The Heartless Alpha Just Wants to Follow the Plot - Chapter 3

“You did well. When payday comes, I’ll give you a bonus. Work hard, and you’ll have anything you want in the future.”

Su Mu smiled sweetly as she withdrew her hand, imitating the system’s tactic of painting big promises for Jiang Xi.

Jiang Xi nodded to show she understood.

This was the Su Mu she knew—the one who always promised her a feast of sweet dreams but never once delivered. Still, since Su Mu had done her such a big favor this time, she could begrudgingly accept it.

Su Mu wasn’t particularly fond of fruit. She popped a few pieces into her mouth while reading her script and set the rest aside. After instructing Jiang Xi to prepare a plate of fruit for her to take to set the next morning, she was ready to head to bed.

“Filming starts at six tomorrow morning for the mecha battle scenes. Jie, do you want to check whether your stunt double’s face will show?”

As Su Mu was about to leave, Jiang Xi quickly called out to remind her.

The old Su Mu would never have bothered. After all, even if her face did appear in some shots, the details of the fight would give her away. In the past, audiences overlooked such things, but nowadays they were much more discerning.

She had to supervise this herself. Otherwise, a single slip in the details and she’d be mocked all over the internet again.

The original owner might not have cared, but Su Mu had no intention of tolerating that.

After a moment’s thought, she said, “Wake me at five tomorrow morning. We’ll go to set early. I’ll pilot the mecha myself.”

Jiang Xi’s jaw nearly hit the floor. “You, you’ll do it yourself?”

Su Mu gave her a sidelong glance. “Why not? Do I need to ask your permission before I decide what to do?”

A chill ran down Jiang Xi’s spine, and a bead of cold sweat slid down her back. “N-no. I’ll notify the director right away.”

Su Mu tilted her chin. “Go.”

When the director heard that Su Mu intended to pilot the mecha herself, he instantly grew worried. He’d never heard of Su Mu knowing how to operate one. Sure, she was arrogant and demanding, but she had never caused trouble like this—always content to play the pretty face in peace.

Why the sudden change?

The director spent a sleepless night agonizing over it, pulling out several hairs in the process. By dawn, with dark circles under his eyes, he instructed the crew to max out the safety measures and activate full-level protection. Su Mu must not get hurt—not even a scratch.

If she did, her father would storm the set in a mecha himself and flatten the place!

Arriving early to practice, Su Mu stood before the towering machine, several meters tall, and let out a low whistle. “What a cool little thing.”

The system wiped imaginary sweat. 【Take it easy, Host.】

But Su Mu’s heart brimmed with excitement. 【System, hurry—send me the mecha piloting experience pack!】

The system: 【”….”】

【Transmitting】

【Transmission complete.】

Su Mu clenched her fists in anticipation, ready to climb in. The system hesitated, uneasy. Something about this didn’t feel right, though it couldn’t pinpoint what. After refreshing its core program several times, it finally whispered: 【Host, our first mission is about to begin. You’ve received the experience, but you must perform well. Our success depends on it.】

【Relax. Trust me—I’ll ace it.】

Guided by the new knowledge, Su Mu tried piloting the mecha. Though not a combat model, its exterior looked just like one. Plain, practical—but impressive.

It was Su Mu’s first time with such advanced technology, and her mental energy surged with excitement. She quickly progressed from clumsy movements to smooth control. By the end, she even made the mecha perform a full set of tai chi before climbing down, satisfied.

Jiang Xi had been watching the whole time. From Su Mu’s awkward start to her sudden fluency—and then to those bizarre, almost comical movements—Jiang Xi couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Yet despite the absurdity, she saw undeniable progress.

This reminded her of the Su Mu from long ago, when she had first entered the industry. Back then, she picked things up with startling speed. She might have had the temper of a spoiled heiress and the arrogance to match, but she was undeniably a genius. Otherwise, why would so many have flocked to her side?

It was only after falling into a relationship that she stopped striving, choosing instead to waste her days.

When Su Mu tossed the sweat-dampened towel into her arms, Jiang Xi was still dazed, mind replaying the image of the mecha in motion.

Just then, a stagehand hurried over and bowed respectfully. “Su-jie, makeup is ready.”

Su Mu gave a casual nod. She blew her hair dry, changed into a military uniform, and tucked her long locks beneath a crisp short wig. Her makeup was simple, almost careless.

But when she emerged holding a snow-white military cap, her cold gaze, tall figure, and sharp, commanding aura made it seem as if she had been possessed by the character. Same person, same role—yet a completely different presence.

Su Mu placed the cap squarely on her head and strode toward the director. “Let’s begin.”

In this film, Su Mu played the female Alpha Ye Vet—one of the main characters. Ye Vet was a prodigy who, at a young age, had already reached the rank of brigadier general. With an SS-level mental strength and countless victories to her name, she was a force to be reckoned with.

This particular battle scene was pivotal—it marked Ye Vet’s first triumph after her promotion.

In this battle, Ye Vet completely overwhelmed the leader of the interstellar pirate crew with her mech, finally blasting apart the enemy’s cockpit with one decisive shot. That was how victory was won.

No wonder the director was so anxious—this was a real fight with live fire. Even with all their precautions, stray artillery cared for no one. If Su Mu slipped up with her movement, no amount of compensation could pay for her life.

Before Su Mu went on, the director tried one last time to persuade her. “Why not let the stunt double handle it, Su Mu? It’s too dangerous.”

“Another person’s life matters just as much as mine.”

But Su Mu had already changed into her suit. The danger only sharpened her survival instincts and helped her better grasp the essence of mech piloting.

Their instructor this time was a real veteran from the front lines. Seeing how determined she was, he simply waved his hand. “Let her try. If she can’t handle it, we’ll switch in the double.”

Su Mu gave him a grateful look. He looked fierce, but he wasn’t bad at all.

The instructor, however, felt a shiver run down his spine at her gaze, as if she harbored some dubious intent.

Su Mu: “…”

Seeing his muscles tense instantly, she silently averted her eyes. These people were a bit too strange—it was best not to provoke them.

Her scene partner this time was none other than reigning Best Actress Si Yu, an Omega with solid acting chops.

At first, when she heard her co-star would be Su Mu, Si Yu had flatly refused. Memories of their first meeting still burned: Su Mu’s indifference, her flippant teasing, and that insulting remark about “finding someone to keep her” if her acting wasn’t up to par. The anger still simmered.

Now the two were cast as rivals. Si Yu intended to prove with strength alone who really lacked acting skills.

She was playing Mavis, the new pirate leader who had risen after Ye Vet slew her predecessor. Once Ye Vet’s childhood companion, Mavis clawed her way to power with ruthless decisiveness. The two women became locked in a cycle of love and hate, their bond twisted until duty outweighed affection, and they parted ways. Still, Mavis had once borne Ye Vet a child.

As expected, during filming Si Yu’s performance completely suppressed Su Mu’s, leaving her floundering and NG after NG.

To Si Yu, this was the perfect chance—not only to see Su Mu make a fool of herself but also to gain hands-on mech experience for her own future roles. She too intended to pilot personally.

But what Si Yu hadn’t expected was that Su Mu would actually step into the mecha herself. Su Mu, who had always behaved more delicately than an Omega—more spoiled, more fragile—now dared to pilot in person.

So she watched from the sidelines, waiting for Su Mu to embarrass herself.

Yet to her surprise, once Su Mu was inside, aside from a few small mistakes at the start due to unfamiliarity with the blast markers, everything else was flawless. In battle, she even began mirroring her opponent’s moves, replicating them one-to-one.

Her opponent was a genuine mecha enthusiast, a seasoned combatant on the Star Net. But Su Mu not only kept pace—she gradually seized the advantage, pressing him hard, like Ye Vet herself reborn in steel.

Si Yu narrowed her eyes. This wasn’t the Su Mu she knew. She was too strong, almost unreal.

“It doesn’t even seem human anymore.”

She murmured, unconsciously stepping forward—straight into the combat zone.

At that moment, the two mechas disengaged. Luo Juneng, the actor playing the pirate leader, pulled his mecha back, preparing to charge full speed. No one noticed when Si Yu’s foot caught on a loose screw. She stumbled, accidentally slamming against the trigger for a detonation charge.

The blast point went off prematurely, jolting both combatants mid-fight.

Su Mu: “?”

Luo Juneng: “?”

What the hell?

Did the director suddenly change the script?

No time to think. Luo Juneng charged again, his mecha clashing with Su Mu’s in a fierce exchange. As scripted, she ultimately blasted apart his cockpit, his mecha collapsing into scrap.

But when it actually happened—when his cockpit was truly blown open—Luo Juneng went pale as death. That was supposed to be special effect! Instead, Su Mu’s strike had been terrifyingly real. His legs were still trembling when they pulled him out.

【Host, the plot trigger is here!】

At the system’s prompt, Su Mu frowned. What plot could possibly trigger now?

The next instant, a massive insectoid claw tore out of nowhere, swinging straight for Si Yu in the crowd.

Eyes widening, Su Mu reacted on instinct. Her mecha drew its laser sword, slashing the claw apart in a burst of searing light. Si Yu turned, stunned, dust raining down on her as she raised an arm to shield her face.

“Zerg!”

The battlefield fell into chaos, but all eyes fixed on the mecha locked in combat with the alien monstrosity.

Su Mu, piloting a downgraded, heavily nerfed basic model, fought the creature head-on. No one mocked her lack of power now. No one thought of her as just a beginner.

When the Zerg (insectoid) was finally brought down, Su Mu stepped out of her mecha, pulled off her cap against the whipping sand, and strode toward the dazed Si Yu.

Looking her over, she asked in her cool, steady voice:

“Are you all right?”