[1-200] THE MECH TOUCH

Chapter 161: Molgon

No matter its actual sales performance, the Old Soul succeeded in rousing the locals. It turned into a ready-made conversation starter as people started to argue against or in favor of the so-called 'training mech'.

Many people who tried it out fell flat. Some walked away discouraged, while others persisted in their efforts and tried to master their new purchase.

Those like Joshua who trained rigorously were able to showcase the Old Soul's incredible potential. They gave hope to the masses that the model held a lot of potential. The mech's notoriously high learning curve turned from an impassable obstacle to a cliff that could be scaled.

Gavin's ads accelerated this trend by celebrating the most amazing plays. A few local prodigies even piloted the Old Soul for the sole purpose of showing up in a globally aired ad. Anyone worthy enough to appear in one of these ads enjoyed a lot of renown.

Thus, in a warped way, a lot of potentates began to polish their marksmanship after school. Anyone who failed to kill five mechs in a single Wartorn Instance match did not deserve to be called an elite.

Whatever the case, the DP started rolling in for Ves. He might reach the cap of 50,000 DP by the end of the month at this rate. "Too bad my model hasn't caught on abroad."

Only a few hundred virtual mechs got sold outside Cloudy Curtain. Beyond the initial sales, its momentum stagnated as the Old Soul's unimpressive specs and bad reviews left a foul impression.

In any case, the controversy surrounding the virtual mech succeeded in raising the profile of the Living Mech Corporation. Even the most remote villagers learned about the new mech manufacturer. Its modest catalog of virtual and real designs showed that the company had a lot of promise.

Almost everyone rooted for the company and its talented owner. No one wanted to see Ves fail in his ambitious venture. He became his home planet's sensation, to the consternation of some of the established powers.

"Events are proceeding in an unfavorable direction. The rising tide of military fervor will hinder our plans to ride the waves of the coming war."

"We are only two-thirds done with our preparations. We can ill afford a new variable."

"Let us wait until we convene the full group. We need to decide on a proper strategy to tackle this thorny problem."

Unaware of these shadowy threats, Ves invited everyone involved in his business. Ves sat on a sofa, cradling a still-recovering Lucky. His gem cat slowly repaired the battle damage suffered from their last encounter by consuming half of his mineral feedstock.

Calsie and Gavin sat together on another sofa. The two students chatted comfortably with each other. Raella and Melkor stood nearby, keeping a wary eye on Dietrich, who Ves had invited to the meeting on a whim.

Dietrich responded with a charming smile. "I don't know why you're looking at me this way, babe. I'm Ves' bosom friend. I even saved his scrawny ass from pirates!"

"I'm not interested in lowlife like you." Raella snorted at him before turning to Ves. "We've waited long enough. Let's get this show on the road, please."

"Alright." Ves responded, looking at each of his friends and employees in turn. "You're all here because I want you to know that I'll be gone for a few months. I've accepted a high-risk mission which will likely take me beyond chartered space. The highly confidential nature of my assignment leads me to believe that communication will be highly restricted for the duration."

"Woah, sounds like serious danger. Do you even know what you're facing?"

"Not yet, but the high remuneration leads me to believe that the risk of death may be real."