Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: War Spider Success
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"No more?"
"You said you were going to the break room with Merdi after training."
"......But it's so damn good. Where do you even get this stuff? It's nothing like the usual crap—novel and delicious."
"This is the last one I had left."
In the end, I handed over the piece I'd saved for myself.
"Heehee! Thanks."
After a short break, we dove back into training.
Training with Roze was the same now as it had been at the start.
We sparred, and I kept getting pummeled until I gave the reactions or moves she wanted.
Once that clicked, she'd drill in corrections and new techniques, then repeat.
'No time to think.'
The training was great and all, but it made me feel like an autopilot combat drone.
'I asked her how long it'd go on like this, and she just gave me an awkward smile without answering. That was pretty bleak.'
Now, I'd pretty much given up and just rolled with it.
The session dragged on until evening.
We ate together, then I headed back to my dorm to handle outside business.
When I activated comms, several high-priority requests popped up from off-base.
Top of the list: Fontana and Untae.
I packed my gear while connecting the interstellar link.
He was in his seat—the connection went through right away.
"Fontana. You got a minute?"
-When the boss calls, I've always got time.
"Haha, cut the bullshit. You said you had something to talk about?"
Fontana looked sharp in the holo-image, nothing like our first meeting.
He'd dropped a ton of weight and shaved clean—looked fifty years younger.
-We passed the 7th test on Atlas Planet with flying colors. The upgraded War Spider model was a huge hit.
"Did it hit our target combat efficiency?"
-Proven improvements of 5.24% to 9.92% over legacy models, depending on terrain.
"Nice work."
The performance gains were ahead of schedule.
This test was a make-or-break right before full rollout, so orders were about to explode.
Regions running trials were already reaping big rewards.
-What? It's all thanks to you, boss.
"We wouldn't have results this fast without you, Fontana."
-Pffft! Skip the obvious and let's talk next week's projects.
Fontana brought up the upcoming research tasks.
Autonomous combat machines were already on track.
Handing him a new model would let him grab the reins again, but as lab head, he had to juggle other stuff too.
"Don't worry about profits."
-For real?
That's where our views diverged: revenue.
Fontana, burned big by money once, obsessed over the financials.
Plenty of the assigned projects screamed high-priority if you chased cash.
-Combat machines are basically break-even with your minimal margins. Even at this production pace, it'd take three years minimum to turn a profit.
"I get it. But now's not the time to pinch pennies. We need to pump out as many as possible. If the fourth defense line crumbles, the whole future market tanks."
-True... but sometimes you sound like a damn charity.
"......Haha."
I had no comeback for Fontana's sigh.
Truth was, between R&D costs and factory expansions, we were barely breaking even.
"Just stick to my priorities for now."
-Keep going like this?
"Yeah.... But I'm not saying we lock in forever."
I'd thought this through ahead of time.
Until now, we'd been strict on hiring for lab secrecy and tech control.
That came from the Napahel incident—I wasn't changing it.
But I pivoted my thinking.
"Got to pondering, and realized we don't have to do it all ourselves."
-You thinking of outsourcing projects? Like we discussed, that's...
"Haha, that's why I said not all of it. What if we filter and hand off every other piece? Manageable, right?"
My ability stuff stays top secret.
Can't just export raw 'psychic dumps' willy-nilly.
But if Fontana vets promising bits, refines them for the team, and filters once more, leakage stays minimal.
-...Huh. Could work. Still a lot to watch out for.
"No need to go full throttle day one. We only need to support Monarch and Mohaim for now."
Fontana nodded.
Over the months since the lab started, those two had been all-in.
Especially after Monarch edged out Mohaim royalty for a slightly bigger stake—the support rivalry was fierce.
Time to toss 'em some scraps as a reward.
-How you handling negotiations? Not dumping it on me, right?
"I'll do it. You'd drag it out for days."
-Good. Don't ever stick me with that shit again. I'd bolt.
"Then I'd hunt you down and drag you back."
We both laughed.
Then we started sifting projects safe for external handoff.
Info I psychically pulled from aliens included stuff no gene scan or tissue test could touch.
Take Claw, for example: cosmetics.
Analyzed from its insane environmental adaptability—if done right, we could make products that performed anywhere with top efficacy.
'Even anti-modders would bite.'
Human biotech had advanced nonstop into the space age.
You could stay young till 200.
Organ replacement was dialed in.
With the will, you could match robot strength or implant bio-comps for thought-control.
But not everyone cheered progress.
Natural Humans prized unaltered bodies.
They shunned external mods, with varying tolerance levels.
But damn near all loved a good cream.
'Real money's in this.'
Beauty sold eternal.
Interest never waned.
Good product meant eyes and cash.
"Let's wrap here."
-Cool. So, when's the next data drop?
"Oh......that?"
So far, I'd finished Claw and Breathworm—two items.
Blade Bee's data was ten times bulkier; months later, still unfinished.
Like hand-copying dozens of encyclopedias.
Blade Bee completion: about 50%.
'Getting the hang of junk info now.'
Studies paying off bit by bit.
But the breadth and depth needed? Miles off.
And skipping stuff that might hit big? Impossible.
Most boring, static task on my plate.
"Nearly done with this section. By week's end."
-Hurry it up. Everyone's twiddling thumbs waiting on you.
"Not dying to see you, Fontana?"
-Hell yeah I am!
We bantered a bit, then cut the line.
Handled other business, then eyed the autonomous combat machine report.
Packed with stats and jargon—brain-burner, but upbeat.
'Casualties down 26.2% across cases vs. baselines. Even factoring 31.7% Alliance budget hike, deployment highly advisable for short-term force boost and mid/long-term sustainment.'
That 26.2% jumped out.
Full rollout? Game-changer.
Alliance melee losses hit 3.5 million monthly now.
Simple math: 917,000 fewer casualties.
Yearly: 11 million.
'With escalation coming...'
Could sway humanity's fate.
No wonder military contacts were swarming lately.
Without Monarch and Mohaim backing, it'd be chaos.
Time to nudge Darmosa.
'Probably off-duty now. Worth a ping.'
Impromptu link attempt.
Might not catch him, but next time.
Secretary and security cleared; connected to Darmosa.
-Calling this late, little bro? Still work hours.
"Brought work, then."
-Ah...bummer. Thought we were soulmates.
"Work first, then I'll upload to our spot. Got some primo collection pieces."
-For real?
"Guaranteed."
Holo-Darmosa's eyes lit up.
End-of-day slacker, no doubt.
I laid out the ask casual-like.
-That buzz? It's all over the wires.
"Sounds like a favor ask. But if possible, could you step in?"
Already supplying at rock-bottom.
No economies of scale filling coffers.
Hyenas circling, but no bones to toss.
-Hold on, checking.
I detailed the situation to Darmosa.
Doubted even a buddy listens to a whiner with no margins, but work-mode him was sharp and thorough.
Cross-checked my docs with heaps more before speaking.
-What the hell?
"Why?"
-You digging holes for profit or what?
His reaction? Way more dramatic than expected.
-No, seriously—supplying this cheap? Trying to tank? Your investors say nothing?
"Uh......I got the lab locked down."
-Still. Pure monopoly, no rivals, and these margins? Who are you?
"Haha."
He was scolding me.
Kinda threw me.
'Good for the military brass, though.'
Especially Darmosa—automechs reviving was a win he'd fist-pump.
Budget strain or not, victory odds climbed.