"At present the greater part of the build plan we originally laid down for this year has in the main been completed ahead of schedule. In these last few months we shall produce, with a view to our needs, certain things we require. Such as the T5 interstellar warships you have just settled upon, and laying by interstellar missiles enough, and so forth." Secretary Lilith was reporting these matters before Zhao Chen.
"Are our resources enough to serve?" Zhao Chen put the key question.
If Zhao Chen remembered rightly, before this the single-month earnings under the Owl Dragon system had already broken 500 or 600 billion star coins, and were marching toward the trillion mark.
And now, having taken so great a base of operations as the Warhammer, there would presumably be no small harvest.
"If we reckon in this batch of T5 interstellar warships to be built and the interstellar missile reserve, then our raw materials are indeed running somewhat short. And upon the Warhammer's side, though we have reached a great many trade agreements with the Warhammer Interstellar Federal Kingdom, and have obtained the mining rights to a great many resource districts. To turn these resources to real use will take at least until the beginning of next year. And by then they can in the main bring us 500 billion star coins of single-month profit. Happily, before that. We have come by a military-purchase income ahead of time. On account of the Warhammer civil war, the several tribes have used up a great many interstellar warships. And the Dragon-folk tribe above all. Add to which the threat from the Demon Race's quarter. The Dragon-folk tribe consulted us upon military purchase in the first instant. That Princess Leona is exceedingly attentive to the business; very near every other day she comes to ask after the progress upon my side. Their requirement is that we produce for them upon the establishment of 100 Beasts Legion fleet, and supply besides a small quantity of fleet establishments with combat power equal to the Dragon-Tiger Legion's. And guarantee delivery before the year's end. As for funds, Princess Leona indicates there is no problem. By what I have sounded out from Princess Leona so far, 10 trillion star coins presents no difficulty whatever. And they are willing to pay half the price of the goods in advance."
Upon the face of things, the Warhammer Interstellar Federal Kingdom has three quarters of legion fleets: the Hundred Beasts Legion, the Giant Dragon Legion, and the Federal Kingdom Legion.
But in fact, in the dark, there is a stronger legion fleet still.
And that is the private army belonging to Charlotte: the Dragon-Tiger Legion.
Within this one small patch of the Warhammer at present, the Dragon-Tiger Legion's standard of construction is past dispute the highest of any.
"10 trillion star coins at the top? A military-purchase order of so great a sum — will there not be difficulty for the Northern Goose Group's side? Consider that the Northern Goose Group has at present 10 trillion of Starlight Empire military purchase still to complete," Zhao Chen inquired.
Lilith answered, "There is some difficulty in it. Happily the Northern Goose Group has already completed a further round of expansion; at present their holdings of T2 Iron Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships have reached 100,000. For producing T2-grade interstellar warships alone, supposing they produced T2 Snow Mastiff-class Heavy Interstellar Battleships throughout, they could build 100,000 in a single month! It is only that building T3-grade interstellar warships would go somewhat slower."
Zhao Chen considered a moment, and then said, "Afterward, contact Li Yaqi and formally inform her. The production privilege for the T3 Furnace-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ship is opened to the Northern Goose Group. The Northern Goose Group may produce T3 Furnace-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships according to their own requirements."
"Commander-in-Chief, you may have forgotten. At the Northern Goose Group now, Li Yaqi has handed power over entirely to her younger brother Li Wei. Li Wei is the Northern Goose Group's highest officer," Secretary Lilith reminded him.
Zhao Chen came to himself; he had very nearly forgotten this brother of his.
"Upon the matter of production I have already been in touch with Li Wei; he indicates he needs a little time to calculate and arrange. But he will give me an answer very soon." And as Lilith was speaking, her handheld terminal began to flash.
Lilith took one look and said with a smile, "Li Wei is calling."
"Put him through," Zhao Chen said with a smile.
The video window opened.
Li Wei appeared before Zhao Chen's eyes.
And it must be said, this Li Wei, all dressed up in his finery, Zhao Chen did not recognize at first glance.
Li Wei too was blank a moment upon seeing Zhao Chen.
"Hey there — I never thought you'd cut such a figure got up like that. You almost look like somebody," Zhao Chen bantered.
Li Wei rolled his eyes and gave his own collar a tug. "Listen to you. You have no idea how grand I am these days. The young ladies who'd like to have dinner with me would go round the Owl Dragon home planet in a ring."
"Yes, yes, yes. For our young Master Li did, back in his academy days, keep several gigabytes of study materials upon the interstellar races. Sparing neither meat nor greens," Zhao Chen bantered.
Lilith looked at Li Wei and Zhao Chen with curiosity.
"Ahem, ahem, ahem — to business, to business." Li Wei, having had his bottom exposed by Zhao Chen, was somewhat embarrassed and at once turned the subject.
"Li Wei, it happens there's a matter I was going to notify you of anyway. I'll simply tell you now. From this moment the Northern Goose Group holds the production privilege for the T3 Furnace-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ship; for the corresponding production technology you may apply directly to the Owl Dragon System. There's no limit upon the number produced; see to it as you judge best." Zhao Chen came straight to the point, and handed Li Wei a great gift outright.
Li Wei looked at Zhao Chen in glad surprise.
He had had his heart set upon this T3 Furnace-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ship a very long while, but he had never once opened his mouth to ask Zhao Chen for it.
Because he knew he must not overstep.
The less so as the two of them had their academy fellowship besides; were he to say such a thing aloud and injure the feeling between them, that would be ill done.
"That's splendid! Then the Northern Goose Group's production efficiency hereafter will be raised a whole grade! Using the T2 Iron Hammer to produce those T3-grade interstellar warships is far too much trouble." Li Wei shook his head.
"Besides which, apart from the T3-grade interstellar missile ships and the interstellar stealth bombers, your Northern Goose holds the production privilege for the other ship types as well. But of the T3 interstellar warships produced in this series, every order sold must be settled by the Owl Dragon." Zhao Chen threw out another glad surprise.
Li Wei's eyes gave off light.
These glad surprises, coming one after another, were more than Li Wei himself had looked for.
"Old Zhao, you're being so very generous all at once. Can it be you already have a mass-production T5-grade interstellar warship in hand?" Li Wei's instincts were keen enough.
And he understood Zhao Chen's temper besides.
In the main, of those models of interstellar warship the Northern Goose Group was permitted to produce, apart from those few special ship types like the interstellar missile ships, the most were ship types the Owl Dragon Legion had cast off.
And now the T3 interstellar warships were beginning to be cast off…
Then the only possibility remaining was that one thing.
"Never you mind about that. I'll only ask you this: with these privileges opened. How much of the Dragon-folk tribe's military-purchase order can you swallow before the year's end!" Zhao Chen asked outright.
"You… give me 10 minutes. Why didn't you say so earlier? Now you've made me go and calculate it all over again." Li Wei complained with his mouth, but the smile upon his face was as though he were to be married tomorrow.