Very soon Zhao Chen had Li Wei's answer.
"By the Hundred Beasts Alliance legion fleet's standard of construction, a fleet upon the scale of 3,000 starships means 3,000 T2-grade interstellar warships and 100 T3-grade interstellar warships. The build cost stands at some 1 billion star coins. Whereas a Dragon-Tiger Legion regular fleet's establishment is 3,000 T2-grade interstellar warships, 300 T3-grade interstellar warships, and three T4 Skeleton-King-class Heavy Interstellar Armored Destroyers. The build cost stands at 6 billion star coins. By what you laid down before, in our dealings with the Dragon-folk tribe we take only a tenfold margin of profit. So the purchase price is the above multiplied tenfold: 10 billion star coins for the former, 60 billion for the latter."
Li Wei set it out with care. "Because the Starlight Empire's military-purchase date runs longer, it can be put off a little. So in the two months and more remaining we can throw everything into producing the Dragon-folk tribe's military-purchase order. We can furnish the Dragon-folk tribe, by rough reckoning, 4 trillion star coins' worth of military purchase. Comprising 300,000 interstellar warships to Hundred Beasts Legion specification, and 30,000 to Dragon-Tiger Legion specification. Which leaves a portion of 400 billion star coins of the order still…"
Getting so far, Li Wei looked to Commander-in-Chief Zhao Chen.
For that portion did not fall to him to answer for.
"That portion our Owl Dragon System will answer for producing; by their need, we shall build them a few T4-grade interstellar warships," said Zhao Chen.
This was Zhao Chen's promise to that Dragon-folk princess.
Let none suppose a military-purchase share of 400 billion star coins to be much.
Reckoned at a tenfold margin of profit, it is enough only to purchase two T4 Blue-Eyes White Dragon-class Heavy Interstellar Armored Battleships.
And this tenfold margin of profit was granted because Zhao Chen looked upon the Dragon-folk tribe as standing at present upon the same line with himself.
Were it some other tribe come to purchase, the margin would be thirtyfold at the least.
Extortion?
If you have the means, go buy elsewhere.
"300,000 interstellar warships and more. Delivered in full to the Dragon-folk tribe, it will be enough for them to make their frontier line of defense firm." Zhao Chen reckoned it over.
By which, upon a military-purchase order of 4 trillion star coins, and by the agreement, the Dragon-folk tribe would pay 2 trillion star coins outright.
In days past, Zhao Chen would by any estimate have been delighted past all bearing.
But having just passed through a war that spent several hundred billion star coins, these 2 trillion would by his estimate serve the Owl Dragon Legion's fleets for no more than a few rounds of attack.
"Then set the production going by this plan. It is yours, Old Li." Zhao Chen looked to Li Wei.
Li Wei gave a chuckling laugh. "Rest easy. Delivery upon the date, past all doubt."
The video call ended.
Zhao Chen looked to Lilith at his side. "You may notify the Dragon-folk tribe's side to deliver the deposit. 2 trillion star coins is not much, but it is enough to bear our outlay for a while."
But Lilith punctured Zhao Chen's fancy without the least ceremony. "By the production task for the T5-grade interstellar warships you settled just now with Chief Engineer Annie and the others. It is projected that at the least 1.5 trillion star coins of production expense must be put in."
There now.
The money was not yet in his pocket, and the spending of it was arranged already.
Seeing Zhao Chen struck without a word to say.
Lilith did not throw stones down the well. She said, "Though as was said just now, we are still digesting the Warhammer here. I have already notified Li Yaqi's North Dragon Group and Red Rose's Rose-Red Dragon Group to march into the Warhammer market at once, and to hand us a satisfactory account of themselves before the year's end. At the same time, as to those four star regions outside the Warhammer Interstellar Federal Kingdom, left over by the Machine Race's withdrawal. We are making ready to send the Hundred Beasts Legion to take control of them, and we shall take them over in due course. Should all go smoothly, those four star regions will bring us at the least 500 billion star coins a month."
There was some good news after all.
"And one thing more. The interstellar warships the Owl Dragon Seventh Legion requires are in the main built, and are at present each in their training phase. The Owl Dragon System's side has pressed the question several times over: who is to serve as the Owl Dragon Seventh Legion's legion commander?" Lilith raised one further great matter.
For at the Owl Dragon Legion's present astonishing rate of hatching hulls, a whole Owl Dragon legion could in the main be produced every month or so.
Hearing this business.
Zhao Chen's gaze went, without his willing it, to Xue Xiaoxiao, seated not far off in the captain's chair.
Nothing being screened, Xue Xiaoxiao had heard this talk of theirs as well.
She felt Zhao Chen's gaze, and Lilith's.
Without a word she caught tight hold of the back of her own captain's chair. "I am not going! I shall not be any manner of commander. I mean to be the captain of my own Hades. No one may part us! Not going, not going! Let whoever likes it go!"
Zhao Chen and Lilith exchanged a glance.
And struck Xue Xiaoxiao from the list of options in the first instant.
Xue Xiaoxiao had in fact stood a long while as a reserve candidate for legion commander.
But this girl was for all the world like a child that never grows up; in the commanding of an interstellar battleship she had much experience, but to hand her a whole legion fleet — one truly could not be easy about it.
"Then how many candidates have we left?" Zhao Chen knitted his brows.
In the main, the several elder generals who had risen with his Owl Dragon Legion from the beginning all had their posts now.
"My advice is that it is time we made use of the third batch of Owl Dragon senior officers." Lilith gave her counsel.
Zhao Chen hesitated a moment.
"This third batch of Owl Dragon senior officers have all passed the Goddess Academy's starship examination, and have experience of service within the several Owl Dragon legion fleets. Some among them are old faces to you besides. Our Owl Dragon Legion grows greater without cease; fresh blood must be poured in," said Lilith.
Zhao Chen rubbed at his temples. "Have you any fitting recommendation?"
Lilith called up two holographic images.
"Qingman, of the snake-folk, once a subordinate of the Medusa Queen's, has served as a captain, and has been above a year in our Owl Dragon Legion's service. Wei Shishi, a soldier of the Starlight Empire, formerly one of the captains of the Princess's Legion fleet, and second to Zhao Ruyue. After the Starlight Empire's civil war ended and the Empress came to the throne. Upon Zhao Ruyue's recommendation she joined our Owl Dragon Legion, and fought under Commander Charlotte, who has commended her showing. These two are, as I see it, the fittest candidates at present." So Lilith recommended.
With these two Zhao Chen had indeed a passing acquaintance.
Zhao Chen drew a deep breath; and at the last his finger slid, and the two holographic images before him began to turn at speed, for all the world like a roulette wheel.
At the last, Wei Shishi stood upright before Zhao Chen.
"Her, then." Zhao Chen made his decision at the last.
By any estimate Wei Shishi herself never imagined that this commander's post of hers came by so much a matter of play.
And thus the Owl Dragon Seventh Legion's commander was Wei Shishi.
Beep beep beep beep.
Lilith's handheld terminal sounded once more.
She took one look, and then reported to Zhao Chen, "It is word sent from Saint Cana, over in the Holy Radiance Empire. She requests a video communication with you."
"This Miss Saint Cana — her backside is on fire, I should think." Zhao Chen smiled faintly.