Chapter 527: Getting Ready to Go to the Land of Mercenaries (Part One)
Was Xu Cheng a bit extreme?
A bit.
But to him, since he wanted to do it, then he had to make all the preparations. As a soldier, before he got any intel that could put him at an advantage, he wouldn’t recklessly take action. This also helped him form the habit of getting prepared before doing something.
In fact, as for Hawking, Xu Cheng really did need him. Suppose that day really came, when he unified the Land of Mercenaries through force. If he wanted to establish a nation, he would have to face all the nations that originally had their eyes on this land’s resources. By that time, no words and force were more powerful than a quantum weapon that could easily beat nuclear weapons. This would be the highest level of deterrent.
In fact, Hawking could just leave. Xu Cheng never forced him to stay nor try very hard to convince him, so Hawking knew very well that he could leave if he wanted to.
But, inside his heart, he was also very tempted.
What Xu Cheng just said, in fact, wouldn’t it be a great challenge from Hawking’s perspective?
It was just that this challenge was a bit difficult.
It was so difficult that even Hawking was scared, but… deep inside his heart, there was an unexplainable feeling of anticipation.
Maybe this was the power of instigation. Despite being so old already, he actually couldn’t take this kind prodding, especially when he was prodded by such a young guy.
Hawking stared at Xu Cheng and said, “I want to see how you die.”
Xu Cheng smiled. He knew that meant Hawking was onboard.
“If I die, someone will be arranged to send you back home,” Xu Cheng said.
Xu Cheng would make Li Wei responsible for escorting Hawking back to the UK if something were to go wrong. After all, Li Wei had been through all the agent training at the Dragon Division and knew how to disguise Hawking. Right now, Hawking could stand up and move just like a normal person, so the others wouldn’t be able to use the old methods to look for him. Now, as long as no one ripped off his facial mask or he didn’t declare that he was the Hawking that went MIA, no one would be able to recognize him.
Hawking came up with a preliminary list of quotes for the materials he would need. Xu Cheng prided himself on being a rich man, but after seeing the quote, he suddenly began not feeling well.
While dreams could be wonderful, the reality was sometimes very harsh, and this was exactly the situation.
The research start-up fund – 5 billion dollars!
Right now he only had about 15 billion in assets, and the initial funding would take a third.
The various basic equipment would cost a billion, and the supercomputers will cost another billion. They would also need to find team members that shared the same ambition and goal while also having the capabilities to study quantum technology deeper together. This wasn’t too difficult, Xu Cheng would just have Caesar use his online network to slowly find private researchers. However, the cost to building an underground industrial base would cost 2 billion! This was the most difficult. Firstly, this place had got to be well-hidden. But then, where could he find the manpower and resources to build it? For it to be viable and safe underground, the quality must be top-notch. Otherwise, during the testing of quantum technology, a poorly-built construction would only bury all the researchers underground.
Xu Cheng wanted to build it directly on the territory of the Land of Mercenary, but there was no precedent of internationally-renowned construction teams that were willing to go in there to build a project. After all, it was one of the most chaotic and dangerous places on earth.
Hawking sneered at Xu Cheng and said, “Now do you suddenly feel like it’s impossible to move another step forward? In this kind of information era, it’s impossible if you want to hide and develop something big. As you progress more, the amount of money you have to burn would only get more and more. Do you have enough money to fill the black hole?”
Xu Cheng directly replied, “No.”
Then, he continued, “But I can make more. Making the M Nation’s money to fund my people and my research, what a great deal! I’ve decided, I will be a vampire and get some sucking going on the M Nation.”
Hawking said, “Just arrange the underground engineering experiment base’s construction first. Any explosion tests in the later period could attract media and military attention. So, I mean, you might as well put the experiment base in the Land of Mercenaries, it’s already pretty chaotic with tons of explosions every day, and information is all pretty jammed there.”
Xu Cheng nodded. That was what he originally planned. He turned around to look at Li Wei and asked, “How big is our territory right now over there?”
Chapter 527: Getting Ready to Go to the Land of Mercenaries (Part Two)
Li Wei awkwardly said, “About the size of a small town, estimated to be about 1 million square meters.”
Hawking laughed. “Are there any fortresses on there that’s easy to defend and hard to break through?”
Li Wei felt even more awkward. “There are just a few dilapidated houses, and they were also left behind from a couple of decades ago. There isn’t anyone living there anymore, so we temporarily settled in.”
Hawking: “Then what the fack are we doing? If you guys were defeated and have to run, does that mean I have to give up my underground base and factory too? The other mercenary groups would occupy lands with great oil reserves, and you occupied a piece of land that not even birds would take a sh-t on? And you want to unify the nation? You guys would be screwed right away even if the other countries put economic sanctions on you. Mr. Xu, don’t blame me for not helping. Let’s talk after you get a foothold over there first.”
Li Wei was embarrassed and didn’t say anymore.
“Old man, in the future I won’t allow you to say this kind of rhetoric in front of them that would affect their motivation.” Xu Cheng said, “We will just conquer more land, what’s so difficult? Besides, if we built a base on such an abandoned place, the risk will be significantly smaller, since the other mercenaries wouldn’t even bother bullying or looting us.”
Li Wei looked at Xu Cheng and asked, “Big Brother Cheng, are you planning to come to the Land of Mercenaries now?”
Xu Cheng nodded. “We will go and occupy our base camp first. Hawking can’t stay here. Once we meet real danger, we won’t be able to rely on the Mexican gangs. Figure out a way to get him over there first, I will be right there.”
Li Wei happily nodded. “I will go back and tell Luo Yi.”
Xu Cheng found a person that could help him solve the problem of getting a good engineering team, and that person was the filthy rich man, Haber.
If a problem could be solved by money, then it was not a problem. He believed that the people found by Haber would be reliable. Back then, if Haber was a big mouth, the word would’ve already gotten out when he told Haber about his plan to wipe out the Sanling Financial Group. But, he kept his mouth shut and kept that secret until now, it was clear that he was someone he could rely on.
After he called Haber, Haber couldn’t be more excited.
Ever since what happened back in the Wei Nation, Haber had always wanted to find a time to have a deep talk with Xu Cheng and ask him just how the fack did he manage to do all that. He also wanted to check to see if Xu Cheng was still alive.
“Come to Dubai, I will show you the most luxurious life here,” Haber said warmingly over the phone.
After hanging up the call, Xu Cheng called Lin Chuxue and asked, “Honey, let’s go have our honeymoon in Dubai.”
“Don’t want to. I don’t want to attract too much attention for you,” Lin Chuxue said understandingly.
“No worries, I have a big heart. For whoever that dares to seduce you, I will face-slap him to death with my money.” Xu Cheng said, “Let’s just take a break so we can work more efficiently later, come on.”
“Then I will go if you can book the Burj Al Arab hotel, otherwise don’t interrupt my studies. I didn’t even get to graduate with my music diploma last time because I had to marry you and go to Huaxia with you!” Lin Chuxue snorted.
Xu Cheng felt guilty. He wanted to take this opportunity to really let Lin Chuxue have a good time. He indeed hadn’t taken Lin Chuxue to travel, so he wanted to make it up to her. So, he called Haber back. “My wife said she’s coming if you can get us a room at Burj Al Arab.”
“That’s it? Is that even a challenge for me?” Haber said proudly, “In the future, don’t use that tone, because it would be humiliating if you think that’s difficult for me to do. I just need to give the word and the presidential suite will be reserved for you. Wait, you have a wife?”
Xu Cheng: “I can’t have a wife?”
Haber: “I mean, which woman would love a madman like you?”
Xu Cheng: “Just wait, I will show you the epitome of being low-profile.”