192: Chapter 192: Forty Million for a Second-hand Ship!

Lin Zhou put down his headset and let the warm sea breeze of Sanya blow over him, but he felt not a shred of ease in his heart.

His fingertips tapped against the armrest of the lounge chair, one beat, then another; the unhurried rhythm masked a simmering rage.

"Pirates?"

He repeated the word, letting out a cold sneer. What era did they think it was, still playing these underhanded tricks?

This meant that Sterling and his gang had been backed into a corner, exhausted their options, and could only resort to such primitive, barbaric tactics.

"Primitive, but effective." Jack's voice came through the headset, his tone so steady that not a hint of fluctuation could be heard.

"On the high seas, the boundaries of law and order are inherently blurred. Once a cargo ship not flying the naval flag of any sovereign state is hijacked by 'pirates,' it is difficult for the international community to make any substantive response beyond verbal condemnation."

"Once they have the Miracle Seed in hand, and dump the ship and crew in some small Somali port, the case will become an unsolved mystery."

Lin Zhou stood up and walked to the edge of the villa balcony, gazing out at the distant horizon where the water met the sky.

"They think they can do this without anyone knowing?" Lin Zhou asked, his voice flat.

"Yes, my Lord. At least they don't think there will be any consequences if they are discovered. The original plan was to wait for our navy to take shape, but that's not an option right now. I suggest we need an armed merchant ship capable of repelling pirate attacks." Jack quickly got to the point.

"I have already screened second-hand ships available for trade globally. Considering the urgency, a judicial auction ship is the best choice. We can complete the ship's modification in the shortest possible time."

"Give me the specifics."

"The Hong Kong court is auctioning a seized container ship, the 'Haifeng No. 8.' It's twelve years old, Panamanian-flagged, with a total tonnage of 11,000 tons. The maintenance records are good, and the engine system recently underwent a major overhaul."

"Most importantly, it is currently docked at Nansha Port in Guangzhou. All legal procedures are clear. Once purchased, the handover can be completed within forty-eight hours, and it can be sailed away immediately."

This news perked Lin Zhou up. It was exactly what he needed, just like someone delivering a pillow when he was feeling sleepy.

"How much will it cost?"

"The starting bid is 35 million RMB. Based on past transaction records for similar ships, I estimate the final price will be between 40 and 45 million."

Forty-something million RMB was only a little over six million USD. For Lin Zhou, who currently had over 500 million USD sitting in the national treasury, this sum was nothing.

"Contact our legal counsel in Hong Kong immediately and prepare all the bidding materials." Lin Zhou made up his mind. "I want this ship. No matter what the final price is, we must secure it!"

"Understood."

After ending the call, Lin Zhou immediately dialed the encrypted number of the Minister of Revenue, Chen Yuan.

On the other end of the line, Chen Yuan's voice sounded triumphant: "My Lord, how is your vacation going? Let me tell you, the second batch of orders for the 'Miracle Seed' has arrived—this time from Brazil and Argentina, totaling another 30 million USD in intent deposits! Our national treasury is becoming increasingly full!"

Lin Zhou did not share in his joy and spoke directly: "Old Chen, prepare a sum of funds, about 50 million RMB. I need to use it."

There was silence on the other end of the line.

After a few seconds, Chen Yuan's voice returned, tinged with hesitation: "My Lord... 50 million? RMB? Are you... are you planning to buy a seaside villa in Sanya? That's quite a splurge."

"Buying a ship."

"A ship? What kind of ship is that expensive? A yacht? I have no objection to you enjoying life, my Lord, but this... isn't this a bit too extravagant..." Chen Yuan's mental abacus was clicking away.

"A 10,000-ton container ship," Lin Zhou added.

"What the hell?!" Chen Yuan's voice turned shrill. In the background of the call came the noise of chair legs scraping violently against the floor; it sounded like someone had jumped straight out of their chair.

"My Lord! Why are you buying that thing? We don't even do ocean trade! Buying that thing back is just inviting a money pit. The daily docking fees, maintenance costs, and crew wages—it's all money flowing out like water! Our meager savings can't withstand such tossing!"

"Someone is planning to hijack the seeds we're shipping to Africa, right on the ocean. I need an armed merchant ship capable of handling this matter now; I can't wait for a navy that doesn't even exist yet."

There was silence on Chen Yuan's end again. He was a financial steward and didn't understand military conflict, but he could weigh the gravity of these words.

"Hijack... hijack our cargo? Those goddamn bastards! How dare they!" Chen Yuan's voice was filled with the rage of someone whose ledger had been tampered with.

"Stop cursing! We need to prepare immediately. This money must be spent, even if the ship is retired as soon as the navy is in place. We should have had plenty of income recently; buying a second-hand ship shouldn't be a problem, right?" Lin Zhou explained.

"Armed escort..." Chen Yuan muttered to himself. His mind raced, and he immediately grasped the stakes. If the seeds were hijacked, it wouldn't just be a loss of cargo, but a loss of face and credibility for the Cyber Freedom Republic; they could forget about doing business in the future.

Having realized this, his attitude changed instantly.

"Understood, my Lord. Money is a small matter! The national treasury currently has 1.6 billion USD in liquid funds; buying a ship is no problem!" Chen Yuan's tone became resolute.

"I'll prepare 50 million RMB for you first; that should be enough to secure this second-hand ship!"

Hearing his righteous declaration, Lin Zhou felt like laughing. This Minister of Revenue truly valued money more than his own life, but he also knew how to distinguish priorities.

"Alright. Get the funds ready on your end and wait for my notification."

After hanging up, Lin Zhou stood on the balcony for a while longer. The ship matter was underway, but having just the hull wasn't enough; it also needed "teeth" that could bite.

And as for who could outfit this ship with teeth, looking across the whole world, there was only one entity that could get it done as quickly as possible.

He steadied himself and dialed a number he knew by heart.

"Director Zhou, sorry to bother you in your busy schedule. I've run into trouble again." Lin Zhou's tone was very polite.

On the other end of the line, Director Zhou's voice sounded weary, but his articulation remained steady and strong: "Speak. What is it this time? You kid, you're just a trouble-making machine."

"I need weapons, ones that can be packed into a container and can fight pirates." Lin Zhou went straight to the point.

There was a moment of silence from Director Zhou.

"Aren't you preparing to buy patrol boats? Why would you want a containerized weapon system?" His tone grew heavier. "No! You must have heard some wind of something."

Lin Zhou switched to a consultative tone: "Director Zhou, I don't want this either. But right now, a group of pirates has set their sights on our seed ship; by the time the patrol boats are built, it'll be too late."

"Pirates? Hmm! If necessary, our escort fleet can help you resolve these issues."

"Haha! We can't rely on you forever! We have to face these problems sooner or later. Therefore, we urgently need an armed merchant ship now."

It was quiet on the other end of the line for a long time.

After a long while, Director Zhou finally spoke again, his words reflecting a decision made after weighing the options.

"Come over here. We'll talk in person. Some things can't be explained clearly over the phone."