Chapter 17

"Don't give me that crap, it probably only cost the price of a refurbishment."

"It wouldn't even buy a single apartment in the capital..."

"Reporting to the Commander! It really only cost five million..."

Song Qi scratched his head and explained with a straight face: "The alloy for the aircraft's exterior was custom-made at a military factory we collaborate with. I just provided the ratios, and it was finished in a day or two... As for the radar, signal interference, and automated operation systems, I was able to install them all myself. It didn't cost much at all."

"The only major expense was the fighter jet's aerospace engine. The J-8's engine was simply unwatchable, so I gave it a slight modification. It burned through over two million, but I finally got it working!"

"Adding up all the bits and pieces, five million was actually a bit much..."

At this moment, Elder Zhao, Liu Lao, a group of academicians, and even the laymen Deng Jianguo and Zhou Yonghui were all stunned.

Such an advanced fighter jet?

Five million?

He really built it?

Is he even human?

Thinking back to the J-20 they had spent hundreds of billions of dollars to develop, Elder Zhao felt like he had accomplished nothing at all.

"No way?"

Liu Lao was still somewhat incredulous and asked subconsciously.

"Is this alloy really something made in our Dragon Nation?"

"The research cost for this alloy alone should be at least several hundred million dollars..."

"Several hundred million dollars?"

A look of disbelief appeared on Song Qi's face: "Do you really take me for some rich second-generation heir!"

"Liu Lao, if you don't believe me, go check the records at the Xijing No. 1 Smelting Plant. I still have the order forms!"

"Spending hundreds of millions of dollars on an alloy—wouldn't that just be a total sucker's move?"

Liu Lao: "..."

If that were considered a sucker's move, then there wouldn't be many people left in the entire Dragon Nation who weren't suckers...

The group of academicians felt a complex mix of emotions, feeling very uncomfortable.

It was also the first time Elder Zhao had felt his intelligence being crushed, and the feeling in his heart was extremely complicated.

"Little Song! This new type of fighter jet has cost you countless efforts and countless days and nights of hard work..."

"I, Zhao Keqin, on behalf of all the scientific research personnel of the Dragon Nation, express my highest respect to you!"

Elder Zhao didn't know how else to commend Song Qi's contribution to the aerospace industry, so he could only express his respect for Song Qi in this way.

Beside him, Song Qi scratched his head, looking completely bewildered.

"Hey, no!"

"Elder Zhao! You mustn't, you really mustn't!"

"I only spent seven days modifying this fighter jet; it really didn't take much effort!"

"You don't need to do this..."

Everyone present: "（ˉ▽ˉ；）..."

At this moment, Elder Zhao was so heartbroken he didn't even want to talk to Song Qi.

Thinking back to his own past, he had spent over ten years on research and development, and finally...

Forget it, don't think about it!

It's truly infuriating!

I spent a lifetime of effort, and this kid finished it in a week, and he's even beating me at my own game!

He's really asking for a beating... I really want to strangle this kid...

Seeing that no one was speaking, Song Qi thought he had said something wrong and couldn't help but mutter softly: "Is this anything strange? I thought everyone was like this..."

The scene fell into an even more eerie silence.

After a long while, Elder Zhao's voice finally came slowly.

"Little Song! If you don't know how to talk, then say less..."

"Right! Nobody will mistake you for a mute!"

Liu Lao immediately added a finishing blow! ===== CHAPTER 19 =====