The Mech Touch novel Chapter 1172

"Why?"

"Why what, Ves?"

"Why bother with this charade of a partnership?"

"Do you think I’m insincere?"

"It’s very hard for me to trust you. Spies like you tend to say one thing only to mean something else entirely."

Calabast nonchalantly shrugged. "Like I said. It benefits me more if I get to ride on your shuttle than to report you to the authorities. I don’t want to blackmail you or exploit you, Ves. That’s a short-sighted approach that will only lead to further animosity between us. You’re small and weak right now, but how long will that last with the Metal Scroll at your disposal? Eventually, you’ll grow up to become a formidable mech designer with a lot of sway who can easily turn the tables on me. Even if I’m careful and employed a lot of safeguards, it only takes one mistake for me to slip up."

"So you just expect me to smile and nod while you are butting into my business?"

"I know it irks you a lot to work with me, set aside your emotions for a moment." Calabast sighed and shook her head. "A secret like yours is extremely desirable by even the mightiest powers in human space. With the way you’ve been meandering through your life so far, the risk of exposing your secret to one of them is greater than you think. While I can’t promise to take care of every problem, I can help you deflect unwanted attention so that you will have the time to grow."

As a businessman, Ves understood her rationale. He just didn’t want to acknowledge it. Partnering up with Calabast left a foul taste in his mouth.

Nonetheless, he knew that she was right in her consideration. The other solutions at her disposal were either too risky or didn’t pay off very much. Rather than handle the hot potato herself or hand it over to the Big Two, why not invest in its existing owner and strike up a genuine partnership?

"What’s in it for you?" Ves asked. "Money? Power?"

"That, and more, Ves. You are thinking too narrowly. Think of what you will become in a century or two. Will you still be a mech designer whose reach only extends to a single star sector? I think not! Your high rate of progression will inevitably propel you to greater heights! The Komodo Star Sector will become nothing in your eyes! Perhaps you’ll even relocate to the galactic heartland or the galactic center and become involved in the highest echelons of power! And when you do, I hope I can tag along!"

In Calabast’s eyes, Ves was like a transit shuttle slowly rising up to the heavens. Right now, the shuttle was flying low enough for her to climb onboard. As long as she behaved and helped the shuttle reach its destination, she stood to gain just as much as Ves in the long term!

"So you want to achieve greatness through my help?"

"Isn’t that what anyone wants?" Calabast smiled. "Even I am no exception. While I may enjoy a more fortunate upbringing than others, I’m still a nobody on the galactic stage. Even if I work as hard as I can, the most I can achieve is becoming a side leader in the Komodo Star Sector. I can forget about rising any higher than that through my own capabilities. Only by partnering up with you will I be able to break through the limitations of my station and rise to greater heights!"

Ves felt that Calabast was largely sincere just now. Ambition sparkled in her eyes as she spoke of rising above the muck who were stuck in their star sectors for their entire lives.

The prospect of riding Ves’ shuttle to the galactic center was an irresistible attraction to anyone who lived in the backwaters of human space.

As for Ves, his fascination towards the more developed parts of the galaxy had waned ever since he returned from his latest Mastery experience. While living and working in the Terran Confederation was great, it wasn’t the paradise he previously imagined.

Living at the edge of the galaxy could be just as meaningful as living at the very center of it. Although Ves suspected that Calabast hadn’t revealed all of her ambitions, he believed what she just said. Who wouldn’t want to become a player instead of a chess piece?

He still didn’t like it, though.

"What are you offering in return for this supposed partnership?" Ves asked.

"I’m not going to sit back and ride on your coattails, Ves. You need a confidante who can help you achieve greatness. Do you think you can just take advantage of the Metal Scroll and gradually climb to the top in your profession?"

"What’s wrong with that?"

"It’s too slow!" Calabast shook her head. "What’s the difference between leading a normal life and what you are doing now?"

"You just said that I shouldn’t be making waves and expose my existence!"

"There’s nothing wrong with that as long as the status quo holds. The problem is that it is not a given that peace will last! If you have seen the signs like I have, a time of upheaval might soon be upon us. The current order that enforces peace in our region of space may no longer be there! Anything can happen between now and a hundred years. If you think that the Age of Mechs is a peaceful age, then think again!"

"You know something about the future?"

"Just some hints and suspicions, nothing too solid." Calabast shook her head. "For example, the existence of Sigrund alone is a major threat to human civilization. However, I’ve performed some research on AIs and figured out that it won’t be easy for him to rid himself of the safeguards the CFA hardcoded into his processor core. As long as those safeguards exist, he won’t be able to transcend his existence beyond the boundaries of his processor core. That means he won’t be able to act as an immortal and omnipotent virtual god on the galactic net."