Chen Xu certainly knew what kind of satellite weapon Jimmy was referring to...
That's a powerful deterrent force that humanity possesses now that we've entered the space age! Just twenty minutes of warm-up is enough to destroy an area the size of the Korean Peninsula!
This thing launches so fast that no defensive weapon in the world today is effective against it... In fact, even in the future, nothing can stop this kind of satellite weapon unless a satellite missile is launched to destroy it.
Although the spear and shield have always complemented each other, it must be said that the spear is always more powerful than the shield!
Chen Xu had information about this satellite weapon on his computer, but manufacturing it wasn't something that could be done casually. However, Chen Xu knew, of course, that with such a satellite weapon in the sky... if someone still came to cause trouble, it wouldn't be called causing trouble, it would be called courting death!
Launching a satellite is not a difficult thing now. Before the satellite is launched, no one will pay much attention to it, but after it is launched... the whole world will probably go crazy!
Of course, if Tongchi Island were to be built, there would be far too many things that could drive the world crazy, such as satellite weapons and virtual reality, which are just some of them.
“But all these things require money… a lot of money,” Jimmy said with a wry smile. “I’m just categorizing all the ideas in my head. If we were to actually build it the way I’ve described, it would probably require hundreds of billions of dollars! No single conglomerate could possibly come up with that much money.”
“Hundreds of billions…” Chen Xu knew that this figure was after much research and development had been omitted. Since obtaining the supercomputer, Chen Xu had never worried about money, but this time he was really starting to worry.
And they're incredibly worried!
The fact that they were able to rake in billions of dollars in just a few months is unprecedented, if not unparalleled.
The Forbes rankings now value Company S at $80 billion!
For no other reason than that "Translator of Babel"... But the question is, when will this translator be able to sell for 80 billion?
Chen Xu calculated his assets, which totaled only about 5.5 billion US dollars. To outsiders, this was an absolutely astronomical amount, but it was clearly not enough for him now.
According to this plan, the first batch of defensive forces that Tongchi Island needs to establish to be able to counter the Seventh Fleet is to spend a lot of money to build a powerful defense system for the island!
What kind of defensive force could possibly be qualified to restrain a powerful naval entity like the Seventh Fleet? Especially when they can't build their own navy... Even if Chen Xu were to freely build his navy, what then? How could one person's financial resources compare to the world's leading military superpower? This area is a bottomless pit; no amount of money can fill it!
But Jimmy used a method that was simply unimaginable, even unheard of... controlling animals!
This method was clearly told to him by Chen Fei through subconscious messages, because even Chen Xu didn't know that this method existed... Although animals don't have a systematic language like humans, the situation of animals being able to talk only appears in cartoons, not science fiction films, because ordinary animals don't have their own language at all.
But the absence of language does not mean that they cannot be mobilized.
By using special tools to release radio waves of a specific frequency, commands can be given to certain animals... even commands that will lead to certain death.
Imagine if a large flock of seagulls were protecting the island, then no plane would dare to fly over it! Because the simplest principle is that speed is relative. What would happen if a high-speed plane collided with a small bird?
The poor little bird will definitely be smashed to pieces, but the plane won't fare any better!
If we were to create a batch of special birds and fish through bioengineering and strap bombs to their bodies... while this might seem inhumane, it would indeed be an air force and naval force that cannot be ignored!
The more important issue is that, given the knowledge and technology of the scientists who remain on the island, this idea can definitely be realized in a short period of time!
In addition, there are other powerful defense systems, which I won't list here, but the most pressing task for these things to appear in this world is... money!
You must have enough money!
Chen Xu stared at the document for a long time before finally slamming his hand on the table: "Do it your way! If you need money, come to me, I'll go earn it!"
Chapter 331 A Promise in My Heart
Make money, make money, make money, make money!
Chen Xu's mind was filled with these two words while on the plane. Now, Chen Xu felt like he was going crazy. If it were a matter of earning hundreds of thousands or tens of millions more, Chen Xu could now confidently say that it was a piece of cake.
But to earn 100 billion at once...
And it has to be within three years, the sooner the better.
Let alone Chen Xu, who in the entire world would dare to say such a thing?!
That's a hundred billion US dollars after all! Chen Xu really wanted to hang a sign on his body that read: "Selling myself, seeking a sugar daddy..."
Perhaps some people aren't very sensitive to this number, so let's look at some other data.
In 2006, the United States' military spending was $500 billion, and its GDP was $11 trillion... In other words, Chen Xu would have to earn more than two months' worth of the United States' military spending and a month's worth of the United States' GDP within three years!
In 2006, Huang Guangyu, China's richest man, had a fortune of 18.09 billion RMB, barely a fraction of what Chen Xu wanted to earn. However, if you add Bill Gates' $56 billion and Warren Buffett's $52 billion together, that would be enough… Chen Xu is plotting how to kidnap both of them, once and for all!
Chen Xu returned to his dormitory in this state of confusion, and as soon as he entered, Qin Xiao'an pounced on him with a wailing sound.
"Third brother, you're finally back!"
"What are you doing?" With Chen Xu's current strength, he was no match for him. He easily dodged the attack, and Qin Xiao'an crashed headfirst into the door, howling in pain.
"Is this guy crazy?" Chen Xu asked his eldest classmate, who was surfing the internet in the dormitory, in surprise.
Wu Yuan rolled his eyes and said, "The second brother is out of money and was planning to come to you to borrow some."
Chen Xu broke out in a cold sweat. The mere mention of money gave him a headache. He cautiously asked Xiao An, "How much do you want to borrow?" Chen Xu was genuinely afraid that he would ask for several hundred million dollars to spend...
"Two hundred." Qin Xiaoan said with a mournful face, "Don't worry, I'll definitely pay you back when I come back next semester."
"How much?" Chen Xu was momentarily stunned. No wonder, his mind was filled with thoughts of one hundred billion US dollars. When Qin Xiaoan suddenly said two hundred, he subconsciously asked, "Two million US dollars?"
"Wow, third brother, you've been in the arms business lately? You're making so much money right off the bat!" Wu Yuan exclaimed dramatically. Little did he know he'd guessed right by accident... Chen Xu never told anyone about his affairs outside, not even Guan Yi and the others. It wasn't a matter of trust, but rather that this kind of thing was simply not something a student could do... It's one thing for a student to earn tens or hundreds of thousands, but tens, hundreds, or even hundreds of billions, in US dollars... that's just too much of a blow.
"Two hundred RMB!" Qin Xiaoan was speechless. "Third brother, are you deliberately messing with me? ... Well, since you're so rich, I'll borrow more then, hmm..." Qin Xiaoan thought and thought and thought, then, as if he had made up his mind, he said, "Then I'll borrow five hundred. I'll definitely pay you back when I come back from vacation!"
Chen Xu rolled his eyes and handed over all the RMB in his wallet to him... Chen Xu usually didn't carry much cash in his wallet, and it would never exceed a thousand yuan, since he had several credit cards. He still had more than seven hundred yuan in his wallet, which he "lent" to Xiao An. Anyway, although Chen Xu was short of money... this amount of money was no longer something he cared about.
"I knew you were the most loyal, third brother! Don't worry, I'll definitely pay you back when I come back next semester!"
Chen Xu laughed and said, "Second brother, what do you need the money for? Have you been spending a lot of money chasing girls lately?"
"Bullshit," Qin Xiaoan scoffed. "When I pick up girls, they always pay for it... But it's almost vacation time, and I broke up with my girlfriend. I'm broke, so I'm asking you for a loan."
Chen Xu said "Oh," and then he realized... winter vacation was about to start!
Chen Xu didn't experience much university life during his second year. Now they are all called seniors, but Chen Xu rarely returned to school during this period. As a result, many freshmen have long admired Chen Xu's name, but have never met this senior.
It's already mid-to-late January, and the Lunar New Year is just around the corner. There are only a few days left before the holiday. Usually at this time, male college students' wallets are empty.
Men rarely spend money frugally. This is common among male college students. The first two days after receiving their allowance are the richest. They spend money recklessly, skipping the cafeteria to queue for food and instead going to a nearby small restaurant to cook a dish for themselves. They also buy a couple of clothes and such. Basically, that's how their money is spent. So, the end of the month is usually the poorest time for everyone. A few people pool their money to buy two dishes and a small bag of pickled vegetables for a few cents. That's how they make do and get through the last few tough days.
Chen Xu had never experienced such hardship, and he actually felt a little regretful. As a fellow male, and now that Chen Xu was spending far more lavishly than most people, he honestly envied this kind of life... This was what university life should be like! Sometimes, seeing those guys in the next dorm running out of money at the end of the month, they'd all pool together to eat a bowl of instant noodles. How did that friendship come about? Wasn't it all like this?! And looking back many years later, these things would be incredibly precious memories.
Unfortunately, Chen Xu will never experience that kind of memory again. Although Chen Xu's classmates all know that he is rich, very few of them would stoop to asking him for money.
It's not that Chen Xu has a bad reputation or popularity, but rather that he's just too generous. He'd have two hundred in his wallet but wouldn't lend out a hundred, and he never asked anyone to pay it back. Some people jokingly say that borrowing money from Chen Xu is too easy to become dependent on him. Borrowed money always has to be repaid, and if they borrow too much now, they won't be able to pay it back with their living expenses later. So, if they can avoid borrowing from Chen Xu, they'll avoid him.
Chen Xu went to the Princess Cake Shop. It was afternoon, neither too early nor too late, so Bi Xuan was relatively free. However, she didn't see Gao Xiaojie and Guan Yi. After making a phone call, she learned that Zhan Jing was in seclusion at the library, diligently studying Chinese language, while Gao Xiaojie and Guan Yi, those two unambitious people, were renovating their villa.
Chen Xu felt depressed when talking about the villa. He bought two at once, one for Dr. Li and one for himself. Now that Dr. Li has gone to Tongchi Island, the villa is a waste... several million!
Extravagant, so extravagant!
That's incredibly luxurious!
However, we can move into this newly renovated villa for now, since all the furniture and decorations are in good condition. You know, renovating a house is very tiring, and people like Guan Yi and Gao Xiaojie have a bit of a perfectionist vibe. They have meticulously planned countless schemes to decorate their own rooms and the entire house.
Of course, the two of them couldn't do the renovations themselves, but they still had to keep an eye on the renovation company they hired. Besides, the villa was too far from the school, so when they didn't have classes the next morning, they would stay at the villa. And in Gao Xiaojie's words, if the other house was finished, they could sell this one. They heard that house prices were going to rise again in the past month... Anyway, it was a sure thing.
Upon seeing Chen Xu, Guan Yi couldn't help but grumble, "You think you're all grown up now, huh? Where have you flown off to again? I can't find you anywhere. Hey, Xiaojie, do you think the bathroom tiles should be light green or white?"
While Guan Yi wasn't looking, Gao Xiaojie secretly stuck out her cute little tongue at Chen Xu, and then went to discuss the interior design with Guan Yi. Seeing their harmonious appearance, Chen Xu breathed a sigh of relief. To be honest, he was really afraid that Guan Yi would notice something was amiss between him and Gao Xiaojie.
However, Chen Xu also felt guilty... Girls like Guan Yi and Gao Xiaojie, winning their favor is probably the happiness every man longs for, but he was still eyeing what he had while eating what he didn't have, what a beast... Chen Xu felt that he was really too beastly!
Seeing Gao Xiaojie with her head down, dealing with Guan Yi while secretly glancing at him, Chen Xu couldn't help but feel a strong urge to kiss her. He knew that the feeling after a young man and woman got intimate was unforgettable, and Chen Xu couldn't resist wanting to kiss her right now. But Guan Yi was still there, so he had to suppress his desire. He was so conflicted!
Guan Yi was completely absorbed in the renovation; otherwise, how could such a shrewd woman not see the abnormal relationship between Chen Xu and Gao Xiaojie?
Seeing that Guan Yi was almost finished with his research, Gao Xiaojie, who was exchanging autumn spinach with Chen Xu, quickly made an excuse to leave. Her face was flushed, and she looked like she was in love. What would happen if Guan Yi saw this?
Guan Yi didn't notice their little actions and clapped his hands smugly, saying, "This is the plan for the living room, kitchen, and bathroom for now. It will definitely be more beautiful than this villa when it's renovated! Well, this house is not bad... It's not bad to spend the New Year in a house like this."
"Chinese New Year?"
Guan Yi looked at Chen Xu, walked over and said, "By the way, I have a question for you. Are you going home for winter break this year?"
Hmm, this is a question I shouldn't be asking, is it?
Winter vacation is different from summer vacation. Many students may not go home during summer vacation, but almost no one stays at school during winter vacation. First, it's too cold to go out and about. Second, and most importantly... winter vacation means Chinese New Year.
Although the atmosphere of the Spring Festival is getting worse every year, it is nothing like when I was a child. Every year during the Spring Festival, we would be excited, wear new clothes, and set off firecrackers. However, the end result was that the new clothes would be ripped with holes by the fireworks, and I would get a good scolding from my parents when I got home.
Fireworks are no longer allowed in many places, the Spring Festival Gala is getting worse every year, and people are eating their New Year's Eve dinner at restaurants instead of at home. Even dumplings for the New Year are no longer homemade but bought frozen ones... But, it is still the New Year after all.
Chinese New Year, Chinese New Year, a time for family reunion.
This is the most important festival for Chinese people, and arguably for Chinese people all over the world. How could we not go back?
But seeing Guan Yi's expression, Chen Xu tentatively asked, "What, you're not going home for the New Year?"
Guan Yi shook his head: "No, my dad has to go out to discuss business. As for the others, I don't want to see them. It's better to stay here in peace and quiet. At least no one knows I'm here, and no one will bother me."
Chen Xu noticed something strange about her tone, and then he saw the woman looking at him with a hint of longing in her eyes. Even if Chen Xu was a fool, he would know what to do. Besides, he felt very guilty towards Guan Yi right now.
Chen Xu scratched his head and said, "You're here all alone? Isn't that unsafe? How about this, I'll call my dad and tell him. I'll stay. Anyway, I'm a boy, and I'm not homesick. I'm worried about you being here alone."
He took out his phone to dial a number, but Guan Yi suddenly stopped him, smiling faintly, a smile like a winter plum blossom: "No, you should go back. You haven't been home for over a year, have you? I don't mind, just don't let your parents worry."
What defines a good woman? This is a good woman!
She'd rather suffer herself than make things difficult for a man.
Chen Xu already felt guilty towards her, so he didn't think about anything else at this moment. In a moment of impulse, he said, "It's okay. I'm worried about leaving you here alone. How can you manage alone during the New Year? I'll stay."
Then Chen Xu dialed his father's number, and while dialing, Chen Xu laughed and said, "Maybe my parents back then won't be staying at home for Chinese New Year this year, and will be on vacation in Australia or Hawaii again."
Seeing his resolute will, Guan Yi ultimately refrained from saying anything to stop him, because she knew that if she made excuses at this point, it wouldn't be sensible, but rather pretentious.
As soon as the call connected, Chen Xu's father's voice came through: "Son, what made you think of calling your old man? Don't you have enough money for a train ticket home?"
Chen Xu rolled his eyes. "Your son's worried about not being able to buy a train ticket?" But he really was broke. Chen Xu's eyes darted around. "My dad seems to have made quite a bit of money selling that rabies killer drug over the past year..."
"Well, we'll talk about that later," Chen Xu said cautiously into the microphone. "Dad, I wanted to tell you that I won't be coming home for Chinese New Year this year."
"Huh? You're not coming back? What are you trying to do, kid?"
Chen Xu blushed. How could he admit that he wasn't coming back because of Guan Yi? But Chen Xu's little brain worked very quickly, and he immediately said, "Anyway, there's nothing to do when I go back. You and Mom are in such good health, wouldn't it be disturbing your time together if I went back? I'll stay at school. My teacher SMMH has some things that need my attention."
"Oh, I see," Chen Xu's dad chuckled and scolded the little rascal, then said, "Alright, if you're not coming back, you're not coming back. Anyway, your mom and I were just hesitating about whether to go ahead with the Hawaii trip this year since we stood you up last year. But now, your mom and I don't feel guilty anymore. We'll book the tickets tomorrow, hehehehe!"
Hearing his father's lewd laughter, Chen Xu rolled his eyes. Sure enough... he was unlucky to have such an indecent set of parents. Who could he blame? He could only blame himself for the many sins he had committed in his past life.
After hanging up the phone, Chen Xu saw Guan Yi with a smile on his face, looking like he wanted to laugh but was too embarrassed to. Chen Xu asked curiously, "What's wrong with you?"
Guan Yi's lips curled up, and he said, "Your dad is really interesting... I would never dare to talk to my dad like that."