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Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: East Asia Internal Conference

When Zhou Junguo entered the conference room, only Ying Shaojun, the nation's premier, was present, reclining in his chair with eyes closed in repose.

The man appeared to be in his fifties, with slightly graying temples, dressed in a well-fitted black suit. Hearing the door open, he opened his piercingly bright black eyes.

A smile surfaced on his face as he gestured invitingly: "Please, have a seat. Wei Tong and Si Zhe will need a few more minutes."

Zhou Junguo bowed slightly before sitting down: "Are they both in the capital?"

"Si Zhe is. Wei Tong went to space—he'll join the meeting remotely later."

After speaking, Ying Shaojun added: "Since we have a few minutes, I'd like to discuss Zhou Tianming with you."

Zhou Junguo stiffened, turning his head away awkwardly to avoid Ying Shaojun's gaze: "What is there to say about Tianming..."

"Your family affairs aren't my place to interfere with." Ying Shaojun's expression turned playful. "I've had people keep Zhou Tianming's origins under wraps for now. Liu Qi won't receive any news of it yet, but this matter remains a latent issue. Think it through properly and have a good talk with Liu Qi later."

"Ah..." Zhou Junguo sighed. "A family disgrace indeed."

Ying Shaojun chuckled: "Who would've thought Hanxiang could do something like this? Everyone praised her as quiet and well-behaved when she was young—clearly, we misjudged her."

"Heh..." Zhou Junguo's lips twitched into an awkward smile. "I'll give it some proper thought."

Ying Shaojun nodded in satisfaction.

At that moment, the door opened, and a man in his forties entered—wearing frameless glasses, his cheeks slightly gaunt. "Apologies for being late."

Ying Shaojun waved him in: "Take a seat. You're not late—Wei Tong hasn't connected yet."

No sooner had he spoken than the projector above one of the seats flickered to life, casting pale blue light downward. A figure materialized in the seat—a muscular man around 38 years old, with a crew cut, sharp eyes, and standing at 1.9 meters tall.

The man nodded at Ying Shaojun before scanning the room: "Just the few of us?"

"It doesn't concern the others much." As he spoke, Ying Shaojun operated his computer, sending a report to Lu Sizhe and Wei Tong: "Review this—it's the report Junguo submitted this morning."

The two men skimmed through it. After a moment, Lu Sizhe was the first to speak: "Interesting. Suppressing nuclear energy is already feasible now, but miniaturization and portability have remained impossible. If this issue is resolved, it would indeed be an effective measure."

"Nuclear-armed nations want defensive solutions, while non-nuclear states seek countermeasures. This line of thinking isn't surprising."

Wei Tong added: "Without nuclear deterrence, war would break out immediately. Those restless nations and factions have long resented us Council of Nations members."

Ying Shaojun nodded: "The energy crisis is actually the least of our concerns."

Zhou Junguo spoke up at this moment: "I've consulted with the Commerce Department. With nuclear energy disabled and during wartime, if new energy sources emerge as replacements, the profits would easily exceed quadrillions, with 100% monopoly."

The other three nodded in agreement.

Lu Sizhe said, "It's quite challenging. Technological advancements sometimes stagnate for centuries without significant changes, while at other times they suddenly leap forward. Without understanding the method of suppressing nuclear energy, it's hard to counteract. We're also uncertain if we'll have enough time."

"Quite the scheme," Wei Tong said with a disgusted expression. "During wartime, we'd have no choice but to purchase the new energy sources. Otherwise, falling behind even slightly could mean total defeat, and the prices would likely skyrocket by dozens or even hundreds of times."

Ying Shaojun remarked, "Such tactics—must be LOGOS again."

"I think so too," Zhou Junguo nodded. "If Wei Jun hadn't survived and brought this to our attention, no one would have even considered this possibility."

"LOGOS's technological prowess in weaponry is undoubtedly advanced," Lu Sizhe added. "Since they've already made their move, they likely already have a solution to suppress nuclear energy. In this regard, we're lagging behind."

Wei Tong frowned, pondered for a long while, and then sighed. "Dealing with them won't be easy. Apart from us, the Atlantic region is completely infiltrated. Over 70% of the global economy is tied to their industries. Frankly, at this point, we're powerless against them."

"Enough," Ying Shaojun rapped his knuckles lightly on the table. "Now that we've identified the problem, we'll find a solution."

"Sizhe, have your team draft a contingency plan for suppressing nuclear energy. Make it comprehensive."

"Yes, sir."

Turning to Wei Tong, Ying Shaojun continued, "Wei Tong, we can't let Wei Jun's matter slide. Treat it as a training exercise—clean up the cosmic junk. Things have gotten too chaotic."

"Understood." Wei Tong grinned, his smile sinister. "I'll sever all the Atlantic's tentacles that have been lurking in there over the years."

"Junguo, put some pressure on the Junk Dealers. Tell them to either shape up or ship out. Also, during the meeting, have someone probe the Atlantic and LOGOS to gauge their reactions."

"Got it."

Ying Shaojun looked at each of them, his tone serious. "The Council of Nations Meeting is about to begin. I don't want any issues. Everyone, ensure your departments are in order."

His tone softened slightly. "Meeting adjourned. Get some rest."

The men exchanged smiles, bid farewell, and left.

...

At 10 a.m., Zhou Tianming and Zhou Hanxiang disembarked from their flight.

Zhou Tianming held Hanxiang's hand with one hand while scrolling through his phone with the other, head bowed.

Hanxiang tugged him along, weaving through the crowd, but soon frowned. "Zhou Tianming, watch where you're going. You can check your phone later."

Tianming looked up and pocketed his phone. "Done. Let's go."

"What were you doing just now?"

"Considering we'll be coming here often, I chartered a plane."

Hanxiang glared at him. "Wasting money. You might as well buy one outright."

He shook his head. "Nah, no need. I'd rather spend it on the Black Tortoise."

Half an hour later, the two arrived at the shipyard.

The shipyard was even busier than before. Long Ye was directing the crew as they operated equipment to dismantle the Black Tortoise.

Li Chuang sat on a chair nearby, working on design blueprints.

The pair approached. Hanxiang sat to the side, curiously watching the dismantling process, while Tianming sidled up to Li Chuang.

"Uncle Li, working on the designs?"

Li Chuang smiled and nodded: "Perfect timing. I modified the old Black Tortoise blueprints—take a look."

Zhou Tianming examined them carefully as Li Chuang pointed out various sections with explanations.

Listening intently, Zhou Tianming pondered.

"I want the Black Tortoise to have strong defenses, high speed, and a variety of weapons to handle any situation."

Li Chuang froze for a moment, then laughed helplessly: "Are you preparing for fleet warfare?"

"Better safe than sorry, right? Is that so wrong?"

"It's tough. The technical requirements are high. The Black Tortoise is a small ship, after all. Many systems can't be installed without miniaturization, and you know how that goes..."

Zhou Tianming nodded in understanding—once equipment involved miniaturization, the price would skyrocket.

"Plus, there's a bigger issue. We can only use publicly available tech for modifications. Offense, defense, and speed can't all be prioritized—you'll have to compromise."

Li Chuang thought for a moment: "Without new proprietary tech, we can only fulfill one of those three."

Damn.

Zhou Tianming hadn't considered that at all. Why were there so many different spaceship manufacturers? Because others had exclusive tech.

Seemed like technology would be another major expense.

After a pause, he said, "Uncle Li, draft the designs based on my ideas first. Use whatever new tech is commercially available, then calculate the total cost so I can see if I have enough funds."

"Quite the ambitious kid." Long Ye approached from the side. "What do you plan to use the Black Tortoise for? Trade, combat, exploration—each requires completely different tech and equipment."

"Combat."

"What about living conditions? Spacious, or prioritizing combat systems? How many crew members? The number affects oxygen, food storage, and the size of related equipment..."

Long Ye fired off a rapid series of questions, leaving Zhou Tianming dizzy.

He just wanted to fight! Thrills!

He'd never considered any of this.

"Spaceship Pilot License, Offensive Weaponry Permit, Cosmic Commerce License..." Long Ye listed more certifications. "Never heard of them, have you?"

Zhou Tianming nodded blankly.

Long Ye burst into laughter: "These days, illiterates can't pilot spaceships. Better hit the books."

A full-body shudder.

He was having flashbacks.

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