176: Chapter 86 Made a killing

The paulownia trees outside the Imperial Study in Jinling had been shorn bare by the autumn wind; their naked branches stretched out under the gray sky like countless gaunt, bony fingers, etching chaotic strokes against the leaden firmament.

The paper on the windows billowed and caved under the wind, emitting a low, mournful whistling that intertwined with the faint sound of steam whistles drifting from the distant naval port, appearing exceptionally clear in the silence of the afternoon, like an elegy unheard by anyone.

Li Ling sat behind the large rosewood desk, with a thick stack of documents spread out before him; the yellowing pages were densely packed with numbers, annotations, and red markings.

He was not reviewing memorials as usual, but rather sat with his legs crossed, holding a cup of cold Longjing tea, a smug smile hanging on the corners of his lips that made one want to punch him.

A few unfurled tender leaves floated on the surface of the tea, shimmering with an amber luster in the afternoon sunlight slanting through the lattice windows, reflecting the irrepressible smile on his face.

But he clearly had no time to savor the tea; the cup had gone from hot to cold without him taking a single sip, as he merely clutched it in his hand to use as a hand warmer.

On the ledger before him, a startling string of figures was circled in vermilion—it was the final payment for the first batch of Longhuang-class Battleships just delivered by the German Empire, amounting to a full twelve million taels of silver.

His fingers traced lightly over that line of numbers, his fingertips feeling the slightly raised ink on the paper as if touching a priceless treasure; the warmth spread from his fingertips to his heart, making him feel light, as if he were walking on clouds.

"Host, you're about to drool." The System's voice rang out abruptly in his mind, carrying its usual disdain. "Can you have a little dignity? You are the Emperor of the Tang Country, a hegemon of a region, so don't act like some nouveau riche who just struck it lucky. If those foreign ambassadors saw you like this, they'd think the Emperor of the Tang Country is a parvenu."

"Let it flow, I don't mind." Li Ling took a sip of the cold tea and smacked his lips indifferently; the bitterness of the tea refreshed him. "Do you know what kind of calculation I just made? From the first arms order until now, the revenue from selling warships alone is enough for me to build ten more Longhuang-class ships! Ten! Just imagine, ten Longhuang-class ships appearing on the sea at the same time—what kind of scene would that be? The British Royal Navy would be so scared they'd all jump into the sea, and even their Naval Minister would jump straight out of his office."

"The System has calculated it more clearly than you. The German Empire's order for two large Battleships, the Meijian Country's order for four battlecruisers, plus the batch of Cruisers that The British have recently been sneaking around to inquire about... the net profit is approximately forty-seven million taels of silver. According to the monstrous efficiency of your Production Base, the cost is not even ten percent."

The System paused, as if retrieving data; that brief silence made Li Ling's heart tighten slightly. "However, you must be careful; the money from the people of Meijian Country is not so easy to take. While they are buying warships, they are also stepping up support for Japan to rebuild its navy. The latest intelligence shows that the Meijian Country has provided a thirty-million-dollar low-interest loan to Japan for rebuilding shipbuilding capabilities in Sasebo and Yokosuka. In addition, they have secretly dispatched over thirty naval technical advisors to Japan to assist in training crew and officers; some of them are veterans who retired from the Spanish-American War and have considerable combat experience. This group has already started working at the Yokosuka naval factory, and their main mission is to help Japan restore its ship repair and construction capabilities. Additionally, the System has detected a batch of British-made torpedo tubes that arrived in Japan through third-party channels; although the quantity is not large, it shows that The British are also helping in secret."

"And so what?" Li Ling smiled indifferently and set the teacup down on the table with a crisp clatter, splashing a few drops of tea onto the ledger, which he casually wiped off with his sleeve. "Even with the blood transfusion from Meijian Country, it will take Japan two years to rebuild a decent fleet. Two years from now, my third Longhuang-class ship will have already been launched. By then, that pile of scrap metal from Japan won't even be qualified to serve as target practice for my fleet. Besides, most of that thirty-million loan from Meijian Country will be spent on port repairs and shipyard reconstruction; the money that can actually be used to buy warships is pitifully small. They want to catch up to me? In their dreams. By the time they fix their first dock, I will have already built five new ships."

"It is good that you have this confidence. However, the System must remind you that the German Empire is pressing hard, hoping that the first two Battleships can be delivered before next summer. The production line is already running at full capacity, but the pressure on dock scheduling is significant. In particular, the gantry crane at Dock No. 2 has recently shown signs of slight structural fatigue; although it does not affect short-term use, it may need reinforcement in the long run, otherwise, there could be safety hazards when hoisting heavy sections. The System suggests that the Host arrange a comprehensive overhaul during the next maintenance cycle, which will require about five days of downtime. Additionally, the shipyard workers have been working overtime for three consecutive months, and their fatigue levels are rising; it is recommended to adjust the shifts accordingly."

"The German Empire is in a rush, but I am even more so." Li Ling opened the second batch of procurement letters of intent just sent by the German Empire; it was a beautifully bound document with gold-stamped text and an eagle emblem on the deep blue cover, reflecting a faint light under the lamps. When opened, it carried the scent of ink unique to new paper and a hint of leather. "They've tasted the sweetness and intend to add more orders. This time, they don't just want Battleships, but also supporting Cruisers and logistics supply ships. The total amount is even larger than the first batch; it seems Kaiser Wilhelm II is determined to arm his navy with my warships. By the way, they also mentioned in the appendix that they hope to obtain some data on carrier-based aviation technology—it seems Kaiser Wilhelm II has realized the potential of aircraft in naval warfare; although those wooden-frame planes can't fly very far yet, they have already seen the future. This old guy has more foresight than his advisors."

He closed the letter of intent and swept his gaze across the nautical chart on the table, finally landing on the location of the German Empire. The chart was marked with dense shipping routes; the red ones marked arms transport lines, and the blue ones marked supply lines, pinned to the wooden chart board with fine stitches, the corners frayed from frequent handling. His finger tapped heavily on the location of Wilhelmshaven, producing a dull thud that caused a nearby brush to roll. "The Germans have a big appetite, but my appetite is even bigger. If they want to buy, I will sell, but the price must be renegotiated. This time, I don't intend to only accept silver; I want their industrial equipment—precision machine tools, steelmaking technology, chemical production lines. These things are much more valuable than silver. Especially that set of optical glass production lines; my artillery sights and ship-mounted rangefinders are waiting for it. Without high-quality optical glass, my gunners are like blind men at long distances."

"Host, you are becoming more and more like a qualified arms dealer. You've even learned to barter." The System's voice carried a hint of rare approval, a tone that made Li Ling feel a little smug.

"Thank you for the compliment." Li Ling laughed, picked up a blank contract template from the desk, and began to sketch and modify it; the tip of the pen scratched across the paper with a rustling sound, which was exceptionally clear in the quiet Imperial Study. "By the way, have the performance parameters for the export version of the first batch of Longhuang-class Battleships been reported by the Production Base yet? I must ensure that the version sold to the German Empire is a notch below what I use myself, but still significantly better than what The British have. This balance must be handled well; if it's a little worse, they won't be satisfied; if it's too good, I'm afraid they might study something out of it. When Grand Admiral Tirpitz visited last time, he mentioned that they hope to keep the main gun caliber above 400 millimeters; this request is reasonable, but I have to do some tricks with the armor thickness and hide the design concepts of the key parts."

"Transfer complete. The export version of the Longhuang-class has a standard displacement of 53,000 tons and a full load displacement of 60,200 tons. The ship length is 280 meters, beam is 39.6 meters, and draft is 10.7 meters. The main gun caliber is 420 millimeters, a size smaller than the 460 millimeters of the self-use version, but it is still one of the largest caliber naval guns on this planet, with a single armor-piercing shell weighing 1,200 kilograms, a maximum range of 34,000 meters, and a muzzle velocity of 820 meters per second. Regarding armor thickness, the main armor belt has been reduced from 500 millimeters to 420 millimeters, but it is still a full 100 millimeters thicker than the latest British 'Orion'-class Battleship. The speed is 28 knots, with a range of 17,000 nautical miles. The overall performance is at least ten years ahead of current British Battleships, but about one generation behind the Tang Country's self-use version. In terms of the fire control system, the secondary guns have been reduced from 155 millimeters to 152 millimeters, the number of dual-purpose guns has been reduced by two, and the anti-aircraft firepower density has decreased by about 15 percent. Additionally, it should be noted that the export version's fire control system has removed the core Radar data link module, retaining only basic optical rangefinding and mechanical ballistic computers, so that even if they dismantle and study it, they cannot replicate the Tang Country's core fire control technology. The ammunition magazine's protective layout has also been simplified, with anti-explosion capabilities about 20 percent lower than the self-use version." The System reeled off a string of data as if it were counting its own family treasures, even listing the muzzle velocity and range of the shells in detail, with every number accurate to two decimal places.

Li Ling nodded with satisfaction, his finger tracing across the contract, and the tip of his pen paused at the "Delivery Date" column. "That's good. Send this contract to the German Empire's ambassador in Qingxia tomorrow. As for the price, increase it by 15 percent as a 'priority production fee.' If they think it's expensive, they can wait in line. My shipyards aren't short on orders anyway. Additionally, add an extra clause to the contract—if the German Empire is willing to provide an additional batch of Submarine diesel engine technology, I can consider shortening the delivery cycle at my discretion, by up to three months." He picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and drew a heavy red line over that extra clause; the ink spread rapidly across the paper, like a congealed wound.

"Host, you dare to extort even the German Emperor? And add conditions? They are paying with real silver and gold. That diesel engine technology is their trump card; how could they possibly just give it to you?"

"Extortion? This is reasonable market pricing." Li Ling said righteously, placing the brush back on the rack with a crisp clatter. "Exclusive technology, monopoly status—a premium is only natural. If Kaiser Wilhelm II doesn't even understand this simple logic, then he has been an emperor in vain. Besides, I am not just taking money without doing anything—what I am giving them is absolutely worth the price. 420-millimeter main guns, a 100-millimeter armor advantage, a speed of 28 knots... taking these stats to Europe is enough for them to brag about for ten years. Look at The British Dreadnought; the main guns are only 305 millimeters, the armor is only 280 millimeters, and the speed is only 21 knots. Compared to my export version, it's just a little brother, not even fit to carry my ships' shoes. As for the diesel engine technology... if he gives it, it's out of favor; if he doesn't, it's his duty, and I won't force it."

That afternoon, Li Ling received three foreign representatives who had come to purchase arms in the Imperial Study. The first was the representative of the German Empire, Count von Strauss; this old nobleman with a Prussian-style short beard had clearly come with a direct order from Kaiser Wilhelm II. He was wearing a well-tailored dark blue military dress uniform with an Iron Cross hanging on his chest, and his collar was as stiff as a blade. As soon as he entered, he got straight to the point, expressing his hope to accelerate the delivery schedule of the first two Battleships and even hinting that he could accept a price increase. As he said this, his fingers tapped unconsciously on the armrest of the chair, the rhythm revealing his inner urgency—clearly, the demand from Berlin for this batch of warships had reached an urgent point, with some even publicly questioning Kaiser Wilhelm II's foreign policy in the parliament.

Li Ling received him with a smile and personally poured him a cup of hot tea; the aroma of tea rose curl by curl between them. However, when it came to specific issues, his attitude was unyielding, and he held firm on every number. "Your Excellency, the Count, my shipyards are already running at full capacity." Li Ling leaned back in his chair, twirling a fountain pen in his hand; the pen was a state gift presented by the German Empire during their last visit, with an eagle emblem and the words "Long-lasting Friendship" engraved on the barrel. It was heavy and substantial, and his fingertips stroked the barrel slowly. "The orders from Meijian Country are lined up first; this is something that cannot be helped. However, I can give you a promise—after the Meijian Country's orders are delivered, the German Empire's subsequent orders will be arranged with the highest priority. As compensation, I am willing to provide a set of the latest fire control system design blueprints free of charge, guaranteeing that your country's new ships will see their combat effectiveness increase by at least 15 percent. In addition, I can also dispatch an additional technical team to your country to assist in the gunnery training of the crew for a period of three months, free of charge, including room and board."

The Count's brows were tightly locked; he was clearly not satisfied with this response, and his thick eyebrows were almost twisted into a knot. But he also knew that Li Ling's shipyards indeed had limited capacity, and Li Ling's concessions were already much more than expected. The two sides haggled for nearly an hour; the Count even stood up once, making a gesture to leave, his boots turning in a direction on the floor, but eventually stopped at the threshold and turned back. A compromise was finally reached: the German Empire agreed to pay an additional rush fee equivalent to 10 percent of the total price, while Li Ling promised to deliver the first two export-version Longhuang-class ships within one year, half a year ahead of the original plan. After signing the supplementary agreement, the Count's expression finally eased a little; he picked up the cup of tea that had already gone cold and drank it in one gulp, as if to extinguish the anxiety in his heart.

After seeing the Count off, Li Ling hadn't even had time to take a drink of water when his adjutant came to report that Ambassador Smith, the commercial counselor of Meijian Country, had been waiting in the side hall for a long time, having waited for nearly two hours. "Let him in." Li Ling set down his teacup, straightened his collar again, and placed the fountain pen back into the pen holder.

Ambassador Smith was quickly ushered into the Imperial Study.

He carried the typical air of a North American businessman, wearing a meticulously tailored dark grey three-piece suit, an exquisite pearl tie pin on his tie, and shoes polished to a mirror shine.

He bowed slightly upon entering, his posture respectful, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.

He calmly surveyed the furnishings within the Imperial Study—the massive nautical chart on the wall, marked with red pins indicating the distribution of various nations' fleets; the mysterious machine running in the corner, its indicator lights blinking faintly; and the stack of documents on the desk clearly related to arms trading—his gaze lingered on those documents for a moment, then quickly shifted away, as if afraid of being discovered.

But Li Ling was not buying it; his negotiation style had always been direct, and he was never one to beat around the bush.

He produced the contract with the increased price directly, the paper making a rustling sound as it spread across the desk, like some silent declaration.

The smile on Ambassador Smith's face stiffened; he attempted to bargain, even mentioning a private letter from the President of Meijian Country, but that letter carried no weight before Li Ling—he merely glanced at it and pushed it back.

Li Ling remained resolute, insisting, "This is an exclusive technology licensing fee; there is no room for negotiation if it is less than this," and even the private letter from the President of Meijian Country was not enough to sway his position.

"Ambassador Smith, you should understand that the technology of the Tang Country is unique in this world."

Li Ling crossed his hands on the desk, leaned forward slightly, and looked straight into the other man's eyes, his gaze carrying an unquestionable sense of oppression, "The money you are spending is not just for four Battleships, but for a technological advantage for the next twenty years.

Whether this deal is worth it, you know better than I do.

Besides, your country is facing increasing pressure in the Pacific Ocean; the German Empire and Japan are both frantically building warships, and you need this batch of warships to maintain the balance—I don't need to say more on this, do I?

If your country does not sign this contract today, my warships will appear on the price list on the other side of the Pacific Ocean tomorrow, and by then, the price will not be this."

In the end, Ambassador Smith compromised.

Meijian Country was in dire need of these Battleships to fill the power vacuum in the Pacific Ocean; their Congress was already in an uproar over this military purchase, but the President had already made the final decision to sign.

They were even willing to pay an additional "technology transfer fee" in exchange for priority delivery, and that money was drawn directly from the special budget of the Meijian Country Navy.

When Ambassador Smith signed his name on the contract, his hand was trembling slightly; the nib of his pen left a faint shaky mark on the paper, and the ink bled into a small blot—the total amount of this order was already equivalent to half a year's budget for the Meijian Country Navy, and those congressmen would likely throw a fit when they found out.

Once the contract was signed, the two shook hands; Li Ling could even feel the sweat on the other's palm, a sense of helplessness and relief after being pushed into a corner.

After sending Ambassador Smith off, Li Ling sat alone in the empty Imperial Study and let out a long sigh.

The light outside the window had shifted westward; the setting sun shone through the lattice, casting long golden bands of light on the floor, in which tiny dust particles floated, like golden powder ignited by the sunlight, drifting slowly in the silence.

"System, what is the approximate amount of liquid capital I can use now, including the total of those two orders just now, plus the previous deposits and payments?"

He picked up the freshly brewed hot tea and gently blew away the foam on the surface.

The tea had just been brought by Empress Su Wanqing; it was at the perfect temperature and carried a delicate jasmine fragrance, the warmth sliding from his throat all the way to his stomach.

[Including existing reserves, the host's currently available liquid capital is approximately 73 million taels of silver.

This does not include subsequent installment payments and industrial equipment acquired through barter.

According to current production efficiency, this capital is sufficient to support the host's military expansion and infrastructure construction for the next Five-Year Plan, provided that the host no longer throws tantrums demanding the system to advance rewards.

Additionally, I remind the host that a significant portion of this capital is paid in the form of raw materials and equipment, which requires time to be converted into actual industrial production capacity.

The first batch of machine tool equipment from the German Empire is expected to arrive at Jinling Port in two months, including three large boring machines, five precision grinding machines, and a complete optical glass production line—these are all physical assets that the system cannot currently manifest.

The payments from Meijian Country are primarily in gold and have already been deposited into the Tang Country treasury, equivalent to approximately 12 million taels of silver.] The system's voice was serious, with every number as precise as a financial report.

"When did I throw a tantrum? That was... that was a legitimate request!"

Li Ling was exposed by the system and felt a bit embarrassed and angry, his ears heating up slightly as he picked up his teacup and took a large gulp, "Besides, I have money now; do I still need to act shamelessly with you?

But on another note, when will that batch of precision machine tools arrive? My arsenal expansion is waiting for this equipment.

Especially those large boring machines; without them, the gun barrels for my 460mm main guns can only be processed manually, which is too inefficient; it takes a whole month to bore one gun barrel, and this speed is simply maddening."

[Expected to arrive at Jinling Port in two months.

The German Empire side has already loaded the ships, taking the route from Hamburg Port to Jiangning Port, transported by two 10,000-ton freighters, with a Cruiser escorting the fleet, because the cargo on board is too valuable.

The system suggests the host arrange for port reception and transshipment work in advance to avoid congestion.

Additionally, this batch of equipment includes three super-heavy forging presses, each weighing 200 tons; installation requires special foundation reinforcement, deep foundation pits of at least eight meters must be dug, and there are special requirements for the concrete grade.

The host should have the engineering department make preparations in advance, otherwise it may delay the start of production or even cause equipment damage.] The system paused, a short pause that gave Li Ling a bad premonition, [Host, you look just like an upstart obsessed with counting money.

I am truly impressed; Kaiser Wilhelm II is trading with real gold, silver, and industrial equipment, yet you are here counting money like an accountant.]

"An upstart is an upstart."

Li Ling was not ashamed but rather proud; he carefully placed the contract into a carved wooden box on the bookshelf—it was a small safe he used specifically for storing important documents, which was already filled with copies of contracts from various countries, each neatly arranged by country and year, tied with red ribbons, "I earned this money with my own ability, why shouldn't I be happy?

Besides, I am not spending the money on food, drink, and entertainment.

This money will ultimately be invested in military construction, industrial development, education, and healthcare.

I am starting a business here, building up the foundation for this country.

I intend to use those three forging presses to build gun barrels for new naval guns; large-caliber artillery over 460mm cannot be built without super forging presses.

This is called industrial upgrading, do you understand?

Once those machine tools are in place, the production capacity of my arsenal will at least double, and the processing speed of gun barrels will increase by more than five times; then my warship building speed will be able to reach another level."

[The system is relieved that the host can distinguish between primary and secondary priorities.

However, the system must remind you that excessive reliance on arms trading may cause the host to deviate from the true core of development.

A country's strength, in the final analysis, depends on its own industrial base, technological strength, and talent reserves.

Arms trading can make money, but it cannot replace real industrialization.

The reason the German Empire is willing to spend a lot of money to buy your warships is that their own industrial system cannot yet produce products of the same level.

But what about five years from now, or ten years from now?

When they have digested your technology and caught up to your level, will your arms business still be as booming as it is now?

Additionally, the system has noticed that The British side is also stepping up the research and development of new capital ships; their "Queen Elizabeth" class is already in design, and although its performance is not as good as your Longhuang-class, the gap is narrowing. The British have already started to adopt oil-fired boilers, which is an important technical signal.] the system asked, its voice carrying a hint of imperceptible concern.

"I know. Do you take me for one of those shortsighted people who only care about immediate interests?"

Li Ling's smile faded a bit, and his tone became serious; he placed the teacup on the table and crossed his fingers on his knees, "That is why I want to accelerate the progress of the first Five-Year Plan.

Railways must be built, factories must be constructed, schools must be opened, and talent must be cultivated.

The money earned from arms trading is used to lay the foundation for these things.

I have already marked out a piece of land outside Jinling City, preparing to build a comprehensive industrial city, integrating steel, chemical industry, and machinery manufacturing all together.

By then, even if the arms business cannot continue, my industrial foundation will still be there.

This is called 'plan for defeat before planning for victory,' do you understand?

Additionally, I am already planning to establish my own scientific research system; I cannot rely on the system for everything.

The first batch of overseas students has already departed for the German Empire; once they return after completing their studies, I will have my own technical talent.

This is the true long-term plan."

[The system is relieved that the host can distinguish between primary and secondary priorities.

By the way, I remind you that the foundation of the industrial city needs to be handled; the groundwater level in that area is relatively high. It is recommended to do drainage work first and drill a row of deep wells to lower the water level, otherwise the foundation will be soaked when the rainy season comes.

The system can provide relevant technical drawings, including the layout plan for the dewatering wells and pump station design.] The system's voice seemed to carry a hint of a smile.

Outside the window, the late autumn setting sun was slowly sinking below the horizon.

The golden afterglow shone through the lattice, casting long shadows of light on the floor; those shadows moved slowly with the setting sun, like a giant golden palm stroking the earth, inch by inch sweeping over the spread-out documents and account books.

Li Ling stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open; the cold wind poured in, blowing the stray hair on his forehead.

He looked at the faint horizon in the distance, where a thin golden line was burning.

On the sea, a huge ship shadow was slowly sailing into the port—it was the first Longhuang-class Battleship that had just returned from its ocean trial, as massive as a moving island; the waves split by the bow shimmered with broken gold light in the setting sun, and every wave looked as if it had been ignited.

Its main turrets were clearly outlined in the twilight, with four triple-mounted 460mm giant guns quietly pointing to the sky, the gun barrels dragging long shadows in the setting sun, like a silent giant beast slowly retracting its claws.

That was the version for Tang Country's own use, not the weakened version for export; its armor thickness reached an astonishing 500mm, enough to withstand the attack of any active naval gun.

Li Ling watched it, and an indescribable sense of satisfaction welled up in his heart—it was his, a miracle he had created from scratch.

"System." He suddenly spoke, his voice sounding somewhat ethereal in the wind.

[Hmm?]

"Tell me, when the great powers see the construction speed in my dockyards, what will they think?

That Longhuang-class, from keel laying to the completion of sea trials, took less than eight months.

The British need at least two years.

Will they think I cheated?

Will they suspect I have some unspeakable secret?

Will they send people to spy on my intelligence?"

[They will probably feel very uneasy.

Because they know that at this speed, it won't be long before the host's fleet size exceeds their entire force in the Far East.

By then, the right to speak in this sea area will no longer be in their hands.

As for suspicion... they will certainly suspect, but they cannot find any evidence, and can only attribute this uneasiness to "the Emperor of Tang Country possesses some mysterious technology."

And this is exactly the effect the host wants—to make the enemy guess in fear, hesitate in guessing, and miss the opportunity in hesitation.

As for spying for intelligence, that is inevitable; the system has already detected at least five groups of foreign agents operating near Jinling, mainly concentrated around the Production Base and the periphery of the naval port, but they have all been stopped by the Special Forces.] the system replied, its tone calm as usual, but the weight of its words made Li Ling's eyes narrow slightly.

"That is the effect I want."

Li Ling's mouth curled into an arc, the smile appearing particularly profound in the twilight, the corners of his eyes shining slightly under the setting sun, "Uneasiness is exactly what I want.

The more uneasy they are, the more they need my warships to 'maintain the balance'; the more they rely on my arms, the less they dare to really turn against me.

This is what I want—to hold their lifeline in my hands.

By the time they realize it, they will have been led by the nose by me for ten years.

Meijian Country buying warships, Japan rebuilding, The British in anxiety—all of this is on my chessboard.

They think they are doing business with me, but in fact, they are sending me money, equipment, and time."

He turned around, walked back to the desk, and picked up another document—it was the design blueprint for the Longxun-class high-speed Battlecruiser, the final draft just sent by the technical department of the Production Base.

The dense lines and annotations on the blueprint were clearly visible under the light; the edges of the yellowed paper still had eraser crumbs and pencil marks, and the corners were frayed from repeated folding.

"Next, it's time to let them see my new toy."

Li Ling's gaze fell on the giant ship with smooth lines on the blueprint, the smile on his lips deepening; he gently slid his fingertips over the contour of the ship's hull, feeling the perfect arc, "Longxun-class, designed speed of 35 knots, main gun caliber of 380mm.

A monster that can run faster than a Cruiser and has more powerful firepower than a Battleship.

I would like to see what expression those British who claim to be 'masters of the sea' will have when this thing appears on the sea.

Their 20-knot Battleships are like a group of old ladies taking a walk in front of the Longxun-class; they are so slow it's laughable."

The sea wind outside the window suddenly picked up, causing the window lattice to vibrate with a dull thud, and the edges of the blueprints on the desk to rustle.

And deep in the naval port, the keel of the first Longxun-class had already begun to be laid, with welding sparks flickering like stars in the twilight, like a prelude to the birth of a new era.

That giant ship, destined to change the landscape of naval warfare, was taking shape silently, and the joining of every steel plate was accumulating strength for the future storm.

Li Ling carefully put the stack of blueprints into the safe, placed them with the contracts, locked the cabinet door, and spun the key around his fingertips, making a crisp metallic clinking sound.

Then he turned around and looked at the sea outside the window that was being swallowed by the twilight, his eyes full of anticipation, and a hint of coldness belonging to a hunter that even he himself had not noticed.

The sea wind outside the window wrapped around the last trace of the sunset, blowing a withered leaf behind him, which swirled and landed outside the threshold of the Imperial Study, like some silent warning.