Chapter 175: I’m a Celebrity? And… A Girlfriend?

Mo Chen felt a headache coming on from Mustang's mixed-language speech and couldn't help but interrupt.

"Can you just… get to the point?"

"Don't hurry!"

Mustang twirled on the spot in an elegant yet exaggerated motion.

"I came here specifically to thank you!"

"Thank me?"

Mo Chen was confused.

"What for?"

He hadn't done anything for Mustang.

"Aria! Aria-chan!"

With a dramatic snap of his fingers, Mustang spoke as if he were making a grand declaration.

"You saved her! If not for you, her fate could have been very dangerous! You have saved an artist, for the Ark, for humanity!"

Aria?

Mo Chen immediately understood.

So it was about her.

Aria, as the top star of Tetra Line's singer unit, was undeniably important to Mustang.

"Hero, you are truly amazing!"

Mustang's glasses gleamed as he fixed Mo Chen with an intense stare, eyes filled with fervor.

"As a token of gratitude, you may ask for anything—"

His gaze burned even brighter.

"Any request at all."

Feeling the intensity of Mustang's stare, Mo Chen shivered.

This guy… wasn't interested in him, was he?

"No need."

Mo Chen rejected the offer without hesitation.

"Saving her was just a passing effort. Nothing worth mentioning."

"Oh! To expect no reward! That is very good!"

Mustang gasped in admiration, his eyes now practically glowing.

"But! Tetra still owes you a great debt! And anyway, gratitude must be shown!"

"Hero, you are incredibly hot right now! To properly repay you, I am extending an invitation to join Tetra!"

Mustang struck another theatrical pose.

"I will spare no expense! I will make you a superstar!"

…A celebrity?

Mo Chen was momentarily dumbfounded.

His first thought was—was this some kind of revenge?

Although becoming a celebrity was a dream come true for many, to Mo Chen, there wasn't much difference between a star and an internet influencer.

"Sorry, I have no interest in that."

"Oh, no!"

Mustang let out a dramatic cry of despair, as if he had just witnessed a priceless treasure gathering dust in obscurity.

"You don't understand! You have a talent that surpasses all others! With just a little effort, you could become the brightest star in Ark! Your story will be sung by all of humanity!"

"Yeah, no thanks."

Mo Chen rejected him immediately.

He had no desire to be paraded around like some kind of spectacle.

Wait.

A thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

Fame? Wasn't that also an opportunity to expand his influence?

Compared to traditional propaganda, Tetra Line had a unique advantage—entertainment was something the masses eagerly consumed. Especially in an era filled with despair, entertainment served as a narcotic, numbing humanity from its grim reality.

Thinking of this, Mo Chen spoke up.

"Alright, I'll do it."

Mustang hadn't expected him to agree so quickly and was momentarily stunned. But soon, his surprise turned into pure ecstasy.

"Hero, your decision is absolutely correct! Tetra will mobilize all its resources to make you the most famous, most popular, and most powerful Star in history!"

"Hold on!"

Mo Chen cut off Mustang's impassioned speech.

"Let's get this straight—I'm not here to be some superstar. Everything, from what I do to how I do it, is up to me."

He had no interest in becoming a fame-hungry influencer willing to do anything for attention. Expanding his influence was merely one step in his greater plan.

"Understood!"

Mustang readily agreed.

"Then, Hero, I won't disturb you any further! Next time, you must come to Tetra—there are so many girls eagerly waiting for you!"

After exchanging contact information, Mustang left, his flamboyant posture making it clear he was very satisfied with the outcome of their conversation.

Meanwhile, Aria, escorted by a team of guards, was taken to Tetra Line, where they had specialized stasis pods that would keep her in suspended animation until a better solution for her condition was found.

No matter how arrogant the Central Government was, even they wouldn't dare to provoke Tetra Line directly. After all, it was one of the three pillars of Ark.

Mo Chen thought for a moment. This matter needed to be dealt with as soon as possible.

So, he asked a Nikke at the front desk for the location of Missilis Industry, then left the hotel intending to take a cab there.

Even Ark had taxis.

To avoid recognition, he put on a hooded jacket.

Before the battle with the Raptures, he had already gained some notoriety in Ark. But after dealing with Storm Bringer, his name had spread even further. If he wasn't careful, he'd be mobbed by people before even reaching Missilis.

He waited by the roadside for a while but didn't see any taxis. Perhaps due to the ongoing reconstruction efforts, most cabs had been requisitioned.

Just then, the sound of a revving engine came from the distance.

Mo Chen turned to look and saw a motorcycle speeding toward him.

As it came to a sharp stop right in front of him, the rider lifted her visor, revealing a familiar face.

"Hey, handsome—need a ride?"

The woman removed her helmet, revealing a familiar face.

It was Sugar.

"Huh? It's you?"

He was a little surprised—he hadn't expected to run into her again so soon.

Sugar casually shook her head, flipping her hair back into place.

"Had nothing better to do, so I went for a ride. Saw you standing here for a while—waiting for a ride, right?"

"Yeah, waiting for a cab."

Wait a minute.

Mo Chen suddenly realized—how did she know he had been waiting here for a long time?

Sugar tilted her head slightly and gestured toward him.

"Hop on, I'll take you there."

Mo Chen figured there probably wouldn't be any taxis coming anytime soon, so he nodded in agreement.

"Alright."

"Hold on tight."

Just as Sugar was about to rev up the engine, she suddenly thought of something.

"By the way, do you have a girlfriend?"

"I do. Wait, didn't you ask me that before?"

"Yeah, but are you still together now?"

"…? Yes."

"Sigh."

Sugar let out a disappointed sigh.

"Uh… If I have a girlfriend, does that mean I can't get on the bike?"

"No, that's fine."

"Oh, good."

"By the way, if you ever break up, you can come find me."

"Huh?"

With a roar of the engine, the motorcycle shot forward like a black lightning bolt, disappearing down the road in the blink of an eye.

It was unbelievably fast.

Mo Chen couldn't help but admire the bike's performance. Maybe he should get one for himself someday.

And then—

"Violation. Speeding. No helmet. Unauthorized passenger. Fine issued!"

A girl with wild, fluffy hair, almost like a lion's mane, suddenly blocked their path and started writing a ticket.

"What a hassle."

Sugar frowned, clicked her tongue, and made no move to get off the bike.

It wasn't about the fine—it was because she still had a passenger.

Mo Chen felt a bit awkward about the situation—after all, it was kind of his fault.

The officer took a closer look at Mo Chen, first stunned, then suspicious. After staring at him for a few moments, her eyes widened in recognition, and she suddenly beamed with excitement.

"Commander!"

Mo Chen recognized her immediately.

"Poli."

"I can't believe you're here! And you actually remember my name!"

Poli's cheeks flushed slightly, her voice filled with excitement.

"I've been wanting to properly thank you, but I never had your contact information!"