“Forty-two, forty-three, forty-four…”
Inside the Nan Tou Township Agricultural Machinery Store, Wu Lao Er squatted on a stool, counting banknotes one by one.
The last time he visited, the people who placed orders crowded around, unloading the remaining Diesel Engines from the Truck.
The local Shop Owner carefully inspected the quality of the Diesel Engines and showed a satisfied expression:
“Old Wu, the workmanship on these machines looks quite good, but eight thousand five is still a bit too expensive.
How about you lower the price to eight thousand? If we use them and they work well, we’ll buy a few more from you?”
Wu Lao Er, who was squatting and counting money, didn't even lift his head:
“Eight thousand five is too expensive? Do you know why I brought two brothers to deliver them? Just getting them here safely was difficult enough; all the little profit I make goes toward travel expenses.”
The local Shop Owner clearly understood the surrounding Environment and kept nodding:
“It’s true you have to be extra careful on the road. There’s a gang up on the nearby mountain; I heard they’ve killed several people. Did you run into them on your way here?”
Wu Lao Er’s money-counting motion stiffened almost imperceptibly, then he shook his head:
“We didn’t run into them. Hearing you say that, we were quite lucky.”
The two chatted intermittently, and Wu Lao Er successfully received the agreed-upon amount, bundling the money and stuffing it into his pants.
Besides the Diesel Engines, the two Diesel Motors were also purchased after the Buyers saw the Real objects. This trip earned quite a bit.
Excluding about twenty to thirty thousand that was credited out, the portion received was enough to pay Tang Wen for the goods and still leave a Profit for Wu Lao Er.
Having completed all sales Missions, Wu Lao Er Breathed a sigh of relief; the last dangerous encounter left him constantly uneasy.
After declining the invitation to stay for a meal, he got into the Truck, and under the pressing of Tang Shi Ba’s Throttle, they set off back to Big Bay Town.
As the Truck left Nan Tou Township, a Buyer resembling a farmer patted a Diesel Engine and looked at the direction the three were leaving with complicated eyes.
“Uncle Laizi, it’s them!”
A ruffian-like young man appeared beside him from who knows when, his face showing lingering fear.
“The top of this Truck can be opened, and you can Install a machine gun on it—it’s exactly like the machine guns in the movies used by the Japanese devils, the real thing!
If Brother Ma hadn't jumped into the ditch, he probably would have been riddled with holes on the spot.”
“Uncle Laizi” was quite shocked upon hearing this. Although robbing them was just a spur-of-the-moment idea, the other party’s performance was truly terrifying.
After an unknown amount of time, “Uncle Laizi” finally sighed:
“This world is getting more and more chaotic.”
……
Big Bay Village, Gaijin Shipyard.
After several days of effort, the Shipyard added several meters of Iron Skin on top of the existing wall, making it difficult for outsiders to see inside the Shipyard.
The patrol team inside the Factory focused their main energy outside the walls. Several strong men carrying batons wandered around the outer wall all day, making passing Villagers even Suspect that some illicit business was going on inside, so they dared not approach.
It wasn't until Tang Wen felt it was sufficient that he invited the Village Chief inside the Shipyard.
The first thing Chen Yonggui saw was a clean factory area, not large in scale but fully equipped, even paved with Cement.
Although Tang Wen only showed him the empty Dry dock for the sake of Confidentiality, the old Village Chief was greatly shocked.
In just over half a month, the Shipyard was established?
No matter how much he didn't want to believe it, he had to reluctantly admit the Reality of what he saw before him.
After initially accepting this change, Chen Yonggui’s shock turned into ecstasy, and he excitedly walked around the Factory several times.
His favorable impression of Tang Wen increased significantly. Although he didn't quite understand such rapid construction Ability, facts spoke louder than words!
The giant said it well: a good cat is one that can catch a Mouse!
“Village Chief, this Factory isn't bad, right?”
“Not bad, not bad! There are Machine Tools for processing, a Dry dock, and… a Generator? Your Factory is quite complete!”
Hearing the latter half of Chen Yonggui’s sentence, Tang Wen also looked helpless; this was why he invited the Village Chief.
Up until now, the Shipyard had been using Silver Coin power, which was incredibly expensive when calculated; it would be better to just connect to the Power Bureau.
But to meet the Shipyard’s electricity needs, the Village Chief had to file a Report with the Township, the Township had to approach the Town, and the Town had to find a way for the Power Bureau to specifically Install a high-power Transformer to supply Electricity to the Shipyard.
Therefore, the Village Chief needed to conduct an on-site inspection to file Reports up the chain. It would take at least a month for the Power Bureau to connect the power.
After hearing Tang Wen’s request, Chen Yonggui immediately slapped his chest and agreed; in his view, this was something a Village Chief should handle.
After promising to solve the power supply, Chen Yonggui looked at the hundred-meter-long Dry dock and began to calculate.
Such a long Dry dock was more than enough for a Fishing Boat. Most large Ocean-going Fishing Boats were only a few hundred tons; a hundred meters long meant ships of several thousand tons.
It seemed Tang Wen had big ambitions!
Chen Yonggui thought for a moment and said to Tang Wen:
“Xiao Tang, can your Shipyard build an eight-hundred-ton ship?”
Tang Wen was a little confused but still Nodded:
“Of course, but what use is an eight-hundred-ton ship? The largest ships our Town uses for deep sea fishing are only over four hundred tons.”
“That’s because our Town is small and doesn't have a large Fishery Company.”
Chen Yonggui shook his head, then explained:
“My son found a large Company in the city. The Shipowner has four ships under him, and their ships are between one hundred and three hundred tons, but now the Boss wants to go into the Deep sea and needs large ships of five hundred to eight hundred tons.
It seems their Boss is also short on funds and can’t afford a ship from a big Company, so he’s looking for large second-hand sea vessels.
If your small Factory can offer a cheaper price, maybe they’ll buy a new ship from us.”
An Order?
Tang Wen was first delighted, as the Cost of shipbuilding in the System Factory was much cheaper than real shipbuilding; taking an Order would definitely bring a good Profit.
But immediately afterward, he Realized a Problem: Research and Development for a new ship required Experience, and the Experience required for a few-hundred-ton ship was terrifying; he still wanted to save it for the Novice Mission.
And there was another Problem: the newly established Gaijin Shipyard had no prior shipbuilding history externally. Would a Client be willing to spend money at a remote Factory with no Experience?
The tighter the Budget, the less likely a Client is to take risks, otherwise, any Failure would result in a devastating loss.
“Uncle, it might be difficult for our new Factory to get an Order, and other shipyards will probably compete for the business.”
However, Chen Yonggui vigorously shook his head:
“It’s precisely because no Shipyard will take it! The budget their Boss offered is too low. My son said it was only two million, which is barely enough to buy the worst-condition second-hand ship!”
“Two… million?”
Tang Wen was dumbfounded, as if he Suspected he had misheard the Number.
This was two million in ’96—are Fishery Companies that wealthy!
“Yes, a one-hundred-ton ship costs three to four hundred thousand! Anything over five or six hundred tons should cost at least three million.
Sigh, I think you’ll lose money building it, but I also think that since the Gaijin Shipyard was just built, building one ship at a loss to build a reputation, maybe you could break even on a five-hundred-ton ship… Xiao Tang, Xiao Tang?”