256: Capitalist Pigs

Capitalist Pigs

"Absolutely not!" the system answered. "You would change this world's course dramatically! It will result in many unpredictable consequences, so immediately cease and desist!"1

"I know you want to sell it to me too," Mag said calmly.

"No! I would never do anything that may throw this world into chaos."

"An industrial revolution is inevitable even if we do nothing. If I gave the diagram to him, I'd save them a lot of time and trouble."

"What would you know? Ever heard of the butterfly effect?"

"If I sold it at 50,000 gold coins, I'd upgrade the restaurant right away!"

The system fell silent.

"No," it said after a while.

"If you don't let me sell it, I'll never update the restaurant!"

"The only way I will let you sell it is if we split the money 80/20. Me 80. I'll provide the diagram."

Mag's mouth twisted in disapproval. "I can draw a detailed diagram from my memory. I don't need yours. Why would I split the money with you?"

The system gave out noise in anger abruptly.

"I want you to join us," Hydle said earnestly, "and help us out with the energy transmitting problem."

Mag held back his urge to draw a steam engine diagram. It would be too mean of me to draw a diagram that would make their years of effort look like a joke. He shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't join you. I'm just a cook, and a busy one."

At the last minute, Mag decided not to give him the diagram, even if he might have paid him tens of thousands of gold coins, because it was worth a lot more than that.

He liked Hydle, but he liked money better—he needed it to buy strength.

I'm a businessman, Mag told himself, a capitalist pig that only cares about profit!

I'd be better off if I sold it to the Lord of Chaos City or the Lord of the Gray Temple; they would be far more generous than Hydle.

"Okay," Hydle said, disappointed, but soon wore a look of excitement as he looked at Mag and asked, "Can you please give me some advice on the energy transmitting problem?"

Mag looked at his imploring eyes, hesitated a moment, and said, "Straight motions that go back and forth typically cannot be used in production. Perhaps by adding gears and relying on their rotations for transmissions, it can reduce the expenditure wastage. Through a combination of different types of gears, it can turn a uniform back and forth operation into various kinds of motions. It will be able to meet the requirements for production."

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