dognovel Chapter 912 So, the price is...
Chapter 912 So, the price is...
Upon hearing this, Fang Yu smiled slightly, extended a finger and gently shook it, saying calmly.
“Let us be upfront: this ‘rent’ is not cheap at all.”
The air inside the bunker instantly became viscous.
Castro put his newly lit cigar, which he had only taken one puff of, back between his two fingers.
His face, which was about to burst into laughter, froze for a moment, then he quickly composed himself and put on a solemn expression that he had expected and was preparing for a "major hemorrhage".
"this is necessary."
Che Guevara frowned and took over the conversation in a low voice.
"If such a 'magical weapon' that can change the world order is too cheap, it would be the greatest desecration of technology and science."
"We were prepared for this."
Allende adjusted his glasses, and unconsciously pressed one hand against the notebook in the inside pocket of his suit.
Although there was nothing to remember at the moment, he nervously swallowed, trying to relieve the dryness in his throat.
The three of them stared intently at Fang Yu.
In their minds, alarming figures representing "national bankruptcy" or "national debt" began to race wildly.
Tens of billions? Or even hundreds of billions of dollars? Or perhaps it would require mortgaging the entire country's tax revenue for decades?
They accepted whatever the number was.
Even if it means their generation has to tighten their belts for the rest of their lives, even if it means mortgaging all the unmined copper mines.
As long as this sword can be hung over our heads, as long as Cuba and South America are no longer lambs to the slaughter, it's all worth it.
"We understand your country's difficulties."
Castro took a deep breath, his expression as heroic as a martyr about to be executed.
"The research and development and manufacturing costs of such a weapon, which is ahead of its time, are absolutely astronomical figures that are unimaginable to us."
"Comrade Fang, just say it. Even if it means emptying all our current gold reserves... as long as we can have 'Xingtian' watch over us for even one day, we will have no complaints."
His words were poignant and sincere, revealing a resolute determination born of poverty that left him with only his backbone.
Fang Yu watched them quietly, their expressions of facing death with unwavering resolve, the smile in his eyes deepening.
He didn't speak immediately, but slowly walked to the table, picked up the draft contract that had been prepared long ago, and hadn't even had a cover printed yet.
He turned to the last page and tapped it lightly with his knuckles, the "tap-tap" sound seeming to resonate with the heartbeats of the three people.
"Since you are all so understanding, then I will get straight to the point."
Fang Yu looked up and clearly stated the number.
"The full right to use the Xingtian Railgun System, a ten-year exclusive strategic lease contract, for a total price of..."
Everyone held their breath.
"...one billion US dollars."
It was quiet inside the bunker.
It was really very quiet.
It was so quiet that you could even hear the faint hum of the cooling fan from the large computer next to it.
Castro's mouth, which was about to eloquently declare and bargain, was half-open when it abruptly stopped.
Che Guevara's hands, which he was tightly holding to his chest, suddenly loosened and almost slipped.
Allende's hand, which was pushing up his glasses, trembled so badly that the gold-rimmed glasses were tilted to one side of his nose, looking rather comical, but he seemed to have completely lost his sense of perception.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
Their expressions were like those of an old-fashioned camera film that hadn't yet reacted, soaking in the developing solution for ages without showing the correct colors.
They glanced at each other, both reading the same confusion in each other's eyes—
"Did I hear wrongly?"
"Ten...hundred million?"
In the end, it was Castro who was the first to regain his tongue.
His voice contained no anger or surprise, only the pure confusion of a newborn baby.
He turned his head to the side and brought his ear closer to Fang Yu's direction, as if he might have developed tinnitus from flying these past few days.
"Um... Dean Fang, I'm not sure if there's something wrong with my math... The unit you just mentioned, is it really 'US dollars'?"
“It’s in US dollars,” Fang Yu nodded.
"Is it... a billion dollars a year?"
Guevara pressed on with his question, which was the only reasonable explanation that came to mind for everyone present at that moment.
One billion a year, that's ten billion in ten years. Although it's expensive, it's a very reasonable price for such divine power.
Fang Yu shook his head and held up one finger.
Total price.
"The total rent for ten years is one billion US dollars."
"Of course, this also includes all maintenance costs, personnel training costs, and an unlimited supply of ammunition."
"All-inclusive price, no hidden costs."
This silence lasted even longer.
Castro stiffly turned his head, glancing at Guevara and then at Allende.
Allende didn't even bother to adjust his glasses this time. Instead, he was pointing his fingers and silently muttering something, as if he were performing some kind of complex addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.
One billion divided by ten... that is, one hundred million per year...
What can you buy with 100 million?
In this day and age, a decent destroyer would cost more than that!
Not to mention buying those jet fighters that are prone to loss of dozens or even hundreds of units!
One hundred million? For those officials at the Pentagon, that amount of money probably wouldn't even cover the budget for this year's Christmas party!
And now... all it takes is this little bit of money...
Is it possible to possess divine punishment hanging over one's head, capable of obliterating any enemy who dares to invade, with just this small amount of money that can be saved from the smallest of gaps in one's teeth?
Can that really buy a nation the right to stand tall and be human?
Can that really guarantee a stable and secure country for the long term?
This is not a case of "the rent is very expensive".
This is practically... charity!
This is the most selfless act of charity by internationalists!
"I……"
Che Guevara's eyes inexplicably reddened.
This soldier, who always presented himself as a tough guy and never blinked in the face of gunfire, felt as if a whole bunch of sour lemons were stuffed into his nasal cavity.
"But...this is...too much..."
Allende's voice became choked with emotion, and he shakily took out his handkerchief.
Instead of wiping away sweat, he awkwardly wiped his glasses, which weren't actually wet.
"Comrade Fang, you guys are...you're basically making a losing business..."
No one would believe that this "rent" could cover even one percent of the cost of such a mega-project.
Faced with the extremely complicated gazes of the crowd, Fang Yu simply smiled calmly.
"We're not at a loss. After all, the thing is already up there, and it's just sitting there anyway. Giving it to you is also a way for us to conduct real-world deterrence and data testing."
"and,"
He seemed completely oblivious to the worldviews of the leaders, which were already crumbling and being rebuilt within them, and continued speaking to himself.
"I also know that for South American countries that are just going through war and reconstruction and do not have much foreign exchange reserves, it is very difficult to come up with one billion dollars at once, or even one or two hundred million dollars in real money every year."
Upon hearing this, Castro even considered kneeling down before Fang Yu.
Difficult? It is indeed difficult, but we will sell our blood, or even dig up the floor tiles of the palace to sell, without hesitation to raise this money! This is life-saving money!
But they're still considering your "difficulties"! What kind of spirit is that?
Fang Yu took out another prepared form from his pocket and casually placed it next to the contract on the table.
"Therefore, based on the principle of mutual assistance among brothers, we allow you to 'pay on credit' for this rent."
"On credit... on credit?"
Guevara was genuinely stunned this time.
"Yes, it's a special interest-free loan provided to you by the Dragon Kingdom government for this entire sum of money."
Fang Yu pointed to the supplementary receipt.
"Furthermore, we do not insist on settling in US dollars or gold in the future."
He casually picked up a piece of mineral specimen that looked quite good and was originally placed on the table as decoration. It was a high-quality copper ore from Chile, and he tossed it in his hand.
"South America is a true treasure land."
"Fertile land, abundant mineral resources. And our Dragon Kingdom's current industrialization is just a big eater."
Fang Yu put down the ore, his gaze honest.
"If we don't have US dollars, we'll use other things as payment. Cuban sugar is delicious, and I've heard their tobacco is the best in the world; Chile's copper reserves are globally remarkable; Bolivia has natural gas, and even future rare metals..."
"Rubber, coffee, cotton... and even some precious logs."
"Bring these things over, and we'll deduct the rent based on the international market price at the time, or a more favorable price as agreed upon. We want these."
"I think……"
Fang Yu shrugged and gave a somewhat embarrassed smile.
"Surely you all can produce something that grows in the ground or is buried underground?"
Complete silence fell over the safe house.
This time, however, it was no longer out of fear or shock.
Che Guevara looked into Fang Yu's sincere eyes, his lips pressed tightly into a line.
He turned away, not wanting anyone to see the tear that had slid down his face.
He always believed in the theories in books and in the slogan of "Workers of the world, unite!"
But only today, in this futuristic steel bunker, has he truly and tangibly experienced what it means to be a "great power with a sense of responsibility" and what it means to be "comrades and brothers."
Castro's hand, holding the cigar, trembled slightly.
He stared at the thin contract on the table, which seemed to be glowing, and felt a surge of emotions a thousand times more intense than when the 10,000-ton ship was sunk.
There is no need to sell out sovereignty.
No military base is required.
You don't even need to pay a single penny in cash.
All it takes is to transport the crops and ores that were cheaply plundered by colonizers and rotted in warehouses during wartime, in exchange for the thunder that protects the backbone of the entire nation.
If there is a heaven on earth, this is probably what it must be like.
He took a deep breath and then exhaled heavily, as if he wanted to expel all the pent-up frustration he had endured throughout his life.
Then, he silently stepped forward without the slightest hesitation, and did not utter any more grand words of thanks.
He picked up the pen on the table and signed his name heavily on the last page of the contract.
The rustling sound of the pen nib across the paper was like the most beautiful thunderclap in history in this safe house.