Chapter 9

Don't mess around, that’s probably just the cost of a refurbishment.

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

"Report, Chief! 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 partner military factory. I just provided the ratio, and they finished it in a day or two... As for the radar, signal interference, and automatic operation systems, I was able to install them all by myself. It didn't cost much."

"The only major expense was the aerospace engine for the fighter. 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 is actually a bit much..."

At this moment, Zhao Lao, Liu Lao, a group of academicians, and even the laymen Deng Jianguo and Zhou Zhou 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 spent tens of billions of dollars to develop, Zhao Lao felt like he had accomplished nothing.

"Wait, really?"

Liu Lao was still somewhat incredulous and asked subconsciously.

"Is this alloy of yours really made in our Long Guo?"

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

"Several hundred million US dollars?"

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

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

"Spending hundreds of millions of dollars on an alloy? Isn't that just being a total sucker?"

Liu Lao: "..."

If that made one a sucker, then there wouldn't be many people left in all of Long Guo who weren't.

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

It was the first time Zhao Lao had felt his intelligence being crushed, and the feeling was very complicated.

"Little Song! This new type of fighter jet took countless efforts and countless days and nights of your hard work..."

"I, Zhao Zhao Keqin, on behalf of all the scientific researchers in Long Guo, express my highest respect to you!"

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

Beside him, Song Qi scratched his head with a blank look on his face.

"Hey, no!"

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

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

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

Everyone present: "（ˉ▽ˉ；）..."

At this moment, Zhao Lao was so frustrated he didn't even want to talk to Song Qi anymore.

Thinking back to his own days, he spent over ten years on a single breakthrough, and finally...

Forget it, don't think about it!

It's damn frustrating!

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

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

Seeing that everyone was silent, 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, Zhao Lao's voice finally came through 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 jab! ===== CHAPTER 19 =====

"Little Song!"

"What are the specific properties of the alloy used for the fighter's shell?"

"I don't have metal analysis instruments on hand..."

"This alloy can even shield electromagnetic signals; that's just too awesome!"

"It's probably even more advanced than the coating on the F-22..."

Beside him, Liu Lao reached out and stroked the fighter's shell with extreme gentleness, asking in a low voice.

Liu Lao was a top expert in the field of aerospace materials, and in recent years, he had even received the Long Guo Science Progress Medal for his outstanding contributions to the field.

Yet, even such a titan of aerospace materials was drooling over the alloy Song Qi had created.

One must know that the Freedom Nation's F-22 Raptor is said to be more expensive than its weight in gold, a large part of which is due to the highly advanced stealth materials used on its exterior.

That is what makes the cost so incredibly high.

And the alloy Song Qi brought out, in terms of stealth performance alone, could absolutely leave the F-22 Raptor in the dust!

If the secrets within it were cracked, it could absolutely make Long Guo's aerospace materials science leap forward by decades!

Seeing Liu Lao ask, Song Qi didn't hide anything.

He said straightforwardly: "This alloy..."

"The Mohs hardness value is about 14HM, the impact resistance is level thirteen, and the metal yield limit is 2500MPA..."

"In addition, it uses a honeycomb hole design, which can perfectly absorb electromagnetic signals..."

In an instant.

The scene was deathly silent.

Only the sound of the researchers swallowing their saliva could be heard from time to time.

Seeing everyone looking so solemn, Zhou Zhou Zhou Yonghui couldn't help but mutter: "Why are they all just 'teens'? Only that metal yield limit thing sounds decent..."

"Song Qi! Are you actually any good or not!"

"Shut up!"

Liu Lao barely managed to control the urge to slap Zhou Zhou Zhou Yonghui twice.

After a long while, Liu Lao finally managed to calm his mood with difficulty.

"You don't know a damn thing!"

"These three values are the most important properties of metal. You must know that in human society today, the highest hardness and impact resistance is only level ten!"

"In other words, the metal Song Qi created can beat all other materials on this planet in both hardness and toughness!"

"This kind of material could even easily withstand a nuclear bomb!!"

Liu Lao roared like an enraged lion.

"Holy crap!"

Zhou Zhou Zhou Yonghui finally realized that this material was actually that badass...

"Good brother, I admit, I was speaking a bit too loudly just now..."

Seeing Liu Lao say this, Song Qi waved his hand a bit embarrassedly and said modestly: "Hey! Liu Lao, this thing isn't as badass as you say! The main thing is that the cost is too high; I'm starting to struggle to afford it..."

High cost?

Liu Lao nodded silently; a high cost was to be expected.

The Freedom Nation's F-22 has a thin layer of coating that costs tens of millions of dollars.

For a material like Song Qi's, selling a gram for hundreds of thousands of dollars would be a piece of cake!

"Little Song! In scientific research, we must be willing to spend the budget. Speak boldly; no matter how much it costs, your Uncle Liu will help you reimburse it!"

"Really!"

Song Qi perked up his ears, his eyes filled with joy.

"This metal is super expensive! One ton costs at least one hundred thousand US dollars!"

"Hmm!" ===== CHAPTER 20 =====