Chapter 660: Negotiation Settled (Patreon)

Transformers Begin : Table of Content/Chapter List

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Sun Cheng admitted that he had indeed been swayed by Starscream's words.

However, being swayed didn't mean he would act on it. Without sufficient benefits, he wouldn't become Starscream's pawn.

"Perhaps you're not entirely wrong," Sun Cheng said, suppressing his excitement. "But the risk of assassinating Soundwave is too great for me. It's not worth it in my eyes."

They stared at each other silently, two equally cunning villains who didn't need to test each other's limits.

Starscream knew Sun Cheng wouldn't let this opportunity slip, but trying to drag him into it without offering something in return would only lead to a stalemate.

"Ten Energon Cubes!" Starscream grinned first. "Even at his peak, Skyfire would find it challenging to manufacture Energon Cubes."

Here it comes!

Sun Cheng's Spark throbbed violently in his chest. He calmly multiplied the number, "I want one hundred. Assassinating Soundwave means a complete break with the Skytiger Legion, and we will undoubtedly face pursuit from Shockwave and Megatron afterward. We'll be in for a fight to the death."

Starscream expected some haggling, but he didn't anticipate Sun Cheng would make such an audacious demand.

With a mocking expression on his face, he scoffed, "One hundred, you really have some nerve. This is Earth, and I can offer at most fifteen!"

"Ninety!"

Sun Cheng compromised slightly. "I've heard that Sentinal Prime's ship crashed on the moon a year ago!"

A year ago, he had glimpsed Megatron's memories, albeit only a small part. But it included a highly classified secret: Megatron had struck some kind of deal with the former Autobot leader, Sentinal Prime.

That's why Sentinal Prime's transport ship was hit and disappeared just before the Civil War ended.

The final resting place of his ship was on the moon, several light-years away from Cybertron, and it was a very well-kept secret. Even Starscream only knew a fraction of the truth.

Killer intent shone in Starscream's crimson optics.

"It seems you know quite a bit. I underestimated you. That's something Megatron has his eye on, and no one dares to touch it. Twenty, and if we can't agree, I'll find someone else!"

"Eighty, feel free to look for others. Besides me, who dares to lay a hand on Soundwave?"

"Twenty-five, I'll help you deal with Astrotrain. All you need to handle is Soundwave and your two former colleagues. It won't be that difficult!"

"Seventy, because I'm sure you'll betray me afterward!"

Two schemers refused to yield, ultimately settling on a deal for forty-five Energon Cubes.

"The timing and plan are up to you. If necessary, I can expose myself to lure Soundwave into the picture. But I need the forty-five Energon Cubes upfront. I don't trust your word!"

To Sun Cheng's surprise, Starscream agreed.

They agreed that Starscream would deliver the Energon Cubes in four days. Then, the Decepticon conspirator who had arrived so unexpectedly left without leaving behind a single threatening word.

As Sun Cheng watched the Decepticon, who seemed to be plotting something behind the scenes, disappear, all expression on his face vanished.

Thunder gazed at the F-22 fighter jet disappearing into the sky and suddenly asked, "Master, why accept such a dangerous mission?"

As the former Blackout, Thunder usually portrayed himself as extremely cold, but that didn't mean he lacked intelligence. On the contrary, he simply didn't need to display it.

At this moment, Sun Cheng didn't show the slightest hint of joy for acquiring forty-five Energon Cubes seemingly out of thin air. He remained silent for a while before responding to Thunder's question.

"Because Starscream has me pegged. He despises Soundwave, and Soundwave despises him in return. But Soundwave isn't his match, so once Shockwave arrives on Earth, he'll be dealt with promptly."

Unconsciously, his fingertips, sharp as blades, rubbed together, creating sparks.

Sun Cheng couldn't yet fathom Starscream's sudden contact—whether it was a scheme against him, against Soundwave, or if both of them were caught in the web. Even though he knew there might be traps, he had no choice but to step into them. That was the brilliance of Starscream's strategy: he had accurately predicted that Sun Cheng, a Decepticon traitor preparing to start anew, would panic at the prospect of Shockwave's imminent arrival.

So, to avoid retribution later on, Sun Cheng had to follow Starscream's designed path and assassinate Soundwave.

As for the forty-plus Energon Cubes, they weren't Starscream's to begin with, so there was no remorse in selling out his own kind.

It was said that Sentinal Prime's transport ship had contained the last stash of Autobots, which should have included hundreds of Energon Cubes. After the ship crashed on the moon a year ago, where were these Energon Cubes now? They had likely fallen into the hands of Starscream or the Decepticons.

Taking some of them to hire Sun Cheng, an unstable element, to help eliminate a major enemy made perfect sense. Starscream was certainly capable of such a move.

"Starscream may be planning something, but he did calculate me right. Base Two can only proceed smoothly if I first eliminate Soundwave before Shockwave arrives."

That was also why Sun Cheng agreed to this deal. He had to strike first to secure a larger space for survival.

"However, I can't fully trust Starscream either. Maybe he intends to watch us tear each other apart with Soundwave, and when we're both weakened, he'll come to finish us off."

In the world of Transformers Universe, Sun Cheng had a severe lack of trust in anyone other than himself.

So, after watching Starscream depart, he didn't rush to leave Saint Helena Island. Sun Cheng pondered how to deal with Soundwave and his Cassette Legion, as well as the possibility of Starscream striking from the shadows.

He didn't have many warriors readily available for combat—Forerunner, Thunder, Hynix, and perhaps the unstable Swindle.

Other Decepticon warriors had their own protective and guarding duties, and their combat capabilities were barely sufficient to deal with Ravage and Lazerbeak.

Thunder noticed Sun Cheng lost in thought and, whether intentionally or unintentionally, spoke up, "It would be great if the base could mass-produce Vehicons right now. Then we could easily handle Soundwave, just like Starscream did when they targeted Optimus Prime!"

That statement snapped Sun Cheng out of his reverie, clearing his somewhat muddled mind.

"Yes, I completely forgot about the Autobots!"

In an instant, a plan formed in his mind, and a smile curved on Sun Cheng's lips.

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 661: As Wished