Chapter 229

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

Listening to Mo Shaoqiu's half-boasting, half-serious "business talk," Chen Yi finally spoke up: "You can still deal in arms?"

"What's so novel about it? I came from a military compound, after all — arms dealing is my real profession, wouldn't you say?"

Chen Yi feigned curiosity: "Sell to where?"

"Wherever there's demand, we sell. Legitimate channels — hunting or warfare, both work. Illegitimate channels..." Mo Shaoqiu kept a card up his sleeve, smiling: "We don't play with illegitimate channels, you understand."

Chen Yi's face twitched with a smile that didn't reach his eyes: "Since your network's so wide, leave me a business card."

"Sure thing." Mo Shaoqiu, feeling he'd closed half the deal, excitedly fished out a gilded business card and handed it to Chen Yi, simultaneously speculating on just what kind of business the other party needed.

The Minister's inner door opened silently. Secretary Liu sprang up as if on springs, went inside and said a couple of words, then told Chen Yi: "You can go in now."

Chen Guoliang was like an old tree, roots wrapped around his office chair. Seeing it was Chen Yi who entered, he finally stood to pour himself tea, simultaneously working his joints, smiling: "Old, old. Turned into a desk jockey, haven't put on a little weight these days, all Auntie's nagging. Don't stay at a hotel tonight, come home."

"Fine." Chen Yi didn't stand on ceremony, walked over and patted his uncle's shoulder: "I have a set of body techniques. I'll teach you tonight — strengthen the body."

"The set you taught the old man?"

"Some differences. Grandpa's constitution is weak; what I taught him was an improved version."

"Last time at the old residence, Grandpa's health seemed good. Good, I'll learn too."

Chen Yi chuckled. Holy Qiao's body techniques came in many forms. For family, especially elders, advancing to combat-skill level was unlikely, but maintaining vigorous energy and restoring some bodily function was still readily achievable. Not only Earthlings want eternal health — Other Continent people have the same need.

It's just that no one can achieve it.

Earth's medical standards are likewise technology the Other Continent cannot match, yet the latter developed through cultivation for tens of thousands of years, and average lifespan is still considerably higher than Earthlings today.

Chen Guoliang didn't return to his seat. He took the chance to pace two laps around the office, even threw a few punches with heavy breaths, smiling: "Sat in an office in Jiangning too, never this solid. Truly sit from morning to night, meetings keep you sitting. If it's really impossible, let's talk standing."

"That works." Chen Yi also paced the room, at ease: "I got a little rumor. Suspect the Jiangbei demolition might be Mitsubishi's scheme."

Little rumors are always accurate. Chen Guoliang raised his head without changing expression. At his level, daily decisions involved tens or hundreds of millions in projects — no strong emotions arose from it.

Chen Yi laid out everything Stanik had told him, then added his own desire: "I want to take the opportunity to buy the Jiangnan and Jiangbei ports."

"Ambition's too big. What if you can't buy them?"

"First make them build according to my wishes. That way even if it fails, I can still use the ports."

"Is that necessary?"

Chen Yi answered decisively: "Yes."

Chen Guoliang fell into thought: "What do you need me to do?"

"I need to set a trap for Mitsubishi, feed them the design I want. So I want to borrow a research institute, use their name to produce the design..."

"Let them steal it and build? Unlikely. Mitsubishi has their own people, and they wouldn't be that stupid."

"Don't need it that way. I have a few key technical indicators — throughput, volume, tonnage, etc. Only the outbound transport channels, I'll build those myself later..."

Chen Guoliang listened and laughed: "Sounds like it's already in your hands."

Chen Yi laughed too. Things had been going remarkably smoothly lately, naturally inclining him to think in the best direction. He patted the chair back: "The problem now is giving Mitsubishi a sufficient reason to expand the port."

"Oh? What's your method?"

Chen Yi met his uncle's eyes: "Suppose a military research institute develops a new energy design. This energy is low-cost, requires importing massive amounts of earthfill from overseas. Then Mitsubishi, hearing this, will gladly expand Jiangbei's bulk terminals. At minimum Mingde Group will know and be willing to spend. I'm not asking them to spend hundreds of billions renovating the port — at least half that, doing infrastructure is fine."

Chen Guoliang didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "New energy design — where's it that easy to get?"

"Take an existing one, modify it. Strive for realism — it's hundreds of millions, after all."

"Up to you."

"Then I'll leave it to you. But two conditions."

"Mm."

"First, must be the best experts. Multiple experts. Carefully spend half a month or longer, independently thinking on this matter."

"Why?"

Chen Yi smiled, continued: "Second, must be genuine, effective thinking. I know some existing energies do meet the low-cost, high-volume earthfill requirement. Maybe improving a few key points is enough..."

"Mm."

"Also, they must publish a series of papers on it."

"Papers would be exposed, wouldn't they?"

"I trust the experts' abilities. Also, once you've picked the people, I'll go help."

Chen Yi had long since thought it through. A Skill Copying Scroll used on himself was powerful, but not as powerful as using it on experts.

A team of multiple outstanding experts is formidable, but ultimately not as formidable as one person mastering two people's skills — and it's a cross-pollinated way of thinking.

50-odd hours, enough to break through some obvious bottlenecks, reach the standard to deceive.

These things don't need Chen Guoliang to do personally — just instruct the Deputy Officer to arrange.

Chen Yi also swiftly left General Assembly, simultaneously contacted Grandpa, informing him of what he and his uncle had discussed.

Chen Zhongguo, as always, didn't make a decision, just listened once through: "How many tenths of confidence?"

"Three tenths." Chen Yi's worry was still the experts using Skill Copying Scrolls. As a Rare Scroll, its application was extremely broad, but not without limits. The Level 4 Skill Copy Scroll he currently possessed could, as standard, copy Level 4 magic. But whether intelligence level and knowledge system had grade restrictions — he truly couldn't be certain.

Can only take it one step at a time.

Regardless of whether he ultimately profits from Mitsubishi, expanding the Skill Copying Scroll's scope is a gain in itself. The Holy Qiao Kingdom has now basically shed its passive defense posture. Given strong support, capturing more Mages who know how to produce Rare Scrolls wouldn't be difficult either.

Chen Zhongguo thought a moment: "Can you handle it yourself?"

Chen Yi was about to say yes, then suddenly realized — this was Grandpa indirectly offering help.

Since his abdication, this was the first time he'd expressed such a stance. If Chen Yi missed it, he likely wouldn't bring it up again, but would form a new judgment.

After considering for a long time, Chen Yi held the phone that was almost burning hot and said, "I feel that old-school experts are all known within the circle; it would be better to bring out a newcomer and publish all relevant papers under the newcomer's name, but they probably wouldn't be willing to do that. Besides, choosing a newcomer is also troublesome."

"I understand." Chen Zhongguo hung up the phone, leaving Chen Yi unable to tell what his attitude was.

The predecessor of the General Equipment Department was precisely the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense; the research institutes under its name were as numerous as ox hairs, covering everything from frozen tundra to alien Earthling excavation. Subordinates quickly provided Chen Yi with three energy research institutes for reference. With the Major General Minister of the Comprehensive Planning Department speaking up, it could be said to be green lights all the way.

In China, energy research institutes are like Sichuan peppercorns in a hot pot — you can't finish picking them. Not only does the military have energy research institutes, the NDRC and various central ministries and commissions have also established them; the quantity of energy research institutes set up under provincial-level organs can even rival those under schools' jurisdiction.

After preliminary selection, the remaining three energy research institutes basically all had research projects existing that met Chen Yi's needs, but like most projects, from design finalization to deployment for use, they all had to go through at least 20 years; the reserve designs waiting had quite a large space.

Chen Yi, under the Intelligence Scroll, looked for three days; during this period Liu Xinyu and Jin Douna took turns helping. Not until Chen Yi circled the file of Institute 806 did Liu Xinyu ask, "Why not pretend to change Jiangning's industrial structure — for example, needing to purchase large quantities of ores and other raw materials — and trick Mitsubishi into changing the design of Jiangning Terminal? As long as the quantities and types are fabricated appropriately, their construction should be able to meet your requirements, right?"

"Fabricate an industrial structure — do you think that's feasible?"

"It's more feasible than a research project." Liu Xinyu held Chen Yi's plan in very low regard, although the returns might not be few.

"This is a long-term plan; what's the rush." Chen Yi laughed twice and said, "Besides, who knows if the experts might actually research something out."

"I think energy should just use what's existing; wasting money." Liu Xinyu wasn't very keen on science.

"Decided on Institute 806; send a message to Uncle." Chen Yi lay back in the chair with stiff shoulders, only feeling that the past two days had exhausted him.

Liu Xinyu went as instructed and returned, handing him a large envelope, saying, "The identity information you wanted."

The large envelope was delivered by an active-duty military officer, his wind discipline button pressed impeccably that day. Inside was precisely a set of identity information: a research institute researcher named "Xiao Chang," who would be formally transferred into Institute 806 in two days. Unlike ordinary identity disguises, this person called Xiao Chang truly existed on paper; he had his own birth certificate, had records after attending school, had former bank accounts and mailboxes, had registered a mobile phone under his own name... If not for Chen Zhongguo's words, Chen Yi couldn't have gotten such a lifelike identity.

Compared to a real person, merely an identity is easier to control and also less likely to be exposed.

And within the General Equipment Department, a mission codenamed "Waiting by a Tree Stump for a Rabbit" would also be secretly proceeding... Although everyone didn't believe Chen Yi's plan, the Chen family members were all willing to invest energy to help.

In this respect alone, Chen Yi's status in the Chen family had undergone a huge change imperceptibly.

……(Unfinished, if you want to know what happens next, please log in to www. qidian. com, more chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!)