When were normal people ever dressed more stylishly than a fashion mogul, yet acted more sneakily than a scoundrel? When did normal people eat birds they plucked, yet do so with such elegance? Not a single drop of oil even dared to fall!

She had just managed to devour one, and her hands and mouth were smeared entirely with grease—she looked utterly pathetic.

In a word, comparing yourself to others was a surefire way to invite misery.

The twins, full and satisfied, began plucking the celestial cabbage flowers. They stuck a bloom on her head here, another there, but she clutched her hat tightly, denying them any opportunity. Her hair was short, mostly concealed by the cap, leaving the twins nowhere to work their mischief. They sighed with frustration: "A girl without long hair is no girl at all. Long hair is a girl's most beautiful feature; how could you cut it short?"

Zi Ye boomed back, "I have short hair, and I’m proud of it!"

"Ahem, little sister, listen to us…" The twins placed their hands, overlapping, onto Zi Ye's shoulders, one on each side. Zi Ye instantly felt as if two anvils had been set upon her; there was only one word for it: heavy.

She glanced left at X, then craned her neck right to observe Spente. Decisively, she ducked low and flexibly wriggled free of their grasp. The moment she broke away, the leaves atop Little Sprout’s head unfurled and, with a soft swoosh, shot out two gentle arcs of electricity to either side, zapping their arms.

The pair recoiled in surprise, looking at each other in confusion. Zi Ye burst into peals of laughter, clutching Little Sprout and walking ahead. For the first time, she thought Little Sprout’s micro-electric discharge was incredibly useful!

Besides mischief, the twins' favorite game was "Guess Who I Am?" They’d randomly interject, "Guess who I am?" Zi Ye had a hard time distinguishing them anyway. They looked so identical; their clothes, hairstyles, even the curve of their smiles were precisely the same.

Nevertheless, Zi Ye noticed subtle distinctions with great care. Every time they asked, she could pinpoint them accurately, offering a casual excuse on the spot: "X, your smile is a touch creepier," or "Spente, you’ve got flower juice on your face."

The twins were equally amazed and perplexed about how Zi Ye managed to identify them, pestering her all the way.

Zi Ye was delighted to have fellow travelers for company. The trio played and caused all the trouble they could find, tasting everything edible along the way. In the afternoon, the twins decided to venture further out, grinning: "We can take you, or do you have your own transport?"

Having spent half a day together, Zi Ye now considered the twins friends. She smiled, "No need, I have mine."

The three parted ways and deployed their mechs.

Without any instruction from Zi Ye, Little Sprout began reading the data from X’s mech at an unparalleled speed, resuming the work they had left unfinished that morning.

Zi Ye rubbed her hands, fighting the urge to immediately dismantle their machines. Just as she was about to speak, Spente stared at her 'Peace-Type' mech with sheer delight. "That's the one! It transforms. I saw it in the air earlier; it looked incredibly powerful."

Zi Ye scratched her head sheepishly. "Don't you think it looks kind of battered?"

X held up an index finger to his lips, shaking it gently. "Our Captain said it—you can't judge a mech by its exterior."

Spente chimed in immediately, "You can't think we lack substance just because we’re handsome."

Zi Ye couldn't help but laugh. "You are incredibly substantial; it's me who's superficial."

Both men laughed too. Spente lunged first toward the Peace-Type. "Let me have a go!"

Zi Ye jumped at the opportunity, thrilled. "Great! Let's swap cockpits!" Before they could object, she sprinted toward Spente’s mech. Spente and X exchanged a look. Spente whispered quietly, "Should we tell her our mechs have pilot verification protocols?"

X snickered. "No rush. Let her try first. I’m going to try hers—" Before he finished speaking, Spente grabbed him by the collar, pulling him back. Spente then bolted forward in a single stride. "I’m testing it first!"

Their physical prowess and agility were nearly equal. As Spente charged forward, X refused to lag behind, resulting in both blocking the cockpit entrance simultaneously—neither could get in.

Zi Ye watched the twins' interaction from inside Spente's cockpit, finding it quite amusing. Just as she was thinking about intervening, they both reached out in perfect synchronization: Rock-Paper-Scissors.

One round decided the winner.

Spente won and triumphantly squeezed into the cockpit, pulling a face at his brother.

Zi Ye shook her head and asked Little Sprout, "How is it?"

Little Sprout was analyzing the mech's optical computer system, answering without looking up: "Top-tier battle armor. Estimated cost around fifty million. The ballistic system is formidable, but the range is a bit short—optimal distance only reaches 10 km, with deviation past 13 km. Best suited for close combat."

Fifty million cost?

Zi Ye gasped. Mechs on the market that cost ten million usually sell for fifty million. This one had a construction cost of fifty million; if released, it would sell for a hundred million!

One hundred million could buy a decent patrol frigate with good performance metrics.

No wonder the Angel Legion mechs weren't sold commercially.

If she had known the Angel Legion was this wealthy, she would have charged An Junlie a full million for the repairs.

Little Sprout continued, "The mech has a pilot detection program, but this master temporarily sealed it! Yay! Activating!"

Zi Ye worried, "Will forcing the drive cause blood vessels to burst?"

Little Sprout flapped its wings. "No worries. This mech’s pilot detection program is purely for anti-theft purposes."

Little did they know the look of stunned confusion that flashed across the faces of X and Spente when the mech powered up. For a brief moment, they thought their machine had been stolen!

That girl’s background must be significant!

Spente entered the cockpit and habitually initiated the pilot detection, only to find that the Peace-Type had no such program installed. Could it be a mech anyone could pilot?

How peculiar.

Logically, even mass-produced mechs bought off the market would have the pilot detection program installed during assembly, unless both the buyer and seller were novices.

Spente opened the optical computer with surprise, and his eyes immediately lit up.

Such a clear and efficient optical computer, such a powerful system, such capable CPUs!

The optical computer data indicated it was a long-range mech. Although its firepower was average, its energy reserves were plentiful, and the propulsion system was exceptionally robust, requiring only 375 seconds for a full recharge. He launched the self-diagnostic system, watching the data flash across the screen, growing ever more astonished. The configuration and parameters of this system were unprecedented; nothing like it had been produced by any known corporation on the market.

Initially, he had assumed the Peace-Type was a custom-built mech for some legion or conglomerate, but now he realized that wasn't right either. While mechs commissioned by legions or conglomerates emphasized heavy defense, their CPUs rarely reached this level. Furthermore, those clients demanded aesthetic appeal; they wouldn't tolerate a surface riddled with dents and pits without fixing it, nor would they require a transformation function.

Baffling!

Spente tapped the bright red earring in his left ear—his comms device—and whispered, "Brother, this mech is a treasure." As soon as he finished, he sensed something wrong and checked; his signal had been cut off at some point.

What happened?

Just then, a soft, loli voice suddenly chimed from the optical computer. "Eee-eee, handsome guy, don't go touching me all over!"

Spente started violently.

He looked around; no one was visible, only the illuminated screen before him. A loli with a clear, gentle voice,