[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-arms-tycoon-starting-with-a-scammed-hundred-bill":3,"chapter-arms-tycoon-starting-with-a-scammed-hundred-bill-arms-tycoon-starting-with-a-hundred-billion-doll-chapter-187":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Arms Tycoon: Starting by Conning a $10 Billion Order",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},2079079,3287,"Chapter 187","arms-tycoon-starting-with-a-hundred-billion-doll-chapter-187",187,"\u003Cp>\"Upgrading a 2000 vessel to 2010 standards costs 20 million USD...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Upgrading a 2010 vessel to 2020 standards costs 200 million USD.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a series of upgrades, Lin Yi saw in the vessel catalog\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>numerous subcategories, including cruisers, battleships, frigates, aircraft carriers, submarines, and more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking cruisers as an example, there were the Ugly Nation's Bainbridge-class nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Leahy-class guided-missile cruiser, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, the Virginia-class nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John Bull's Invincible-class carrier, and Gaul's Charles de Gaulle carrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mao Xiong's Kuznetsov carrier, the Soviet Union's Gorshkov carrier, and so on were all available.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ford-class carrier that Lin Yi had auctioned off last time\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>was listed in the system catalog at a price of 500 million USD.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn't misread it! It was indeed 500 million USD.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This price completely disregarded labor, time, and other factors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the real world, this probably wouldn't even cover the material costs for building a Ford-class carrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, seeing this price, Lin Yi was extremely happy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, with such a powerful weapon being so cheap, he could easily buy a few and auction one off every year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those nations aspiring to become major aircraft carrier powers\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>would be thrilled to know they could buy the world's most advanced carriers without having to build them themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such an advanced weapon as the Ford-class carrier, he could easily earn tens of billions of dollars worldwide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the first Ford-class carrier sold at auction last time for 12 billion USD,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>so setting the starting bid for the second one at 5 billion USD shouldn't be excessive, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering all the nations around the world intending to purchase aircraft carriers,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>there must be at least seven or eight; wouldn't that bring in hundreds of billions?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, this was just the Ford-class carrier;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>once carriers stopped selling, he could still sell equipment like nuclear submarines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be said that among all weapons, naval vessels were the most profitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, the system notification sound rang out again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ding... Congratulations, Host, your technology tree has upgraded to 5 stars!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Combat Branch Hiring Function unlocked!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Combat Branch Hiring Function?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, Lin Yi was stunned, and then he asked the system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The system immediately began to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The so-called Combat Branch Hiring Function allowed one to hire combat personnel from within the system to fight on Lin Yi's behalf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, although these combat personnel possessed various fighting skills and piloting techniques,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>they would not have self-awareness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All combat personnel were controlled by AI, absolutely rational, and 100% loyal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the duration for which these hired branches existed was limited;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>they would disappear after at most seven days,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and a maximum of 1,000 people could be hired at a time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, this function basically meant Lin Yi now had a temporary mercenary force of a thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, if used well,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>this flexible and mobile mercenary force could completely turn the tide of a local battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another benefit was that, being a product of the system,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>these mercenaries could use the space-time teleportation function to be transported anywhere in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding costs, hiring a single person cost 10,000 USD per time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm, the price isn't high; this function is quite good!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yi exclaimed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although these mercenaries were non-permanent units,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he similarly didn't need to worry about consumption issues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, although these mercenaries lacked human emotions,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>they possessed the absolute rationality of AI, 100% loyalty, and mastery of various fighting skills and piloting techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such soldiers were exactly what human armies dreamed of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thinking for a moment, Lin Yi said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"System, activate the Branch Hiring Function?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please select the number of personnel to hire, Host?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"1 person!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please select the branch type, Host: Army, Air Force, Navy...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Army!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please select: Sniper, Tank Operator, Artilleryman, Special Forces...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Special Forces!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following Lin Yi's series of selections, within moments, inside his luxurious mansion in Huangpu District,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a blue digital light wave appeared, and in the blink of an eye, a soldier with a Dragon Nation face materialized before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing 180 cm tall, he had a square face, a countenance full of resolve, and solid muscles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was clad in special operations gear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tactical bulletproof vest, helmet, binoculars, thermal imager, goggles, EOD (bomb disposal pliers), tactical gloves, tactical dagger, and more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his hands, he held a Type 95 assault rifle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Lin Yi was somewhat stunned by the system's technique of conjuring a living person out of thin air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was completely beyond his comprehension, even surpassing the cognition of Earthlings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you the soldier I hired?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yi asked the fierce soldier standing before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, Host!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The burly man's voice carried no emotion whatsoever; it was utterly ice-cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you have memories?\" Lin Yi asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fierce soldier shook his head and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am merely a temporary life form controlled by the system AI!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright!\" Lin Yi said as he touched the other's equipment and body,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>finding not a single anomaly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, just moments ago, he had witnessed with his own eyes\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a person emerge from a beam of light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, because he needed to conduct transactions with Dragon Nation, he had specifically returned to his mansion today, so there were no outsiders present;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>otherwise, that scene just now could have scared someone to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You will disappear within seven days, correct?\" Lin Yi asked the hired soldier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"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!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the soldier said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, the ten thousand US dollars will not be returned to me, is that right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yi stated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, Host. My existence is to provide the Host with necessary armed force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A successful arms merchant must possess sufficient physical deterrent power in hand!\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1011,"2026-06-16T04:15:30.615Z","2026-06-16T04:35:02.051Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","bb31b472003adece27f48b982645b0d4bd2ee6705878ee9fa79d9e915aa0edd8","arms-tycoon-starting-with-a-hundred-billion-doll-chapter-188","arms-tycoon-starting-with-a-hundred-billion-doll-chapter-186",328,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Farms-tycoon-starting-with-a-hundred-billion-doll-cover.jpg"]