Even with Zero Synchronization, I’ll Pilot a Mecha

Bei Jining, a 28-year-old genius AI architect, woke up to find herself in the body of a six-year-old girl, three hundred years in the future, in a glacial apocalypse.

After a nuclear war, the surface of the world was frozen for thousands of miles, and mutated beasts created by nuclear radiation roamed everywhere.

The most sought-after career in this era was anything related to mechs.

But the AI field Bei Jining had devoted herself to had been written into this world's criminal code.

Bei Jining thought it over. Mech research played to her strengths, too.

A mech was nothing more than programming, repairing machines, and installing systems.

With a little rounding, it was basically her old line of work.

Then she went to have her synchronization rate tested.

[0%]

The staff member fell silent for a moment, then firmly told her:

“You probably won't ever get to pilot a mech in this lifetime.”

Bei Jining: ?

Bei Jining: Never mind, then.

Just then, a late-arriving System let out a heart-wrenching wail:

[No!!!]

[So what if your synchronization rate is zero? How does that mean you can't pilot a mech?]

[As long as you achieve your goal, you can go home right away!]

System:

[Main Quest: Bring the world back to life.]

[Milestone: Become a mech infantry soldier.]

[Final Quest Reward: Fulfill any wish.]

Bei Jining tested the waters. “Can I go back to my original world, too?”

System: [Absolutely. Honest service, fair prices.]

Bei Jining thought of her happy life in her old world, where she was financially independent and the apocalypse hadn't happened yet. Her spirits lifted.

“I'm taking this quest!”

[Starting Quest: Obtain a mech of your own.]

Bei Jining: Could I get some start-up funds first?

The System didn't answer.

Bei Jining: ...

[Mech Assembly Center]

A student with a 99% synchronization rate spread their hands, and a high-grade mech assembled itself to match them.

A student with an excellent synchronization rate spread their hands, and the mechanical arms assembled a complete mech.

When Bei Jining's turn came, she spread her hands, and the mechanical arms stood still...

After a long time matching, a basic frame dropped in front of her.

It had no brain-computer interface, no synchronization system, and was even difficult to move.

Staff member: With a synchronization rate of zero, you can't match with a brain-computer interface or pilot a mech.

Bei Jining: So that means the operating system won't work, but everything else is fine?

Staff member: ...You could put it that way.

Bei Jining's mind raced, and she turned to head for the spare parts market.

One month later, at the mech academy entrance exam.

The teachers watched someone who shouldn't have been able to pilot a mech operate one that shouldn't have been able to start, wielding a huge dragon-headed executioner's blade as she chased down and hacked at high-synchronization infantry soldiers.

Everyone fell silent.

Bei Jining: Ever heard of a manual transmission?

At last, everyone realized one thing:

A zero synchronization rate had never meant you couldn't pilot a mech.

[Zero-synchronization engineer heroine × 99% standard genius hero]

[Glacial wasteland, mech upgrades, ensemble cast at the academy, plot-focused, romance included but slow burn, one-on-one]

[The main group consists of three girls and two boys, and they grow up together]

Reading Guide:

1. The heroine's romance affects the main plot to some extent, but it develops later, after both characters reach adulthood.

2. Mechs use brain-computer interfaces and virtual screens. Bei Jining is the only one who does things a little differently.

Theme: Strive for self-improvement and refuse to be defined