[1-200] THE MECH TOUCH

Chapter 134: Status Quo

Ves turned his gaze towards Calsie, who kept her mouth shut throughout the entire conversation.

"I did not expect this meeting to turn out this way."

"Sorry, Ves! I really thought they'd welcome you with open arms."

"It's not your fault. The Pioneers have a point. It's too unseemly to approach the Pioneers when I'm already cozying up to Walter's Whalers."

If he had to make a choice, then he'd pick the thugs with mechs over politicians who schemed against their own mothers. The conversation with Linden Royce thoroughly disillusioned Ves to politics.

"What do you suggest I do?"

To her credit, Calsie did not immediately shill for the Pioneers. "No matter what you decide, you should assume that any incidents will be traced back to you. It's not a good idea to antagonize any influence."

That was nice of her to say, but Ves couldn't afford to sit around and let the tax reform bill be signed into law. If the Pioneers treated him with sincerity, then Ves did not mind inducing Dietrich and his friends to poke around the Colmes region. Instead, Director Linden came to him with a false mask and a vague offer of reciprocity that may not even be fulfilled.

"What do you think about the deputy director, Lucky? Is he a good person?"

The gem cat hissed and kept his posture low. After Lucky leveled up, his intelligence received a substantial boost. Ves found out that Lucky became very proficient in reading other people's body language. Even if the cat did not understand what people said, Lucky could still determine whether a person lied.

According to Lucky's current posture, Director Linden harbored suspicious intentions. Ves tried to figure out what the Pioneers really wanted.

The Colmes region farms might hide something incredible, of that Ves did not doubt. Yet what could they gain if another supercrop got exposed?

If Pioneers only wanted to use him, then Ves could imagine the sequence of events. Not only would an incident expose the Consortium's secret project, it could also spark an open conflict between the ruling coalition and the gang.

Such a fight might not be as one-sided as everyone thought. As the descendents of the original settlers, the Raleighs and Luvons must have spent a fortune entrenching their strategic assets.

No matter who won, only the Pioneers stood ready to receive the benefits.

Ves closed his eyes and tried to calm his mind. The last thing he needed was to make an impulsive decision.

First, he established his goal. "I want to operate my business without excessive interference from bureaucrats and politicians who have a bone to pick with me."

The Greens and the White Doves were obviously hostile to him. The Pioneers could best be described as a neutral bystander who is looking to pick up a bargain. They obviously had no intention of giving Ves a hand without getting something in return.

Why did he have to enter this murky swamp and be forced to make deals with politicians? Calsie, who still sat silently by his side, spoke up at that moment.

"Mr. Larkinson, the problem that you are facing is coming from two fronts. First, your presence is clashing against the domestic interests of the White Doves and to a lesser extent the Greens. Perhaps on a good day the Greens can be bought off, but the Doves are intrinsically opposed to you."

"Yes, I know that."

"Then you should be aware that they normally don't move so quick with trying to push a tax reform bill through the Assembly. What you should really be focusing on is trying to stop the source of the latest initiatives."