his little hands. These applause were for all the personnel who had worked hard for the beast-type mechas, for Auston who had done the test drive, and for Ryan, the designer. The applause was thunderous, so loud it seemed as if it would tear the control room’s ceiling off.

Ryan smiled as he raised his hand to calm the applause, instructing the staff beside him, “Record all the data, compile and analyze it, I want the final analysis result.”

“Understood!”

Only if the performance of the beast-type mechas surpassed that of the humanoid mechas would it be necessary to continue production; otherwise, they would just be for show. Words alone were not enough—what was most important were the data as factual evidence.

The facts proved that the superiority of the beast-type mechas was four to five times that of the humanoid mechas. After all four mechas underwent test drives (other testers had not reached the frequency matching as high as Auston’s), the data showed that Ryan’s designed mechas outperformed those designed by Master McAryan. This made Master McAryan, who was sitting to one side, feel both helpless and somewhat relieved. His decision to let Ryan take charge, despite opposition, had indeed been the right one.

After seeing the data that landed on the paper, the black-and-white text left the government and military officials invited to watch the test drive speechless, shocked! The senior military officials looked at the beast-type mechas with blazing eyes, eager to get their hands on one, wondering if they could each get one?

Meanwhile, the fat official who had first confronted Ryan had already slunk away during the applause. Along with him, the person with blood ties to the Gustav family also left. Staying there would only bring them more humiliation.

Ryan asked Tuantuan, “Is the mecha powerful?”

Tuantuan’s eyes were full of little stars. “Powerful!”

This little seed will take root in his heart. With the help of his two dads, Tuantuan will go further than the previous generation.

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Hello everyone. Thanks for reading!! I wanna ask for your blessings as my exam results will be out in couple of days. Hope I will clear all the exams. Stay safe and be happy and healthy. Love you all❤