The Mech Touch novel Chapter 1637

Chapter 1637 Exclusive Incentives

Despite belonging to opposite camps, Tristan never treated Ves like an enemy.

He freely expressed his difficulties about his future direction as a mech designer to someone he wasn't close with. Ordinarily, an acquaintance like Ves should never be exposed to Tristan's deeper problems.

Of course, Tristan wasn't an average acquaintance to Ves. The Fridayman mech designer never dismissed Ves despite his humbler background.

Both of them still maintained the idea that it was better to deepen their connection to each other. Those who managed to pass the trials set by the Rim Guardians weren't ordinary in the slightest!

"Right now, I'm leaning towards specializing in lightweight materials." Tristan freely explained. "This is an area which Master Katzenberg has never excelled in. She focuses mainly on substituting more expensive materials for more affordable materials. Usually, that comes with a cost as the substitute materials are often inefficient, requiring more mass in order to equal the effect of the original materials."

Ves thought about what Tristan proposed. "Your rationale is certainly solid. However, I think that specializing in lightweight materials is more of a means than an end. I don't hear much of a direction yet. What ambition have you set? What dream do you want to realize?"

"That's why it's only a consideration. I haven't even figured my goal. Designing a mech with no mass sounds far too unrealistic to me. There is no way such a mech could ever exist!"

"Maybe you can make a mech out of light." Ves joked.

"Photons have energy, therefore they have mass. Besides, even if I manage to design a mech out of an even higher-level substance or energy, the mech pilot still possesses mass as well!"

"It sounds like you haven't managed to find an end goal that resonates with your desires. If you failed to come up with an ambition that you want to pursue after considering this direction for a time, maybe it??s not the right choice."

Tristan sighed. "You're right, I guess. When I initially became an apprentice for Master Katzenberg, I thought my future was already set. While I advanced smoothly to Journeyman, I never realized that the heirs of a Master Mech Designer don't have much choice in their future development until it was too late."

"Do you regret apprenticing under your Master?"

"Never! I'm very grateful to my Master. Without her assistance, I would have never advanced to Journeyman in my thirties! I know what I'm capable of. If I studied at Leemar without any strong backing, I would have been forced to scrape for work."

Just because Tristan was a Fridayman did not mean he was destined for success. Many graduates from places such as the Leemar Institute of Technology had to find their place in a vastly more competitive mech community.

Though Ves always lamented the limitations of designing third-class mechs, he had to admit it was a lot more easy to compete in this market.

Everyone knew that there was much more profit potential in designing second-class mechs. The differences were so vast that Ves estimated that the competition was at least ten times more intense!

Of course, once someone like Tristan found his way and achieved success, he would be able to earn vastly more profit than Ves despite selling much less mechs!

Ever since Gloriana revealed the 3-year deadline to Ves, he knew he had to become proficient in designing second-class mechs.

If Ves had a choice, then he would have preferred to stick to his roots and continue to excel in designing third-class mechs.

However, it wasn't necessarily a bad idea for him to expand his horizons and learn how to design a higher class mechs.

Considering his plans for the future, Ves knew that it would be best if he shifted his focus to designing second-class mechs.

Remaining in the third-class orbit was much too limiting to Ves. He wouldn't be able to accumulate much resources and grow his powerbase if he limited himself to third-class mechs and tech.

Even the strongest force of third-rate mechs could never defeat a vastly smaller force of second-rate mechs!

There was a limit to the potential of a third-rate force.

Since Ves wanted to upgrade his focus, he might as well discuss it with his current conversation partner. When he revealed his ambition to become a second-class mech designer, Tristan did not show any surprise.

"I always knew you wanted to climb higher." He smirked for a brief moment. "However, it's not necessarily a good idea to enter a height you aren't closely familiar with. Many third-class mech designers who emigrated to the Friday Coalition have tried and failed to stand out. They're too far behind compared to the likes of me who lived and breathed second-class mechs from birth."

"Gloriana already warned me about the challenges, but I'm confident I can manage. Part of the reason why most of those third-class mech designers stagnate is because they can't keep up with the cognitive augmentations that you rich people enjoy, right?"

"That's partially correct. However, even the third-raters who manage to earn a lot of financial support have failed to pay back their debts."

That reminded Ves of someone. "Do you know how Patricia Schneider is doing these days?"

"She's married now." Tristan answered. "She goes by Patricia Cain now. I haven't heard anything notable about Orlando Cain, but Patricia has become more notable these days. Master Null values her very highly, especially after she married and started to work harder."

"Is she still at Leemar?"

"No. Last I've heard, she followed Master Null to a secret location in order to work directly for the Carnegie Group. That's quite exceptional, you know."

"Oh?"

"Only direct disciples are entitled to become a part of the Carnegie Group's core design projects. She must have found some way to earn her Master's appreciation, though she is still a nominal disciple in the books."

That sounded unusual, but Ves didn't care too much about Patricia anymore. She was just an old classmate and acquaintance to him. He quickly moved on to something else.