After Brian Walker had attended classes at 3212 Academy for more than half a month, Brian Walker felt that her path to making money was nowhere in sight. The teachers’ assignments grew heavier by the day, and every time school ended, her hands and feet would be shaking. As soon as she returned to the dilapidated building, she would fall asleep, with no energy left to think about anything else.

Even more importantly, she heard that before the A-class monthly exam had even started, over two hundred students had already voluntarily transferred to regular schools because they couldn’t afford the materials.

A qualified mecha engineer is built on mountains of money—ordinary families simply can’t afford it.

Now, it was even less likely for Brian Walker to change her major. Fortunately, the school library wasn’t divided by class, so students from the B-class could also borrow books related to mecha engineering.

As a former top engineer, Brian Walker decided to stick with this for now—she could teach herself.

She needed to find time to ask Emma Carter what they were learning in class.

“Today, I’m going to teach you how to hunt. Unfortunately, our planet 3212 is too poor to afford a holographic simulator, so please treat the classmate in front of you as your prey and remember to use the techniques taught in the last lesson. There’s no punishment for losing, and if you win…” The teacher then smiled slightly, “there’s no reward.”

As soon as the whistle blew, the person in front of Brian Walker immediately rushed over and grabbed her around the waist, trying to throw her to the ground.

Damn!

If she got thrown down, she’d be bedridden for ten days to half a month. Although the school’s medical pod could have her bouncing around in half an hour, she couldn’t afford to use it!

Sorry, buddy.

Brian Walker took two quick steps back, grabbed the other’s hand, yanked hard, and flipped them over her back. But that wasn’t enough—if she wanted to completely disable her opponent, she had to dislocate his hand.

The field was filled with wails, and those who were seriously injured were immediately sent to the infirmary.

After her opponent admitted defeat, Brian Walker straightened up, feeling desolate inside: these violent mecha soldier trainees.

……

Author’s note: Delicate Engineer Brian Walker sighs after dislocating a classmate’s hand: these mecha soldier trainees are really too violent.

Chapter 4

Seven years passed, and Brian Walker was still the same penniless Brian Walker, having found no path to wealth at all.

This world was just too damn hard. The level of technological advancement was extremely high, and the things Brian Walker could make had basically no market here. The first time she went to the city and sold a tricycle, it was only because Emma Carter was curious. After that, no matter what Emma Carter said, he wouldn’t buy her stuff anymore.

What was even worse was that when she tried to mooch some of Emma Carter’s desserts at school, he would always give her a mysterious “I understand” look, then walk away with his food.

Because she was young, she couldn’t work in a shop, so she barely scraped by on weekends by fixing household machines for people.

But since most household machines came with warranties, her repair range was limited, and the money she earned was pitifully little.

And that was only after racking her brains to find this “job.”

Each semester’s tuition, plus daily food and drink and the energy for her “electric bike,” left Brian Walker living on the edge. She still hadn’t moved out of the abandoned building near the junkyard, only adding some second-hand furniture to improve her living conditions.

Even so, Brian Walker never gave up on self-studying to become a mecha engineer. She had read every book about mechas in the library. Since she couldn’t afford materials for hands-on practice, she simulated everything in her mind.

……

“Over here.” Emma Carter stood at his front door, waving at Brian Walker.

Brian Walker had come over to help Emma Carter’s mom fix a music box. It was said to be an antique she’d picked up, but it stopped working after a few days.

“It can be fixed,” Brian Walker said after taking a look.

Emma Carter raised his hand to transfer money to Brian Walker, but she stopped him: “Half price.”

“The sun must be rising in the west?”

“I have a request. Lend me that book you were reading a few days ago for two days.” Brian Walker had finished all the books in the library, and she couldn’t afford new ones—books in this world were all extremely expensive.

“Deal.” Emma Carter re-entered the amount in star coins.

While Brian Walker was fixing the music box, Emma Carter was beside her designing a mecha joint for his next big exam.

“You picked the wrong bearing,” Brian Walker glanced over at him, then lowered her head to reassemble the music box, commenting casually.

Emma Carter paused. “That’s what the book said.”

Brian Walker clicked her tongue, but her hands moved quickly: “You’re usually pretty flexible, but when it comes to mechas you get dumb. Maybe command would suit you better.”

She was just making an offhand remark, but Emma Carter put down the unfinished mecha joint in his hand: “You’re right, maybe being a mecha engineer isn’t for me.”

With the last screw in place, Brian Walker flipped the switch, and the music box immediately started playing.

Brian Walker whistled. “Done.”

She turned to look at Emma Carter: “What did you just say?”

Emma Carter jumped up: “I’ve decided to study command! Someone as smart as me is bound to achieve something.”

Brian Walker glanced at him: “3212 Academy doesn’t have that major.”

“3212 planet doesn’t, but the big planets definitely do. I’m going to move and transfer schools.” Emma Carter immediately called out to his parents.

“What’s wrong?” Mr. and Mrs. Jin came in to ask.

“Mom, Dad, let’s move to Liuji Planet today. I want to study command.”

“Huh?” Mr. Jin was stunned for a moment, then nodded, “Alright, if you want to go, we’ll go.”