Galactic Star Calendar, year 3033, mid-June.
The Morton Star System.
The T4 Vermilion Bird-class Medium Interstellar Cruiser · the bridge.
Zhao Chen sat in the captain's chair; Xu Yifan stood, tense, at Zhao Chen's side — so much so that he didn't even dare lift his head, and for all that the bridge round about was full of beauties of every race, Xu Yifan dared not steal so much as a glance.
"At present, we have provided the Morton Star System with 100 T3 Prospector-class Heavy Interstellar Mining Ships, and with these hundred T3 Prospectors have formed the Earth-Dragon Second Mining Group, which is charged expressly with the Morton Star System's mining work. Of the minerals extracted, by a 90/10 split of the net profit, we leave 10% of the profit to the Morton Star System — this portion in the form of economic aid or other materials. The remaining 400 T3 Prospector-class Heavy Interstellar Mining Ships will be provided, one after another, over the coming six months. At present the Morton Star System's raw-material output value stands at a value of 2 billion star coins per month. Beyond this, we have, besides, provided the Morton Star System with an aid-loan of 1 billion star coins, to help the Morton Star System recover as swiftly as possible from the earlier hive-race disaster," Secretary Lilith said at his side.
The Earth-Dragon Mining Group was one that Zhao Chen had arranged to establish.
It belonged to a trade group subordinate to the Owl Dragon Legion, chiefly charged with the matter of interstellar mining — to put it plainly, a band of folk who did nothing but dig for ore.
"My secretary has spoken correctly, I take it?" Zhao Chen looked toward Xu Yifan.
Xu Yifan said at once, "Everything Lady Lilith has said is correct. Thanks to the aid-loan you provided, the Morton Star System's situation has been greatly improved, and all manner of the people's livelihoods have, step by step, been restored. Apart from a very few individual planets, the overwhelming majority may, it's hoped, be restored to their pre-disaster condition before the year is out. And with the joining of the T3 Prospector-class Heavy Interstellar Mining Ships, no small number of interstellar mining zones have had their former production restored. Were more T3 Prospectors to join, then the Morton Star System's future would be beyond daring to imagine!"
Speaking to this point, Xu Yifan was exceedingly agitated.
For, on account of his cooperative relationship with Zhao Chen, he was privy as well to some of the important information.
As, for instance — that the Owl Dragon Legion had surveyed out a great mass of ore-lode resources!
And for all that these would all be extracted by the Earth-Dragon Mining Group subordinate to the Owl Dragon Legion, Morton could still obtain one part in 10 of the profit, along with the income of the related derivative industries.
This one slice of the pie alone was enough to make the Morton Star System flourish once more!
"Give it your all. If your performance is enough to satisfy me, then your Xu family will become, on your account, a shining new star of this star-sky." Zhao Chen gave Xu Yifan's shoulder a clap, and spoke this one line, laden deep with meaning.
Xu Yifan's whole body trembled; he was no fool.
The situation of the whole Starlight Empire at present, he too knew in broad outline.
He knew full well that he was, now, bound fast to this ship that was the Owl Dragon Legion.
But he had no regret!
He firmly believed in this bold gamble of his.
In his eyes, Zhao Chen was the very idol of his life!
"The Xu family is willing to serve the Lord Commander devotedly in all things! My life — I, Xu Yifan's, life — is yours, my lord!" Xu Yifan knelt straight down upon the ground, swearing his loyalty once more.
"Keep on with your best efforts, and do your own work well. As for the matters of the outside world — you have only to pay them no mind." Having said this, Zhao Chen waved a hand, signaling that Xu Yifan might withdraw.
Reining in his agitated feelings, Xu Yifan took his leave of this T4 Vermilion Bird-class Medium Interstellar Cruiser that had, only just now, shaken the whole Starlight Empire with its fame.
"Lord Commander, at present our Owl Dragon Legion's on-the-books income — including the tax revenues from the Owl Dragon Star System, the Morton Star System, the Ellis Star System, and the Reef Star Region — this portion comes to 1 billion star coins per month. Because a great many places are, at present, still in their beginning stages, the tax revenue isn't yet very stable. But by our forecast, within the next three years this figure will see a rocket-like rise! Beyond this, our chief income is still Li Yaqi's Northern Goose Group. The Northern Goose Group at present possesses 3,000 T2 Iron Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships; it is at the same time charged with the starship orders of the Princess Legion and the White Tiger tribe, along with the starship orders within the bounds of the Starlight Empire. Each month it can guarantee an output at the least equivalent to 15,000 T2 Tibetan Mastiff-class Medium Interstellar Destroyers; and the monthly profit apportioned into our hands reaches an astonishing 30 billion star coins! This includes the payments made on the little Princess's side and the White Tiger chieftain's side. The chief great client is still the little Princess. Up to now, we have provided the little Princess with close to 80,000 of the interstellar warships within her original starship order. The little Princess has paid close to 200 billion star coins of the starship-order payment; and, on account of her trust in us, the next 100 billion star coins of payment will all be shipped to the Owl Dragon Star System at one go within the coming month," Lilith reported to the commander.
"And up to now, how much money do we have left on our Owl Dragon Legion's books?" Zhao Chen inquired.
"After deducting the raw-material funds this while past for those interstellar warships we produced ourselves, our on-the-books funds at present come to 100 billion star coins remaining," Lilith answered.
"100 billion… before long the little Princess's last 100 billion star coins of order-payment will come into the accounts too, and by then we'll have 200 billion. Of it, 100 billion to serve as a war-readiness budget — for storing up combat materials — enough for our Owl Dragon Legion to fight one true interstellar campaign. And the remaining 100 billion to go on sustaining our starship-manufacturing plan." Zhao Chen reckoned within.
In the times to come, the Owl Dragon Legion would face one grueling campaign after another; and these campaigns needed not only active-service interstellar warships to charge and break the enemy lines, but also strategic materials enough to ensure the logistics and resupply.
This was a point Zhao Chen had to make ready-provision for early.
"Furthermore, the T3 Silver Eden-class ships whose expansion you ordered will complete their expansion task by month's end, their total number reaching 100. And they will form the Eden Grain Trade Group. By the grain output value of these hundred T3 Silver Eden-class ships, a single month can yield a profit of 10 billion star coins," Lilith added.
The Eden Grain Trade Group — this was, of the sphere of interstellar trade under the Owl Dragon Legion's banner, the first pillar of the future.
Zhao Chen had held this notion as far back as long ago, but there'd been nothing to be done — the various circumstances at that time had been tangled, and there'd all along been no way to put it into practice.
Now, with the interstellar industrial ships expanded and their capacity ample, he naturally put it into action.
"And besides, the first ship of the T4 Gemini-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ship will be formally completed at the end of June, and may be put into production work." Lilith let fly another piece of good news.
This June could be said to have brought the Owl Dragon Legion to a leap of a qualitatively new kind.
And all of this was, besides, to be credited to the coming-into-service of that batch of interstellar industrial ships at the year's start.
"And our whole run of combat-type interstellar warships are, one and all, already in service — ready to face any battle at any moment," Lilith said.
"The sword is whetted, and waits only to drink blood." A deep, far-reaching light was in Zhao Chen's eyes.