Chapter 187

"Upgrading a 2000 vessel to 2010 standards costs 20 million USD..."

"Upgrading a 2010 vessel to 2020 standards costs 200 million USD."

With a series of upgrades, Lin Yi saw in the vessel catalog

numerous subcategories, including cruisers, battleships, frigates, aircraft carriers, submarines, and more.

Taking cruisers as an example, there were the Ugly Nation's Bainbridge-class nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser,

the Leahy-class guided-missile cruiser, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, the Virginia-class nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser,

the Soviet Union's Kara-class guided-missile cruiser, the Kresta-class guided-missile cruiser, and Mao Xiong's Kirov-class nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser.

As for aircraft carriers, there were the Ugly Nation's Excellence-class carrier, Essex-class carrier, Midway-class carrier, Nimitz-class carrier, Ford-class carrier,

John Bull's Invincible-class carrier, and Gaul's Charles de Gaulle carrier.

Mao Xiong's Kuznetsov carrier, the Soviet Union's Gorshkov carrier, and so on were all available.

The Ford-class carrier that Lin Yi had auctioned off last time

was listed in the system catalog at a price of 500 million USD.

He hadn't misread it! It was indeed 500 million USD.

This price completely disregarded labor, time, and other factors.

In the real world, this probably wouldn't even cover the material costs for building a Ford-class carrier.

However, seeing this price, Lin Yi was extremely happy.

After all, with such a powerful weapon being so cheap, he could easily buy a few and auction one off every year.

Those nations aspiring to become major aircraft carrier powers

would be thrilled to know they could buy the world's most advanced carriers without having to build them themselves.

With such an advanced weapon as the Ford-class carrier, he could easily earn tens of billions of dollars worldwide.

After all, the first Ford-class carrier sold at auction last time for 12 billion USD,

so setting the starting bid for the second one at 5 billion USD shouldn't be excessive, right?

Considering all the nations around the world intending to purchase aircraft carriers,

there must be at least seven or eight; wouldn't that bring in hundreds of billions?

Moreover, this was just the Ford-class carrier;

once carriers stopped selling, he could still sell equipment like nuclear submarines.

It could be said that among all weapons, naval vessels were the most profitable.

Just then, the system notification sound rang out again.

"Ding... Congratulations, Host, your technology tree has upgraded to 5 stars!"

"Combat Branch Hiring Function unlocked!"

"Combat Branch Hiring Function?"

Instantly, Lin Yi was stunned, and then he asked the system.

The system immediately began to explain.

The so-called Combat Branch Hiring Function allowed one to hire combat personnel from within the system to fight on Lin Yi's behalf.

However, although these combat personnel possessed various fighting skills and piloting techniques,

they would not have self-awareness.

All combat personnel were controlled by AI, absolutely rational, and 100% loyal.

However, the duration for which these hired branches existed was limited;

they would disappear after at most seven days,

and a maximum of 1,000 people could be hired at a time.

Well, this function basically meant Lin Yi now had a temporary mercenary force of a thousand.

Of course, if used well,

this flexible and mobile mercenary force could completely turn the tide of a local battle.

Another benefit was that, being a product of the system,

these mercenaries could use the space-time teleportation function to be transported anywhere in the world.

Regarding costs, hiring a single person cost 10,000 USD per time.

"Hmm, the price isn't high; this function is quite good!"

Lin Yi exclaimed.

Although these mercenaries were non-permanent units,

he similarly didn't need to worry about consumption issues.

Furthermore, although these mercenaries lacked human emotions,

they possessed the absolute rationality of AI, 100% loyalty, and mastery of various fighting skills and piloting techniques.

Such soldiers were exactly what human armies dreamed of.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Yi said:

"System, activate the Branch Hiring Function?"

"Please select the number of personnel to hire, Host?"

"1 person!"

"Please select the branch type, Host: Army, Air Force, Navy..."

"Army!"

"Please select: Sniper, Tank Operator, Artilleryman, Special Forces..."

"Special Forces!"

Following Lin Yi's series of selections, within moments, inside his luxurious mansion in Huangpu District,

a blue digital light wave appeared, and in the blink of an eye, a soldier with a Dragon Nation face materialized before him.

Standing 180 cm tall, he had a square face, a countenance full of resolve, and solid muscles.

He was clad in special operations gear.

Tactical bulletproof vest, helmet, binoculars, thermal imager, goggles, EOD (bomb disposal pliers), tactical gloves, tactical dagger, and more.

In his hands, he held a Type 95 assault rifle.

At this moment, Lin Yi was somewhat stunned by the system's technique of conjuring a living person out of thin air.

It was completely beyond his comprehension, even surpassing the cognition of Earthlings.

"Are you the soldier I hired?"

Lin Yi asked the fierce soldier standing before him.

"Yes, Host!"

The burly man's voice carried no emotion whatsoever; it was utterly ice-cold.

"Do you have memories?" Lin Yi asked.

The fierce soldier shook his head and said:

"I am merely a temporary life form controlled by the system AI!"

"Alright!" Lin Yi said as he touched the other's equipment and body,

finding not a single anomaly.

However, just moments ago, he had witnessed with his own eyes

a person emerge from a beam of light.

Fortunately, because he needed to conduct transactions with Dragon Nation, he had specifically returned to his mansion today, so there were no outsiders present;

otherwise, that scene just now could have scared someone to death.

"You will disappear within seven days, correct?" Lin Yi asked the hired soldier.

"Yes. Even the corpse will automatically decompose after seven days. However, the Host can retrieve it in advance, though the hiring fee deducted for a single instance will not be refunded!"

the soldier said.

"So, the ten thousand US dollars will not be returned to me, is that right?"

Lin Yi stated.

"Yes, Host. My existence is to provide the Host with necessary armed force.

A successful arms merchant must possess sufficient physical deterrent power in hand!"