Free Web NovelChapter 2394: Chapter 2386: Targeted
After another two days, Hesheng finished making the remaining four pieces of equipment and transported them to the storage yard, and received the energy stones again at midnight.
He Runxian was indeed cautious and immediately mobilized workers for overnight transportation, but unfortunately, he had exposed too much beforehand.
Besides being intercepted by patrols, there was also the overnight transportation of energy stones from outside, and the previous movements at the storage yard didn’t escape the Official Government’s observation.
Speaking of Hesheng’s influence on Xingzheng Star, it really is significant, but there are also those who aren’t intimidated by it, especially now with the wartime mechanism in place, it’s quite convenient to target them.
Moreover, there has been such a commotion in the production base recently that many people know the base has received an order, only that nobody knows what is being produced, leading to a lot of speculations.
Thus, the next morning, an unmanned surveillance drone flew over the production base, notifying Hesheng’s people of a routine inspection.
If it were another time, Hesheng might have been able to refuse on grounds of ’business confidentiality’—after all, the land was bought by them, and their technology is indeed advanced enough to warrant secrecy, but it’s wartime now, so complying is the right move.
Besides, these inspections truly benefit the public as some undetected Insect Race have high stealth capabilities, and ordinary people can’t possibly detect them. Like the ’Shadow Wasp,’ it almost ambushed Feng Jun.
He Runxian was somewhat cautious, but still thought it was a show of care from the Official Government towards Hesheng—as they had also cared for them a lot in the past, mainly because Hesheng genuinely brought honor to this planet.
What he didn’t know was that in a data analysis room a hundred kilometers away, someone was closely tracking signals.
A voice then spoke, "They’ve been located... the position where they transported things last night, there are residues of energy stone fragments. The calculated conclusion is that there’s a 91.3% possibility they were transporting energy stones."
"Energy stones... Has the He family gone mad?" someone gasped, "Daring to conceal energy stones at this time?"
"Whether it’s concealment is not for you and me to define," the previous voice spoke again, "Maybe they have stockpiles; you’ve seen Hesheng workers’ posts crying poverty."
"So what do we do now?" the latter voice asked, "Suggest we directly initiate a search on Hesheng? I’m feeling a bit weak in the knees."
Directly initiating an investigation is the most normal reaction; they both had the authority to propose it, but... this was Hesheng.
"Report it," the first voice replied calmly, "I’m not worried about Hesheng holding a grudge; I’m just afraid someone might think our actions will alert them... Anyway, given Hesheng’s size, choosing to report it aligns with protocol for the sake of stability."
After Feng Jun received the mining equipment, he wasn’t in a hurry to leave—he was waiting for the other party’s final count.
This time, he paid with thirty-seven thousand five hundred tons of energy stones. To avoid disputes over losses, he threw in an extra fifty tons. Once the other party confirmed it, both orders would be considered completely finished.
Though it’s considered completely finished, he was actually waiting for the third order—after all, he wouldn’t mention it first and would wait for the other party to bring it up.
He Runxian was also particularly meticulous, and after counting, proactively contacted Feng Jun’s handheld device, saying it seemed he had given thirty tons too much.
A transaction of a hundred thousand tons, with a discrepancy of tens of tons, basically amounts to a margin. A difference of about twenty tons is really nothing.
Even with the strictest standards, a margin of error of one per thousand is permissible, which would be a hundred tons.
He Runxian meant that Hesheng would not take advantage of him for that small amount—what was given extra is indeed extra.
Feng Jun was also straightforward: I gave you over fifty tons extra, if you feel it’s thirty tons, let it be thirty tons; those fragments can just be considered loss.
Both parties had an earnest business discussion approach, so He Runxian then suggested, shall we discuss the third order?
Sure, Feng Jun wouldn’t refuse. Go ahead, how many pieces of equipment, and how will the transaction proceed?
He Runxian had already discussed with He Huiqing; since the other party was trustworthy, they couldn’t mess it up either, so the next order would be thirty pieces, ten days later in a star system two hundred million kilometers away, where he could pick them up.
Ten days for two hundred million kilometers... Feng Jun found it quite challenging, twenty million a day, a million an hour, over two hundred kilometers per second, he really couldn’t fly that fast, nor could the warship, not even Yi Jue, only a True Sage could.
But it didn’t matter, there were only two True Sages in the star system; even if the Fisherman wouldn’t help, he could find Ren Tu.
So he didn’t react much... Continue speaking.
He Runxian indeed had a lot more to say. Strictly speaking, the headquarters was preparing thirty-two pieces of equipment, thirty underground equipment, and two open-pit mining equipment—the open-pit equipment is easier to manufacture, but there’s very little stock.
For thirty pieces of underground mining equipment, they couldn’t calculate at one piece equaling ten thousand tons of energy stones, because these were equipment brought in from outside, and the price of energy stones in those places hasn’t appreciated. It was due to the war on Xingzheng Star that energy stones appreciated in value.
So for those equipment, one piece was worth eighteen thousand, and thirty pieces meant five hundred and forty thousand tons of energy stones.
Hearing this requirement, Feng Jun couldn’t help but comment, "But over fifty thousand tons of energy stones, do they have to be placed with you?"
Discussing issues without considering the specific environment is playing rogue, Shi Kefa was a traitor who resisted Guojia unification after all.
However, He Runxian had his own reasoning, "Sir, if you don’t trade with me, you’d have to go through the Federation’s account and be subject to its regulation... besides, you can’t buy equipment with energy stones!"
"That’s really nonsense," Feng Jun snorted. He simply didn’t believe that there were no underground transactions in the Human Federation here; it was merely a question of whether you were qualified to participate. In any world, where there’s light, there’s darkness.
Yet, he didn’t intend to say much on this matter. The other’s rebuttal reminded him: Since it’s an underground transaction, don’t say too much.
So he expressed, "Continue."
There was more to say about continuing, as He Runxian mentioned that although the manufacturing of those two open-pit mining equipment was simpler, they were much larger and more expensive, and required custom modifications, each costing thirty thousand tons of energy stones.
Feng Jun had experienced tunnel mining equipment, and two pieces of equipment were equivalent to full excavation power of a Golden Core. And using such equipment, a Golden Core did not need to expend much spiritual energy.
The elderly often say: Saving is making.
Here, a common knowledge needs to be spread: Compared to battlefield conflicts, Golden Core mining doesn’t consume much spiritual energy and doesn’t require spending talismans or true artifacts. However, the spiritual energy consumption in mining is indeed considerable.
Anyhow, Feng Jun believed it was definitely worth it to purchase tunnel mining equipment, so buying open-pit mining equipment surely wouldn’t be a loss either.
Being a bit more expensive is quite normal, because open-pit mining efficiency is so high.
Moreover, the other’s attitude was very clear. Whether or not they could provide, or wanted him to try it out, at the initial stage, they only provided two units. It was indeed mutually convenient.
What’s a bit pricier? If it’s not economical, just don’t buy it in the future. We are only discussing the third order anyway.
Who knows where the fourth, fifth, and sixth orders might be.
Nevertheless, He Runxian’s excessive demands didn’t stop there. He claimed that because production was elsewhere, and those people were not miserable from the Insect Race blockade, a down payment of thirty percent was necessary.
Excessive? Feng Jun found it somewhat excessive, but he lacked the corresponding commercial knowledge of this world, so he could only reference Earth’s knowledge.
In Huaxia on Earth, a thirty percent down payment wasn’t considered excessive, especially custom large mechanical equipment often had specific usage conditions. If the buyer chose not to purchase, the seller wouldn’t know who else to sell it to.
Thus, in Earth’s contracts, down payments are non-refundable, whereas deposits can be refunded.
You can understand it as one being custom orders, the other pre-orders. With this understanding, the two concepts won’t be confused.
Calculating this way, Feng Junguang would have to pay a down payment of eighteen thousand tons of energy stones.
Thirty tunnel mining devices for fifty-four thousand tons, two open-pit mining devices for six thousand tons, totaling sixty thousand tons, no issue.
Beyond that, Feng Jun also had to be responsible for transporting nearly ten thousand tons of food and medical equipment to Xingzheng Star.
This condition was somewhat excessive, but He Runxian stated, "We’ll cover shipping costs, just name your price."
Director He conveyed an underlying message: We are not trying to take advantage of you, and even if you are a broker, the He family doesn’t lack money. What should be collected is collected, and what should be paid will be acknowledged.
He even subtly implied another meaning: The medical equipment and pharmaceuticals we purchase are indeed somewhat excessive, but... we need them to be tributed to Xingzheng Star; with war erupting, the entire planet is in shortage of such supplies.
Since you have the means, and we’ve chosen this route, isn’t it just right to do us a favor?
Feng Jun’s mind didn’t oppose these perspectives. He had a very simple belief: When poor, maintain one’s integrity; when prosperous, help the world.
Anyway, he didn’t lack energy stones. After stealing the Insect Race’s stone and exploiting it, the energy stones he held were counted by billions of tons—if it didn’t have such high value, the Insect Race wouldn’t have sacrificed so many Nascent Souls there.
Dozens of thousand tons... is that even a concern? He merely disliked being deceived.
Thus, he answered straightforwardly, "Alright, no problem, a down payment of eighteen thousand tons of energy stones, correct? You can collect it tonight."
He Runxian also didn’t find this an issue—the deal was indeed substantial, but both sides had a basis for cooperation before. Plus, the opposite party was paying a third of the down payment upfront, allowing them to stock up.
The real concern was how to allocate the transport for that ten thousand tons of supplies.
That evening, Feng Jun already placed eighteen thousand tons of energy stones at the storage yard—the storage yard was truly large; it could accommodate up to one hundred and eighty thousand tons.
Then he planned to leave, as he needed to collect the goods, but he wasn’t familiar with the map in that area, let alone the footsteps, requiring significant time to prepare.
Yet, in the next moment, Feng Jun abruptly stopped, furrowing his brow slightly, "Hmm?"
(Third update, seeking guaranteed monthly tickets for December at the beginning of the month.)
