Chapter 136: Negotiations (Part II)

The negotiation between the two parties was like a match between two grandmasters, each move and counter-move clear and distinct. Cai Lizhi sought to minimize Xiao Kaitian’s gains, while Xiao Kaitian fought to secure his own interests to the greatest extent possible.

"General," Xiao Kaitian said, glancing at everyone in the room, "the technology is in my hands. I believe everyone here understands what the mechs designed with it truly represent."

"This brings us to the matter of security. I am sure you are all aware of how the martial arts world will react to this." His gaze swept over Cai Lizhi, who gave a nearly imperceptible nod.

"Even if the military dispatches fully armed troops, I believe there will always be oversights. None of us present can offer a guarantee of one-hundred-percent safety," Xiao Kaitian argued eloquently. "Yet, this matter cannot simply be handed over to the military."

"The balance between the Han-Tang martial practitioners and the state is an unspoken consensus. Imagine, if you will, that I hand over the technology and the military produces the mechs; the resulting friction between the martial arts world and the military is a consequence I believe no one here wishes to see."

Cai Lizhi nodded and sighed slowly. Xiao Kaitian was speaking the truth, which was precisely why the military command had debated for so long and refrained from taking aggressive measures against the martial arts community.

"Therefore, by housing production and technology within the 'Future Century' project of Qingtang Tianxia, we create a buffer for both sides. And that buffer is me, Xiao Kaitian."

"Precisely because of this, I must face the pressure from the martial arts world—not only from within Han-Tang, but potentially from overseas forces as well."

"Based on these factors, I believe that within the Future Century project, I should have the right to retain a portion of defensive force."

"As for your concerns, that is not a problem. Military personnel can be brought in to monitor the production, and the retained mechs will be subject to the same oversight. There will be absolutely nothing that threatens the national interest."

"Furthermore, I plan to settle my family and friends within Future Century in the future. This proposal is also born out of a desire to protect them."

"To that end, I can promise that once these conditions are met, the future technology research and development department of Qingtang Tianxia will provide unconditional technical support to the military."

"This includes the improvement of existing weapon systems, the redevelopment of energy systems, or the upgrading of software infrastructure—all of these are open for discussion."

With that, Xiao Kaitian leaned back in his chair and spread his hands. "I do not believe that all the benefits of this partnership will go to me personally. All I seek is basic security, nothing more."

Cai Lizhi sighed; he had truly witnessed the sharpness of this man’s tongue. He scanned the room, noticing that everyone was lost in thought.

Everything Xiao Kaitian said was accurate, particularly the point about the relationship between the martial arts world and the military. As he noted, if the military were to produce the mechs, the balance would immediately collapse, likely triggering widespread instability.

Stability was the foundation of national development and the highest priority for the leadership; such a catastrophe could not be allowed to happen.

Yet, as a soldier, it was difficult to reconcile with the idea of possessing such technological power and choosing not to strengthen the nation’s military.

Seen in this light, Xiao Kaitian’s proposal was indeed the optimal choice; by having a private institution handle production, the focal point for any potential hostility would be significantly reduced.

However, this would undoubtedly place Qingtang Tianxia and Xiao Kaitian in an irreconcilable position with the martial arts world. Seeing Xiao Kaitian’s confident demeanor, Cai Lizhi suspected he already had a countermeasure in mind.

Cai Lizhi was curious about the cards Xiao Kaitian held against the martial arts world, but he could not ask, and Xiao Kaitian might not answer anyway.

Overall, Xiao Kaitian’s request to retain a portion of the mechs for self-defense was reasonable, but from the military’s perspective, defining this force was tricky—it was tantamount to possessing a private army.

"What you say makes sense," Cai Lizhi decided to lay his cards on the table. "But as a private entity, it would be difficult to justify in terms of procedure."

"It would not be as my own personal force, but as a unit tasked with guarding the production base and the technology. Ownership would remain with the military; Qingtang Tianxia would merely be the operator with usage rights for a specific period. This way, no issues would exist."

He was indeed prepared. Xiao Kaitian’s response bypassed many obstacles, indicating that he had already devised a very clear plan for this partnership.

"Then I would like to know what tier of mechs you intend to provide to the military. This must be written into the agreement as part of our partnership."

Xiao Kaitian agreed. He understood that Cai Lizhi’s question essentially signaled his consent to the terms. The main principles were now aligned, and the rest were merely details to be ironed out. The request was not unreasonable.

"They will be divided into three categories. The first is the mass-produced general-purpose model. These are intended primarily for police use, and I believe maintaining the peak of the Profound Realm is sufficient. I will enhance some of their capabilities and refine the details, such as improving the ease of operation to ensure that more police officers can master them quickly."

"The second is the mass-produced specialized model. These are intended for military use, so they can reach the mid-to-peak Earth Realm. However, this category has requirements for the user; the mech’s ultimate performance will depend on the operator’s own level."

"Finally, there are the custom models. These are the highest tier of mechs. I won't dictate how they are used; the military can decide. They can reach the mid-Heaven Realm and above. I regret to say I cannot guarantee they will be able to defeat a Heaven Realm peak-stage martial practitioner."

"However, I am designing the custom models for aerial combat to provide an advantage when facing martial practitioners, along with weapon configurations that use technology to compensate for certain weaknesses."

"But the operators of the custom models will likely need to be martial practitioners themselves. I assume the military is not short on such personnel?"

The final, slightly jocular remark made the soldiers in the room laugh, and the atmosphere instantly eased. Xiao Kaitian’s brief introduction had completely won them over.

In particular, the breakthrough to the peak of the Profound Realm for mechs was an unprecedented feat globally. Previously, restricting martial practitioners above the Profound Realm had relied on armies and large-scale heavy weaponry, but that might soon become a thing of the past.

Xiao Kaitian—this man was immeasurable. That was Cai Lizhi’s assessment. A smile crept across his lips. "We have a general understanding of your proposal, Mr. Xiao. There are still some details to the framework of our cooperation."

"However, we must report this to our superiors. If possible, Mr. Xiao, please stay here for a few days so we can finalize the matter as soon as possible."

"In that case, I shall impose upon you," Xiao Kaitian said with a smile, extending his right hand.