Free Web NovelChapter 246: Chapter 240: Joint Development
At the edge of War Zone 19, inside the largest volcanic crater.
Thick black smoke billowed straight up, filling the air with the pungent smell of sulfur. Dark red magma boiled at the bottom of the hundred-meter-deep crater, occasionally bursting in massive bubbles that splattered scorching droplets.
A powerful gust of air tore through the volcanic ash overhead.
Two eighteen-meter-tall "Liberty" mechs dove down from the sky, landing on the crater’s edge and creating a large, spiderweb-like pattern of cracks.
Their blue and white armor plating was a striking visual contrast against the dark red background.
Fifty meters away, on the opposite side, Victor Iron Flame stood amidst five crimson "Molten Champions".
He looked up at the massive steel creations, the corner of his eye twitching twice.
Before long, the Odyssey arrived as well, with twelve Storm Falcons following close behind. Victor watched as Allen flew out from the Floating Ship.
"Do you have to make such a grand entrance every time you go out?" Victor shouted.
"It shows respect for a major client."
Allen slowly descended to the ground. "That ’Big Boy’ I sent you, were you satisfied?"
Victor’s expression darkened instantly. He sneered through gritted teeth. "Extremely satisfied. Especially the gradient-colored clan emblem. It really made me appreciate the ’hardship’ of ’blowing up three underground labs’."
Allen’s expression remained unchanged. "Meticulous craftsmanship is the duty of an Alchemy Wizard."
The two stopped, ten paces apart.
"Allen Wesren, your Flying Golems have crossed the border," Victor said, speaking first.
"Call me senior." Allen set down his water cup. "Your construction team is too loud. They’re disturbing my Golems’ hibernation."
The two stared at each other through their screens.
"We’re both busy men. There’s no point in beating around the bush."
Victor lost his patience. "You’ve set your sights on the rich Fire Elemental Magic Power under this volcanic range, and so have I. If we actually compete, neither of us will benefit."
He raised his hand, pulling up a data model. "My ’Celestial Eye Sentry’ has run the calculations. The underground Fire Elemental Magic Power is finite. You have four Magic Power furnaces running right now, and I’m building three. If we both expand without restraint, no one will be able to use it in the end."
Allen nodded slightly.
"Jarvis," Allen called out softly.
A far more detailed geological analysis map was projected directly in front of him.
"The generation rate of Fire Elemental Magic Power here is fixed."
Allen brought up the data curve calculated by Jarvis. "The entire underground magma network can provide about twenty thousand standard units of Magic Power per day, with a total reserve of around two million. My lava lake is at a lower elevation and directly connected to the deep underground, making its extraction efficiency twice that of your volcano base. Based on the maximum carrying capacity for ecological balance and the power of a standard Magic Power furnace, this area can accommodate a maximum of twenty-six extraction devices in total."
Victor stared at the data model, his mind racing. He had to admit, Allen’s data was more detailed.
"Twenty-six devices," Victor said, staring at Allen. "How do we split them?"
"I plan to build twelve more," Allen said, his expression unchanged.
"Are you insane!" Victor’s voice shot up. "If you build twelve, plus your existing four, that’s sixteen units right there! That only leaves ten slots for me? I’ve already sunk two hundred thousand Magic Stones into my preliminary work!"
Allen raised an eyebrow. "The lava lake is on my home turf, and its conversion efficiency is higher. From the perspective of maximizing resource utilization, this is the optimal solution."
"Optimal, my ass!" Victor seethed. "Worst case, I’ll just blow up the volcano and sever the ley line nodes. We can all shut down together!"
Seeing him fly off the handle, Allen knew the time was right.
’Jarvis’s initial proposal was to build three Magic Power furnaces. He himself had planned on five, which, added to his existing four, would make a total of nine. He had deliberately inflated the number to leave room for negotiation.’
"Junior, don’t be rash." Allen’s tone softened. "Alchemy Wizards must maintain their decorum. Since we’re neighbors, I can certainly make a concession."
Victor sneered. "And the conditions?"
"I’ll lower my quota for new construction to eight." Allen brought up a holographic map. "The remaining quota will be enough for you to build another fourteen. That way, both of us will have ample energy in the future."
Victor eyed him suspiciously. "You’d be that kind?"
"A peaceful partnership is a profitable one." Allen swiped a finger across the light screen. "The combat data for that batch of ’Purgatory’ launch platforms you bought should be in by now. Are you satisfied with their firepower?" ƒrēewebnovel.com
At the mention of this, Victor’s expression softened slightly. Those twenty Purgatory platforms were indeed effective, helping him fend off two medium-sized beast tides.
"They’re barely adequate," Victor said stubbornly.
"If they’re adequate, then it’s time to order another batch." Allen revealed his true intentions. "One hundred Purgatory platforms, plus a matching set of Red Lotus Type I Magic Missiles."
Victor’s eyes widened. "My current defensive line is stable! I don’t need to expand my armaments!"
"You do," Allen said with certainty. "You’re going to expand by twelve furnaces, so your defensive line will have to be pushed outward. Your Molten Champions are expensive to produce and aren’t suitable for expendable garrison duty on the periphery. The Purgatory is the best choice."
Victor fell silent. His mind raced, calculating the cost of expanding his defensive line.
Allen was right. He did need cheap, long-range firepower, but he couldn’t possibly expand by twelve furnaces right now. Yet if he didn’t agree, Allen would surely pull some other trick.
"How much?" Victor asked, as if resigning himself to his fate.
"Eight thousand Magic Stones per unit," Allen quoted a price.
"That’s robbery!" Victor nearly jumped. "Last time it was six thousand! This is broad daylight robbery!"
"Last time was the introductory trial price. Plus, raw material prices have gone up recently, labor costs have increased, inflation... and more importantly, this eight thousand Magic Stones includes the ’Fire Element Extraction Quota Transfer Fee’."
Allen listed off a string of terms Victor didn’t understand, his expression unchanging. "Eight thousand is a conscientious price. It includes one free inspection and repair."
Victor was so angry he laughed. He pointed at Allen, then at the giant crater. "You’re using a public resource to sell me a favor, and on top of that, you’re strong-arming me into a sale?"
"You can refuse." Allen turned, making a show of walking back to his mech. "Then I’ll just go back and have twenty new Magic Power furnaces built. We can drain the whole place dry and see who goes broke first."
Victor took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to order his Molten Champions to open fire on Allen.
One hundred Purgatory platforms, eight hundred thousand Magic Stones.
Not only was this bastard trying to seize the energy source, but he was also trying to empty his pockets.
"Fine," Victor squeezed out the word through gritted teeth. "But I have a condition, too."
Allen raised an eyebrow. "Speak."
"My Magic Power furnaces are being built in the volcanic range, which is occupied by a flock of lava wyverns." Victor pointed to a dark shape circling in the sky behind him.
"The anti-air pressure on my side is a bit high. These beasts attack my Engineering Golems every day, severely slowing down my progress."
He reached out and pointed at the "Liberty" behind Allen.
"Have this big toy of yours take action. Help me clean out the trouble in the sky, along with their nests near the crater. All of it." Victor didn’t budge an inch. "Otherwise, the deal’s off."
Allen looked up at the dark shape in the sky.
An adult lava wyvern had an average Magic Power fluctuation of around 1200. Not a big problem.
"Then it’s a deal," Allen answered decisively.
With that said, he wasted no time on pointless pleasantries, waved his hand, and flew into the Odyssey’s cockpit.
The wing-shaped thrusters on the back of the Liberty’s frame spread to the sides, spewing streams of pale blue Magic Power particles.
Victor took two steps back, his head tilted up, watching the massive metal creation lift off the ground, join the flight formation, and soar into the clouds.
"So fast."
Victor squinted, estimating the Liberty’s flight speed, and swore that he would go back and immediately develop a super Golem that could grind Allen’s legion into the dust.
