William sat in his estate, listening to Sunday report on the progress of the X17 planetary base and the construction of parts for the Mars spacecraft.
"Sir," Sunday said, "the non-core components, which were outsourced, are expected to be completed by next month after three months of rushed production.
The engines and other key systems have already been completed at the Yellowstone Park secret base. However, I strongly recommend postponing the spacecraft launch by a year.
Building a spacecraft capable of reaching the Moon and Mars in just four months would be seen as nothing short of a miracle to the people of Earth.
The engines, spacecraft materials, and energy converters—all technologies far beyond this era—are difficult to keep secret during assembly. Any investigation could expose our production facilities."
"Just tell me how much this low-grade spaceship cost me," William asked impatiently. He understood well enough that while the spacecraft might seem primitive by his standards, it was groundbreaking and highly coveted by Earth's nations.
Since the Predator massacre of 40 mercenaries three months ago, private espionage had almost ceased. However, British intelligence agencies had caught at least ten spies from various countries targeting the outsourced facilities.
William himself had captured 21 spies, including some whose identities he had uncovered but deliberately left alone—for now. Among them was Natasha, who had managed to secure a position as Abigail's assistant. Another was a Chinese operative William had decided to dismiss after a few days of deliberation, letting the man off the hook.
"The spacecraft has cost you nearly £400 million so far," Sunday reported. "When fully completed, the total cost will be around £600 million."
"Damn it," William muttered. Even with the critical systems built in-house, the spacecraft's cost was staggering. However, with his imminent ventures into space, money from Earth was losing its significance to him.
Despite his frustration, Sunday's warnings about potential leaks weren't without merit.
"Reach out to Rolls-Royce and inquire if their engine division and engineers are up for sale. If the Predator energy technology risks exposure, we'll use the Arc Reactor as the power source instead.
The Arc Reactor has already been deployed for power generation in England. Using the teleportation gate, we can directly transport energy materials from Earth to the spacecraft. Calculate whether the Arc Reactor is feasible as an energy source—how much would consumption increase, and could it power the spacecraft to Mars?"
"Understood, Sir."
As Sunday processed the calculations, William continued, "While we're at it, how's the collection of materials for the real spacecraft—the one built using Predator technology?"
"The raw materials for synthetic alloys have been fully gathered. The first phase of construction for the X17 planetary base will be completed in 20 days.
Once the base is operational, we can establish a new production line on X17. The space-jump spacecraft is expected to take three months to build."
"Three months for one ship?" William sighed. "And that's for a tiny 35-meter-long vessel? What happens if I need a fleet for a space battle? Tell the enemy to wait three months until my ships are ready?"
"I'm sorry, Sir," Sunday replied. "The X17 base is being built from scratch. Constructing a 400-meter-long, 300-meter-wide, 20-meter-high facility in just three months required significant compromises on safety measures.
However, the base will produce excavation equipment and engineering robots continuously. The next, larger base—measuring 2 kilometers long, 500 meters wide, and 20 meters high—will take only two months to complete.
At that point, 35-meter-long spacecraft can be produced in ten days, while 100-meter-long vessels will take one month.
But I must remind you: while we can increase production rates, Predator technology offers little in the way of advanced weaponry beyond energy cannons and space-jump engines. Until we acquire better energy shield technology, I strongly advise against engaging in any space warfare. The losses could be catastrophic.
Moreover, Earth itself risks exposure to hostile interstellar civilizations, leading to unpredictable consequences."
William chuckled. "Relax. I'm not stupid enough to start a war with aliens. Quietly amassing wealth is the way to go."
"Understood, Sir," Sunday replied. "Regarding the Arc Reactor, it uses cold fusion technology. With Predator energy converters, it's entirely feasible as a power source. However, energy consumption would increase by 60 times compared to energy crystals.
We'd need to allocate space for an energy storage room in the spacecraft. Producing the Arc Reactor's fuel ourselves would require a significant amount of raw materials. If we were to purchase it instead, assuming it's even available, the cost would be substantial enough to ruin your appetite."
The issue of securing sufficient materials did give William pause. Large-scale purchases might provoke the U.S. to act against him.
However, after a moment's thought, William grinned. "No problem. I know a place with a stockpile of fissile materials left over from the Cold War."
He recalled the scene in The Expendables 2 where a massive cache of fissile materials, requiring dozens of trucks to transport, was stored. With such a resource, he felt confident about the raw material issue but decided to calculate the logistics more carefully.
As he pondered his next move, Sunday suggested, "Sir, you might consider asking the Predators. For them, obtaining fissile materials should be relatively easy."
William slapped his forehead. "Of course! Sometimes the simplest solution is the one right in front of you. Ask them about the price. If it's reasonable, we'll buy it."
"Understood, Sir."
Two hours later, Sunday returned with a response.
"Sir, the Predators have offered fissile materials at a rate of one energy crystal for ten units, with one unit equaling one kilogram."
"One kilogram is about 2.2 pounds," William calculated quickly. His face lit up. "Are you telling me that, in monetary terms, 22 pounds of material costs around $3.1 million?"
"Yes, Sir," Sunday confirmed.
William froze, then grinned widely. "That means every time I trade 200 healing charms with the Predators, I earn $6 billion?"
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I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 471)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 677)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 1059)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1418)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1422)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1452)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1504)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld!(Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 703)
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