[{"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-74":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Arms Tycoon: Starting with a Scammed $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},2077453,3287,"Chapter 74","arms-tycoon-starting-with-a-hundred-billion-doll-chapter-74",74,"\u003Cp>On September 10, 2008, the U.S. Navy signed a $5.16 billion contract with Northrop Grumman to fully commence construction of the Ford.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On November 13, 2009, the keel of the Ford was laid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not until May 24, 2012, that construction of the Ford reached a major milestone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, recently, this Ford-class carrier had only reached 95% completion, still requiring some time before finishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this time, the carrier had already cost $13 billion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be said that the prize from the system's lottery draw this time was exceedingly valuable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least, it was worth $10 billion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the problem was, who in this world would spend so much money to buy this carrier?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do not forget that an aircraft carrier does not simply represent a single ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In reality, it represents an entire carrier battle group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among these, the costs for maintenance, training, and repairs alone are astronomical figures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if ordinary small nations could afford to buy one, they could not afford to operate it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, there is no necessity for them to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only nations with strong economies and militaries would be willing to purchase one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yi counted them over and over; the only possible buyers in this world were...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The U.S., Dragon Nation, Mao Xiong, and Ah San.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little Japan probably wanted one but was restricted by its Peace Constitution, making it impossible for them to possess a true aircraft carrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To buy another carrier worth tens of billions of dollars...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless the former Empire on which the sun never sets returned, it was absolutely impossible given John Bull's current treasury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Yi thought for a moment; donating it to the nation was out of the question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he really did that, he would be an idiot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Patriotism is not expressed that way, especially since this involved tens of billions of dollars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he sold it at half price, that would still be $5 billion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This amount of money would be sufficient for him to update every item on the weapon catalog to the 2010 standard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thinking it over, Lin Yi prepared to make a big move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was to hold an auction for the Ford-class carrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, this would further enhance the reputation of the Dragon Nation flagship store across various countries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, very soon, a message appeared on the official website of the Dragon Nation flagship store.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Warm congratulations! The Dragon Nation flagship store has launched a new feature: Judicial Auction!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Description: This feature will sell advanced weapons and equipment within the platform via auction!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Note: Items in the judicial auction enjoy the platform's global free shipping service.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>0 · Seek flowers · · · · · ·\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The item for this judicial auction is one Ford-class aircraft carrier provided by the platform.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The USS Ford has a full-load displacement of approximately 112,000 tons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The carrier is 337 meters in length and 77 meters in width.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It adopts a full electric drive system, including two A1B nuclear reactors and four MT-30 gas turbine generators, paired with two Azipod propulsors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This enables a maximum speed of 32 knots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Overall estimated value: $10 billion.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For this judicial auction, the bidder must pay a deposit equal to 0.1% of the estimated value...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The specific time for the auction is: 00:00 hours on December 1st, Capital Time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Note: The final interpretation rights for this event belong to the platform.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As this news was released on the unofficial Dragon Nation store.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation it caused immediately overshadowed the near-total destruction of U.S. bases within the Axis of Resistance in the Middle East.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The U.S. had even issued a statement declaring its intent to retaliate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two aircraft carriers were already en route to the Middle East.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at this very moment, the DWS platform, which the U.S. already viewed as a thorn in its flesh...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...had actually started holding an auction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Initially, including the U.S., John Bull, and Mao Xiong, no one believed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, in their view, DWS was merely a weapons platform manipulated behind the scenes by Dragon Nation with sinister intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the U.S. admitted that Dragon Nation's technological level had developed by leaps and bounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even so, the U.S. did not believe Dragon Nation was capable of constructing a Ford-class carrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>DWS was nothing more than a platform providing cheap weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, what followed next...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...the DWS platform released a video.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It featured a muscular commentator wearing camouflage and sunglasses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, he was on an aircraft carrier, explaining various details of this Ford-class carrier to the customers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In many aspects, it was even more detailed than the plans of the aircraft carrier's builders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at that colossal object, the Ugly Nation fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mao Xiong was shocked, and John Bull was terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Dragon Nation watched this video in horror at that moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same day, inside the White House.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>President Xiao Ao looked toward the CIA Director, who was in charge of foreign intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The latter broke out in a cold sweat under his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(PS: This new book needs flowers, tips, and review tickets; your support is the author's motivation!)\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Mr. James, can you explain what is going on?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>President Xiao Ao asked with a furrowed brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, James glanced at the attendees,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, four-star generals, the President's special advisors, and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing that everyone was looking at him, he finally spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My apologies, Mr. President!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I do not need apologies, sir!\" Xiao Ao continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tell me, was this the doing of Long Country, and what is their objective?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This... it might be a display of military strength!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that so? Merely displaying strength, yet auctioning off a Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me ask you, Mr. Luo Luo Bote, how were the construction blueprints for the Ford-class aircraft carrier leaked?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the elderly white man was covered in cold sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't know!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not deny it; in fact, he could not deny it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The video Lin Yi had the system produce was so detailed that it could perfectly pass for the real thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With current technology, it was utterly indistinguishable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the demonstration video, that AI-like narrator had truly introduced every aspect of the Ford-class aircraft carrier, inside and out.\u003C\u002Fp>",1206,"2026-06-16T04:12:22.327Z","2026-06-16T04:35:02.051Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","cf4f513c06c0ebdc7b278a592852e4ef3129f954cf529f29da3fd127355f35ce","arms-tycoon-starting-with-a-hundred-billion-doll-chapter-75","arms-tycoon-starting-with-a-hundred-billion-doll-chapter-73",328,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Farms-tycoon-starting-with-a-hundred-billion-doll-cover.jpg"]