209: Chapter 210 The US Wants to Hitch a Ride on a Spaceship? Tickets Cost One Trillion US Dollars

"Whew……"

Jiang Chen hung up the call with Jiang Wanqiu, his whole body collapsing like a pile of mud into the large, comfortable captain's chair in the command room.

The cross-light-year battlefield crisis just now was even more exhausting than going head-to-head with the alien Machina Legion.

He rubbed his throbbing temples, picked up the cup of goji berry tea on the table that had long since gone cold, and drained it in one gulp, only then barely managing to calm his racing heart.

"Women, truly a species even more unfathomable than antimatter engines."

Jiang Chen sighed long and shook his head.

However, headache or not, there was still real work to be done.

That resource planet in Centaurus, hiding fifty billion tons of gold and an ocean of liquid helium-3, was still beckoning to him from the distant deep space.

That was his future betrothal gift and the cornerstone for Earth's advancement into the interstellar era; as long as it wasn't in his hands, he wouldn't feel at ease.

"Academician Chen Shuyin, has the ship-wide self-check been completed?"

Jiang Chen sat up straight and called out to Academician Chen Shuyin, who was busy at the console next to him.

Although Academician Chen Shuyin was pregnant, whenever it came to scientific research and interstellar expeditions, her workaholic drive was greater than anyone else's.

She didn't even lift her head, staring at the data stream cascading like a waterfall on the screen, her cold voice tinged with irrepressible excitement.

"The Curvature Engine has finished preheating, the energy shield output is stable, and the life support system is operating normally."

"As long as you give the order, the 'luan bird' is ready to tear through space and perform an interstellar jump at any time!"

"Very good." Jiang Chen snapped his fingers in satisfaction.

He stood up, walked to the massive panoramic viewport, and looked at the boundless deep space outside, a surge of unprecedented ambition rising in his chest.

This time, he wasn't going to flee, nor was he going to fight a defensive war.

He was going to conquer the sea of stars!

Just as Jiang Chen was about to press the red button symbolizing the start of the voyage.

"Beep—! Beep—!"

An abrupt call suddenly came through the command room's encrypted communication channel.

"Boss, there is an external encrypted signal requesting access."

Zhao Gang, responsible for communication monitoring, frowned. After glancing at the identification code on the screen, his expression instantly became somewhat strange. "It is... from the Americans. And it is the highest-priority line from The White House."

"The Americans?"

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow, his hand pausing over the red button.

Ever since those guys sent agents to steal Pikachu and got charred by electricity, and then got scammed out of one hundred billion by his Photonic Chip, they had been well-behaved for quite a long time.

Why were they popping up now?

"Patch it through." Jiang Chen sat back in the captain's chair, crossed his legs, and a signature, profiteering grin—the kind one gives to a sucker—appeared on his face. "I want to see what kind of trouble these people are trying to stir up now."

The screen flashed, and a massive holographic projection unfolded in the center of the command room.

The familiar old face of The President appeared on the screen.

However, compared to his previous arrogant posture of looking down his nose at everyone, The President was now humble to the point of being in the dust.

He not only had his hair meticulously styled but had even specially changed into an extremely formal tuxedo.

Even through the screen, one could feel the obsequiousness and flattery practically overflowing.

"Oh! Respected Mr. Jiang! How are you!"

The President folded his hands in front of his chest and actually performed an extremely awkward cupped-hand salute, the smile on his face as bright as a blooming old chrysanthemum.

"I am terribly sorry to disturb you so late. I wonder if you have the time now to listen to this old man ramble for a moment?"

Jiang Chen looked at him in this state and almost couldn't help but laugh out loud.

If they are showing courtesy for no reason, they are up to no good.

The dignified President, actually bowing and scraping before him, a young man from the Dragon Kingdom—if this scene were released, it would probably drive the global media crazy.

"The President is too polite." Jiang Chen leaned against the back of his chair, twirling a pen he had pulled from somewhere, his tone lazy. "Speak your mind; I'm in a rush to leave."

"It is like this, Mr. Jiang..."

The President rubbed his hands together, his eyes flashing with a light called 'extreme desire'.

He swallowed his saliva and cautiously probed:

"Our intelligence department... ahem, our astronomical observatory noticed that your great 'luan bird' interstellar warship seems to be preheating its engines before a long voyage?"

"I heard... you are preparing to head to Centaurus for interstellar exploration?"

Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes and sneered.

Although the US's intelligence network had been crippled by him, movements in space really couldn't be hidden from those military satellites that were staring fixedly at him.

"That's right, just dropping by to visit some relatives." Jiang Chen admitted it generously, even deliberately lifting his chin. "What, does The President have any advice? Want to stop me?"

"I wouldn't dare! Absolutely not!"

The President waved his hands repeatedly in fear, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

Stop you? With what? With those aircraft carriers of mine that are still soaking in the sea and leaking electricity?

He took a deep breath, and finally revealed his true purpose for this communication:

"Mr. Jiang, you know that interstellar exploration is the common dream of all mankind! As a former... um, one of the current major countries on Earth, we Americans are also full of curiosity about the universe."

"Look, your warship is so big, there must be plenty of empty seats inside, right?"

The President leaned forward, his tone almost pleading:

"Can you... take us with you?"

"We will just send a few top astronauts and scientists to follow you to Centaurus to learn and broaden their horizons!"

"Don't worry! We definitely won't ride for free! We are willing to pay an exploration fee! Consider it as... buying a ticket?"

Hearing this, the pen in Jiang Chen's hand stopped.

Academician Chen Shuyin and Zhao Gang beside him also exchanged glances, both seeing deep disdain in each other's eyes.

If they want to hitch a ride, they should just say so; why talk about broadening horizons?

To put it bluntly, they were afraid that if the Dragon Kingdom discovered some earth-shattering alien technology or endless resources in Centaurus, they, the Americans, wouldn't even get a sip of the soup!

At a time like this, instead of thinking about how to develop their own technology, they came shamelessly begging for a ride; this level of shamelessness was truly very American.

"Want to buy a ticket?"

Jiang Chen rubbed his chin and didn't immediately refuse.

In his mind, an invisible capitalist calculator was running wildly.

Since the other party had voluntarily stretched out the sheep's neck, if he didn't slaughter it properly, it would be an insult to his title as 'President of Pinxixi Technology'!

"The President, it's not impossible to take a few people."

Jiang Chen sat up straight, crossed his hands on the desktop, and put on an extremely professional business negotiation expression. "You know, I am always easy to talk to, and I value commercial fairness the most."

The President's eyes lit up, his ecstasy overflowing: "Thank you so much! Mr. Jiang, you are truly a model for all mankind! As for the exploration fee, do you think one hundred million USD is enough?"

In his view, one hundred million USD for a few space tickets was already an astronomical price.

"One hundred million?"

Jiang Chen sneered, looking at him as if he were a poor beggar.

"The President, do you have some misunderstanding about the cost of interstellar travel?"

"My 'luan bird' burns high-purity antimatter fuel and liquid helium-3! Do you think it's one of your family's crappy rockets that burns aviation kerosene?"

Jiang Chen began to count on his fingers, starting to calculate in all seriousness:

"You calculate it: from Earth to Centaurus, 4.2 light-years! How much fuel will that burn?"

"How do you calculate the depreciation of the spaceship? How do you calculate the wear and tear of the Curvature Engine?"

"In case we run into a black hole or a meteor shower on the way, how do you calculate the mental distress and insurance premiums?"

The President listened, dumbfounded, the smile on his face gradually solidifying: "Then... then what do you mean?"

Jiang Chen smiled slightly, held up a finger, and said in a firm tone:

"One ticket."

"One trillion USD."

"No bargaining, no installments, cash only."

Dead silence.

The President on the other end of the video seemed to have been struck on the crown of his head by an invisible bolt of lightning.

His mouth was wide open, his eyeballs almost popping out of their sockets, and he was like a frozen statue, not breathing for a full half-minute.

The Chief of Staff beside him rolled his eyes and collapsed onto the carpet in fright.

"One... one trillion?!"

The President finally came back to his senses, his voice as shrill as a rooster being strangled. "Jiang Chen! Have you lost your mind?!"

"One trillion USD for a ticket?! Why don't you just go rob someone?!"

"How could robbery be faster than selling tickets?" Jiang Chen spread his hands with extreme innocence.

"This is extortion! This is blackmail!" The President was trembling with rage, slamming his hand on the desk. "How much is the US's annual military budget? You ask for a trillion right off the bat! This is absolutely impossible! No one can afford such an outrageous price!"

"Can't afford it?"

Jiang Chen picked his ear, looking indifferent.

He snapped his fingers and said to Academician Chen Shuyin beside him: "Academician Chen Shuyin, cut the communication. Since they can't afford it, there's no point in talking."

The picture on the screen began to flicker, ready to cut off at any moment.

"Wait!" The President panicked. Although he was so angry he could vomit blood, he knew the consequences of being left behind on Earth.

If the Dragon Kingdom really established an intergalactic hegemony in Centaurus, then the US wouldn't even have the qualifications to be a dog!

"Mr. Jiang! We can negotiate the price! Give us a discount! How about ten percent?" The President pleaded without any bottom line.

"No bargaining." Jiang Chen's attitude was as cold and hard as a titanium alloy plate.

He looked down at The President in the video, who was furious but helpless, shrugged his shoulders, and threw out the final, soul-crushing sentence:

"Think it's expensive?"

"If you think it's expensive, go build your own spaceship."

"If you can't build a spaceship..."

A malicious, mocking smirk curled up on the corner of Jiang Chen's mouth:

"Then put on your spacesuits and swim over."

"Do you think my spaceship fuel falls from the sky and doesn't cost money?"

The President clutched his violently heaving chest, his face turning from pale to livid, his lips trembling so much he couldn't even say a complete sentence.

"Click."

Jiang Chen couldn't be bothered to look at this old face anymore and directly pressed the cut-off button.

The world was quiet again.

"Boss, will they really pay a trillion for a ticket?" Zhao Gang felt this was simply a fantasy.

"Don't worry." Jiang Chen leaned back in his chair, looking at the starry sky outside. "For those profit-seeking capitalists, falling behind is worse than death. Even if they have to smash their pots and sell their iron, or sell national bonds, they will grit their teeth and pay this money."