40: Chapter 40 Don't be impulsive! Interdimensional teleportation fees are very expensive!

That number was blood-red.

It wasn't static; it scrolled wildly like an old-fashioned slot machine, and finally, with an arrogance that screamed "You can't afford this at all," it slammed into the center of the screen.

[1,000,000,000 Energy Points]

One billion.

The string of zeros behind it was so dense it almost triggered Jiang Chen's trypophobia.

"How much?!"

Jiang Chen's voice cracked instantly, even laced with a tremor of disbelief, "System, did you accidentally add an extra 'ten thousand'? One billion to teleport a living person? Why don't you just go rob a bank!"

You have to realize, how many Energy Points did that gold belt of his fetch earlier? A few hundred!

By comparison, this wasn't teleportation; this was clearly trying to buy the entire Milky Way Galaxy as a travel fee.

The System seemed to have anticipated his reaction, popping up an extremely considerate [Cost Breakdown and Conversion Reference]:

[Target Individual: Jiang Wanqiu (High-Energy Lifeform, Genetic Lock Activated).]

[Equipment Carried: Nano-Tactical Suit (High-Tech Item).]

[Cross-Dimensional Barrier Loss: 99.9% (Most energy used to chisel through the dimensional wall).]

[Conversion Reference 1: If using high-purity gold for charging, approximately 100 tons are required (based on current gold prices, approximately 50 billion RMB).]

[Conversion Reference 2: If using electrical energy for charging, it requires the total power generation of a large nuclear power plant operating at full capacity for one year.]

[Note: Dear, cross-dimensional romance is a luxury item; don't be impulsive if you don't have the money.]

"Pfft—"

Jiang Chen felt like he had been shot in the chest with an arrow; a mouthful of old blood almost sprayed onto the holographic projection.

One hundred tons of gold?

Fifty billion RMB?

Even if he sold himself, he wouldn't be worth a fraction of that!

A moment ago, he had felt like a tycoon worth billions, even wanting to walk sideways in Tianhai City.

But in this second, in front of this super "gold-devouring beast" of a System, he was instantly beaten back to his original form, becoming a pauper who couldn't even afford to pick up his wife.

Poverty not only limits the imagination but also limits the ability to meet up for long-distance relationships.

"Father God?"

Jiang Wanqiu's holographic image was still standing there.

She seemed to notice the change in Jiang Chen's expression; the fervor in her eyes cooled slightly, becoming a bit anxious.

"Is it... is Wanqiu too heavy?"

She looked down at her figure. Although it was curvaceous, as an enhanced soldier, her bone density and muscle mass were indeed far superior to ordinary people.

"If it's because of this, Wanqiu can lose weight! Or..."

She bit her lip, her hand resting on the buttons of her collar, her eyes filled with a determination to meet Father God at any cost:

"Or, I can take off this battle armor and come over naked! That should be much lighter, right?"

"No! Stop! Don't you dare!"

Jiang Chen waved his hands frantically, his eyes nearly popping out.

Just kidding, taking it off would save a billion? That would make this System too user-friendly.

Besides, if she really came over naked, the picture would be too beautiful, and he was afraid that before he could even be happy, he would be arrested for "distributing obscene and pornographic material."

"Ahem, Wanqiu, it's not that you're heavy, nor is it the clothes."

Jiang Chen took a deep breath, struggling to maintain his unfathomable "Father God" persona. Since he couldn't afford the money, he could only use the "bluffing" technique.

He looked at the expectant girl, his tone deep and filled with "helpless" care:

"It's the world's barrier that is too thick."

"The timing is not yet mature. If we force a teleportation, the space-time turbulence might hurt you. I cannot allow you to take that risk."

This excuse was high-sounding and impeccable.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wanqiu was so moved that tears were about to fall.

So Father God was doing this for her safety!

"Wanqiu understands!"

She nodded vigorously, her eyes becoming firm again, even carrying a trace of guilt, "It is Wanqiu who was too impatient and did not consider your painstaking efforts. Wanqiu will continue to cultivate and wait for the day when the time is ripe! No matter how long it takes, Wanqiu will wait for you!"

"Good, be good."

Jiang Chen guiltily cut off the video call.

As that beautiful figure dissipated into the air, the room plunged back into darkness.

Jiang Chen collapsed powerlessly onto the bed, staring at the chandelier on the ceiling, feeling as if his body had been hollowed out.

One billion Energy Points.

Fifty billion RMB.

If he relied on selling gold, he would have to empty half of the world's vaults, and such a large influx of gold into the market would definitely cause global financial turmoil.

By then, let alone the Eagle Country, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council would all be out to kill him.

That left only one path.

Electricity.

"The power generation of a nuclear power plant for one year..."

Jiang Chen muttered to himself, rolling over, his mind frantically calculating the feasibility.

Buying electricity was definitely not an option.

Not to mention that the tiered industrial electricity price would bankrupt him, even if he had the money, the State Grid could not possibly transmit all the electricity from a nuclear power plant to him alone.

That would paralyze half of China's power grid, and General Qin Weiguo would be the first to bring people to arrest him and slice him up.

Unless...

I generate the electricity myself.

"I have that formula."

Jiang Chen sat up abruptly, his eyes growing brighter—it was the fervor of a gambler seeing the last hope of a turnaround.

"That 'Coke bottle' formula mocked by the Eagle Country!"

"That formula which was treated as a joke by physicists worldwide, yet they had to kneel and study it!"

"As long as the materials keep up and the equipment is in place, I can build a real Controlled Nuclear Fusion reactor!"

"By then, never mind a nuclear power plant, I'll build an 'artificial sun' right in my own backyard! I can charge however I want! Let alone bringing Wanqiu over, I could even move the entire Dawn City over!"

This wasn't just about picking up his wife.

This was also about truly establishing a foothold in this world.

With infinite energy, he would be the true God of Earth!

By then, any sanctions from the Eagle Country, any energy crisis, would all be jokes.

"Let's do it!"

Jiang Chen punched the mattress, grabbed his phone, and checked the time.

Three in the morning.

But he didn't care about disturbing anyone; he dialed that red encrypted number directly.

"Beep—beep—"

The phone rang for a long time before being answered. From the other end came Dean Zhong's groggy voice, still carrying a heavy nasal tone, clearly having been woken up:

"Hello... who is it? In the middle of the night..."

"Old Zhong, it's me, Jiang Chen."

Jiang Chen's voice was terrifyingly calm, yet it carried a madness that made one's heart jump.

Hearing this name, Zhong Guodong instantly woke up halfway, hurriedly putting on his glasses and sitting up from bed:

"What's wrong, little ancestor? Did something happen? Is someone trying to assassinate you? Or did that android explode?"

"No."

Jiang Chen walked to the window, looking at the searchlight beams shooting straight into the clouds from the West Suburb Base in the distance, a wild, ambitious arc curling at the corner of his mouth.

"I just wanted to notify you."

"Tomorrow morning, bring the top nuclear physics team under your command, as well as the engineering team, and bring them all to my base."

Dean Zhong was stunned for a moment, his brain not yet having processed the information:

"What for? Are you going to grow nuclear-powered sweet potatoes?"

"No."

Jiang Chen took a deep breath and said word by word:

"I am going to build a sun."

"A real... Controlled Nuclear Fusion."

On the other end of the phone, there was dead silence.

Immediately following was a clattering sound of heavy objects hitting the floor; it seemed Dean Zhong had fallen off the bed, phone and all.

This night was destined to be sleepless.

And Jiang Chen's legend had only just begun.

(Volume 1: Rise of the Commoner and the Great Power's Heavy Weapon · End)