Chapter 16: Sunken Ships Are Also Wealth

The truck, fully loaded with diesel engines, set off; according to the estimated journey time, the final payment would be collected in ten days.

After deducting costs, this big order would bring in at least 2,500 silver coins, making it an absolutely huge business deal.

With just two more such deals, Tang Wen would have enough to cover the processing fees for building a Class One ship.

He had already abandoned the idea of using the system's beginner quest to build a ship entirely with magic; everyone knew how to choose between over 20,000 silver coins and over 6,000 silver coins.

While obtaining a few dozen tons of aluminum and petroleum wasn't too difficult, acquiring over 900 tons of steel through legitimate channels was impossible, or he would lose everything.

Steel supplied by the shipyard could be obtained through recycling, but expecting to scavenge nearly a thousand tons of steel from villagers' homes was impossible.

Recycling a thousand tons of scrap steel was no small feat either; the best method Tang Wen could think of was to target ships.

Every year, many obsolete ships waited to be dismantled, and any single one could easily yield several thousand tons of steel.

Tang Wen called Tang Yi over to discuss the feasibility of this method; the latter thought for a moment and then said:

"Dismantling ships? That is probably not easy, and scrap ships are also highly sought-after resources."

"What do you mean?"

"Although obsolete ships are no longer suitable for navigation, the large amount of equipment on board and the high-quality steel themselves represent a considerable fortune, with very high profits."

"I am not very familiar with the ship-breaking industry of this era, but ordinary small shipyards should find it hard to get orders; you can try, but I am not optimistic."

"However, if you want to recycle steel, I have a better suggestion: why not target sunken ships?"

Sunken ships?

Tang Wen was stunned for a moment, then burst into wild joy.

Exactly, dismantling ships is so troublesome, and the target is too big; sunken ships would be far easier to solve.

Setting aside other things, just the sunken ships from the two world wars are too numerous to count, especially off the coasts of Guangdong and Fujian provinces; everything is scarce there except sunken ships.

Whether warships or cargo vessels, one ship ranges from several thousand tons to tens of thousands of tons; they are hidden and cost not a single penny.

But immediately, his face turned bitter again; he didn't know the locations of the sunken ships. Did he have to search everywhere bit by bit?

Tang Yi offered another suggestion:

"Sunken ships from the two world wars are our main targets, which mainly include warships and cargo vessels."

"The sinking locations of warships are generally recorded in military histories; as long as we consult naval records from that period, the workload is not too great."

"Moreover, cargo vessels often require warship escorts, and most sinkings were caused by being sunk; following the clues should lead us to them."

"Once we lock down the general sea area, we can go and recycle them."

Tang Yi spoke with logic and evidence, and Tang Wen couldn't help but nod.

Finding some military books and naval books recording the world wars shouldn't be too difficult, but the Great Bay Town definitely wouldn't have them; he would have to go to the city library to find them.

It was a pity that the internet hadn't spread yet; the founder of Du Niu was still working in Silicon Valley. Otherwise, a quick search would reveal everything, and if all else failed, he could ask the omnipresent Tie Ba brothers.

After missing the yet-to-be-born spirit of internet sharing, Tang Wen began to think about how to obtain those materials.

He now had to stay at the shipyard and couldn't go too far, while the workers under him were unfamiliar with the city situation; even a stranger walking on the street carried risks.

After thinking for a while, Tang Wen thought of a figure.

"Call Shiqi over and drive me to town."

"Screech—"

After the ear-piercing sound of braking, the ten-wheeled big truck stopped in front of the Guo family's small shop.

Although it was a truck, compared to the Village Head's "four-not-like" vehicle, the riding experience had truly improved little; Tang Wen rubbed his bruised buttocks and jumped out of the driver's seat, grimacing in pain.

It was again close to ten o'clock at night, and Guo Panpan was still leaning on the counter reading a book; the latter had closed her book and looked over curiously.

"Where did this truck come from?"

Guo Panpan was also surprised to see the truck, but she didn't expect Tang Wen to pat his own chest, looking quite showy:

"I recently opened a factory and thought buying one would make hauling goods more convenient."

"It's so old; it looks just like the ones in movies."

Although her words were not polite, the young girl still walked out from behind the counter and approached to curiously touch the sturdy truck body.

"You really became a boss? I thought you were bragging."

"Bragging? Our Gaijin Shipyard is going to grow big and strong, and go global!"

"Do you believe that Gaijin Shipyard will become the greatest shipyard in the world?"

Guo Panpan rolled her eyes, but she didn't hesitate to stick her head into the cabin, obviously very interested.

Tang Wen gave Tang Shiqi a glance; the latter immediately understood, took out the Hongmei cigarettes Wu Lao Er had given him, and offered them to Guo Panpan.

"..."

"..."

"Thank you, I don't smoke."

Guo Panpan politely declined, then quickly got off the truck.

In the eyes of people at this time, offering cigarettes to a girl was extremely impolite; in the past, it could be treated as a crime of hooliganism.

Seeing this, Tang Wen also held his forehead; only Tang Shiqi didn't know what had happened. Didn't Wu Lao Er welcome him this way in the afternoon?

He originally wanted to lower his status to ask Guo Panpan for help, but instead, he offended her.

"Sorry, my driver is from the north; over there, they just..."

Tang Wen was cut off halfway through his nonsense by Guo Panpan's cold gaze; the latter snorted and stepped back half a pace:

"What do you want to buy? There is no hot water tonight, so you can't make instant noodles."

"..."

Great, even instant noodles were gone.

Tang Wen could only say helplessly:

"Actually, I came to ask a favor. I need some books; can you help me buy them?"

"What novels do you want? Have you finished reading the ones I lent you?"

"No, no, no. I need naval war history materials and warship books from the Great War period, preferably those related to our country."

"Don't worry about the money, and I won't let you help for free."

Hearing such a strange request, Guo Panpan shook her head and said:

"My mother went to restock the goods. If I leave, no one will watch the shop. But I can call a classmate in the city; you pay, and they'll help find them."

"That's great."

Tang Wen didn't care about the money; how much could buying some materials and finding people to help cost? Just a few dozen silver coins.

"Then please contact them for me as soon as possible. I need them urgently."

Guo Panpan looked at him strangely:

"You are so strange. One moment you're setting up a shipyard, the next you're suddenly interested in the military. I feel like you've been different from before for the past half month."

"I heard people in the town say you're also a 'bandit'. Were those diesel engines all bought through that?"

"'Bandit'? I'm not a bandit."

Tang Wen quickly shook his head; he didn't want to get involved with that group at all:

"This is legitimate trade. This is called flexible entrepreneurship."

Guo Panpan didn't understand the new term, but she keenly sensed Tang Wen was talking nonsense. She pouted and dropped the topic.

However, seeing Tang Wen transform from a small thug living off an inheritance to a factory owner in such a short time, Guo Panpan was quite curious in her heart and developed a bit of interest in Tang Wen.

Since Tang Wen happened to be free and was asking Guo Panpan for help, he simply took two bottles of soda, sat down, and started bragging to Guo Panpan.

"Building ships is nothing. Have you ever touched the internet? Right now is the perfect moment!"