Chapter 172: How High Would 200 Billion Stack Up To

Director Zhou smiled and gently advised, "Yang Yi, do you know? Our country's military expenditure last year was 1.7 trillion. The total investment in this manor is only 200 billion, not even a fraction of one year's military spending."

"Can these be compared?" Yang Yi frowned.

"Why not? 1.7 trillion cannot save the world, stop the opening of interdimensional portals, or solve the rampage of Super S-class alien creatures, but you can. If spending only 200 billion can bring world peace, domestic safety, and even deter other nations on Earth from easily causing trouble for us, everyone would think this money is well spent." Director Zhou still smiled gently.

Yang Yi's expression slowly returned to calm, and she put that mask back on.

In that very instant, she realized again the positioning of the Xia Nation's upper echelons regarding her.

In her own self-perception, she always considered herself a human; even possessing a certain divine power, she remained of human nature. Like her other colleagues at the Anomaly Management Bureau, she drew a generous salary, working for the state as a civil servant. Even if she saved the world, humanity is a community, the Xia Nation is her motherland and home; isn't her contribution something she should naturally give?

But Director Zhou's words made her realize once again that her self-positioning and others' positioning of her were different. In the general view of the state's upper echelons, she could no longer be simply categorized as a "human," but rather as a super strategic weapon where danger and risk coexist.

Compared to her human nature, people cared more about the "weapon" nature on her.

The construction of this manor was more like a probe; using money and interests as a transaction to add a layer of "insurance" to the use of this weapon, and thereby deterring other nations.

Having understood this point, she felt utterly bored in her heart, a bit absurd, and a bit sorrowful.

"Moreover, this money isn't just spent for you, but is also for those other nations stirring up trouble behind the scenes to see. If you don't accept it, they will feel uneasy instead." Director Zhou advised again.

"200 billion," Yang Yi turned her head to look out the window, her tone melancholy: "How high would it stack up to..."

"2148.3 cubic meters, with an area of 100 square meters, it would be 44.8 meters high..." A young man wearing glasses at the corner of the conference room blurted out.

Everyone looked at him.

His face immediately turned bright red. "S-sorry, I... I didn't mean to..."

Seeing Yang Yi also look at him, Director Li hurriedly explained, "This comrade is from our bureau's Engineering Research Institute, responsible for calculating the exhibition bidding plan. He is a genius at work, just a bit dull in daily life..."

Yang Yi, interrupted by this, smiled helplessly.

"I still disagree. Lying in a house built with so much of the people's fat and marrow, I won't sleep soundly at night. My salary is enough; use this money where it should be used!" Yang Yi felt awkward, her tone faint, and she stood up to leave.

After refusing, the slight unease in her heart vanished, replaced by a sense of pride—refusing a 200 billion villa manor just like that, I am truly a selfless "saint"! And if someone is willing to spend so much money to make you happy, it shows your value far exceeds that amount of money; in this society that measures people with material goods and money, doesn't this reflect your value?

As she walked, she mocked herself in her heart; thinking of her "huge value" in others' eyes, her heart felt desolate.

Director Zhou sighed, scratched his head, and couldn't help but want to reach into his pocket for cigarettes.

At the beginning of the project initiation, he had raised objections at the meeting that Yang Yi would not accept this project. But the higher-ups clearly had other considerations and told him to do Yang Yi's work. Now it was indeed so; he was about to persuade her again when he saw Li Zhijian speak first.

"Captain Yang, please wait a moment." Seeing Yang Yi was about to walk out of the conference room, Director Li took a step to stand by the door, blocking Yang Yi's path, and said anxiously, "We all deeply appreciate your intention! We also understand your concerns, but the project has been initiated, the land has been planned, and we are now in the design phase. Renowned architectural firms from all over the world are waiting to present their designs; we can't let them go back empty-handed, can we? The employees of our Architecture Bureau One are also ready to go; if we give up halfway, everyone's efforts will be in vain!"

"The sooner we stop, the lower the sunk cost," Yang Yi said coldly.

Director Li thought for a moment and smiled, "How about this? Actually, at the beginning of the project initiation, domestic enthusiastic businessmen, moved by your great achievement, wanted to do something for you. Hearing that the state intended to build a manor for you, they ran around making contacts and even jointly submitted a petition, hoping to contribute to this project, funding and constructing the manor themselves. But the higher-ups believed this was a national honor and that only state funding would make it legitimate, so they rejected their proposal. Since you believe the money in the national treasury should be used for the people, and now the manor project is stuck, why not adopt the businessmen's proposal, letting them fund and construct it? How about that?"

Yang Yi smiled without humor, "What do they want?"

Seeing Yang Yi's reaction, Director Li's heart rejoiced. "Businessmen seek profit. Where is the safest place in the world? It is by your side. They hope that when constructing this manor, the state can allocate a piece of land around the manor for them. Living next to the God of Humanity, they won't have to worry about being scared at night, haha..."

Yang Yi looked speechless, yet found it a bit funny.

Zhang, the Deputy Director of Architecture Bureau One, seeing Yang Yi's expression had softened slightly, quickly came forward to join in, "After the manor is built, land prices in the surrounding areas will inevitably skyrocket. At that time, it will attract rich and powerful people from all over the world to settle here. They are aiming for this point; this is an investment with a 100 percent return rate and extremely low risk, which is why they are so enthusiastic!"

Section Chief Zhao behind Director Li finally found a chance to show his face and hurriedly added, "Gathering so many rich people, they also need to live and consume, which will inevitably require many necessary facilities, such as supporting schools, libraries, shopping malls, and leisure venues. This project will not only boost the economic development of the nearby cities but also create job opportunities for the masses in the surrounding areas; it is a good thing beneficial to the nation and the people!"

Upon hearing these words, everyone in the room couldn't help but turn their heads in surprise, praising Section Chief Zhao's quick wit.

With Section Chief Zhao's words, the significance of this manor was immediately elevated; if Yang Yi refused, it would instead seem hypocritical.

Actually, being able to sit in this position, at the beginning of a large project's initiation, they instinctively calculated the subsequent chain economic effects. This is also why they all strongly urged Yang Yi to accept this manor. Since this project was initiated, it was no longer just about Yang Yi herself, but concerned a series of subsequent plans and the groups of people who could profit from this series of plans.

The businessmen could profit from it, the officials could gain merit, the surrounding cities could boost their economies, and the surrounding masses could gain job opportunities.

If Yang Yi did not accept the manor, this series of plans could not be implemented, thus cutting off this chain of interests.

At this moment, the ones who most wanted Yang Yi to accept the manor were not Yang Yi herself, but the vested interests on this series of related interest chains.

Everyone looked at her, waiting for her to make a decision.

Yang Yi felt this matter was quite absurd, yet at the same time very reasonable. Unknowingly, she had become the center of the vortex; everything around her revolved around her. She clearly wanted to do nothing and wanted nothing, yet everything was automatically being delivered to her; her refusal instead became a crime.

As long as she possessed this power, she could never remain uninvolved.

"Yang Yi, sometimes you should also give others a chance to show themselves..." Director Zhou hesitated, wanting to say more but stopping.

Yang Yi looked at Director Zhou. She had always respected this old leader, but as her strength gradually revealed itself, Director Zhou no longer spoke to her with the attitude of an elder as he did at the very beginning.

Her face was expressionless, yet deep in her heart, loneliness spread like wild grass.

Suddenly, she sneered inwardly: Isn't this perfect? Refusing showed her goodwill to the people and demonstrated her selfless character; accepting now shows her "humanity." An existence powerful enough to wipe out all humanity, yet having no selfish desires—is that still human?

If not human, then what?

If there are no selfish desires, how can they be controlled? If there are no selfish desires, how can they cater to her preferences, add "insurance" to the weapon, and avoid suffering a backlash one day?

She must not only accept, but accept even more; only thus can she voluntarily give them a handle, making them feel secure. Because most people do not believe there are selfless saints in this world; they only believe in the exchange of interests.

Besides, she is not a real saint anyway.

She smiled and said, "Alright!"