Chapter 74

On September 10, 2008, the U.S. Navy signed a $5.16 billion contract with Northrop Grumman to fully commence construction of the Ford.

On November 13, 2009, the keel of the Ford was laid.

It was not until May 24, 2012, that construction of the Ford reached a major milestone.

The final section of the Ford's keel, a bulbous bow standing 60 feet tall and weighing over 680 tons, was placed into the dry dock, signifying that 80% of the carrier's total construction work had been completed.

However, recently, this Ford-class carrier had only reached 95% completion, still requiring some time before finishing.

By this time, the carrier had already cost $13 billion.

It could be said that the prize from the system's lottery draw this time was exceedingly valuable.

At the very least, it was worth $10 billion.

But the problem was, who in this world would spend so much money to buy this carrier?

Do not forget that an aircraft carrier does not simply represent a single ship.

In reality, it represents an entire carrier battle group.

Among these, the costs for maintenance, training, and repairs alone are astronomical figures.

Even if ordinary small nations could afford to buy one, they could not afford to operate it.

Furthermore, there is no necessity for them to do so.

Only nations with strong economies and militaries would be willing to purchase one.

Lin Yi counted them over and over; the only possible buyers in this world were...

The U.S., Dragon Nation, Mao Xiong, and Ah San.

Little Japan probably wanted one but was restricted by its Peace Constitution, making it impossible for them to possess a true aircraft carrier.

As for John Bull, one of the five permanent members, he had once sold his own carriers, and his newest carrier, the HMS Queen Elizabeth, had only just been launched.

To buy another carrier worth tens of billions of dollars...

Unless the former Empire on which the sun never sets returned, it was absolutely impossible given John Bull's current treasury.

Lin Yi thought for a moment; donating it to the nation was out of the question.

If he really did that, he would be an idiot.

Patriotism is not expressed that way, especially since this involved tens of billions of dollars.

Even if he sold it at half price, that would still be $5 billion.

This amount of money would be sufficient for him to update every item on the weapon catalog to the 2010 standard.

After thinking it over, Lin Yi prepared to make a big move.

That was to hold an auction for the Ford-class carrier.

At the same time, this would further enhance the reputation of the Dragon Nation flagship store across various countries.

Thus, very soon, a message appeared on the official website of the Dragon Nation flagship store.

"Warm congratulations! The Dragon Nation flagship store has launched a new feature: Judicial Auction!"

"Description: This feature will sell advanced weapons and equipment within the platform via auction!"

"Note: Items in the judicial auction enjoy the platform's global free shipping service."

0 · Seek flowers · · · · · ·

"The item for this judicial auction is one Ford-class aircraft carrier provided by the platform."

The USS Ford has a full-load displacement of approximately 112,000 tons.

The carrier is 337 meters in length and 77 meters in width.

It adopts a full electric drive system, including two A1B nuclear reactors and four MT-30 gas turbine generators, paired with two Azipod propulsors.

This enables a maximum speed of 32 knots.

"Overall estimated value: $10 billion."

"For this judicial auction, the bidder must pay a deposit equal to 0.1% of the estimated value..."

"The specific time for the auction is: 00:00 hours on December 1st, Capital Time."

"Note: The final interpretation rights for this event belong to the platform."

As this news was released on the unofficial Dragon Nation store.

The sensation it caused immediately overshadowed the near-total destruction of U.S. bases within the Axis of Resistance in the Middle East.

The U.S. had even issued a statement declaring its intent to retaliate.

Two aircraft carriers were already en route to the Middle East.

But at this very moment, the DWS platform, which the U.S. already viewed as a thorn in its flesh...

...had actually started holding an auction.

The most absurd part was that the item they were auctioning was the Ford-class aircraft carrier, a true technological behemoth in human history that even the U.S. itself had not yet finished building.

Initially, including the U.S., John Bull, and Mao Xiong, no one believed it.

After all, in their view, DWS was merely a weapons platform manipulated behind the scenes by Dragon Nation with sinister intentions.

Although the U.S. admitted that Dragon Nation's technological level had developed by leaps and bounds.

It was no longer the era of the older generation sticking their heads out to gaze at their advanced equipment, longing for it but unable to obtain it.

But even so, the U.S. did not believe Dragon Nation was capable of constructing a Ford-class carrier.

DWS was nothing more than a platform providing cheap weapons.

However, what followed next...

...the DWS platform released a video.

It featured a muscular commentator wearing camouflage and sunglasses.

At that moment, he was on an aircraft carrier, explaining various details of this Ford-class carrier to the customers.

In many aspects, it was even more detailed than the plans of the aircraft carrier's builders.

Looking at that colossal object, the Ugly Nation fell silent.

Mao Xiong was shocked, and John Bull was terrified.

Even the Dragon Nation watched this video in horror at that moment.

That same day, inside the White House.

President Xiao Ao looked toward the CIA Director, who was in charge of foreign intelligence.

The latter broke out in a cold sweat under his gaze.

(PS: This new book needs flowers, tips, and review tickets; your support is the author's motivation!)

"Mr. James, can you explain what is going on?"

President Xiao Ao asked with a furrowed brow.

Hearing this, James glanced at the attendees,

the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, four-star generals, the President's special advisors, and others.

Noticing that everyone was looking at him, he finally spoke:

"My apologies, Mr. President!"

"I do not need apologies, sir!" Xiao Ao continued.

"Tell me, was this the doing of Long Country, and what is their objective?"

"This... it might be a display of military strength!"

"Is that so? Merely displaying strength, yet auctioning off a Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier..."

Saying this, he turned his gaze to an elderly white man, the representative of the Northrop Group, the manufacturer of the Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

"Let me ask you, Mr. Luo Luo Bote, how were the construction blueprints for the Ford-class aircraft carrier leaked?"

Instantly, the elderly white man was covered in cold sweat.

"I don't know!"

He did not deny it; in fact, he could not deny it.

The video Lin Yi had the system produce was so detailed that it could perfectly pass for the real thing.

With current technology, it was utterly indistinguishable.

In the demonstration video, that AI-like narrator had truly introduced every aspect of the Ford-class aircraft carrier, inside and out.